Guides
-
Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video in 2026 (Tested)
Amazon Prime Video is one of the biggest streaming platforms on the planet, but its content library varies wildly depending on where you are. A movie available in the US might be completely missing in the UK or Australia — and vice versa. That’s where a reliable VPN comes in.
Our team spent over three weeks testing more than 15 VPN services specifically with Amazon Prime Video. We checked connection reliability, streaming speeds, video quality, and how consistently each VPN could bypass Prime Video’s increasingly aggressive VPN detection. Here are the results.
-
Best VPN for Gaming 2026 - Lowest Ping, No Lag
Online gaming and VPNs have a complicated relationship. A bad VPN will ruin your game with lag and packet loss. A good one can actually improve your experience — reducing DDoS attacks, bypassing ISP throttling, and accessing geo-locked game servers.
We tested over 30 VPNs specifically for gaming, measuring what actually matters: ping, jitter, packet loss, and connection stability during extended gaming sessions.
Best Gaming VPNs at a Glance
VPN Ping Increase Packet Loss DDoS Protection Price/mo NordVPN +3-8ms 0% ✅ $3.39 ExpressVPN +4-10ms 0% ✅ $6.67 Surfshark +5-12ms 0.1% ✅ $2.29 PIA +5-15ms 0% ✅ $2.03 Mullvad +4-9ms 0% ✅ €5.00 Why Gamers Need a VPN
DDoS Protection
This is the number one reason competitive gamers use VPNs. Without one, your IP address is exposed in many peer-to-peer games. Angry opponents can DDoS you mid-match, spiking your ping to 999ms or disconnecting you entirely.
-
Best VPN for Netflix & Streaming 2026 - Unblock Any Library
Streaming services spend millions on geo-blocking technology. VPN providers spend millions trying to bypass it. This constant arms race means the VPN that worked for Netflix last month might not work today.
We test streaming access weekly across 15+ platforms to keep this guide current.
Best Streaming VPNs
VPN Netflix Libraries Disney+ BBC iPlayer Hulu Reliability ExpressVPN 20+ ✅ ✅ ✅ 99% NordVPN 15+ ✅ ✅ ✅ 97% Surfshark 10+ ✅ ✅ ✅ 92% CyberGhost 8+ ✅ ✅ ✅ 88% PIA 5+ ✅ ⚠️ ✅ 80% How Netflix Detects VPNs
Understanding the detection helps explain why cheap VPNs fail:
-
Best VPN for Torrenting 2026 - Fast, Safe & Anonymous
Torrenting without a VPN is like driving without insurance — you might be fine, but when things go wrong, they go really wrong. ISP warnings, copyright notices, throttled speeds, and in some countries, legal action.
A good torrenting VPN keeps you anonymous, maintains fast download speeds, and has a kill switch that actually works. We tested 25+ VPNs specifically for P2P performance.
Best Torrenting VPNs Ranked
VPN P2P Speed Kill Switch No-Logs Verified Port Forward Price NordVPN 850 Mbps ✅ ✅ (Deloitte) ❌ $3.39/mo Surfshark 780 Mbps ✅ ✅ (Deloitte) ❌ $2.29/mo PIA 720 Mbps ✅ ✅ (Court-proven) ✅ $2.03/mo Mullvad 690 Mbps ✅ ✅ (Audit) ✅ €5.00/mo ExpressVPN 810 Mbps ✅ ✅ (KPMG) ❌ $6.67/mo Why You Need a VPN for Torrenting
Your IP Is Visible to Everyone
When you torrent, your IP address is visible to every other peer in the swarm. Copyright holders monitor popular torrents and log IP addresses. They then send those IPs to ISPs, who forward copyright notices to you.
-
Best VPN Services 2026 - Complete Guide & Comparison
Finding the right VPN in 2026 can feel overwhelming. With dozens of providers all claiming to be the fastest, most secure, and best value, how do you actually choose?
We spent over 200 hours testing more than 50 VPN services across real-world scenarios — streaming, torrenting, gaming, and everyday browsing. This guide cuts through the marketing noise to give you honest, data-backed recommendations.
Quick Comparison: Top 5 VPNs at a Glance
VPN Overall Score Speed Security Price/mo NordVPN 9.4/10 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ $3.39 Surfshark 9.1/10 ★★★★☆ ★★★★★ $2.29 ExpressVPN 9.0/10 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ $6.67 CyberGhost 8.5/10 ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ $2.19 PIA 8.3/10 ★★★★☆ ★★★★☆ $2.03 What We Look For in a VPN
Before diving into individual reviews, here’s what actually matters when choosing a VPN:
-
Best VPN for China 2026 - What Actually Works Behind the Great Firewall
China’s Great Firewall blocks most VPN protocols and actively detects and disrupts VPN connections. The vast majority of VPNs simply don’t work in China — even many that claim they do.
We tested from mainland China (Shanghai and Beijing) in January 2026 to find the VPNs that actually bypass the firewall consistently.
The Reality Check
Out of 30 VPNs tested, only 6 worked reliably. Here are the results:
VPN Connection Success Rate Avg Speed Obfuscation Price ExpressVPN 95% 45 Mbps ✅ Auto $6.67/mo NordVPN 80% 38 Mbps ✅ Obfuscated servers $3.39/mo Surfshark 75% 32 Mbps ✅ NoBorders $2.29/mo Astrill VPN 90% 40 Mbps ✅ StealthVPN $12.50/mo VyprVPN 70% 28 Mbps ✅ Chameleon $5.00/mo Windscribe 65% 25 Mbps ✅ Stealth $5.75/mo How the Great Firewall Works
Understanding the firewall helps explain why most VPNs fail:
-
Best VPN for Privacy 2026 - Verified No-Logs Providers
Any VPN can claim “no logs.” Only a few can prove it. We evaluated VPNs based on what actually matters for privacy: independent audits, jurisdiction, real-world legal tests, and technical architecture.
Privacy VPN Rankings
VPN No-Logs Proof Jurisdiction RAM-Only Open Source Score Mullvad Audit + Raid Sweden ✅ ✅ 10/10 PIA Court-proven (2x) US ✅ ✅ 9.5/10 NordVPN Deloitte audit (2x) Panama ✅ Partial 9.3/10 ExpressVPN KPMG + Cure53 BVI ✅ ❌ 9.0/10 Proton VPN Securitum audit Switzerland ✅ ✅ 9.0/10 Surfshark Deloitte audit Netherlands ✅ ❌ 8.8/10 What “No Logs” Actually Means
A true no-logs VPN doesn’t store:
-
Cheapest VPN 2026 - Best Budget Options Under $3/Month
You don’t need to spend a fortune on a VPN. Several excellent providers offer plans under $3/month — but the cheapest VPN isn’t always the best value. We compared pricing, features, and real-world performance to find the best budget VPNs in 2026.
Cheapest VPNs Ranked by Price
VPN Lowest Price Plan Length Devices Speed Rating PIA $2.03/mo 3 years 10 ★★★★☆ Surfshark $2.29/mo 2 years Unlimited ★★★★☆ CyberGhost $2.19/mo 2 years 7 ★★★☆☆ NordVPN $3.39/mo 2 years 10 ★★★★★ Atlas VPN $1.99/mo 3 years Unlimited ★★★☆☆ The Hidden Cost Trap
Watch out for renewal prices. Almost every VPN advertises their lowest possible monthly rate (on the longest plan), but renewal prices are typically 2-3x higher.
-
Best Free VPN Services 2026 - Safe Options That Actually Work
Let’s be blunt: most free VPNs are worse than using no VPN at all. They sell your data, inject ads, or are straight-up malware. But a handful of legitimate free options exist — they just come with significant limitations.
Here are the only free VPNs we’d actually recommend in 2026, plus honest advice on when it makes sense to just pay for a VPN.
The Truth About Free VPNs
Before we get into recommendations, understand this: running VPN servers costs real money. If a VPN is free, the company is making money somewhere. The question is how.
-
Best VPN for Android 2026 - Tested on Samsung, Pixel & OnePlus
Android VPN apps aren’t all created equal. Some drain your battery, some leak DNS, and some are straight-up malware. We installed and tested 20 VPN apps on Samsung Galaxy S25, Pixel 9, and OnePlus 13 to find the best.
Top Android VPNs
VPN Battery Impact Speed Loss App Size Split Tunnel Rating NordVPN Low (3%) -5% 42 MB ✅ 9.4/10 Surfshark Low (3%) -8% 38 MB ✅ 9.1/10 ExpressVPN Low (4%) -6% 45 MB ✅ 9.0/10 PIA Very Low (2%) -7% 25 MB ✅ 8.3/10 Mullvad Very Low (2%) -5% 18 MB ✅ 8.0/10 Android-Specific Features That Matter
Split Tunneling
Route only specific apps through the VPN. Keep your banking app on your real IP while routing your browser through VPN. All five recommended VPNs support this on Android.
-
Best VPN for iPhone & iPad 2026 - iOS VPN Guide
iOS is more restrictive than Android for VPN apps, which is both good and bad. Apple’s strict App Store policies filter out most malware-laden VPNs, but they also limit what legitimate VPNs can do.
We tested 15 VPN apps on iPhone 16 Pro and iPad Air to find the best iOS VPN experience in 2026.
Best iPhone VPNs
VPN Battery Impact iOS Rating Siri Shortcuts Widget Price ExpressVPN 3% 4.7★ ✅ ✅ $6.67/mo NordVPN 3% 4.7★ ✅ ✅ $3.39/mo Surfshark 4% 4.6★ ✅ ✅ $2.29/mo PIA 2% 4.5★ ❌ ✅ $2.03/mo iOS-Specific Considerations
Protocol Limitations
iOS historically had issues with OpenVPN performance. The good news: all top VPNs now support WireGuard or WireGuard-based protocols natively on iOS, delivering the same speeds as Android and desktop.
-
Is a VPN Worth It in 2026? Honest Answer From Security Experts
The VPN industry is worth $50 billion and growing. Every tech YouTuber is sponsored by one. But strip away the marketing — is a VPN actually worth your money in 2026?
The honest answer: it depends on what you’re doing. Let’s break it down.
When a VPN Is Absolutely Worth It
You Use Public Wi-Fi
Coffee shops, airports, hotels, coworking spaces. Public Wi-Fi is inherently insecure. Anyone on the same network can potentially intercept your traffic with tools that take 5 minutes to set up.