Are you seeking more security while working online? Do you need to access websites that are unavailable in your region? Are you dealing with sensitive information and require enhanced privacy? If so, this article is for you.
As a PC user, you may face several challenges when browsing the internet. Whether you’re using it for personal or professional purposes, some activities require added privacy and security. Sensitive information or tasks may need extra protection, and using public Wi-Fi can put your data at risk. To ensure your safety in such situations, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) can be a crucial tool.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the concept of a VPN and how it can help you stay secure while browsing, working, or streaming. Even if you’re not familiar with VPNs, don’t worry—by the end, you’ll understand their importance and how they work.
What is a VPN?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software designed to protect your privacy and security online. It works by masking your device’s identity and directing your internet traffic through a secure server operated by the VPN provider. This helps ensure that your internet service provider (ISP) cannot track your activity or redirect your traffic.
VPNs are also used to bypass geographic restrictions and firewalls, hiding your device’s IP address while securing your connection to other networks on the internet. Originally, VPNs were created for businesses to securely connect remote workers to company networks. Today, they’re widely used by individuals seeking enhanced privacy and access to restricted content.
Common Uses of VPNs:
- Bypassing Geo-Restrictions: VPNs allow you to access websites or streaming services that are blocked or restricted in your region.
- Streaming Content: You can use a VPN to watch content available in other countries, such as on Netflix, by bypassing geographical blocks.
- Secure Public Wi-Fi Usage: VPNs protect you from the risks of using unsecured public Wi-Fi, ensuring your personal data remains private.
- Maintaining Online Privacy: By hiding your IP address, a VPN prevents websites and services from tracking your location and online activity.
- Safe Torrenting: VPNs provide protection when downloading torrents by ensuring your identity and activity remain hidden.
Many people, whether using free or paid VPNs, rely on them for various reasons such as accessing content from different countries and ensuring a private and secure online experience. VPNs have become essential tools for safeguarding your internet activity, especially when using public Wi-Fi or accessing sensitive information.
In the next sections, we’ll dive into some of the best VPN options for your PC to help you choose the one that suits your needs.
15 Best VPNs For PC in 2025:
Here is the List of Best VPNs for PCs of 2025:
- IPVanish VPN
- Surfshark
- NordVPN
- Atlas VPN
- Ivacy VPN
- PureVPN
- Fastest
- ExpressVPN
- PrivadoVPN
- Avast SecureLine VPN
- Private Internet Access
- Windscribe VPN
- PrivateVPN
- Proton VPN
- Hotspot Shield
- AdGuard VPN
- Urban VPN
- TunnelBear
- Psiphon
1. IPVanish – Best for Speed and Simultaneous Connections
IPVanish is a standout choice for PC users, offering robust features that make it popular among users. Known for its lightning-fast download speeds, IPVanish also provides a split tunneling feature, which allows users to route some of their traffic through the VPN while other apps can bypass it. This is great for those who need flexibility.
Compatible with Windows 7, 8, and 10, IPVanish boasts 1,900 servers across 70 countries. It supports 10 simultaneous connections, allowing an entire household to use the VPN on various devices. Additionally, it offers 24/7 customer support through live chat, email, and phone.
Price:
- $9.99 per month
- $5.20 per month for 1 year
2. Surfshark – Best for Unlimited Devices
Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPNs offering excellent features, making it ideal for those on a budget. It provides unlimited device connections, meaning you can protect all of your devices at once. The VPN is fast, secure, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
With more than 3,200 servers in 65 countries, Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption to secure your data. It supports WireGuard and offers additional security features like ad-blocking, private browsing, and a kill switch. It’s also great for streaming, including accessing content on Netflix.
Price:
- $2.49 per month for 2 years
3. NordVPN – Best for Overall Security
NordVPN is known for its high-speed connection and is considered one of the most secure VPNs on the market. With a network of over 5,500 servers in 59 countries, it allows secure browsing, torrenting, and streaming.
It offers several advanced features like split tunneling, a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and ad-blocking. NordVPN does not track your data, making it an excellent choice for those seeking privacy. Its 30-day free trial makes it a risk-free option for first-time users.
Price:
- $11.95 per month
- $6.67 per month for 1 year
4. Atlas VPN – Best Free VPN Option
Atlas VPN is a great free option with 5GB of data per month, making it a solid choice for light users. It provides access to 3 locations and offers essential features like AES-256 encryption and a kill switch. The app also includes a tracker blocker for additional security.
Though limited to one connection on the free plan, Atlas VPN is a good choice for those seeking a no-cost entry into VPN services. It also provides solid security with WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols.
Price:
- Free plan available
- $1.99 per month for premium
5. Ivacy VPN – Best for Large Server Network
Ivacy VPN provides strong security and a massive server network, with 1,400+ servers in 75 locations worldwide. It supports AES-256 encryption and includes advanced features like split tunneling, a multi-port system, and protocol security.
Ivacy VPN is great for both browsing and torrenting and allows 10 simultaneous connections. Although it doesn’t offer a free version, Ivacy does offer a 7-day free trial, allowing you to try the service before committing.
Price:
- $9.95 per month
- $3.33 per month for 2 years
6. PureVPN – Best for Versatility and Advanced Features
PureVPN is a reliable VPN based in the British Virgin Islands, with over 6,500 servers across 140+ locations. It offers robust features like 256-bit AES encryption, DDoS protection, and split tunneling. The VPN also supports advanced protocols, such as WireGuard and OpenVPN.
PureVPN is especially useful for those seeking a versatile solution, offering secure access to streaming sites like Netflix and 24/7 customer support via live chat. It also has a 31-day money-back guarantee.
Price:
- $10.95 per month
- $4.08 per month for 2 years
7. FastestVPN – Best for Unblocking Content
FastestVPN offers 250 servers in 30 locations and is a great choice for accessing geo-restricted content like Netflix. It uses AES-256 encryption to protect your data and provides a user-friendly interface for easy setup and use.
FastestVPN has solid performance for streaming, but it can be somewhat inconsistent in terms of speed. However, it remains a good choice for unblocking content at an affordable price, especially with its Black Friday discount.
Price:
- $2.49 per month for 3 years
8. ExpressVPN – Top Choice for PC
ExpressVPN is known for its excellent performance across all devices, but its Windows app is particularly strong. With over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, it offers fast speeds, secure encryption, and 24/7 customer support.
ExpressVPN allows 5 simultaneous connections, making it perfect for multi-device households. Although it is a bit pricier than other options, it is highly regarded for its reliability, ease of use, and solid security features.
Price:
- $12.95 per month
- $9.99 per month for 6 months
- $6.67 per month for 1 year
9. PrivadoVPN – Best Budget VPN
PrivadoVPN offers fast speeds and advanced security features at an affordable price. Based in Switzerland, it benefits from some of the world’s strongest consumer protection laws. It provides a 10GB free plan each month, with unlimited data on premium plans and up to 10 simultaneous connections.
PrivadoVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption and has recently introduced ad-blocking and malware protection features, which add another layer of security while browsing.
Price:
- Free plan available
- $3.99 per month for 1 year
10. Avast SecureLine VPN – Best for Easy Setup
Avast SecureLine offers 500+ servers in 34 countries and features a simple, easy-to-use app for Windows. It provides 10 simultaneous connections, AES-256 encryption, and reliable speeds. While it doesn’t offer as many advanced features as some competitors, it remains a solid choice for basic VPN needs, especially with its affordable pricing.
Price:
- $3.99 per month for 1 year
- $3.50 per month for 3 years
11. Private Internet Access (PIA)
Private Internet Access has improved significantly over the years and is now regularly featured in top VPN lists. It supports WireGuard, delivering decent speeds along with a strong set of security features. The service offers 24/7 customer support, including live chat.
While the speeds may not rival the fastest competitors, PIA remains reliable and doesn’t cause issues with app performance. It allows 5 simultaneous connections across multiple devices and has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t collect user data. The interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate, ensuring you can use it without hassle. PIA also works well for secure browsing on public Wi-Fi networks.
Pricing:
- $11.99 per month
- $7.50 per month for 6 months
- $2.19 per month for 2 years
12. Windscribe VPN
Windscribe is an underrated VPN that provides multi-hop encryption, which means your data is encrypted twice while you browse. It’s highly effective on Windows and offers a free plan in many regions, though Netflix is only accessible from U.S. and U.K. servers.
Windscribe also supports WireGuard, which ensures solid speeds, and offers the option of a static IP address (for an additional fee), guaranteeing you a consistent IP each time you connect.
Pricing:
- $9.00 per month
- $4.00 per month for 1 year
13. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is an affordable and efficient VPN with all the essential features for browsing securely. It is highly recommended for Netflix streaming on Windows, as it can unblock over 14 Netflix libraries. While it may not be the fastest VPN available, it still delivers solid performance for streaming and torrenting.
It also boasts a no-logs policy, so user privacy is well-protected, and it has a strong record of preventing IP address leaks. Customer support is responsive, ensuring peace of mind for users.
Pricing:
- $11.00 per month
- $6.00 per month for 3 months
- $2.00 per month for 3 years
14. Proton VPN
Proton VPN offers more than 1,700 servers across 63 countries and is known for its above-average speeds and strong security features. It can unblock major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.
A standout feature is the Profiles function, which allows users to select a specific server based on their device. ProtonVPN also provides a kill switch for added security. While it’s a bit pricier than some alternatives, it’s a solid choice for users with a good budget.
Pricing:
- $9.99 per month
- $5.99 per month for 1 year
- $4.99 per month for 2 years
15. Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield offers an impressive network with over 1,800 servers in 110+ countries. It supports 5 connections and provides a 45-day money-back guarantee. The VPN offers good speeds and a user-friendly interface. Hotspot Shield also provides a free version, which is a nice touch for casual users.
While it may not match the speeds of some WireGuard-enabled VPNs, it’s still a reliable and trusted service with a strong reputation. The VPN also includes a kill switch for added security on Windows 10.
Pricing:
- Free version available
- $12.99 per month
- $7.99 per month for 1 year
16. AdGuard VPN
Developed by the same team behind AdGuard’s ad-blocking software, AdGuard VPN features split tunneling and an automatic kill switch. With servers in 52+ countries, it’s easy to install and use.
While it supports Netflix on Windows and allows torrenting, some drawbacks include the lack of live chat support, no free trial, and the inability to pay with cryptocurrency. Despite these minor issues, it’s a solid option for those new to VPNs.
Pricing:
- $11.99 per month
- $3.99 per month for 1 year
- $2.99 per month for 2 years
17. Urban VPN
Urban VPN is a free service that doesn’t require any paid plans, making it an attractive option for those on a budget. Launched in 2018, it promises unlimited bandwidth and anonymous browsing.
Although its speed is generally good, there are concerns about the company’s data handling practices, with some users suggesting it may sell user information. The platform also provides simultaneous connections and claims to be undetectable by streaming services like Netflix.
Pricing:
- Free
18. TunnelBear
TunnelBear is an easy-to-use VPN with a simple interface, ideal for users who don’t need advanced features. It offers 3000+ servers in 4 countries and a free plan, although the data cap is quite restrictive.
While TunnelBear is reliable for basic security, it has some limitations when it comes to streaming services like Netflix and torrenting. It’s also not as fast as some of its competitors, but it remains an approachable option for beginners.
Pricing:
- $3.33 per month for 3 years (billed $120 once)
- $5.75 per month per user
19. Psiphon
Psiphon is a free tool primarily designed for bypassing censorship, making it ideal for users in restricted countries. It’s open-source and doesn’t require an email for use, offering transparency and simplicity.
While it excels at unblocking content, Psiphon struggles with speed, doesn’t support Netflix, and lacks a kill switch or DNS leak protection, limiting its usefulness for other tasks like torrenting.
Pricing:
- $2.99 per week
This rewrite summarizes the VPNs discussed, giving clear details about each service’s pricing, features, and benefits for users.
Conclusion:
Choosing the right VPN for your PC can be a challenging yet important decision. However, with a bit of research—like the one we’ve provided in this article—you can make a more informed and confident choice. We’ve done our best to guide you through the options, and we hope this helps you find the perfect VPN for your needs. Stay safe online, and best of luck in your decision-making!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a VPN?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a tool that creates a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet. It hides your online activity and your real IP address, ensuring privacy and protecting your data, especially when you’re using public networks.
Why should I use a VPN on my PC?
Using a VPN on your PC helps to enhance your privacy and security. It encrypts your internet connection, protecting your sensitive information from hackers, especially when connected to public Wi-Fi. It also allows you to access geo-restricted websites and avoid online surveillance.
How does a VPN protect my data?
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it unreadable to third parties such as hackers, government agencies, or even your Internet Service Provider (ISP). This encryption ensures that your personal information, browsing history, and communications stay secure.
Can a VPN help me access websites unavailable in my region?
Yes, a VPN allows you to change your virtual location by connecting to servers in different countries. This lets you access websites or streaming services that are restricted in your region, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or other geo-blocked content.
Is it safe to use a VPN on public Wi-Fi?
Yes, using a VPN on public Wi-Fi is highly recommended. Public networks are often unsecured, making it easier for cybercriminals to intercept your data. A VPN encrypts your connection, preventing hackers from accessing your sensitive information while you’re on public Wi-Fi.