There’s a good chance you use your Windows laptop or PC for all sorts of sensitive things — like checking your bank accounts, scheduling medical appointments, storing precious photos, or talking with friends and loved ones.

If you’re not using a VPN, someone could be snooping on all these things.

The following picks are our recommendations for Windows VPNs based on consensus from experts around the web, online reviews, social media and forums, and user reviews right here on The Informr.

From the easy-to-use options for beginners to affordable services for those on a budget, these services are perfect for reclaiming your online privacy.

NordVPN

Best Overall VPN for Everyday Use

With a MASSIVE server selection, respectable speeds, a user-friendly client, and plenty of features for a fair price, NordVPN is our pick for everyday use. It might not be perfect for power users and there are faster options out there, but for the price, it can't be beat!

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What's good  

  • Huge server selection
  • SmartPlay streaming
  • Multiple security options
  • Apps for PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and more
  • User-friendly interface
  • Affordable multi-year pricing
  • Automatic kill switch
  • Zero log policy
  • P2P support
  • Based in Panama

What's bad  

  • No phone support
  • Abundance of options might feel confusing
  • So-so monthly pricing
  • Slow email support

TunnelBear

Best Basic VPN for Beginners

TunnelBear's easy-to-use software will keep the data heading to and from your Windows PC or laptop locked down without leaving you scratching your head. In fact, if bear puns are your thing, the app might even make you laugh!

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What's good  

  • Excellent privacy policy
  • Super easy to set-up and use
  • Moderately priced with a decent free plan
  • Strong security features

What's bad  

  • Not much content in help pages
  • Only 20 server locations
  • Not a lot of features

ExpressVPN

Fastest VPN for Torrenting, Best VPN for Netflix

As their name implies, ExpressVPN has built a solid reputation for snappy speeds. If you're looking for a VPN for sharing large files or want to make sure your Netflix videos look their best, it's an excellent choice!

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What's good  

  • Fast performance
  • Zero-log policy
  • Intuitive UI
  • Many layers of security to protect your identity while browsing the web

What's bad  

  • Higher price
  • Only 8 simultaneous connections

ProtonVPN

Best Free VPN

ProtonVPN is a name you can trust -- which can't be said for all VPN options. While the free option limits your download and upload speeds, its unlimited data makes it an exceptional free option for occasional use or things that don't require huge speeds -- such as using the coffee shop Wi-Fi to check your email or even streaming video at lower quality settings.

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What's good  

  • Superb privacy
  • Good performance
  • Secure OpenVPN protocol
  • P2P and TOR support
  • Excellent free plan

What's bad  

  • Tiered pricing
  • Limited server locations

Mullvad

Best VPN for Power Users, Best VPN According to Reddit

If you want to dial in every feature of your VPN, are looking for even greater privacy, or follow Reddit's picks when it comes to tech, Mullvad checks these boxes and more. Unfortunately, it does so at the cost of transfer speeds and it's not the cheapest option in this collection either.

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What's good  

  • Cash and crypto payment options
  • Blowfish and AES-256 support
  • WireGuard support
  • Minimal logging
  • Port forwarding support
  • P2P support

What's bad  

  • 3-hour free trial
  • Limited server selection compared to the competition
  • Long term prices higher than most competitors
  • Slower than many competing services

These picks are our favorites for Windows VPNs in 2021.

They all offer solid performance, a fair price, and peace of mind that your personal information will remain well... personal.

Most offer even better rates if you sign up for a year. So we recommend trying a month or two and if the service fits your needs, switching to an annual or multi-year option for significant savings.

Browse safe friends!

How We Picked

The picks in this buyer's guide are what we think are the best VPNs for Windows for most people.

We selected these models based on analysis of expert reviews from around the web, forum comments on our site, social media discussions, and more.

We compared the things most people consider when purchasing a VPN

In short,  we did the research — so you don’t have to.

When answering the question, “What’s the best VPN for the average Windows user?”, we considered the following primary criteria:

 

Snappy Speeds
If you're stuck buffering time after time, you won't use your VPN for long. The picks in this collection offer plenty of bandwidth to let you browse the web, play games, stream media, or work from home.

 

Plenty of Servers
If you want to access content, websites, or services in other regions, a bountiful server list is essential. These picks offer a solid selection of servers in major countries around the world.

 

Easy to Use 
VPNs shouldn't be confusing or intimidating. While some of these picks offer advanced options if you'd like to use them, all of them are accessible and intuitive to make them easy to use regardless of your experience level.

 

Solid Reviews
We scoured online reviews for each of our picks to be sure that you won’t find flakey servers, slow connections, questionable support, or false promises.