1-Surfer Shark :
It is a VPN that has undergone many upgrades over the past two years, from the addition of a complete antivirus to the massive increase in its ad blocker. I’m talking, it was a regular player in my list of the best VPNs before.
But what’s not to like?
First To start, Surfshark has an audited no-logging policy and RAM-based servers to back it up. This is especially nice because this resides in a country of the Nine Eyes Alliance that is subject to data collection.
However since Surfshark has a strict privacy policy and servers that cannot keep data by design, the government does not have to collect anything. Surfshark also uses modern ChaCha20 encryption to hide your Internet traffic.
This encryption comes from the WireGuard protocol, and this is something that you should look for in any VPN provider, not only for the benefits of encryption but also for top-notch performance. In my experience, the connection is fast and stable, and in the rare case that the connection stumbles, there is a kill switch that cuts off Internet traffic and thus protects you from an IP leak.
Okay, technical details aside, there’s a lot more to Surfshark than you might think, For example, everyday users will appreciate a beginner-friendly application- I mean, its layout is very intuitive – while streaming enthusiasts will have access to tons of content due to a large number of servers. Meanwhile, privacy
seekers will probably try dynamic MultiHop, Not only does it combine two servers for maximum anonymity, but you can also choose the servers yourself. I am also a big fan of their improved CleanWeb feature.
The one integrated into the application works well to block ads and trackers, but the one from the browser extension doesn’t even need a VPN connection to work. It always eliminates all kinds of advertisements, pop-ups, and cookie requests. Granted, the extension looks a bit stuffed and messy, but the ad blocker alone is definitely worth it.
Now you can also consider the Surfshark One package, which includes an antivirus and additional features such as the Surfshark alert to notify you of violations related to your account. This way you can cover all the security bases without having multiple applications. In addition, Surfshark is famous for its unlimited simultaneous connections.
You could have your whole group of friends using this best VPN app at the same time and share the price with them if you want to save money.
For me, Surfshark is the best choice for streaming and ad blocking, but also, there is room for improvement.
2-NordVPN :
It is a popular choice, if I had to cite one reason, it would be versatility. You can basically use this NordVPN for anything: browsing, anonymity, streaming, torrenting and even malware prevention. I’m not saying that it’s perfect in all areas, but it’s definitely the most constant.
To begin with, it is very convenient. There is an interactive map to choose a server location or the standard list, and you can just choose a server and continue browsing without worrying about your privacy, especially since NordVPN has excellent privacy infrastructure.
If you want to get even more out of it, there is a list of specialized servers to realize maximum anonymity. I’m talking about a bunch of features, Meshnet, which securely connects remote devices to threat protection, which blocks ads, trackers and cookies, and get this, it scans your downloads for malware.
Okay, yes, it cannot replace an entire antivirus, at least not yet. But this is a great additional tool if you rely, for example, on the anti-malware protection of your device. Back to the usual VPN stuff, however, the impressive thing is that I haven’t had any speed or connection problems for a very, very long time.
Generally, NordVPN keeps more than 90% of my original Internet speed and the the connection remains stable. I could say that it is because of the large server pool, but it is it is more likely that the culprit here is the NordLynx protocol. It is based on WireGuard, so it offers the same encryption benefits while offering even more impressive performance.
This makes NordVPN a solid choice for torrenting and streaming, so that torrent lovers can use servers optimized for P2P. During this time, streamers can access various streams libraries in places where NordVPN has servers.
That said, Surfshark or VPN covers more countries, which allows me to access more content overall. This is one of the disadvantages of this VPN. Another disadvantage that I should mention is that it is not the cheapest option. The price is about average in the industry. However, given the number of features and
the number of use cases it covers, I would say the price is worth it.
3-ExpressVPN :
We might as well continue with a review of this best VPN provider, I’ll be honest, while their VPN application receives praise for being very minimalist, for my part, I find it a little old school. But I cannot deny that the application is very robust and that it meets all the best VPN 2024 requirements.
Just like the previous two top VPN service choices, ExpressVPN uses RAM-based servers for maximum privacy, and it was actually the first VPN to start using them. It is also useful that ExpressVPN’s jurisdiction is in a privacy-friendly country. In addition, this VPN has a solid privacy policy that is constantly being audited.
Yet there is a good reason for this. You see, ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021, which caused a bit of a backlash since the company has a rumored history of spreading malware.
But ExpressVPN has gone above and beyond to prove that its privacy policy is solid, even announcing a record bug bounty. Since they managed to keep their slate clean for so long, the Kape problem is not so much a problem anymore.
However, there is another thing that bothers me. ExpressVPN is very expensive. This price is only worth it for two reasons :
Firstly, it is an unsurpassed choice if you want to add a VPN to your router because of its unique device groups feature. This allows me to assign different VPN locations to different devices, which is impossible with other VPN router configurations.
Secondly, you want to get two cybersecurity tools in one. They recently introduced a password manager as part of their VPN package, which definitely increases the value. I mean, it’s a little buggy for now, but hey, it does the job. I could also say that this is a good VPN for streaming, and I will. This is the case, due to a very wide coverage by country, but Surfshark also has a very similar number of countries and costs significantly less.
I only found a decent ad blocker, but no other additional features and no specialized servers. Of course, this makes the application less cumbersome, but in this way, it is also less versatile compared to other VPNs. Overall, I think it is a good investment in specific cases, but I would like to see more value for the price they are asking.
4-Mullvad :
It is mainly intended for anonymity seekers, and this appears as soon as you register. To get started, you get a randomly generated account number to which you can add time and pay for it in several ways, from money to cryptocurrency. This means that you can remain completely anonymous at any time. Mullvad doesn’t even ask for your email. Also, congratulations to them for a very stable rate.
No matter how long you want to use it, you always pay the same price for a month. That said, an old rule applies to this VPN. You win some, you lose some. Although Mullvad is ideal for anonymity and offers excellent performance thanks to the WireGuard protocol is not really intended for more than privacy. There are not many servers, and most of them do not support streaming, you will not find many additional features here, only an ad blocker.
To be honest, it’s a solid choice for the torrent, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Overall, I could understand why Mullvad is so popular with privacy seekers, but it won’t be the best for everyone.
5-TotalAV :
Comes bundled with most of their antivirus plans. In fact, you can get the whole cybersecurity from them, and not only the antivirus software and the VPN, but also a password manager and an ad blocker. This is the main reason why I recommend this option. I mean, it covers all the bases at once, with the antivirus and their ad blocker carrying most of the value.
Not only are they effective, but the price will actually be about the same as what you would pay only for the best VPN provider, so it’s a good deal. But there is a catch. The VPN itself is basic, something I would only recommend for browsing. Total AV uses the old OpenVPN protocol with AES-256 encryption. Now, although this type of encryption is just as secure, the old protocol means that you will get slower speeds
Conclusion :
To conclude, to choose the best VPN for you it is necessary to look for a strict privacy policy, useful features, and fair prices. And among the five that I think I showed you, the best? NordVPN is currently the most versatile and fastest option, but I would recommend Surf Shark or ExpressVPN if you are interested in streaming, as they can unblock more content. Meanwhile, Mullvad will suit anonymity seekers as much as possible, while Total AV will be ideal for those who want to cover all the basics of cybersecurity at once.
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