Best VPN Services

A VPN service is one of the core utilities that everyone should use to protect their online privacy.

Unfortunately, choosing the best VPN service can be a difficult job.

Luckily, we’re here to help. We’ve collected the top VPN services to use in 2020 as well as plenty of detail on how VPNs work, their advantages, and their details.

What is the Best VPN in 2020?

Without further ado, here are the best VPN services to use in 2020. We’ve given them all a test and we think you’ll be happy with whichever choice you make. Luckily, they all offer a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test which one suits you the best.

1. Express VPN

ExpressVPN is without doubt one of the best VPNs you can get for Android. If you prioritize speed then you should definitely consider ExpressVPN. They have some of the most impressive and consistent connection rates of any VPN available, so you won’t be bogged down by the effects of lag. One of the ways in which ExpressVPN achieves optimal speed is by using a feature called Smart Location.

This analyses all servers and determines which one will give you the best results, so you can connect to the most effective servers every time.

This app also provides the user with almost unrestricted access, and it performs slightly better than others in this area. The majority of VPNs struggle to work in certain areas with stricter laws, but your best bet on beating these is with ExpressVPN.

Last but not least, with its 256-bit AES encryption you’re provided with the highest standard of security. Overall, ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN. The only downside is that it’s available on a limited number of devices.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN for Android is an excellent product that performs well in almost all aspects. It’s one of the most popular VPNs for Android with over 10 million downloads, and there’s a reason for this success. With a high level of security, this app is efficient and easy to use.

NordVPN uses double data encryption to protect your private information. It does this by putting your connection through two virtual private network servers, which adds another level of safety when compared with standard one server VPN protection. This will make it even harder for outsiders to view your highly encrypted data.

Another coveted feature of NordVPN is that it has one of the largest server collections available, with 5307 servers available for use. These servers span 57 different countries, giving you access to content from a wide variety of places that you wouldn’t usually be able to access. Unfortunately, NordVPN is not available in China, where the laws surrounding virtual private networks are much stricter.

Another pro when it comes to NordVPN is its ease of use. The app is simple and straightforward, with a good user interface that gives the user a more streamlined experience. It’s not the most affordable VPN available for android, but there is a selection of different plans based upon monthly and yearly agreements that are reasonable. For the price, it’s definitely worth considering NordVPN for Android, as it’s, without a doubt, one of the most effective products in this area.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is a low budget yet high-quality VPN. Those of you who watch Youtube influencers may already be familiar with Surfshark as they have utilized the website for a large reaching ad campaign that has clearly worked well, with the app gaining over 1 million downloads since it went live. Out of the many people who have downloaded this app user satisfaction has been overwhelmingly positive, and with good reason.

Much like NordVPN, Surfshark uses double data encryption to keep your daily activities safe from the prying eyes of would-be data thieves. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider), will have no access to your private information, and everything you have stored on your mobile will be safe from hackers and the government. Surfshark is more affordable than much of its competition and has impressive connection speeds that allow users to stream HD content without any lag.

The Android version of Surfshark is very similar to the Desktop app and has an easy to follow user interface that is accessible to mobile users of all capabilities. The icing on the cake is that you can use Surfshark on an unlimited amount of devices, making it one of the most convenient and versatile VPNs available.

4. CyberGhost

The first thing that stands out about CyberGhost VPN is its affordable price, paired with the huge amount of servers it uses. With over 6400 servers in 90 locations, CyberGhost VPN has an advantage over its competitors. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best VPN for Android. Available on up to 7 devices, it is undoubtedly easy to use and has a great user interface.

The app is simple and straightforward to follow, meaning even novice Android users will be able to get to grips with its functions. In terms of privacy, Cyberghost VPN does a great job of securing your data.

One area in which it doesn’t live up to competition is its overall performance and consistency. Although it works well most of the time, it can suffer from below-average speeds. Whether or not this is due to issues that are easy to resolve we can’t say for sure. Despite this, its still a highly effective app that performs well for the majority of the time.

If Cyberghost VPN appeals to you, we recommend checking it out. It has a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you don’t need to worry about losing out on earnings if it doesn’t satisfy your various needs.

5. IPVanish

The first thing that stands out about IPVanish is its affordable price, paired with the huge amount of servers it uses. With over 1500 servers in 75 locations, IPVanish has an advantage over some of its key competitors. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best VPN for Android.

Available on up to 10 devices, it’s undoubtedly easy to use and has a great user interface. The app is simple and straightforward to follow, meaning even novice Android users will be able to get to grips with their functions. In terms of privacy, the IPVanish VPN does a great job of securing your data.

One area in which it doesn’t live up to competition is its overall performance and consistency. Although it works well most of the time, it can suffer from below-average speeds. Whether or not this is due to issues that are easy to resolve we can’t say for sure.

Despite this, its still a highly effective app that performs well for the majority of the time. If IPVanish appeals to you, we recommend checking it out. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you don’t need to worry about losing out on earnings if it doesn’t satisfy your various needs.

---

What is a VPN?

VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. In short, a VPN routes your device’s internet connection through your chosen VPN’s private server. This means that your ISP can only see encrypted data between you and the VPN, and the rest of the world will see your location as that of the VPN server.

You can see the benefits of using a VPN immediately. Your location is hidden from trackers. This is especially useful when you are on a public Wi-Fi. VPN also enables you to access region-locked content. Also, when torrenting, your ISP won’t be able to log your activity.

Additionally, there are many services around the world that are region restricted. For example Netflix different content depending which country you’re in, and BBC iPlayer is only available in the UK. With a VPN you’re able to spoof your location to get access to a greater range of online content.

The Different VPN Protocols

There are 7 VPN protocols in total. They all have their pros and cons, and it’s something we discussed in more detail in another article. However, let’s look at them briefly here.

• OpenVPN is the defacto standard for VPNs. It’s open-source and the most secure protocol available
• L2TP/IPSec is fast and secure, however, it’s easily detected and blocked.
• PPTP is extremely old and has a lot of security issues. However, it is fast and is widely supported.
• IKEv2 is secure and mobile friendly. Howevever, it’s developed by Microsoft and in-fact not widely supported.
• IPSec is secure but hard to set up and not widely supported.
• Wireguard is a new but fast protocol. It has some privacy issues that are currently being solved.
• Lightway is a VPN protocol developed by ExpressVPN themselves. It promises to be the fastest and safest VPN protocol on the market. However, it’s still in Beta and only supported by ExpressVPN so you should use it with caution.

Is It Worth Paying For a VPN?

Yes, 100%! Free VPNs have plenty of limitations that make them impractical for long-term use. If you need a VPN quickly, and for a single task, then a good free VPN will help. However, they are usually bandwidth or download limited so if you plan to use it for serious browsing, and online activities.

Do I Need a VPN?

As we discussed above a VPN will not only help protect your online privacy but it will also help you access global content. Therefore if these things are important to you (and they should be), then yes you should purchase a VPN.

How to Choose a VPN

Choosing a VPN is the most difficult part once you’ve decided that you need a VPN. Luckily, for you, that’s what sites like ours are designed to do. We do all the difficult work so you don’t have to. When looking at VPNs, here are all the factors we take into consideration.

Speed

Your VPN speeds will depend on two main factors. Your VPN provider and the device you’re using it on. Let’s look at these in turn.

When it comes to your VPN provider, there are multiple factors within it that can affect your VPN speed. Luckily, these aren’t something that you need to worry about. However, each VPN has it’s own set up with different coding and network architecture. These mean that though they use the same underlining VPN protocols, they won’t necessarily provide you with the same speeds. Luckily, with 90% of the VPNs, this isn’t something you need to worry about. They make sure that their speeds are optimized and fast enough for the average customer, otherwise they’d be losing business. However, if you need blazing fast speeds, for whatever reason, then we’d recommend looking at the fastest VPNs on the market.

The second thing that affects your VPN speed is your device. This is because a VPN client (the software you use for your VPN connection) can be very CPU intensive. As with the above, most companies will try to minimise this. However, especially on older devices and VPN routers be aware that it might be your device limiting your speed and not the VPN. Therefore choosing a different VPN provider will likely not provide you with faster speeds.

The last thing that affects your VPN speed is the distance you’re located from the server. The further you are, the slower it will be. However, as with all factors affecting speed, the impact of this differs by provider.

Security

The most important factor for a VPN should be its security. A solid VPN provider should protect and secure your information without risk. Additionally, your VPN provider shouldn’t keep any logs as these can be used to track and identify you.

Unblocking Capabilities

Another important factor is the number of streaming services it can help unlock. Unfortunately, Netflix and Hulu actively try to block VPNs from accessing them. Therefore being able to unlock them requires a determined provider. The best VPN service we have listed here will be able to unblock streaming services successfully.

Server Availability

It’s important that the VPN you choose has servers in the locations that you need. For example, if you’d like to watch US Netflix, they need to have a server in the US. Alternatively, if you’d like to torrent, then a server in the Netherlands is the best choice to connect to. Lastly, if you’re using a VPN for privacy, you’d want a server close to you to be able to provide you with the best speeds.

As with all items on this list, most VPN providers will have servers worldwide and even the most basic VPN we tested had servers in the US and the Netherlands – but that was all. Therefore, most VPNs will have servers that you need. However, if your in an exotic location or like traveling around the globe, it’s worth looking at which locations they have servers in.

Customer Support

As with all tools and software, you’re likely to experience an issue at one point or another. Though it’s not common it will happen. During our years of testing numerous VPNs, we’ve had to contact support about twice a year with a serious issue, and once a month for smaller issues.

During our VPN testing, we always make sure to test providers support systems with both serious and trick questions to see how they respond, and how quickly. In all honesty, this is an area where VPNs can vary a great deal.

Firstly, there’s the type of support they offer. Most VPNs will have a chatbox on their website, unfortunately, most of these are automated and a very few are 24/7.

Simultaneous Connections

It’s important that your chosen VPN allows for multiple simultaneous connections. This just means how many devices can use the service at the same time. Since most of us have at least a phone and a tablet, but usually a lot more than that. Luckily most VPN providers will allow up to 5 simultaneous devices.

How do I get a VPN?

Getting and installing a VPN is as simple as purchasing any other kind of service online. To purchase, you simply visit your preferred VPN providers websites and go through the purchase process. One thing to watch out for is that the prices quoted are the monthly price. So if you’re purchasing a yearly account to get the best deal you will need to pay the full amount up front. For example if it shows $4.99 per month you will need to pay $59.88. As mentioned, all providers will give you a free trial period or money-back guarantee in case the service doesn’t meet your needs.

Once you’ve purchased your VPN, you simply download it onto the devices that you wish to use it on. For mobile devices you can download these from the iOS and Play Store directly.

Then once it’s all downloaded and installed you just log in using your credentials and you’re done.

Are VPNs Legal?

Yes, for most of the world VPNs are legal. There are some countries (Omar and the UAE), where it is banned and illegal. Many people think that VPNs are illegal because it’s often mentioned hand in hand with illegal activities. This is because a VPN, as discussed, hides your online presence. Therefore, illegal torrenters and hackers use VPNs and hence the illegal connotation.

Can You Be Tracked if You Use a VPN?

Unfortunately, yes. A VPN isn’t a magic tool that makes it impossible to track you. However, it does make it significantly harder to do so. Navigate WePrivacy to find out more about how you can stay safe online.

VPNs vs Proxy vs Tor

VPNs, proxies and Tor are all extremely similar. Comparing them in-depth would take a whole guide. In short here is the breakdown:

• VPNs protect all of your internet connection and are the best overall
• Proxies primarily work on your browser and hence only protect your internet activities
• TOR is a highly private browser for even more secure browsing but it’s extremely slow

Conclusion

So there you have it, all the important VPNs and relating information summed up for you. If you’ve got any questions or comments then let us know below.