In a time when there is a constant attempt by everyone to steal your personal data A VPN can help you avoid that by keeping your online connections secure and secure. But while sweeping claims of military-grade encryption or complete digital obscurity might be appealing, Consumer Reports’ Yael Grauer suggests looking for more concrete signs that a service is genuine before you sign up.
Begin with compatibility. The service should support at the very least the most well-known operating systems like Windows, macOS and Linux, Android, and iOS. It is important to know how many devices are supported by the service and how many connections it allows simultaneously. Also, take a examine the number of available servers and their locations around the globe. This will help you choose one close to your home or one that has fast speeds when you’re traveling abroad.
Some services offer specialized features, like dedicated ‘Netflix servers’ that remove geo-restricted sites from their websites, or extra security features, such a RAM-only servers, which erase data every when the service is rebooted, dark web monitoring, and security measures to protect against threats. Review the ownership structure of the company and determine if there have been any privacy breaches or privacy scandals in the past.
NordVPN was the most reliable overall service we test. It has thousands of servers across 94 countries. It also provides AES-256 encryption, ChaCha20, a reliable Kill Switch with split tunneling and an obfuscated server. It’s also one of the few providers to publish its detailed no-logs policy and engages PricewaterhouseCoopers for annual audits. Its pricing isn’t cheap, but you do receive a variety of features for your money and a long-term plan that comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.