One of the perks of having Windows as your operating system is that you have a lot of options when choosing one of the best VPN services (or any software, for that matter).
Virtually every VPN service caters to users of the most popular desktop OS in the world with a variety of features.
However, with a massive selection of possible VPN services, that only makes choosing one more difficult.
Luckily, as ever, we are here to help.How to choose the best VPN for WindowsMicrosofts latest operating system, Windows 10, is a significant improvement in terms of security and protection.
Even so, there are some widely discussed, controversial privacy issues pertaining to the OS, and whats more you can never be too secure, lets face it.When picking a Windows VPN service, you should look for good all-round performance with a little bit of everything a friendly client, P2P support, clearly written and straightforward privacy policy, and so on.Then theres the matter of pricing as not every service is worth the money theyre asking.
Sometimes paying a little bit extra ensures a superb experience, but other times a cheaper service provides the optimal quality.Yes, there are some difficult choices to be made for sure, which is exactly why weve done all the legwork and selected our five best VPN services for Windows across various different categories.
You wont go wrong with any of these.1.
ExpressVPNBest all-round VPN, fastest VPN for WindowsNumber of servers: 2000 | Server locations: 148 | IP addresses: 30,000+ | Maximum devices supported: 3Easy to use Windows appSuper fast speedsNot the cheapest providerJust 3 simultaneous devicesExpressVPN is our top pick for the best all-round VPN and specifically for Windows 10.
This British Virgin Islands-based provider offers an impressive level of server coverage with 148 VPN locations across 94 countries, and its a P2P-friendly service too.
During testing, we witnessed outstanding performance for local servers, with slightly lower but still very decent results for long-distance connections.The client boasts an excellent UI packed with a bunch of features including server recommendations, multiple VPN protocols, and kill switch technology.A convenient bonus is the ability to control the VPN from browser extensions, and a special mention goes to the split tunneling feature, which is great for torrenting or restricting the VPN connection to a single browser.On the security front, ExpressVPN also delivers in terms of protocols and strong encryption, while the privacy policy clearly states there is no gathering or logging of traffic data, connection IPs, or online activities.
Professional 24/7 customer support is provided via live chat or email for any problems the user might encounter.Price-wise, the service comes in a tad above other providers, but may be well worth it for users who want the best VPN experience for Windows.
ExpressVPN doesnt offer a free plan or trial but all the plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Out of the plan options, the annual subscription (with three bonus months) offers the best value-for-money.
The packages available are:2.
IPVanishAwesome for torrenting and other P2P trafficNumber of servers: 1000+ | Server locations: 60+ | IP addresses: 40000+ | Maximum devices supported: 10Excellent clientGreat performanceClient still needs workNo free trialThis VPN features a well-designed client (although we did find that the client may be more susceptible to network issues than rivals) that offers a wide array of both basic and advanced settings, with enough options to satisfy even expert tinkerers.
The service is one of the best for torrenting and other P2P traffic, as well.In our testing, we witnessed a significant increase in download speeds (close to 20%) which is fantastic, obviously.
IPVanish has a firm no logs policy in place, and more than adequate protection with 256-bit encryption over OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP protocols.The slight drawback is this is a little pricier than much of the competition, and theres no free trial either.
However, IPVanish does offer a 7-day money-back guarantee across all three of its pricing plans.
The 1-year subscription clearly provides the best value.
The packages available are:3.
NordVPNNumber of servers: 4401 | Server locations: 62 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 6Double data encryptionGood performanceMonthly plan is expensiveInterface issues with clientNordVPN is a mainstay on many best of lists for several good reasons although the one that matters most is its tight security.
The service offers a certain number of Double VPN servers which pass your data through two separate VPN servers, not just one, which makes things even more secure.
You can also route its encrypted traffic over the Tor network, adding another layer of security, along with the existing KEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP protocols.The client is easy-to-use, featuring a compact interface that has all the essentials and then some (although there are minor issues with the UI, so for example, youve got to resize the client window to access mid-European servers).NordVPN is P2P-friendly and has a zero logs policy.
The performance of this VPN is above-average, too.
There's a free 3-day trial, and NordVPN is rather affordable (aside from the monthly subscription), offering four plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
The best value option is the 3-year plan.
The packages available are:4.
Hotspot ShieldBest balance of performance and priceNumber of servers: 2500+ | Server locations: 25 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 5Favourable privacy policyFast download speedsNot so many server locationsLimited configuration optionsHotspot Shields rather colourful client provides all the necessary basics which are simple enough to use, but lacks extra settings options.
Some providers offer more server locations, it's true, but what youll really like here is the performance levels.
This VPN posted some excellent results in our testing, with only marginal latency increase and a bit faster upload and download speeds compared to our normal rates.It also features the standard security protocols with an added bonus of cloud-based malware protection.
The privacy policy is favourable, deleting data which might be recorded upon ending the VPN session.Perhaps the most questionable aspect of Hotspot Shield is its pricing, although the 2-year plan is quite affordable.
There are five plans, each with a 45-day money-back guarantee, including a lifetime subscription which could work out very cheaply in the long run, if you dont mind making that much of a commitment.
The packages available are:5.
TigerVPNBest VPN for novice usersNumber of servers: 300+ | Server locations: 62 | IP addresses: N/A | Maximum devices supported: 2-5Great performanceVery user-friendlyOverly basic clientMinimum of two connections with the monthly planThis Slovakian-based provider runs its own network, DNS servers, and infrastructure.
And this definitely shows as the performance levels were well above-average and fairly consistent when we tested TigerVPN.
The global choice of available servers certainly helps the cause here.The dedicated Windows client is very user-friendly, too.
However, it only offers some basic options, with advanced settings being few and far between but thats not likely to bother novice users.
Another issue with the service is that you only get two simultaneous connections with the monthly plan, which means those looking for a genuine multi-device experience need to subscribe to the yearly plan.TigerVPN is P2P friendly and while there's no trial, there is a 7-day money-back guarantee.
There are three packages to choose from, and subscribing for a three-year plan gives you the best savings, plus you get up to five simultaneous connections (rather than two on the monthly plan).
The packages available are:NLA8spbTg2uXFZ4owqSxLS.jpg#