If you are interested in protecting your privacy online or unlocking access to area-restricted content, you probably already know about virtual private networks (VPNs). We review the best VPN services in 2022.
These work great for many streamers, because platforms like Netflix and Hulu purchase rights to media for certain markets only (like the US, the UK, India, etc.). You can use a VPN to access that content outside of the market.
There are many other security reasons people use VPNs, protecting you from government and corporate spying. Overall they can make surfing the web a safer experience.
Given how popular and important they’ve become, we’ve assembled this Best VPN 2022 list.
But picking the best VPN service can be a matter of taste. After all, there are many ways to rank them, like:
- Which free VPN is the best?
- Which one is the fastest?
- Which one is the safest?
Let’s see!
Best VPN free online
Winner: Proton VPN
Free VPNs usually have major drawbacks. They are typically very slow, put limits on how much data you can pass through them, load you up with ads, or spy on you to sell your data. That sort of defeats the purpose of getting a VPN in the first place.
Proton VPN does things differently. The free version of their service doesn’t limit data, fill you up with ads, or significantly slow you down. The only real drawback is that the free version only gives you three locations to choose from: Japan, the Netherlands, and the US.
For a runner up, Hola! is a free VPN Chrome extension. It also has a premium version, but the free version does everything you’d want, just within a 30 minute window. If you are looking for a solid VPN free online that plugs right into your browser, this is a great option.
Fastest VPN
Winner: SurfShark
In speed tests you can find around the internet, you’ll see SurfShark seems to be winning out most in the past year or two. That’s great news, because when it comes to streaming content, a VPN that slows you down is not what you want.
It’s also relatively inexpensive. You can pay month-to-month at $12.95, or buy 24 months for $59.76. That comes out to $2.49 a month. You can also add antivirus, safety alerts, and log-free search for an added $1.49 a month.
If speed is your thing, SurfShark is the best VPN service right now.
Safest VPN
Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN is not the cheapest, though it isn’t expensive. And it isn’t the fastest, though it isn’t too terribly slow. It sets itself apart by having the most complete set of safety and privacy tools available. While they did suffer a breach last year, they’ve come back with a vengeance.
The two-year plan is $126.96, or $5.29 a month. It gives you malware protection, tracker and ad blocker, a password manager, a data breach scanner, and 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage. That’s pretty beefy compared to competitors.
If it’s all about security for you, NordVPN is your winner for Best VPN 2022.
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