Best Secure VPN 2021

When looking for the best secure VPN, you want to find a service that can hide your location, protect your sensitive data, and overall help you stay more anonymous online.

The whole idea of a VPN, as you may already know, is to increase your anonymity by sending your signal via a go-between server. The result is that you have a buffer layer between your device and where you’re connecting to. As a result, it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find you based on where you’ve been online.

On top of that, the best VPNs will also encrypt any data flowing through its servers making information within unintelligible even if someone unauthorized were to get ahold of it.

What does that mean for security? You won’t have to worry about anyone finding your location, nor any of your sensitive details, especially when sent over email or via the web. By bouncing your signal through a secure server, your data is not only encrypted but also better hidden from potential bad actors. So how does this work?

How does a VPN work?

As mentioned, and without getting too technical, a VPN essentially makes it really difficult for any potential online onlookers to access data sent from your phone or computer over the internet by masking your physical location as well as encrypting outgoing and incoming data so only those sending or receiving can see the contents.

A simple benefit of this is for streaming content that would otherwise be restricted in your region, such as using a VPN for Netflix or a BBC iPlayer VPN if content on those services is not available to you otherwise.

The big benefit we’re talking about her, though, is total anonymity and privacy as your real location and IP address are masked and your data is sent via an encrypted tunnel of sorts, away from the prying eyes of governments, ISPs, or even malicious hackers. If you shop or bank online, use public Wi-Fi networks, or just want to keep your internet usage private, it’s wise to use a VPN.

With all that in mind, here are five of the best VPN options for security.

1. ExpressVPN

Best overall VPN for security and more

24/7 live chat: Yes | Free trial length: 30 days | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Servers/countries: 3,000+/90+

Pros

• Very secure servers
• Wide coverage
• Fast, reliable performance

Cons

• Not cheap

ExpressVPN is our number one choice for security. This is thanks to a huge selection of servers placed all over the world with impressive AES 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN. These servers are owned by ExpressVPN and use their own zero-knowledge 256-bit encrypted DNS on each.

ExpressVPN uses an RSA-4096 handshake, SHA-512 hash message authentication code, and Perfect Forward Secrecy. All that adds up to a very tight connection between you and the servers before linking to the wider web.

On top of that, you also get WebRTC leak protection, DNS leak protection and a kill switch that stops all connections on your device should your network drop out.

Speeds are fast and, thanks to the high number of servers, you can get that haste from wherever you are and whatever you’re connecting to. Should you have any issues, or want to check you’re secure for a task, the 24/7 online customer chat support is excellently staffed by helpful and knowledgeable staff available right away to help.

Thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee this is a great option to try before you buy. And should you go for the annual plan then you get another month thrown in for free.

ExpressVPN

This is a top pick for anyone looking to get started with a VPN. It offers a great mix of speed, reliability, outstanding customer service, and affordability. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, so give it a shot today.

From $6.67 per month at ExpressVPN

2. NordVPN

One of the best secure VPNs around

24/7 live chat: Yes | Free trial length: 30 days | Maximum devices supported: 6 | Servers/countries: 5,000+/55+

Pros

• Double encryption protection
• Bitcoin anonymous payments
• Adware and malware blocking

Cons

• Can be expensive

NordVPN is famed for its security and that is largely thanks to its use of not one but two encryptions. This double VPN means your data is sent through two separate servers, adding that extra layer of security.

What’s more, you can pay using Bitcoin to be even more anonymous. Nord has servers that are dedicated to working on the Onion network. A nice bonus is the automatic blocking of suspicious websites as well as adware and malware blocking. All that and you have 256-bit encryption, IKEv2/IPSec security protocols, and a strong no-logging policy, to keep you totally anonymous.

Security layers don’t mean a slowing down of connection speeds when it comes to NordVPN as you still get impressive performance across the many server locations. And that applies when used on macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android.

Enjoy 24/7 customer service and a 30-day money-back guarantee making this another very appealing VPN security option.

NordVPN

From $3.71 per month at NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the most common and biggest names in the VPN space, and it also happens to be one of the best. It offers amongst the largest number of server options and some high-quality app experiences.

3. CyberGhost

Great value for money security

24/7 live chat: Yes | Free trial length: 45 days | Maximum devices supported: 7 | Servers/countries: 6,500+/85+

Pros

• Blocks ads, trackers, malicious websites
• Solid performance
• Ease of use

Cons

• Interface could be cleaner

CyberGhost is a fast, affordable, and highly secure VPN option that ticks all the necessary boxes for safety online. This is great for blocking with its ability to stop ads, trackers, and malicious websites from pestering you, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This also automates HTTPS redirection so you’re always secure – ideal when using your banking details online.

The CyberGhost no-logging policy is also stand-out and the company uses an annual transparency report. It does this to show that it hides nothing from the users and takes data privacy very seriously.

CyberGhost does all this while also keeping the price low and undercutting a lot of the VPN competition. Go for a longer-term commitment, like the 39-month plan and this becomes one of the most affordable VPN options out there.

CyberGhost VPN

From $2.25 per month at CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost makes using a VPN easy by helping you choose the best server to use for certain tasks, and it generally offers some of the best pricing around as well.

4. VyprVPN

Best for super-fast performance

24/7 live chat: Yes | Free trial length: 3 days | Maximum devices supported: 5 | Servers/countries: 700+/64

Pros

• Super speeds
• Extra privacy tools
• Easy to use

Cons

• No refunds

VyprVPN is one of the fastest VPN options out there, bar none. Yet it does this while also offering great security. Across its 64 server countries, you can expect fast performance and extra security thanks to its own Chameleon protocol which makes it harder to detect you’re using a VPN – ideal for streaming in other countries.

Kill switch and leak protection are standard, meaning you’re protected between connection points and in case your internet connection should be severed. The use of its own zero-knowledge DNS service is appealing as that means your anonymity is super secure. The company even has an independent audit to make sure your data is secure and there is no logging at all.

The only downside is that the free trial is limited to three days and you won’t get refunds after you commit. That said, pricing is low for longer-term plans and this is well worth that and more.

VyprVPN

From $1.66 per month at VyprVPN

Save 87% by going for the 36-month offer available at VyprVPN right now. It’s got a fast, reliable connection for streaming, strong encryption, apps for all the major platforms, and servers all over the world.

5. IPVanish

Best for power and performance

24/7 live chat: No | Free trial length: 30 days | Maximum devices supported: 10 | Servers/countries: 1,300+/53

Pros

• Very fast
• Configurable apps
• Lots of devices supported

Cons

• Doesn’t unblock iPlayer or Amazon Prime Video

IPVanish is a VPN that strikes the balance between power and performance well, meaning you get lots of features without them affecting the super speed connections. Security offerings include AES 256-bit-CBC encryption along with a SHA256 hash algorithm, which means excellent cover as your data moves about online.

You get multiple protocol options with IPVanish as well as a kill switch to keep you safe should your connection drop. There’s also IPv6 leak protection, proprietary, and some third-party DNS, plus an OpenVPN scramble option to stop you from being detected as using a VPN. That means less chance of being blocked while using this VPN – ideal for streaming sites.

The downside is this won’t unblock BBC iPlayer or Amazon Prime Video. That said you can expect super fast speeds and great security – which you’d expect as this is one of the more pricey options out there and only offers a 30-day trial occasionally. Worth grabbing if that’s going on when you visit the site then.

IPVanish VPN

From $3.75 per month at IPVanish

IPVanish may not have the biggest numbers for stats, but the service that the company offers is reliable and fast. Getting set up takes just minutes, so start today!