In this guide we take a look at the Best VPN services this year.
The VPN market is ever changing and while one VPN provider may be king one year, the next they have often been superseded by a better option.
2020 is no different to recent years and using a VPN is now practically an essential tool of everyday internet life. From protecting your online privacy from hackers and governments to accessing the kind of content you want to watch which is geo-blocked.
To access a free and open internet you’re going to need a VPN service but with so many options out there it’s difficult to find the best and you can end up wasting money trying all the various options.
We’ve been testing a variety of the industry leading providers to find out who is offering the leading VPN in 2020 and below we’ve rounded up our top 5.
Top 5 VPNs for 2020
| RANK | PROVIDER | PRICE | COUNTRY LOCATIONS | SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | $6.49 /mo | 61 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 2 |  | $8.32 /mo | 94 | 5 | VISIT |
| 3 |  | $8.32 /mo | 48 | 3 | VISIT |
| 4 |  | $4.80 /mo | 20 | 6 | VISIT |
| 5 |  | $4.75 /mo | 9 | 2 | VISIT |
1. IPVanish
IPVanish takes our top spot and is our Editor’s Choice when it comes to the best choice this year.
Many factors dictate if a VPN service is good and IPVanish tick most of the boxes. So if you’re looking for the leading vpn then you should certainly start with IPVanish.
In our testing they offer some of the fastest speeds available and when using on a daily basis we noticed no slowdowns or interruptions to the service. It’s also possible to download large files from torrents or stream high quality video without buffering or delays.
Over 60 countries are available to connect to with VPN servers in many different cities around the world. Over 700 servers in total are available and more than 40,000 IP Addresses making them one of the biggest VPN providers.
A monthly account costs just $6.49 when taking an annual package and a full 7-day money back guarantee is available allowing you to test the service to see if it’s suitable for your needs.
IPVanish store zero logs which means what you do when connected to their extensive VPN service remains private from prying eyes. The service can also be used on 5 concurrent devices.
To sign-up or find out more about their service visit their website using the button below.
Best VPN for 2020
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN takes our second spot in the search for the best VPN this year
If you’re after a service that lets you trial it for a long period of time then ExpressVPN will suit you. They offer a massive 30-day money back guarantee which will let you test the service for multiple purposes over a month and if you’re not happy then you can get your money back.
Software and apps are available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux systems and there are also some useful tools and guides for routers and other devices.
ExpressVPN is a little bit more expensive than most other VPN providers at $8.32 per month when taking an annual account.
More than 87 countries are available to connect to in more than 136 different cities which goes someway to explain the higher price.
VPN protocols available include PPTP, L2TP, SSTP and OpenVPN. You’re able to switch servers as much as you wish and there are no bandwidth or speed restrictions.
Only 3 concurrent connections are allowed which should be enough but if you require more then consider IPVanish first.
3. Overplay
Overplay along with IPVanish are one of the fastest VPN providers we’ve tested which is why they’ve made our ‘Best VPN’ list.
Currently they only offer Windows and Mac software but apps for Android and iOS are in the works, possibly by the time you read this article they’ve already been released so keep a check on their website by clicking the green button below.
Overplay like ExpressVPN are a little more expensive than IPVanish which is why they’re not my first choice and will cost you $8.33 per month when taking an annual account.
One of the biggest features of the Overplay VPN service is the free SmartDNS function that comes bundled with your account. SmartDNS allows you to access geoblocked TV services such as BBC iPlayer, Foxtel Go, Hulu, CBS and more without using the encryption of the VPN service.
This means you’ll get the best possible speeds and if you live in a remote area with slow internet or you have a bad internet connection then SmartDNS will be the best chance to reduce buffering.
VPN servers are available in more than 40 different countries and with over 400 servers available there is plenty of choices.
Overplay keep zero traffic logs and have a 5-day money back guarantee.
4. VPN.ac
VPN.ac take my fourth spot as as a quality VPN provider this year.
If you’re looking for a smaller provider that put high priority on encryption then VPN.ac is definitely the provider for you.
They’re a lot smaller than the other providers and only have 21 countries available to connect to. However, their servers are well placed across the world which should be no problem for most people.
If you’re not in what is normally considered a typical country to have a VPN server then you may want to check if their server selection is suitable for you before you sign up.
When taking an annual account VPN.ac actually work out as one of the cheapest providers and will cost just $4.80 per month.
They recently released an iOS app which now means they support all major devices including Windows, Mac, Android and iOS so connection is extremely easy.
VPN.ac have a few different encryption modes that aren’t available with other providers so if you’re interested in security they’re definitely worth considering.
6 concurrent connections are allowed which is one of the biggest in the industry and a 7-day money back guarantee available.
5. LiquidVPN
LiquidVPN takes my final spot as an excellent VPN for this year.
LiquidVPN like VPN.ac are one of the smaller providers on the market but what they lack in size they make up for in speed and reliability.
The VPN servers available are some of the fastest on the market and along with both IPVanish and VPN.ac their speeds are pretty much unbeaten.
LiquidVPN only has 11 countries covered with VPN servers which is one of their major drawbacks. If you only require access to servers in North America and Europe then they’re fine but outside of those locations they only have 1 server in Asia in Singapore. Due to this you’ll need to consider carefully if this is suitable for your needs.
Software is available for Windows and Mac and an app for Android. If you’re an iOS user then you’ll need to set the service up manually so if you’re not confident doing so you’ll be best sticking with one of the earlier providers.
Torrent downloading is allowed across the entire range of servers and LiquidVPN do their best to ensure you’re free to download what you want without any issues. If you’re a big P2P user then this is a great feature.
Conclusion
There are literally thousands of options available when it comes to looking for a VPN service and when searching Google or your favourite search engine you can be left confused by the overwhelming array of choice.
2020 is definitely a great year to consider your online privacy and if you’re new to the VPN scene or your current subscription is coming to an end and you’re looking for a new provider then our 5 Best VPN services for 2020 is a good place to start.
IPVanish is our number one rated provider and we’re so pleased with their service that we’ve awarded them our Editor’s Choice for the second year running.
If you don’t have much time then you won’t be disappointed with IPVanish but if you’ve got a little more time to shop about then take a look at all 5 providers as while there isn’t a massive amount of difference between them, one may offer a feature that is more suitable for your needs.
Below is a list of features to consider when choosing a VPN service for 2020.
Speed
Speed is one of the most critical factors when choosing a VPN. As media and downloads get bigger the need to transfer these at a faster rate increases.
If you have a slow VPN service then web pages will load slow, video will buffer and downloads will take an eternity. Choosing a fast VPN provider like IPVanish or VPN.ac is critical.
Server Locations
When you’re paying almost the same price across the range of VPN providers then it pays to choose one with many servers. For instance with ExpressVPN you get access to VPN servers in 87 countries and with Overplay only 40.
There are of course other features available on services with fewer server locations which answers why they cost the same price but if accessing a big amount of server locations is key to your use then it pays to shop around.
Software and App support
Not all VPN providers offer software or apps for the full range of major systems so looking for a provider that offers Windows, Mac, Android and iOS support is essential.
The providers listed in this guide offer either all or a combination of software and apps for major devices ensuring that you can protect your privacy and access geoblocked content across your range of devices.
Concurrent connections
One VPN package can cover multiple devices and with a range of 3 – 6 devices available from the listed providers above it makes sense to check how many devices you want to use the service on and then sign up for the one that covers your needs.
To recap on the available VPNs you should be considering, check out this table below.
| RANK | PROVIDER | PRICE | COUNTRY LOCATIONS | SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | $6.49 /mo | 61 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 2 | | $8.32 /mo | 94 | 5 | VISIT |
| 3 | | $8.32 /mo | 48 | 3 | VISIT |
| 4 | | $4.80 /mo | 20 | 6 | VISIT |
| 5 | | $4.75 /mo | 9 | 2 | VISIT |
