Listen to this articleConnect with a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to reroute your internet business through a private, encrypted tunnel. The VPN will mask your IP address, or it can make it appear as if you are logging on at a different location. Originally intended for big businesses, VPNs now focus on individual users who want online anonymity. They are becoming increasingly popular.
The following is a list of 10 premium VPNs that provide prescription-based secure browsing with privacy and encryption and offer free trial/money-back guarantee offers.
CyberGhostVPN
Touted as “one of the most secure” VPNs because of its range of protocols, including 256-bit encryption, CyberGhostVPN also works across all operating systems. Users can connect up to 7 devices, simultaneously.
CyberGhostVPN is also one of the pricier services, charging $12.99 per month[1], with a 6-month discount to $7.99 per month. CyberGhostVPN offers a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark VPN
Surfshark allows users to connect to an unlimited number of devices with a single account. Rated in the top 5 of VPNMentor’s Top 10 Best VPNs in the USA 2019, Surfshark offers user-friendly apps for all major platforms. Surfshark also offers bonus features like CleanWeb, an ad, tracker and malware blocker. It also includes Whitelister, allowing users to let specific apps bypass VPN, a great feature for banking.
Surfshark’s standard 1-month subscription cost is $11.95 Surfshark VPN. Save 50% with its 12-months plan at $5.99 per month. Also, check out the Surfshark VPN trial free for 30 days.
ExpressVPN
Rated as super-fast by vpnMentor.com, ExpressVPN is especially suited for secure streaming. ExpressVPN is loaded with user-friendly apps for almost every device from desktop to mobile, while being operating system agnostic. Use ExpressVPN to bypass area restrictions in premium services like Netflix and HBO.
You pay a premium price for ExpressVPN. Also, this product offers only limited configuration options for its price point. As one of the most expensive VPNs, a one-month subscription costs $12.95, with a 6-month signup discount to $9.99 per month. ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
HideMyAss!
This VPN with the colorful name offers over 280 accessible locations for anonymous internet access. For users more concerned with intuitive interface and top customer support, this VPN fills the bill. HideMyAss! offers military-grade encryption with HMA! VPN protection on an IoT network. Users can protect up to 5 devices at once on Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad, Android and Linux devices. However, HideMyAss! offers only a very few configuration options and is somewhat expensive.
HideMyAss offers a 7-day free trial for new users, but users must enter payment information. After the 7-day trial, users are billed automatically at the initial 12-month subscription price of $83.88.
Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield offers both a free and a premium version. The free version provides military-grade encryption only. The premium version augments the encryption with ad-free, unlimited bandwidth with over 2,500 servers in 25 countries. Connect up to 5 devices across all platforms.
Hotspot Shield subscription prices start at $12.99 per month with a one-year full signup discount to $5.99 per month. Hotspot Shield offers a 45-day money back guarantee.
IPVanishVPN
Offering competitive speeds with unlimited bandwidth, IPVanishVPN loads on as many as 10 devices. IPVanishVPN runs on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Amazon Player. This VPN personally manages their entire network with over 1,200 anonymous servers.
IPVanishVPN regularly charges $11.99 per month. See the vendor’s website for special 3-month and 1-year discount pricing. IPVanishVPN offers only a 7-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN
Rated as a “strong and reliable” VPN with good value for the money, NordVPN offers fast streaming and robust, military-grade encryption. This VPN works on all operating platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Users can have up to 6 connections. According to BestVpn.org reviews, NordVPN’s performance was “generally consistent, but slower than other options.”
NordVPN’s basic 1-month plan is $11.95. Its 1-year signup discount is $6.99 per month. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back, risk-free guarantee.
PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN offers a “1-click VPN setup” for Windows, Mac, Android, Linux and iOS. Their selling point: “Simply download and connect.” Private VPN offers military-grade 2048-bit encryption as well as one of the most secure, rapid connections available. Users can connect up to 6 devices for fast streaming from Netflix.
PrivateVPN offers a mid-range price of $7.12 per month with a 3-month signup discount to $4.20 per month. Private VPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PureVPN
PureVPN has been around for more than 10 years. With over 700 servers in 60-plus countries, PureVPN has a reputation for solid performance, competitive features and encryption protocols. PureVPN offers proprietary and easy-to-use apps developed in-house for maximum privacy.
Supported devices and operating systems are Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and internet-powered devices. According to BestVPN.org, PureVPN’s setup and configuration “is not as fast or easy as other options,” despite its great interface.
Pure VPN’s one-month pricing is $10.95 with a one-year signup discount to $4.08 per month. PureVPN offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.
VyprVPN
VyprVPN is a fast VPN with a worldwide network of servers in over 50 countries. VyprVPN has solid security features with a variety of encryption protocols and offers services on all major operating platforms.
VyprVPN subscription cost for up to 3 devices is $5.00 per month. Its premium service includes coverage of 5 devices with the Chameleon Protocol and VyprVPN cloud for $6.67 a month. The service offers a free trial of one gigabyte of usage, which will not last as long as most competitors.
Finally, a note on using free trials for VPNs.
When you put a VPN between your computer and the wilds of the web, you need to consider performance issues. A VPN app might look snazzy, but if it slows down your performance or does not work well with your hardware, the time to find that out is during the free trial period.
Most VPNs offer a money-back guarantee, but Surfshark VPN’s 30-day free trial is your best insurance against buyer’s remorse.
