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Best VPN Comparison of 2025 With Tools and Chart

  • Last updated March 5, 2025
  • Aisha Imtiaz
    Aisha Imtiaz
    Aisha Imtiaz
    Editor
    Aisha Imtiaz is an editor at VPNRanks, specializing in VPN technology and OTT platforms. She simplifies complex concepts for diverse audiences who want to enjoy watching geo-limited content. Her hobbies include streaming, reading, photography, and blogging. She enjoys streaming on Discovery Plus, Disney Plus, fuboTV and other platforms.
    See Full Bio >
    written by
    Aisha Imtiaz
    Aisha Imtiaz
    Aisha Imtiaz
    Editor
    Aisha Imtiaz is an editor at VPNRanks, specializing in VPN technology and OTT platforms. She simplifies complex concepts for diverse audiences who want to enjoy watching geo-limited content. Her hobbies include streaming, reading, photography, and blogging. She enjoys streaming on Discovery Plus, Disney Plus, fuboTV and other platforms.
    See Full Bio >
    Editor

Best_VPN_Comparison

In the VPN industry, the list of VPN providers claiming to be the best is constantly increasing. But, how do you know which one to choose? When every VPN advertises the same features, it can be extremely confusing to pick the right VPN.

Every VPN provider is different from another and possesses an edge over a particular domain such as streaming, torrenting, online gaming, and more. As VPNs evolve with Web3, decentralized networks are reshaping online privacy, learn more in the future of VPNs in Web3.

That being said, at VPNRanks, I took a different approach and performed the best VPN comparison based on twenty (20) different factors. This includes jurisdictions, servers network, logging policy, unblocking capabilities, speeds, and so much more, which you can find in my comparison chart.

Best VPN Comparison Chart 2025 [Examined on 20 Key Factors]

The colors in the chart represent the following:

  • Green: Generally good
  • Yellow: Something negative
  • Pink: Something bad that is of major concern
  • Blue: Undefined

It took me more than 72+ hours to gather the authentic information regarding these 60+ VPN providers so that you can make the best decision for yourself.

Here is the best VPN services comparison chart you’ve been waiting for. Check it out:

This VPN comparison table consists of what I believe to be the most critical parameters that determine the level of privacy and security a VPN can offer to you.

If you don’t see a factor that you think I should consider or want us to include a specific VPN brand that I may have overlooked, please feel free to mention it in the comments section of this guide.

This blog culminated all the hard work and research I performed over two weeks, generating the above chart.

But this article won’t analyze each specific VPN in detail. Instead, for an in-depth evaluation of VPNs, you'll have to see my unbiased VPN reviews.

Which factor is most important to you when choosing a VPN?

VPNRank's VPN Provider's Comparison Criteria

Comparing products is a painstaking process. First, you have to make sure your unconscious biases don’t influence your judgment. After all, meeting consumer expectations is what separates a good product from a poor one.

We use a variety of factors to compare VPNs. Below is a list of some of the most important factors I consider in my comparisons.

visual-selection

  • Speed: Which VPN offers the fastest connection speeds?
  • Privacy Policy: Which VPN follows a zero-log policy and logs no user data?
  • Jurisdiction: Which VPNs are headquartered in safe jurisdiction?
  • Pricing: Which VPN offers the most value for money and cheaper subscription plans?
  • Server Network: How many servers and server locations do VPN providers offer?
  • Customer Support - Which VPN offers better customer support and help?
  • Torrenting: Which VPN offers P2P support and is safe for torrenting?
  • Netflix: Which VPN can unblock various Netflix libraries from anywhere in the world?
  • Privacy and Security: Which VPN offers the best security and encryption features such as AES-256-Bit, Double VPN, and more for maximum privacy and anonymity?

Did you know? In USA, about 42% of internet users (nearly 105 million people) use VPNs, which is almost double the global average.

Global VPN Adoption: As of the third quarter of 2024, approximately 23.1% of internet users worldwide utilize VPNs for at least some online activities.

Quick Overview: VPN Comparison of Top 10 VPNs in 2025

visual selection

  • ExpressVPN: The best overall VPN provider with excellent security, ultra-fast speeds, and a great user experience.
  • Surfshark: The most budget-friendly VPN with various low-cost subscriptions.
  • NordVPN: The most secure VPN with unique security features.
  • CyberGhost: User-friendly VPN with purpose-specific modes.
  • PIA: VPN provider with the largest server network that offers a great torrenting experience.
  • PrivateVPN: VPN provider focused preferred for high-performing service.
  • VyprVPN: VPN provider concentrated for fast, versatile, and perfect for small businesses.
  • IPVanish: VPN provider serving as a solid solution for VOIP purposes.
  • ProtonVPN: VPN provider with a balanced relationship between security and streaming needs.
  • Windscribe: VPN provider that is easy-to-use, and quite exceptional for multiple online purposes.

Top VPNs Comparison [Detailed Analysis - 2025]

We’ve tested many VPN providers, so I decided to compare them to the same factors shared above to see which came out on top.

Here are the VPN industry's top VPNs going head-to-head:

My Testing Comparison Criteria

Following are the criteria on which I compared the VPN providers available in the spreadsheet I talked about earlier.

Speed

All VPN services in my VPN comparison chart at the start are qualified as either “Fast,” “Average,” or “Slow.” You can also check the VPN speed test comparison table provided in the VPN provider descriptions to see which VPN service tops the list. Below is a criterion for grading the speeds of any particular VPN:

[emphasize type="blockquote"]

  • Fast: VPNs with less than or equal to 30% drop compared to the base connection speed.
  • Average: VPNs with higher than 30% but less than 50% drop compared to the base connection speed.
  • Slow: VPNs with a higher than 50% drop compared to the base connection speed.[/emphasize]

Privacy and Security

VPNs are used for protecting online privacy and security. Here are some of the factors I took into consideration when comparing VPNs for privacy and security.

Jurisdiction

jurisdiction refers to the laws of a country that a VPN is obligated to follow. Generally, this is the country where a VPN’s headquarter is registered. So, for instance, if a VPN is headquartered in the US, it will have to keep some logs and comply with the local laws.

Five Eyes Alliance

The Five Eyes Alliance includes the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The Snowden documents disclosed these Five Eyes countries, highlighting their involvement in conducting mass surveillance programs on the citizens of each other’s countries.

The implications of such alliances are dangerous and antagonistic to the privacy of citizens. As such, if you use a VPN service located in these Five Eyes countries, then your activities on the web can be easily traced, and agencies can acquire your data.

Nine Eyes Alliance

The Nine Eyes extends Five Eyes and includes four more countries, including the five countries mentioned before. The 9 Eyes countries include France, Norway, Netherlands, and Denmark, collaborating with the Five Eyes in intelligence-sharing and gathering.

Fourteen Eyes

The Fourteen Eyes further expands this growing list of nosy countries interested in collecting citizens' data. The 14 Eyes countries include all the nine eyes and Sweden, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Belgium.

To learn more about the role of these countries in performing invasive surveillance on people, you can read my detailed article on the 5, 9, and 14-Eyes alliance.

Privacy Policy

We have read the privacy policy of each VPN in detail to see what kind of user data they log. It is essential to choose a VPN that doesn't log any user information. In fact, most of the premium VPN services on this list only keep necessary user information like an email address to manage the account and billing.

Therefore, VPNs that keep timestamps, traffic logs, IP addresses, and more are ranked lower in the best VPN comparison chart. You can find more detail about such providers in my VPN comparison table at the top.

Traffic logging

Traffic logging means keeping a log of your browsing and other activities on the web. These are the most intrusive kind of VPN logs. If someone wishes to track what you’re doing online, they can easily do that with the help of traffic logs or activity logs.

Bandwidth logging

Keeping a record of download and upload bandwidth you have consumed over a given period. These types of logs are less intrusive. Bandwidth logs are mainly kept to ensure the quality of service and fair usage.

However, some VPN keep bandwidth logs for throttling purposes. Speaking of throttling, you may find my avoid ISP throttling guide useful.

Timestamp logging

Keep a log of the time and date of your connection, disconnection, and any other event you performed while using the VPN service. This, along with IP address logging, seriously poses a threat to your privacy, as it can facilitate a hacker or agency to trace your identity and even your physical location.

IP address logging

Keeping a log of your original IP address and/or the VPN IP address longer than your session duration. These logs can be used to trace a user. Think of an IP address as your home address. It is unique and can easily identify where you’re actually located in the world.

DNS, IP, and WebRTC Leak Tests

DNS logging refers to storing logs of DNS requests made from a user’s computers/device. This information can reveal your location. Unfortunately, DNS logs can also allow someone to launch attacks against you through methods like data theft, denial-of-service, and command-and-control.

IP leaks refer to an incident when your IP address starts leaking despite being connected to a VPN. This is why renowned VPNs come with built-in leak protection to prevent IP, DNS, and WebRTC from leaking. The ability of a VPN to prevent IP addresses and DNS of the user (client) from leaking to the web.

As you can see in the two screenshots below, ExpressVPN easily managed to conceal my original DNS, IP, and WebRTC entries. The DNS and IP address are from its New York server. Also, in the WebRTC test, my original public IP address isn't exposed, and the test shows ExpressVPN's server details.

IPv6 and WebRTC leak test results of ExpressVPN

Features

We have checked VPNs to ensure they have all the essential features to offer you maximum privacy and security.

Kill Switch

Kill switch is an essential security feature built into VPNs that can cut off your internet if your VPN connection experiences a temporary loss. This ensures your security is kept intact and your IP doesn’t leak on the web. Top-tier VPNs offer different levels of this technology ranging from system-wide kill switch to application kill switch.

expressvpn-kill-switch

ExpressVPNs Kill Switch called "Network Lock."

Torrenting

Most people use VPNs for torrenting safely. However, not all VPNs allow users to access various file-sharing sites like The Pirate Bay. Therefore, I test these VPNs to see which ones allow torrenting.

Netflix

Just like Torrenting, not all VPNs work with Netflix because Netflix blocks most VPN services. Meaning, you will not be able to unblock any Netflix library with those VPNs. Therefore, I have tested which VPNs unblock Netflix, as discussed in the VPN comparison table at the top.

expressvpn-netflix

Split Tunneling

We prefer VPNs that allow you to reroute some online traffic through your ISP connection and some through the VPN server for faster speeds. However, not all VPNs have a split tunneling feature. Some popular VPN providers that possess this feature include ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, CyberGhost, and PrivateVPN.

expressvpn-split-tunnellingEncryption

The current industry standard is AES-256-Bit encryption that encrypts online traffic for maximum security and anonymity. VPNs using 128-bit encryption are not the best choice for privacy and security. You can also check the VPN comparison table at the start to see which VPN is more secure.

Multi-Hop

The multi-hop feature encrypts online traffic through multiple server locations for the ultimate level of privacy and anonymity. It definitely gives VPNs an edge over the others. Sadly not all VPN providers offer this cool feature. The list of providers that offer this feature is small and features popular providers like NordVPN and Surfshark.

surfshark-multihop-feature-for-ios-connected-to-united-kingdom-and-france-server

Surfshark's Multihop feature 

IP Addresses

VPNs that refresh their IP addresses are preferred over those that use black-listed IP addresses, usually blocked by most websites. Some VPNs also offer dedicated IP addresses like NordVPN, which offers dedicated IP of France, Germany, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Pricing

This criterion will help users make a better-informed decision about the provider after knowing whether the service seems equally valuable for the price they are asking and are there any budget-friendly subscription plans available with the service.

Also, VPN providers that offer huge discounts, such as ExpressVPN's 49% and Surfshark's 81% discounts, are preferred in the users' eyes.

Server Network

The number of servers and the locations are very crucial factors that help you decide on the purchase. Having a large server network with thousands of servers in multiple countries is ideal for accessing all sorts of content online.

However, I have also seen providers with a comparatively low number of servers gaining more trust.

Customer Support

A reliable, efficient, and 24/7 customer support gives peace of mind knowing that someone can help you out whenever you are in trouble regarding the service. It also heavily impacts the user's decision to purchase the service.

Simultaneous Connections

If you can secure multiple devices with just one subscription, then your VPN supports simultaneous connections. Renowned VPNs offer anywhere between five (5) to unlimited simultaneous connections.

The Future of VPNs in Web3: Are Decentralized Privacy Networks the Next Big Thing?

As the internet moves towards decentralization, how will VPNs adapt? Traditional VPNs rely on centralized servers, while emerging decentralized VPNs (dVPNs) offer a peer-to-peer (P2P) approach to privacy.

But can dVPNs truly replace traditional VPN services, or are they still a work in progress?

How Do Decentralized VPNs (dVPNs) Differ from Traditional VPNs?

Unlike conventional VPNs that operate on company-controlled servers, dVPNs use blockchain technology and P2P networks to distribute control. Instead of trusting a single provider, users connect to independent nodes, enhancing privacy and making it harder for governments or ISPs to censor connections.

Key Differences:

  • No Central Authority: dVPNs remove reliance on a single company.
  • Pay-As-You-Go Model: Many use crypto-based micropayments instead of fixed subscriptions.
  • Censorship Resistance: dVPNs are harder to block due to dynamic, user-operated nodes.
  • Potential Security Risks: Malicious nodes could log data or inject malware if not properly vetted.

Examples: Orchid (OXT), Mysterium (MYST), Sentinel (DVPN).

Can VPNs and Web3 Wallets Work Together for Anonymous Transactions?

One of the biggest advantages of Web3-integrated VPNs is cryptocurrency payments, which allow users to remain anonymous while subscribing to a VPN service. Instead of using credit cards or PayPal, users can pay with privacy-focused cryptocurrencies like Monero (XMR), Bitcoin (BTC), and OXT tokens.

Benefits:

  • No Personal Data Required: Crypto transactions unlink users from their VPN accounts.
  • Decentralized Payments: Smart contracts automate transactions without third-party involvement.
  • On-Demand VPN Access: Users can pay per gigabyte of bandwidth instead of a monthly fee.

However, challenges remain as transaction fees, crypto volatility, and user inexperience with Web3 wallets may slow adoption.

What Are the Challenges of Web3 VPNs?

Despite their potential, decentralized VPNs face significant roadblocks:

  • Usability Issues: Requires Web3 wallets, making it less beginner-friendly than traditional VPNs.
  • Speed & Performance Variability: dVPNs depend on individual node quality, unlike optimized VPN servers.
  • Security Concerns: Rogue nodes could exploit users if not properly monitored.
  • Government Resistance: Countries that block VPNs may also target dVPNs.
  • Crypto Regulations: dVPN adoption may be limited in regions where cryptocurrency use is restricted.

Is Web3 the Future of VPNs?

While dVPNs introduce a trustless, censorship-resistant alternative to traditional VPNs, they are not yet ready to replace them entirely. The future may lie in hybrid models, where VPN providers integrate blockchain-based payments and decentralized nodes into their existing infrastructure.

  • Privacy-focused users may experiment with dVPNs.
  • Mainstream users will likely stick with traditional VPNs.
  • VPN providers may adopt Web3 features over time.

As Web3 matures, decentralized VPNs could play a major role in reshaping online privacy, but adoption barriers still need to be addressed.

VPN Comparison Of Providers: FAQs

ExpressVPN is the best VPN service of 2025. The provider operates from the British Virgin Islands outside the clutches of 5,9, 0r 14-Eyes alliance and offers exemplary privacy, security, data protection, and unblocking capabilities in any network environment.

No, using a VPN isn't illegal. While the technology itself isn't illegal, the online activities considered illegal, such as copyright infringement, will remain illegal even if you are connected with a VPN. However, in few countries such as China, Russia, and Syria, VPN is considered illegal.

The top 3 VPNs according to us are listed below:

  • ExpressVPN: Huge network and fast servers
  • Surfshark: Budget-friendly option
  • NordVPN: Secure military-grade encryption

ExpressVPN is the best and fast VPN among all others. It's servers are spread across the globe and provide the fastest connectivity. It also provides military-grade encryption and a variety of packages for you to chose from.

Wrapping up

As you can tell from my extensive VPN comparisons guide, choosing VPNs is not an easy task. Just check out my best VPN comparison spreadsheet at the start of this blog. It took us 70+ hours to compile it. But you have to admit it; it’s beneficial when deciding which VPN to go for.

There are thousands of VPN providers in the market, but only with the best VPN such as ExpressVPN can you guarantee ultimate security, privacy, data protection, and unblocking. Any suggestions or questions, let us know in the comments.

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