Group test
VPN PROVIDERS
Discover how to remain anonymous and private online
Reviewed by NICK PEERS
ON TEST…
> CyberGhost VPN
> ExpressVPN
> NordVPN
> Private Internet Access
> TunnelBear
> Windscribe
V irtual Private Networks (VPN) exist to make it harder, if not impossible, to identify both you and your location online. When switched on, a VPN encrypts all the data you send to the internet to hide your activity from your internet provider and your location from whichever website or web service you’re using. It also protects you when surfing through Wi-Fi networks, protected or open.
Technically, only the VPN knows what you’re doing, so it’s important that it promises to keep no personally identifiable logs of your activities, either for its own benefit or if subpoenaed by a government agency.
In this round-up, we’ve taken six of the leading VPN providers and tested them for all the key things you need from a VPN: privacy, security, performance, and ease of use. The best part is that all six work on both Mac and iPhone to protect you both at home and on the move. Our tests provide a solid indication of the VPNs’ performance. Read on to discover which VPN offers the best blend of all features to provide you with a vital layer of additional security and privacy when online.
How we tested
> We tested the VPNs’ security by conducting a series of leak tests at ipleak.net and tenta.com/ test. These determine if your connection or browser is ‘leaking’ personally identifiable information such as your actual IP address and location. All six providers passed with flying colours. We then tested the performance of each VPN in three locations (locally, on the other side of the Atlantic, and in Australia) using Speedtest (speedtest.net) to see what negative effect the VPN had on transfer speeds.