The Top 10 VPN Provider 2018
Overview
The company NordVPN is headquartered in Panama City and looks back at more than 10 years of experience. The global network of the VPN provider exists of more than 1000 server locations in 57 different countries.
NordVPN is perfectly suited for users who place high value on anonymity and security. No customer data are recorded in accordance with the “zero log policy” first introduced in 2008. The combination of double VPN encryption and the SOCKS5 proxy enables the VPN software to browse securely and anonymously in the decentral Tor network. The DNS Leak Resolver ensures protected and secure DNS requests, all servers and locations have anti-DDoS protection. The automatic kill switch function offers users reliable emergency connection interruption. Customers can pay for the VPN software anonymously using Bitcoins if they wish.
Users can contact NordVPN customer support per live chat, via email, and through the contact form. Questions are answered within 24 hours. In addition, customers benefit from the 30-day money-back guarantee.
Performance Data - NordVPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 101 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 85 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 5 s |
| Average time to connect | 7 s |
| Reliability Score | Excellent |
- Parallel use of up to 6 devices with one account
- Possibility of double VPN connection, for even more anonymity
- No third-party DNS servers
- The use of alternative protocols must be configured outside of the software
Overview
The Phantom VPN software is developed by the famous German software company Avira. The IT company was founded in 2006 and is seated in the German city of Tettnang. The VPN network strongly grew in the course of time. Now, Avira operates high-performance VPN servers in 34 countries (among others, Germany, the US, Brazil, Australia, China, and France).
Avira Phantom VPN users can stream various films and series directly and without waiting. The VPN client is compatible with all important streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Maxdome. Live games of the Champions League and sports broadcasts by providers such as Sky Go also properly function using Phantom VPN. Users of well-known file sharing platforms such as uTorrent and BitTorrent benefit from high download rates and anonymity thanks to the VPN software. Each user receives an anonymous IP address from one of the available countries. As such, the VPN software Avira Phantom also effortlessly circumvents firewall barriers in countries such as China, Russia, and Turkey. VPN users can securely perform online banking activities and safely surf the Internet and public networks thanks to high-end encryption.
Customers can use customer support per email with any questions or problems they might have. The Avira website additionally offers a knowledge database and FAQ section.
Performance Data - Avira Phantom VPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 70 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 52 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 35 s |
| Average time to connect | 10 s |
| Reliability Score | Very good |
- Intuitive and easy operation
- Can be used on many devices and operating systems
- Stable and reliable performance
- No multihopping
- Very few configuration options
- Limited server selection
Overview
HideMyAss is one of the largest VPN providers in the world, with more than 720 servers and more than 340 locations in 190 countries. The VPN service is operated by Privax LTD, already founded in 2005. Apart from the headquarters in Great Britain, the company operates branches in the Ukraine and Serbia.
HideMyAss VPN software uses a secure 256-bit AES encryption, ensuring that user data are securely protected. The kill switch automatically closes preconfigured programs in the case of emergencies. DNS leaking blocking ensures that there are no DNS leaks. HideMyAss only stores a minimum of log files on usage. No received or sent data, or histories on visited websites, are recorded.
The knowledge database on the website offers users tips and tricks on how to use the VPN software. HideMyAss customer service provides users with live support 365 days a year per live chat or email. In addition, customers can use the 30-day money-back guarantee and can always cancel their subscription online.
Performance Data - HideMyAss!
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 63 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 49 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 5 s |
| Average time to connect | 8 s |
| Reliability Score | Very good |
- Very intuitive software and apps, very easy to operate
- Huge server network.
- Stable and good performance in our test
- Simultaneous use of only 5 devices per account
- Most streaming providers are not unlocked
- Almost no software or app configuration options
Overview
ExpressVPN is headquartered on the British Virgin Islands and was founded in 2009. Since its founding, the VPN provider has continuously optimized its service; it now offers more than 1700 high-performance servers at 145 locations in 94 countries.
ExpressVPN is definitely the right choice for people who value security and anonymity. The ExpressVPN software uses an AES-256 encryption and only company-own DNS servers. ExpressVPN commits to a “log free” logging policy. In accordance to this policy, no user data traffic is recorded or logged. In addition, the ExpressVPN subscription can be paid with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. This transaction can only be traced and logged by third parties with extreme effort.
Customers can contact the competent support service per chat or email, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week if they have any problems with or questions about their VPN connection. The provider even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if customers are unconvinced by the excellent quality of ExpressVPN.
Performance Data - ExpressVPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 59 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 42 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 5 s |
| Average time to connect | 7 s |
| Reliability Score | Very good |
- #1 Fastest VPN, Ultra reliable & unrestricted access to 94 countries
- 256-bit secure encryption & zero logs
- Special offer: Save 49% and get a 30 day money back guarantee
- Not the cheapest VPN (but it is definitely worth)
Overview
The company ZenMate was founded in February 2013. This makes the company one of the established VPN providers. ZenMate has its base in the German capital of Berlin. The VPN network has continuously expanded over the years and now comprises multiple servers in over 30 countries.
ZenMate encrypts all data transfer with a 256-bit-AES encryption, improving security and anonymity when surfing. Aside from ZenMate VPN, the company also offers ZenMate Sense, a tool to optimize mobile device security, and its ad-blocker software ZenMate Pulse. ZenMate additionally offers DNS leak protection, making it impossible for unauthorized third parties to access the data. Users can choose PayPal as their payment method to make it harder to trace the purchase.
The official website of the provider offers an extensive knowledge database, elucidating the operation and installation of ZenMate. The knowledge database doubles as a user forum. ZenMate additionally offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, making it possible to test the software out free of risk.
Performance Data - ZenMate VPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 61 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 45 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 2 s |
| Average time to connect | 7 s |
| Reliability Score | Good |
- Fast speeds with low latency
- Great customer service
- Top protection incl. Ad-Blocker and Anti-Malware filter
- No advanced or manual options at all in the app
- Small number of servers
Overview
CyberGhost VPN software has been developed by CyberGhost S.A. since 2004. The company is headquartered in Romania and has been part of the Crossrider group since 2017. The server network of CyberGhost has been continually expanded since the software was first published. Now, the company operates 1300 VPN servers at 52 locations all over the world.
With CyberGhost, it is possible to stream films and series over the Internet without interruptions or restrictions. The VPN software works with all streaming providers such as Amazon Prime Video or Netflix. CyberGhost users can watch live broadcasts with the VPN client, streamed over, e.g., Sky Go or Fox Sports, in each country and without waiting. CyberGhost users can download files from the Internet anonymously and quickly thanks to the high transfer rates and a secure encryption. The VPN client works with all common file sharing platforms such as uTorrent and BitTorrent. Each user is assigned a secure and non-traceable IP address. With this, CyberGhost customers can circumvent censorship and blocks and can freely use the Internet in countries such as China, Turkey, and Russia as they could in the US.
Customers can find answers to all important questions in the help and FAQ section on the CyberGhost website. Alternatively, users can easily contact customer support 24 hours a day and at all times via email. Undecided users can test the CyberGhost software for 30 days at no risk or cost.
Performance Data - CyberGhost
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 38 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 18 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 4 s |
| Average time to connect | 6 s |
| Reliability Score | Very good |
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Parallel use on up to 7 devices
- Excellent privacy protection features
- The operation of the app could be a bit easier and more clear
Overview
PureVPN is one of the leading VPN providers. The network was already established in 2006 and has greatly expanded over the years. PureVPN is operated by the company GZ Systems based in Hong Kong. PureVPN is one of the largest VPN networks in the world with more than 100 high-performance servers in over 25 countries worldwide.
PureVPN software uses a double AES-256 encryption and supports many security and connectivity protocols, including the OpenVPN protocol. Inexperienced users benefit from automatic protocol selection. The Internet kill switch ensures privacy and anonymity. DDoS protection and the NAT firewall add-on significantly further improve security. PureVPN uses its company’s own DNS network without third-party participation. The company is not bound to European or American data storage regulations as it is seated in Hong Kong. Therefore, user activity is not monitored and log data are not permanently stored.
Customer support is available to users per email and live chat 365 days a year. The software can be tested risk-free thanks to the 7-day money-back guarantee.
Performance Data - PureVPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 43 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 29 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 6 s |
| Average time to connect | 9 s |
| Reliability Score | Satisfying |
- Supports split tunneling: The user can choose which programs use VPN for data transfer and which do not
- Very good customer support via live chat
- P2P-friendly
- The desktop software is somewhat buggy
- Automatic mode often chooses less secure protocols
- Great speed differences in our tests
Overview
The VPN service by IPVanish is provided by a company founded in November 2012 in the US, which is also located there. Even though IPVanish is a very young company, it already operates servers in more than 60 countries, and users already have more than 40,000 IP addresses at their disposal.
IPVanish VPN software uses secure 256-bit AES encryption and it is protected by an NAT firewall. The provider adheres to a zero-traffic log guideline, meaning that practically no user data are stored. Apart from the standard protocols, users can use the L2TP/IPSec and PPTP protocol. A SOCKS5 web proxy is also offered. Users can automatically shut down pre-set programs in the case of connection interruption using the kill switch function. It is possible to pay anonymously using Bitcoins among various other payment methods.
Customer support is available 365 days a year via email. Alternatively, customers can use the live chat support during weekdays, during normal operating hours. In case customers are not fully satisfied, they can make use of the 7-day money back guarantee.
Performance Data - IPVanishVPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 54 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 38 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 4 s |
| Average time to connect | 11 s |
| Reliability Score | Good |
- Many configuration options for pros
- P2P-friendly
- Strong security features
- Does not function with every streaming provider
- The software is not optimally intuitive in operation
- Customer service only via email
Overview
SaferVPN software is made by Safer Social Ltd., headquartered in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, and founded in 2013. The company has continuously expanded its VPN network over the years. Now, Safer Social Ltd. operates a large selection of servers in more than 35 countries worldwide.
The VPN client SaferVPN is protected by a secure AES-256 encryption and a hardware-based NAT firewall. Users can activate the kill switch function and are always automatically and without interruption connected to the fastest VPN server thanks to the auto-connect function. The VPN provider is not subject to American or European data storage regulations as Safer Social Ltd. is seated in Israel. Only the necessary data are stored, these do not include traffic logs. It is also possible to pay anonymously using Bitcoins.
The website offers users answers to the most important questions as well as detailed guides. Customer support is available all days of the year per live chat or ticket system. All users additionally benefit from a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Performance Data - Safer VPN
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 39 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 25 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 6 s |
| Average time to connect | 7 s |
| Reliability Score | Satisfying |
- Very good usability of desktop software and apps
- Very good security features such as the kill switch and DNS leak protection
- Automatic port diagnostics
- Only a few configuration options
- No automatic protocol selection
- No advanced settings
Overview
The VPN software Hide.me is produced by the eponymous company. This company exists since 2011 and is headquartered in Malaysia. The company has extended its service over the course of the last few years. Hide.me now operates more than 125 dedicated VPN servers in more than 30 countries.
As the company is located in Malaysia, Hide.me needs not adhere to American or European laws. That is why the company follows a zero-log policy. No customer data whatsoever is stored. The provider uses a hardware-based NAT firewall, a DNS leak resolver, and a secure AES-256 encryption. These measures protect data from hackers. It also offers automatic network interruption through the kill switch functionality. Hide.me operates its own soft and hardware in adherence with DNS-server ownership. Hide.me is one of only a few VPN providers that supports the modern IKEv2 protocol. Customers can pay anonymously for the service with Bitcoins if they want.
Customers benefit from 24/7/365 support via email and live chat. The website contains many video tutorials with instructions for beginners and more advanced users as well as an extensive knowledge database. The company offers a free trial version apart from the fee-based tariffs, which include a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Performance Data - Hide.me
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Download Speed | 49 Mb/s |
| Max Upload Speed | 32 Mb/s |
| Ping Time | 3 s |
| Average time to connect | 4 s |
| Reliability Score | Good |
- Excellent security features such as kill switch
- Software supports a very large number of languages
- P2P-friendly
- Sometimes does not work with Netflix
- No automatic protocol selection
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network“. More specifically, these are self-contained logical networks. Virtual private network participants are geographically separated but at the same time connected with each other via a secure IP tunnel. The network to which a virtual private network connects its users is called the dedicated network. All VPN users become part of this dedicated network. They are directly addressable as if they were geographically located at the network location. This spatial illusion is why it is called a virtual network.
VPN’s hide your IP address with using their servers.
Participants from all over the world can securely access the resources of the private network thanks to the VPN technology. To use a VPN network, it is of no importance what type of Internet connection is used, which device is used, and where this device is located. A VPN does not represent a physical connection, but rather uses an existing communication network as a transport medium. Simply put, in terms of connection, a VPN is like a network cable, plugged into the router of an external network.
Employees can e.g. access a corporate network from home using a VPN. All intermediate networks, such as the home network and the Internet, are functionally reduced to an extension cable. Depending on the VPN protocol used, the connection can be complemented with an encryption. The VPN encrypts the entire Internet connection. This encryption reaches from the network card to the VPN server. Recording and spying on data is reliably prevented thanks to real-time encryption. One of the most important reasons to use a VPN network is to establish an encrypted virtual network connection in an actually unencrypted network.
How does a VPN work?
The user selects a VPN provider and uses its special software. You install the VPN software on your computer, mobile device, gaming console, or router and activate the software. Instead of establishing a direct Internet connection, the connection now takes place using the software which now connects the user to a VPN server. All VPN network users connect with a login server using a VPN protocol. Subsequently, an encrypted tunnel is established and each user receives a new internal IP address.
Computers from outside the VPN network cannot access internal communication thanks to the secure encryption. A virtual network card in the users’ computers enable secure communication. The operating system recognizes this network card as if it were a regular Ethernet adapter, normally used by the system and computer programs. All data transferred via this adapter are automatically secured using a high-quality encryption. The login server settings prevent the users from influencing one another. For this, each user receives his or her own tunnel and encryption.
All sent and received data are transmitted to the Internet using one single IP address (the address of the login server). The IP address of the login server is the IP address of the users, guaranteeing reliable anonymity. Thanks to the encryption, created using the internal virtual network card, it is guaranteed that the data connections are invisible to the provider, data loggers, and other computers in the local network. The sent and received data cannot be assigned to any individual user, as all VPN users appear to have the same IP address from the outside.
What advantages does a VPN software offer?
Users who surf the Internet using a VPN software benefit from quite a few advantages. Users can browse the Internet completely anonymously thanks to a high-quality encryption of all data connections. You need not worry about the security of your personal data. New or blocked streaming content, only visible in the countries of production, can be watched by VPN users all over the world using a VPN client. File sharing users can mask their IP address using a VPN software and make their surfing and download behavior untraceable. This covers up potentially illegal activity; users avoid warnings and fines. The virtual location of the user can be changed using a VPN client. Firewalls can be circumvented and blocked websites will become available again.
More security and anonymity online with a VPN software
Each user leaves a lot of traces on the Internet. All activities can be traced by authorities, Internet providers, companies, and private persons (hackers). Personal user data are often misused by large companies for advertising purposes. If Internet criminals, such as hackers, gain access to sensitive banking and credit card data, they can cause huge individual damages. Many people still browse the Internet without protection despite these great risks.
Through the VPN tunnel you are protected against hacker attacks!
Each user should use a VPN software to browse the Internet with complete security and anonymity. The IP address and surfing behavior is rendered untraceable for third parties thanks to a secure 256-bit encryption. Thus, personal data as well as sensitive banking data cannot fall into the wrong hands. Users are protected by a secure data tunnel with a VPN software and do not leave any traces online. Even experienced hackers cannot access user data or activity thanks to high-quality security measures and modern technology.
Unblocking new or blocked streaming content using a VPN software
Many people prefer streaming films and series over watching them on the regular television. If a new season of a well-loved series is produced, it is usually first only available for streaming users in the country of production. Users from other countries cannot access this content due to IP blocking and need to wait for months.
Users all over the world can access all streaming content if they use VPN software. The software changes the virtual location and masks the IP address. In this way, streaming platforms think that the user is located in the series’ country of production and the IP blocking does not block access anymore. A VPN client can also be used in this context to unblock sports broadcasts of beloved sports competitions (NBA, NFL, Champions League, etc.) for other countries. Particularly popular are the American sports basketball, football, and ice hockey. The sports broadcasts can usually, due to licensing issues, only be accessed by users located in the US. As the VPN software can change users’ locations at random, the users are virtually located in the US and receive access.
Avoiding warnings and fines with a VPN software when file sharing
Users who register at a file sharing platform, such as eMule, eDonkey, or BitTorrent, can download multimedia content of other users via software. In many cases, downloading music, films, and software infracts on copyright laws. People who upload or download this protected content run a significant risk. A file sharing user can count on a warning along with a serious fine if he or she is caught by authorities when uploading or downloading.
If file sharers use a VPN software instead, they need not worry about negative consequences. VPN users can anonymously share files thanks to a high-end encryption and other security measures. All downloads and uploads exclusively take place via a secure VPN connection. Neither user activities nor data can fall into the wrong hands. As authorities cannot determine that the VPN users infract on copyright legislation, they cannot take legal action.
Circumventing firewalls and unblocking content with a VPN software
Data traffic can be controlled and regulated by responsible authorities, as the Internet traffic of each country needs to pass through certain nodes. Most countries do not make use of this option and do not limit any websites or services. There are unfortunately some exceptions such as Russia, China, and Turkey. Not just the citizens of these countries suffer from these restrictions, vacationers and business travelers are also affected. The country and organization-specific firewalls block well-known websites such as Facebook, YouTube, or Wikipedia.
These blockades and restrictions of country and organization-specific firewalls can be lifted effortlessly using a VPN software. The VPN client changes the virtual location of the user, making it impossible for firewalls to detect and block it. Users in all countries can access all Internet website and services using a VPN software. Users can even circumvent the Great Firewall of China with a VPN tunnel.
Finding the right VPN provider
There are various VPN providers on the market. However, not every provider fits the demands of each user equally well. There are often great differences between the price and possibilities of a VPN provider. It is important to diligently compare all VPN providers before making a choice. We have extensively tested all well-known providers and have also made recommendations. Our clear list of the top 10 VPN providers offers you an overview of the best providers. In this list, all discounts the providers offer are listed as well. You will automatically receive this discount if you choose a VPN provider through our website. Unfortunately, we cannot always offer these discounts as the discount campaigns are limited in time and amount. Like usual: first come, first served. You can of course always contact us with any questions you might have.