Purchasing a VPN service to protect your internet experience is no easy feat when you’re a first-time buyer. There are literally hundreds of providers out there and each one has similar features, but in different combinations and with different priorities. Matching those features to your personal needs is very important to make sure that your VPN does exactly what you need it to do, when you need it to. We asked our experts to help us give you a head start in making the right choice, and they asked us to pass on the following advice.
Consider Your Security Needs
Where you currently reside and what you intend to use your VPN for are your first and foremost considerations when making your choice. You will need to make sure that the VPN provider you select is able to provide the right level of security for you – and this will be very different for someone protecting their tablet while riding the train to someone bypassing legal censorship in an internet restricted country. Bear in mind that heavier security will always come at a heavier price, but it will also make your data safer and will get you through stronger firewalls.
Consider Your Operating Systems
Not all devices are easy to use with a VPN network, so you will want to list the devices you intend to add to it before making your choice. If you then cannot find one to suit them all, you will need to select the ones with the highest priority. Protecting your laptop as you use public networks might be more important to you than watching Netflix on your home pc, for example. You can also get one that works through your router and will apply to a wide range of devices – the choice will depend on your needs.
Consider Your Usage
Finally, have a think about what you want to do while using your VPN. For example, if you want to break through firewalls while travelling or watch region-restricted television at home, you will need one with servers in particular countries. If you want to be able to use your usual websites, such as online banking, while abroad, you will need one with servers in your own country. This means that your particular style of usage will heavily affect your needs.
These are the basic questions you will want to ask yourself during the journey to finding the right VPN provider. To help you with the first steps in selecting the perfect VPN, we asked our expert to identify their top five choices of provider. We’ve listed their findings below in the comparison table:
| Rank | Provider | Starting Price | Money Back |
Visit Provider |
| 1 | ExpressVPN | $6.67 /Month | 30 Days |  |
| 2 | Hidemyass | $6.55/ Month | 30 Days | |
| 3 | iPVanish | $10.00/Month | 7 Days | |
| 4 | StrongVPN | $21/ 3 Months | 7 Days | |
| 5 | VyprVPN | $14.95/Month | 7 Days | |
