Short answer: NordVPN is the safe default, and the one we rank first. It is the name most people already recognise, the apps are the easiest to hand to someone who has never used a VPN, and it covers ordinary everyday use without fuss. As with every provider on this site, the no-logs policy is the company’s own claim rather than a finding: the money-back window is where you learn whether it actually performs on your connection.

Short answer: Surfshark is the value pick, second in our ranking. On a long plan it is the cheapest route into a full-featured VPN on this list and it does not cap the number of devices you connect. The catch is the one every VPN deal shares: the headline price is a first-term price. Work out what year two costs before you commit.

Short answer: ExpressVPN is the premium option and it is priced like one; we rank it fifth. What the money buys is polish, apps that behave the same on every platform, including the routers and set-top devices where other providers get awkward. Worth knowing while you compare: ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns CyberGhost and Private Internet Access.

Short answer: Private Internet Access is the configurable budget option, sixth in our ranking. It has apps for every desktop and mobile platform, it allows torrenting across its network, and on a long plan it costs very little. Two things to weigh first: it is a United States company, and it belongs to Kape Technologies, the same owner as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost.

Short answer: Proton VPN is the privacy-first choice on this list and fourth in our ranking. It comes from Proton, the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, and its free tier is a real product rather than a lead magnet with a data cap. Choose it if privacy is the reason you are buying a VPN rather than a side benefit of one.

Short answer: CyberGhost is the beginner-friendly pick at the bottom of our top seven. The apps are simple, support runs around the clock, and the money-back period is long enough to test the service properly rather than in a rush. If you are comparing it against ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access, note that all three are owned by Kape Technologies.

Short answer: IPVanish suits the person who wants the controls exposed rather than hidden, and it is third in our ranking. It is the pick if you intend to set it up on a router, choose your own protocol, or run it on hardware that other apps ignore. If what you want is to install it and never think about it again, the two providers above it are the easier answer.