Best VPNs 2025: Top services for speed, privacy, and streaming
These days, finding the best VPN in 2025 is practically a necessity. With more surveillance, tighter content blocks, and constant cyber risks, picking reliable VPN companies can make a huge difference in how safe you are online. A good VPN shields your identity, encrypts your activity, and keeps snoopers — from hackers to your ISP — out of your business.
The tricky part? There are tons of high quality VPN companies, all claiming to be the fastest and most private. So we cut through the noise with a comparison of the highest rated VPN services for 2025, based on real-world performance, privacy, servers, streaming, crypto safety, and device support.
If you’re after secure streaming, online privacy, remote-work protection, or safer crypto access, the best VPN services in this list deliver exactly what you need.
What is the best VPN for 2025?
This list of VPN providers stood out for its speed, privacy, sophisticated features, and real-world reliability after evaluating and comparing the most popular VPN services:
- ExpressVPN – Best VPN overall
- CyberGhost is the best choice for ease of use.
- Private Internet Access is the best for customization.
- NordVPN is the best for speed and privacy.
- Surfshark lets you use as many devices as you want.
- ProtonVPN is the best open-source VPN that puts privacy first.
These top rated VPNs always provide good performance, strong encryption, stable server networks, and great interoperability across devices.
The best VPN providers for 2025: Top 6 VPNs
We used real performance tests and VPN feature comparisons to rank the best rated VPNs for 2025.
Pros & Cons
- The best VPN for privacy and security
- Incredible speeds that are perfect for gaming and streaming in 4K
- Easy-to-use app with a clean interface across all major devices
- 24/7 live chat support
- Large global server network (100+ countries)
- Uses cutting-edge VPN protocol, Lightway which provides a super reliable VPN experience to minimise connection drops
- Blocking ads may not always work.
Review
Best choice for:
- Frequent travelers who need fast, reliable access from anywhere
- Streamers who want top shows unblocked
- Privacy-focused users who want to keep their personal information safe online
- Beginner VPN users who want a simple, easy-to-use service that just works
Pros & Cons
- NoSpy servers for extra privacy
- Dedicated streaming (including sports) & gaming servers for the optimal experience
- 10Gbps serves offering excellent speed and security for users
- Huge server list reduces congestion
- The best app experience for beginners
- Some servers show inconsistent speeds
- Only seven device connections at once
Review
Best choice for:
- Streamers who want access to geo-restricted shows and servers
- Budget-conscious users who want a reliable VPN without breaking the bank
- Gamers who want to use VPN for gaming, with dedicated servers for better stability
Pros & Cons
- Best VPN for advanced users that want to have full control
- Great value for families / power users with unlimited device connections
- RAM-based servers (data wiped on reboot) for better privacy
- Highly secure with open-source transparency
- The interface could be hard for beginners to understand.
- The speeds of distant servers are different.
Review
Best choice for:
- Privacy purist who want a strict no-logs VPN
- Ideal for families
- Power / tech-savvy users who like customisable settings and advanced protocols
- Crypto traders that want to stay as private as possible
Pros & Cons
- Best privacy tools of any popular VPN
- Very fast connection speeds
- Highly reliable streaming unblocking
- Extra features that are great for keeping crypto safe
- The user interface can seem busy.
- The full bundle costs more.
Review
Best choice for:
- People who value privacy
- People who trade crypto on public Wi-Fi
- Power users who need more protection
Pros & Cons
- Great value for the money
- Unlimited devices is unmatched
- Strong security features
- Light server congestion from time to time
- Not as quick as ExpressVPN or NordVPN
Review
Best choice for:
- Anyone who wants the best features on a budget
Pros & Cons
- Best open-source transparency
- Great for activists, journalists, and privacy professionals
- High-level security architecture
- Best free VPN with no data limits
- Paid tiers are needed for more options
Review
Best choice for:
- People who value complete privacy
- People who trade cryptocurrencies on DeFi platforms
VPN comparison 2025
| VPN provider | Key strengths | Server network | Device limit | Crypto payments | VPN price comparison* | Best for |
| ExpressVPN | Fastest speeds, highly reliable, top-rated overall | 105 countries, 10Gbps servers | Up to 14 devices | BTC | $3.49–$7.49 | Travellers, crypto users, streaming fans |
| CyberGhost | Huge server network, beginner-friendly, optimized streaming servers | 100+ countries, 10Gbps | 7 devices | BTC | $2.03–$11.99 | VPN beginners, streaming fans |
| Private Internet Access | Fully open source, very cheap long-term plans, unlimited devices | 91 countries | Unlimited | BTC, ETH, LTC | $2.03–$11.99 | Power users, crypto traders |
| NordVPN | Extremely fast, advanced features, strong reputation | 8,400+ servers in 167+ countries | 10 devices | BTC, ETH, XRP | $2.99–$4.89 | Privacy-focused users, remote workers |
| Surfshark | Best value, unlimited devices, great for families | 4,500+ servers in 100 countries | Unlimited | BTC, ETH, XRP | €1.69–€4.19 | Multi-device households, budget users |
| ProtonVPN | Best transparency, free plan, huge server network | 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries | 10 devices | BTC | €2.99–€6.49 | Journalists, privacy experts, tech-savvy users, budget users |
How to choose the best VPN in 2025
The best VPN for you will depend on what you want most: speed, privacy, or the ability to use it on several devices. Here are the most important things to think about.
Speed
To get the best VPN speed, focus on:
- Support for Lightway, NordLynx, or WireGuard protocols
- High-performance server networks
- Connections with low latency
Privacy and no-logs policies
A good VPN should offer:
- Independently audited no-logs policies — verified by third parties so you can trust it isn’t storing your data.
- RAM server architecture — meaning servers use only volatile memory so data is wiped on reboot.
- Strong encryption like AES-256 — a widely trusted, high-strength encryption standard.
- Transparent data retention rules — clear statements about who has access to data (if anyone) and how long any data is kept.
Privacy is especially important when handling financial activities online, such as using DeFi platforms or buying Bitcoin.
Streaming support
If you stream shows or movies on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or BBC iPlayer:
- Choose a VPN that’s known for reliably unblocking those services.
- Connect to servers optimized for streaming (or ones in the right country) to get the best speed and access.
Where the servers are
More locations = easier bypassing of geo-restrictions and better speeds.
Compatibility with devices
A modern VPN should offer support for:
- Windows, macOS, and Linux
- iPhone / iOS
- Smart TVs with Android
- Web browsers
- Routers
If you need multiple connections, consider Surfshark (unlimited devices).
Security features
Search for:
- Kill switch
- DNS leak protection
- Multi‑hop routing
- Malware and ad blocking
- Open-source apps
- Cost and value
VPN prices range from about $2 to $12 a month, but long-term plans are usually the best deal.
Check out our guide to the best identity theft protection services for more security tools.
Read our guide to the best-rated crypto exchanges to learn more about how to stay secure when using crypto.
How do you start using a VPN?
Setting up a VPN is easy and usually just takes a few minutes. Choose a VPN provider and sign up for a subscription. Annual plans usually provide you the most for your money.
After that, go to the website of the VPN provider or your app store and download the app for your phone, laptop, tablet, or even smart TV.
After you install the app, open it, sign in, and click the big “Connect” icon to connect to the fastest server. Just choose a server in the location you wish to connect to if you want to access material from another region or keep your crypto exchange login safe.
To make your device as safe as possible, turn on important functions like the auto-connect and malware protection.
After that, you are safe every time you go online.
How we picked the VPN services
We tested and reviewed dozens of VPNs to find the best VPN services for 2025. Each one was put through real-world tests on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android to see how fast they really are, how well they handle streaming, and how stable connections remain using protocols like Lightway.
Security and privacy were critical — we checked no-logs policies, audit results, and other safeguards to protect your data, especially if you use crypto.
We also considered pricing, ease of use, and advanced features like kill switches or multi-hop routing. Only VPNs with reliable performance, strong privacy, and clear consumer value made it onto our best VPN list.
In conclusion
The top VPN services of 2025 include a lot of servers throughout the world, fast speeds, strong privacy safeguards, and apps that are easy to use.
Our list of top VPNs will keep your connection safe through 2025 and beyond, whether you want to stream, play games, work from home, or buy crypto safely.
FAQ
What is the best VPN in 2025?
The best VPN for you depends on your specific needs and priorities.
Is using a VPN legal?
VPNs are legal in most countries, including the U.S., U.K., and EU. Some countries with heavy censorship restrict their usage.
What does a VPN do?
A VPN keeps your internet connection secure by encrypting data, hiding your IP, and shielding your activity from ISPs, trackers, and hackers.
What is the best free VPN?
As the best rated free VPN, ProtonVPN lets you use unlimited data, while paid VPNs offer more options.
How much does VPN cost?
Most premium VPNs cost anywhere from $2 to $12 a month, with price varying based on the plan and what’s included.
