If your base readings are slower than mine, ExpressVPN offers 2 protocols to boost your speeds. You can choose from OpenVPN UDP or ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol. The Lightway protocol is designed to maximize your speeds without compromising on security. OpenVPN UDP is also really fast, but it might not work on every network. Another useful feature is ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer. It’s a SmartDNS tool that allows you to connect through one of its servers without needing a VPN app installed. I especially love this since it’s great for devices like game consoles and smart TVs where you can’t install a VPN app. I set up MediaStreamer and started streaming on my smart TV in just a couple of minutes. You can also link ExpressVPN to a compatible router and secure all devices that connect to the WiFi network. To keep your streaming and data secure, ExpressVPN has the following features: To further boost your streaming experience, CyberGhost also has the following features: Private Internet Access (PIA) has the largest server number of all the VPNs on this list, with 35000+ servers in over 83 countries. Having access to multiple servers in each country ensures more reliable connectivity since resources are shared between fewer people. PIA also includes 8 streaming-optimized servers in Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, the UK, US East, and US West. If you find your speeds are too slow, I recommend using PIA’s customizable encryption for a speed boost. You can reduce your encryption level from AES-256-bit to AES-128-bit. This will make your connection less secure, but lowering the encryption means your data can travel faster and could result in a much-needed boost for slower internet speeds. NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market — and you can get super cheap prices when you sign up for a long-term subscription. One thing to note, however, is that when it’s time to renew your subscription, prices do increase quite significantly. I did, however, have issues with using NordVPN’s native Fire TV app. Although it worked and unblocked some streaming services, it sometimes had issues unblocking Netflix US and kept crashing. I also found that NordVPN’s user interface for desktop devices was less user-friendly than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. NordVPN has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption A kill switch that cuts your internet access if your connection to a VPN server drops suddenly Built-in ad and malware blocker, so you don’t need a third-party ad blocker Fully audited no-logs policy (audited by PwC) – NordVPN doesn’t store any personal or identifying data while you’re connected to the VPN
In addition, NordVPN includes Threat Protection that protects you from viruses, infected websites, and trackers – and it works whenever you have the NordVPN app open, even if you’re not connected to a VPN server. You can stream, torrent, and browse for free for up to 30 days with NordVPN’s money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $3.69 per month. To ensure that you’ll really get your money back, I tested NordVPN’s money-back guarantee. At first, the support team tried to give me an extended trial period — but they initiated my refund right away after I told them I wasn’t interested in the extension. I got my money back in 6 business days. NordVPN works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Chromebook, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire Stick, and Android TV
5. Surfshark — Best Value for Money with Unlimited Device Connections and Fast Speeds
I tested Surfshark’s unlimited connections on 2 PCs, 2 phones, a Fire Stick 4K, and an iPad. My connection remained reliable on all 6 devices. Even while I was actively streaming on all my devices, my average speed was 112 Mbps — fast enough for UltraHD quality. When I saw the price of this service, I thought it couldn’t possibly have top-grade security features for such a low price, but I was pleasantly surprised. Surfshark has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption on all devices, with ChaCha encryption available for Android users Wireguard VPN protocol enabled by default Diskless, RAM-only servers to protect your privacy (no data can be physically extracted from any servers) Kill switch (although this isn’t enabled by default) IP and DNS leak protection
Surfshark offers two-factor authentication (2FA) on your account. This feature requires you to enter an extra code before you can log in to ensure that only you (and those you share your account with) can access your account. You can try Surfshark for yourself with the 30-day money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $2.05. Requesting a refund is easy with Surfshark’s live chat feature. Although the support team asked why I wanted to cancel my subscription, I had no problem getting my money back (and it only took 4 days!). Surfshark works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire Stick, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, Android TV, Kodi, and selected routers To further protect your data and devices while streaming, PrivateVPN has: The only con to PrivateVPN is that its server network is small compared to industry giants like ExpressVPN. This means you could occasionally have issues making a connection due to congestion, particularly at peak traffic times. If your regular internet connection is fast, you’ll be pleased to know IPVanish is very good at mitigating speed loss on its standard servers. During my tests, my speeds on nearby connections (less than 5,000km away) were reduced by just 15% on average. Further away, my speeds dropped by up to 30%. I was pleased to find IPVanish offers unlimited device connections. This is very unusual for a premium VPN and means you can secure all of your devices at the same time. Since I’m often using public transport, I love the fact that I can set IPVanish up on my portable devices as well as install it on all of my favorite gadgets at home. Suspected of containing malware, keeps user connection logs, and has poor encryption levels that won’t protect your data and online activity. This VPN has been caught selling user data to unspecified third parties and is suspected to install malware and trackers on user devices. Antivirus tests show that this VPN is consistently flagged as containing malware, particularly trojans that open a pathway for more insidious malware to infect your devices. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through a VPN server before it reaches its online destination. This distance, along with how many other people are sharing the same server with you, causes varying levels of speed loss. There are other reasons to be cautious of free VPN services. They often have invasive data logging policies and are limited in their functionality, including bandwidth throttling, slow speeds, and restricted server access. A better option is to test a premium VPN that has a long money-back guarantee. For instance, CyberGhost has a 45-day money-back guarantee that you can use and see if it’s right for you. I tested this myself as part of my research. However, using a VPN won’t let you stream in Ultra HD or 4K if your regular internet speeds are slower than 25Mbps. If your speeds are slower than this, you can still stream in HD quality with 5Mbps download speeds or SD quality with just 1Mbps.
