Our Experts Written by Moe Long Attila Tomaschek Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 1600170018001900200021002200230024002500 Speed Tests 11121314151617181920 Eval. Points 01020304050607080910 VPNs Tested How we test We intensively test each VPN, making sure it meets our standards for privacy, speed and usability. What to look for in a VPN for Windows Internet speed loss All VPNs slow down your internet somewhat based on encrypting your data first by sending it through secure servers. The fastest VPNs only slow your internet download speed down by a maximum of 25% or less, which should be unnoticeable on a reliable connection. Privacy Look for AES-256-bit encryption with OpenVPN and IKEv2, or ChaCha20 over WireGuard. We also recommend a kill switch, DNS leak protection and a strict no-logs policy that's been audited by a reputable third party. Folks with critical privacy needs should consider a VPN provider that publishes regular transparency reports and has jurisdiction outside of the Five, Nine or 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances. Server network Think about the total number of servers and the individual countries in which a VPN provider maintains a presence. At the high end, frequent international travelers and folks who want to unblock tons of foreign Netflix libraries should look for thousands of servers spread across around 100 or more countries. Around 60-plus countries should suffice for many people. Device support Most VPN providers offer Windows apps. Additionally, you'll typically find MacOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, iPhone, iPad and Fire TV apps. Many VPN providers support routers and browser plugins, and a growing number also include Apple TV apps. Streaming capabilities Because of their ability to make it look like you're in another city, state or even country, VPNs can be helpful for streaming region-restricted content like foreign Netflix libraries. Think about the streaming services you want to watch and make sure your VPN provider unblocks those in the countries you need it to. Cost Most VPN providers let you sign up for a monthly, bi-annual, annual or multi-year subscription. Expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $15 per month, $40 to $100 per year or $60-plus for a two-or-more year package. A two+ year plan usually scores you the most savings, but we recommend sticking to an annual plan for the best savings with the lowest risk. Table of Contents