Best VPN Service to Protect Privacy in 2024

VPN service is software that encrypts your connection to the internet. It masks your IP address, ensuring that websites cannot track your online activities and your anonymity is maintained.

A VPN service provides multiple benefits, as shown below.

• Unlocks geo-restricted content on websites and streaming services.
• Provides safe data transfer, even on public Wi-Fi connections, via data encryption.
• Enhances online gaming experience by reducing latency and protecting the connection from cyberattacks.
• Hides your internet access location, ensuring that websites can’t track you.

The Geekflare team has researched and selected the best VPN services based on factors such as privacy, security, device compatibility, and pricing.

1. PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN stands out by offering a high-bandwidth free VPN plan, which provides solid privacy protection and 10 GB of bandwidth monthly. Unique to PrivadoVPN is its Control Tower, which stops intrusive ads and prevents tracking.

It also provides parental controls for family safety and extra layers of security, including malware blocking and social media restrictions. The service maintains a zero-log policy and uses 256-bit AES encryption powered with WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols to keep your data secure.

Based in Switzerland, a country with strict privacy laws, it operates beyond the reach of the 5 Eyes and the 14 Eyes alliance. With servers in 66 cities across 49 countries, PrivadoVPN guarantees global coverage and fast speeds.

The inclusion of the SOCKS5 proxy ensures faster downloads while maintaining security and privacy. PrivadoVPN also provides other necessary features like split tunneling and a kill switch.

PrivadoVPN Pricing

PrivadoVPN offers a starting plan priced at $10.00/month. However, you can purchase the 24-month plan, which reduces the cost to $1.99/month.

Try PrivadoVPN

2. Proton VPN

Proton VPN’s free plan does not include ads, data limits, or activity tracking, which is rare among the competitor VPN services. Its Secure Core feature routes traffic through hardened servers in privacy-friendly countries, ensuring an extra layer of security for users.

Proton VPN’s privacy-focused features include AES-256 encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and Perfect Forward Secrecy, which generates a new encryption key for every session.

Its NetShield, a DNS filtering feature, blocks ads, trackers, and malware, further enhancing privacy and anonymity. Moreover, it supports Tor over VPN, allowing you to access Onion sites with ease.

Headquartered in Switzerland, ProtonVPN is not a part of the FVEY and Fourteen Eyes alliance. It has servers in over 110 countries, providing global coverage and high-speed connections through its 10 Gbps server network.

Proton VPN Pricing

Proton VPN’s monthly plan costs $9.99/month, but you can commit to the 24-month plan to reduce the cost to $3.59/month. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Try ProtonVPN

3. NordVPN

NordVPN is known for its advanced security and privacy features. The NordLynx protocol, paired with next-generation encryption, ensures protection without compromising on speed.

NordVPN headquarters are in Panama, outside the 5 Eyes and 14 Eyes surveillance alliance. It has strict no-logs policy and operates over 6,200 servers in 111 countries.

The service uses special obfuscated and P2P servers to help bypass internet censorship and speed up downloads. The Double VPN feature sends traffic through 2 servers for extra privacy, while Onion Over VPN combines the privacy of the Tor network with a VPN.

NordVPN adds a layer of security with its Threat Protection feature, which blocks malware and web trackers. Additionally, the Dark Web Monitor alerts you if your credentials appear in data breaches.

NordVPN Pricing

NordVPN’s 1-month plan is available at $12.99/month. The platform also offers annual and 2-year plans. The 2-year Basic plan is the most popular, costing $3.09/month and adding 3 extra months.

Try NordVPN

4. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is known for its reliability, speed, and focus on privacy. Its proprietary Lightway protocol, paired with AES-256 encryption, offers excellent speeds while keeping your data secure at all times.

Its TrustedServer technology ensures that no data is written to hard drives, while the Network Lock kill switch keeps your information protected if the connection drops.

ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which makes it free from the 5 Eyes and 14 Eyes alliances. With servers in 105 countries, it offers extensive global coverage, allowing you to access content and maintain your privacy from nearly any location.

It also runs its private DNS on every server, adding another level of protection to your browsing activities. Furthermore, the service’s Threat Manager feature blocks ads, malicious sites, and trackers and offers parental controls.

ExpressVPN Pricing

You can try ExpressVPN’s offerings for a month, available at $12.95. However, for the lowest prices, you’ll have to commit to the annual plan, which reduces the cost to $6.67 monthly and adds 3 extra months.

Try ExpressVPN

5. HotSpot Shield

Hotspot Shield offers a free plan that provides essential privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth. The service stands out with its OpenVPN and unique Hydra protocols, which are designed for optimized streaming and gaming.

HotSpot Shield provides privacy features like an internet kill switch, Smart VPN (Split Tunneling), IP and DNS leak protection, and Tor over VPN. Additionally, it offers anti-phishing protection and traffic obfuscation to ensure privacy and data security on any network.

The VPN service is located in California, United States, with global servers in 80 countries. However, its strict no-logs policy ensures that no personal data is gathered or analyzed. Moreover, it uses military-grade encryption to keep your IP address and browsing activities secure.

HotSpot Shield Pricing

HotSpot Shield’s 1-month Premium plan costs $9.99/month. The lowest price for HotSpot Shield is with the Annual plan, available at $6.66/month.

Try HotSpot Shield

6. Mullvad VPN

Mullvad VPN is a privacy-first VPN provider that stands out for its open-source commitment and transparency. Its MultiHop feature routes your traffic through multiple servers for enhanced privacy, and Shadowsocks proxy bypasses internet censorship.

The VPN provider is headquartered in Sweden and operates under strong privacy laws outside the 5 and 14 Eyes surveillance alliance, ensuring your data is secure. With 600 servers across 40 countries, Mullvad offers solid coverage while maintaining privacy and security.

It has a strict no-logs policy, meaning no data is stored, and its built-in kill switch ensures that all internet traffic is halted if the VPN connection drops.

The VPN also supports quantum-resistant tunnels to ensure security against future encryption threats. It uses OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols to secure your data with AES-256 encryption. Moreover, its DNS content blockers prevent ads, trackers, and malware.

Mullvad VPN Pricing

Mullvad is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS and can connect up to 5 devices simultaneously. Its pricing model remains consistent at $5.55/month, regardless of the plan purchased.

Try Mullvad VPN

7. Surfshark

Surfshark VPN is known for its support for unlimited devices and exclusive compatibility, making it an excellent choice for households requiring simultaneous protection on multiple devices.

Surfshark offers privacy features like Incogni, which removes data from brokers, and Surfshark Alert, which notifies you if your data is leaked. For those who need more control over their online presence, the GPS Spoofing, Dedicated IP, and Alternative ID features come in handy.

It is headquartered in the Netherlands, which isn’t part of Five Eyes but comes under Fourteen Eyes. However, Surfshark’s no-logs policy guarantees that your activity isn’t tracked or recorded.

With 3,200 servers in 100 countries and AES-256-bit encryption with WireGuard protocol, it ensures a secure, fast, and reliable connection. The IP Rotator and Dynamic MultiHop feature provide enhanced privacy by rotating your IP and allowing you to connect through multiple servers.

For advanced protection, Surfshark Antivirus, Surfshark’s Kill Switch, DNS leak protection, and CleanWeb Ad Blocker shield your devices from malware, trackers, and phishing attempts.

Surfshark Pricing

Surfshark offers expensive short-term plans, and its Starter plan costs $15.45/month. However, long-term plans are more affordable, with the best plan, the Surfshark One , priced at $4.29/month if you commit for 2 years. Surfshark also provides 3 extra months with every 12-month and 24-month plan.

Try Surfshark

8. CyberGhost

CyberGhost stands out as one of the best affordable VPNs, with all features curated to offer fast, private, and secure internet access. It operates on a strict no-log policy and has servers in 100 countries optimized for streaming, torrenting, and gaming.

CyberGhost headquarters in Romania, and is free of 5 and 14 Eyes alliance surveillance. Its 256-bit AES encryption, paired with OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, protects your data, ensuring that your online activities remain anonymous.

The IP masking feature allows you to replace your real IP address with one from CyberGhost’s global servers. Its DNS leak protection and automatic kill switch add extra layers of security by preventing any unintentional exposure of your data.

Apart from these, the dedicated IP feature provides a unique IP address for securely accessing sensitive information without risking blocklisting. CyberGhost also includes a content blocker that protects against ads, trackers, and malicious scripts, further improving your privacy.

CyberGhost Pricing

CyberGhost costs $2.19/month for a 24-month subscription with a 45-day money-back guarantee. For short-term use, you can purchase the monthly plan, priced at $12.99/month. It supports 7 simultaneous device connections and is compatible with all major platforms, including Smart TVs, consoles, and browsers.

Try CyberGhost

9. IPVanish

IPVanish is an ideal choice if you’re looking for an affordable VPN that offers unlimited device connections. It is known for its Threat Protection feature, which blocks malicious websites, ads, and trackers, helping to guard your data and reduce the risk of online surveillance or data theft.

IPVanish’s automatic startup keeps you connected to the VPN at all times, and the Kill Switch automatically disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops.

It uses advanced end-to-end encryption using WireGuard, OpenVPN, and other protocols. Moreover, the DNS leak protection feature further reinforces this by ensuring that no DNS queries leak outside the VPN tunnel.

IPVanish has 2,400 servers in 90 locations worldwide, but it is located in Los Angeles and is under FVEY alliance surveillance. The strict no-logs policy ensures that no personal information is gathered.

Its shared IP addresses reduce the risk of tracing any specific activity back to an individual user. For extra privacy, the SOCKS5 proxy provides added protection while still maintaining high speeds, making it ideal for sensitive tasks like torrenting.

IPVanish Pricing

IPVanish’s monthly subscription costs $12.99 (exclusive of taxes). Its lowest-priced plan is the 2-year plan, which costs $2.19/month. IPVanish supports all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, as well as streaming devices and routers.

Try IPVanish

10. TunnelBear

TunnelBear caters to casual users with its essential privacy and security features. It’s always on at startup, ensuring you’re protected the moment your device connects to the internet.

The service’s VigilantBear feature automatically protects your internet traffic if your connection is disrupted by blocking all unsecured data until it can be safely reconnected.

TunnelBear has 5000 servers in 46 countries that support P2P and are streaming optimized. Its headquarters are in Canada, which is part of FVEY. However, the no-logs policy ensures that no data is gathered.

For added protection, its GhostBear feature makes your encrypted data less detectable, allowing you to bypass VPN restrictions set by governments, businesses, or ISPs.

TunnelBear offers multiple VPN protocols, including WireGuard and OpenVPN, giving you flexibility when choosing the best connection for your needs.

Split Tunneling is added through its SplitBear feature. This allows you to control which apps and websites are routed through its encrypted connection, enabling you to manage your online experience for personalized privacy.

TunnelBear Pricing

TunnelBear offers a free monthly plan with 2GB of secure browsing. The premium plan costs $3.33/month when purchasing the 1-year plan, while the monthly paid plan costs $9.99/month. It provides unlimited device simultaneous device connections and is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.

Try TunnelBear

11. VyprVPN

VyprVPN is known for its capability to bypass censorship and VPN blocks. Its proprietary Chameleon protocol is paired with VyprDNS. These aspects work together to bypass strict internet restrictions in countries like China, Russia, and Iran.

VyprVPN comes with WireGuard, OpenVPN, and other protocols with next-gen encryption, ensuring the best security. Furthermore, its DNS Leak Protection, WebRTC Leak Protection, and IP Address Protection ensure that your data is always encrypted and anonymous.

It also prevents ISP throttling, allowing uninterrupted access to the open Internet. The Kill Switch feature further reinforces privacy by automatically blocking all traffic if the VPN connection drops.

VyprVPN also offers Public Wi-Fi Protection, with an automatic connection to the VPN when you access unknown or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

The service has 700 servers across 70 server locations, providing secure browsing regardless of your location. Its headquarters are in the United States, which is under FVEY alliance surveillance. To compensate, it offers a strict no-logs policy that doesn’t gather personal data or track activity.

VyprVPN Pricing

VyprVPN’s best price is $3/month with its 24-month plan. It has a 3-day free trial, and the 1-month plan is available for $10/month. VyprVPN supports 5 simultaneous device connections, and is compatible with Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, routers, and more.

Try VyprVPN

12. HideMyAss (HMA)

HideMyAss provides features for streaming and gaming while maintaining privacy and security. It offers a global network of 1100 servers in 290 locations, which are optimized for streaming, gaming, and P2P transfers.

Its headquarters are in the United Kingdom, making it part of FVEY. To ensure user privacy, HMA implies a strict no-logs policy that is independently audited. The military-grade encryption (AES-256-GCM) offered by HMA’s OpenVPN protocol ensures that your data is fully protected.

To prevent accidental exposure of your data, HMA includes a Smart Kill Switch and Advanced Leak Protection that safeguards against IPv4, IPv6, and DNS leaks. This secures data and reduces the chances of data leakage, even if there’s a system issue.

The service offers Split Tunneling, which lets you choose which apps or websites should be routed through the VPN for privacy. Additionally, its IP Shuffle feature randomly switches your IP address periodically to enhance privacy and anonymity.

HMA also includes DDoS protection to prevent malicious attempts and ensure the connection remains stable and secure.

HideMyAss Pricing

HMA costs $2.99/month when purchasing the 36-month plan, but offers only 5 simultaneous device connections. It has a 7-day free trial and is compatible with computers, mobile devices, routers, and gaming consoles.

Try HideMyAss

13. TorGuard

TorGuard is a decent choice if you need a VPN to bypass censorship. Its Stealth VPN feature bypasses deep packet inspections and VPN blocks, allowing users to remain anonymous even in regions with heavy internet censorship.

Its Port Forwarding feature maintains secure and private connections, especially for activities like torrenting, without exposing your IP. 

TorGuard offers IP masking on over 3,000 servers in 50 countries. With AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, data is always safeguarded.

Its headquarters are located in Florida, United States, and it is part of the FVEY alliance surveillance. However, its strict no-log policy stores no data, keeping the user private. The Double VPN protection also routes your connection through 2 VPN servers, making tracing your activities more difficult.

Its Ad and Malware Blocking feature prevents malicious websites and intrusive advertisements from accessing your device, adding an extra layer of privacy.

TorGuard’s Dedicated IPs help maintain a consistent private IP address, and Shadowsocks proxy works as an additional privacy tool that ensures your data remains secure.

TorGuard Pricing

TorGuard offers a 7-day free trial and starts at $10.99/month. It supports 8 simultaneous device connections in the starter plan, offers browser extensions, and is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Try TorGuard

Is There Any Free VPN?

Yes, several VPNs in this list offer free versions. These VPNs allow you to maintain privacy without paying, although their free plans have limitations compared to premium versions. The VPNs with free plans/versions are mentioned below.

• PrivadoVPN: Offers a generous free plan with solid privacy protection. This plan includes 10 GB of data per month, access to 12 servers in 9 countries, and 1 simultaneous connection. It also includes essential features like AES-256 encryption and a zero-log policy.
• Proton VPN: Provides a decent free plan with no ads, data limits, or activity tracking. Users get access to servers in 3 countries, unlimited data, and the same level of security as its paid plans, including AES-256 encryption and Perfect Forward Secrecy.
• HotSpot Shield: Offers a free plan with unlimited bandwidth and basic privacy protection. It provides access to servers in 1 country and includes security features like military-grade encryption.
• TunnelBear: Provides a free plan with 2GB monthly bandwidth. It includes privacy features like AES-256 encryption, VigilantBear, and GhostBear to ensure your online activities remain private.

How to Choose the Best VPN for Privacy

There are 7 important factors to consider when choosing a VPN service, which are discussed below.

• No-Logs Policy and Transparency: Ensure the VPN has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t store your browsing activity or personal data. Look for providers that have undergone independent audits or provide open-source transparency to verify these claims.
• Strong Encryption: Opt for VPNs that offer AES-256 encryption or higher, providing military-grade protection. Combining this with secure protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 will ensure that your data remains private and secure.
• Jurisdiction: Choose a VPN based in privacy-friendly countries outside the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes alliances. Countries like Switzerland or Panama have strong privacy laws, ensuring your data is less likely to be shared with government agencies.
• Security Features: Look for essential security tools, like a kill switch, to prevent data leaks if the VPN connection drops. Additional features like DNS and IP leak protection further safeguard your personal information from exposure.
• Anonymous Payment Options: For added anonymity, choose VPN providers that allow payments via cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency payments keep your identity hidden from the VPN provider itself.
• Dedicated Privacy Tools: Advanced privacy tools such as Double VPN, Tor over VPN, or IP Rotation provide enhanced protection by adding multiple layers of security. Additionally, features like ad and tracker blockers prevent unwanted tracking during your browsing sessions.
• Server Locations and Speed: Select VPNs with a wide range of server locations, especially in privacy-friendly countries. This leads to better privacy protection and faster, more reliable connections, even when using optimized servers for streaming or P2P activities.