The Best VPNs in 2023
Cybersecurity should be a concern for all Internet users. Over 36 billion records were stolen in the first half of 2020, and tracking has increased, with Internet giants tracking your every move.
Protecting your information should start with protecting your privacy.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) offer a high-security option to keep your online activities anonymous while also encrypting your data.
What is a VPN?
A Virtual Private Network or a VPN consists of a private network of Internet connections and some type of interface for the end-user, normally an app, that allows you to connect to the VPN’s servers.
When you connect to a VPN, you’re masking your Internet connection because all of your activity goes through the VPN’s servers first. The VPN will process all of your requests and send the data back to you. Since your provider (or at least the ones we recommend) uses high-end encryption, your ISP never knows your online activity.
And your IP address is masked so that your activities cannot be tracked.
Whether you’re streaming, torrenting, using the Dark Web, or even a whistleblower, a VPN is the leading way to hide your identity. Some VPN providers also offer additional security measures, such as;
- Automatic killswitch
- Strict no-log policies
- Split tunneling
- More
You can connect to thousands of server locations worldwide to circumvent censorship, stream different content libraries and do anything else online without any identifying information linking the activity to you.
Short Summary; TLDR
Here are the three best VPN services in 2023:
- ExpressVPN: blazing-fast servers and consistently reliable connections for gaming, streaming, torrenting, and surfing the web anonymously. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- SurfShark: affordable price, unlimited simultaneous connections, P2P-friendly server, kill switch, and a large number of servers.
- NordVPN: Enhanced security at a competitive price. Free anti-malware protection, split-tunneling, and great speeds for streaming.
You’re online a lot. Do you have a smartphone, tablet, computer, or laptop that you use to access the Internet? If so, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can track everything you do online, even if they can’t access all of the form data that you input on an encrypted website.
Since your connection assigns an IP address to you, this allows you to be:
- Tracked by ISPs
- Tracked by websites
Even your general location can be determined by just your IP address. Websites that are geo-restricted can block you, and advertising companies will follow your every move.
Don’t believe me? Do a quick Google search for a product and you’ll begin seeing ads for the product everywhere. While you can use a VPN to cover your tracks as a journalist or a whistleblower, a lot of people use their VPN when:
- Trying to access streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
- Torrenting – so that you don’t get in slammed with copyright notices
- General online safety and dedicated IP addresses
A VPN is your opportunity to break free of Internet censorship, stop ad companies from tracking your every move and even stop your ISP from throttling your activity. A VPN can also protect your data if you’re using public wi-fi.
High-end encryption and security measures further allow you to keep your online activities 100% private. Using a VPN is highly recommended nowadays to keep your data and privacy safe from hackers.
Why You Can Trust VPNGuru
You’re online a lot. Do you have a smartphone, tablet, computer or laptop that you use to access the Internet? If so, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can track everything you do online, even if they can’t access all of the form data that you input on an encrypted website.
Since your connection assigns an IP address to you, this allows you to be:
- Tracked by ISPs
- Tracked by websites
Even your general location can be determined by just your IP address. Websites that are geo-restricted can block you, and advertising companies will follow your every move.
Don’t believe me? Do a quick Google search for a product and you’ll begin seeing ads for the product everywhere. While you can use a VPN to cover your tracks as a journalist or a whistleblower, a lot of people use their VPN when:
- Trying to access streaming services
- Torrenting – so that you don’t get in slammed with copyright notices
- General online safety
A VPN is your opportunity to break free of Internet censorship, stop ad companies from tracking your every move and even stop your ISP from throttling your activity. High-end encryption and security measures further allow you to keep your online activities 100% private.
Top 6 VPNs to Remain Anonymous Online
1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall
- 3,000+ blazing-fast huge server network and amazing 24/7 live chat support
- AES 256-bit military-grade encryption and zero-logging policy for your security
- 5 device connections on one account; five simultaneous connections
- Bypass streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Dazn, and more
- Optimized servers and a double VPN feature
- Apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Smart TVs, and more
ExpressVPN is our choice for the leading best VPN this year among the 338 VPN providers we checked out. Connect using OpenVPN, IPSec, PPTP, L2TP, Split tunneling, and all leading protocols. Logs? They don’t have any as they have a no-logs policy — which it can maintain due to the unique privacy laws in its home jurisdiction, the British Virgin Islands. Speeds? Blazing fast, we had the pleasure of testing this ourselves – superb upload speeds among all the VPN services we’ve tested. ExpressVPN has a user-friendly interface so even a beginner won’t have any issues using this VPN service.
They also have a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can try out ExpressVPN within the refund period and if you’re unsatisfied, you can simply reach out to customer support and cancel your subscription. You’ll get refunded the full amount so it’s totally risk-free. If you want a completely free trial, they have a 7-day trial on iOS and Android.
Final Thoughts
ExpressVPN only continues to get better. The provider keeps adding servers and stays at the forefront of online privacy and security. Customer support is top-notch, and there is a wide array of native apps that make connecting to the VPN a breeze for new and seasoned users. The platform is our best overall choice for a reason – it rocks. Read the full ExpressVPN review and find out more about why this is the best VPN on our list.
2. SurfShark — Runner Up
- Instant setup on all devices: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and more
- Free antivirus protection included
- Connect to unlimited devices with great customer support
- Change your IP address and browse anonymously
Surfshark is our runner up, but it’s still an amazing choice to secure your digital life. Users gain access to 3,200+ servers split among 65 countries – so you access content around the world. Logs are never stored, there’s a kill switch, DNS leak protection and multihop masking for the best privacy possible.
And the NoBorders mode makes sure that you can bypass any censorship online. Easily bypass streaming services like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and more.
SurfShark VPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s like using a free version – you can use all its VPN services and if you’re unhappy then you can simply cancel and get a full refund.
Final Thoughts
Surfshark is a great overall option for intense users, especially with their unlimited device options. The strict no-logs policy and a variety of modes make Surfshark a must-try for anyone looking for a solid VPN. Read the full Surfshark review.
3. NordVPN
- 5,400+ optimized servers in 60 countries
- Streaming-optimized server network for great speeds
- Anti-malware protection to block viruses and malware
- Great device compatibility; Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and more
- AES-256 encryption and DNS leak protection
- Split tunneling support for simultaneous connections
NordVPN is an industry behemoth and one of the world’s best-known VPNs. The platform’s network has a vast number of servers at 5,400+ spread across 60 countries offering privacy anywhere you go. Obfuscated servers, options to connect six devices and split tunneling make NordVPN a top contender for best VPN year after year.
What about logs? Never.
Double protection, kill switch, and leak protection makes sure that your information is never leaked and your IP address is masked.
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can give this VPN service a try. If you mostly use mobile devices, they have a 7-day free trial for Android and iOS users.
Final Thoughts
NordVPN deserves to be on every best VPN list. The servers are fast, apps make it simple to use and there are advanced options, such as double protection and even options to use the Onion Router for further security. Its definitely one of the best VPN service we highly recommnend. Read the full NordVPN review.
- Unlimited bandwidth and quick speeds
- Connect up to 10 devices at once
- Number of servers: 3,500 in 84+ countries.
- AES-256 encryption and multiple security protocols
Fast and reliable, Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the best virtual private networks out there, especially for anonymity.
Private Internet Access has more than 3,500 servers around the world. A no-logs policy and kill switch help keep your identity private. The VPN also has multiple protocols to choose from apart from its AES-256 encryption, Private Internet Access has malware protection, adblocking, port forwarding, and other features aimed at keeping you anonymous.
Private Internet Access has a 7-day free trial for mobile devices only, but they also have a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to really give the VPN service a try. If you’re not happy with it, ask for a refund within that 30-day period – no questions asked. You just have to contact the customer support within the refund period.
Final Thoughts
Private Internet Access is one of our best VPN services to stay anonymous online. The VPN’s focus on privacy and security plus 10 simultaneous connections make it a great option for new and seasoned users alike. Read the full Private Internet Access review.
- 8,000+ servers in more than 90 countries
- 7 devices can connect; Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and more
- Gaming-optimized and fast speed servers
- 3-year option for crazy savings
- 45-day money-back guarantee
There’s a reason why CyberGhost has more than 36 million users worldwide. The VPN boasts a strict no-logs policy and strong security features at a competitive price . One subscription can support up to 7 devices at once, and the no-logging policy helps you stay anonymous online. It also runs on AES-256 encryption so you don’t need to worry even if you’re connected to public wi-fi, so long as you keep the VPN service turned on.
Other great features, like 24/7 customer support and compatibility withvirtually all platforms like Mac, iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Windows, and more, CyberGhost remains one of the best VPNs for staying anonymous online. Its servers are optimized so you can access Amazon Prime Video and Netflix libraries with no lag. The upload speeds are amazing as well when we did our test.
CyberGhost has a 45-day money-back guarantee this is one of the longest trial or refund periods any virtual private network provider has to offer. You can easily contact their customer support to cancel your subscription and get a full refund.
Final Thoughts
CyberGhost has more than ample server location options. Their no-logs policy and money-back guarantee make them a great option for anyone looking to browse the Internet anonymously even on public wi-fi. Read the full CyberGhost review.
6. ZenMate
- Strict no-log policy and a built-in kill switch
- Unlimited device connections
- 80+ global server locations
- 3-year, ultra-affordable option for less than $2 a month
With advanced security features, kill-switch, and 256-bit AES encryption, ZenMate will help you stay anonymous when browsing the web. The VPN has optimized servers in 80+ countries, giving you plenty of options for locations and servers. You can easily change your IP address for privacy.
Along with standard security and encryption, ZenMate also has a version of its VPN that works with OpenVPN.
ZenMate is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
The 30-day money-back guarantee gives you peace of mind that if you’re not happy with this VPN, you can get your money back by contacting customer support. Apart from this, Zenmate has a seven-day trial for both desktop and mobile devices. To top it off, they offer a free browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera – this is one of the reasons why this VPN service is on our list as one of the best VPNs in the market.
Final Thoughts
ZenMate’s no-logs policy, encryption, and kill switch features help you stay anonymous online. With multiple device compatibility and a solid guarantee, ZenMate rounds out our list of VPNs for online anonymity. Read the full Zenamte review.
How We Rate VPNs
VPNs always claim to be the best. But with hundreds of providers, only one can be the best. Consumers aren’t going to spend the time or money to try hundreds of VPNs to find the best.
But our team of security experts, the same that write our reviews, do test virtually every VPN on the market.
If we think that a VPN is secure, fast and beneficial to our readers, we’ll review it to give you an in-depth look into what the VPN offers. The factors that go into how we rate VPNs are:
How to Choose the Best VPN
When choosing the best VPN for you, the factors above are a good start: privacy, speed, security, servers, torrenting, and streaming. But we often find people choose their VPN based on:
- Operating system
- Specific features they’re interested in
- Streaming ability
- Torrenting security
If you plan to use your VPN for torrenting, you might not care if it doesn’t work the best for streaming or doesn’t work well on Linux.
There are also several free virtual private network (VPN) services on the market like Hotspot Shield, Proton VPN, or Secure VPN but we seldom recommend those for our readers safety. There’s no such thing as a free version VPN without any drawbacks.
But we’ve done all of the hard work for you. Our team of security experts has researched, tested, and tried a lot of VPNs to provide you with the best VPNs in the market. We highly recommend ExpressVPN and you can try it totally risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee policy. The same goes for the other VPNs on our list. We know what VPN services offer the best value, security, and privacy. Here’s our list of the:
These aren’t just VPNs we recommend. Our team uses these very VPNs to keep their online activity 100% safe, secure and private. The links on our site are always updated so you can get the best deals on the best VPNs in the market.
