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Final review based on VPN test results
Choosing a VPN is becoming increasingly difficult. The market leaders are rapidly evolving, while others are stuck in outdated technologies. At the same time, everyone claims to be the best. In this article, we will tell you about the really powerful VPN services that you can trust.
Image source - Shutterstock
This review presents the top 10 VPN services according to Cooltechzone’s test results. We have compared more than 80 VPNs and selected those that showed the best results in terms of speed, choice of locations, streaming sites support, torrenting and other VPN features that are in high demand in 2022.
We'll talk about the most advanced VPN features that help you maximize your privacy even when it's strictly censored.
If you choose the right VPN, you can set it up on any of your devices within minutes and use it 24/7 without slowing down your Internet speed or reducing your battery life.
You’ll also receive additional discounts when signing up for a VPN using our links.
We have developed our own VPN research methodology, which has been refined over 5 years and involves multiple application tests for each platform. This ensures that only the best VPN services make it onto our list of the best VPNs.
Table of Contents
Further you will learn:
You probably already know that VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts and redirects your traffic through a dedicated server.
In fact, this is true and false at the same time.
VPN technology itself was designed to create private networks, some of which didn't even have a gateway to communicate with the rest of the Internet. Computers within the virtual network "saw" each other as if they were a physically isolated network.
This technology formed the basis for the modern VPN.
A tunnel is launched between the user's device and the VPN, which is additionally encrypted. In fact, a network of two devices is used, one of which is also a gateway to the Internet.
This scheme has 3 major advantages:
Due to the fact that VPN services use the same technology necessary for the normal operation of state and many corporate networks, it is practically impossible to prohibit the Virtual Private Network at the legislative level (relevant for countries with Internet censorship).
Today, there are several reliable VPN tunneling protocols used by most providers. The most common are OpenVPN and IKEv2. The most technologically advanced and actively implemented is WireGuard.
These protocols also allow data to be encrypted inside the tunnel. The most common effective encryption standard is AES-256, which is used in the vast majority of VPN programs and applications.
AES-256 is recognized as the official data protection standard of the US government.
Thus, VPN is a legal, simple and effective technology that has been proven over time.
The previous section outlined the technology. But the weak point of any protected system is in its final performance.
Of course, if you were to set up and configure your own open-source VPN server, then your system would be quite secure.
But can we trust third-party companies?
Can we be sure that they took everything into account, really applied encryption, implemented protection against leaks, and so on?
It's a difficult question. After all, if we’re just using a VPN to register another free account for smartphone games, then it’s not a big deal.
But what if we use VPNs all the time? Is our personal data or information that we want to hide from the Internet Service Provider (ISP) secure?
In this case, we need to choose a VPN that we can trust.
A list of the main tasks you should think about when assessing the quality of a VPN service:
Few VPNs can meet all of these objectives and it’s easy to make a mistake in choosing a service.
What happens if you don't go into details and connect to the first VPN that comes along?
Let's take the example.
Recently, while we were analyzing reviews of VPNs on Reddit, we noticed one comment with negative feedback about one of the major VPN providers. It said that VPN didn’t bypass the geo-restrictions of the Hulu streaming platform.
But the service worked perfectly against the Great Chinese Firewall and helped the residents of China gain access to blocked sites outside the country.
So is it a good VPN or bad?
The main mistake of inexperienced users is choosing a service at random, without learning its capabilities.
In the next section, we will list the main characteristics to take into account when choosing your VPN, and in the chapter Top 10 VPN Test Results you will find experimentally obtained parameters to quickly select your VPN.
The main parameters of the best VPN services in 2022:
Image source - nordvpn.com
The latest testing, conducted in 2022, identified three leaders. It was difficult to single out the absolute leader, but given a large number of positive reviews and the use of expensive equipment by the service, which excludes the possibility of collecting and storing information about user activity, the best VPN overall is NordVPN.
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PROS
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CONS
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The best overall VPN in 2022 is NordVPN. It is the perfect choice for long-term use, as it has perhaps the most user-friendly interface and a full set of features.
NordVPN is very fast, has excellent security, and is capable of running even in countries that block VPNs.
Briefly about NordVPN:
We should also tell you that the main researcher of Cooltechzone and the author of this article has been using mainly NordVPN for more than three years, so it comes with that recommendation too!
Learn more about NordVPN:
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PROS
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CONS
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The next VPN is interesting because it is ideal for protecting multiple devices at the same time. Combining high speed and powerful functionality, Surfshark does not limit the number of devices used.
Moreover, it is significantly cheaper than most competitors!
In many cases, Surfshark is used to bypass VPN blocking in censored countries.
Briefly about Surfshark:
Testing has confirmed the accurate operation of all the declared functions. Only occasionally were there connection failures after an incorrect exit from the application.
Learn more about Surfshark:
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CONS
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The first American VPN on our list is IPVanish. This service has been operating for 9 years and during this time has gathered a whole army of fans. It was up till recently the most popular VPN in the US, but has been replaced by the more progressive giants ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
However, it is a time-tested quality VPN. It is suitable for most tasks other than unblocking geo-restricted video streaming and torrenting
Briefly about IPVanish:
Testing revealed low speeds on some servers (less than 3 Mb/s) and an inability to bypass the protection of streaming sites.
Find out more about IPVanish:
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PROS
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CONS
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PureVPN is one of the most controversial VPNs out there today. Many people think it has a dubious reputation, but after running a number of tests, we believe it to be reliable.
PureVPN does not have any special advanced features, but it can be indispensable in cases when you're on a budget.
Briefly about PureVPN:
Testing revealed incorrect operation of the Kill Switch when used in conjunction with another VPN. This is not a problem under normal conditions, but it indicates that this function is not working perfectly.
There were also some complaints regarding the function of bypassing the protection of streaming sites.
Learn more about PureVPN:
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PROS
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CONS
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ProtonVPN is the best VPN with a free plan, which makes it ideal for beginners. After familiarizing yourself with the basic features of VPN for free, you can upgrade to one of three paid options - Basic, Plus and Visionary.
Cooltechzone recommends choosing the Plus option for permanent use. It has a full set of VPN functionalities, differing from the top plan only in the absence of an email account.
ProtonVPN is characterized by having extra protected servers in a special data center in Switzerland buried a 1000 meters deep!
Briefly about ProtonVPN:
Testing has confirmed the smooth operation of all functions, as well as good data protection when reconnecting mobile devices in public Wi-Fi networks. There were problems with speed on some servers, but changing the location to more unloaded ones (according to the indicator in the control panel) corrected the situation.
Learn more about ProtonVPN:
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CONS
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VyprVPN is an example of a relatively weak VPN service that is becoming one of the best. After revising its privacy policy, adding a performance protocol, and focusing on streaming support, VyprVPN has been ranked 6th on our list.
The only drawback we identified is the relatively low speed. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the service has only 700 servers in 64 countries, and this negatively affects their load.
Briefly about VyprVPN:
Testing has proven to be highly effective in censored countries when using the Chameleon protocol.
Learn more about VyprVPN:
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PROS
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CONS
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ExpressVPN was always one of the best, but in the last two years they have done even more to compete for the top spot:
With a combination of blazing speed, 94 countries, and support for almost any streaming video service, including Netflix, ExpressVPN is a great option indeed.
ExpressVPN in a nutshell:
Testing on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS was successful. The results of 20 tests showed that the average speed was 203 Mb/s. Also, during the week there was not a single case of spontaneous disconnection or connection error. No data leaks were detected even when artificial connection interruptions were simulated.
Learn more about ExpressVPN:
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CONS
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Not only CyberGhost VPN is it the largest VPN by server count, it is also operated by Kape Technologies, which also owns two other major VPN services – ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access (PIA).
CyberGhost is a controversial service. On the one hand, it has a record 7200 servers in 91 countries and specializes in streaming content from popular regions. And on the other hand, it does belong to a company with a dubious reputation and has a pretty poor add-on for browsers.
CyberGhost in a nutshell:
Testing revealed both fast and slow servers. It also appears that streaming servers are not available for all countries. Three servers were able to access Netflix however Hulu and BBC iPlayer are not supported.
Learn more about CyberGhost:
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CONS
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Private Internet Access (PIA) is suitable primarily in cases where you need to fine-tune the connection. The provider allows you to select not only the protocol and connection port, but also assign DHCP, Handshake in the DNS settings, and use SOCKS5.
PIA is suitable for continuous use for any task, be it streaming, gaming, or torrenting.
Briefly about Private Internet Access:
Testing shows good speed and the correct operation of all options.
Learn more about PIA:
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Hide.me is one of the best VPN services with a free plan. But this is just one of its advantages. Overall, it is a technologically-advanced VPN with support for the rare SoftEther VPN protocol, developed as an improved alternative to OpenVPN and IKEv2.
Hide.me is suitable for any purpose, including streaming, torrenting, bypassing censorship and unblocking sites.
Briefly about hide.me:
Testing revealed minor flaws in the free version and low speeds on some paid servers. Another small disadvantage is that the appearance and layout of the applications have not changed for several years and are in some cases outdated.
Find out more about hide.me:
Modern VPNs are quite affordable, but there are still many budget and premium services. At the same time, as our experience has shown, their technical capabilities may differ.
We offer you a price comparison of all VPNs on our list in the same order as they were described in the previous chapter.
Comparison of VPN services prices (including all discounts, per month)
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Service
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1 month
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6 months
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1 year
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2 years
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| NordVPN | $11.95 | $9.00 | $4.99 | $3.29 |
| Surfshark | $12.95 | $6.49 | $3.99 | $2.49 |
| IPVanish | $10.99 |
$10.99
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$3.75 | $3.75 |
| PureVPN |
$10.95
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$10.95 | $3.24 | $1.99 |
| ProtonVPN * | $5-30 | $5-30 | $4-24 | $3.29-19.96 |
| VyprVPN | $15.00 | $15.00 | $8.33 | $8.33 |
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$12.95
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$9.99
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$8.32
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$8.32
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$12.99
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$12.99
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$3.95
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$3.15
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$9.95
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$9.95
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$3.33
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$2.69
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Hide.me *
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$12.95
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$12.95
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$8.32
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$4.99
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* There is also a free plan. Read more in the review free VPN.
Cooltechzone has made agreements with some VPN services, which allows our users the opportunity to get discounts and participate in hot offers.
Current discounts and promotions
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Service Name
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Additional discount
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Conditions
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| NordVPN | 18% | When subscribing for 2 years |
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3%
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When subscribing for 2 years
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In recent years, VPNs have evolved into feature-rich tools that literally break boundaries and limits. They are now not simply used for work, but for play as well.
With a VPN, you can virtually change your location and access video and audio content from Netflix and other geo-restricted video services and TV channels.
Video services try to block the IP addresses of VPN servers, so not all services are capable of fully working with popular streaming sites. This is especially true for BBC iPlayer, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. Choose only VPNs that have been tested with these video services. Read more in the review VPN for streaming.
VPN is designed in such a way that data protection occurs only inside the virtual tunnel. At the same time, for the user there is no difference in how the traffic flows - in the usual way or through the tunnel.
This is where VPN's weakness lies. You simply won't notice if the VPN goes down for some reason.
Even if it automatically reconnects, some of the data may have been sent without protection.
Leaks can occur due to:
But, fortunately, there is an effective way to protect against such leaks - Kill Switch technology. It blocks all traffic outside the VPN channel. There is also a Kill Switch variant that closes only specified applications. Read more in the review VPN with Kill Switch.
Is using VPN legal everywhere?
Countries with strong censorship may have laws or technical means that prevent anonymizers like VPNs from working.
We have compiled a list of countries and the specifics of their VPN countermeasures. If you are on one of them, it may not be possible or secure to use a regular VPN.
Use the following services to bypass blocking and mask your VPN connection:
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VPN restricted countries
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Peculiarities
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Service for circumventing restrictions
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China
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VPN services not controlled by the government are legally prohibited. Together with this, the so-called ‘Great Chinese Firewall’ operates in the country. It not only blocks IP addresses, but is also capable of detecting and blocking VPN activity.
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NordVPN (with obfuscation enabled)
Surfshark (with CamouflageMode enabled)
VyprVPN (with Chameleon enabled)
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UAE
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The degree of blocking is highly ISP-dependent.
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NordVPN
Surfshark IPVanish
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Russia, Belarus
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There are laws that prohibit the use of a VPN to bypass site blocking. There are no known cases of their use.
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NordVPN
Surfshark IPVanish
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Iran, Iraq, Turkmenistan
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Blocked IP addresses + DPI (Deep Packet Inspection)
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NordVPN (with obfuscation enabled)
Surfshark (with NoBorders included)
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Turkey, Egypt
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Blocking IP addresses
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NordVPN
Surfshark VyprVPN
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DISCLAIMER:
Cooltechzone does not call for breaking the law. In cases where the VPN sites mentioned above are legally prohibited in your country of residence, stop using them. Otherwise, we are not responsible for the consequences.
According to our test results, the best VPN in 2022 overall is NordVPN.
Only VPNs that have been tested by experts are worthy of your trust. A Virtual Private Network works by transmitting your data through the VPN service’s servers. Only a few services have been able to prove that they do not record user activity. Cooltechzone recommends NordVPN or Surfshark.
Absolutely, yes. You can take advantage of a money-back period, a VPN with a trial period, or a limited free plan. Each VPN has its own terms of service, and you will be able to find a way to run it for free.
It depends on the purpose of use. It is difficult to set up and expensive to maintain your own VPN. Its advantage is that you can connect several devices located anywhere in the world into one secure network. A VPN service is easy to use and provides many additional features, but you can't "see" other devices connected to the same server.
Devices without Virtual Private Network support (most IoT devices; TV platforms except Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV) cannot be connected to a VPN directly.
But they can be connected via a router VPN. Any device that does not support VPN, but does have the ability to connect to the Internet, can be connected via a router VPN.
Other helpful VPN articles:
