What is the best VPN for Windows right now?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for PCs overall, thanks to its fast speeds, excellent streaming unblocking, forward-thinking privacy and unmatched transparency. It has an intuitive Windows VPN app (and a user-friendly app for all other platforms), an extensive server network and cutting-edge security features. ExpressVPN runs on Copilot Plus PCs with Arm processors, making it a great choice for all types of Windows machines.
VPN DEALS OF THE WEEK
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. You can use Surfshark on x86 and Arm Windows devices. It's among the fastest VPNs we benchmarked, making Surfshark great for streaming movies and TV shows, gaming or hopping on work calls. 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 VPN for PCs because of its best-in-class 3% 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 for PCs and the only no-cost virtual private network we recommend. With its Stealth protocol that masks your VPN use 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. While the free tier is solid, the paid plan boasts a massive international server network and outstanding streaming support for unblocking region-restricted content, like foreign Netflix libraries, making it a fantastic upgrade path.
Best VPNs for Windows PCs compared
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Proton VPN | |
| Price | $13 per month, $75 for the first 15 months or $98 total for the first 28 months (one- and two-year plans renew at $100 a year) | $13 per month, $60 for a year or $83 for two years (one- and two-year plans auto-renew at $140 a year) | $15 per month, $48 the first year or $54 total for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $79 per year) | $10 per month, $60 for a year or $108 for two years (one- and two-year plans auto-renew at $80 a year); free plan available |
| CNET rating | 9/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 |
| Best | VPN overall | VPN for speed | Value VPN for PCs | Free VPN for PCs |
| Server network | 3,000-plus servers in 105 countries | 8,000-plus servers in 126 countries | 3,200-plus servers in 100 countries | 15,000-plus servers in 122 countries |
| Average internet speed loss overall | 18% | 3% | 21% | 16% |
| Average internet download speed loss on Windows with WireGuard | 17% | 11% | 23% | 25% |
| Average internet download speed loss on Windows with OpenVPN | 18% | 21% | 25% | 21% |
| Simultaneous connections | 8 | 10 | Unlimited | 10 |
| Streaming services unblocked | Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, CBC and more | Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, CBC and more | Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, CBC and more | Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, CBC and more |
| VPN protocols | Lightway, OpenVPN | NordLynx (WireGuard-based), OpenVPN, NordWhisper | WireGuard, OpenVPN | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth |
| Windows support | Windows 10, 11; x86, ARM | Windows 10, 11; x86, Arm | Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11; x86, Arm | Windows 11, Arm |
| Platform support | Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Apple TV, Fire TV, Web browsers, Routers | Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, Android TV, iOS, iPadOS, Fire TV, Apple TV, Web browsers, Routers |
Why you should use a VPN on Windows
A virtual private network enhances your Windows PC's privacy. While connected to a VPN server, your public IP address is hidden, so your internet service provider can't tell what websites you visit or apps you use. Similarly, apps and websites can't tell what ISP you're using. A VPN can make apps and websites think you’re in a different city, state or even country, depending on the server you're connected to. Accordingly, you can bypass geographical restrictions and access regional content libraries on apps like Netflix, avoid your ISP throttling your network traffic and circumvent censorship with just a few clicks.
Windows is a massively popular operating system, so most VPN providers offer Windows VPN apps. Whether you’re working on your desktop or laptop, you can boost your privacy with a Windows VPN app, even if you’re running a Windows Arm-based device. The top virtual private network providers, including NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and Mullvad, all offer apps that work on Arm-based devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro so you can access foreign Netflix libraries, torrent privately and lower your ping while gaming just as easily as on traditional x86 Windows machines.
Our CNET experts have tested dozens of virtual private networks to bring you the best VPNs for Windows. We extensively test critical factors such as ease of use, internet speed loss, streaming service unblocking and connection reliability when evaluating virtual private networks. Additionally, we investigate whether a provider has a good track record for privacy, as well as whether the service offers good value for money. In addition to concentrating on each VPN provider’s Windows app, we’ve also taken into consideration the non-Windows apps each provider offers, including apps for MacOS, iPhones, Android phones, Android TV boxes, Apple TV streamers and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices to address multi-device needs.
For more on Windows, here's how to set up a VPN on Windows 10 and how to download Windows 11.
Factors to consider in a VPN for Windows PCs
There's much to think about when selecting a virtual private network, including device support, PC 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 have 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 more rare. Think about the devices you own and consider the VPN compatibility you need. If you have an Arm-based Windows device, like the Microsoft Surface Pro, you may want to make sure there's 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 protection is one of the main reasons to use a VPN. You'll want a choice of VPN protocols, notably WireGuard and its equivalents or derivatives -- like NordVPN's NordLynx or ExpressVPN's Lightway -- alongside OpenVPN. We recommend WireGuard for most folks who want the fastest possible internet speeds without sacrificing privacy, although folks with critical privacy concerns who need obfuscation may prefer OpenVPN. Look for AES 256-bit VPN encryption (for the OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols) or ChaCha20 (WireGuard). Some VPN providers even have proprietary VPN protocols for obfuscation, designed to mask the fact that you're using a VPN, like NordVPN's NordWhisper or Proton VPN's Stealth.
We recommend making sure your VPN has a kill switch (which shuts off your internet connection in the case that your VPN unexpectedly disconnects) 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 the UK with a VPN while downloading Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam without hurting your download speeds.
If you have especially critical privacy concerns, you may want some advanced features, like specialty VPN servers. A double VPN, also called a multi-hop, adds a second VPN connection, making it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source compared to a single VPN hop. Tor Over VPN servers, or Onion Over VPN servers, pair Tor (The Onion Router) to make it harder to trace your data back to its source (your host PC). Both options provided beefed-up privacy, but by using different methods. Obfuscated servers try to mask the fact that you're using a VPN and can be useful in situations like on school Wi-Fi or traveling to certain countries where VPNs are frowned upon. Some VPN providers feature obfuscation-oriented VPN protocols, like NordVPN's NordWhisper or Proton VPN's Stealth, which masquerade as standard web traffic, and could be helpful in situations like on school Wi-Fi, where you need to bypass a VPN block.
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
While it’s not always the case, a large location list usually implies a high-quality server network. You want to pick a VPN provider that regularly invests in upgrading servers, as there are many benefits to doing so. You’re more likely to be able to access streaming services from abroad, your connection speeds may be faster because there are more servers to handle the load and you may be able to cut down on latency by choosing a closer server. Generally, you'll get faster speeds and lower latency on less geographically distant servers. Choice isn’t just good: It’s the hallmark of a top-tier VPN provider. For example, the best VPNs for Windows, including ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN and Proton VPN, all offer at least 100 country locations to pick from, powered by thousands of individual servers.
Content unblocking
Beyond privacy, many people use VPNs to bypass regional geoblocking restrictions. Whether it’s unblocking streaming content, like accessing UK Netflix in the US, or avoiding frustrating CAPTCHAs while traveling, a VPN can help. For streaming, you'll want to ensure your VPN works with your desired services, like Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hulu or Netflix. That way, you can watch your Netflix movies or shows from abroad with a VPN so you can get your Squid Game or Bridgerton fix from anywhere in the world. Some services, like Netflix and Disney Plus, allow access to foreign content libraries, and country-specific streaming platforms can often 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.
Ease of use
You'll want to make sure the VPN you're using isn't so complex that you don't understand how to even accomplish basic functions, like enabling a VPN connection, changing servers and switching VPN protocols. All of our top VPNs are user-friendly for everyone, from beginners to privacy experts. Some, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark, are extraordinarily intuitive.
Your use cases
Think about why you need a VPN and make sure the VPN provider you settle on has the privacy features you need. For instance, if you're torrenting, you might want to make sure your VPN provider allows for torrenting on all servers, or at least has a lot of dedicated P2P servers for file sharing. Likewise, you might need split tunneling for gaming so you can exclude your video game client from your VPN connection or, conversely, use a VPN for gaming but exclude other apps.
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 about $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.
Best VPN Service Overall
ExpressVPN
Pros
- Slick, user-friendly app for Windows (and other platforms)
- Excellent for streaming
- Strong commitment to privacy and transparency
- Forward-thinking security enhancements
Cons
- DNS leaks detected (but immediately addressed)
- Expensive
- Only eight simultaneous connections
ExpressVPN is the best Windows VPN overall because of its class-leading privacy and transparency coupled with fast server speeds and excellent streaming service unblocking. It’s a reliable choice for privacy-conscious VPN users and a fantastic option for casual users because of its streamlined Windows VPN app plus great geo-unblocking capabilities to let you stream foreign Netflix, Disney Plus and BBC iPlayer libraries. In July 2025, ExpressVPN announced that it had servers in all 50 US states, making it a great choice for traveling to and within the United States, as well as unblocking regional sports streaming content, like NFL, WNBA or NWSL matches.
Why we like it
With ExpressVPN you’ll get an incredibly user-friendly app design and consistent user experience across platforms, making ExpressVPN a solid choice for beginners. In addition to Windows, ExpressVPN offers apps for MacOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV Stick and even a GUI app for Linux, which is easier to use for Linux newcomers than a command-line app. ExpressVPN’s streaming performance is impressive, with fantastic chops for bypassing geoblocking restrictions. We were able to access content from popular streaming sites like Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max and Netflix across all devices we tested. You can connect up to eight devices simultaneously with ExpressVPN, which is slightly fewer than many other VPNs offer (NordVPN allows for 10 and Surfshark is unlimited), but should still be generous enough for most folks. If you need more simultaneous device connections, you can always run ExpressVPN on a router, like the company's own Aircove or Aircove Go.
While all VPNs slow down your internet connection somewhat, ExpressVPN delivers snappy speeds that are perfectly suitable for data-heavy activities like streaming, gaming and torrenting. We clocked an 18% average speed loss overall in our latest speed tests with ExpressVPN. On Windows, we measured a 17% speed loss over Lightway, and a still great 18% using OpenVPN. The provider was able to remedy some recent speed woes with a couple of inventive solutions on Lightway and OpenVPN protocols on its latest Windows app.
Folks with critical privacy concerns will appreciate ExpressVPN’s dedication to transparency and user privacy. ExpressVPN has undergone an industry-leading 23 independent audits since 2018, setting a standard by consistently rolling out forward-thinking privacy improvements. ExpressVPN has kept pace with post-quantum security standards and integrated ML-KEM into the Lightway protocol to beef up its post-quantum protections. IP Shuffle is another helpful feature that works in the background and changes your IP address each time you load a website, which helps make it even more difficult to track you online. ExpressVPN’s kill switch works as advertised and we encountered no leaks in our latest tests. The VPN employs industry-standard AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption with its Lightway protocol and also supports the OpenVPN VPN protocol on Windows. ExpressVPN's TrustedServer technology takes the RAM-only server infrastructure to the next level by reinstalling the entire server stack in addition to wiping any data with every reboot.
ExpressVPN supports Windows Arm devices so you can use a VPN app on devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro. Instead of building a native Arm app for Copilot+ devices, ExpressVPN has gone with a hybrid development strategy that uses Windows’ native emulation functions built on top of the existing Lightway protocol. The company claims this will lead to quicker development times, but as it stands, the Windows Arm app is still in beta. That means there are a few features from the normal Windows version that are missing here, including split tunneling.
ExpressVPN is a well-rounded VPN and one of the very best you can buy, but the provider charges a premium for its service. The monthly subscription plan costs $13 per month, which is pretty much the industry standard. But you'll pay $75 for the first 15 months or $98 total for the first 28 months (the one- and two-year plans renew at $100 per year). Those prices are approximately in line with what its closest competitor, NordVPN, charges: $13 per month, $60 for the first year or $83 for the first two years combined (the one- and two-year plans renew at $140 per year). Meanwhile, some VPN competitors significantly undercut ExpressVPN's pricing. Surfshark charges $48 for the first year or $54 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $79 annually). Proton VPN costs $60 for the first year or $108 total for the first two years, with the one- and two-year plans renewing at $80 annually. ExpressVPN offers a seven-day free trial, followed by a 30-day, money-back guarantee, so you have the opportunity to try the service before committing.
- Also featured in: Best VPN Service for 2025, Best VPN for iPhone
Best Cheap VPN
Surfshark
Pros
- Works well on Windows (and other operating systems too)
- Excellent for streaming
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Lots of unique security features
Cons
- Inconsistent speed performance
- 14 Eyes jurisdiction (Netherlands)
Surfshark is the best value Windows VPN, providing a premium experience for a lower price than competitors including ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Surfshark sports a stacked roster of useful advanced privacy features that make it worth the money despite a recent renewal price hike. Although Surfshark can’t quite match NordVPN’s speed or ExpressVPN’s overall privacy position, it comes extremely close at a lower price. Ultimately, Surfshark is a top-notch VPN that shows consistent improvement year after year.
Why we like it
Surfshark’s Windows app is slick, intuitive and provides a consistent user experience across all platforms in addition to Windows, including Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, iOS, Linux and MacOS. Streaming buffs will appreciate Surfshark's great job of unblocking content on Windows and most other platforms, including smart TVs and streaming devices. We had no issues streaming from services like Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Disney, Disney Plus, Hulu, Max and Netflix on Windows. Other than a few minor hiccups, like Netflix loading slowly on MacOS or Hulu detecting a VPN on Amazon Fire TV devices, Surfshark’s streaming experience was excellent. You even get unlimited simultaneous connections, an amenity most VPN premium VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN don't even offer.
We’re impressed with Surfshark’s consistently fast speeds over the past few years, with an average speed loss hovering in the high-teens. We measured an average speed loss of 21% in our 2025 speed tests -- which is technically slower than previous years, but shouldn’t result in a noticeable difference in practice. We clocked a 23% average speed loss on Windows using WireGuard, and 25% on OpenVPN. Surfshark’s network of more than 3,200 servers across 100 countries is large but somewhat smaller than those provided by ExpressVPN (105 countries), Proton VPN (122 countries) and NordVPN (126 countries). A large network of servers like what Surfshark offers can help ensure fast speeds and stable connections by minimizing congestion and offering more options for more users to connect to servers near their physical location.
In addition to standard privacy protections like its kill switch, no-logs policy and DNS leak protection, Surfshark includes a few unique features that help it stand out from the pack. Dynamic Multihop lets you tunnel through any two server locations of your choosing for an added layer of privacy, and Rotating IP switches your IP address every few minutes, making it harder to track you online. Surfshark’s Alternative ID lets you create an alter-ego complete with full name, physical address and email address that you can use online without divulging your true identity. Following the lead of other VPN providers including ExpressVPN, Mullvad and NordVPN, Surfshark plans to roll out post-quantum protections this year to protect against potential future threats from quantum computers. Even though Surfshark is still playing catchup in terms of transparency, we’re encouraged by company representatives telling us that a no-logs audit has been commissioned for this year (its first since 2022) and that the company is committing to annual third-party audits.
You also have support for Windows Arm devices, meaning Surfshark has a VPN app that works on Copilot+ devices. As is the case with ExpressVPN, there are still a few features that aren't available in the Windows Arm app, most notably the antivirus engine.
While Surfshark’s $15.45 per month rate makes it one of the most expensive monthly subscription prices in the industry, pricing for its longer-term plans is reasonable. The yearly plan costs $48 for the first year while the two-year plan costs $60 total for the first two years combined (the one- and two-year plans renew at $79 annually). Surfshark’s renewal prices increased this year, but its overall pricing is still significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN’s $75 for the 15 months or $98 total for the first 28 months (the one- and two-year plans renew at $100 annually), as well as NordVPN’s $60 for the first year or $83 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $140 per year). Like many other VPNs, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re not satisfied with the service.
- Also featured in: Best Cheap VPN, Best VPN for Fire TV
Best VPN for Speed
NordVPN
Pros
- Intuitive app for Windows (and other platforms)
- Blazing-fast internet speeds
- Strong privacy and transparency
- Great for streaming service unblocking
Cons
- Inconsistent pricing structure
NordVPN is the fastest VPN for PC users. It boasts blazing-fast speeds for 4K video streaming, competitive online gaming, lightning-quick torrent downloads or lag-free Zoom calls. Nord also offers a handful of privacy-enhancing options and some innovative features like Meshnet. While Express has a slight edge in privacy and transparency, and other VPNs offer cheaper long-term prices, NordVPN still provides an impressive all-around service that continues improving.
Why we like it
NordVPN is the fastest VPN we tested by a long shot, with a best-in-class 3% average internet download speed loss -- its closest competitor was Proton at 16% speed loss. On Windows, we recorded an 11% average speed loss using NordLynx and 21% over OpenVPN. In our testing, we found NordVPN an excellent choice for streaming, with effortless unblocking of foreign Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Max and Netflix libraries. Additionally, we had no issues watching BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, Hulu, Crunchyroll and several other regional streaming services. Coupled with fast speeds, its excellent region-restricted content unblocking makes Nord one of the best VPNs for streaming.
With a sizable roster of 8,000-plus servers peppering 126 countries, NordVPN is excellent for international travel and streaming -- its global reach is slightly more than Proton VPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Its 10-device simultaneous device allowance is excellent for power users with many devices. While some providers, like Surfshark and PIA, offer unlimited simultaneous device policies, Nord’s longtime rival ExpressVPN limits you to eight.
We like that NordVPN’s strong privacy chops go beyond the basics. Alongside the industry-standard NordLynx (WireGuard-based) and OpenVPN VPN protocols, Nord offers its proprietary obfuscation-oriented NordWhisper, which masquerades as traditional web traffic to try slipping through firewalls. NordWhisper could be helpful in situations like on school Wi-Fi, when the network you’re on doesn’t play nicely with VPNs. You’ll get double VPN (which uses a second VPN connection) and Onion over VPN servers (which use Tor) to make it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source compared to a standard VPN connection. Meshnet lets you create a virtual local network of PCs, mobile devices and streaming devices for secure file sharing, hosting LAN parties or accessing services like Netflix without pesky multi-factor authentication.
NordVPN outshines ExpressVPN and Surfshark in Windows Arm support. The app’s been in beta for a while but as of March 2025, NordVPN released a full version with feature parity with the x86 version of Windows. Even NordVPN’s advanced Threat Protection antivirus works, as well as split tunneling. While NordVPN’s app takes advantage of the Prism emulation engine built into Windows, you shouldn’t notice any performance differences compared to running on x86.
Initially, NordVPN is a great value at $13 per month, $60 for the first year or $83 total for the first two years. However, the one- and two-year plans renew at an astronomical $140 per year, which is considerably more than the $79 to $80 that Surfshark and Proton VPN renew for, but in the same ballpark as ExpressVPN's $100 annual renewal rate. Although you can avoid a pricey renewal price hike by stacking subscriptions, we’d like to see Nord’s pricing model be more transparent. Despite its high renewal price, NordVPN is a superb VPN for everyone from streaming fanatics to folks with critical privacy needs.
- Also featured in: Best VPN for Netflix, Best VPN for Streaming
Best Open-Source VPN
Proton VPN
Pros
- 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
Cons
- No 24/7 live chat support
Proton VPN is the best free VPN for Windows PCs -- and the only zero-dollar VPN on the market that we wholeheartedly recommend. And its paid plan is still impressive, competing directly with VPNs like Surfshark and Mullvad for overall performance. While its apps aren’t quite as streamlined as Surfshark’s and it can’t quite meet the same (impressive) privacy protections as Mullvad, Proton comes close and offers customization that should appeal to VPN power users.
Why we like it
Unlike other free VPNs, Proton doesn’t sell your data, plaster your screen with ads or limit your monthly usage. But you’re restricted to using one device at a time, can only connect to servers in five countries and can’t manually pick a server. In comparison, PrivadoVPN’s free tier lets you choose a server while capping your monthly use at 10GB. But Privado, unlike Proton, hasn’t been audited, making it a poor choice for anyone remotely concerned about privacy. If you need more servers and greater manual control, Proton’s paid plans provide 15,000-plus servers in 122 countries, which is helpful for international travel or streaming.
Proton is fast, extremely private and exceptional for streaming. You’ll find a slew of unique privacy features, like discreet app icons on Android that let you disguise the Proton app on your phone as a calculator, notes or weather app, which could be helpful when traveling to countries where VPNs are frowned upon. But it’s not all work and no play with Proton VPN. Its 16% average internet download speed loss, which was second only to NordVPN in our testing, is great for streaming. With Windows, we brought in a 25% average speed loss over WireGuard and 20% average speed loss on OpenVPN. You can expect to keep most of your baseline internet speeds, which should help you stay clear of buffering or low-res video. Moreover, Proton unblocked virtually every streaming service we threw at it, including Netflix Egypt, which only a few VPNs, including ExpressVPN, could also unlock.
The Proton VPN app is pretty easy to use on most platforms, regardless of whether you’re a privacy pro or this is your first time using a VPN. It supports nearly every device you can think of, from Android, iPhone, Mac and Windows to streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. There’s even a Linux GUI app, which is simpler to navigate for beginners than a command-line-only app. Best of all, Proton offers a fully native Windows Arm app, which contains the full set of features you’d find on the other desktop apps, making Proton a winner if you’re looking for a powerful VPN to use on your Samsung Galaxy Book S or other Arm-enabled laptops.
Proton VPN underwent a UI refresh, bringing the design of the Windows app closer to the revamped Android app released last year. Generally, the interface looks a little sleeker but there are functional changes here too, like the redesigned version of the profiles feature, which now allows you to set up individual settings loadouts based on what your needs are at the moment. Want to stream Netflix from the US after work? Proton allows you to create a one-touch connect button where you can specify which location you want to connect to, which protocol you’re using, whether you want your ad blocker on and which website you want to autoload once you’re connected.
Its apps aren’t quite as intuitive as ExpressVPN’s minimalist app, but Proton remains uncomplicated. Unfortunately, considering the privacy implications, we were disappointed in a design flaw with Proton’s MacOS app that failed to properly warn users that their public IP address may be unmasked when switching servers. The company has promised a forthcoming update. Additionally, Proton VPN lacks 24/7 live chat (but plans to offer it by the end of the year), so if you expect to regularly need help outside of regular business hours, you may want to consider another VPN until then. Ultimately, Proton VPN is hands-down the best free VPN on the market, with a compelling premium plan that’s private and great for streaming.
- Also featured in: Best VPN for Travel, Best Free VPN
How we test VPNs for Windows
Our testing process at CNET is the product of years spent comprehensively reviewing various VPN providers. As a result, our process touches on every aspect of a VPN product we can think of. We’ve picked the best VPNs for Windows by running over 250 internet speed tests per VPN provider to get the true picture of speed performance over multiple days and at different times of day. We’ve also conducted comprehensive privacy tests, checking for DNS leaks, IPv4 and IPv6 leaks as well as digging deep into each provider’s privacy policy and no-logs claims. Streaming gets some special attention too, as we check a bunch of different streaming sites with each VPN across multiple locations to assess geo-unblocking capabilities and to ensure that there’s minimal buffering when loading videos. All of these apps have been tested on Windows to see how each VPN provider performs on Microsoft’s operating system. Additionally, we’ve also tested how each app holds up against the apps offered on other platforms, including Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS, MacOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV OS and Apple TV to make sure each Windows VPN can also satisfy 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 for the first year (then $50 annually) 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. With servers in all 50 of the United States, PIA is a solid choice for folks traveling to or through the US -- and anyone who wants to stream regional sports, like NFL games. 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.
PIA works well on a range of devices, including Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, MacOS, Windows and even Apple TV. PIA is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as Copilot+. Although PIA was one of the first VPNs to offer Arm-native functionality for Microsoft's new generation of Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus- powered Copilot+ PCs, plenty of other top-tier VPN providers all now offer an Arm-enabled VPN app.
We clocked a disappointingly high 48% average internet speed download loss in our testing. On Windows with WireGuard, we measured a 51% average internet download speed reduction, with a slightly better but still underwhelming 37% average using OpenVPN. Curiously, we typically expect faster speeds with WireGuard. For reference, 20% internet speed loss or less is largely unnoticeable. If you have 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. Additionally, we encountered a lot of CAPTCHAs on PCs when performing even basic Google searches. PIA is a decent budget pick as one of the best cheap VPNs for Windows, but we recommend Surfshark instead because it's significantly faster, sports more privacy features and doesn't suffer from as many CAPTCHAs.
What to look forward to in 2025
There are a few trends in the VPN space. Several VPN companies, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Mullvad, have introduced post-quantum protection to guard against threats from quantum computing, like hacking. Additionally, most of our top-rated VPNs -- ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and Mullvad -- now offer Linux GUI VPN apps, which are easier to use for beginners when compared with command-line apps. ExpressVPN rolled out its Linux GUI app in March, while NordVPN debuted its Linux GUI app in May. Obfuscation-focused VPN protocols, which attempt to masquerade as traditional web traffic, not VPN traffic, are on the rise with Proton VPN's Stealth and NordVPN's NordWhisper.
More servers in more places are always appreciated -- NordVPN now has a generous 8,000-plus servers in 126 countries. Proton VPN boasts 15,000-plus servers spread across 122 countries. ExpressVPN now has servers in all 50 US states, making it a great option for traveling to and within the United States, as well as unblocking regional content, like NFL games or NBA matches.
We've also seen many VPN companies start offering bundles beyond just virtual private networks. Many companies, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN, are becoming one-stop shops for privacy and security tools, like password managers and antivirus software.
