The Best VPN Providers of 2023

This is a difficult question to answer. The easiest VPN service will depend on who you are, what device you intend to use, which features are important to you, and how much time you want to invest in setting up the VPN. 

That said, if your priority is to protect Internet traffic without any fuss or complexity along the way, NordVPN might be one of the easiest services available. 

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• We use VPN ourselves, which means we know what’s important in searching for one.
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In most countries, VPNs are not illegal. However, what you do after connecting to the VPN is another matter. Some countries have placed restrictions on VPN usage and only allow providers that are licensed by the government. These countries include:  

• China
• Russia
• Iran
• Oman

There are also countries that have imposed a total ban on VPNs, and they are:

• Turkmenistan
• Iraq
• North Korea
• Belarus

The UAE, on the other hand, recognizes the importance of VPNs for corporations but does not allow individuals to use one.

Most devices & operating systems are compatible with VPNs, and we have created dedicated pages for each OS. Under the “Best VPNs” tab, you can see our list of the best VPN service providers for macOS, Windows, Linux, and mobile operating systems like iOS and Android. Each VPN provider is proven and tested to work with the specific OS, and we also keep the lists updated.

Yes, you can. As a matter of fact, 43% of daily VPN users are on mobile, according to The State of VPN Usage. A VPN provides security when users connect to public Wifi hotspots in coffee shops, airports, and hotels. 

Free WiFi hotspots are very convenient, but they also make users vulnerable to hackers because this type of connection is often open and unsecured. Even worse, some hackers connect to free WiFi with the intent of stealing information. 

Some users may find their emails hacked and financial information stolen because they connected their phones to these free public Wifi hotspots. For security and privacy, it’s better to use a VPN on your phone and other mobile devices, especially when you are on the go and rely mostly on public hotspots.

It’s important to emphasize the importance of going for a paid VPN rather than a free one. You should be wondering how the latter, which promise lifetime free VPN services, are earning money. 

According to a CSIRO study, most free VPNs (a scary 75% of them) log your usage and personal data. These providers can sell your details to data brokers and advertisers.  

Moreover, tests performed on 283 free VPNs have led to the following stunning revelations: 

• 38% contain malware.
• 19% lack encryption which leads to traffic leaks, despite the promise of encrypted tunnelling.
• 84% do not tunnel IPv6 traffic, and 66% do not tunnel DNS traffic.
• 16% use non-transparent proxies to manipulate traffic.

These statistics are quite alarming. That’s why it’s better to sign up with a VPN provider that is reliable and proven to be secure, even if it means you have to shell out some money. You can get a VPN service like PIA for as low as $3.33 per month, and you can even get a discount if you sign up for a longer term.

Normally, when you open a website, your computer sends a request to the web server. The web server then responds to your computer either to allow you to access the website or not. 

However, when you use a VPN, it will act as a ‘middle-person’ between your device and the web server.

This results in the following traffic flow

1. Data passes through your VPN software, and it gets encrypted. 
2. Data is sent to the VPN server.
3. Data goes from VPN server to the web server.
4. A response is sent from the web server to the VPN server.
5. Your VPN receives the response data packet.
6. The received data packet is decrypted and is processed by the browser or app. 

All these steps happen within fractions of a second, but a VPN does add a few extra moments into the process. Most of the time, the difference is unnoticeable to all but those who do frequent speed tests. Nonetheless, the difference in speed is a small tradeoff compared to the security and privacy you can get from using a VPN.

A VPN IP leak happens when a user’s real IP address becomes visible even while using a VPN service. This is usually due to browser plugins, DNS leaks, and even your device’s operating system.

IP leak also happens if you lose your VPN connection while still connected to the network. Your IP address is leaked because, for a few moments, you aren’t protected by the VPN. The best VPN services have developed ways to avoid IP leaks, and the most notable innovation is the Kill Switch feature. 

If a VPN provider has a Kill Switch and you turn that feature on, your network connection will automatically shut down whenever the VPN connection is lost. 

Both VPNs and proxies hide your IP address to provide anonymity on the internet. But that’s where the similarities end. 

A VPN creates a secure encrypted tunnel to protect your data from hackers. This is done through military-grade encryption, authentication, and VPN protocols that offer security and speed.

Meanwhile, proxies transfer data through unencrypted HTTP protocol. This is regarded as unsecured and enables cybercriminals to monitor what you’re doing online easily. For example, your credit card details could be exposed if you’re relying on non-secure proxies.  

VPNs will also have significantly more useful features, and they are easier to set up & use than proxies. We have a full breakdown for you here: VPN or Proxy: Which is better?