Best VPN for Laptop
5 Best VPNs for Laptop – Secure Your Laptop with a VPN
In today’s computer world, data moves from one source to another. While this data travels, little or no effort is made to ensure that the data is virus-free. The owner or administrator of a website from which the data originates is rarely known. If the computer is not protected by anti-malware software, it is potentially exposed to an attack by ransom software.
When malicious software attacks your laptop, it often leaves a trail of destruction. In the worst case, it starts deleting files from your hard drive, resulting in huge losses. Malware can cause irreparable damage to your laptop.
To prevent this damage, you can start using a VPN for a laptop. A VPN is essentially a service – which is provided by a private cybersecurity company – that allows users to send and receive messages over a highly encrypted network that is protected against malware. This means that the service is developed to be able to withstand a wide range of malware, including malicious websites, ransom software, advertisements and spyware.
When the service runs 24/7 on your system, you can be sure that your laptop is protected. In general, a VPN masks the IP address assigned to your system by your ISP. During this time, the system ensures that your messages are encrypted and do not pass through your ISP’s communication channel. Then it assigns you another one, allowing you to bypass Internet filters or censorship.
Why Do You Need a VPN for Laptop?
In addition to preventing Trojans from attacking your system, there are other advantages to accessing the web from this service. Let’s dissect them all.
- Preventing cybercrimes: You will certainly need a VPN to prevent cybercriminals from invading your computer system. You see, one of the things a hacker can inject into your system is malware that steals your connection settings. It also scans emails and sends important information to the hacker. If your bank details are saved in your email, you could lose your money.
- Averting government interference: From the United States to the United Kingdom, from Russia to France, from Germany to China, the governments of these countries are increasingly invading the privacy of their citizens to ensure that what they do online is not hostile to their cyberspace. While the authorities argue that this is essential to national security, in reality, it is a blatant invasion of the privacy rights of individuals. Therefore, you need this service to stay one step ahead of your government.
- Circumventing sites: If you are a movie buff living outside of the United States, you will notice that you cannot access the full Netflix U.S. catalog from your home country. That’s simply because the streaming giant’s library differs from country to country. To get around the restrictions, you’ll need a laptop VPN to do so from the comfort of your home.
So we’ve put together the industry’s leading VPNs. All you have to do is make a choice. But just before you do, you should read on to find out why we’ve added them to this list.
5 Best Laptop VPNs – Comparison Table
Top 5 Best VPN for Laptop
5. IPVanish – Budget VPN for Laptops
Website: ipvanish.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
Worried that your laptop is being exposed to an increasingly toxic Internet? If so, you’re not alone. But then, we offer you IPVanish to help you change the stories. It’s a premium service from a US-based cybersecurity company that prides itself on providing best-in-class VPN services. IPVanish has 1500 servers in 75 locations, which is fair enough for any service that seriously wants to bypass many geoblocked sites.
With a relatively low download speed, you can always count on it to unlock US Netflix, SkyGo, BBC iPlayer, Hobo, etc. sites using your laptop, regardless of your location. Looking at its US server for example, this VPN for laptop has a relatively low download speed, which confirms that you can use it to achieve such results. Now you can enjoy unbuffered streaming and surf the web on the go. Needless to say, IPVanish also supports torrent at no extra cost.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- It has unlimited bandwidth and split tunneling
- And it doesn’t keep your logs
- DNS leak protection
- Unlimited logins at the same time
Pros:
- IPVanish has 1500 servers in 75 locations for on-the-go site unblocking
- It has 40,000 IP addresses
- It has a decent and user-friendly app
- It supports many VPN protocols
Cons:
- It has no live chat support
We cannot exclude the possibility that your IP address may be blocked by a streaming site. Well, IPVanish has over 40,000 addresses in its inventory, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about. As far as security is concerned, it automatically blocks malicious websites, viruses, advertisements and spyware. Since IPVanish is based in the United States, many potential users are concerned about being able to hand over user logs to federal authorities when such requests are made. These concerns are real because the U.S. government is an active member of all intelligence gathering alliances.
This cybersecurity company is also concerned about your concerns, which is why it is strictly enforcing its “zero log” policy. In addition, IPVanish routes data through the TOR network for added security. Another key security feature is the presence of an active Internet kill switch, which ensures that your information will not be transmitted to the ISP in the event of a network interruption. When you have a service that allows unlimited connections at the same time, it shows that this VPN provider is serious. All these advantages explain why IPVanish has made its way onto this list.
Read our detailed review of IPVanish.
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4. PrivateVPN – Great Service for Laptop
Website: privatevpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
You can make PrivateVPN your best VPN for laptop because it is relatively affordable and offers great performance. As far as server distribution is concerned, it has more than 100 servers in total. With a relatively good network speed, you can bypass many geoblocked sites. From the comfort of your home, you can unlock US Netflix, Channel 4, ITV and Hulu.
You’ll also be interested to know that it is compatible with all common operating systems: Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Routers, etc. As far as routers are concerned, connecting this VPN to routers allows you to connect devices that cannot be directly connected to a VPN, such as game consoles. Why not share this VPN with your family, friends and colleagues? Of course, PrivateVPN allows up to 6 simultaneous connections via a single account.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- It has 100 super-fast servers 60 countries
- Direct interaction with in-house developers
- 6 devices can connect at the same time
- There is port forwarding
Pros:
- The interfaces are easy to understand and use
- You can use your laptop to unblock your favorite georestricted sites
- Its customer care is very helpful
- PrivateVPN offers super-good security features
Cons:
- Few servers to select from
In conclusion, this is a cybersecurity company based in Sweden that has taken steps to improve the way you surf the web. In order to improve your security, it has the standard encryption technology AES-2048. As you already know, this is the most secure encryption technology in the industry today.
You will certainly appreciate the fact that its customer service team is made up of real software developers. When you tell them about your technical difficulties, you’ll get a solution in no time. Most importantly, it’s easy to install and use. So you don’t have to be a pro to start using it. In addition, it supports the locations of VPN protocols such as OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, IKEv2 and IPsec. This is definitely a must.
Read our detailed review of PrivateVPN.
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3. CyberGhost – User-Friendly Laptop VPN
Website: cyberghostvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 45-day
We added CyberGhost to your list because it has some of the most sought-after features in the industry. First of all, it has the largest distribution of servers in every corner of the world. To date, the cybersecurity company has 5,700 servers in 112 locations. What this means for you is that you can use your laptop to unlock any georeferenced site anywhere on planet Earth. Based in Romania, CyberGhost allows you to bypass US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Firestick, and more.
When it comes to speed, this VPN is not to be outdone. The combination of network reach and speed can only mean one thing: an unbuffered streaming experience. We should not forget to mention that this speed also has an impact on torrenting. More and more torrents are falling in love with this service. Moreover, it allows up to 7 devices to be connected at the same time.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- 5,700 servers across 112 locations
- 7 multiple logins
- It employs AES-256 bit encryption
- There are Internet kill switch and no-logs policy
Pros:
- The vast server distribution expedites geoblocked sites bypassing
- You get to enjoy top-notch security – thanks to ad blocker
- It is easy to use
- There is customer care desk that offers quick responses to complaints and queries
Cons:
- The monthly plan is expensive
There’s even more good things that come with this VPN. For example, a customer support team answers your questions or technical problems whenever you have one. Note that you can contact them by email or live chat, and they answer in 4 different languages. It’s incredible! The application is user-friendly because you don’t need to be a technician to activate it. In addition, its interfaces are also nice. Since laptops are portable, you will always want to use it in a public Wi-Fi network.
Of course, you should feel free to do so because this VPN has Wi-Fi protection. In this case, you don’t have to worry about cybercriminals stealing your personal information. Just like ExpressVPN, this Romania-based network has many security features. These include a zero logging policy, standard 256-bit encryption, Internet kill switch and protection against DNS leaks. All of this ensures that your data and your laptop are always safe.
Read our detailed review of CyberGhost.
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2. NordVPN – Multi-Featured VPN for Laptop
Website: nordvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
Among the key players in this list is NordVPN, a Panama-based service provider, known in the industry as a leader in user privacy and security. Firstly, it has Double VPN, a technology that encrypts a user’s data twice so that it works with AES-256-bit encryption. AES-256-bit encryption is the acceptable encryption standard that is common to most VPN providers in the industry today. Commonly referred to as “military”, 256-bit AES encryption technology enhances online anonymity in many ways.
To date, NordVPN has 5,100 servers worldwide. In addition, its U.S. server has high download speeds, reaffirming the common belief in the industry that its speed is excellent to say the least. The combination of amazing speed and a wide distribution of servers means that all geoblocked sites can be unlocked in the blink of an eye. Go ahead, unlock and explore the Netflix, BBC iPlayer, SKyGo and Hulu libraries using your laptop. Here are just a few of the features that made it the best VPN for laptop.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- 5,100 servers in 60 locations
- Has support for many VPN protocols
- 6 multiple logins
- Double VPN encryption + AES 256-bit encryption
Pros:
- NordVPN has ultra-fast servers that are widely distributed to unlock georeferenced sites
- The safety features incorporated in this service are unsurpassed
- It supports torrenting at no additional cost
- It allows up to 6 persons to connect at the same time
Cons:
- Its monthly subscription is pricey
This service is to be commended for putting in place measures to protect users’ laptops. And it also protects you by strictly enforcing its zero-block policy. Because of this policy, the company does not keep your logs. So you don’t have to worry about selling them to advertising agencies or disclosing them to law enforcement agencies. In addition, it is designed to block advertisements, malicious sites, ransom software and trackers. What operating system runs on your laptop? Guess what, it doesn’t really matter because NordVPN is compatible with Linux, MacOS, Android, etc.
As for supported VPN protocols, they include OpenVPN, PPTP, IKEv2, and many others. There is no doubt that these protocols also ensure that the security of your laptop is difficult to hack. Are you having trouble connecting to this network? If so, you can quickly contact its customer service by email or live chat. They will get back to your message within minutes. All this explains why this network is often referred to as the best laptop VPN on the market.
Read our detailed review of NordVPN.
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1. ExpressVPN – Fast VPN for Laptop
Website: expressvpn.com
Money-back guarantee: 30-day
ExpressVPN is one of the premium VPNs for laptop that is becoming more and more known for its excellent performance. With its wide distribution of servers, it can unlock a host of streaming channels. You can use it to unlock the BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Firestick and Sky Go. ExpressVPN is a service from a cybersecurity company in the British Virgin Islands that offers outstanding speed – with split tunneling and unlimited bandwidth.
For example, its American server is very fast by all standards. In addition to all these features that it has incorporated to stand out, ExpressVPN has also taken a giant step to put the privacy of its users first. For example, it supports all known VPN protocols so that your laptop is protected at all times. These VPN protocols include OpenVPN, IKEv2, PPTP and many others. It is compatible with all common operating systems such as Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc.
Supported Client Software:
Features:
- 3000 ultra-fast servers scattered in 160 locations
- It supports IKEv2, PPTP, IPsec, and OpenVPN
- This is prebuilt with AES-256 encryption
- Unlimited bandwidth and split tunneling
- DNS/IPV6 leak protection
Pros:
- ExpressVPN is really fast
- You can use your laptop to unblock georestricted sites from anywhere
- Its helpdesk works round the clock to address customers’ needs
- Its DNS leak protection and no-logs are some of the best in the industry
- Its app is easy to use
Cons:
- It doesn’t have advanced features for the pro users
Without mining words, this service has everything you need to be your best VPN for laptop. When it comes to security, it’s great in this area too. For example, ExpressVPN has 256-bit AES encryption, which keeps your traffic encrypted as it travels between your laptop and the VPN server. Now we move on to its no-login policy, which ensures that it does not retain your connection details. Remember that this is a critical security feature that security officers may require through a court order that a subscriber’s details be disclosed to them. In this case, ExpressVPN will not have to provide this information.
In addition, ExpressVPN’s automatic kill switch terminates the flow of traffic in the event of a network outage. The DNS leakage protection mechanism ensures that your requests are routed in such a way that your service provider cannot know what you are doing online. We should not forget to mention that if you have this problem, you can contact their helpdesk. Of course, they work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will respond to your message in no time. Last but not least, it allows you to log in up to 5 times at the same time.
Read our detailed review of ExpressVPN.
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Free VPNs for Laptop
Basically, free VPNs for your laptop can be grouped into 3 different categories, as explained below:
- Premium trial version: There are basically premium VPNs that offer free services for a given period of time. When the trial period is running, potential subscribers can take advantage of the service for free. Remember that the idea is to encourage them to subscribe after using it during the trial period, say one week. If the subscriber is not satisfied with the service, they will not have to buy it. However, many VPN providers have stopped providing this option because they have discovered that there has been abuse.
- Freemium services: The next category of VPN is free services. This means that the provider offers both paid and free services. If you opt for the free version, you will be limited to certain essential services. However, when you switch to the paid version, you will start enjoying everything the service offers.
- Totally free service: Finally, this is a category of VPN that does not require any payment from you before using it. As exciting as it sounds, it has a plethora of flaws. The truth is that these providers offer the worst service you can think of. From the terribly slow network speed to the multitude of advertisements, to data logging, to data capping – all these flaws and more spoil these services. To make matters worse, some of them sell their users’ data to the highest bidders (the advertising companies), thereby compromising the same privacy they have sworn to protect. Therefore, we strongly discourage the use of these VPNs, as this is tantamount to jeopardizing your personal security.
How to Choose the Best Laptop VPN?
Before choosing the right VPN for your laptop, there are some criteria you should consider. These criteria are detailed below:
- Server distribution: Any good VPN must have a wide distribution of servers worldwide as it will play a key role in unlocking georeferenced sites as well as accessing any geographic jurisdiction of your choice. Keep in mind that one of the benefits of using a VPN is to use it to bypass sites that people in your area are not allowed to.
- Speed: Another factor that should be important to you is the speed of service. With excellent speed, it will be able to stream without buffering, P2P file sharing will be much faster and browsing will be fluid. Therefore, speed is very important.
- Security features: Make sure the VPN has good encryption technology and other authentication standards. Many industry VPNs include features such as dual VPN, 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leakage protection, support for multiple VPN protocols, and more. Security and privacy are undoubtedly the most important reasons why people use an encrypted network to access the Internet.
- Privacy policy: It is important that you carefully review a VPN’s privacy policy before subscribing to the service. Most importantly, a good VPN should have a zero-connection policy, a money-back guarantee and a free trial period. You should review their policy before making a choice.
- Other factors: Other factors may be price, torrent support, compatibility with multiple operating systems, the ability to have multiple users from a single account, compatibility with routers, good customer service, etc. Although we have grouped all these factors together, you should always look for them separately.
Overall Conclusion
In conclusion, we explained why you need a laptop VPN when you connect to the Internet. As a reminder, it is very dangerous to access the internet without a VPN because you will have a lot of negative things to fight against. By choosing the right VPN for your system, you have to do well to avoid a totally free service. We can’t stress this point enough.
You see, these services are known to do a lot of terrible things just to offset their ever-increasing overhead. We’ve also dissected the factors you should always pay attention to before choosing a particular VPN for your personal computer. However, the best services available are the ones we’ve reviewed in this guide. So, make your choice now!