10 Best VPN Services for PCs with Pros and Cons
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Choosing the right VPN for your PC can be a daunting task, with so many options available. To help you narrow down your choices, here’s a rundown of 10 popular VPN services, along with their pros and cons:
1. ExpressVPN:
Pros:
- Excellent speeds and performance:Â ExpressVPN consistently ranks among the fastest VPNs on the market, making it a great choice for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
- Top-notch security and privacy features: ExpressVPN uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and split tunneling.
- Easy to use: ExpressVPN’s apps are simple and intuitive, making it a great choice for beginners.
- Large server network: ExpressVPN has servers in over 94 countries, giving you plenty of options to choose from.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- More expensive than some other VPNs: ExpressVPN is one of the more expensive VPNs on the market, but you get what you pay for.
- Limited simultaneous connections: ExpressVPN only allows you to connect five devices at the same time.
2. NordVPN:
Pros:
- Powerful security features: NordVPN offers a wide range of security features, including double VPN, onion over VPN, and a multi-hop feature.
- Large server network: NordVPN has over 5,500 servers in over 60 countries.
- Good for streaming: NordVPN can unblock a wide range of streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
- Affordable: NordVPN offers competitive pricing, especially if you sign up for a long-term plan.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try NordVPN risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- Can be slower than some other VPNs: NordVPN’s speeds can vary depending on the server you connect to.
- Not the most user-friendly interface: NordVPN’s interface can be a bit overwhelming for beginners.
3. Surfshark:
Pros:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: You can connect as many devices as you want with Surfshark.
- Good speeds: Surfshark offers good speeds for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
- Strong security features: Surfshark uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and multi-hop connections.
- Affordable: Surfshark offers competitive pricing, especially if you sign up for a long-term plan.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try Surfshark risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- Not as well-established as some other VPNs: Surfshark is a relatively new company, so it doesn’t have the same track record as some of its competitors.
- Limited customer support: Surfshark’s customer support is only available via live chat and email.
4. Private Internet Access (PIA):
Pros:
- Affordable: PIA is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market.
- Large server network: PIA has over 30,000 servers in over 70 countries.
- Open-source software: PIA’s software is open-source, which means it can be audited by anyone.
- Strong security features: PIA uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and multi-hop connections.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try PIA risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- Speed can be slow. PIA’s speeds can vary depending on the server you connect to.
- Not the best for streaming: PIA can be slow to unblock some streaming services.
- Can be difficult to use: PIA’s interface can be a bit complex for beginners.
5. ProtonVPN:
Pros:
- Free plan: ProtonVPN offers a free plan with limited features.
- Strong security features: ProtonVPN uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy.
- Privacy-focused company: ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, which has strong privacy laws.
- Good for streaming: ProtonVP
6. CyberGhost:
Pros:
- Large server network: CyberGhost has over 9,100 servers in over 90 countries.
- Good for streaming: CyberGhost can unblock a wide range of streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
- Affordable: CyberGhost offers competitive pricing, especially if you sign up for a long-term plan.
- Easy to use: CyberGhost’s interface is simple and intuitive.
- 45-day money-back guarantee: You can try CyberGhost risk-free for 45 days.
Cons:
- Not as secure as some other VPNs: CyberGhost doesn’t offer some of the advanced security features that other VPNs do, such as double VPN or Onion over VPN.
- Can be slow for torrenting: CyberGhost’s speeds can be slow for torrenting, especially on busy servers.
7. TunnelBear:
Pros:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: You can connect as many devices as you want with TunnelBear.
- Easy to use: TunnelBear’s interface is simple and fun to use, even for beginners.
- Free plan: TunnelBear offers a free plan with limited data.
- Good for casual users: TunnelBear is a good choice for casual users who need a VPN for basic browsing and streaming.
Cons:
- Limited data on the free plan: The free plan only offers 500MB of data per month.
- Not as secure as some other VPNs: TunnelBear doesn’t offer some of the advanced security features that other VPNs do, such as double VPN or Onion over VPN.
- Limited server network: TunnelBear has a smaller server network than some other VPNs.
8. IPVanish:
Pros:
- Good for torrenting: IPVanish is one of the best VPNs for torrenting, thanks to its fast speeds and strong security features.
- Large server network: IPVanish has over 2,000 servers in over 75 countries.
- Split tunneling: IPVanish allows you to split your traffic between the VPN and your regular internet connection.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try IPVanish risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- More expensive than some other VPNs: IPVanish is one of the more expensive VPNs on the market.
- Not the best for streaming: IPVanish can be slow to unblock some streaming services.
- The user interface can be clunky. IPVanish’s user interface can be a bit clunky and difficult to navigate.
9. VyprVPN:
Pros:
- Owned by Golden Frog, a security company: VyprVPN is owned by Golden Frog, a well-established security company with a good reputation.
- Fast speeds: VyprVPN offers fast speeds for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
- Strong security features: VyprVPN uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and Chameleon protocol.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can try VyprVPN risk-free for 30 days.
Cons:
- More expensive than some other VPNs: VyprVPN is one of the more expensive VPNs on the market.
- Limited server network: VyprVPN has a smaller server network than some other VPNs.
- No free plan: VyprVPN does not offer a free plan.
10. Windscribe:
Pros:
- Free plan: Windscribe offers a free plan with 10GB of data per month and access to servers in 10 countries.
- Good for casual users: Windscribe is a good choice for casual users who need a VPN for basic browsing and streaming.
- Split tunneling: Windscribe allows you to split your traffic between the VPN and your regular internet connection.
- Strong security features: Windscribe uses military-grade encryption and offers a variety of security features, such as a kill switch and DNS leak protection.
Cons:
- Limited data on the free plan: The free plan only offers 10GB of data per month, which can be used up quickly.
- Slower speeds on the free plan: The free plan has slower speeds than the paid plans.
