Best VPN 2026 — Complete Ranking

All 10 VPNs tested and ranked on speed, privacy, streaming, value, and features. Updated March 2026.

#1

NordVPN

Overall Best VPN
9.7/10

Fastest VPN with the strongest security features

Fastest
7,000+ servers
10 devices
Panama
$2.99/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Fastest VPN tested in 2026
7,000+ servers in 118+ countries
6x independently audited no-logs
10 device limit
Higher tiers expensive
#2

Surfshark

Best Value
9.5/10

Best value VPN with unlimited devices

Fastest
3,200+ servers
Unlimited devices
Netherlands
$1.99/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Cheapest premium VPN ($1.99/mo)
Unlimited connections
Very fast speeds
Netherlands (Nine Eyes)
Same parent as NordVPN
#3

ExpressVPN

Ease of Use
9.4/10

Premium VPN with the best user experience

Fast
3,000+ servers
8-12 devices
British Virgin Islands
$2.44/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Extremely user-friendly
Strong streaming performance
BVI jurisdiction
Slower than NordVPN/Surfshark
Smaller server network (3,000)
#4

Proton VPN

Privacy
9.3/10

Most private VPN with the best free plan

Very Fast
7,000+ servers
10 devices
Switzerland
$2.99/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Best free VPN plan (unlimited data)
Swiss jurisdiction (strongest privacy)
100% open-source apps
Free plan: 10 countries, 1 connection
Slightly more expensive monthly
#5

Mullvad

Maximum Privacy
9.0/10

The most private VPN — no name, no email, no tracking

Good
700+ servers
5 devices
Sweden
€5/mo (~$5.50) best price
14-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Best privacy — no personal info needed
Police raid proved zero data stored
Flat $5.50/mo pricing (since 2009)
Cannot unblock streaming
Only 5 connections
#6

Private Internet Access

Open Source
8.9/10

Most servers, open-source, court-proven no-logs

Fast
35,000+ servers
Unlimited devices
United States
$2.03/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Largest network (35,000+ servers)
Unlimited connections
100% open-source
US jurisdiction (Five Eyes)
Streaming inconsistent
#7

CyberGhost

Streaming
8.8/10

Largest server network with streaming-optimized servers

Good
11,000+ servers
7 devices
Romania
$2.03/mo best price
45-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Largest server network (11,000+)
45-day money-back guarantee
Purpose-built streaming servers
Only 7 connections
Kape Technologies parent
#8

IPVanish

Gaming
8.5/10

Fast VPN with unlimited connections and gaming focus

Fast
2,500+ servers
Unlimited devices
United States
$2.19/mo best price
30-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Unlimited connections
7-day free trial
Fast speeds (top 5)
US jurisdiction (Five Eyes)
2016 logging incident (old ownership)
#9

Windscribe

Flexible Pricing
8.2/10

Flexible VPN with generous free plan and Build-A-Plan pricing

Good
N/A servers
Unlimited devices
Canada
$5.75/mo best price
3-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Build-A-Plan pricing ($1/location)
Generous free plan (10GB/mo)
Unlimited connections
Canada (Five Eyes)
Past security incident
#10

TunnelBear

Beginners
7.8/10

Beginner-friendly VPN with fun branding and annual security audits

Average
N/A servers
Unlimited devices
Canada
$3.33/mo best price
0-day money back
Streaming:NetflixDisney+Hulu
Very beginner-friendly
8 annual security audits (most)
Unlimited connections (paid)
Canada (Five Eyes)
Free plan gutted in 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best VPN in 2026?

NordVPN ranks #1 overall in our testing. It has the fastest speeds (87% retention), 7,000+ servers in 118+ countries, 6 independent no-logs audits, and excellent streaming support. At $2.99/mo on the 2-year plan, it offers great value.

What is the cheapest good VPN?

Surfshark offers the best value at $1.99/mo on its 2-year plan. It includes unlimited device connections, S-tier speeds, and strong privacy features. PIA and CyberGhost are also affordable at ~$2.03/mo.

Are free VPNs safe?

Only a few free VPNs are trustworthy. Proton VPN offers the best free plan with unlimited data and no speed caps. Windscribe provides 10GB/month free. Avoid unknown free VPNs — they often sell your data.

Do VPNs slow down your internet?

All VPNs add some overhead, but modern protocols like WireGuard minimize the impact. NordVPN retains ~87% of your base speed, while Surfshark retains ~74%. The speed loss is barely noticeable for most activities.