The Best VPNs for Windows in 2022

What Is NordVPN?

NordVPN is a massive VPN based in Panama, giving it a great background right off the bat. But the provider has much more to offer than just size and location.

Here’s its deal for Windows users.

Pricing

NordVPN has three pricing plans:

• One month—$11.95/month
• One year—$4.92/month
• Two years—$3.71/month

All in all, the prices are reasonable for the most powerful PC VPN.

You can also get hefty discounts on other products. This includes a password manager for as low as $2.49/month and cloud storage (10GB) for $1.49/month.

It’s a decent bundle if you need multiple services.

NordVPN Best Features

The VPN software for Windows 10 works very smoothly. Thanks to its slick interface, lots of configurability, and an effortless way to connect to a server. All you need is a few clicks to set it up.

You’ll find all the common protocols supported, including NordVPN’s proprietary one. It is both highly secure and blazing fast, making NordVPN really stand out among the competition.

NordVPN covers 59 locations across thousands of servers, including ones beyond the Great Firewall of China. You are free to use any for torrenting or streaming.

You don’t have to worry about VPN blocks in your country or place of work anymore. NordVPN masks the traffic to look like regular HTTPS packets, meaning most automated solutions won’t know that you’re using a VPN.

Lastly, NordVPN ensures the privacy of its customers. The VPN for PC keeps no logs and servers run exclusively in RAM memory. That way, if anyone seizes the machines, all data is deleted.

What We Disliked

NordVPN did have a security issue back in late 2019 when one of its servers got hijacked. The problem was that the company was very late to report its stolen encryption certificate, compromising the whole setup.

The Windows VPN software provider implemented several upgrades since then and joined a bug bounty program.

All the same, the way it handled the breach leaves a bad taste.

NordVPN User Reviews

NordVPN boasts pretty impressive reviews. Nearly 4,000 users on TrustPilot recommend it with five stars and it’s one of the most praised VPNs overall.

We Recommend NordVPN For…

NordVPN is one of the most exhaustive VPNs for Windows. For $3.71/month, it’s one of the top 9 VPNs for PC.

What Is ExpressVPN?

ExpressVPN is based in the Virgin Islands—an excellent location for its privacy laws. It offers premium VPN services that pack a ton of punch.

Here’s what’s included.

Pricing

ExpressVPN offers three tiers based on how long you pay for.

• One month—$12.95/month
• Six months—$9.99/month
• 15 months—$6.67/month for the first 15 months, $8.32/month paid annually on renewal

It’s not the most affordable VPN for a computer running Windows. That said, the prices are in line with the product quality, as our investigation shows.

An additional benefit is that ExpressVPN allows Bitcoin payments, as opposed to most of its competitors. You can purchase it without revealing your identity to the VPN, which is a step up privacy-wise.

ExpressVPN Best Features

ExpressVPN is a breeze to set up on Windows. It takes a minute or so to install and connecting to a VPN server only requires a few clicks.

The VPN software for Windows can access facilities across 96 different countries, including China. You can let the VPN pick the fastest server for you or choose one yourself.

The traffic can be expertly obfuscated to look like regular internet traffic. This means you are unlikely to experience issues with the Great Firewall or other VPN blocks.

Torrenting is also encouraged and ExpressVPN can get around the geolocation blocker for over 20 streaming services.

The PC VPN utilizes its own protocol, which is built for fantastic speeds. You can handle almost any activity with minimal bandwidth loss.

If you only want to route specific traffic through the VPN (for instance, torrenting activity), ExpressVPN fully supports split tunneling. And if you’re really concerned about privacy, just up the ante with double VPN or Tor routing.

What more could you ask for?

What We Disliked

One minor feature that ExpressVPN lacks is a safe browsing tool with an ad blocker. Most other best VPN software for Windows include such mechanisms.

Admittedly, you can always get a free third-party blocker or a browser that blocks trackers. Still, some people might prefer to get the tool built-in.

ExpressVPN User Reviews

ExpressVPN gets more praise than probably any other VPN. Out of 7,000 users on TrustPilot, over 6,000 rated it with 5 stars for an average of 4.6. Most Redditors admit the VPN is pricybut well worth the cost.

We Recommend ExpressVPN For…

ExpressVPN is a robust VPN that’s blazing-fast while practically guaranteeing full privacy.

If you want the absolute best VPN for Windows 10 on the market, it doesn’t get better than this.

What Is CyberGhost?

CyberGhost is one of the most reputable VPN providers. It is based in Romania, which is a suitable location for privacy-related businesses.

This is how it goes about your online protection.

Pricing

CyberGhost has four pricing tiers, depending on the subscription period.

• One month—$12.99/month
• One year—$3.99/month
• Two years—$3.49/month
• Three years—$2.25/month ($2.43/month after the first three years)

The Windows VPN software plans are affordable overall. If you’re considering a longer subscription, though, you might want to skip the two-year package, as the three-year one has a nearly identical price.

CyberGhost Best Features

With 88 covered locations, industry-standard tunneling and encryption, and a very easy setup on Windows, CyberGhost covers the basics. You can set it up on seven devices, including PCs and VPN routers.

If you want to make CyberGhost even more effortless to manage, you can set it up to launch when you start specific Windows apps—for instance, a browser or torrent client.

All the other essentials are there too, like a killswitch, support for 35+ streaming services and torrenting, and more. It basically includes everything the best VPN for a computer should have.

If you want to browse the net with a dedicated IP, you can purchase one from the provider for $3.75/month.

An ad blocker comes included as well.

For extra security, CyberGhost offers a bundled deal with its Antivirus, Privacy Guard (which stops Windows from collecting data), and a Security Updater for Windows apps.

You can access all the features from the same CyberGhost application, making it a breeze to manage everything.

What We Disliked

One flaw, which makes it tough for CyberGhost to compete for the best VPN software for Windows 10 title, is the lack of China or Hong Kong servers.

The main issue with CyberGhost is not with the software, though, but with its parent company. Kape Technologies, also known as Krossrider, acquired CyberGhost back in 2017.

The problem is that Kape is known for injecting adware into software bundles and fake Flash installers.

Suffice to say the guys forcing ads onto people aren’t exactly someone you want to help you escape trackers.

CyberGhost User Reviews

You would have trouble finding a service with as many positive reviews as CyberGhost.

It’s often recommended as the best VPN for Windows on Reddit and it has well over 10,000 five-star reviews on TrustPilot, with an average score of 4.8.

Talk about popularity!

We Recommend CyberGhost For…

CyberGhost is a very reliable VPN that’s easy to manage and works well for just about any purpose. Plus, you can get a very affordable deal on its cybersecurity and privacy tool bundles. It’s the best VPN for Windows in terms of value for the average user.

What Is Private Internet Access?

Private Internet Access (PIA) is an established VPN with affordable services.

How affordable, you ask?

Let’s check.

Pricing

Private Internet Access offers you three deals based on how long you want to prepay for.

• Monthly—$9.95/month
• Yearly—$3.33/month
• Two Years—$2.69/month

The largest plan also includes a license for Boxcryptor, encryption software for files you store in the cloud.

It’s handy if you’re worried about someone accessing your data. This really sets PIA apart from the other VPN clients for Windows 10.

You can connect up to ten devices across all plans.

It’s a solid deal.

Private Internet Access Best Features

PIA has thousands of servers in 76 different countries. There is access to China, but it’s not always 100% stable.

You get a ton of configuration options, letting you boot the VPN whenever you want (going as granular as choosing after which system process it should initialize).

You can also do advanced protocol setups, port forwarding, router configurations, and more. It’s really the top VPN for Windows in terms of control.

That is not to say the VPN is tough to set up. Connecting to a server takes only a few clicks. On top of that, PIA has extremely comprehensive guides on setting up and troubleshooting the apps.

If you like to work with a command line, the provider has its own CLI baked into the client. It works on all OSs and it lets you manage the VPN much more efficiently.

Other than that, expect all the standard stuff—torrenting, killswitch, ad-blocker, no logging, etc.

The VPN also supposedly supports various streaming platforms. Successful streaming depends on the service, but it works for Netflix at least.

Overall, it’s the best VPN client for Windows if you want to get granular with the controls.

What We Disliked

Private Internet Access instills little confidence in terms of security or reliability.

For one, it’s based in the US, one of the countries that can force the VPN to reveal your data.

On top of that, it’s owned by a company known for adware. Even worse, the CTO of its direct parent organization was convicted for fraud and data manipulation.

Despite the service’s undeniable qualities, this could make you think twice before choosing PIA as your VPN software for Windows.

Private Internet Access User Reviews

PIA reviews are so-and-so. Most users like the reliability and the extensive server network.

On the other hand, many also complain about the mediocre support and clunky refund procedures. All in all, it’s not the most popular provider, but the reviews aren’t concerning either.

We Recommend Private Internet Access For…

Users who want a highly configurable VPN software for Windows that is still easy to set up and use.

Plus, you can connect up to ten devices for just $2.69/month, which is quite a deal.

What Is SurfShark?

SurfShark is one of the newer VPN providers. It’s based in the British Virgin Islands, though it’s very decentralized with offices worldwide.

Let’s see if it can take the established providers head-on.

Pricing

SurfShark offers three levels of pricing, based on how long you subscribe for:

• One month—$12.95/month
• Six months—$6.49/month
• 24 months—$2.49/month

Overall, the prices make SurfShark in contention for the best VPN for Windows.

Possibly the best part, though, is that SurfShark supports unlimited devices across all plans. If you have many PCs to hook up, there isn’t a better deal.

SurfShark Best Features

It’s worth saying that SurfShark has possibly the best-designed Windows app out of all VPNs.

The interface is super sleek, scales with the size of the window, and makes it easy to find and manage all included tools.

It only covers 22 locations, but it does a pretty decent job where China availability is concerned.

The app features the three standard protocols, torrenting, split tunneling, an automatic killswitch, streaming support, an ad blocker, and more.

SurfShark promises no logging and runs its servers entirely in RAM. Even if a server is confiscated, all the data is lost as soon as it gets unplugged.

It’s one of the best VPN software for Windows 10 in terms of privacy.

You can also route traffic through multiple SurfShark servers to make targeted monitoring even more difficult. On top of that, obfuscation protocols can make it look like you’re not using a VPN at all.

What We Disliked

One thing we at HostingTribunal would like to see with SurfShark is more comprehensive auditing. The provider claims to be independently audited, but it only does a minor security test of browser plugins.

There’s really no audit of the servers or the core software.

Undergoing a proper audit would help a new VPN software for Windows 10 like SurfShark establish a good reputation.

SurfShark User Reviews

SurfShark does pretty decently in terms of customer feedback. It has 8,000+ reviews, around 6,000 of which are five and four-star comments.

All in all, it has a ton of satisfied users, especially for a VPN that’s only a few years old.

We Recommend SurfShark For...

SurfShark is great for connecting unlimited PCs through an awesome desktop app.

It’s also excellent for torrenting, streaming, IP spoofing, and privacy. Overall, it’s the best VPN for PC for a great many people.

What Is VyprVPN?

Over the years, VyprVPN, together with its parent company Golden Frog, proved to be a massive advocate for user privacy. It is very vocal about NSA activities and organizations like AT&T actively spying on their customers.

Let’s check out its offer more closely.

Pricing

VyprVPN charges customers based on how long they prepay for.

• Two months—$6.47/month
• 18 months—$2.50/month
• 36 months—$1.67/month

Overall, such PC VPN prices are affordable, especially on long-term deals. You can connect up to five devices for that cost.

VyprVPN Best Features

The VyprVPN Windows client is extremely easy to use.

Once you’re through with the setup, you can immediately connect to the fastest server or ping-test all the locations to see which ones work best.

Speaking of locations, VyprVPN covers 73 countries. It has few servers—around 700—but the provider is still reliable enough.

It features standard encryption and protocols, a fully public audit confirmed its no-logging policy, and its streaming support is for US services.

The proprietary “Chameleon” protocol obfuscates traffic. It’s great if you’re in places that use deep packet inspection to block VPNs. That makes it the best VPN for a laptop you take to locations with VPN-blocking firewalls.

All in all, it’s a reliable offer that ensures privacy.

What We Disliked

One small shortcoming of VyprVPN is that it requires your full name for registration and doesn’t support any crypto payments.

It feels like a lot of personal data goes into the hands of the provider.

The host is also known for taking down accounts based on privacy notices, meaning the Windows VPN software is not the most torrent-friendly.

VyprVPN User Reviews

VyprVPN is in the middle in terms of user opinions.

Many clients like it and many complain about it.

All things considered, there are more popular solutions, but VyprVPN doesn’t do anything extremely concerning.

We Recommend VyprVPN for...

VyprVPN is a very affordable, privacy-oriented, and reliable VPN with a global presence.

That easily makes it the best VPN for PC to browse the web without restrictions.

What Is IPVanish?

IPVanish is a US-based solution that started as a Windows-specific VPN. It covers much more than that today, but its Windows client is still going strong.

This is the complete offer:

Pricing

IPVanish has two pricing tiers. If you pay monthly, it will cost you $4.99 for the first month and $9.99/month after that. The annual cost starts at $3.75/month and goes up to $7.50/month afterward.

If you want to get SugarSync storage with the VPN, it would only add $0.50-$1/month to the total price. SugarSync provides solid cloud services, making this the best VPN for Windows 10 if you need cloud backups.

IPVanish Best Features

IPVanish works in 75 countries, though it stays on the wrong side of the Great Firewall.

With OpenVPN and IKeV2 protocols, a killswitch, split tunneling, and an ad blocker, IPVanish covers all the essentials.

Torrenting and streaming are supported too.

The VPN has no connection caps.

It’s great if you have many devices or want to share your VPN for PC with the whole family.

In addition to the VPN features, you can get SugarSync bundled with the software. It’s a quite decent backup solution with additional security options.

You can use it to save or share files, protect against ransomware, or even wipe data from a stolen device.

What We Disliked

IPVanish is based in the US, meaning it falls under the Five Eyes surveillance alliance.

These are countries that have the authority to perform mass surveillance and share collected data amongst themselves.

Surveillance countries often enlist companies like Internet Service Providers (ISP) to help them spy on user traffic. Not the best for privacy.

Not only that, but IPVanish did actually surrender customer data to Homeland Security, even though it claims no logging. With that in mind, it’s tough to trust the provider to uphold the same policies in the future.

IPvanish User Reviews

IPVanish is a top-rated VPN for computer usage for its speeds and power.

Out of some 7,000 reviews, 6,400+ recommend the solution based on bandwidth, support, and value for money.

There aren’t many recent complaints to speak of.

We Recommend IPVanish For…

IPVanish is great for connecting unlimited computers to the best VPN for Windows 10 in 2022.

It is a solid general-use service and its deals have a great long-term price.

What Is ZenMate?

ZenMate is a VPN based in Germany. A bit of savvy marketing made it well over 40 million users, turning it into one of the biggest VPNs in the game.

Let’s see if its features are up to snuff.

Pricing

ZenMate has three “Ultimate” plans which let you install its Windows client. Note that it also offers cheaper “Pro” plans, but these only allow you to use the VPN in a browser and don’t support the OpenVPN protocol.

• One Month—$10.99/month
• One Year—$4.49/month
• Three years—$1.64/month

The plans all support unlimited devices. This makes it possible to get one desktop or laptop VPN for an entire office.

ZenMate Best Features

ZenMate has a decent Windows client that’s easy to set up. You can connect to any of its servers in one of 78 countries, including China.

It features standard encryption and OpenVPN and IKeV2 protocols. Torrenting is in the mix, too, as well as a killswitch.

The platform works with numerous streaming services, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC.

ZenMate might not stand out among the best VPNs for PC, but the available tools are reliable.

What We Disliked

For starters, ZenMate is a German company, a country that’s part of the 14 Eyes alliance.

There is a very real possibility that the government might compel ZenMate to start collecting customer info through the VPN clients for Windows 10.

In such cases, VPNs typically get hit with a gag order, so you can’t get notified about your data being collected.

ZenMate User Reviews

ZenMate has over 500 reviews on TrustPilot.

It might not seem like much compared to other VPNs with thousands of comments.

However, practically all opinions are positive and about 450 of the users give it five stars. It’s a fantastic start.

We Recommend ZenMate For…

ZenMate is the most affordable VPN service.

It might not have the flashiest features, but the low price tag and no limit on connected devices make it the best VPN for Windows 10 when you’re on a budget.

What Is Hotspot Shield?

Hotspot Shield offers freemium VPN services. Its main selling point is fully featured cross-platform VPN solutions.

Let’s check it out.

Pricing

Hotspot Shield’s pricing is a bit more flexible than that of the other best VPN software for Windows.

• Free—One device, up to 2Mbps, limited to one location
• Plus—One account, five devices, $6.99/month
• Premium—One account, five devices, security tools, $7.99/month
• Family—Five accounts, 25 devices (five per account), $11.99/month

Hotspot Shield also extends a 45-day refund period. It is somewhat longer than most VPNs offer, so you get a better chance to see if it works for you.

Hotspot Shield Best Features

With 99 supported locations (China included), all the standard protocols, and a killswitch, Hotspot Shield has a strong base. It even runs a proprietary tunneling protocol that’s both secure and blazing-fast.

Speaking of speed, Hotspot Shield is one of the fastest streaming and torrenting VPNs. This makes it easily the best VPN for desktop computers.

And if you’d like to protect only specific traffic, split tunneling is supported too.

The proprietary protocol obfuscates all traffic to avoid deep packet inspection and various VPN firewalls.

The two larger plans come with extra security software. They include an antivirus and password manager for Windows, as well as a spam call blocker for mobile.

These are useful services that add a bit of extra value to the best VPN for Windows 10.

What We Disliked

The VPN is based in the US, which is one of the Five Eyes countries.

This constitutes a poor privacy framework since the US authorities can easily order the VPN to hand over customer data.

Hotspot Shield User Reviews

Hotspot Shield has a pretty solid reputation on sites like Reddit and G2. Users on TrustPilot rate it an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

Clients enjoy using the VPN, mostly because of its speed and ease of use.

We Recommend Hotspot Shield for…

Its fantastic freemium solutions. It’s perfect for people who need a lightning-fast connection all around the world.