The reputation of a VPN service rests on its ability to provide a safe and secure internet connection, no matter your location, network speed, or indeed the task at hand. With many of the best VPNs issuing constant updates to buff up security and fix weaknesses, it can be hard to find the most secure VPN on the market.
In truth, only a few of the most reliable and proven VPNs are really worth your hard-earned money – especially if your main concern is keeping your online activity safe and away from prying eyes or would-be bad actors.
There are a number of important factors to consider when it comes to picking a security-focued VPN. You’ll want to go with a VPN that offers state of the art encryption, with options for post-quantum encryption if possible. IP scrambling and VPN obfuscation both make it harder for snoopers to track your VPN activity, or tell you’re using a VPN whatsoever. And third-party audits are an important measure of how well a VPN manages to uphold its own privacy policies.
Right now, ExpressVPN ranks as our pick for the best secure VPN thanks to best-in-class security features and a seemingly insatiable appetite for third-party auditing. Surfshark isn’t far behind, and overall champ NordVPN delivers similarly strong encryption.
With more than 10 years of VPN experience in total, the TechRadar VPN team have tested and reviewed all of the best VPN services on the market, putting each one through its paces to explore features and benefits and uncover any drawbacks. Keep reading for a rundown of the most secure VPNs based on this expert testing.
5 best secure VPNs: quick overview
The 5 best secure VPNs in 2026
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The best VPN for beginners
ExpressVPN isn't the most feature-rich VPN in our shortlist, but it claims the top spot in our rankings for one crucial reason – it was built from the ground up to prioritize user security. Even a quick look under the hood makes it abundantly clear that every decision has been made with privacy in mind.
Read more about ExpressVPN ▼
Privacy and security
ExpressVPN uses a proprietary VPN protocol, Lightway, which has been designed with obfuscation-by-default so it’s far more difficult to identify that you’re using a VPN. It has also built quantum-resistant encryption into the app, so anyone capturing your encrypted VPN traffic won’t be able to decrypt it in the future.
ExpressVPN runs on proprietary TrustedServer tech, ensuring all servers run in RAM and never write data to disk. Even if law enforcement or other authorities requested a peek at ExpressVPN's servers, there'd be no data to gather.
We're also glad to see that ExpressVPN utilizes AES-256 encryption with 4096-bit RSA keys and perfect forward secrecy to keep your data safe against snooping third parties. Its no-logs policy has been verified by multiple third-party audits, including PwC and KPMG, which significantly increases our confidence in its data-handling practices.
Ease of use
ExpressVPN is today's best VPN for beginners. Unlike a lot of VPNs, you only need an activation code to sign into ExpressVPN, though you can always use the trusty email and password combo, too, if you prefer.
Once you've downloaded the app and logged in, you'll need to click through a few first-timer prompts before landing on the dashboard.
A big red "Connect" button takes up the majority of the tab, which is great for newbies who want a simple solution that works out of the box, and the location bar underneath the button will pair you up with the quickest local servers if you give it a tap.
If you want to change the server you’re connecting to, you can click through to a separate menu which breaks down both the recent locations you’ve used and recommended servers based on connection speed. A separate tab gives you the full list, but if you’re in a hurry, you can just use the search bar at the top to filter down to the country or city you want.
We’ve also found that ExpressVPN is pretty fast in testing. ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo protocol achieved a very impressive 1810 Mbps over our 10 Gb line. Putting it among the fastest VPNs we've tested this year.
We connected to servers in the US, UK, and Japan without any drops or noticeable slowdown. The speeds we’ve recorded are more than fast enough for 4K streaming and lag-free gaming. We also have to put special attention on ExpressVPN’s mobile apps, which connect near-instantly thanks to their proprietary Lightway VPN protocol.
The best VPN overall
It’s neck and neck between NordVPN and ExpressVPN when it comes to security. While ExpressVPN focuses on getting core VPN features right, NordVPN offers a whole suite of security tools that keep your device from being compromised. However, some of these features aren’t available on the cheaper plans, so you’ll need to make sure you pick the right option for your needs.
Read more about NordVPN ▼
Privacy and security
NordVPN offers OpenVPN, as well as a proprietary VPN protocol called NordLynx. Based on WireGuard, NordLynx uses extra NAT routing to ensure your VPN traffic can’t be linked to your NordVPN identity, uses AES-256 encryption, supports WireGuard via its custom NordLynx protocol, and includes a kill switch and DNS leak protection. It has a strict no-logs policy verified by Deloitte in 2026.
NordVPN has undergone six separate no-logs audits over the years, most recently by Deloitte, which have independently verified that NordVPN’s privacy practices are exactly what you’d expect.
NordVPN’s Threat Protection comes in two flavours: Standard and Pro. They’re basically two different tools.
Standard uses DNS filtering to protect you against known malware domains and advertising networks, whereas Pro is an entire anti-malware engine that runs on your device. It dynamically scans files you download to make sure they’re not malware.
Our testing of Threat Protection Pro indicates that it’s on par with dedicated threat-detection tools like Bitdefender, with a detection rate of 90% on the 1000 malware URLs we tested.
Ease of use
The NordVPN installation process is pretty standard: download the app from the site, click through the install wizard, and use your username and password to log in.
Connecting is also a breeze; all you have to do is hit the “Quick connect” button on the top left, and you can leave NordVPN to do its thing. If you’d prefer to connect to a specific location, most of the NordVPN dashboard is taken up by a minimally styled world map that gives you an instant picture of which countries NordVPN has servers in.
Our test speeds were excellent, hitting 1427 Mbps over NordLynx. It's why NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming, as well as a great option for gaming and P2P file sharing.
The best VPN for Linux
PIA is a veteran in the VPN space, with over a decade of expertise in providing privacy solutions. It’s reflected in its app, as PIA provides plenty of customisation options that allow you to choose between speed and security as necessary.
However, the real reason that PIA is on our list is because its no-logs policy has been battle-tested. It has been summoned to court twice to provide internet browsing data from its customers. Both times, PIA has demonstrated that it's unable to comply, because it simply doesn’t hold onto customer data.
Read more about PIA ▼
Privacy and security
Despite its formidable record, PIA is slightly lighter on extra security features, which is why we’ve ranked ExpressVPN and NordVPN higher on this list. That said, PIA is still a fantastic choice if you want a secure VPN at a discount price.
PIA supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard, with options to customize encryption and handshake methods. We’ve tested the kill-switch and found that it’s highly reliable, and its encrypted DNS servers don’t leak either.
This means your ISP won’t be able to work out which sites you’re visiting, and you won’t have to worry about IP leaks. PIA uses a DNS-based malware protection service called MACE, which automatically blocks suspicious URLs.
The main issue we have with PIA is that it’s based in the US. Usually, given the US’s history of attempting to compromise VPNs, we hesitate to recommend a VPN based in US jurisdiction. PIA’s track record in court, plus a set of comprehensive third-party audits, is enough to say otherwise.
Ease of use
PIA can be intimidating if you’ve never used a VPN before. Of course, you can just hit connect and dismiss the rest of PIA’s options, just like any other provider on our list.
However, opening the drop-down box at the bottom of the client shows off a ton of tweakable settings, as well as usage statistics. The interface isn’t the prettiest, but it’s functional. There’s no wasted space in the UI.
PIA’s speeds aren’t nearly as impressive as the rest of the VPNs on our list. At 419 Mbps it ranks similarly to some of the best free VPNs in terms of connection speed. While this might end up capping your speeds if you’re trying to quickly share or download files, it’s still more than enough to comfortably stream content in 4K.
The best free VPN
Swiss firm Proton develops an entire suite of privacy-preserving tools, including Proton VPN. Developed by the same team behind Proton Mail, Proton VPN has a zero-compromise approach to user privacy. Being based in Switzerland, means that Proton benefits from some rock-solid privacy protection laws that prevent law enforcement from requesting IP data.
ExpressVPN and NordVPN both have slightly more extensive security features on offer, but that’s not to say that Proton VPN lags behind. It's constantly improving both the VPN client apps and security features on offer.
Read more about Proton VPN ▼
Privacy and security
Proton VPN offers OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. Where ProtonVPN gets interesting is with Secure Core.
This feature allows you to chain your connection through a VPN server hosted in a hardened, secure location, based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, before sending your data on to the VPN server you want as your endpoint.
If you’re worried about your privacy in the region you’re connecting to, Secure Core gives you an additional backstop that stops hackers and governments from tracing your location.
Ease of use
At first glance, Proton VPN’s interface is a little more overwhelming than the other providers we’ve mentioned so far. Thankfully, there’s an interactive tutorial which walks you through the major features available through the Proton VPN dashboard.
ProtonVPN has recently revamped its VPN client design across Windows, iOS, and Android to make the app more intuitive. We’re especially impressed with the profiles feature, which allows you to register all of your current connectivity settings in a separate window.
You can then switch between these at will, making it far easier to change contexts without having to change all of your settings individually. We quite like that there’s session monitoring baked into the app so you can see how much data you’re using, too.
Our speed tests recorded connections through ProtonVPN peaking at 1783 Mbps, making it one of the fastest VPNs in our records. Needless to say, these speeds were more than adequate for streaming, gaming, and file downloads during our stress tests.
The best cheap VPN
Surfshark is the best cheap VPN on the market, but that doesn’t mean it underperforms when it comes to security. Surfshark’s security features are underpinned by a software-defined network called Nexus, which allows Surfshark to offer features like full multi-hop coverage that other VPN providers can’t match.
Notable for its security creds, Surfshark is the first major VPN to offer post-quantum encryption for WireGuard connections, adding a major security boost to a protocol that generally favours connection speed over hardcore data protection.
Unfortunately, the most impressive security features are locked behind an additional subscription to Surfshark One. On the flip side, Surfshark is one of the only VPNs out there that offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so if you’ve got a significant number of devices you need to protect, then Surfshark’s a great choice.
Read more about Surfshark ▼
Privacy and security
Surfshark uses AES-256 encryption and supports WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN. As far as core VPN features go, you’ve got access to CleanWeb, which uses DNS-based blocking to keep your computer from connecting to ad networks, malware platforms, and phishing sites.
Our testing suggests that CleanWeb doesn’t perform quite as well as NordVPN’s Threat Protection system at blocking new phishing and malware sites
Surfshark’s rotating IP is a bit more impressive. It uses the Nexus network to seamlessly change your IP at five-minute intervals, making it significantly more difficult to trace your activity between different sites.
Surfshark offers plenty of extra security features through Surfshark One, an additional subscription package that gives you access to an anti-virus system and dark web monitoring. If your identity details, like your email address or credit card number, are leaked onto the dark web, Surfshark will immediately alert you in-app with a breakdown of which details were leaked and immediate actions to take to protect yourself.
Ease of use
Surfshark’s apps pack an absolute ton of functionality into a fairly simple package. The connection tab and server locations are all presented in the same window, which takes a little getting used to if you’re more familiar with the simplicity of ExpressVPN.
Each server type has its own dedicated tab, so you can quickly find Static and Dedicated servers if you’ve purchased them. The multi-hop tab is particularly useful, as it allows you to build multi-hop routes from any of the VPN servers available on Surfshark and save them for easy access in the future. Everything’s very clearly labelled, so it’s easy to pick out the multi-hop connections you’ve previously built.
Surfshark’s also extremely fast. We hit peak speeds of more than 2000 Mbps while testing it out, making it the fastest contender on this list by a long shot.
How does VPN encryption work?
Encryption can only go so far. If the authorities demand logs or other details on users from a VPN firm, encryption won’t stop the provider from handing said details over – which is why you should always be on the lookout for a firm that has a super-solid ‘no logs’ policy. That’s because while encryption might keep your data private and unreadable to your ISP, it’s still visible to the VPN itself.
That’s a common misconception about VPN security and encryption in regard to online privacy. Further misunderstandings can stem from the mishmash of jargon that surrounds talk of encryption, which is all likely to be meaningless to the casual VPN user. Terms like 128-bit, 256-bit, and AES are likely to confuse, so a bit of explanation is in order.
Encryption relies on advanced mathematical formulae to work its magic. Some types of encryption are stronger than others, and that’s where the terms 128-bit and 256-bit enter the picture – the latter is stronger than the former.
AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard and is the computer cipher or the actual algorithm used to perform the encryption.
We cover all of the key concepts, without the techy jargon, in our guide to encryption.
Blowfish and AES are by far the most common ciphers found in daily VPN usage, and you’ll most commonly see VPN providers offering AES 256-bit encryption. The latter is something of a worldwide standard for solid security, with 256-bit encryption producing a staggering 1.1579 x 10 to the power of 77 possible keys.
Given that, even if you were using the combined power of all the world’s most powerful supercomputers, it’s not possible to pull off a brute-force attack to crack a symmetric 256-bit key (not before the death of the universe rolled around, anyway.)
Also, worth mentioning is Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), a system of private encryption keys generated for each new session – this basically ensures that even if the current particular key in use is somehow compromised, the encryption of past sessions can’t be cracked (because they all use a different key).
The best secure VPN FAQs
What is the most secure VPN?
Defining the most secure VPN on an objective basis is impossible, as we aren’t privy to the backend code and corporate operations of each VPN service. Of the ones we’ve tested, though, we’re most confident in ExpressVPN. Its Lightway protocol is proprietary, meaning only ExpressVPN has control over its implementation, and supports post-quantum encryption – meaning it’s unbreakable by conventional means.
Add in RAM-only servers that totally flush all data with each reboot, and a no-logs policy backed by continuous, enthusiastic auditing, and ExpressVPN stands above the rest as a secure VPN provider. That said, all of the VPNs on this list are very secure, and many offer unique or powerful features.
Are VPNs good for security?
We recommend using a VPN whenever possible due to their benefits for security and online privacy, but using one won’t fix all of your security needs on its own. You’ll be less vulnerable to hacking and malware with many of the VPNs listed above, but a solid antivirus and knowledge of how to stay safe while browsing are still equally essential.
VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, making it nearly impossible for your ISP to identify what you’re doing with your connection. They also hide your IP address when you’re using the internet, so that the services you interact with see your VPN IP address instead. Where possible, you should choose a VPN with audited no-logs policies, leak protection, and up-to-date encryption protocols.
Which VPN protocol should I use?
It depends on your use case, but generally, WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 are all appropriate choices for secure VPN protocols. WireGuard is currently the best balance of speed and security, but it’s not as widely supported as OpenVPN. OpenVPN has been thoroughly tested and is in use at the enterprise level all over the world, but the large codebase and heavyweight implementation make it significantly slower than WireGuard or IKEv2. IKEv2’s best for use on mobile devices. Avoid outdated protocols like PPTP or L2TP whenever possible.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
