The most secure VPN providers 2023

So you’re looking for the most secure VPN? After all, how can you make plans to overthrow your villainous government if all of your internet activities are being logged? They’ll have men in suits taking you away in the middle of the night, never to be seen again, before you can say “democracy dies in the dark.”

In all seriousness, the most secure VPN is going to help stop governments, internet service providers, and faceless corporations from building a profile on you based on everything you do online. Our number one pick for internet privacy is PureVPN, but we have four other choices if that doesn’t suit you. They each have their own unique strengths, with many of them counted amongst the most private VPN services and the best VPN services overall. It goes without saying that all of the providers on this list offer both a kill switch and a no-logs policy (both essential for true VPN privacy).

The most secure VPN providers are:

• PureVPN – the most secure choice
• IPVanish – the best for encrypted storage space
• Private Internet Access – best for server variety
• VyprVPN – the best Swiss VPN
• Ivacy VPN – best for military-grade encryption

1. PureVPN

PureVPN is the most secure VPN, and its pricing works out as $2.29 per month.

PureVPN overview:

Pros:

• Regular third-party privacy audit
• Decent number of simultaneous devices
• Good server selection and range

Cons:

• Limited Linux support
• No across-the-board route support
• No longer offers a purely free trial

Our choice for the most secure VPN provider is PureVPN. Like many providers, it describes itself as a no-logs VPN, but PureVPN willingly submits itself to third-party audits to confirm that it really isn’t peeking at your data.

Audits aside, PureVPN is a genuinely fantastic VPN all round. It has 6,500 servers across a selection of 78 countries (which, while not the absolute biggest range of VPN servers, is still impressive) and it even lets you have up to ten simultaneous connections, meaning most households will be able to cover everyone with it.

At one point in time, PureVPN offered a week-long VPN free trial which gave users plenty of time to get to grips with the service. While it still offers a ‘trial plan’ you have to pay $0.99 to use it, which is kind of annoying (but at least it’s inexpensive).

2. IPVanish

IPVanish is the best VPN for encrypted storage space.

IPVanish overview:

Pros:

• Options for encrypted storage space
• Unlimited simultaneous connections

Cons:

• Fewer overall servers in a smaller range of locations
• No free trial available

If you want to keep your internet activities private and discrete, there’s a good chance that you’ll also be in the market for a way to keep all the files on your computer private as well. IPVanish is a one-stop shop for privacy and security because it offers a stand-up VPN service, as well as solutions for encrypted storage space.

This service offers you access to 250GB of SugerSync encrypted storage and backup. This not only protects your files from dubious parties trying to get their hands on them but also keeps them safe from accidents that might see your laptop damaged.

IPVanish gives you a selection of over 1,600 servers across 52 countries (which is admittedly fewer than some of the other big names have), as well as providing a 30-day money-back guarantee to ensure that you have enough time to determine whether this service is the right one for you.

3. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is the VPN with the most servers.

Private Internet Access overview:

Pros:

• Enormous server total
• Decent limit on simultaneous connections

Cons:

• One of the slower services
• No free trial

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a superb choice for anyone after a large variety of VPN servers. Why is this a good thing? Well, suppose there’s a certain website that you’d like to access that has blocked the VPN server you’re using- since PIA has so many of them, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that will enable you to access that site privately, and discretely.

Admittedly, Private Internet Access’s servers are only spread across around 78 countries, which is a smaller range than some other providers, but it’s unrivaled in terms of its overall server count. Another benefit of this provider is that, like PureVPN, it allows you to protect the privacy of up to ten devices at once, meaning that this could be something for your whole household to use.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t give you any kind of trial, and it is also one of the slower services. Still, with all of the benefits mentioned above, and the fact that it is compatible with most of the major streaming services, there’s a lot to like about PIA.

4. VyprVPN

VyprVPN is the best Swiss VPN.

VyprVPN overview:

Pros:

• Based in Switzerland
• Allows up to 30 simultaneous connections
• Spans over 70 countries

Cons:

• Small server count
• Expensive
• No free trial

The more privacy-conscious VPN shopper may be keen to find a provider whose headquarters are located in Switzerland. Why? Because this is a country whose laws are much more privacy-friendly than somewhere like the US, and even though a VPN can keep you private, it’s not above the law. So if you want a Swiss VPN, then we recommend VyprVPN.

Though it only has around 700 servers (the smallest total on this list) it still manages to span over 70 countries. To its favor, it allows you to have simultaneous connections on up to 30 devices, and it’s hard to imagine that anybody would ever exceed that limit.

However, anybody considering VyprVPN as their provider needs to keep in mind that as VPN costs go, it’s definitely one of the most expensive services. It’s not a bad service by any means and may well be worth it, but we suspect that a lot of people will find it hard to work into their budget.

5. Ivacy VPN

Ivacy VPN is the best VPN for military-grade encryption.

Ivacy VPN overview:

Pros:

• Military-grade 256-bit encryption
• Servers in over 100 countries

Cons:

• Weird paid trial
• No kill switch on Apple devices

Last but not least, we come to Ivacy VPN. Founded in 2006, this is a service that builds on top of years of experience and infrastructure. What makes it especially worthy of note is the fact that it boasts military-grade 256-bit encryption, meaning that your internet data will remain just about as private as can be.

With over 5,700 servers in more than 100 countries, it has an impressive range. Meanwhile, like many of the other providers on this list, it also lets you have up to ten simultaneous connections, which should be good for most households.

The biggest chink in its armor is the act that it doesn’t have kill switch functionality on Apple devices. The kill switch severs your connection if the VPN goes down for even a second, meaning that your greedy internet service provider won’t be able to get its hands on your private search history. Without this protection, Mac users may not be so inclined to use Ivacy VPN.

How we chose the most secure VPN services

We put this list together by carefully comparing the pros and cons of these different services and weighing them against the privacy-based needs of internet users. These included:

• Pricing: Not everyone can afford an expensive VPN subscription, and we wanted to include recommendations for everyone, regardless of how much disposable income they have.
• Audits: Some VPNs volunteer themselves for third-party privacy audits and if they do, this is a reassuring sign that they offer a highly secure service.
• No-logs policies: A no-logs policy is a promise from a provider that no logs are being kept about your online activities. Privacy-conscious readers should never consider a VPN without one.
• Kill switch: With a kill switch in place, your connection will be severed if the VPN goes down even for a split second. This completely eliminates the risk of any of your data leaking out into the world.

With all these things considered, our top pick is PureVPN – read our how we test page if you want to find out more about how we put these lists together and decide which products deserve a spot in them.

Need a budget choice? We have guides on the best cheap VPN providers and the biggest VPN deals to help. Or maybe you need guidance for your specific device? Check out the PC VPN, laptop VPN, and mobile VPN guides from our sites Custom PC, Gear Nuke, and Pocket Tactics, respectively.