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Comparisons VPN Comparison 2026

VPN Comparison 2026

Nine VPN providers, from free to all-in-one packages with antivirus. We compare prices, privacy, technology and features based on verifiable facts and tell you which VPN suits whom.

  • 9 providers
  • 26 criteria
  • Updated October 2026
  • Prices in euros

Links marked “Ad” are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission. This has no influence on the information in the table. How we compare

Our recommendations by use case

  • Privacy and a free start

    Proton VPN

    from €3.49 (2 years)

    Open source, based in Switzerland, audited multiple times and the only free plan without a data limit.

    Visit Proton VPNAdProfile

  • Maximum anonymity

    Mullvad

    €5, always the same

    No account with email, payment in cash possible, fixed price without teaser offers.

    Visit MullvadProfile

  • Many devices, little money

    Surfshark

    from €2.49 (2 years)

    Unlimited devices, based in the EU and very cheap over a two-year term.

    Visit SurfsharkProfile

  • Travel and streaming

    NordVPN

    from €3.49 (2 years)

    Servers in over 170 countries, fast and with obfuscation for restricted networks.

    Visit NordVPNProfile

All 9 providers in detail

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Showing all 9 providers.

CriterionProton VPNWebsiteAdNordVPNWebsiteSurfsharkWebsiteExpressVPNWebsiteMullvadWebsiteCyberGhostWebsitePrivate Internet AccessWebsiteIVPNWebsiteWindscribeWebsite
Price
Free planYes, no data limit, 1 device, 10 countriesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYes, 10 GB per month, 10 countries
Lowest monthly priceFor the longest term, according to the provider, in euros. Usually an introductory price; renewal costs more.from €3.49 (2 years)from €3.49 (2 years)from €2.49 (2 years)from €2.49 (2 years)€5, always the samefrom €2.19 (2 years)from €1.79 (3 years)from approx. €4.48 (approx. €53.81/year)from approx. €5.16 (approx. €61.88/year)
Price with monthly billing€9.99n/a€16.45€12.99€5€11.99€11.69approx. €5.38approx. €8.07
Money-back guarantee30 days30 days30 days30 days14 days (not for cash)45 days (14 days on the monthly plan)30 days30 daysn/a
Provider & privacy
HeadquartersSwitzerlandPanamaNetherlands (EU)British Virgin IslandsSweden (EU)Romania (EU)USAGibraltarCanada
Owned byProton AG (independent)Nord Security (also Surfshark)Nord Security (also NordVPN)Kape (also CyberGhost, PIA)Mullvad VPN AB (independent)Kape (also ExpressVPN, PIA)Kape (also ExpressVPN, CyberGhost)independentindependent
No-logs policy independently auditedAn external auditor has confirmed that no usage data is stored.Yes, most recently 2025 (Securitum)Yes, multiple times (incl. Deloitte)Yes, most recently 2025 (Deloitte)Yes, multiple times (incl. KPMG)YesYes (Deloitte)Yes (Deloitte)YesSecurity audits of apps and servers, no no-logs audit
Open-source appsYesNoNoOnly the Lightway protocolYesNoYesYesYes
Known incidentsNone known2018: one server at a data centre provider compromisedNone knownNone knownNone known. A police search in 2023 found no data.None knownNone knownNone known2021: servers in Ukraine seized
Account without email addressProton account requiredNoNoNoYesNoNoYesYes
Anonymous payment (cash, crypto)Yes, cash by post, BitcoinCryptoCryptoCryptoYes, cash, Bitcoin, MoneroCryptoCryptoYes, cash, Bitcoin, MoneroCrypto
Technology
ProtocolsWireGuard, OpenVPN, StealthNordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2, NordWhisperWireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2Lightway, OpenVPNWireGuard (OpenVPN discontinued in January 2026)WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2WireGuard, OpenVPNWireGuard, OpenVPNWireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth
RAM-only serversServers without hard drives: all data is wiped on every reboot.n/aYesYesYesYesn/aYesn/an/a
Kill switchCuts the internet connection if the VPN drops, so nothing leaks unencrypted.YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Split tunnelingOnly selected apps use the VPN.YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Multi-hop (via two servers)Yes (Secure Core)Yes (Double VPN)YesNoYesNoVia proxyYesYes
Ad and tracker blockerYes (NetShield), from PlusFrom the Complete planYes (CleanWeb)YesYes (DNS filter)YesYes (MACE)Yes (AntiTracker)Yes (R.O.B.E.R.T.)
Obfuscation for restricted networksMakes the VPN connection look like normal traffic, for example in hotels or countries with restrictions.Yes (Stealth)Yes (NordWhisper, obfuscated servers)YesYes, automaticYesn/aYesYesYes
Features
Simultaneous devices1010unlimited10 to 14 depending on plan57unlimited5 to 10 depending on planunlimited
Server countriesover 140over 17010011350over 10091over 40over 69
File sharing (P2P) allowedYes, from PlusYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Streaming officially supportedYes, from PlusYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYes
ExtrasTor over VPN, bundled with Mail, Drive and PassMeshnet, antivirus and password manager in bigger plansRotating IP address, Alternative IDPassword manager and identity protection in bigger plansDAITA against traffic analysisDedicated streaming serversLots of settingsWeekly plan for testingBuild-a-plan from approx. €2.69
Platforms
Windows, macOS, LinuxYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Android, iPhoneYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
TVs and routersYesYesYesYesRouters via WireGuard configurationYesYesRoutersYes

Yes Partly or limited Non/a no reliable information

Head-to-head comparisons

Torn between two providers? Here they are side by side.

All provider profiles

Proton VPN

from €3.49 (2 years)

VPN from Switzerland with open-source apps, a repeatedly audited no-logs policy and the best free plan with no data limit.

Best for: Anyone who values privacy, and anyone who wants to start for free.

Strengths

  • Free plan with no data limit and no ads
  • Open source, based in Switzerland
  • No-logs policy independently audited four times
  • Secure Core routes traffic through specially protected servers

Weaknesses

  • Free plan: 1 device and randomly chosen countries only
  • Monthly plan comparatively expensive

NordVPN

from €3.49 (2 years)

One of the largest VPN providers, with a huge number of locations, a fast in-house protocol and add-on bundles up to antivirus.

Best for: Anyone looking for a fast, versatile VPN for streaming, travel and many countries.

Strengths

  • Servers in over 170 countries
  • Fast NordLynx protocol
  • No-logs policy audited multiple times
  • RAM-only servers

Weaknesses

  • Ad blocker only from the pricier Complete plan
  • Much more expensive renewal after the first term
  • In 2018, one server at a data centre provider was compromised

Surfshark

from €2.49 (2 years)

Affordable VPN based in the Netherlands, with unlimited devices and many extras even on the basic plan.

Best for: Families and households with many devices who want to spend little.

Strengths

  • Unlimited simultaneous devices
  • Very cheap with a long term
  • Based in the EU (Netherlands)
  • Ad blocker and multi-hop included

Weaknesses

  • Not open source
  • Renewal much more expensive than the introductory price

ExpressVPN

from €2.49 (2 years)

Well-known premium VPN with its own open-source Lightway protocol and servers in more than 100 countries.

Best for: Anyone looking for a simple VPN with excellent coverage for travel and streaming.

Strengths

  • Servers in 113 countries
  • Own open-source Lightway protocol
  • RAM-only servers (TrustedServer)
  • Up to 14 devices on the biggest plan

Weaknesses

  • No multi-hop
  • Owned by Kape, a group with several VPN brands
  • Higher prices after the first term

Mullvad

€5, always the same

The privacy VPN from Sweden: a fixed price, no account with email, and you can even pay with cash by post.

Best for: Anyone for whom anonymity comes first.

Strengths

  • Account without email, just an account number
  • Cash and Monero accepted
  • Fixed price of €5 with no teaser offers
  • Open source, RAM-only servers

Weaknesses

  • No official streaming support
  • Only 5 devices
  • Fewer countries than the big providers

CyberGhost

from €2.19 (2 years)

Very beginner-friendly VPN from Romania with dedicated streaming servers and the longest money-back guarantee.

Best for: Beginners who mainly want to stream.

Strengths

  • 45-day money-back guarantee on long plans
  • Very cheap over two years
  • Servers labelled for streaming services
  • Based in the EU (Romania)

Weaknesses

  • Only a 14-day guarantee on the monthly plan
  • No multi-hop
  • Not open source

Private Internet Access

from €1.79 (3 years)

Affordable VPN with open-source apps, unlimited devices and lots of settings.

Best for: Tech enthusiasts and households with many devices.

Strengths

  • Unlimited devices
  • Open-source apps
  • Audited no-logs policy
  • Lots of settings

Weaknesses

  • Headquartered in the USA
  • Interface with many options can overwhelm beginners

IVPN

from approx. €4.48 (approx. €53.81/year)

Small, transparent provider focused on privacy: no account with email, cash accepted, no teaser offers.

Best for: Anyone who wants maximum anonymity and is willing to pay a little more for it.

Strengths

  • Account without email, cash and Monero accepted
  • Open source, regularly audited
  • Honest prices without discount tricks
  • Multi-hop and AntiTracker

Weaknesses

  • More expensive than the big providers
  • Fewer countries
  • No official streaming support

Windscribe

from approx. €5.16 (approx. €61.88/year)

Canadian VPN with a usable free plan, unlimited devices and a build-a-plan option from approx. €2.69.

Best for: Anyone looking for a free VPN with more countries, or who only needs a few locations.

Strengths

  • Free plan with 10 GB a month and 10 countries
  • Unlimited devices
  • Account without email possible
  • Build-a-plan: only pay for the countries you need

Weaknesses

  • Apps and servers have been audited, but the no-logs policy has not been independently verified
  • Servers in Ukraine were seized in 2021
  • Based in Canada

Frequently asked questions

Do I even need a VPN?

Not necessarily for normal browsing at home on encrypted websites. A VPN makes sense on public Wi-Fi, when travelling, when you want to hide your IP address from websites, or when your internet provider should not see which sites you visit. More in our guide “Using public Wi-Fi safely”.

Does a VPN make me anonymous?

No, not completely. The VPN provider sees your traffic instead of your internet provider. That is why an independently audited no-logs policy matters. Websites can also still recognise you through cookies and logins.

Are free VPNs safe?

Many free VPN apps are funded by ads or by selling data. Proton VPN and Windscribe are reputable exceptions: their free plans are funded by paying customers. Be careful with unknown free apps.

Why is the renewal more expensive than the listed price?

Almost all big providers advertise heavily discounted prices for the first term. After that, the plan renews at the regular price, often double or more. Check the renewal price before buying and cancel in time if you don’t want to renew. Mullvad and IVPN don’t use such teaser offers.

Where do the euro prices come from?

We list the euro prices the providers charge in Austria and Germany, usually promotional prices for new customers. Where we could not yet confirm the euro price, we convert the provider’s dollar price and mark it with “approx.”. Depending on your country, VAT may be added. You will see the exact price at the provider before you buy.

Is using a VPN legal?

In most countries, including the EU, the UK, Switzerland and the USA, using a VPN is legal. Some countries restrict or ban VPNs. Whatever is illegal without a VPN stays illegal with one.

How we compare

We compare based on facts that can be verified: prices and features according to the provider’s website, headquarters and parent company, published source code, published no-logs audits and known incidents.

We do not measure speeds. They depend heavily on your connection, location and time of day. Where we have no reliable information, the table says “n/a”.

The prices listed are the lowest monthly prices according to the provider, usually for a long term and only for the first term. The price on the provider’s website always applies.

We list prices in euros. If we could not yet confirm a provider’s euro price, we convert its dollar price at the ECB reference rate of 27 October 2026 and mark it with “approx.”.

We may earn a commission for links marked “Ad”. This affects neither the information in the table nor the order of the criteria. Providers without an affiliate programme are also included and recommended where they fit best.

Information as of October 2026. Found a mistake or something out of date? Write to us; our contact details are in the imprint.

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