Best VPN service in 2022

You don’t need any old virtual private network: you need the best VPN possible because in our modern times, it seems like all the world’s massive corporations are queuing up for their chance to leer through the digital peephole at your internet footprint. But which VPN is best for your needs?

Thankfully, as our internet privacy has eroded more and more as the years have gone by, several VPNs have risen to challenge the invasive nature of certain algorithms and cookies. Nowadays, if you’re looking for a VPN provider, you’re almost spoiled for choice, with so many options and each of them providing a slightly different package. It can almost be hard to decide which is the best VPN.

If you’re trying to find the right VPN for you, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve chosen eight of the best providers below and explained how they are able to provide unique packages which cater to different needs.

Our choices for the best VPN in 2022 are:

• NordVPN – the best all-round VPN
• Surfshark – the best VPN for families
• PrivadoVPN – the best new VPN
• Ivacy VPN – the best VPN for military-grade encryption
• Express VPN – the best VPN for gaming
• Atlas VPN – the best free VPN
• CyberGhost – the best VPN for streaming
• Private Internet Access – best cheap VPN
• IPVanish – best fast VPN

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NordVPN

NordVPN is the best all-round VPN.

No doubt, you’ve heard of Nord before, as it is easily one of the biggest names in the VPN arena. If you’re looking for a reliable option that’s going to keep pretty much everyone happy, then this might be the one for you.

With over 5,000 different servers across 60 countries, you’ve got tons of connection points, and with its WireGuard protocol, it encrypts data much more quickly than many of its competitors. Whether you use Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android, you’ll find that it offers dedicated support to your platform of choice, making it a great all-round choice for anyone seeking a VPN protection.

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Surfshark

Surfshark is the best VPN for families.

If you live in a household with lots of children and other family members, all of whom access the internet from different devices, then Surfshark will be an appealing option due to the fact that it allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

On top of that, it is compatible with a number of streaming services, including Amazon Prime and Netflix. If you need to keep the kids occupied, this’ll let you access the regionally exclusive content from 65 different countries, meaning they’ll have plenty of stuff to binge on, and with speeds of 2x10Gbps per server, you won’t have them moaning about buffering either.

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PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN is the best new VPN.

While it isn’t as well established as some of the other businesses on this list, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge PrivadoVPN. With its no-logs policy and IP leak protection, it does a fantastic job of keeping all of your private data, well, private.

This could be an especially tempting option for anybody who doesn’t think that they’d have their VPN on that often, because Privado actually offers a free plan that you can use forever, though it does limit you to 10GB of data. It might be more limiting than the paid packages, but it’s certainly worth a look if you’re working to a budget.

Ivacy VPN

The best VPN for military-grade encryption.

Ivacy VPN is another of the less well-known providers that we wanted to cast a light onto. Lesser brand-recognition does not equal lesser quality, especially not in this instance. In addition to the military-grade 256-bit encryption that will keep your internet search activity as private as possible, Ivacy VPN also boasts an impressive 5,700+ servers in more than 100 countries around the world.

They also have a kill switch in place (just in case anything goes wrong, even for a second), a no-logs policy, and the optional additions of a dedicated IP and port forwarding for those who need them. Founded in 2006, Ivacy VPN builds on top of decades of experience and is a real ‘hidden gem’ of the VPN world.

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ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for gaming.

If you’re a gamer, you’ll most likely know the frustrations of regionally exclusive games and content all too well. This is part of what makes ExpressVPN so appealing to the gaming community: with servers in 94 countries around the world (including Japan), all of those region-locked goodies can soon be yours, whether that’s a limited promotional item in an MMO game, or accessing another region’s digital store.

Of course, with the added speed that a VPN connection can provide, this will also come in handy if you enjoy playing online. Nobody likes having to deal with lag and ExpressVPN can help you to avoid it.

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Atlas VPN

Atlas is the best free VPN.

Though it isn’t the only VPN on this list to offer a free package, it certainly has the most appealing option for anyone who is unable to make a financial investment just now. Not only does the free version of Atlas VPN allow you to use an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, but it also lets you use as much data as you want.

The main limitation of this free version is that it only has three servers for you to choose from. Even so, it’ll keep your online footprint private, and that’s what you want, after all. You could always upgrade to a paid option at some point down the line too.

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CyberGhost

CyberGhost is the best VPN for streaming.

Like gamers, fans of streaming services know the pain of region locked content – thank goodness CyberGhost gives you a way to get around that. With more than 7,400 servers in over 91 countries, you can potentially gain access to a lot of film and movie content that would otherwise not be available.

CyberGhost is compatible with all the major streaming platforms, including Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and Amazon, so you shouldn’t have any trouble accessing these services when your VPN is switched on. On top of that, it has a 45-day money-back guarantee, so if there’s one show you really want to watch and that it, you could watch it within those 45 days and then get your money back.

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Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is the best cheap VPN.

If you’re on a tight budget, but want the next rung up from the free VPNs, then Private Internet Access might be a good choice. We’ve partnered with them in order to provide PCGN readers with an exclusive deal: for $79, you get 38 months’ worth of VPN cover, which works out as just $2.03 a month, and then you don’t need to worry about internet privacy again for over three years.

The VPN service itself is pretty great too. It’s got an enormous 35,000+ servers in 78 countries and it’s compatible with all the major streaming platforms. You can also enjoy up to 10 simultaneous connections, the security of a kill switch and a no logs policy, plus built-in ad-blocking functionality.

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IPVanish

IPVanish is the best fast VPN.

If you’re looking for a VPN that can help facilitate faster connection speeds, this may be your best bet, thanks to its WireGuard VPN protocol. WireGuard is an open-source security project designed to be a faster, safer, and more power-saving protocol, helping you to avoid slow loading times and buffering.

Though it may not have quite as many servers as some of its competitors (1,600+ in 52 countries), it does allow for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections and is compatible with the majority of streaming services. If you have trouble streaming through your native connection, IPVanish might just hold the solution.

What is a no-logs VPN?

If a VPN provider says that it offers a ‘no-logs’ service, this means that there will be no records about your activity on the internet. Search history, personal information, logins, and everything else remain completely private. A no-logs VPN will ensure that you have absolute anonymity online.

What is split-tunneling?

If a VPN provider has split-tunnelling as part of their service, this means that you can have it route some applications through the encrypted VPN, while others run through your native connection. For example, you might want to do internet banking without the VPN so that your account is not frozen due to the seemingly suspicious international connection, while at the same time you might want to use a VPN with a streaming app to access content from another region.

Does a VPN protect you from viruses?

While VPNs are good for internet security (by helping to keep your personal information off the internet, and blocking malicious adverts), they don’t give you complete security and can’t protect you from viruses. Check out our guide on the best antivirus for PC for information about antivirus protection.

We hope that helps you to narrow down your VPN options. If you’re interested in finding a good bargain, check out our VPN deals guide.