Here are the best VPN deals available today along with a guide on how these virtual private networks work and why you need one.
As our work, studies, personal lives, and finances have all grown increasingly internet-dependent over the last two decades, online privacy and security have become more important than ever. The easiest and cheapest way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe from today’s digital dangers is by using a virtual private network, or VPN. A virtual private network encrypts and reroutes your online activities through secure remote servers, protecting your data as well as your identity, but there quite a few to choose from nowadays. The good news is that you don’t have to pay a lot: The best VPN services are very affordable, and this roundup of the best VPN deals can help you harden your network with duty-grade protection for even less.
Why sign up
Surfshark is a top-rated virtual private network that operates more than 3,000 servers in 60-plus countries around the world. The Surfshark software is a bit bare-bones, but the VPN itself is very effective. The no-frills interface is actually a plus if you value simplicity and ease of use, and if you also want a good value, then Surfshark is a great pick and happens to be the cheapest VPN deal on our roundup if you opt for the two-year plan.
Although it’s simple, Surfshark still has it where it counts. It offers multiple encryption protocols (including OpenVPN UDP or TCP, IKEv2/IPsec, and WireGuard) and performs very well with good data speeds, something we confirmed in our hands-on tests. It’s compatible with pretty much all common devices and software ecosystems — Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, smart TVs — and as a nice bonus, your subscription lets you cover as many devices and users as you want. If the price alone didn’t make Surfshark a great VPN deal, then the lack of user limits makes it a downright steal.
It’s not the fastest for things like streaming and online gaming, although it still works quite well for that. Surfshark punches well above its weight and is one of the best VPN deals up for grabs right now. There’s also a seven-day VPN free trial available for Android, iOS, and MacOS if you want to give it a spin first with no commitment.
Why sign up
You’ve likely heard of NordVPN, and that popularity is well-deserved. It’s arguably the best VPN as well as one of the best VPN deals available right now. It uses some of the toughest encryption protocols (such as IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, and NordLynx) across its 5,000-plus worldwide servers, and it works great with pretty much all computer and mobile operating systems as well as streaming devices. It’s fast, too, and is easily one of the best Netflix VPN services if streaming speeds are a concern.
NordVPN is registered in Panama, a country known for its customer privacy laws, and delivers great connection speeds in all of our tests. It’s been one of our favorites for years, and continues to improve by adding more device compatibility and expanding its app ecosystem. You can even install it on a VPN router, which will route all your internet traffic through NordVPN without having to install and use the app on each individual device. This also allows you to bypass the six-user limit.
Another great feature of NordVPN is split tunneling. With split tunneling, you can choose which traffic goes through the VPN and which stays on the clearnet. This lets you whitelist certain activities, such as online gaming (to name just one example), that you might not want routed through NordVPN servers.
