Best VPN services: 7 top picks for every VPN need

A VPN, or virtual private network, is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your online privacy and security. Whether you’re protecting yourself on public Wi-Fi, hiding your IP address from trackers, or accessing region-locked content while traveling, a VPN adds an important layer of protection by encrypting your internet traffic. The problem is that there are hundreds of VPNs competing for your attention, and separating the genuinely good services from the mediocre ones can be overwhelming.

Let us save you the time and effort. We’ve tested and reviewed a wide range of VPNs to narrow down the field to the very best options available today—whether you’re looking for the best overall VPN, the fastest service, the best free option, or the best choice for privacy, streaming, or travel.

When looking for the best VPN, you’ll want to look for a few things: trustworthy privacy practices, strong connection speeds, reliable streaming access, and a large, well-distributed server network. Every VPN featured below delivers on those essentials and adds something extra to help it stand out from the competition.