NordVPN is the right pick for most people: $3.09/mo on a 2-year plan, 5,800+ servers, and NordLynx (WireGuard-based) that consistently tests faster than competing protocols. Proton VPN is the better choice if you want a verified no-logs policy and open-source clients, or if you need a free tier that actually works. ExpressVPN covers 105 countries and is worth the premium only if you need servers in specific locations.
Our Top Pick
All Options Compared
| Feature | NordVPN | Proton VPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No free tier | Free available | No free tier |
| Paid price | $3.09 USD/mo | $4.99 USD/mo | $6.67 USD/mo |
| Protocol | NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | — | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP |
| Servers | 5,800+ | — | 3,000+ |
| Countries | 60 | — | 105 |
| Simultaneous Connections | 6 | — | 8 |
| Kill Switch | |||
| Split Tunneling | |||
| Ad Blocker | Plus tier only | VPN Plus+ | |
| Audited No Logs | — | ||
| Torrenting | — | ||
| Streaming Optimized | — | ||
| No Logs Policy | — | — | |
| Open source | — | — | |
| Tor Over V P N | — | VPN Plus+ | — |
| Streaming Support | — | VPN Plus+ | — |
| Dedicated I P | — | — | |
| Simultaneous Devices | — | 1 free / 10 paid | — |
| Server Count | — | 17200+ | — |
| Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
1. NordVPN — Best Overall Value
NordVPN's Basic plan at $3.09/mo (2-year billing) is the cheapest price among major VPN providers. For that price you get 5,800+ servers across 60 countries, six simultaneous connections, and NordLynx as the default protocol. NordLynx is built on WireGuard and produces the fastest independent test results in this category.
The one cost worth flagging: that $3.09 rate requires committing to two years upfront. The monthly plan is $12.99, which is on the expensive side for short-term use. The ad blocker (Threat Protection Pro) is gated to the Plus tier at $4.99/mo, so Basic users get only Threat Protection Lite. If the ad blocker matters, budget for the extra $1.90/mo.
NordVPN's Meshnet feature lets you build a private network between your own devices at no extra cost. It's unusual at this price point and useful if you want to access a home server remotely without paying for a dedicated IP.
2. Proton VPN — Best for Privacy and Free Tier
Proton VPN's free tier is the only one in this list worth using: unlimited data, no bandwidth cap, servers in five countries, no ads, no data selling. Most free VPNs make money by selling user data; Proton's business model does not require it.
The paid VPN Plus plan is $4.99/mo (billed annually) and adds 17,200+ servers across 120+ countries, streaming support, Tor over VPN, and NetShield, which blocks ads and malware at the DNS level. Proton Unlimited at $9.99/mo bundles VPN Plus with Proton Mail, 500 GB of cloud storage, and a password manager, which is reasonable if you want the full Proton ecosystem.
Proton's privacy credentials are verifiable. The clients are open-source on all platforms, independently audited, and the no-logs policy has been tested in court: Swiss authorities issued a legal order and Proton had no IP logs to hand over. Speeds are slower than NordVPN on long-distance routes but acceptable for most browsing and streaming.
3. ExpressVPN — Best for Country Coverage
ExpressVPN covers 105 countries with 3,000+ servers, the widest country coverage of the three. If you need a server in a specific country that NordVPN's 60-country network does not include, ExpressVPN is the practical answer. The Lightway protocol is fast on long-distance connections and the streaming support for Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ is reliable.
At $6.67/mo (12-month billing) it costs more than double NordVPN's 2-year rate, and $12.95/mo on a monthly plan. There is no ad blocker included at any tier. ExpressVPN was acquired by Kape Technologies in 2021, which raised trust concerns at the time, though the TrustedServer RAM-only infrastructure was audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2022.
Eight simultaneous connections is two more than NordVPN's Basic plan, but that is a narrow advantage. For most users the price difference is not justified by the country coverage alone.
How We Ranked These
Ranking was based on price-to-value ratio, verified protocol speeds, server network size, and privacy track record. Products were not ranked on marketing claims; only facts in the product data were used.