Best VPN for Windows 2024
VPNs let you stream geo-protected content, circumvent throttling or censorship restrictions and privately torrent. Here are the best VPNs for Windows on the market.
What to look for in a VPN for Windows
Internet speed loss
Privacy
Server network
Device support
Streaming capabilities
Cost
- Slick, user-friendly app for Windows (and other platforms)
- Excellent for streaming
- Strong commitment to privacy and transparency
- Forward-thinking security enhancements
- DNS leaks detected (but immediately addressed)
- Expensive
- Only eight simultaneous connections
- Works well on Windows (and other operating systems too)
- Excellent for streaming
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Lots of unique security features
- Inconsistent speed performance
- 14 Eyes jurisdiction (Netherlands)
- Intuitive app for Windows (and other platforms)
- Blazing-fast internet speeds
- Strong privacy and transparency
- Great for streaming service unblocking
- Inconsistent pricing structure
- Highly transparent
- Open-source
- Unlimited monthly usage on the free plan
- Excellent paid plan
- Exceptional geo-unblocking streaming capabilities
- Supports the proprietary Stealth VPN protocol on Windows
- No 24/7 live chat support
What is the best VPN for Windows right now?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Windows overall with its fast speeds, effective unblocking of streaming services and unmatched transparency. It has user-friendly apps on Windows and all other platforms, an extensive server network plus cutting-edge security features. ExpressVPN is even one of the few VPNs that runs on Copilot Plus PCs with ARM processors, making it a great choice for all kinds of Windows machines.
Surfshark is the best value VPN for Windows, offering unlimited simultaneous connections -- which let you use your VPN on Windows laptops or desktops and a slew of other devices -- alongside a solid suite of privacy features without breaking the bank. It's also among the fastest VPNs we benchmarked. Whether you want to stream movies and shows on apps like Netflix in 4K or bolster your privacy, Surfshark has you covered.
NordVPN is the fastest Windows VPN because of its best-in-class 11% average speed loss, meaning you can stream buttery smooth movies in 4K or download PC games with little to no lag. Its Windows for ARM support means you can install the NordVPN app on devices like the Surface Pro. With Nord, you'll also enjoy advanced privacy features and outstanding geographically restricted content unblocking.
Proton VPN is the best free VPN and the only no-cost virtual private network we recommend. With its Stealth protocol that masks your VPN usage for circumventing censorship or VPN restrictions -- which is now on Windows -- Proton is a great virtual private network option for folks with strict privacy needs. Plus, Proton supports x86 and ARM Windows devices, so you can install it on virtually any computer you want to. The free tier is solid, while the paid plan boasts a massive international server network and outstanding streaming support for unblocking region-restricted content, like foreign Netflix libraries.
Why you should use a VPN on Windows
A virtual private network offers enhanced privacy, lets you unblock geo-restricted content like foreign Netflix libraries and allows you to circumvent throttling restrictions or censorship. Because of the massive popularity of Microsoft's Windows operating system, most VPN providers offer Windows VPN apps for your desktop or laptop. With a VPN on your Windows rig, you can unblock region-restricted streaming content like out-of-market NFL games or foreign Netflix libraries, torrent privately and bypass throttling or censorship restrictions.
Our CNET experts extensively tested a slew of virtual private networks on Windows 11 and Windows 10 to determine the best VPNs for Windows. We looked at several factors, including streaming service unblocking, internet speeds, connection reliability, privacy, ease of use and value for the money. During our hands-on analysis, we used each VPN's Windows app to make sure it delivered useful features in an intuitive package. Because most folks have multiple devices, we tested on non-Windows machines as well. If you're working with a slightly older device, be sure to read our guide on how to set up a VPN on Windows 10. Whether you're setting it up for the first time or reinstalling it, here's how to download Windows 11.
Factors to consider in a VPN for Windows
There's much to think about when selecting a virtual private network, including device support, privacy features, internet speeds and price. Here are the main factors to mull over when picking the best VPN for Windows.
Device compatibility
Most VPNs offer an app for Windows. Chances are you've got other devices, including phones, tablets and streaming devices that you want to install a VPN on. You'll find Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS apps from nearly every VPN provider, but certain platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and a Linux graphical user interface app are rarer. If you've got an ARM-based Windows device, like the Microsoft Surface Pro, you may want to consider a VPN provider with Windows ARM support. Providers like NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and PIA offer ARM apps. Think about the non-Windows gadgets you want to use a VPN with and make sure your desired provider has an app.
Privacy
Privacy is one of the main reasons to use a VPN. At a minimum, we recommend AES 256-bit encryption (for the OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 (WireGuard), a kill switch and a strict no-log policy. No-logging claims are tough to verify with absolute certainty -- you can and should be skeptical -- but it adds peace of mind. Third-party audits improve transparency while backing up no-log assertions. You may find split tunneling -- which lets you use a VPN for some applications but not others -- useful. For instance, you can stream The Jetty on BBC iPlayer from outside of the UK with a VPN while downloading Red Dead Redemption II on Steam without hurting your download speeds.
Internet speed loss
All VPNs somewhat slow down your internet download and upload speeds because your data doesn't merely travel through your internet service provider's servers, but instead tunnels through your VPN provider's server for encryption. Some companies feature faster speeds than others. The fastest VPNs deliver minimal speed loss of 25% or less, which is ideal for bandwidth-intensive activities like 4K video streaming, uploading videos to YouTube and competitive online gaming.
Server network
A robust server network lets you find an ideal connection. You'll want a high number of servers and a large list of individual countries. A VPN company with fewer overall servers but more standalone countries might work better for travel because you've got a broader selection of nations to pick from. The best VPNs for Windows, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN, offer 100 or more servers.
Content unblocking
Aside from privacy, many folks use VPNs to circumvent regional restrictions. Whether that's unblocking streaming content, like accessing UK Netflix libraries in the US or avoiding annoying but necessary CAPTCHAs while traveling abroad, a VPN has you covered. For streaming, you'll want to ensure your VPN works with your desired services, like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. That way, you can watch your Netflix movies or shows from abroad with a VPN so you can get your Host Frosty or Bridgerton fix from anywhere in the world. Some services, like Netflix and Disney Plus, let you access foreign content libraries, and country-specific streaming services may be unblocked from abroad. For instance, you can stream out-of-market NFL games using a VPN to make it look like you're in a different location. You may even be able to save money streaming with a VPN.
Customer support
Especially if you're new to VPNs, a robust section of help guides and frequently asked questions lets you get help more easily. We appreciate companies with detailed installation instructions and troubleshooting tips. For more advanced assistance, 24/7 live chat online or over the phone is great whether you're having connectivity problems or have billing questions.
Price
A VPN sets you back anywhere from $10 monthly to $100 annually. Generally, you'll save by purchasing a year-long subscription, with greater discounts on two- or three-year purchases. Despite the lower cost, we recommend avoiding a multi-year plan because of how fast things change in the VPN realm. Your provider might offer fast speeds and excellent privacy features at the onset, but it could suffer a data breach or get acquired by a shady company. For the best value with the least risk, stick with annual plans. At the high end, companies charge $90 to $100 per year, while a good value VPN runs you around $40 to $60 annually. Commonly, companies provide sweet introductory prices for your first year of service, then hike the price. If you renew during a sale -- like around Black Friday or Cyber Monday -- you might still get a great deal.
How we test VPNs for Windows
Here at CNET, we've spent years comprehensively reviewing various VPN providers. To pick the best VPNs for Windows, we ran over 250 internet speed tests per VPN provider, checked for DNS leaks and compared server networks. Additionally, we analyzed pricing to determine overall value, streamed geo-protected content and pored over privacy features. Specifically for Windows, we tested apps on Microsoft's operating system to see what features each offers. We also assessed VPN apps on other platforms, including MacOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV OS, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS and Apple TV so as to address your multidevice VPN needs.
Other VPNs we tested
PIA
Private Internet Access is a wallet-friendly VPN provider. It sets you back just $12 per month, $40 per year or $79 every three years. We like PIA's open-source apps and great transparency with its third-party no-logging audits. PIA packs AES 256-bit encryption on OpenVPN or ChaCha20 with WireGuard, a kill switch, obfuscation and multihop connections. Its 35,000 servers peppering 91 countries make Private Internet Access great for international travel. On the entertainment side, we effortlessly streamed from Disney Plus and Netflix using US and UK servers. Amazon Prime Video gave us some issues on PCs, but it worked on streaming devices including the Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV.
We clocked a disappointingly high 49% average internet speed download loss in our testing. For reference, 20% internet speed loss or less is largely unnoticeable. If you've got reasonably quick connectivity (at least 100Mbps), you might be blissfully unaware of PIA's uneven server performance. Folks with slower speeds, like satellite internet users, should consider one of the fastest VPNs, like NordVPN. PIA is a superb budget pick as one of the best cheap VPNs for Windows, but we recommend Surfshark instead because it's faster and more feature-rich.