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Updated May 2026

The best VPN services in 2026 so far

A plain-English shortlist for privacy, streaming, torrenting, travel, home country access, and everyday public Wi-Fi security.

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A practical VPN shortlist for travel, streaming, privacy, and daily public Wi-Fi use.

The short answer

NordVPN is the best VPN for most people in 2026 so far. Proton VPN is the better privacy-first mainstream pick. Surfshark is the value pick for many devices. ExpressVPN is the simplest premium option for frequent travel, and PIA is the configurable pick for advanced users.

#1 pick Best overall for most people

NordVPN

Editorial fit Best all-rounder Best first stop for most buyers
9.2/10

NordVPN is the easiest top pick if you want fast apps, broad streaming support, and a mature security feature set.

Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 5 out of 5
Streaming 5 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Best forstreaming, speed, and mainstream privacy
Watch out forThe main caution is renewal pricing, so the first-term discount should not be treated as the long-term cost.
Price note
Often advertised from about $3.39/mo on long plans
Renewal
High
See price Read review
#2 pick Best for privacy with polished apps

Proton VPN

Editorial fit Great fit Best for privacy with polished apps
8.9/10

Proton VPN is the strongest pick if you want a privacy brand with open-source apps, a credible free tier, and modern consumer polish.

Privacy 5 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 3 out of 5
Best forprivacy-focused users who still want friendly apps
Watch out forIt is not always the cheapest paid option, and some advanced features sit behind higher plans.
Price note
Often advertised from about $4.99/mo on longer plans
Renewal
Medium
See price Read review
#3 pick Best value for unlimited devices

Surfshark

Editorial fit Great fit Best value for unlimited devices
8.7/10

Surfshark is the best value pick when you want unlimited device coverage and low first-term pricing.

Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 5 out of 5
Best forfamilies, shared households, and many devices
Watch out forLike many discount VPNs, renewal pricing and ownership context deserve attention.
Price note
Often advertised from about $2.19/mo on long plans
Renewal
High
See price Read review

Best VPNs compared

Our table puts commercial factors beside trust factors, so you can see the tradeoff before clicking a deal.

Mobile view: compact decision cards are shown below.

Editorial fit dots are buyer-fit signals, not lab benchmark results. Five filled dots means the provider is a strong fit for that category.

#1 pick Best overall for most people

NordVPN

9.2/10 editorial fit
Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 5 out of 5
Streaming 5 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Best forstreaming, speed, and mainstream privacy
CaveatThe main caution is renewal pricing, so the first-term discount should not be treated as the long-term cost.
Check price Read review
#2 pick Best for privacy with polished apps

Proton VPN

8.9/10 editorial fit
Privacy 5 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 3 out of 5
Best forprivacy-focused users who still want friendly apps
CaveatIt is not always the cheapest paid option, and some advanced features sit behind higher plans.
Check price Read review
#3 pick Best value for unlimited devices

Surfshark

8.7/10 editorial fit
Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 5 out of 5
Best forfamilies, shared households, and many devices
CaveatLike many discount VPNs, renewal pricing and ownership context deserve attention.
Check price Read review
#4 pick Best premium travel VPN

ExpressVPN

8.4/10 editorial fit
Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 2 out of 5
Best fortravel, simple apps, and premium support
CaveatIt costs more than most rivals and is owned by Kape Technologies, which some privacy buyers scrutinize closely.
Check price Read review
#5 pick Best for torrenting and customization

Private Internet Access

8.1/10 editorial fit
Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 3 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Best fortorrenting, advanced settings, and low pricing
CaveatIts US jurisdiction and Kape ownership make it less appealing for some privacy-first buyers.
Check price Read review
Provider Best for Editorial fit Main caveat
#1
NordVPN 9.2 / 10 editorial fit
Check price Review
streaming, speed, and mainstream privacy
Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 5 out of 5
Streaming 5 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
The main caution is renewal pricing, so the first-term discount should not be treated as the long-term cost.
#2
Proton VPN 8.9 / 10 editorial fit
Check price Review
privacy-focused users who still want friendly apps
Privacy 5 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 3 out of 5
It is not always the cheapest paid option, and some advanced features sit behind higher plans.
#3
Surfshark 8.7 / 10 editorial fit
Check price Review
families, shared households, and many devices
Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 5 out of 5
Like many discount VPNs, renewal pricing and ownership context deserve attention.
#4
ExpressVPN 8.4 / 10 editorial fit
Check price Review
travel, simple apps, and premium support
Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 2 out of 5
It costs more than most rivals and is owned by Kape Technologies, which some privacy buyers scrutinize closely.
#5
Private Internet Access 8.1 / 10 editorial fit
Check price Review
torrenting, advanced settings, and low pricing
Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 3 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Its US jurisdiction and Kape ownership make it less appealing for some privacy-first buyers.

Full rankings

#1 pick Best overall for most people

NordVPN

Editorial fit Best all-rounder Best first stop for most buyers
9.2/10

NordVPN is the easiest top pick if you want fast apps, broad streaming support, and a mature security feature set.

Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 5 out of 5
Streaming 5 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Best forstreaming, speed, and mainstream privacy
Watch out forThe main caution is renewal pricing, so the first-term discount should not be treated as the long-term cost.
Price note
Often advertised from about $3.39/mo on long plans
Devices
10
Refund
30 days
Jurisdiction
Panama
See price Read review
#2 pick Best for privacy with polished apps

Proton VPN

Editorial fit Great fit Best for privacy with polished apps
8.9/10

Proton VPN is the strongest pick if you want a privacy brand with open-source apps, a credible free tier, and modern consumer polish.

Privacy 5 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 3 out of 5
Best forprivacy-focused users who still want friendly apps
Watch out forIt is not always the cheapest paid option, and some advanced features sit behind higher plans.
Price note
Often advertised from about $4.99/mo on longer plans
Devices
10
Refund
30 days
Jurisdiction
Switzerland
See price Read review
#3 pick Best value for unlimited devices

Surfshark

Editorial fit Great fit Best value for unlimited devices
8.7/10

Surfshark is the best value pick when you want unlimited device coverage and low first-term pricing.

Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 5 out of 5
Best forfamilies, shared households, and many devices
Watch out forLike many discount VPNs, renewal pricing and ownership context deserve attention.
Price note
Often advertised from about $2.19/mo on long plans
Devices
Unlimited
Refund
30 days
Jurisdiction
Netherlands
See price Read review
#4 pick Best premium travel VPN

ExpressVPN

Editorial fit Strong specialist Best premium travel VPN
8.4/10

ExpressVPN is the premium pick for people who want simple apps, broad location coverage, and a long reputation for reliability.

Privacy 4 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 4 out of 5
Value 2 out of 5
Best fortravel, simple apps, and premium support
Watch out forIt costs more than most rivals and is owned by Kape Technologies, which some privacy buyers scrutinize closely.
Price note
Often premium priced, with long-plan discounts
Devices
8+
Refund
30 days
Jurisdiction
British Virgin Islands
See price Read review
#5 pick Best for torrenting and customization

Private Internet Access

Editorial fit Worth comparing Best for torrenting and customization
8.1/10

Private Internet Access is a strong pick for users who want lots of settings, broad platform support, and good torrenting value.

Privacy 3 out of 5
Speed 4 out of 5
Streaming 3 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
Best fortorrenting, advanced settings, and low pricing
Watch out forIts US jurisdiction and Kape ownership make it less appealing for some privacy-first buyers.
Price note
Often advertised from about $2.03/mo on long plans
Devices
Unlimited
Refund
30 days
Jurisdiction
United States
See price Read review

How we ranked them

Scores are based on public evidence and editorial analysis. We do not claim completed first-party lab results until our own test bench is published.

Privacy and logging · 25%
Speed and reliability · 20%
Streaming and torrenting utility · 15%
App usability and platform support · 15%
Price transparency and renewal risk · 15%
Ownership, audits, and transparency · 10%

Evidence reviewed

  • Public privacy policies and logging claims.
  • Audit reports and transparency materials where available.
  • Ownership, jurisdiction, and parent-company context.
  • Advertised pricing, refund terms, renewal risk, and device limits.
  • Public speed, streaming, and torrenting performance patterns.
Read methodology

FAQ

What is the best VPN overall?

NordVPN is our best overall pick for most people. Proton VPN is better for privacy-first buyers, and Surfshark is stronger for unlimited devices.

Can a VPN make me anonymous?

No. A VPN can hide your IP from websites and protect traffic on untrusted Wi-Fi, but it cannot erase tracking, account logins, browser fingerprinting, or payment records.

Are free VPNs safe?

Some are. Avoid free VPNs with unclear ownership or vague logging policies. Proton VPN and Windscribe are the free options we would examine first.