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With iPhone’s seeing great popularity since their inception back in 2007 it’s easy to see why there is a great demand for finding the Best VPN for iPhone.

The vast majority of iPhone users connect to public WiFI hotspots which makes them somewhat easy prey if anyone was looking to exploit them or their phones. This is where a good VPN for iPhone comes into play adding another level of security to each and every connection you make using the device.

Keep reading along and we will cover everything from things that affect iPhone users to the places you can get your hands on the 5 Best VPN for iPhone.

A Brief Introduction to iPhones

The iPhone revolutionised the world of mobile phones by introducing the concept of the Smartphone. Starting with the launch of the iPhone in June 2007, it was clear the world of mobile communications had changed. The iPhone had touchscreen capabilities, a flat key-less profile, internet connectivity and GPS.

The iPhone 3G raised mobile broadband connectivity to new levels as one could use high speed connections on Wi-Fi or cellular network for business and social tasks. More capabilities stemmed from more applications available on the iPhone.

However the numerous applications available for download presented a vast increase in the likelihood of vulnerabilities appearing from multiple attack points that average user would have a hard time tracking down.

IPhone Privacy

Wi-Fi and cellular internet connections can be intercepted and decrypted. This was seen in 2013 during the PRISM scandal. The National Security Agency of the USA and GCHQ of the UK were able to access SMS, emails, locations and notes from smartphones including iPhones.

This was a major red flag for anyone concerned about privacy. As the likelihood is that if these two organizations could have this capability, malicious hackers and others who look to steal your sensitive data on a daily basis could be ahead and already have a leg up on government agencies.

IPhone corrected privacy concerns in IOS 8 with a new built-in encryption system that ensured even Apple could not access an iPhone’s data without consent from the user. This was a big improvement.

However the main weak link in any user’s privacy and security remains with the fact that their data can still be intercepted and collected on insecure networks like public WiFi hotspots.

Other iPhone Concerns

Yet another concern for iPhone users is that they will still find it hard to access restricted and censored content much like other smartphone users.

Some countries like China restrict access to popular social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram while other countries restrict access to the same along with Google, Gmail, Netflix and adult content.

On a daily basis an iPhone user’s online habits are also closely monitored by ISPs that collaborate with the government but using an iPhone VPN can help to curb any security concerns you have.

Apple themselves even has its own terms and conditions on what users can access. For example, gaining access to torrent files is restricted as this violates Apple’s copyright agreements. Anyone using torrent sites can be in trouble with Apple and the law in case of copyright violations.

The arrest of a Kickass Torrents founder was triggered by a download from iTunes that was then illegally copied.

Using a VPN on iPhone

Using a VPN for iPhone (Virtual Private Network) is the best way of going around these censorship and surveillance concerns in restrictive countries.

A VPN encrypts data at the departure and arrival points such that only the user and the other end can see it. It also shields the user’s location so that the user can be seen to be in the United Kingdom or United States while actually in China.

With a VPN, a user can get access to censored and restricted sites like Netflix, and popular social networking sites regardless of their location in the world.

It is also difficult for the ISP to see what the user is doing online as any data being sent across the internet connection from the iPhone will be unreadable until it hits a VPN server.

A VPN will also shield the user from monitoring by Apple themselves meaning any restrictions placed on torrents or other areas that are restricted will go mostly unseen.

An iPhone VPN is the best way to secure data through better encryption while in transit. VPNs can also secure a user from attackers when accessing the internet on insecure networks like open Wi-Fi found at many public places like airports and cafes.

With all these benefits for using a VPN for iPhone it’s understandable to see why there are also many free VPNs for iPhone available, however understanding why these are not a good option is what we will cover next.

Why Not to Use a Free VPN For iPhone

With there being a great demand for using VPN’s on iPhone to protect any users sensitive data or activity it’s easy to see why many free VPNs for iPhone are popping up in the App store and online for download.

While some do work as a basic VPN for your iPhone they will have nowhere near the capability or security levels of a paid or subscription based service like ExpressVPN or IPVanish.

The key issue with free VPN for iPhone is that they hold nowhere near the same levels of encryption and are often prone to IP leaks where you real IP address is being shown to a service you are trying to unblock.

Speeds are also a key issue when using a VPN for free on iPhone as the majority of VPN servers available are heavily shared across their network, meaning you and another hundred or so users could all be connecting and fighting against each other for bandwidth.

There has been some recent bad news around free VPN’s namely Hola VPN in particular which was found to be selling users bandwidth to effectively create a giant Botnet.

This consisted of unsuspecting users who signed up and installed on the promise of being able to watch restriction content like US Netflix and other streaming services.  A great article on this can be found here and shows how much of a common theme these issues are among free VPN’s online and why you essentially get what you pay for in the end.

Now that we’ve covered why a free VPN’s are not a great idea, let’s go ahead and take a look at the 5 Best VPN apps For iPhone.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN comes out on top as its one of the most easy to use VPN’s for iPhone available due to it’s innovative app’s, server selection options and overall reliability and speed.

Using ExpressVPN on iPhone almost becomes second nature over time and allows you to connect to public WiFi hotspots with the piece of mind of knowing your data is safe and secure behind a high level of encryption.

Installing this VPN on iPhone’s couldn’t be easier as they offer round the clock support, along with numerous guides and setup tutorials to help you through the process.

The Speed of ExpressVPN really is the stand out factor for most as they have servers located in countries around the world so you can be sure you are able to connect to a server close to you and enjoy high speed streaming of services like Netflix or Hulu.

They offer as standard a 30-day money-back guarantee which makes this VPN provider a great choice for installing on iPhone as you can test them out for 30 days and see how easy it is to use ExpressVPN on your iPhone and other devices.

Try the Best VPN for iPhone!

Visit ExpressVPN ››

IPVanish

With it’s awesome bespoke iOS app’s IPVanish is another solid VPN for using on iPhone to unblock websites, stay protected and encrypt your sensitive data and usage.

IPVanish run a Teir-1 worldwide server network that offers lightening fast speeds to all it’s users. This makes it perfect for watching services like BBC iPlayer or streaming movies on Netflix using your iPhone as you won’t experience any lag or buffering issues while watching your favourite shows.

IPVanish also have a major plus in the fact they don’t store any logs or your usage while using this VPN service, this means there is a lot less risk when torrenting or using services that are currently restricted in your country.

When it comes to subscribing to IPVanish you also have the added option of using Bitcoin to purchase the service anonymously which is a real plus for anyone concerned about companies storing their personal information.

With IPVanish they also offer you a 7-day money-back guarantee which makes it hard not to at least try them out for 7 days to see how well the app’s work on your iPhone.

Visit IPVanish ››

NordVPN

With some really nice levels of security NordVPN is one of the safer options when it comes to a VPN for iPhone. Based in Panama, NordVPN manages to stay away from the prying eyes of US and European governments looking to track user activity online which is good news for any privacy concerned users as this means your data is safe.

NordVPN keep zero logs of your activity in addition to keeping out of sight of prying governments so for iPhone they are probably one of the most anonymous VPN services available.

Customer support is also great with NordVPN as they offer round the clock live chat who are available to help with any queries or setup issues you may run into.

Like IPVanish, NordVPN also accepts Bitcoin payments for their subscription plans along with offering you a 30-day money-back guarantee on all the available packages, so it’s easy to see why NordVPN is a good option when it comes to the Best VPN for iPhone.

Visit NordVPN ››

PureVPN

With some seriously low prices, PureVPN is one of the best VPN’s for iPhone if you want to save some money when signing up to a VPN provider. They offer good app’s for iPhone & Mac and also provide you with great tools like the “Killswitch” which kicks in to prevent your real IP address or data being leaked if for any reason you are disconnected from a VPN server.

PureVPN’s UI is also one of the easiest to use and makes it simple to create and new connection and organise your favourite VPN servers in one location.

While their policy on logging and security may not be as good as ExpressVPN they still offer superior speeds to most the VPN clients you will find for iPhone so this makes them a top option if you need a VPN quickly for travelling and still want to access your favourite shows on US Netflix.

PureVPN offer new users a 7-day money-back guarantee which is good to see and will let you give them a go for 7-days to see what speeds can be reached, and what security options are available to you.

Visit PureVPN ››

CyberGhost

CyberGhost made our 5 Best VPNs for iPhone list due to the fact they offer a great free version of their VPN client for people to download for PC, Mac, Android and iPhone. Surprisingly this is one of the only free VPN’s for iPhone we’ve come across that is worth at least trying as it offers a good level of security and speed.

While the paid version of CyberGhost is much better and offers a higher level of speed, reliability and security it’s good to see a VPN provider giving up a free service to new and existing users who may not be looking at this time to pay for a VPN provider.

Using the paid version of CyberGhost you get access to their 30-day money-back guarantee which is great if you want to compare the free version against the paid version for using on iPhone as the speed may vary greatly depending on where you live in the world.

Visit CyberGhost ››

Best VPN For iPhone Conclusion

Now we’ve taken a look at the top 5 VPNs for iPhone its shown that speed and reliabilty of any VPN provider are paramount in ensuring you get not only the best value for money, but for making sure you are able to do the things you would like such as streaming Netflix on an iPhone VPN.

Security is a key concern when using a smart phone in public and connecting to WiFi so knowing you have that added level of security using a VPN can give you some extra piece of mind that you data is safe on your iPhone and is only seen by the parties you intend to see it.

With many stories in the news about governments looking for further access to decryption on an iPhone’s data it’s good to know that by using a VPN you are effectively able to put up a roadblock between you and anyone looking to pry on your information that you have not given permission for them to do so.

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Knowing how to run a VPN Speed Test is fundamental if you wish to get the most from your chosen VPN provider.

We have chosen to make this post about speed testing the OpenVPN connection protocol as this is what most of you will be using, as a lot of the others like SSTP either don’t offer high security, reliable speeds or require certain devices to use.

When most people go to test their internet connection speeds they normally head over to sites like Speedtest.net which is a popular go-to site for checking the basic speed of any given connection either on Desktop, mobile or tablet.

While Speedtest.net and similar websites do complete the task of providing you with valid speed details based on the connection provided to you by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) they don’t take into account other factors that a VPN client can place on any given connection. Namely that of OpenVPN protocol which has LZO (Lossless Data Compression) built into the connection. We will take a look at how this effects your VPN speed test results in the next steps below.

Things to consider when running a VPN Speed Test

Your ISP Speed

The Broadband speed provided to you by your ISP can greatly affect the outcome of any speed test while using your VPN connection. In the perfect world you ideally have a connection that consistently provides a download speed of 20MB/s and upload speed of somewhere around 4 to 5MB/s but of course this is not always the case and can vary depending on where you live in the world and on your local authorities internet infrastructure.

When your ISP provides you with an internet connection, the speeds are based purely on the connection from your home device and the nearest server of the ISP granting you authorised connection. Once your Google search for example passes through the ISP’s server out into the world wide web it is simply out of their hands and your connection speeds can vary greatly based on the websites you are connecting to and there location. This is the nature of the internet.

While it is recommended to go with the fastest ISP provider in your area, its important to know that regardless of the fact VPN speed test results may be inconsistent because of a slow or unreliable broadband provider they are still very much possible by creating an average speed over time using a VPN.

ISP Throttling Your Connection

Even with the fastest broadband available, all of you would have experienced some kind of ISP throttling when making a connection online. Explained simply this is where your ISP picks and chooses which connections or demands on it’s network to prioritise.

Notably BitTorrent users in the past have experienced high amounts of throttling on their download activities with some believing this is an attempt to flout the use of the software for illegal downloads and other activities. While most connections are throttled in some way, for the most part this normally occurs a peak hours when there is a large demand on your ISP’s servers which don’t make this an ideal time to run a VPN speed test.

If you want to take a look at how your ISP is throttling and shaping your internet connection, you can take a look over on M-Lab which provides a map showing the percentage of their tests that were throttled and shaped in some way by popular Internet service providers around the world.

Chosen VPN connection Protocol

Like we mentioned previously in this VPN speed test post, for the most part you will be using OpenVPN to make connections. OpenVPN can be run across either UDP or TCP transporting types which can both effect the speed of your connection greatly using a VPN.

Out of the two UDP is the faster as this method sends data packets across the connection regardless of whether or not they have hit your desired destination or not. This means UDP doesn’t wait around for a response and simply pushes for a connection like a forced connection type.

Alternatively the TCP transport type only sends another data packet once it knows the previous has been received and validated with no errors then continues to send further data packets across the connection in the same fashion.

The conclusion we can draw is that UDP is a lot faster as it is simply forcing the connection to go through but the drawback is that it’s not as reliable as TCP which likes to validate the data is going across the VPN connection smoothly. Depending on which are available to you using your VPN to run a speed test it’s worth testing both to see which give you the best results.

Lossless Data Compression (LZO)

We touched on LZO in the intro and this is something that does not figure into most speed testing methods using OpenVPN. LZO is basically a .zip format that sole purpose is to compress the size of certain file types when they are being passed through OpenVPN using your VPN client. This can increase your data throughput but when it comes to your bandwidth usage it may not appear or be counted against this.

Files that already have some degree of compression such as .rar, zip, or .jpg’s do not benefit from further compression as the LZO will recognise these have already been compressed. LZO can have a great impact on your usage and speed so its an important factor to count into any speed test you run. Sites like Speedtest.net do not pick up the use of LZO in their results and it can easily make the results skewed if compression is getting in the way.

Background Programs that use Bandwidth

When attempting to run a VPN speed test it’s important to check your device does not currently have programs or app’s running in the background that are using a large portion of your usable bandwidth.

Programs using additional bandwidth can greatly effect your speed results especially if they are uploading more than downloading. This is because while you may have a good broadband connection your ISP is more generous to you on the download speed when opposed to your upload speed and will normally limit you to have a set upload limit.

Programs that download and seed files to other users like BitTorrent can hog a large portion of your bandwidth. Other things including programs that upload media like photo’s or video files to things like Youtube, Google Drive and Dropbox can also greatly effect your results as they are consistently trying to sync files to their networks.

So a good idea before running any VPN speed test is to go into settings and find an area that shows your currently running programs. Here you should see some form of it’s usage and if it’s currently attempting to use a larger portion of you bandwidth. Pick and choose a few culprits then pause or close them entirely to ensure you have accurate results.

The VPN Affect

Each time you connect to a VPN server the time taken to pass data from your Desktop or others devices is increased due to the fact it has to travel a lot further between you and the access to the internet once passing through your chosen VPN server location.

This is why picking the right VPN server location is vital as speed can be greatly affected based on your geographical location. For example if you were based in London (United Kingdom) and were connecting to an Australian based VPN server in Sydney, the time it would take to bounce your connection from the VPN client to the VPN server in Sydney (Australia) would be greatly increased.

Picking a server closest to you is the best option when running a speed test using a VPN as you can ensure you get a better average of results as there are less factors getting in the way or trying to disrupt your connection speed.

In addition to picking a VPN server in the right location, the encryption type your VPN provider places on your connection can also have an impact as on each connection the data you are sending across a VPN server has to be encrypted then passed through a decryption procedure at the other end.

As a rule of thumb with the areas that affect a VPN connection above you should expect to see roughly a 10% drop in speed when using a VPN client as opposed to using not using a VPN on your base connection.

Where Do I Run A VPN Speed Test? 

Knowing where to run a test on you VPN speed is half the battle as some give more accurate results than others. For most of you looking to run as speed test you will simply want to see the basic Download/Upload speed results so below we’ve compiled a list of popular services you can use to easily check what speed your connection is running at while using a VPN Client.

Speedtest.net

Speedtest is probably one of the most commonly known, popular free speed testing services online. It’s no real surprise as for seeing the basic results of you connection speed it’s fast and super easy to use giving you a result in less than a minute. The also have downloadable app’s for iOS, Android and Windows phone so it really is a go-to choice for most people If they want a quick overview of their current VPN speeds.

Using Speedtest.net to run a VPN speed test will give you a mostly accurate results but it’s important to note that based on things like LZO, and other factors that effect your connection, speeds can vary greatly especially if you pick a testing server with Speedtest.net that is far away from your real connection geo-graphically.

Speed.io

Speed.io is a lesser know free VPN speed testing service that will also give you fairly accurate basic results on your Download and Upload speeds while running the test. Before running a test on Speed.io you will want to take a look at their FAQ as this will help you further in ensuring you are ready to run a test on their service.

Testmy.net

Testmy.net offers a lot more data when testing VPN speeds as they keep a database of all users tests and give you averages based on your current connection location. They also deal with LZO (Lossless Data Compression) a lot better than Speedtest.net and Speed.io which makes them a better option for higher accuracy results.

It’s a good idea when using Testmy.net to run a VPN speed test to check your speeds against your basic connection without a VPN client running. This will help you measure the difference a VPN will have on your connection. In some cases depending on which VPN provider you choose you may even see faster results while using a VPN to connect to the internet.

Be sure when running the VPN tests to try create an average as results will always vary depending on time of day and other factors, but overtime you should have a pretty good picture of how fast your VPN provider is for you.

Speedof.me

Speedof.me is another good HTML5 internet speed testing tool that cuts out the fluff and simply gives you what you are looking for. They give you a live visualisation graph that helps you see how your connection speed is peaking and dropping while using a VPN client. Like the other VPN speed testing tools you will want to run the test numerous times throughout the day for the most accurate average results.

Running a VPN Speed Test Using Your VPN Provider

Not surprisingly a number of VPN providers you can choose from already offer built-in speed testing tools for their VPN servers which allow you to either check your connection speed, show this in real time in the dashboard or allow you to pick and choose the best VPN server to connect to based on speed and location.

Below we’ve listed a few of the VPN providers that offer built-in speed testing tools…

HideMyAss VPN

HideMyAss VPN offers a feature called “Speed Guide” that is built into it’s VPN client that allows you to simply pick and choose your desired server locations and run a ping test which will then give you a speed score based on how reliable and fast each of the chosen VPN server locations are.  You can find a demonstration of this feature below:

Visit HideMyAss VPN ››

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers you a VPN speed test tool right in the VPN client that in just a few clicks can help you pick the best VPN server country to connect to. All you do is once you have opened ExpressVPN, click on the “Speed Test” option under the drop-down menu. Then simply hit run “Run Test”.  You will then see the following results sorted by Speed Index, Latency and download speeds.

You then have the option to favourite the fastest VPN servers, and save the results so you can come back later or even re-run the VPN speed test.

Visit ExpressVPN ››

VPN Speed Test Conclusion…

Once you’ve found a reliable VPN provider that can offer good speeds, running a VPN speed test will become second nature if you want to ensure you are getting the most out of your service. We’ve learnt that a number of factors including your chosen Internet service provider can affect the outcome of your speed test results greatly so it’s important to check you have the best connection possible before attempting to check what speeds you can reach with a VPN.

Many VPN provider offer tools for you to use to get a rough idea of how fast connecting to each and every VPN server will be, but using these alongside a speed testing service like Speedtest.net will help you create an average speed to expect for each connection you make.

Getting higher VPN speeds will always be a priority for most of you especially if you are looking to download or stream TV and movies on services like Netflix using your VPN client. While some results may come back with issues you didn’t expect you can rest assured that additional information is out there and with your VPN provider’s help you can improve speeds while connecting to different VPN servers as desired.

The post How To Run A VPN Speed Test appeared first on VPN Freaks.

Since 2009 ExpressVPN has been going strong and is one of the world’s largest providers of premium VPN services. The company itself has been famed for its award winning apps and security features available on Windows, Mac and Android along with iOS support.

During this ExpressVPN review we also learned that this VPN service is also a strong advocate for internet freedom and non-profit organisations who fight for the privacy of individuals in our modern age.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get to grips with the security features ExpressVPN has to offer in this review!

ExpressVPN Review: First impressions…

First impressions can mean a lot to people who have never used a VPN so for this ExpressVPN review let’s go ahead and take a look over on their website and see what they have to offer us.

The first thing you will notice from this VPN provider is site screams professionalism and transparency making it really easy to find the areas you are after, or even just jump right too their pricing and packages.

Right off the bat they boast Easy-to use VPN apps for Windows, Mac and others allowing you at the click of the mouse to watch streaming services from any country anywhere on earth at superior and reliable speeds.

Of course as is the standard with other VPN providers we review, ExpressVPN also give insight into the kinds of ways you can use the service to encrypt your internet traffic, Unblock websites and most importantly stay anonymous while browsing the web.

They also claim to offer 5-star customer support so we will put this to the test later on in the ExpressVPN review.

Visit ExpressVPN »

ExpressVPN Price & Packages

Much like other VPN providers we review ExpressVPN are consistently changing their pricing to give their existing and new users a chance to snap up the VPN apps at a rock bottom price.

As you can see below the most popular option is currently the 12 month package that comes in at a discounted rate which is great news for all of us!

They are also so confident that you will enjoy the service that they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee which you don’t always see with a lot of VPN providers. This means you can give ExpressVPN a trial run and see how it all works and within 30 days if it doesn’t meet your expectations get a full refund.

ExpressVPN offers lots of choice when it comes to ways you can pay for the service. They offer the payment methods you would expect to see like Credit Cards and Paypal to other great options like Bitcoin that can help keep the payment process more anonymous. They also offer payment through services like Webmoney amongst many others.

ExpressVPN Installation

Once you’ve chosen the subscription package you’re going to go with and paid, you will promptly be sent an email confirming your account details with a link that provides you with an activation code allowing you to install ExpressVPN on a huge amount of platforms. See the below list that shows what devices you can easily install ExpressVPN upon.

For this review we’re going to install and use ExpressVPN on Windows and Android which are two of the most commonly used platforms amongst their user base.

ExpressVPN Windows Installation

Ok so let’s go ahead and get the install on Windows underway!

The first page you will want to be looking at is where it says ‘Download Now’ for Windows which is where ExpressVPN will provide you with the latest version of the VPN to install. (Just be sure to pick the correct Version either for Windows 7, 8 and above or the alternative that’s for Windows XP and Vista)

Once downloaded simply run the installation file where you will be greeted with the usual installation process you are probably familiar with. Click ‘Install’ and hit ‘Next’ to choose your installation location and install the VPN.

Once installed an ExpressVPN Shortcut should appear on your Desktop, simply open the VPN software where you will be prompted to input the activation code provided to you. (This can be found on the download page sent to you via Email)

Once you have provided the verification code and it’s been accepted you are all set to start using ExpressVPN to change your IP address and encrypt your sensitive data or stream US Netflix with ease.

ExpressVPN Android Installation

Installing ExpressVPN on Android is seriously easily as they give you two simple options, the first being to download the ExpressVPN app straight from Google Play store. Alternatively if you would prefer you can download the APK for ExpressVPN from the download page they provide to you via email.

Once installed on your Android device simply run the ExpressVPN app where you will be greeted by a welcome page allowing you to login with your account details. Simply input the Email you signed up with and the password provided by ExpressVPN in your inbox.

Once you hit login ExpressVPN will then activate your account and should save your login credentials to your Android device allowing you to login easily on the fly.

That’s it! You’ve now installed ExpressVPN on your Android device and should see the UI along with server selections and your recommend server they choose based on your location.

ExpressVPN Features

Next to the software itself ExpressVPN has opened up the doors to unlimited usage offering Unlimited Bandwidth, Server Switching and Speed which means you really can get the most out of your subscription to the service.

They also pride themselves on reliability and quote a 99.9% up time across the server locations hosted in 78 countries worldwide.

You are also able to hook up ExpressVPN on multiple devices and run a simultaneous connection on let’s say a PC and handheld device for example, but not only that you can do the same on streaming devices like Apple TV or hardware such as a Asus Router.

ExpressVPN also give you round-the-clock customer support for any issues you may run into, but rest assured we will be putting all this to the test later on in the review.

Best of all is the 30-day money back guarantee that means you can try ExpressVPN for a total of 30 days and give it a trial run to see if you can unblock websites, protect your data and stream US Netflix if you can’t already do so in your area. Visit ExpressVPN below to learn more about this offer

Visit ExpressVPN »

ExpressVPN UI

ExpressVPN have always prided themselves on having very minimalist user interfaces allowing their users to easily swap and change server locations and adjust settings as needed. The look and feel has to be among some of the best we’ve come across with everything feeling streamlined while still making it easy to forget your using a VPN which is important as you don’t want anything getting in the way of things like streaming Netflix or interfering with things while you transfer data or bank online.

For this ExpressVPN review we installed on Windows and Android so let’s first go ahead and take a look at the UI on windows.

Windows UI –What’s the look and feel like?

On Windows the ExpressVPN UI has a really streamlined look and feel making it seriously easy to open up the VPN, Connect and leave it going in the background.

Initially ExpressVPN will give you a list of recommended servers to connect to which will normally give you the best speeds as these are chosen in most part by basing things on your location and current IP address.

If you want to take a look at what other server locations you have to pick from you can do this by clicking ‘By Region’ which will give you a whole heap of new locations to pick from. This is especially handy if you are travelling and still want to watch things like Game Of Thrones using a US IP address.

Alternatively ExpressVPN lets you choose ‘By Name’ which will give you and alphabetical list of countries around the world in which ExpressVPN currently run servers from for you to connect to.

When using ExpressVPN on Windows the program can be easily minimised to your system tray meaning it’s out of the way while you make use of your new connection but can easily be accessed again by right clicking the icon and selecting ‘Show ExpressVPN’

Android UI – Does it get in the way?

Once you have the VPN installed and activated on your Android device it’s actually very easy to forget the complexity of the application and what’s going on behind the scenes as it just feels like any other Android App you would expect to find on your device.

On the main screen of the ExpressVPN app you are greeted by the recommend server locations for you to connect to. These are based on their connection speed and your current location.

You are also able to favorite your most commonly used servers and connections into a nice and neat list. This is seriously useful as in just a couple of taps of your android device you can be connected to a server and be free to use your new encrypted connection.

While ExpressVPN is running on your android and you have connected to a new server you will see a handy tray icon appear giving you a breakdown of the current connection and rough estimate of the speed at that current moment. The speed stats here will depend solely on your current usage.

ExpressVPN Servers

ExpressVPN offers 100+ VPN server locations in over 78 countries around the world with the United States notably getting the highest priority in locations like Los Angeles, New York and Miami. They also have a strong presence throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia so you can be sure to find a fast and reliable server location near you.

When connecting to a VPN server we have noticed little to no lag or downtime on any of the locations we’ve tested around the world which is a good sign the network infrastructure is solid and reliable.

When choosing a server on ExpressVPN it’s important to note what you will be using the connection for.

If you are simply looking to unblock and access censored content like Facebook, Skype or Twitter in your region for example East Asia you can still pick a server location that’s closer to you like Hong Kong or Los Angeles as the speed will be much improved when compared to a server location on the East coast of the United States.

If your goal is to simply protect your data and activity against third parties and hackers looking to exploit it. You should pick a server location that’s closest to you to ensure you still maintain fast speeds and are still protected by a high level of encryption.

ExpressVPN Security & Privacy

OpenVPN is set a default for ExpressVPN which in our eyes is a good choice offering a high level of security on each new connection to a VPN server. This can be run over TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) Or UDP (User Datagram Protocol) with TCP being the more reliable as it offers error correction meaning when a network packet is sent across the network it will wait and confirm the data has arrives before resending the packet (if no confirmation has been received back)

Let’s take a look at the protocols ExpressVPN has to offer:

• OpenVPN (TCP, UDP)
• L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol)
• PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol)
• SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol)

For this ExpressVPN review we mainly used OpenVPN as L2TP and PPTP offer less security and also may only provide a subset of server locations for you to use with the service.

When choosing which protocol to use it is again important to know what you are going to be using the connection for. ExpressVPN is by default set to pick a protocol automatically in which in normally opt’s for OpenVPN but to be sure every connection remains the same it’s a good idea to go into the settings on Windows or Android and adjust this to UDP – OpenVPN which should give you the best combination of speed and security.

The OpenVPN encryption on ExpressVPN takes place under AES-256bit which is more than enough for most needs while still having no effect on things like streaming Netflix or downloading using Bittorent.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands which makes it out of reach of most jurisdictions looking to get hold of large quantities of data from users of the service. Notably the US and EU data retention laws who notoriously impose rules and regulations on the kinds of data they wish a VPN service to store over a period of time.

Minimal logs are stored by ExpressVPN along with the use of shared IP addresses meaning you are in effect sheltered from prying eyes by being bundled in with a large amount of other user traffic. The only exception to this would be a large government backed operation or high level security expert looking to target you specifically (Which is in some ways possible but most unlikely)

Customer Support & Troubleshooting

ExpressVPN like most other larger VPN providers offer a wide range of options when it comes to getting in contact quickly and easily if you want to query the service or have run into an issue.

They offer round the clock Live Chat which enables you to get in contact with the support staff quickly and easily and ask questions or solve any problems that have arisen with the service or your subscription. In our experience they respond instantly to any query and if they happen to have information on hand they will point you in the right direction.

The biggest plus for ExpressVPN’s support is the shear amount of Setup tutorials and Troubleshooting guides they have written up in the support sections of the website. You are quickly able to answer most queries by doing a quick search and finding exactly what you are looking for.

We put this to the test by installing ExpressVPN’s OpenVPN on an Asus router ‘RT-N66U’ and followed the setup guide step-by-step and after a few minutes we were connected with a reliable connection to a VPN server based in New York.

The guides are also constantly updated by demand and with feedback from their users meaning no matter what hardware you are trying to install ExpressVPN upon they will be sure to have a guide for it or one in the pipeline for upcoming versions.

ExpressVPN Review Conclusion…

We really found it hard to find anything bad to say about ExpressVPN in this Review due to how reliable each and every connection has been with the service.

Sometimes VPN providers tend to fall short on backend areas like support and guides but this really is not the case with ExpressVPN who offer an ever growing, and ever more reliable support structure to their service.

The encryption levels offered are a real big plus to the VPN service giving you more than enough protection whether you are simply looking to stream things like Netflix or even if you want to safeguard your sensitive file transfers or download habits.

With a 30-Day money back guarantee you really can’t go wrong giving them a trial run especially if you have never used a VPN service before and want to learn how having this in your security arsenal can have a big effect on keeping your personal information safe.

The post ExpressVPN Review (Let’s See What They Have To Offer?) appeared first on VPN Freaks.

In this post we are going to cover the 5 Best VPN for Netflix to allow you access shows and movies that would normally only be accessible if you lived in the United States.

However by using a VPN to spoof your IP address location to appear in the United States you are able to open up a vast catalogue of new shows and movies by unlocking the US version of Netflix. How is this possible? Keep reading along, we’ve got you covered.

So what is Netflix? (Brief introduction to Netflix)

Netflix is a media giant these days when it comes to streaming movies and videos online.

In addition to providing media and video on demand to countless users worldwide, Netflix has also added film and television production to its repertoire producing great hits like “House Of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black” that find people binge watching episode after episode on the platform.

However, there is an issue:

Enjoying the streaming service Netflix provides is not equal for all people around the world.  US residents have preferential access to more shows and movies than most other versions of the service namely those users accessing from the United Kingdom.

The US film and movie industry is the biggest in the world. As such many of its copyright laws apply in distribution of film and movies. Copyright laws state that movies can only be distributed and shown in the country where they were produced.

For this to happen in other countries, massive payments have to be made to the production company.  That’s why big movie releases are done outside the US by companies licensed by the production companies in the US.

Netflix follows these copyright laws in streaming film, movies and television shows in other countries.  While Netflix allows viewers from most countries around the world to set up an account, the experiences largely differ when it comes to movie or TV shows selection.

Viewers in the US can access over 10,000 titles while those in other countries can get access to only what has been licensed. Canadian viewers for example, can only access 3500 titles which is a vast difference.

Netflix is also banned and blocked in North Korea, China, Syria and the Crimea region. These countries use censoring technologies to restrict access to Netflix and also identify who is trying to access it.

Geo-blocking technology is also used from Netflix’s end to ensure that viewers outside the US can only see what is licensed in their countries.

Netflix’s popularity is growing bigger as more movies and television shows are added to the titles on offer.  It plans to reach 130 countries by the end of 2016.

With Netflix growing by the day, it’s easy to see why users from areas outside of the US still want access to great content that they are currently blocked from. This is where the Best VPNs for Netflix come into play.

How can a VPN Unblock Netflix?

Using a Virtual Private Network or a VPN is the best way to unblock Netflix restrictions and enjoy viewership just like in the US.

A VPN is able to encrypt user data from monitoring such that the restricting technology cannot identify where the viewer is physically located and make any users IP address appear as if it’s based in the United States.

Viewers all around the world have been viewing full US Netflix for a while by using a VPN for Netflix.

In China alone, 10 million + viewers use VPN to access US Netflix.  There are many more viewers from around the world using a VPN to get around censorship and hide from Netflix’s geo blocking technology.

In 2014, Sony Pictures criticized Netflix for not doing enough to combat use of VPN to access copyrighted content without paying for it. This led to Netflix announcing in 2016 that it will be monitoring use of proxies and VPNs in an attempt to curb the growth of many users attempting to access US based content.

However to this day, many VPN providers still promote and even offer ways to still get around any of the restriction on Netflix which is why it’s important to know what to look for and be informed before making a decision who to go with.

What to look for in the Best VPN for Netflix

Let’s take a look at what you will need to get around Geo-restrictions on Netflix:

A good VPN for Netflix should definitely have servers in the US so that the viewer’s IP address shows itself in that location, but let’s list some features we want to see from a solid VPN when using Netflix.

• US based VPN servers (Allowing you to connect and appear in the United States)
• Fast Speed (We don’t want to hang around waiting for buffering when watching movies)
• Easy-to-install (Easy installation on multiple devices like Apple TV)
• Good Customer Support (Great support to help you with issues or setup)
• Good price (We already pay for Netflix so we want a cheap VPN service)

By matching our Best VPN for Netflix on these areas we can ensure we’ve made a good choice.

The speed of the connection through a VPN server will be a critical area as we don’t want this to ruin the viewing experience once you’ve unblocked US Netflix using a VPN so keep this in mind if you try out any of the below services.

Ok, so now we know what to look for, let’s take a look at the 5 Best VPN for Netflix…

Buffered

Buffered VPN comes out on top as the Best VPN for Netflix based on it’s countless features and lightening fast speeds which make it a great choice for unblocking Netflix to watch TV shows and movies.

This VPN provider is based in Hungary which means you are out of the US and UK areas of jurisdiction which are well known for keeping track of user habits online. This fact is very important when it comes to unblocking Netflix with a VPN because VPN providers based in the US could be forced to give up sensitive data on your usage.

Using Buffered VPN for Netflix is seriously simple, you have countless options for installation but for us we simply installed the VPN client on a Windows Desktop PC and we were able to connect and Unblock the US version of Netflix and begin watching thousands of more shows than can be found on other country specific versions of the streaming service.

Buffered offer all it’s new users a 30-day Money back Guarantee which is ideal for anyone looking for a solid VPN provider to use with Netflix and it will give you 30 days to check and see how it all works, and ensure you can successfully unblock the US version of the streaming service.

Visit Buffered »

IPVanish

IPVanish makes the grade as they offer some of the best VPN software available for almost each and every platform imaginable.

The VPN client allows you to run your connection over a shared IP. This means you have yet another layer of protection to go along with the already hefty level of encryption they provide.

The speeds you can reach with IPVanish never fail to impress us, and with servers in 61 countries you can be sure wherever you are in the world you will easily be able to login to your US version of Netflix using this VPN client.

IPVanish also allow you to pay using Bitcoin which is a great addition to those of you who are familiar with concurrency and need more options when it comes to paying for the service.

They offer as standard a 7-day trial period, which is perfect if you need a VPN service quickly for Netflix if you plan to travel and still want access to great TV shows or Movies on the go!

Visit IPVanish »

AirVPN

AirVPN is a breath of fresh air when it comes to a good VPN service for unblocking Netflix. It’s sole purpose is to provide VPN client to its users with the key focus being your privacy!

Created by proud supporters of net neutrality based in Italy, AirVPN keep Zero-logs of you usage which is a great benefit if you don’t want your usage being sent to 3rd parties or Netflix themselves.

The VPN client once installed is seriously reliable and offers fast speeds which means literally no buffering when watching TV shows or movies on Netflix.

They also allow you to run 3 simultaneous connections to AirVPN so that you can watch US Netflix on the TV and other’s in the house can watch on PC, tablet or smart phones at the same time.

Unlike other VPN providers AirVPN also offer VPN over TOR which is something you don’t normally see, but still great if you find yourself looking for web pages not indexed on Google or similar directories.

While they offer only a 3-day trial this is more than enough time to install, and test the connection to US Netflix which really doesn’t disappoint on speed or stability.

Visit AirVPN »

ExpressVPN

Probably one of the most established providers on our Best VPN for Netflix list, ExpressVPN for most people is the go-to option and it’s easy to see why!

With VPN servers in over 78+ countries worldwide you have a lot of choice when it comes to picking the fastest server to connect to for US Netflix. Along with fast servers, they offer tonnes of installation options for desktop, iOS, Android and countless others.

We would recommend ExpressVPN as an overall secure VPN to install on your home router, as this way you can not only protect anything connected to it by WiFi or Ethernet cable, you can ensure while browsing you sensitive data and usage is secure as they keep no logs of you activity.

One big plus for using ExpressVPN for Netflix is that they too offer a 30-day Money Back Guarantee which gives you 30 days to trial the VPN client to see it’s speed and reliability when connecting to Netflix.

Visit ExpressVPN »

PureVPN

PureVPN makes the cut based on its superior customer support and great support forums that allow users to ask questions and get support when connecting the VPN client and installing.

This support structure has made PureVPN what it is today, as they often implement popular features many of its users want to see added to their VPN software.

PureVPN also offers countless installation options like the other VPN providers on this list, however unlike some it gives in-depth tutorials and has 24/7 live chat that are willing to help with any installation of its service.

Using PureVPN to watch US Netflix couldn’t be easier with their easy-to use client that allows you in just a few clicks to connect to a server and begin streaming. They even give you options that allow you to pick the type of connection your going to make based on streaming, general use or for higher security.

If you want to know more about PureVPN you can check out our PureVPN Review or head over to their straight to the point website below!

Visit PureVPN »

Using Netflix VPN and Apple TV

While all the VPN providers above support installing a VPN onto your home Router, or Desktop in order to share your internet connection with devices like Apple TV for watching Netflix. You may still want to take a look at our Apple TV list here.

Things To Consider When using a Netflix VPN

Netflix took action back in January 2016 in a effort to curb the use of VPN’s connecting to and using it’s service to access the US version of it’s film and TV show catalogue. This action led to March 2016 being a notable month for android owners using a Netflix VPN as updates to the app effectively halted any use of the streaming service using a VPN.

It’s important to know that using any of the above Best VPN for Netflix will currently give you access to the US catalogue, the situation is fast paced and fluid with numerous VPN providers being blocked, then finding new ways to re-access the service for its users.

While the end of this ongoing Netflix VS VPN’s battle doesn’t seem to be in sight due to ever growing pressure from Studios looking to protect their copyrighted content, you can rest assured that we will keep updating this 5 Best VPN for Netflix list to ensure each and every VPN provider on the list is working and active for use with Netflix.

Best VPN For Netflix Conclusion…

It’s easy to see that Netflix offers a service to it’s customers that is currently un-rivalled in the streaming and online media space, which makes it even more easier to understand why the vast majority of its users would want to access the larger versions of its TV and Film’s catalogue using a VPN service.

A VPN for Netflix opens up a new door on your monthly subscription to Netflix allowing you not only to get your local catalogue of films, but have access to something more and get more value for your money.

Using the criteria we mentioned earlier in the post you should quickly be able to locate and choose the best vpn provider for Netflix, ensuring your speeds are stable and you don’t have any issues with connecting or buffering.

Even though Netflix will never be fully happy with VPN users getting access to geo-specific content, it’s safe to assume you are one member of a much larger audience with the same issue of wanting to connect to the US versions of its service.

If you have any issues, or questions regarding connecting a certain VPN service to Netflix please feel free to leave a comment below and we will get back to you!

The post 5 Best VPN for Netflix appeared first on VPN Freaks.

Pandora Internet Radio is one of the most popular music streaming and recommendation services based in the US.

But here’s the issue:

This service is only available in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Only residents in these three countries can access this service which makes it troublesome for anyone outside of these areas to gain access.

Of course as with most things online, there are ways around this issue which is why we’ve covered off the 5 Best VPN For Pandora so that you can unblock the service by changing your IP address to match one of the above three locations.

What makes Pandora so good? 

Pandora is intuitive and tracks any listener’s music preferences to stream them music according to the tastes of the listener.

For example, if you search something like “Cold Play” this will bring up all the available music by that band and similar music or tracks from other bands in the same genre.

The listener then has access to a Reddit style voting system and can vote the music ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ which reflects to the rating of the track.

Pandora can be accessed on both desktop and mobile platforms. It is available on Android, IoS, Blackberry, Windows, Kindle Fire and Nook.

Users in the three allowed countries like the United States can create an account easily and begin listening to music.

Free users will have to suffer the small inconvenience of adverts from time to time but can be removed if you choose to upgrade Pandora and the ads are removed and the skins can be changed.

How to unblock Pandora using a VPN?

Pandora follows DCMA regulations on copyright by restricting access to its services to residents of US, Australia and New Zealand where the content is licensed.

Before 2007, Pandora internet radio used zip codes to restrict listeners outside these countries.  This was found to be highly inefficient and easy to get around.

After 2007, IP addresses were used to restrict access to content. This has been achieved by Pandora using geo-blocking technology that recognizes where in the world any new user is browsing the website from.

For those who would like to use Pandora outside the US, New Zealand and Australia, they must unblock Pandora and go around the restrictions.

Using a Pandora VPN is the most simple and effective way to beat these restrictions. Using a VPN for Pandora any user is able to hide their real location and circumnavigate Pandora’s geo-blocking by appearing in the United States for example.

By using a VPN to unblock Pandora a new user is able to simple able to sign up from anywhere in the world and access the service from countries like the UK or India with no restrictions.

A Pandora VPN works by hiding the internet traffic through encryption and connection protocols like OpenVPN. This makes it hard to know where you are connecting to the internet from.

The Best VPN’s for Pandora are those services that have reliable and fast VPN servers based in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

The more servers they have in these locations the better as you can swap and change your connection to test speeds and streaming without any buffering.

Now that we’ve established how a VPN can Unblock Pandora anywhere in the world let’s take a look at some of the criteria we will want to look for in a good VPN for Pandora.

What to look for in the Best VPN For Pandora

Let’s see what we need to look for:

When it comes to streaming music online the biggest issue we have to get right is speed as we don’t want to be hanging around waiting for our favorite tracks and songs to buffer before playing.

Take a look below as we’ve listed some of the things you want to look for in any service before committing to a Pandora VPN service for the long run:

• Speed (We want a fast VPN for Pandora with no buffering issues)
• Easy-to-install (We don’t want a VPN client that takes ages to install)
• Ease-of-use (We want a service that in just a few clicks let you change you IP address)
• Good Server Selection (We want VPN servers based in the US, Australia and New Zealand)
• Friendly Customer Support (We want helpful support in case we have issues setting up the VPN)
• Cheap Price (We want to look for a cheap VPN offering a Good Price/Speed ratio)

By only looking for a VPN for Pandora based on these areas:

We are able to ensure we have picked ourselves to best Pandora VPN provider that will allow us to unblock and stream music with no restrictions or buffering issues.

Not only this but the VPN service will help us stay protected while browsing online behind a high level of encryption so when we are not using Pandora we still want to be able to use for things like Online Banking or general use to keep our sensitive data protected from hackers.

Now that we know what to look for lets dive in and take a look at the 5 Best VPN for Pandora…

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a great Pandora VPN as they both go hand in hand because of its large selection of VPN servers based in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. These make it perfect for streaming music on Pandora.

With great apps on nearly everything platform, including an Android app that is hard to beat it really is easy to see why ExpressVPN is a top choice for people looking to unblock Pandora Internet Radio if they are based outside of the US.

The speeds when streaming music on nearly all US VPN servers are reliable and offer no buffering which is a key factor when looking for the Best VPN For Pandora radio.

When it comes to price ExpressVPN does come in a little more expensive than the competition, however you get what you pay for as you can use the VPN client on multiple devices simultaneously meaning while you listen to music on Pandora from  your laptop you can browse the internet on your smart phone behind a high level of security that makes it near impossible for hackers or other 3rd parties to steal sensitive data from you.

ExpressVPN’s customer service also offer round the clock support so if you have any issue installing or unblocking Pandora they are always there to help.

Better Still:

ExpressVPN currently offer a 30-day money back guarantee which gives you 30 days to give them a trial run to see if they are fast and reliable for using to unblock Pandora Internet Radio.

Visit ExpressVPN »

AirVPN

AirVPN is a great option for using with Pandora for those of you concerned about privacy.

This VPN provider is run and operated by proud supporters of net neutrality and their key priority is keeping your information safe which is why they have a Zero Logging policy which means they don’t store any of your activity with the VPN service.

Using this privacy conscious VPN provider you are able to reach quick and reliable speeds from servers based all over the world which makes them another ideal candidate for using alongside Pandora to stream your favourite music.

One area of note is the payment options:

With AirVPN they also allow you to pay anonymously using methods such as Bitcoin (Cryptocurrency) that helps to ensure none of your payment details are being stored by the service.

AirVPN offers high levels of encryption to all their users which makes it easy to protect yourself online behind what is essentially a virtual brick wall.

Coming in at a good price this is a top choice for anyone worried about security or looking to get started using a VPN service, they offer guides to install on almost any device and support forums where you can talk to other users of the service.

If privacy is your top concern you should definitely check them out below!

Visit AirVPN »

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a seriously fast VPN service for Pandora in our tests using Speedtest.net and showed some great results for upload and download speeds across the board.

Using CyberGhost to unblock pandora you are able to quickly sign up, and experience buffer less streaming of music. They also offer a free version of the CyberGhost VPN client which is great for anyone who has never used a VPN before and wants to get started, however we would never recommend a free service for sites like Pandora or Netflix as the VPN servers are heavily shared and speed reductions would play a part in your user experience with the service.

Not to worry though CyberGhost also offer a 30-day free trial of the VPN so you can sign up and connect to unblock Pandora and see how it all works within this time frame.

They are also very privacy conscious and collect Zero log’s of you VPN usage which is great if you want to use their service for more than just listening to music on Pandora.

 Visit CyberGhost »

PureVPN

Check out our PureVPN Review »

PureVPN made the Best VPN for Pandora list based in most part on how easy they are to use.

From the website to installing the PurVPN client on desktop or mobile everything just seems streamlined and seriously easy!

If you run into any issues unblocking Pandora internet radio they offer 24/7 live chat, along with a great support forum that users often use to discuss new features they want to see from this VPN provider.

When using Pandora with PureVPN the speeds are some of the best we’ve seen and you are quickly able to pick a server based in the US, connect and begin creating an account and streaming music. They have loads of servers based all around the world that make it ideal if you going to use the VPN for more than just music streaming. You can even use PureVPN to play games over VPN with specific servers for each task.

When it comes to price point keep an eagle eye out as PureVPN often change the pricing for the monthly, 6 month and 12 month packages so be sure to visit the site and purchase when the price is at its lowest.

 Visit PureVPN »

HideMyAss VPN

HideMyAss VPN is a solid choice when it comes to a VPN for Pandora. They are one of the largest VPN providers on the market offering over 591+ servers in 69 countries and growing!

They also don’t limit you bandwidth so there are no worries about streaming music using Pandora for long periods of time.

HideMyAss also offer tonnes of freebies to their members from free proxies, and lots of other ways you can use the service to keep your data safe and secure online.

The VPN client itself is probably one of the most easy to use out there, and even has a built in speed test so you can run checks on possible servers before even connecting to them to see which is the best for your current location.

On price HideMyAss VPN offer great value with their tools and app’s, and also offer the 30-day money back guarantee which is something we love to see!

For Pandora HideMyAss makes the list not only on value and performance its also one of the quickest out there for unblocking websites and protecting your browsing behind a high level of encryption.

 Visit HideMyAss VPN »

Best VPN For Pandora Conclusion…

Every VPN provider on this 5 Best VPN For Pandora list offers a fast a reliable service for unblocking Pandora and streaming you favourite music.

It’s no surprise that all of them offer either trials or a 30-day money back guarantee as this is something we simply love to see from VPN providers as it gives every new user a chance to try out the service for themselves without risk.

ExpressVPN comes out top on our list as this is based on all the criteria mentioned earlier in the post. Regardless of the fact they may come in slighlty more expensive than the others ExpressVPN still prove that with a combination of easy to use apps, good speeds and reliable customer support and connections they are able to become easily the best service to go with when looking to use a vpn with Pandora Internet Radio.

The post 5 Best VPN for Pandora appeared first on VPN Freaks.

Let’s face it:

From the early days of gaming and playing titles like Doom back in 1993 on a clunky overbearing desktop. The gaming industry has come on leaps and bounds since then.

It has grown into one of, if not the largest entertainment industries in the world with huge advancements in technology and places to play and buy games easily on PC like Steam “Valve Corporation”

This makes it no surprise that:

With all this upgraded gaming hardware people will go out looking for the Best VPN for Gaming as this can open up a whole new world of gaming content.

This is especially the case if:

Most games you want to play are locked by geo location or have country specific DLC (Downloadable Content) that is simply unreachable.

Definitely the case if you live outside of the United States and there are games or content locked to that region.

While for the most part:

VPN’s can be considered not ideal to your optimal gaming experience because of any latency issues or lag that occurs.

It’s important to know:

Based on where you are playing your games in the world you can still be at risk or sharing unwanted data like your real IP address or simply be locked out of some features on new gaming titles.

Not to mention:

Being locked out out of country specific sales on sites like HumbleBundle or missing out on the beta, or early access of some of your most anticipated gaming release’s.

With VR (Virtual Reality) gaming just getting started:

It’s a good idea to ensure you have all the tools at your disposal to get the most out of any given gaming experience whether you choose to play games on PC, Mac or consoles.

What to look for in the Best VPN for Gaming

Lets take a look:

When it comes to using a VPN for gaming the most important areas you will want to look at are speed and ease-of-use.

You don’t want something that will cumbersome and consume your time which could be better spent having fun playing games!

Below we’ve listed some of the criteria we’ve chosen our 5 Best VPN For Gaming list on:

• Speed (We want reduced lag or latency issues)
• Ease-of-use (We don’t want overly technical software or countless security options)
• Helpful Customer Support (Preferably 24/7 Live chat and support forums)
• Good Server Selections (Fast Servers Based Close To Your Current Location and In United States for DLC)
• Price (We want a good Price/Performance ratio)

By basing our chosen gaming VPN on these points:

We can ensure we’ve picked ourselves the best option, however if you are going to use your VPN service for more than just gaming head over to our 10 Features to Look for when Buying a VPN.

This will give you further insight on additional areas to look for in your VPN Provider!

Now we know what we’re looking for in a VPN for gaming:

Let’s go take a look at the 5 Best VPN for Gaming list…

IP Vanish

IPVanish has been a big player in the gaming VPN industry to nearly two whole decades.

This is no surprise when you take a look at the speeds they offer when connecting to their VPN servers based in the US and all over the world. If you combine this with the fact they keep zero logs of your usage and allow tonnes of payment options like bitcoin to buy this VPN then it’s easy to see why this security conscious VPN provider is a top choice for gamer’s.

When it comes to latency or lag while gaming:

IPVanish go out of there way to offer the most minimal laggy gaming experience possible and offer a lot of options for installation, so whether you are playing games using a VPN on PC or consoles they have you covered with numerous tutorials and guides to get it all set-up.

Not only this:

They offer a 7-day Money Back Guarantee to anyone looking to use there VPN for Gaming, so you can go ahead and give them a trial run for a week to see if you are happy!

Visit IPVanish »

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offer some of the most easy-to-use and user friendly VPN apps out there, and for gamers using a VPN this is great news.

Why’s this good news?

When looking for the Best VPN For Gaming we put a lot of effort in looking for the VPN providers with the best server selections in the US and matched this against everything else like speed, price and overall performance.

In all the above ExpressVPN comes out as one of the top performers offering great speed when playing games on PC and Console even with the high level of encryption they place on each and every connection.

Gaming with a VPN needs to be as trouble free as possible, but if you run into trouble ExpressVPN offer round the clock 24/7 support to answer any question or query you may have along the way.

They offer great great cross platform support, but for us we installed ExpressVPN on our Router so that any device connecting to it via WiFi or Enthernet cable was able to access and unlock DLC or games that were previously not available to us outside of the United States.

Like IPVanish, ExpressVPN also offer a money back guarantee, but it’s a whopping 30 days!

This means you can try ExpressVPN for 30 hole days and install the gaming VPN to see what kinds of speeds you are able to reach. Not to mention the new game beta’s you can access in this time frame if they are country specific.

Visit ExpressVPN »

PureVPN

PureVPN offers gamers worldwide access to a high speed teir-1 network which has proven highly popular with players of MMO based games.

Throughout the world they offer servers that provide a latency free gaming and  are designed solely for gamers which is something that other gaming VPN’s out there don’t do!

When you’ve installed PureVPN you will notice that built into the User interface you can quickly pick and choose your connection type specifically for gaming. This feature then goes out to ensure your have the optimal experience when trying to connect to gaming servers, or servers from countries across the world for your chosen game.

PureVPN is also a great tool when it comes to finding cheap games online!

Using this VPN you can quickly switch your IP address to a country where a specific sale is happening, allowing you to pick up a CD key or copy of the game to later install or play on your PC or gaming console.

If you want to find out more things you can do with PureVPN check out our: PureVPN Review

Like the other Best VPN’s for Gaming, PureVPN also offer you 30 days to give them a trial run and test on PC or Console gaming!

Visit PureVPN »

NordVPN

NordVPN offers you a substantial 571+ VPN servers in 49 countries worldwide which helps ensure that wherever you are in the world and fast and reliable server is always close by.

They also boast that connection speeds are lightening fast so this should ensure that any lag while gaming is greatly reduced and provide you with a good upload/download ratio while connecting to your favourite games using the service.

Zero logging while you play games is also a real thing with NordVPN as they have a strict no logging policy which means anything you do while using this VPN provider is not stored by the service.

You can also connect up to 6 devices simultaneously which means while your playing games on a VPN you can also hook up your phone, laptop or tablet and expect the same level of speed and protection.

NordVPN also offer reasonable prices for the 12 month subscriptions, and even offer 6 months free from time to time. As is becoming the norm they also offer the 30-day money back guarantee so you are free to sign up, download and install the VPN then put it through its paces while playing games.

Visit NordVPN »

VPNArea

As one of the newest VPN’s on the block, VPNArea already do a tonne of things just right!

When it comes to gaming using VPNArea the VPN runs seriously smoothly once installed on your chosen device. They offer lots of server choice even in countries in the world most VPN providers don’t touch like Saudi Arabia and Iran. The speeds are comparable to that of PureVPN which is already a great benchmark to have in place.

The only drawback of the service is that they simply haven’t been around long enough for VPN gamers to have given them enough of a go and push them to the max using demanding gaming servers.

They made the 5 Best VPN For Gaming purely based on the fact they are set to become a big player in the VPN space, and gamers who are looking for a service that will be around for the long run will want to get in early to snap up a good deal while this gaming VPN is still in it’s infancy.

Despite being a new player VPNArea are already quick to offer a 7-day money back on the VPN apps they provide. With a cheap price and Zero logging it’s easy to see why they are already on the rise!

Visit VPNArea »

5 Best VPN For Gaming Conclusion…

OK, so we’ve covered our Best VPN For Gaming:

While using a gaming VPN can be of great benefit to you unlock or unblock a games DLC or content that is currently not available in your country it’s important to know that the speed of the VPN service plays the biggest part in making your gaming experience more enjoyable.

Next to best to this:

The price you have to pay to get access to the service is a key factor and with many of the above 5 VPN’s offering a money back guarantee or 7-day trial its worth just taking the leap and trying them out to see what works best for you.

Even just trying some of the paid VPN providers for gaming it’s easy to see why a free VPN for gaming is not a good option as speeds tend to be slow or unreliable at best. So to ensure you have the best tool at your disposal it’s important to do your research and know what your key demands are from your VPN service.

The post 5 Best VPN For Gaming appeared first on VPN Freaks.

So you’ve been wanting buy an Apple TV set-top box or may even already own the device, but want to find the Best VPN for Apple TV so that you can access TV shows or content that is not currently available to you. We’ve got you covered, follow along as we help you make the best decision when choosing which VPN to setup on your Apple TV…

So What Is Apple TV?

Apple TV started out back in 2006 when its main use was to sync up Apple devices or iTunes from a computer so you could play and listen to your entire collection of albums. Since then this multimedia device has come a long way and the set-top box now has a huge upgrade in power over its predecessors, but even now most users of the device simply don’t realise that adding a VPN into the mix will mean you can get even more from the multimedia device and unblock shows you might not already have access to.

These days most users use Apple TV to stream services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Hulu. These apps are all easily installed on the device and allow for you to watch endless hours of TV shows, music or even listen to your favourite radio shows all from your television in the living room, however most users of the device will quickly notice that depending on where you are in the world you may not be able to access things like US Netflix for example. For this you will need a VPN which is why we’ve gone ahead a compiled a list of the 5 Best VPN for Apple TV so you can quickly gain access to shows you might not already have access to in your country using this device.

The fourth generation of the Apple TV comes with a handy wireless smart remote that allows you to scroll and use in a similar way to that of a laptops track pad. You can even while searching talk into the remote using the in-built microphone that connects to Siri and helps you find anything you are looking for from apps to your favourite music.

How Will Setting Up A VPN For Apple TV Help You?

When it comes to using a VPN on Apple TV there has never been a better time than right now, as streaming services like US Netflix are consistently updating their libraries with new shows that will keep you and your family and friends entertained for hours on end.

Our 5 Best VPN for Apple TV will help you in making and informed decision when it comes to picking the right VPN provider to go with as this is never an easy task especially if you’ve never used a VPN before but want to setup a VPN on Apple TV to have access to more great content.

For most of you, you will be wanted to access US based content either because you are not based in the United States or you are travelling. To do this you will need to the following:

1. A Good VPN Provider With Reliable Servers Based In The United States
2. A Method To Connect Your Apple TV To Your Chosen VPN Provider And Server (PC Internet or Router)
3.  A Valid US iTunes Account And US Based Payment Method (To get the most out of your VPN Apple TV!)

We’ve got you covered for step 1. by showing you the 5 Best VPN For Apple TV below, for steps 2 and 3 we will go more in depth later on so keep reading…

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN has to be one of the all-round best providers of VPN for Apple TV purely based on the shear amount of support they are willing to provide for users of Apple devices. The speed and reliability when used alongside Apple TV is second to none and during our tests once installed showed no buffering when watching TV shows or episodes on Netflix.

Not only is ExpressVPN a good choice for your Apple TV it’s a top choice for iPhone as well providing you with a super easy-to use app that takes less than a minute to setup on your iPhone and allows you to access streaming services on your phone while travelling or away from home.

ExpressVPN was also boosted to our top spot based on customer support as they will even sit and help you setup a VPN on your Apple TV from start to finish. Add this with the fact they offer a 30-day money back guarantee then you really are onto a winner.

Visit ExpressVPN »

PureVPN

PureVPN is an ever popular VPN provider with a great user base that is constantly aimed at improving the service, offering great value to their customers and providing reliable VPN servers and speeds that offer no buffering or waiting around for videos to load. This is great news for Apple TV users who want to quickly hook up a VPN to their device.

On the website PureVPN offer numerous guides, help and tutorials on setting up their VPN service on almost any device, and offer a great support forum that is constantly updated by staff answer user queries or questions.

We tried out PureVPN on Apple TV and were impressed just how simple the installation process was. Within 5 minutes we had it setup and were able to run all our streaming services like Netflix and Hulu through the VPN without issue.

Like ExpressVPN they also offer new customers a 30 day money back, so effectively you can try them out for 30 days for free and see if the VPN is to your liking before deciding on sticking with the service.

Visit PureVPN »

VyprVPN

While VyprVPN does not on the face of things seem to offer a VPN app for Apple TV, they make the cut as they go out of their way to offer 3 options in which you can setup this great VPN service on Apple TV in ways that are not to dissimilar to the methods used for installing a VPN on most other devices in your home that are not already directly hooked up to your computer. We’ve listed some of the 3 options below along with a link to the guide to setting up VyprVPN on your Apple TV…

Option #1 Router Installation (Shares your VPN to everything connected via Wi-Fi)

Option #2 Share your Internet Connection from Mac or PC with your Apple TV

Option #3 Setup VyprVPN on your Tomato Router or DD-WRT

Here’s a link to the Guide to see if this is a good option for you!

We successfully followed the guide and installed VyprVPN on our Router which essentially passed any internet traffic through the encrypted connection offered by the service. We were surprised by the speeds and lack of buffering issues which makes this a great option if you want to protect more than one device in your home and watch US Netflix on other devices like iPad or iPhone using the same connection.

If offering protection to more than one device like Apple TV is you goal then VyprVPN is an Excellent option!

Visit VyprVPN »

AirVPN

Like VyprVPN above AirVPN requires you to use the option to install the VPN service on your router which then gives you access to the highly protected connection allowing you to change your IP address and access US Netflix and other services to watch shows, or list to music that would not normally be available to you on your Apple TV box.

Like other VPN providers AirVPN offer a bucket load of guides on installing a VPN on Apple TV and also have a great user forum which with you log credentials you can join and ask questions to other users of the service and gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the kinds of ways you can use a VPN to great affect.

AirVPN is setup and run by hacktivists who fight for the rights of net neutrality and privacy against censorship so if you are interested in supporting these causes you are doing so just by using the service!

For Apple TV AirVPN performs well above most of its competitors and allows you to switch VPN servers and unlimited amount of times using 3 devices simultaneously which is a superb option if you want to use on other devices like smart phones or tablets.

They also allow you to Buy the VPN using Bitcoin which is a great payment option, so if you want to protect your privacy and get hold of a reliable VPN service that stores no logs of your usage then AirVPN is a good option.

Visit AirVPN »

CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN is another great option for connecting your Apple TV to a VPN server as like some of the VPN providers above they offer good support and a lot of ways in which you can easily install the VPN service on numerous devices. Unlike other VPN providers CyberGhost also offer a completely free version of their VPN service which means they make a great option if you have never used a VPN before to encrypt and protect your information but want to see how it all works. (However due to the speed restrictions on the free version this does not make it ideal for Apple TV)

Along with the free version they have on offer the paid version which is even better and offers greater speeds which are required for using alongside and Apple TV set-top box as you don’t want to experience any downtime or buffering issues if you are trying to watch your favourite shows. If the paid version is to your liking they also offer a package that allows you to connect CyberGhost onto 5 devices simultaneously meaning you can protect every device in your house with a high level of encryption and evade the prying eyes of hackers or anyone looking to get hold of your sensitive information.

Visit CyberGhost »

Connecting Apple TV to a VPN

Ok so by now you’ve completed Step 1 and gone ahead a picked a VPN provider to go with, next if the VPN provider doesn’t already offer app’s in which to install the VPN service onto the Apple TV we have to do one of two things. Either we need share the VPN’s encrypted internet connection from our PC or Mac, or we need to install the VPN service onto our router.

In most cases nearly all VPN providers will offer tutorials on how to do the two things above so it’s definitely worth looking for comprehensive guides already in place, but to help some of you out we will cover sharing your VPN connection using Windows 10.

Sharing A Windows 10 VPN Connection with Another Device (Apple TV)

Sharing your VPN connection from Windows isn’t actually as hard as it sounds, and means you can easily hook up your Windows PC or Laptop to another device and start sharing your encrypted VPN connection.

For connecting Apple TV to your Windows VPN connection all you will need is a Windows PC or Laptop with an active internet connection through WiFi or Ethernet cable.

1.  Install and Connect to your chosen VPN service on Windows
2. Connect your Windows PC or Laptop to your Apple TV using a Ethernet cable
3. On Windows “Right Click” on the “Network” icon normally found on the bottom right of your screen on the taskbar. Click “Open Network and Sharing Center“
4. Looking at the Left-hand panel Click on “Change adaptor settings“
5. Here you will see your active VPN connection (Icon) , Right click on the VPN connection Icon and click on “Properties“
6. On the new window click on the “Sharing” tab and check the box “Allow other network users to connect through this computers internet connection“. If popup appears , click “OK“
7. On the same window click the drop down menu underneath “Home networking connection:” and ensure “Local Area Connection” is selected and click “OK“
8. Now simply open your VPN service and connect to a US based server on Windows, then reboot your Apple TV and reconnect to the VPN internet connection that has been shared

You should now have access to the shared VPN connection from Windows and be able to easily change your server or location using the VPN client which means you can now access US based streaming services that would normally be unavailable to you if you are not from that location or travelling.

Now that we’ve taken a look at hooking your Apple TV up to a VPN connection, lets go ahead and look into how to get a US iTunes account, get US apps installed and setting up a valid US payment method for the streaming services you want to use.

Setting up a US iTunes Account

If you want to get all you can out of you new ‘Wordwide’ Apple TV set-top box you will need to get your hands on a US based iTunes account so that you have no issues accessing US based content. Doing this is simple, all you need to do is create a United States Google Mail account. Once created you can use this E-mail address to sign up to US iTunes. (Just be sure in every area possible to state you are from the United States, even ensure that the iTunes website is a US version and not a localised version if you are living outside the US)

How to turn on US based Apps on Apple TV

While your Apple TV box is connected through a VPN to a US based server, your apps and the apps available to you should already appear as US based versions. If for any reason this is not the case simply follow these steps: Go to “Settings” > iTunes Store > Location > Ensure “United States” is selected.

Setup a valid US Payment Method

While for some apps and streaming service such as Netflix this might not be required, its a good idea to ensure you have a valid US based payment option available to you if you want to ensure everything looks like you are based in the United States to get the most out of your Apple TV box.

There are online services like Payoneer which can act as a virtual US bank account which can be a great option and makes things a whole heap easier as this is a legitimate way to sign up to any streaming service on your Apple TV and setup a subscription as they provide you with a payment card that can be used to receive and make payments using a virtual US bank account. So it’s defiantly worth looking into services like this if you don’t want the hassle of creating a new US based account.

If the above is not a good option for you, and you already own a credit card then you may want to try the following when signing up to a streaming service like Netflix if they only allow US based postal codes or personal information.

1. Use the numbers and not letters of you current postal code: For example if you postal code is BT4 5RD use the numbers 4 & 5
2. Then add zeros until you have exactly 5 digits in the postal code e.g. 45000
3. Then head here to check if this will be a valid zip code to use when signing up to US based services
4. If this zip code shows as invalid or doesn’t work, simply add an extra digit such as 1,2,3 onto the end of the zip code e.g. 45001,45002,45003 etc.

If for any reason you are still not able to generate a valid zip code in order to use your currently owned credit card then the virtual US bank account mentioned above would be the better option for you.

Best VPN For Apple TV Conclusion…

From reading above you can really get a good picture of why using these 5 Best VPN for Apple TV will help get the maximum out of your Apple TV set-top box, and using it to unblock great streaming services and TV shows that interest you that you might not have already had access to.

We’ve covered all the 5 VPN’s you can use with your Apple TV and given you insight into how they can be used, and ways they can be connected. While some may be harder to connect than others you can rest assured that with every VPN service there is always a guide out there telling you how to do any task at hand. Virtual Private Networks may sound complicated but by simply taking action and connecting them to the devices you use on a daily basis you are able to unblock and unlock more features than you would have had in the first place!

The post 5 Best VPN For Apple TV appeared first on VPN Freaks.

In this post we are going to cover How to Watch Game Of Thrones Online using a VPN service to change you IP address so that you never miss a new episode on the day of release!

Game of Thrones is one of the hottest and most watched televisions shows in the U.S. and it has also garnered a whole lot of attention worldwide. Unfortunately, for those living outside of the U.S. there is not a whole lot of choices when it comes to watching it. This is because it is the exclusive property of HBO and it is a subscription based service that is only available to those people living inside of the U.S.

A brief introduction to Game of Thrones…

Game of Thrones is a hugely popular weekly show that is currently in its 6th season. It is filled with amazing battle scenes, drama, love and death that seems to have its viewers on the edge of their couches every single week. Each of the previous seasons are also available so that people who are just now getting into the series can actually catch up on all of the episodes they may have missed.

So what if you don’t live in the United States?

While HBO is an US-based subscription television service that is only available to customers that live within the U.S., Game of Thrones has been a huge hit and it’s popularity has extended well beyond the boundaries of the U.S. By using a VPN service like PureVPN you are able to bypass these country specific restrictions and enable yourself to watch a streaming service even if you are not currently in that location.

Services like HBO were established to provide their paid customers access to a wide range of content as well as Game Of Thrones, so even by singing up outside of the U.S. you are able to access this paid content by changing your IP address to match an area the service would expect a paid user to be connecting from.

Each streaming service makes it possible for almost anyone to connect to their online service and watch a large library of content. The amount you pay for each kind of streaming service is based solely on the specific the service you decide to sign up with. Each one of the services will vary depending on what types of features and options they offer to their customers in each subscription package.

What actually is a VPN?

There are a huge number of VPN providers available on the Internet. They all use powerful encryption that allows you to change your IP address for streaming of paid services and most are so fast you wont even notice the difference between using a VPN to stream and simply using your normal internet connection as it incurs no buffering issues.

A VPN is designed both to protect your identity and allow you to appear to be in another location anywhere in the world. Take a look at the Benefits of VPN for further info!

Why use a VPN to Watch Game Of Thrones Online?

Put simply you would Watch Game Of Thrones Online using a VPN because even if you are not currently based in the U.S. and dont appear to have access to HBO, you can still sign up for the streaming service and use a VPN to change your IP address to one based within the United States allowing you to freely dip into any of the current seasons of Game Of Thrones at will.

A VPN is a seriously useful tool when it comes to streaming as no service is off limits no matter where they are based in the world. Netflix is also a great service to use a VPN for as you are able to quickly and easily use a VPN to access a catalogue of shows that are not available in other countries such as the United Kingdom as they have their own localised version of the streaming service.

Which VPN Service Do We Recommend?

For Watching Game Of Thrones Online Using a VPN if you are based outside of the United States we would currently recommend using PureVPN as they have a whole heap of VPN servers based within the U.S. which makes it easy to quickly pick and choose the fastest server to watch your favourite HBO shows on.

While Game of Thrones is still due to roll on for another few seasons it’s best to get a VPN service connected so that when new episodes hit you are able to watch live with others based in the U.S. and not be hit by the dreaded spoilers for the show that find there way into your day even when you are trying your hardest not to see any.

The post Watch Game Of Thrones Online Using VPN appeared first on VPN Freaks.

The majority of VPN providers will offer 256-bit encryption or higher as standard practice when using their encrypted VPN service and allow you to freely swap and change your current encryption levels.

However it’s important to note that anything over 128-bit encryption is in some ways unnecessary due to the simple fact that 128-bit encryption has yet to be cracked by a brute force attack as there is simply not a supercomputer in the world with enough computing power to be able to crack this level of encryption with the estimate completion time sitting at around 100 years.

When you consider the above when looking into VPN encryption it’s easy to see that most VPN providers have got you covered when it comes to the level of encryption they provide on the service and that anything over the 128 bit encryption level is more of an extra to give you a higher level of security.

While all the bases may be covered once you’ve got your encrypted VPN up and running it’s important to remember that while it would take a long time to break your encryption this is surely only leaving anyone looking to get hold of your sensitive data with the direct approach which means keeping your eyes peeled for the things you are used to being aware of like malicious malware and key loggers that would look to find a way around your high level of encrypted security.

So let’s go ahead and take a look at some of the most popular encrypted VPN services around…

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a stand out when it comes to VPN encryption and reliability as they have OpenVPN set as default which offers you a higher level of security from the get go. The default level of encryption is more than enough for most people’s needs allowing you to browse, download and stream while still maintaining a good level of speed.

The default OpenVPN they have set makes use of a staggering 4096-bit with SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) 512 for the authentication process with AES-256 bit CBC for streaming encryption. However you may still make use of L2TP and PPTP protocols if you require faster speeds and are less concerned about security.

ExpressVPN are currently based in the British Virgin Islands which means you have less concerns around data retention laws or local governments such as in the EU or US looking to break in and monitor activity over the encrypted connection.

PROS

• Speed & Reliability
• Server Choices
• Security Options / Encryption Levels
• Customer Support

CONS

• Price (Rapidly Changing Price Can Leave Some Customers In The Dark)

Make use of the 30-day money back guarantee and give them a trial run by signing up below.

Visit ExpressVPN

SwitchVPN

With SwitchVPN they made the cut as they offer you 2048-bit and 1024-bit encryption using OpenVPN which is simply a staggering level of protection.

They also offer numerous connection protocols such as SST, L2TP and PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) which will give you a huge selection process which may be a bit intimidating the the first time VPN user but for advanced users this encrypted VPN means you can customise your VPN connection to suit the level of protection you require.

PROS

• 24/7 Customer Support (Friendly Staff)
• Huge selection of Encryption Protocols and Settings
• Multi Platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux + PDA’s, iPhone, Android)
• 99.9% Service Up-Time
• Unlimited Bandwidth (Multi-Gigabit network)

CONS

• Speeds can vary greatly depending on the connection protocol you choose
• Connection log storage (Fine for beginners / Worth checking if you deal with highly sensitive connections/data)

Switch VPN is a seriously versatile VPN App if you have it at your disposal, so the fact they offer a 30-day Money back Guarantee means you can give them a risk trial run for 30 days and test the VPN’s capabilities with Unlimited Bandwidth.

Visit SwitchVPN

AirVPN

AirVPN is quite a nifty VPN provider based in Italy that proudly boasts of its creation in the wake of net neutrality laws and concerns. Having been created by hacktivists you can rest assured your privacy is the sole concern of the platform which is highly popular among advanced users who look to transfer sensitive information around the web.

Of course along with the more advanced users, there are still thousands of users who rely on this encrypted VPN to unblock websites, and protect them and their private information from harms way.

The speeds AirVPN can reach on any encrypted connection are mind boggling, so it’s a wonder why this service is not snapped up by a lot more users. They offer features such as VPN through TOR and offer bucket loads of advice on getting a connection to run smoothly whatever you are trying to do.

This encrypted VPN offers a whopping 4096-bit high level of security which is perfect if you are hooking up to a public wi-fi hotspot and don’t want anything eavesdropping on your data transfers.

PROS

• Zero Logs (Your information is Safe!)
• High level of Encryption
• VPN through TOR
• Port Forwarding + SSH/SSL Tunnelling
• Accepts Bitcoin Payments
• Evades VPN Blocks
• 3 Simultaneous Device Connections
• AirVPN website is a real VPN Resource!

CONS

• Italy under European Jurisdiction (Not Ideal!)
• Server selection smaller than most VPN providers
• Some features and settings require high knowledge of VPN configurations (Not ideal for Beginners)

While AirVPN may challenge beginners this encrypted VPN really does give you a huge amount of tools and resources to do pretty much anything using a VPN. The VPN over TOR feature is a really good addition allowing you to add a further layer of protection to you browsing habits. While they do only offer a 3-day trial they are still very much worth a look if a high level of encryption is the top of your shopping list.

Visit AirVPN

CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN really is a stand out when it comes to the way in which they run the VPN service. They offer a free vpn service which allows any new user to simply sign up and start using their easy-to-use VPN apps on Windows, Mac and Smart phones.

The security CyberGhost has at their disposal is 256-bit AES encryption over OpenVPN as default which is also freely available in the free version which is quite mind boggling when you consider most other encrypted VPN providers charge high amounts for such a level of security.

Further security options include PPTP & L2TP which are obtaible but would require some know-how and the ability to sift through manuals to get everything setup. On this subject they do offer a reliable support ticket system which allows you to get help when configuring your connection to ensure you have the highest level of security.

The security with CyberGhost doesn’t only stop with the VPN but extends to areas like the payment process, in which they allow premium users to generate a unique ID that makes it harder to trace payments back to a certain individual. Adding this with the ability to pay with Bitcoin makes them a really secure option to go with.

PROS

• Free version of the VPN client (Rarely Seen with most providers)
• Great server choices and speeds
• Plenty of Protocol choices and security features
• Easy-to-use UI and Apps
• Transparent Service (No logging)

CONS

• Speeds can drop depending on Server selection
• Limited amounts of websites or services block Cyberghost IP’s from connecting

It’s a surprise to see such a well established VPN provider offering a high quality and anonymous service even to it’s free users. As far as the encrypted VPN goes it ticks all the boxes for security and reliability while still staying in an obtainable range for beginners who have never used a VPN before to easily get started and secure their connection. As with other VPN provider for the subscription packages they offer a 30-day money back so you can be sure whether you choose to go paid or try the free version you are able to give them a good trial run before committing for the long term.

Visit CyberGhost

PureVPN

Read Our PureVPN Review!

PureVPN is impressive from the get go, from it’s easy-to-use and transparent website to it’s even easier to use VPN app’s that will quickly have you protected with a high level of encryption. PureVPN has an ever-growing customer base of users from beginners to advanced users who use the service daily to unblock specific websites or streaming services, or use while travelling to get around blocks imposed on certain websites.

PureVPN makes our top 5 encrypted VPN’s based in most part on the fact they offer a whole host of different connection protocols such as PPTP, L2TP/IPSec and SSTP/SSL with 128-bit encryption. Also while it is not mentioned in some areas of the website or packages they also offer OpenVPN which is a good option for overall security.

This encrypted VPN provider also take your privacy very seriously and clearly state in the “privacy policy” that under no circumstances would logs be kept unless (in the unlikely event you are specifically targeted) they are required to do so directly by law enforcement.

PROS

• Super easy-to-install VPN apps for multiple devices
• A great service for first time VPN users
• Excellent round-the-clock support
• Good protocol selections along with OpenVPN

CONS

• Pricing can vary (Be sure to pick the right package $/month)
• Not Zero logging if you take into account the privacy policy

Overall PureVPN sits highly on the top encrypted VPN list solely because it’s a superb VPN app for beginners to get started out, who are also looking to incur a smaller $/month than some other high end and better established providers out there. Rest assured however PureVPN is quickly on the rise with it’s great support and forum that takes what users say on board and quickly implements any changes they want to see for the service. They also have in place the 30-day money back guarantee which like the others above means you can simply try them out for 30 days and see what kinds of things you can do with the service like unblocking websites and securing your sensitive data.

Visit PureVPN

Conclusion

So taking into account this list of the Top 5 Encrpted VPN’s out there we can see that for the most part nearly every service offers a good level of encrypted to ensure you are able to hide your IP and protect your data transfers across the web. Encryption can play a huge part in the service you opt to go for in the long run, however other factors like customer support and price can play a big role in your decision making especially if you are planning to be with them for a long time.  If you are actively looking for a VPN provider to go with it might be worth taking a look at our post about the 10 Features to look for in a VPN as this will give you further insight in the kinds of areas you should be looking at before committing to a subscription package.

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