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There are times you need to protect your online location and identity and secure your information. This is where a VPN (virtual private network) comes in. We test and review the most popular VPN services to help you find the best one for you. Our VPN buying guide will help you decide which features you need.
Our expert testers give every VPN service a thorough workout to help find the products that:
Our interactive comparison tool helps you find out which VPNs offer disconnection protection, which failed our DNS leakage test and which offer a free trial. Our Recommended picks will help you quickly see which VPNs come out on top.
Warning on Android mobile VPN apps: Our VPN testing was done using Windows OS, but we have noted where that branded app is available for other platforms (Mac, Linux, iOS, Android). Please note, however, to take caution if using a VPN on Android. A 2017 report prepared by CSIRO’s digital research unit, Data61, with the University of New South Wales and the University of Berkeley, revealed security and privacy vulnerabilities in some Android apps.
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List of brands we tested in this review.
Price paid in February 2018 in $AU for standard VPN plans. Yearly price is rounded to nearest dollar; converted from $USD to $AU where necessary; higher-priced plans may offer more options.
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We recommend services that score 85% or more overall.
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Client software selects the best performance server automatically.
Whether the VPN starts up automatically when starting Windows OS.
Whether the VPN connects to a server automatically when the program is launched.
Whether the program reconnects automatically in the event of interruption.
Overall score is made up of ease of use (60%), performance (30%) customer support (5%) and ease of service cancellation (5%).
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Performance score is calculated from the VPN speed discrepancy – the difference in download speed between using VPN compared to not using the VPN. Measurements are averaged from three runs across different days and times. The reference measurement (download time without VPN connection) is taken immediately before measurement with the VPN connected.
Ease of use score comprises initial account set-up experience (20%), installation and set-up (20%), software functionality (20%), ease of switching servers (10%), and the clarity and intuitiveness of the user interface (30%).
Evaluated by querying each vendor and scoring them for the content and timeliness of the response, plus how easy it is to cancel the service.
