Top 10 VPN Software Providers

For the last two years, there has been a surge in the use of VPN services. You all might have at least heard of the term VPN. All thanks to the increase in internet connectivity around the world. There are more active internet users in the world than there were ever. This also means internet users are more susceptible to cyber crimes more than ever. VPN is very effective in defending your system from all types of cyber threats. Every day around 35% of desktop users and 42% of mobile users on internet users are using VPN. They are using it for various purposes. Before going through the top 10 best VPN software let’s understand what VPN is.

What is a VPN?

VPN is short for a virtual private network. A virtual private network builds a secure internet connection by routing the data through another remote network. This means that the users will be accessing any website from the server that is far from them. A VPN helps people to use the internet beyond the access restrictions of almost any nation.

 By using a virtual private network one surf the internet to access sites or information that are banned in their own country. But these are not the reasons why VPN was originally created. The initial intention was to securely connect business networks together over the internet. This enables the user to access the information that is generally unavailable to them. 

Many people in current times are using VPN to cross the internet restrictions applied to them. Most of them use one of the top 10 VPN services. VPNs have decreased the censorship of the internet so you can surf your favorite content. People use them to protect their information over unsecured networks. It is also used by people to hide their online transactions and remain anonymous.

Why is a VPN used?

Even after gathering a considerable amount of popularity not comparatively not many people use a VPN. This is because people do not know the extent of the advantages they can have using a VPN.  The first and foremost reason for using a VPN is for privacy. People use the internet for all kinds of purposes. During this process, they will access any site they wish.

All of the sites on the internet are not safe. As you know many sites these days are asking you to login using your email. While reputed sites may do this for security reasons the others may use it to snoop your information. The sites may plant some malware on your computer. This malware can be used to find more private information about you.

Thankfully VPN provides enhanced security while surfing the internet. When someone connects to any network using a VPN their data is made secure. It is done by encrypting the original data of the user. In this way, your information is hidden from hackers.

VPN increases the productivity of any company as it can access the data from remote areas. The companies can use this to share information for extended periods of time. While using a VPN a person can stay completely anonymous. Not only people but the anonymity is even provided to websites and applications that one accesses.

How to choose the best VPN service?

As the market for VPN services is increasing the competition is also getting intense every day. Many companies are trying to cash in on growing concerns of people regarding their privacy. This is a valid reason as more people these days are aware of the threats of cybercrimes. It is getting harder to tell fake VPN providers from the real ones. So it is important to choose a trusted VPN provider.

There are some things you can keep in mind before subscribing to a VPN service. Look at their reputation, see how long they have been in the market. Find out what type of encryption they use. Research about the ease of use and the kind of customer support they offer. It is also important to know if they provide any additional features.

Below is a list of the top 10 best VPN software. Not only that but also about the services provided by the top 10 VPN providers.

Comparision of VPN providers

Provider Product Name Free Trial MYVU Score Visit Website
ExpressVPN Yes 9.5

Read Review

Visit ExpressVPN
PUREVPN Yes 9.3

Read Review

Visit PUREVPN
NordVPN Yes 9.5

Read Review

Visit NordVPN
Surfshark Yes 9

Read Review

Visit Surfshark
CyberGhost VPN Yes 8.5

Read Review

Visit CyberGhost VPN
ProtonVPN Yes 9.2

Read Review

Visit ProtonVPN
HMA Yes 8.3

Read Review

Visit HMA
Private Internet Access Yes 8

Read Review

Visit Private Internet Access
ZenMate Yes 8.5

Read Review

Visit ZenMate
VyprVPN Yes 8.3

Read Review

Visit VyprVPN
PrivateVPN Yes 8

Read Review

Visit PrivateVPN
Hotspot Shield Yes 8

Read Review

Visit Hotspot Shield

ExpressVPN

The first VPN provider on this top 10 VPN services list is ExpressVPN.  ExpressVPN was first launched in the year 2009 in the British Virgin Islands. As of now, ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN in the world. The consistency of ExpressVPN is what makes it one of the best VPNs out there. Apart from being one of the fastest VPN providers it also gives importance to privacy. Over several years ExpressVPN has figured out how to stand out in the competition. It does this by having all the professional features required for a company or an individual. The network of ExpressVPN is powered by the technology of TrustedServer. This technology was built by ExpressVPN itself so that there are no logs of online user activities.

ExpressVPN has a massive network that has more than 3000 servers. These servers are located in 160 cities across 94 countries. Most of these servers are in the US and Europe but there are servers in Asia as well. There is a clean and simple policy of ExpressVPN that doesn’t log any sensitive information. Rather than just stating it ExpressVPN actually explains in detail how it does not collect it. Another great feature is that it provides 24/7 customer support through live chat. You don’t have to wait for days to receive a response to your issue.

Apart from that ExpressVPN has unlimited server switches along with unlimited bandwidth. One can set it up instantly and it works on all types of devices.ExpressVPN has 99.99% uptime. You can have 3 simultaneous connections which will have 256-bit encryption with open VPN support. ExpressVPN also contains a kill switch, network lock DNS leak protection across all platforms. 

Pros 

  • Identity is secured by network lock
  • It does not have a logging policy.
  • Speed.
  • Top-notch encryption.
  • Wide range of protocols.
  • Great customer support.
  • Easy to set up.
  • Connects 3 times faster.

Cons

  • The price is a bit expensive.

Pricing

  • It has a 30-day free trial.
  • ExpressVPN’s monthly plan costs $12.95 per month.
  • Its half-yearly plan costs $9.99 per month.
  • The price of the yearly plan is $ 6.67 per month which includes an additional three months for free.

PureVPN

PureVPN is a commercial service founded in 2007 which is owned by GZ Systems Ltd. It is a Hong Kong-based company. PureVPN has more than 2000 servers. These servers are situated in more than 180 locations over 140 locations around the world. All of these servers are self-managed. It has apps for almost every need you can think of. PureVPN has a large set of protocols with DNS and IPv6 leak protection. It also has split tunneling which routes tour traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel. You can use it on five devices and the payment can be made through bitcoin. All these features earned PureVPN a spot on the top 10 VPN providers list.

PureVPN provides great platform support. It has applications for MAC, Windows, IOS, Linux, and Android. There are also extensions for firefox and chrome. Along with these it also has several other downloads and tutorials. These tutorials explain how to set it up on your routers, Android TV, etc. After the latest update, PureVPN has renewed its privacy policy. Before this update, it used to keep logs on a few things. But the new policy clearly states that it does not keep tags history, connection logs, IPs, etc. It also states that it keeps logs on the day and service provider through which you have connected. 

This VPN service accepts almost all types of payments. Its payment wall has more than 150 payment options. You can pay through your PayPal, credit card, gift cards and cryptocurrency like bitcoin. There are different modes you can select. Each mode has its own perks and selecting mode allows you to select locations. It allows you to browse locations either by countries or cities. The change mode lets you switch from one to another. But you must close your current connection to change to another mode.

Pros

  • No restrictions on torrents and Netflix
  • Multiple payment options including cryptocurrencies.
  • It has 256-bit encryption.
  • It contains built-in antimalware and antivirus support.
  • It also has a refund policy

Cons

  • The download speed is quite slow.
  • Lacks good customer support.
  • Some servers have connection problems.

Pricing

  • It has a 3-day free trial.
  • One month’s subscription costs $11/month.
  • PureVPN charges $9/month for 6 months subscription.
  • The one-year subscription is priced at $5/month.

NordVPN

NordVPN is next on this top 10 VPN services list. NordVPN which is located in Panama was established in 2012.  It is one of the most popular VPNs in the world with more than 12 million users. NordVPN network has more than 5600 servers in 80 locations. Its network is spread across 58 countries. NordVPN has apps available for different platforms like IOS, Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, and others. It allows you to have six connections simultaneously. But the popularity of this VPN is mainly due to the features it offers. 

It contains all the features that a customer expects. NordVPN provides high performance with open VPN support which aids in strong encryption. It also contains DNS leak protection and a kill switch which safeguards your identity. NordVPN provides extra security to its customers through Onion support and double data encryption. Its cyber technology also protects you from malware and phishing. One of the major advantages is NordVPN’s P2P support. It has a clear no-logging policy. The Panama registration of NordVPN reassures its customers about their privacy. 

This VPN automatically reconnects after some time even if you turn it off manually. NordVPN gives 24/7 customer support through live chat and email. The Onion over VPN feature routes your data first through Nord’s network then through Onion network before its final destination. The multi-layer complications may slow down the service but also makes it very difficult to trace your actions. NordVPN has two kill switches rather than one. One that kills your net access and another one kills your application the connection goes down.

Pros

  • Great privacy and security.
  • It has two kill switches.
  • Double VPN which means double protection.
  • NordVPN gives amazing offers on price.
  • Speed.
  • Consists of multiple payment gateways including cryptocurrencies.

Cons

  • App and server connections are slow.
  • Only some servers support torrenting.
  • Not so user-friendly OpenVPN configuration.

 Pricing

  • It has a 30-day free trial.
  • For one month NordVPN costs $11.95.
  • The one year plans pricing is $6.99/month.
  • Its three-year plan costs $3.49/month.

Surfshark VPN

There are many factors that make the Surfshark VPN feature in this top 10 VPN providers list. One of the main reasons is its huge set of features that come with a very low price. Surfshark VPN is spread across 64 countries. It has its 1040 servers situated in 160 locations. It has applications for Linux, Android, Mac, and Windows. Surfshark VPN also offers extensions for firefox and chrome. It has a smart DNS system that unblocks websites that aids gaming consoles and TVs.You can install Surfshark VPN in any number of devices as it does not have a limit on it. Surfshark VPN encrypts the data through OpenVPN, IKEv2 and AES-256-GCM encryption.

It also does not have a logging policy like other VPNs on this list of top 10 best VPN software. Surfshark VPN contains a kill switch to protect identity if the network goes down. Surfshark VPN consists of an ad blocker and unwanted URL blocker. Not only that but it supports P2P on most of its servers. Surfshark VPN contains split tunneling along with VPN chaining which uses two servers for transmission. To protect your privacy it has its own DNS servers. If anything goes wrong it always provides 24/7 support through live chat or email.

One of the major changes after its latest is its inclusion of two-factor authentication. The two-factor authentication makes it more difficult for a hacker to get to your account. The GPS spoofing in Android shows the location of the selected server if any app asks for your location. The no-logging policy is already discussed but it still keeps certain information about the users. The only information it keeps track of is billing and the email address.

Pros

  • Consists of multi-hop connection.
  • Servers are very strong.
  • Affordable prices.
  • It is available on various platforms.
  • Very user friendly.

Cons

  • Customer service is average.
  • Not all servers support P2P.

Pricing

  • It has a 30-day free trial.
  • The 30 days plan of Surfshark VPN is for $11.95/ month.
  • Surfshark VPN’s yearly plan costs $5.99/month.
  • The two year plans price is $1.99/month.

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN was established in the year 2017 in Bucharest, Romania. It has increased its number of servers to 7100 which are located in 87 countries around the world. CyberGhost VPN has more than 10 million customers using its VPN services. It does not allow torrenting in all of its servers but most of them can perform this action. CyberGhost VPN supports multiple platforms like Mac, Windows, IOS, Android and more. CyberGhost VPN has extra features apart from the usual VPN functionality.

It can actually block harmful websites, trackers, and ads. The automatic redirection of HTTPS makes sure that you have the safest connection every site. The option of data compression allows you to decrease your bandwidth to save mobile data. CyberGhost VPN supports the connection of up to seven devices. But this is only applicable for specific devices. With the connection, a slot gets used up and you have to log out of those slots in order to connect new devices. 

CyberGhost VPN gives free trials for a short duration depending on devices to check their services out. It will give only 24 hours to download, install and check how it works. On the other hand, the android app gets a 7-day trial. CyberGhost VPN also has a 45-day cash back guarantee. Like many of the services in the top 10 VPN providers list. CyberGhost VPN also does not have a logging policy.

Pros

  • It contains security features that are unique.
  • Powerful encryption and strong protocols.
  • Supports multiple platforms.
  • Great for streaming services.

Cons

  • Less number of payment options.
  • Customer support needs improvement.

Pricing

  •  It has a free trial only for one day.
  • The one month plan is for $12.99/month.
  • CyberGhost VPN’s 6 month plans price is $7.99/month.
  • Its 12-month plan is priced at $5.25/month.
  • CyberGhost VPN’s 18-month plan costs $3.50/month.

ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a swiss based virtual private network developed by Proton Technologies AG. It has a smaller network compared to others in this top 10 VPN services list. ProtonVPN is spread across 46 countries in which it has 722 servers in different locations. Most of its servers are in North America and Europe. It also has servers in India, Brazil, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.

All of these servers are owned and operated by ProtonVPN itself. By seeing this one can know how serious it is about the services it offers. The control over its core allows it to route data through multiple servers prior to leaving a network. ProtonVPN has many familiar features other than the high tech security it offers. It has well-known features like P2P support, kill switch and DNS leak protection. ProtonVPN also has a built-in Tor browser to access sites on Onion. Its split tunnelling system is very flexible and routes all traffic through a VPN. ProtonVPN does have applications specifically designed to support a particular. This lets the customers use it on any platform.

To toughen the servers against advanced attacks it included new features like disk hardening in its latest update. ProtonVPN also added a firewall-based kill switch for macOS. Being located in swiss automatically gives it an advantage in privacy as it has very strict privacy laws. ProtonVPN also has a no-logging policy and it does not track or give away any information regarding your internet activity. It only stores the last login’s timestamp. You can use the company’s own Proton mail to remain completely anonymous.

Pros

  • Impressive speed.
  • Security and anonymity.
  • No logs.
  • Supports the Tor browser.
  • Strong protocols and encryption.

Cons

  • Customer support through the only email.
  • Vulnerable to VPN blocks.
  • Difficult to configure every once in a while.

Pricing

  • It has a 7-day free trial.
  • ProtonVPN has free service but it only offers servers of 3 countries with medium speed.
  • The basic plan of ProtonVPN price is $4/ month which contains servers of all countries and allows two devices to connect with the highest speed.
  • ProtonVPN’s plus plan is for $8/month which has all the features of the basic plan . It allows five devices to connect with additional features such as secure streaming and Tor servers.
  • The visionary plan costs $24/ month with all the features of the Plus plan. It allows the connection of 10 devices and in addition, it has ProtonMail Visionary.

HMA

HMA VPN which is short for HideMyAss! is another popular VPN in this top 10 best VPN software list. HMA VPN is a virtual private network company established in the United Kingdom in 2005. Since 2016 it has been acting as a subsidiary to Avast which is a cybersecurity company of the Czech republic. This VPN service is spread across more than 190 countries. HMA VPN has over 1000 servers located in more than 290 locations in those countries. It has its own DNS with no logs which not stops DNS leaks but also blocks phishing and other harmful sites. 

 Another plus point of having this VPN is it works on all devices. HMA VPN has custom apps for  Windows, IOS, Linux, Android, and Mac. On other platforms, you can manually set up by following the installation instructions. These instructions will clearly tell you how to configure routers and use it on all your other smart devices. HMA VPN’s new feature for Windows and Mac is a system wide-kill switch. With the growth of its network HMA, VPN has become more and more reliable. Its privacy policy clearly states what is logged and what is not.

If you subscribe to its services and encounter any problems HMA VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee for you. The privacy policy HMA VPN tells that it does keep logs on original IP addresses. It also does not keep logs on the websites you access or the DNS queries. But it records the timestamp every time you connect and disconnect every session. Since there is no logging of original IP addresses there is no possible way to trace back to your account.

Pros

  • Large network.
  • Powerful system.
  • Live customer support.
  • 7-day free trial.
  • Good speed.

Cons

  • Session logging.
  • Limited configuration.
  • No payment using cryptocurrencies.

Pricing

  • It has a 7-day trial.
  • The monthly plan for 10 simultaneous connections is $23/month.
  • For 20 simultaneous connections monthly plan is for $46/month.
  • HMA’s monthly plan for 30 simultaneous connections is $69/month.
  • The yearly plan for 10 simultaneous connections is $12/month.
  • Its yearly plan for 20 simultaneous connections is priced at $26.17/month.
  • The yearly plan for 30 simultaneous connections costs 39.08/month.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is an open-source virtual private network that was initially released in 2010. In November 2019 it was merged into Kape technologies which are now known as Private Internet. Private Internet also owns Cyberghost and ZenMate. This VPN has more than 3300 P2P servers in over 30 different countries. Private Internet Access has apps for Windows, Linux, IOS, Mac, and Android. It also offers browser extensions for Firefox, Opera and Chrome. Private Internet Access has tutorials that explain clearly how to set it up on other platforms and devices.

Using Private Internet Access you can simultaneously connect 10 devices. It has built-in ad blockers and gives the option to choose your preferred type of encryption.  Private Internet Access provides 24/7 customer support to solve any customer’s issues. The new application has a private browser for IOS that deletes all the information after closing the app. The specially designed apps for Windows, Linux, and Mac automates VPN connections. The shadowsocks feature helps you to connect VPN even in countries that do not support VPN.

The privacy is protected by high-security OpenVPN protocols on mobile and desktops. Private Internet Access also has its own DNS to decrease the chances of DNS leaks. It has a kill switch in case the VPN drops. Unlike other services, it has kill switches for the users of IOS and Android. Private Internet Access is verified to not keep logs on customer’s traffic and queries. It provides high-speed VPN services.

Pros

  • Very simple to install.
  • Different payment options.
  • 10 simultaneous connections.
  • 7-day refund.
  • Highly configurable.

Cons

  • Lacks advanced features.
  • Customer support does not have live chat.
  • Outdated design.

Pricing 

  • It has a 30-day free trial.
  • The monthly plan for Private Internet Access is $6.95/month.
  • It has the 6-month plan priced at $5.99/month.
  • The annual plan costs $3.33/month.

ZenMate

If you are looking for the easiest way to protect your privacy then ZenMate is the best choice for you. This VPN is designed in a simple way so that non-technical users can easily use it. Just a look at the site will let you know how simple it actually is. ZenMate does not hold any complicated feature list, it mainly focuses on the basics of the core. Its network spans over 30 countries. ZenMate has clients for Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS. It also offers browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Android.

Finding torrent-friendly servers is effortless using ZenMate. The “For torrenting” tab gives you a list of all the options as soon as you click it. There are kill switches to block snoopers so that they cannon monitor your activities. ZenMate also has built-in DNS leak protection. It does not log any kind of personal data of its users. Since they don’t store any data it’s impossible for them to sell any information to 3rd parties.

Pros

  • Simple to install and use.
  • Ad and Malware blocking.
  • Support for P2P.
  • It has applications for every device.
  • The price of a 2-year plan is very low.

Cons

  • Consists of fewer features.
  • Customer support needs improvement.

Pricing 

  • ZenMate has a 7-day free trial.
  • It has a free version with very few features like only 4 servers and a maximum speed of 2mbps.
  • The monthly plan costs just $2.22/month.

VyprVPN

VyprVPN is one of the most popular VPN in this list of top 10 best VPN software. This VPN service is very reliable as it is located in Switzerland which is a very privacy-friendly nation. VyprVPN has a decent network size with more than 700 servers situated in 70 locations around the world. It owns all of its servers which means it does not associate with any kind of the third party. VyprVPN has a customized chameleon protocol that allows you to bypass VPN blocking. It also includes features like unlimited data usage and a DNS service.

The VPN service provides more than 50 tutorials that teach how to manually set it up on other platforms. These platforms include Blackberry, OpenELEC, Apple TV, Android TV and many more. Even the VyprVPN does not have a logging policy. It uses the 256-bit encryption and other VPN protocols on Windows and Mac to protect your privacy. For IOS, it uses IKEv2 protocol. The chameleon protocol mixes up all the metadata in OpenVPN. This makes it even more difficult to inspect the packets. But the chameleon protocol is unavailable on IOS.

Pros

  • Zero-knowledge DNS server.
  • DNS leak protection.
  • 24/7 Customer support throughout the year.
  • Encryption protocols are advanced.

Cons

  • Kill switches have issues sometimes.
  • It is slow compared to other services.

Pricing

  • VyprVPN has a 7-day free trial.
  • It has a 30-day free trial.
  • The usual plan of VyprVPN for 1 year allows 3 devices to connect simultaneously and charges $5/month.
  • VyprVPN Premium plan costs $6.67 which allows 5 devices to connect simultaneously and has additional features like VyprVPN cloud and chameleon protocol.

PrivateVPN

Even though the last two services are not among the top 10 VPN services they are worth a mention. PrivateVPN is also a Swedish company which makes it very safe as they have strict privacy laws. This VPN has a mix of basic and unusual features. The size of its network is relatively small with only over 100 servers situated in 59 countries. But all of its servers support torrenting. PrivateVPN has clients for platforms like IOS, Mac, Android, and Windows.

It contains all the technical features to ensure that your privacy is secured. Some of its features include IVEv2, L2TP and OpenVPN support. It also has features like port forwarding, IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. PrivateVPN allows 6 devices to connect simultaneously. One of the best features is its customer support. When you encounter a problem you directly speak with the developers to solve your problem. Like other reputed VPN services PrivateVPN also does not have a logging policy. But it maintains the list of the number of users connected as it allows only 6 devices.

Pros

  • It does not have any logs.
  • PrivateVPN uses 2048-bit encryption.
  • Customer Support.
  • 30-day money-back guarantee.

Cons 

  • Less number of servers.
  • Mobile clients may encounter issues sometimes.

Pricing

  • It has a 7-day free trial.
  • PrivateVPN has a 30-day free trial.
  • Its one month plan is for $8.21/month.
  • The three-month plan is priced at $16.88.
  • Its annual plan of PrivateVPN costs $ 54 which includes another one-month free subscription.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield was developed by AnchorFree and was first released in 2005. It is currently being operated by Pango which took Hotspot Shield from AnchorFree in 2019. Hotspot Shield has its servers located in over 70 countries. The application of Hotspot Shield is supported on all platforms like Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS. This VPN service can be used only through its application. This is because Hotspot Shield needs its own proprietary protocol called Catapult Hydra. There is no manual way to set it up.

Hotspot Shield allows 5 simultaneous connections at once. All of its servers support the P2P connection. It also does not have any limit on bandwidth. There are a lot of payment options for subscriptions except for bitcoin. Hotspot Shield does not bill you for the first seven even after acquiring payment details. If you unsubscribe from the service within this period you will not be charged. Even if you make any payment you are ensured with a 45-day money-back guarantee. 

The privacy policy of Hotspot Shield is more difficult to assess as it does not support IKEv2 and OpenVPN. It uses its own protocol called Catapult Hydra. Hotspot Shield also does not have any logging policy whether its free or premium service.

Pros

  • Very torrent-friendly.
  • Incredible speed.
  • 45-day money back.
  • Easy to use.

Cons 

  • Limited number of apps.
  • Hotspot Shield is necessary to use it.
  • Poor customer service.

Pricing

  • It has a 7-day free trial.
  • One month’s plan of Hotspot shield is $12.99/month.
  • The year plan costs $7.99/month.

Conclusion

The usage of a VPN is a great way of bypassing internet filters. It can be used to access sites that are blocked in your region. A VPN can also be used to change your IP address. It can also increase the efficiency and bandwidth of your network. The cost of creating and maintaining a VPN is very low.  But subscribing to a service provider is a better option. Because then you don’t have to worry about surveillance and maintenance. Hope this list of top 10 VPN providers has given an idea of how to choose a VPN.

 

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