The best VPN for Windows in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

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When you're looking for a virtual backstage network (VPN) service, apps compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating strategy are ever available.

Reputable VPN providers volition connection users a Windows VPN app alongside bundle for macOS, Android, and iOS, astatine a minimum. Windows VPNs tin besides delegate you a antithetic net protocol (IP) code based connected wherever you privation to look from. In addition, the services whitethorn connection further information features specified arsenic password managers oregon information breach monitors.

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What is the champion Windows VPN close now?

ZDNET's apical prime for a Windows VPN successful 2025 is NordVPN. NordVPN combines fantabulous speed, an expansive server list, and information with an easy-to-use Windows app, making it a large enactment starting astatine $3 per period during NordVPN's aboriginal Black Friday sale.

ZDNET has extensively tested VPN bundle for years. We often execute hands-on velocity tests, cheque server availability and transportation stability, and analyse the astir captious aspects of VPN clients, including user-friendliness, security, and entree to streaming services. With that successful mind, these are our recommendations for the champion VPNs for Windows successful 2025.

The champion VPNs for Windows successful 2025

NordVPN has distinguished itself arsenic 1 of the fastest VPNs connected the marketplace and is our apical prime arsenic a VPN for Windows PCs.

Why we similar it: The idiosyncratic interface works good connected Windows, and during testing, we recovered that connections were accelerated and stable. NordVPN offers immoderate of the champion speeds connected the market, up to 10 simultaneous connections, and a server web offering locations successful 111 countries.

NordVPN besides has coagulated capabilities beyond a basal VPN service. Its peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing functionality makes it an fantabulous VPN for torrenting, and determination are options for a dedicated IP address, treble VPN, and Onion implicit VPN.

You tin acquisition add-on services, including a password manager and encrypted unreality storage. It's besides 1 of the fewer VPN providers offering individuality theft and cyber extortion coverage.

Also: NordVPN review

In caller news, NordVPN has reversed a determination to adjacent down Meshnet, a unafraid instrumentality transportation diagnostic fashionable with immoderate users. The institution has besides open-sourced its Linux GUI.

Who it's for: Beyond Windows, NordVPN supports each the astir fashionable platforms, making it a bully enactment for securing assorted devices. If you person occupation mounting up the VPN, unrecorded chat is available, and customers study prime support.

NordVPN is presently moving an aboriginal Black Friday sale. Subscriptions present statesman astatine $3 per month, with 3 months of escaped entree added to two-year plans. One-year plans commencement astatine $4.59 per month. With a 30-day money-back guarantee, you tin trial it and get a afloat refund if it doesn't enactment for you.

Who should look elsewhere: NordVPN should suit astir Windows users, but if you privation unlimited simultaneous connections, you volition request to look elsewhere.

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ExpressVPN has server locations successful 105 countries, which is simply a larger web than galore of the different apical VPN providers. Its velocity makes it 1 of our apical choices.

Why we similar it: In ZDNET's caller velocity tests, we recovered that ExpressVPN marginally surpassed NordVPN successful wide velocity and experienced minimal velocity loss, with show predictably accordant crossed galore of its servers worldwide.

ExpressVPN is 1 of the astir wide utilized VPN providers for a reason. It supports a wide scope of platforms and protocols and is casual to acceptable up and usage connected conscionable astir immoderate device, including Windows.

Also: ExpressVPN review

ExpressVPN is up determination with NordVPN successful presumption of its idiosyncratic interface. Like its competitor, it has a termination power that protects your privateness should your transportation abruptly drop. It's 1 of the fastest VPNs, though its higher terms constituent and a deficiency of unlimited simultaneous connections should beryllium taken into account.

Who it's for: Anyone who considers velocity to beryllium their apical precedence successful a Windows VPN.

ExpressVPN has precocious transitioned to a tiered strategy and adjusted its pricing accordingly. The champion woody is for a two-year basal ExpressVPN program astatine $3.49 per period with 4 months of escaped access. If you privation much than 10 simultaneous connections, opt for an Advanced plan, starting astatine $4.49 per month.

The institution has besides precocious launched EventVPN, a escaped -- but ad-supported -- service.

Who should look elsewhere: Just arsenic with NordVPN, if you privation unlimited simultaneous connections, look elsewhere. Still, customers accidental this is an fantabulous VPN with a fantastic lawsuit enactment team.

ExpressVPN features: Simultaneous connections: 10 - 14 | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Linux, Fire TV, Android TV, tvOS, and routers | Countries: 105 | Logging: No browsing logs, immoderate transportation logs | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Trial: Seven days connected Android and iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.0 | Google Play rating: 4.7 | App Store rating: 4.7

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Surfshark is 1 of the astir affordable VPNs connected the market, providing a coagulated Windows VPN work for immoderate budget.

Why we similar it: In summation to large VPN functionality supported by the WireGuard protocol, it offers a clear, charismatic idiosyncratic interface and unlimited connections.

We peculiarly similar the intermission function, which allows you to halt the VPN for 5 minutes, an hour, oregon more. This is simply a utile diagnostic if you request to entree a work section to you, for example.

Although download speeds were coagulated successful our testing, we noticed they were slower than immoderate competitors, and transportation requests took longer arsenic well. Still, considering its terms point, you can't spell incorrect with Surfshark arsenic a semipermanent Windows VPN that won't enactment a dent successful your wallet each year.

Also: Surfshark VPN review

Surfshark recently introduced 100Gbps servers successful Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with an oculus connected yet moving distant from the 10Gbps standard. It remains to beryllium seen if Surfshark's wide web velocity improves successful the aboriginal owed to these developments.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a budget-friendly Windows VPN for astatine slightest 2 years.

Plans commencement astatine $2 per period connected two-year plans, with 3 months of escaped entree added to the magnitude of the contract. You tin besides opt for 1 twelvemonth astatine $3.19 per month, monthly options astatine $15.45, and further tiers that see antivirus extortion and Incogni information removal.

Customers study Surfshark is simply a trustworthy VPN work with a large enactment team, though immoderate users person reported billing issues.

Who should look elsewhere: If you request a accelerated work and privation accelerated transportation times, effort retired NordVPN oregon ExpressVPN.

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Proton VPN is 1 of the champion VPN solutions disposable for those acrophobic astir their privacy.

Why we similar it: Made by the engineers down ProtonMail, Proton VPN places information and privateness astatine the bosom of its operations and is protected by Swiss privateness laws. It is besides unfastened source, which means anyone tin reappraisal and audit its code.

The firm's privacy policy is clear, and determination are predominant transparency reports.

Also: Proton VPN review

Speeds are reasonable, though they tin beryllium slower than those of different VPN providers. We similar the idiosyncratic interface and the information that paid subscribers enactment a escaped plan, alternatively than the institution forcing escaped users to endure changeless advertisements oregon licence information collection.

Many customers accidental they similar this unafraid service, but determination are complaints regarding the escaped work tier -- instrumentality that however you will.

Who it's for: Individuals who privation to enactment information archetypal erstwhile they see what VPN work they are funny successful signing up for.

Proton VPN is priced astatine $3.59 per period connected a two-year contract. One-year subscriptions outgo $4 per month, whereas a period of entree is disposable for $10.

Who should look elsewhere: It's a large VPN, but it falls successful the mediate of the battalion regarding speed, truthful NordVPN oregon ExpressVPN mightiness beryllium a amended acceptable if velocity is your priority.

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IPVanish is simply a solid, highly flexible merchandise with a adjuvant idiosyncratic interface and accelerated transportation times.

Why we similar it: Windows users volition admit iPVanish's precocious configurability. Its app makes choosing the optimal server for your VPN transportation a breeze by providing ping times and server load information. As a bonus, this VPN is an fantabulous prime for Kodi users.

While transportation times were fantabulous with IPVanish during our testing, the transportation velocity sometimes lagged down competitors, and the idiosyncratic interface won't entreaty to everyone. Despite this, customers accidental they similar the VPN's terms constituent and study an wide affirmative experience, with galore noting that streaming services enactment well.

Another bonus? Every relationship supports unlimited simultaneous connections, making it a large enactment if you privation to support devices different than your Windows PC.

Also: IPVanish review

It's compatible with Windows 7 and above, but you mightiness person to usage the VPN's bequest app for older versions of the operating system.

Who it's for: Anyone who is connected the hunt for a cheap, configurable VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections.

You tin motion up for a two-year program astatine $2.19 per month, with 3 months free. Alternatively, a yearly program volition acceptable you backmost $3.33 per month, oregon a period of entree volition outgo you $13.

Who should look elsewhere: Speeds aren't the greatest, and its idiosyncratic interface is rather bland. If these factors are important, cheque retired different 1 of our recommendations.

Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company. For much information, spot our Editorial Guidelines.

IPVanish features: Simultaneous connections: Unlimited | Kill switch: Yes | Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, Fire TV, tvOS, Kodi, and routers | Logging: None, but billing information | Locations: 108 countries | Money-back guarantee: 30 days | Trial: Seven days connected Android and iOS | Trustpilot rating: 4.2 | Google Play rating: 4.4 | App Store rating: 4.6

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Best VPN for Windows	Price	Simultaneous connections	Locations
NordVPN	$3 per period with a two-year program positive 3 escaped months	10	111
ExpressVPN	$3.49 per period with a two-year program positive 4 escaped months	10 - 14	105
Surfshark	$2 per period with a two-year program positive 3 escaped months	Unlimited	100
Proton VPN	$3.59 per period with a two-year plan	1 (free) / 10	91
IPVanish VPN	$2.19 per period with a two-year program positive 3 escaped months	Unlimited	108

Note: The accusation presented successful this array is close arsenic of our past people date. Prices, ratings, and different details whitethorn person changed since then.

A Windows VPN work is simply a solution that encrypts your net traffic, hides your IP address, and provides you with a comparatively anonymous and much unafraid transportation portion you're online.

VPNs typically enactment by encrypting your net transportation and rerouting your postulation done distant servers located successful antithetic areas. This process besides assigns you the IP code of the server you are using. For example, you could beryllium based successful New York utilizing your Windows instrumentality and look to beryllium browsing online from Canada.

With the close VPN, you tin browse the net without being tracked and entree geo-restricted contented and streaming services portion you're distant from home. VPNs are not a metallic slug for security, but alternatively a invaluable information furniture that protects your delicate information and masks your online activities.

Also: What is simply a VPN and wherefore bash you request one?

How to acceptable up a VPN connected Windows

When you're acceptable to motion up for a VPN to usage it connected your Windows PC, you indispensable archetypal download the corresponding app from your VPN provider's website oregon different authoritative sources. For example, you could download NordVPN astatine NordVPN.com.

However, beryllium cautious that you lone download a VPN app from a trusted source. Reputable VPN brands tin beryllium mimicked by scammers hoping you download malicious bundle by accident.

Once the bundle has downloaded, tally its installer. For this example, we are installing IPVanish connected a Windows-based Lenovo laptop. You whitethorn request to supply support for the installation bundle to finish.

Whether oregon not you've opted for a escaped oregon paid VPN plan, you volition request to motion up for an account, usually with an email address. Sign successful and authenticate your bundle utilizing your VPN relationship credentials oregon a instrumentality authorization code, which whitethorn beryllium fixed to you via email oregon telephone number.

Your VPN volition present beryllium active, and you tin prime the state server you want, alteration immoderate further settings, and more.

When you are deciding connected your caller Windows VPN, you should consider:

Compatibility: First and foremost, you volition request a VPN that works with the Microsoft Windows operating system. Thankfully, the bulk of VPNs volition enactment Windows, 1 of the astir fashionable operating systems worldwide, by default.
Cost: You request to see the wide outgo of your caller VPN plan. Try to instrumentality vantage of promotions but disregard countdown timers -- they typically are conscionable selling tools extracurricular of events specified arsenic Black Friday week. While top-notch VPNs tin outgo upwards of $10 per month, galore are disposable for the equivalent of lone a fewer dollars per month. We mostly urge that escaped VPNs beryllium avoided -- with respective exceptions similar Windscribe oregon Proton VPN -- arsenic they whitethorn merchantability your information oregon prosecute successful shady practices.
Streaming and geo-blocking: If you mean to usage your Windows VPN for streaming content, guarantee that the VPN tin accommodate your favourite services, particularly if they are located successful different location. It tin beryllium a cat-and-mouse game, particularly if you're distant from home, truthful it is worthy researching whether oregon not your VPN has issues with accessing circumstantial streaming services. Also, support successful caput that streaming with a VPN legally is simply a grey area.
Device connections: When you're paying for a Windows VPN, you mightiness besides privation to usage the work crossed aggregate devices, specified arsenic connected an Android smartphone, Mac, tablet, oregon lawsuit a astute TV. We urge you motion up for a program with enactment for astatine slightest six devices. Thankfully, galore paid VPN plans present connection unlimited connections and are compatible with the astir fashionable operating systems.
Contract length: You besides request to determine however agelong you privation a VPN. If you opt for a two-year word oregon longer, you thin to unafraid the champion prices, but determination are different options available. After you've made a selection, you typically person a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Apps and extensions: When selecting a VPN, you mightiness privation to effort retired its accompanying mobile apps and extensions to guarantee you're getting the astir retired of your subscription. Some VPNs, for example, person large desktop bundle but deficiency successful the mobile app department, which whitethorn not beryllium arsenic intuitive oregon casual to use.

Choose this VPN for Windows	If you want...
NordVPN	The champion Windows VPN overall. NordVPN combines large speeds and stableness with an costly server web and plentifulness of further options to bolster your online security.
ExpressVPN	A speed-driven VPN. While expensive, ExpressVPN has immoderate of the champion velocity trial results successful our reviews and is simply a coagulated VPN work with an easy-to-use idiosyncratic interface.
Surfshark	An affordable VPN. Surfshark isn't ever arsenic speedy arsenic its competitors, but it does connection tenable speeds crossed a decent server web and astatine a terms constituent suitable for astir users.
Proton VPN	A security-first escaped VPN. Proton VPN is our lone open-source option, and its developers heavy stress information and idiosyncratic privacy. Its web and velocity is what we see reasonable, and the escaped program is capable to get you started.
IPVanish	Unlimited connections. IPVanish does not bounds however galore devices you tin link to the VPN astatine the aforesaid time, and it is besides highly configurable.

Many providers recommended successful this database person been taxable to in-depth investigating and reviews by the ZDNET team. We've been reviewing VPNs for years, person spoken with their absorption and their users, and person developed a mostly favorable impression.

ZDNET tests VPN services from aggregate locations, but we can't trial from each locations. Every home, each community, each section ISP, and each federation has a antithetic infrastructure.

We analyzed the champion VPNs for Windows utilizing the pursuing criteria to assistance you marque an informed decision:

Performance: Our apical VPNs indispensable person a minimum level of performance. After all, there's nary constituent successful utilizing a VPN if your transportation continually drops oregon lags.
Simultaneous connections: Many VPNs bounds however galore devices you tin link to a work simultaneously. If you person a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, and perchance adjacent a astute TV you privation to link to a VPN, you request a work that allows astatine slightest 5 oregon six simultaneous connections.
Security: There's nary constituent utilizing a VPN unless its information protocols and encryption levels are up to scratch. We besides guarantee the improvement squad down each recommended VPN cares astir making information improvements and patching reported bugs.
Kill switch: A termination power prevents you from having an unprotected connection. It is an important diagnostic for a VPN, arsenic it protects you by preventing a instrumentality to a default Wi-Fi transportation should your net transportation unexpectedly drop.
Geo-blocks and streaming: We cognize VPNs tin beryllium cardinal to accessing section contented and services portion you're distant from home. We guarantee that our apical recommendations execute good fixed these factors and are improbable to dilatory down your transportation portion streaming.
Platforms: What systems and devices tin you tally the VPN on? Our VPN recommendations person to connection easy-to-use and intuitive apps.
Countries and servers: In however galore antithetic countries does the VPN person servers? This tin see carnal and virtual servers, and whether determination are capable -- astatine slightest 50 oregon truthful -- to supply variety.
Trial magnitude and price: Each VPN we urge has a coagulated money-back guarantee, and mobile users are offered a seven-day trial.
Support: As with immoderate subscription software, you whitethorn brushwood problems installing apps, utilizing the service, renewing, oregon canceling. We database VPNs with an disposable enactment team.

For a much extended breakdown, cheque retired our comprehensive VPN investigating methodology page.

Latest news

Researchers warned that hundreds of escaped VPNs person terrible security problems, including vulnerability to Heartbleed.
Mozilla is reportedly moving connected a free VPN for its Firefox browser.
A caller cybercriminal campaign spreading Akira ransomware is targeting SonicWall VPNs.
Microsoft is moving connected a caller firm assets absorption strategy that seeks to replace VPNs.
After considering idiosyncratic feedback, NordVPN reversed its determination to sunset its Meshnet service.

Yes, and no. Windows 11 includes a VPN client, but it isn't suitable for the mean user.

If you're connecting to your firm VPN server, past you tin usage Windows' built-in client. If, however, you privation to link elsewhere, you request a abstracted VPN service. Microsoft has a guide for mounting up the built-in VPN client, but we urge that astir users opt for a standalone VPN. This volition prevention you the legwork and volition mostly supply you with much features.

There are respective vendors that supply free VPN plans. You tin opt for a escaped VPN for Windows earlier signing up for a paid service. This volition springiness you the accidental to larn astir VPN bundle and trial retired a work earlier making the leap.

That said, we bash not urge downloading escaped VPNs that harvest your accusation oregon are ad-supported. This negates the full constituent of utilizing a VPN to amended your privateness and security. At present, we suggest that you effort retired Proton VPN oregon Windscribe if you privation a escaped plan. Keep successful caput that portion they are supported by paid users, these services are limited.

Yes, successful astir areas. You tin usage a VPN work freely successful the U.S., for example, but successful immoderate countries -- specified arsenic China oregon Russia -- VPN usage is frowned upon, severely restricted, oregon banned outright. Some countries lone let residents to usage state-controlled VPNs (and truthful they bash not support your privacy) oregon whitethorn bounds them to precise circumstantial usage cases.

As VPNs reroute your online traffic, they, by design, adhd a measurement betwixt your instrumentality and the work you are trying to access.

As a result, VPNs volition dilatory down your net speed, though the higher the starting velocity -- comparing modular broadband and fiber, for illustration -- the little apt you volition beryllium to announcement it. Generally, determination whitethorn beryllium a velocity nonaccomplishment of betwixt 5% and 35%.

Yes, it's good to permission your Windows VPN connected each of the time, particularly if you are actively utilizing the Internet. However, if you're not online, past you don't person to. In addition, if you are utilizing a artillery arsenic a powerfulness source, leaving bundle moving that you bash not request oregon usage tin effect successful a faster artillery drain.

Latest updates

October 2025: In ZDNET's October update, we performed editorial changes, including answering much of our astir communal Windows VPN questions and providing much accusation connected our apical picks and alternatives.
September 2025: In ZDNET's September update, we performed important copy, editorial, and layout changes. We besides updated the accusation connected our apical picks and alternate options.

Alternative VPNs for Windows

CyberGhost is an fantabulous alternate Windows VPN if you privation velocity astatine a tenable price, starting astatine $2.19 per month.

It's besides large for streaming acknowledgment to its optimized servers for streaming, torrenting, and gaming. It's main downside is that you tin lone link 7 devices simultaneously nether 1 account.

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If you privation to take wherever you look from and what servers you privation to link to, Windscribe is simply a trustworthy VPN service.

Windscribe besides provides customized plans, starting astatine conscionable $1 per month, if you lone privation entree to circumstantial server locations. There's besides a escaped program available, which I urge alongside Proton VPN if you don't privation to wage for a VPN subscription.

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Private Internet Access is different just alternate if you're looking for a Windows VPN.

It offers tenable speeds, a beardown server network, and is inexpensive -- coming successful astatine lone $2.03 per period if you are blessed to motion up for a three-year contract. However, it is based successful the U.S., which whitethorn deter immoderate users.

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We anticipation you've recovered our usher to the champion Windows VPNs astir useful. If you would similar to research further VPN categories, cheque retired our favorite VPNs overall, the best escaped VPNs successful the market, and the champion Apple iPhone VPNs.

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