Best VPN 2026: 6 compared

Which one is right for you?

1★ Best PickA+Best OverallNordVPN

The default pick — 10 simultaneous connections, NordLynx and NordWhisper protocols, Meshnet, and a sixth Deloitte no-logs assessment (completed December 2025). Check the renewal price at checkout.

NordVPN covers up to 10 devices per account, offers NordLynx (built on WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2 and the obfuscated NordWhisper protocol, and includes Meshnet for linking your own devices. Its no-logs claims have been assessed by Deloitte six times, most recently in an engagement that ran from November to December 2025. The full report is only available to subscribers in their account, and renewal prices are higher than introductory ones, but as an all-round default it is the easiest recommendation here.

NordVPN

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Specifications▼

Simultaneous Connections

10

Server Countries

—

Protocols

NordLynx (WireGuard-based), OpenVPN, NordWhisper, IKEv2

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Deloitte (Dec 2025, 6th)

Money-back Period

30 days

Jurisdiction

—

Simultaneous Connections

10

Server Countries

—

Protocols

NordLynx (WireGuard-based), OpenVPN, NordWhisper, IKEv2

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Deloitte (Dec 2025, 6th)

Money-back Period

30 days

Jurisdiction

—

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2ABest for StreamingExpressVPN

Lightway protocol, servers in 113 countries, 10 to 14 devices depending on plan, and a KPMG assessment of its no-logs claims. Usually priced at the higher end of this list.

ExpressVPN lists servers in 113 countries (214 locations, some of them virtual) and sells Basic, Advanced and Pro plans covering 10, 12 and 14 simultaneous devices. It offers its own Lightway protocol, with WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 also available on some platforms. KPMG assessed its TrustedServer system and privacy-policy claims as of 28 February 2025, and the company operates under British Virgin Islands jurisdiction. It is usually priced at the higher end of this list, and its 30-day money-back guarantee applies to new users.

ExpressVPN

$4.99/mo〜$12.95/moReference price

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Specifications▼

Simultaneous Connections

10 / 12 / 14 (by plan)

Server Countries

113

Protocols

Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 (some apps)

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

KPMG (as of Feb 2025)

Money-back Period

30 days (new users)

Jurisdiction

British Virgin Islands

Simultaneous Connections

10 / 12 / 14 (by plan)

Server Countries

113

Protocols

Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 (some apps)

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

KPMG (as of Feb 2025)

Money-back Period

30 days (new users)

Jurisdiction

British Virgin Islands

Buy →Official →

▶ Video review

4BBest for PrivacyProton VPN

Swiss-based, five annual Securitum no-logs audits, the Stealth obfuscation protocol, and a free plan with no data limit.

Proton VPN is run from Switzerland and has had its no-logs policy audited by Securitum every year since 2022, with the 2026 audit its fifth. It lists servers in 149 countries, offers WireGuard, OpenVPN and its Stealth obfuscation protocol, and covers 10 devices on the Plus plan. Proton VPN Free has no data limit but covers 1 device and servers in 10 randomly selected countries.

Proton VPN

$3.59/mo〜$12.99/moReference price

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Specifications▼

Simultaneous Connections

10 (Plus) / 1 (Free)

Server Countries

149

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Securitum (2026, 5th annual)

Money-back Period

30 days

Jurisdiction

Switzerland

Simultaneous Connections

10 (Plus) / 1 (Free)

Server Countries

149

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Securitum (2026, 5th annual)

Money-back Period

30 days

Jurisdiction

Switzerland

Buy →Official →

▶ Video review

5B-Best for AnonymityMullvad

Account number instead of email, accepts cash and Monero, WireGuard only, 5 devices and a 14-day refund window (not for cash or crypto payments).

Mullvad gives you an account number instead of asking for an email, and accepts cash, Monero, Bitcoin, cards and other payment methods. It has been WireGuard-only since removing OpenVPN on 15 January 2026, offers UDP-over-TCP and a Shadowsocks bridge for networks that block VPNs, and lists servers in 50 countries. Cure53 audited its VPN servers in June 2024, and Mullvad says Swedish police with a search warrant left without customer data in 2023. The limits: 5 devices per account and a 14-day refund window that excludes cash and crypto payments.

Mullvad

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Specifications▼

Simultaneous Connections

5

Server Countries

50

Protocols

WireGuard only

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Cure53 (servers, Jun 2024)

Money-back Period

14 days (not cash/crypto)

Jurisdiction

Sweden

Simultaneous Connections

5

Server Countries

50

Protocols

WireGuard only

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

Cure53 (servers, Jun 2024)

Money-back Period

14 days (not cash/crypto)

Jurisdiction

Sweden

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6🌐 Large server networkPureVPN

Sign up at purevpn.com and check the current plans and terms before you pay.

PureVPN lists 6,000+ servers in 65+ countries, allows 10 simultaneous connections and offers a 31-day money-back period. It says KPMG reviewed its no-log claims, though the summary it publishes does not give a date. The company (GZ Systems Limited) is registered in the British Virgin Islands, and in 2017 it handed connection records to US authorities in a cyberstalking case before rebuilding its logging setup. A reasonable pick when server coverage matters; privacy-first users may prefer Mullvad or Proton VPN.

PureVPN

Product details →

Specifications▼

Simultaneous Connections

10

Server Countries

65+

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and others

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

KPMG, per PureVPN (date not stated)

Money-back Period

31 days

Jurisdiction

British Virgin Islands

Simultaneous Connections

10

Server Countries

65+

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and others

Latest No-Logs / Server Audit

KPMG, per PureVPN (date not stated)

Money-back Period

31 days

Jurisdiction

British Virgin Islands

Buy →Official →

▶ Video review

Side-by-side on the same scale

How to read this table: values come from each provider's official website (plan pages, server lists, support pages and audit announcements), checked in October 2026. NordVPN's website blocked our automated check, so its values come from NordVPN's own pages as shown in search results, and the values we could not confirm that way are marked “—”. Server-country counts change often and some locations are virtual. Prices are not listed because they change; check the current and renewal price at checkout. “—” means the value could not be confirmed from those sources. Pickly did not test these services.

Table checked 2026-10-31

How we compared

This comparison is desk research: Pickly did not sign up for or test these services. Device limits, server-country counts, protocols, refund periods and jurisdiction come from each provider's official pages, and privacy claims were checked against the most recent published third-party no-logs or server audit, all checked in October 2026.

We do not list prices because they change often and differ by country, plan length and promotion. Across the industry, introductory rates on long plans are usually lower than the price at renewal, so check the renewal price and the refund terms at checkout before you pay.

What changed in 2026

Mullvad went WireGuard-only. It removed OpenVPN support completely on 15 January 2026, so routers and third-party clients that relied on its OpenVPN configuration files no longer work with it. For networks that block VPNs, Mullvad's app offers UDP-over-TCP and a Shadowsocks-based bridge mode instead.

Audits kept coming. Proton says its 2026 no-logs audit by Securitum is its fifth consecutive annual one; NordVPN's sixth Deloitte assessment ran from November to December 2025; Surfshark published its second Deloitte no-logs report in June 2025; and ExpressVPN's KPMG assessment covers its TrustedServer system and privacy-policy claims as of 28 February 2025.

Plans and free tiers shifted. ExpressVPN now sells Basic, Advanced and Pro plans covering 10, 12 and 14 simultaneous devices, and Proton VPN Free covers 1 device with no data limit and servers in 10 randomly selected countries. NordVPN announced in 2025 that it would shut down Meshnet, then reversed that decision.

Where to use each one

If you mainly want streaming, NordVPN and ExpressVPN both advertise streaming use and run large server networks (ExpressVPN lists servers in 113 countries). No VPN can guarantee access to a particular streaming catalog — streaming services block VPN addresses and change their rules, and their terms of use may restrict VPN use — so treat any 'unblocks X' promise as a moving target and use the refund window to check the services you watch.

If you have more devices than plans usually allow, Surfshark states unlimited simultaneous connections, while NordVPN, Proton VPN Plus and PureVPN cap at 10 and Mullvad at 5. Surfshark's introductory prices are aimed at long plans, so check the renewal price.

If you are on a network that blocks VPNs, look for an obfuscation option: Proton VPN offers its Stealth protocol on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Android TV, NordVPN offers NordWhisper, and Mullvad offers UDP-over-TCP and a Shadowsocks bridge. None of these is a guarantee, and in some countries using a VPN is itself restricted. Proton is based in Switzerland, which is outside the EU and has its own data-protection law.

If you want one subscription for the whole household — phones, laptops, a smart TV — NordVPN's 10 simultaneous connections plus Meshnet device linking is a straightforward setup, and ExpressVPN's Advanced and Pro plans raise the limit to 12 and 14 devices.

How to choose: device limits, protocols, audits and refunds

Start by counting devices, because the limits differ more than the marketing suggests: Surfshark states unlimited simultaneous connections, ExpressVPN allows 10, 12 or 14 depending on plan, NordVPN, Proton VPN Plus and PureVPN allow 10, Mullvad allows 5 and Proton VPN Free allows 1. A family with phones, laptops and a TV can pass 8 quickly; if you are near a cap, Surfshark or an ExpressVPN Advanced or Pro plan avoids juggling, and Mullvad is a poor fit for a large household.

Next, check the protocol list against what you need. WireGuard or a WireGuard-based protocol (NordLynx at NordVPN) is the modern default and is offered by all six services here. If you need OpenVPN for an older router or a manual setup, Mullvad no longer supports it (removed in January 2026), while the others still list it. If you travel to places that block VPNs, choose a service with an obfuscation mode — Proton's Stealth, NordVPN's NordWhisper or Mullvad's UDP-over-TCP and bridge mode.

For privacy, read the audit column in the table rather than the words 'no-logs'. Proton (Securitum, 2026), NordVPN (Deloitte, December 2025), Surfshark (Deloitte, June 2025) and ExpressVPN (KPMG, as of February 2025) have each had their no-logs claims assessed by a third party; Mullvad's most recent published VPN-server audit is Cure53's from June 2024, and Mullvad says Swedish police who arrived with a search warrant in 2023 left without customer data. PureVPN says KPMG reviewed its no-log claims, but the summary it publishes does not state when.

Finally, check the refund window and how you pay. NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN offer 30 days, ExpressVPN 30 days for new users, PureVPN 31 days, and Mullvad 14 days — and Mullvad excludes cash and crypto payments from refunds. Mullvad is the pick if you want to pay in cash or Monero with only an account number; it is not the pick if you want a long trial window or a free tier, where Proton VPN Free (1 device, 10 randomly selected countries) is the place to start.

Verdict

There is no single best VPN for everyone. NordVPN is the default pick if you want one service that covers 10 devices with a recently assessed no-logs policy. ExpressVPN suits people who want its Lightway protocol and up to 14 devices on the Pro plan. Surfshark suits households with more than 10 devices. Proton VPN suits privacy-focused users who want Swiss jurisdiction, annual audits and a free plan. Mullvad suits the smaller group who want to pay anonymously and can live with WireGuard only and 5 devices.

Be careful with free VPNs. A 2016 study by researchers at CSIRO's Data61, UNSW and UC Berkeley of 283 Android apps that use the VPN permission found that 38% showed some malware presence in VirusTotal scans and about three-quarters used third-party tracking libraries. Proton VPN Free comes from a provider with published annual no-logs audits; with other free services, check who runs them and how they are funded.