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Independent · Tested hands-on · 2026

Knowthethreats. Protectwhatmatters.

Independent VPN reviews, free privacy tools and plain-English security guides. Find the right protection for how you actually use the internet.

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Overview

Demo data
Test cycle 2026

VPNs tested hands-on

59

Re-tested

Original research reports

24

Original data

Free privacy tools

8

No sign-up

Speed-test locations

9

Real devices

Network telemetry Mbps · top-5 avg.

DownloadUpload

  • USA (local): 95 Mbps download, 94 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • USA (West Coast): 90 Mbps download, 88 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • United Kingdom: 86 Mbps download, 83 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • Germany: 85 Mbps download, 83 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • Canada: 92 Mbps download, 90 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • Japan: 79 Mbps download, 76 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • Australia: 75 Mbps download, 71 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • Brazil: 83 Mbps download, 80 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)
  • South Africa: 77 Mbps download, 74 Mbps upload (average of our top 5 VPNs)

Top score

Review

9.36/10

Best VPN Overall

010
Compare in the test lab

Privacy checks we run Live

Run a leak test
IDCheckWhat we verifyRiskStatusLink
CHK-01 IP Public IP hidden behind VPN exit node Low Protected
CHK-02 DNS DNS requests resolved inside the tunnel Low Protected
CHK-03 WebRTC Browser WebRTC can expose your real IP Medium Review
CHK-04 KILL Kill switch blocks traffic on disconnect Low Protected
CHK-05 PHISH Fake login pages are the #1 entry point High Watch
CHK-06 AES AES-256 / ChaCha20 encryption verified Low Protected

VPNs we test hands-on

Every VPN runs through the same speed, leak and streaming tests on real devices.

  • ExpressVPN
  • NordVPN
  • Proton VPN
  • Surfshark
  • Mullvad
  • IPVanish
  • CyberGhost
  • Windscribe

PG_LAB // same tests for every VPN

How we test VPNs

What we do

Real protection.
Zero guesswork.

Independent VPN reviews, privacy tools and cybersecurity guides. Reader-supported, never paid rankings.

How we review VPNs

VPN Reviews

Every VPN tested hands-on, no paid rankings.

Stay Safe

Best practices that actually protect you.

Threat Alerts

Know the risks before they hit you.

Free privacy tools

8 free tools: leak tests, IP and DNS lookups and a side-by-side VPN comparison. No sign-up needed.

Top picks · 2026

The best VPNs, tested hands-on.

Weighted scores you can see. Affiliate deals never change a ranking. Demo data

Full ranking
  1. #1 Best VPN Overall

    ExpressVPN

    Fastest and most reliable for streaming.

    9.4/ 10 score
    Servers
    13,360
    Countries
    113
    Speed
    85 Mbps
    • Kill Switch
    • Split Tunneling
    • Obfuscation

    from$2.99/mo · over 28 months

    Get deal Review
  2. #2 Runner-up

    NordVPN

    Huge server network and strong security extras.

    9.2/ 10 score
    Servers
    9,000
    Countries
    137
    Speed
    86 Mbps
    • Kill Switch
    • Split Tunneling
    • Double VPN

    from$3.49/mo · over 27 months

    Get deal Review
  3. #3 Most Secure VPN

    Proton VPN

    Swiss privacy and the best free plan.

    9.0/ 10 score
    Servers
    13,000
    Countries
    120
    Speed
    80 Mbps
    • Secure Core (Multi-Hop)
    • NetShield Ad Blocker
    • Kill Switch

    from$2.99/mo · over 24 months

    Get deal Review
  4. #4 Cheap VPN with Extras

    Surfshark

    Unlimited devices and lots of extras.

    8.9/ 10 score
    Servers
    4,500
    Countries
    100
    Speed
    83 Mbps
    • CleanWeb Ad Blocker
    • Dynamic MultiHop
    • Kill Switch

    from$2.49/mo · over 27 months

    Get deal Review
  5. #5 Best for Android TV & Firestick

    IPVanish

    Unlimited devices.

    8.8/ 10 score
    Servers
    2,400
    Countries
    60
    Speed
    88 Mbps
    • Kill Switch
    • Split Tunneling
    • Obfuscation

    from$2.39/mo · over 24 months

    Get deal Review
  6. #6 Best for Torrenting

    Private Internet Access

    Port forwarding and huge network.

    8.7/ 10 score
    Servers
    35,000
    Countries
    91
    Speed
    78 Mbps
    • Port Forwarding
    • MACE Ad Blocker
    • Kill Switch

    from$2.19/mo · over 39 months

    Get deal Review

Live test lab

Speed tests, mapped.

Our top picks on the test grid. Tap a pin or choose a VPN to compare its score, speed and server network.

See the fastest VPNs

Speed-test map

Top picks on our test grid · 9 test locations

Demo data

#1 · Best VPN Overall

ExpressVPN

No Identifiable Data

Demo data
Score
9.36/10
Avg. speed
85 Mbps
Read review

Score overview

Weighted overall score

Demo data

9.36

out of 10

ExpressVPNBest VPN Overall

  • Avg. download85 Mbps
  • Server countries113
  • Server network13,360
Read the full review

Why people use a VPN

Keep my browsing private.

The most common reason overall: hiding browsing activity from advertisers, data brokers and networks.

54%

of VPN users name this reason · surveys: 47–60%
Read: Online Privacy

More reasons

Threat library

Six threats, explained
in plain English.

How each attack works and the simple steps that stop it.

All security guides

  • Phishing

    How to spot and stop phishing emails, texts and fake websites.

  • Malware

    How malware spreads, how to detect it and how to remove it.

  • Ransomware

    How ransomware works and how to protect your files and backups.

  • Data Privacy

    Take back control of your personal data online.

  • Cloud Security

    Keep your cloud accounts, files and backups secure.

  • Network Security

    Secure your home network, router and Wi-Fi.

Live check

Your connection right now

Checking what websites can see about your connection…

Run the full leak test Kill switch test

Checked in your browser via our own API, nothing stored.

Connection check Checking…
What websites can seeYour public IP, location and network, as our server sees them.
Public IP address
Location
Provider
Network typeheuristic

Based on the name of the network you connect from.

IP version
WebRTCBrowser

Waiting for the IP check…

Free tools

Check your privacy in seconds.

Test your VPN for leaks, look up your IP and DNS server and compare services side by side. No sign-up needed.

Our method

How we test every VPN.

0 VPNs tested hands-on across 0 speed-test locations.

  1. 01

    We test hands-on

    Every VPN runs through the same speed, leak and streaming tests on real devices.

  2. 02

    We check the privacy claims

    Logging policies, audits, jurisdiction and ownership, read line by line.

  3. 03

    We score transparently

    Weighted scores you can see. Affiliate deals never change a ranking.

  4. 04

    We re-test regularly

    Rankings are updated when apps, prices or results change.

Original research

24 original research reports on VPN apps, censorship and surveillance.

All research

Learn step by step

Your VPN learning path

Five plain-English guides in the order that makes sense, from zero to protected.

  1. MODULE 01 · Basics

    What Is a VPN?

    What a VPN is, how it works and what it can and cannot do, explained simply.

  2. MODULE 02 · Setup

    How to Set Up and Use a VPN

    Set up a VPN on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox or a router, then lock down the settings and check for leaks.

  3. MODULE 03 · Privacy

    How to Hide Your IP Address

    Hide your IP address with a VPN, Tor, a proxy or the free tools built into Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera and Brave.

  4. MODULE 04 · Verify

    Is My VPN Working? How to Check

    Check if your VPN works in minutes: compare your IP with the VPN off and on, test for DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leaks, then fix what fails.

  5. MODULE 05 · Streaming

    How to Change Your VPN Location

    Change your VPN location on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux or TV, fix sites that still show your real country, and see what a VPN can't change.

Browse all guides

FAQ

Questions,
answered.

Know the threats. Protect what matters.

Do I really need a VPN?

If you use public Wi-Fi, stream abroad or want to keep your ISP from logging your browsing, yes. For banking at home over HTTPS, it is a nice-to-have rather than a must.

Are free VPNs safe?

Some are. Many free VPNs pay their bills by collecting and selling data. Our free-VPN ranking only lists services with audited no-logs policies.

How do you make money?

We earn a commission when you buy through some of our links. It never changes our rankings, and we test VPNs that have no affiliate program too.

Which VPN is the fastest?

Our speed tests run from 9 locations. The fastest services lose under 20% of your base speed on nearby servers.

Cybersecurity · Awareness · Insights

Find the right VPN for how you use the internet

Independent VPN reviews, privacy tools and cybersecurity guides.

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