The best VPN services for 2021: Top 3 VPN providers reviewed for privacy, speed, and safety

We may earn a commission for purchases through links on our site. Learn more

VPN fully refers to a Virtual private network. It’s a piece of software that anonymizes your online presence and encrypts your internet usage. It hides your web activity from anyone or government who might be watching, including cybercriminals and hackers. It also allows you to virtually change to any location of your choice, depending on your needs.

For many, the best VPN service, among other things, should be secure, fast, able to unblock restricted sites and apps, and above all, protect their online presence.

However, finding the best VPN may feel impossible with countless options to choose from. Numerous VPN providers claim to be the best, but there’s one winner ahead of the pack — ExpressVPN. It’s easily the best VPN out there at the moment.

The best VPN 2021

We’ve done all the research and narrow down to the best 3 VPN that’s trustworthy, safe, and reliable enough to be on this list — also making it easy for you to choose the best.

1. ExpressVPN

The best VPN of 2021

ExpressVPN is hands down the best VPN right now, thanks to its smart TV support, impressive 24/7 customer service, fantastic connection speeds, and massive network of over 3000 servers spanning 160 locations in 94 countries.

It’s extremely easy to use on any platform and apps, including Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux — plus dedicated extensions for Firefox and Chrome. It’s also effortless to use on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Xbox, PlayStation, smart TVs, and routers.

Their dedication to privacy is impeccable, and their army of outstanding servers outclasses many of the competition.

For many looking for the best streaming VPN, Express VPN is head and shoulders above the rest. They can get you around geo-restrictions of Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ at fast connections in HD or 4K without any difficulty.

ExpressVPN has a lot of additional features that may be too much to list out here, but some of which includes P2P supports, DNS leak protection, kill switch, a verified no-logging policy, and much more

Their fantastic service comes at a hefty price, though. Still, you get value for your money, an excellent privacy and streaming experience without difficulty, and a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to test and see if it’s the right VPN for you. If it’s not, you’ll easily get your money back – at no cost.

TechZerg readers can get three free months when they sign up for a 12-month plan – you get 15 months in total for the price of 12. Remember, you can also try ExpressVPN before you commit fully to paying; you’ll be covered with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Specifications:

Unblocks: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer. Disney+ | Money back guarantee: 30 days | Maximum number of supported devices: Five | Supported protocols: OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, SSTP, IKEv2 | Supported platforms & devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, routers, Xbox, PlayStation, Firefox & Chrome | No. of servers: 3,000+ | No. of countries: 94 | Payment options: Credit card, PayPal, mint, Klarna, Bitcoin, Sofort, AliPay, UnionPay, GiroPay, Yandex Money, WebMoney, Interac | Data usage: Unlimited | Bandwidth usage: Unlimited | Encryption protocol: AES-256 | Private encrypted DNS: Yes | Smart Kill switch: Yes | Customer support: Excellent | Privacy policy: No logging

2. NordVPN

The best VPN with the largest number of servers

NordVPN is a top-rated VPN platform with a priority for speed and security. It’s arguably the biggest name in the VPN space and gives ExpressVPN a run for its money. They currently have products and features that match or better most of the competition.

It has a massive network of 5,400 servers across 59 countries, with superb connection speed and strong DNS leak protection.

You’ll also get the military-grade 2048-bit encryption along with all the excellent features that set NordVPN apart.

NordVPN could be the right choice if you’re looking for a streaming VPN that focuses on speed and functionality without sacrificing security. You can easily unblock banned sites/apps and access streaming geo-restrictions of services like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and BBC iPlayer from any country. Their no-logs policy regarding user’s online activities that’s been officially verified by the renowned PricewaterhouseCooper auditors.

You get the best value for money on the 2-year plan starting at $3.71 per month – a massive 68% discount. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Specifications:

Unblocks: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ | Money back guarantee: 30 days | Simultaneous number of supported devices: Six | Supported protocols: OpenVPN, IPSec/IKEv2, NordLynx (Wireguard), SSTP | Supported platforms & devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, PlayStation, routers, Firefox & Chrome | No. of servers: 5,400+ | No. of countries: 59 | Payment options: Credit card, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay, direct debit, Alipay, Unionpay, cash in-store, Bitcoin & other cryptocurrencies | Data usage: Unlimited | Bandwidth usage: Unlimited | Encryption protocol: AES-256 | Unique dedicated IP address: Yes | Works with Onion Router (Tor): Yes | Smart Kill switch: Yes | Customer support: 24/7 chat and email, and phone support | Privacy policy: No logging

3. Surfshark VPN

The best cheap VPN

If you are on a tight budget and hunting for a premium VPN service with the best value for money without compromising privacy and security, then Surfshark should be right up on your list. No other VPN provider offers the same top-notch features at a lower price.

They’ve grown fast in the last few years by offering a genuinely powerful VPN at a killer price of half what some competitors are charging.

For streamers, Surfshark can unblock geo-restrictions in the US, Japan, Australia, Italy, Germany, and ten other countries – fortunately, it delivered. In our testing, we accessed US Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, from different test locations without any hassles at all.

Additionally, Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections with a single subscription, meaning there are no limits to the number of devices that can use Surfshark VPN at the same time – this is absolute value for money. It supports laptops, desktops (Windows, Mac, and Linux), tablets, mobile phones (iOS and Android ), and Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Also, Surfshark has a 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee on all its plans. That means you can test out its premium features for 30 days and request a full refund during the trial period.

You can get three free months if you subscribe to the bargain value two-year plan, which works out to just $2.21 per month.

Specifications:

Unblocks: Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, BBC iPlayer | Money back guarantee: 30 days | Maximum number of supported devices: Unlimited| Supported protocols: OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP, IKEv2, Wireguard, Shadowsocks | Supported platforms & devices: iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, PlayStation, routers, Firefox & Chrome browser extensions | No. of servers: 1,700+ | No. of countries: 63 | Payment options: Credit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple | Data usage: Unlimited | Bandwidth usage: Unlimited | Encryption protocol: AES-256 | Private encrypted DNS: Yes | Smart Kill switch: Yes | Customer support: 24/7 chat and email | Privacy policy: No logging

We put our readers first and carefully choose what products and services we cover. TechZerg is supported by its audience – when you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

If you found this article helpful, you may also want to check out our buying guides as well as more helpful articles below.

Sign up for our Newsletter to get the best tech deals, product advice, helpful tips, and more! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Reddit.