A new study reveals how virtual private networks are expanding outside of the niche technology just for businesses.

We all have concerns about online privacy and security, and that’s not changing anytime soon.

According to a new report from Maximum Market Research, the global market for virtual private networks will grow by more than 17% annually over the next five years. VPN expenditures are projected to reach $150 billion by 2030, more than triple what it was ($48.7 billion) in 2023.

Two key drivers for that growth are the lack of data security on public networks and the increasing number of employees doing remote and hybrid work. 

VPN providers are working to boost the appeal of their services for consumers. This week, for instance, ExpressVPN introduced new features for Apple’s iOS app, including shortcuts, Home screen widgets and integration with Siri voice commands.

If you’re not already using a VPN, maybe you’re getting a sense of FOMO — should I jump into the VPN pool? 

There are lots of good reasons to do so, including improved privacy, streaming without geo-restrictions and preventing ISP tracking. Check out CNET’s recommendations for the top VPNs (Canada, see here).

If you’re still in the “what’s a VPN?” camp, here’s a short description of how it works. First, you connect to a VPN server, which allows your device to establish an encrypted connection (sometimes called “tunneling in”). Then, all of your internet traffic is routed through that server, thus hiding your public IP address and physical location. The encryption also scrambles data related to your online activity, rendering it unreadable to hackers or cyberthieves.

VPNs are no longer just a “niche” nice-to-have technology for businesses, according to the report cited above. The projected growth of VPNs through 2030, it says, underscores the urgency we feel to keep our data secure.

Maximum Market Research expects North America to dominate the VPN market, with approximately 41% of the market share by 2030.

NordVPN vs. Surfshark: See How These Sister Services Stack Up

NordVPN and Surfshark each provide fast speeds, solid privacy and excellent streaming capabilities. NordVPN is better for speed and privacy, while Surfshark is an all-around superb value.

NordVPN and Surfshark are two of the best virtual private network providers on the market, and while they share some similarities — including the same parent company — each packs unique offerings. NordVPN is our pick for the fastest VPN, based on our hands-on testing, while Surfshark earns our vote for the best value VPN. 

Both VPNs deliver fast speeds, user-friendly apps, handy privacy features and excellent streaming service content unblocking. Overall, I’d recommend Surfshark for most folks who want to browse privately, stream from apps like Netflix or Disney Plus and use the company’s practical privacy tools. It’s also the choice if budget is a primary concern. But NordVPN is better for power users with critical privacy needs, international travelers and anyone with high-bandwidth needs, like competitive online gamers or streaming enthusiasts. While Surfshark isn’t slow, NordVPN is noticeably faster and boasts a significantly larger server network — particularly in Africa and the Middle East — which may be beneficial for travel and streaming. 

NordVPN vs. Surfshark at a glance

	NordVPN	Surfshark
Starting price	$13 a month, $60 a year or $83 total for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $140 annually)	$10 a month, $48 a year or $54 total for the first two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $79 annually)
Average internet download speed loss	3%	21%
Server network	8,000-plus servers in 126 countries	3,200-plus servers in 100 countries
Available VPN protocols	NordLynx (WireGuard-based), NordWhisper (obfuscation-focused), OpenVPN	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Encryption	AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20	AES-256-GCM, ChaCha20
Post-quantum encryption	Yes	Yes
Specialtiy servers	Onion over VPN, Double VPN, Obfuscated, P2P	Dynamic Multi-hop, Camouflage Mode (obfuscated servers)
Unique privacy features	Post-quantum protection	Post-quantum protection, EverLink, FastTrack, Alternative ID
Jurisdiction	Panama	Netherlands
Streaming support	Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, CBC Gem and more	Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, CBC Gem and more
App compatibility	Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, iOS/iPadOS, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, web browsers, routers	Windows, MacOS, Linux (with GUI), Android, iOS/iPadOS, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, web browsers, routers
Simultaneous connections	10	Unlimited

Speed winner: NordVPN is the fastest we tested, but Surfshark is still plenty speedy

Most people looking for a VPN for privacy while browsing the web, streaming videos or traveling should be fine with either NordVPN or Surfshark. But NordVPN’s breakneck speeds make it a better choice for bandwidth-intensive tasks like streaming 4K videos, competitive online gaming and torrenting. 

Although Surfshark is by no means sluggish, NordVPN is notably faster. In our 2025 benchmarking, we measured a class-leading 3% average internet download speed loss for NordVPN and a still great 21% average download speed loss for Surfshark. We generally look for a speed loss of less than 25%. For context, Netflix recommends a minimum 15Mbps internet speed for a single 4K ultra-high-definition video stream. So if you’ve got a 50Mbps connection and lose 21% of your base speed, you’ve still got around 40Mbps — comfortably enough bandwidth to stream a movie in 4K. Most reliable cable, fiber and even 5G signals should be fast enough that you’ll be OK streaming buffer-free 4K videos with either VPN.

Surfshark remains fast enough for most users and continues improving. It released FastTrack in August, a feature that the company claims can boost your speeds. In our testing, we found that FastTrack servers were measurably faster than non-FastTrack connections. Based on our experience, people with slower or more unreliable internet connections may benefit the most from FastTrack (think satellite internet or a poor cellular signal rather than cable or fiber), though it’s limited to Seattle, Vancouver and Sydney servers. 

If you’ve got fast, stable internet and mostly want to browse the web or stream videos, either Surfshark or NordVPN works well. But NordVPN will let you keep the bulk of your bandwidth.

Value winner: Surfshark is significantly more wallet-friendly

Surfshark is an outstanding value, offering unlimited simultaneous connections, unique privacy features and fast speeds, all for significantly less than NordVPN. 

While NordVPN’s initial $60 for the first year or $83 total for the first two years is only slightly more than Surfshark’s $48 for the first year or $60 total for the first two years, it becomes much more costly upon renewal. NordVPN charges $140 annually with its auto-renewal, which is one of the most expensive price hikes among any VPN we tested. There are ways to save money when buying a VPN, like cancelling your plan before it renews and shopping around during seasonal sales, but I’d prefer not having to micromanage my subscription. Surfshark’s $79 per year auto-renewal is far more reasonable than NordVPN’s.

Miraculously, Surfshark manages to undercut NordVPN on price without skimping on features. Surfshark’s entry-level plan packs Alternative ID, a masked email and personal detail generator, whereas NordVPN’s base plan sticks to a VPN and ad blocker — something Surfshark also includes. I’ve found Surfshark’s alternative ID features useful in situations where I want to sign up for a service but have concerns about a data breach or getting on yet another unwanted email list. 

While you’ll have to pay for higher-tiered plans to get additional privacy and security goodies, like a password manager, antivirus protection and identity theft protection, Surfshark gives you more on its entry-level plan than NordVPN does, at almost half the renewal price.

VPN providers are becoming one-stop cybersecurity shops, offering bundles that include VPNs plus other services, like password managers, antivirus software, identity theft protection and data removal. Both NordVPN and Surfshark let you purchase a standalone VPN or tack on extras. There are advantages and disadvantages to bundling — it can be convenient to have one bill, and you may save money, but if there’s a data breach or company acquisition, you’ll need to shop around.

While each has an entry-level VPN plan, the two differ in the amenities offered in higher tiers. NordVPN has anti-malware protection, a password manager, cloud storage and identity theft protection. Meanwhile, Surfshark has antivirus, data removal service, personal data alerts and private search. Ultimately, your decision may boil down to whether you want a password manager or antivirus software. 

Privacy winner: NordVPN is better for folks with serious privacy concerns, but Surfshark should work swimmingly for most people

NordVPN and Surfshark boast impressive privacy features. Surfshark’s privacy offerings are more practical for the average user, whereas Nord’s offers a few bonuses for specific needs. If you mainly want to stream Netflix, prevent your ISP from knowing what websites you visit and travel internationally, either VPN provider should work splendidly. But Nord’s extra privacy chops make it a better choice for people with serious privacy concerns, like investigative journalists, political activists or asylum seekers. 

Each company covers the privacy basics, including audited no-logs policies and modern encryption. You’ll find a kill switch standard with both providers, so if your VPN connection gets disconnected unexpectedly, your entire internet connection gets cut off to prevent your public IP address from being leaked. Surfshark’s EverLink takes things a step further and attempts to automatically reconfigure your VPN tunnel without severing the connection in instances where your VPN server connection gets disconnected. It’s a nifty feature, but we still recommend keeping your kill switch enabled as a backup. The two companies also offer post-quantum resistance, a cutting-edge privacy feature that may protect your VPN connection against future decryption threats from quantum computers.

NordVPN has an advantage for privacy-critical users thanks to its specialty servers, unique VPN protocols and jurisdiction. I appreciate NordVPN’s Onion over VPN and double VPN servers, both of which make it even more challenging to trace web traffic back to your device than a standard VPN connection. If you need to mask your VPN usage, NordVPN is a better choice. NordVPN’s proprietary NordWhisper VPN protocol includes obfuscation, meaning it tries to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, which could be helpful when trying to slip through a firewall on school Wi-Fi. Additionally, NordVPN offers obfuscated servers, which similarly try to disguise your VPN traffic as regular web traffic, but use the OpenVPN protocol, meaning you’ll likely see slower speeds than the company’s NordWhisper protocol. Additionally, NordVPN says that its obfuscation-focused NordWhisper protocol might work in some situations where the OpenVPN protocol has been blocked by firewalls. While Surfshark supports obfuscation over OpenVPN, you don’t have as many options to attempt hiding your VPN usage as you do with Nord. 

Surfshark’s dynamic multi-hop gives you flexibility over your VPN connection versus standard double hop, which adds a second layer of encryption to your connection. That might help you find faster speeds and better connections on a normally speed-slowing double-hop setup. Nord’s double-hop feature is less flexible, but it does offer Onion over VPN connections, making it a better service for people who want the added privacy of connecting through a wider series of nodes. If you want granular multi-hop capabilities, choose Surfshark, but if you want a double VPN and a user-friendly way to use Tor in conjunction with a virtual private network connection, go with NordVPN.

NordVPN’s privacy-friendly jurisdiction gives it an even stronger edge. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes data-sharing alliance, meaning that nations within this alliance pass information back and forth in the stated interest of national security. Surfshark uses RAM-only servers and undergoes annual audits to back up its zero-log claims, so theoretically, your browsing data during a VPN session shouldn’t be recorded. But NordVPN’s Panamanian jurisdiction, which is outside of the Five, Nine and 14 Eyes data-sharing alliances, makes it a more attractive choice for anyone with critical privacy worries. 

Usability winner: Nord has the edge in streaming and server footprint, but Surfshark might sway Apple users 

NordVPN and Surfshark have user-friendly apps, solid streaming support and plenty of servers. NordVPN’s faster speeds and more comprehensive server roster make it a great option for streaming fanatics or frequent travelers to Africa and the Middle East. But Surfshark’s split tunneling on MacOS and iOS — a rarity among VPN providers — might sway Apple aficionados. 

Each company offers intuitive apps that are a breeze to navigate across all platforms, whether you’re new to VPNs or a seasoned privacy enthusiast. I found both VPNs excellent for streaming from Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem and a slew of other sites. Because of its faster speeds and larger international server network, I usually stick with NordVPN. 

Similarly, the next time I take a trip abroad, I’ll likely install NordVPN on my devices before hopping on a plane, thanks to its greater global footprint. With 3,200 servers in 100 countries, Surfshark is no slouch, but NordVPN’s roster of 8,000-plus servers in 126 countries is meaningfully larger. Both companies have comprehensive coverage across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, but NordVPN has a much stronger server selection in Africa and the Middle East than Surfshark does. If you regularly travel to and within Africa and the Middle East, or stream content from region-specific sites in those areas, NordVPN is a better pick. 

Surfshark does have one unique edge, though. Most VPN providers lack split tunneling — which lets you selectively use a VPN connection for some apps and websites but not others — on Apple devices. However, Surfshark’s Bypasser provides split tunneling on MacOS and iOS. Although its implementation of split tunneling on iOS is limited to websites, Bypasser on MacOS works with both apps and websites for more flexibility. If you’re a hardcore Apple user who wants granular control over your VPN connection, Surfshark is a good choice.

Bottom line: NordVPN is slightly better than Surfshark in most categories, but Surfshark is a better value for most folks

The good news is that whether you nab NordVPN or snag Surfshark, you’ll enjoy one of the best VPNs on the market — they’re separated by a mere 0.2 points out of 10 in our ratings. Each VPN can do most of what the other can. Ultimately, the choice may come down to whether you’re more interested in a powerful suite of privacy features or a good overall deal.

NordVPN is better for power users who want the fastest possible connection speeds, a generous international server network for travel or streaming and advanced privacy features, even if they come at a higher cost. If you have a lot of devices taxing your bandwidth, Nord should preserve more of your connection speed. If you’re seriously concerned about privacy, NordVPN’s jurisdiction outside of the Five, Nine or 14 Eyes data-sharing alliances, as well as beefed-up Tor over VPN and double VPN servers, make it a solid option. Additionally, its stronger representation of servers in the Middle East and Africa than Surfshark means NordVPN is great for travel or streaming regional content.

I recommend Surfshark for the average person who wants a VPN for general privacy, streaming and travel, especially if price is a priority. Its handy privacy features, like Alternative ID, are more practical than NordVPN’s offerings, such as Onion over VPN servers, which may be overkill for a lot of people. And when your subscription renews, you’ll save $60 per year or more compared with Nord. 

ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark: Two of CNET’s Favorite VPNs Compared

The decision will probably come down to how much you value privacy and a clean UI over cost.

ExpressVPN and Surfshark are two VPN heavyweights and sit comfortably among CNET’s top VPNs thanks to their exceptional all-around performance and privacy protections. I put both ExpressVPN and Surfshark through the same rigorous testing methodology and use both VPNs regularly. Each is excellent, but they do things very differently. That can make it easier to decide between the two based on your specific needs. In a perfect world, I’d recommend you get both for a mix of unique features, but if you’re only looking for one VPN, I’ll help you find the right fit. 

Overall, I’d go with ExpressVPN for heightened privacy and streaming capabilities, and Surfshark for budget-conscious casual users who want a premium VPN experience at a cheaper price.  

ExpressVPN vs. Surfshark compared

Major features compared

	ExpressVPN	Surfshark
Cost	$13 a month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 a year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 a year)	$15.45 a month, $48 for the first 15 months (then $79 a year) or $60 for the first 27 months (then $79 a year)
Avg. Speed Loss	18%	21%
Server Network	11,500-plus servers in 105 countries	3,200-plus servers in 100 countries
Encryption	AES 256-bit, ChaCha20	AES 256-bit, ChaCha20
VPN Protocols Available	Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Jurisdiction	British Virgin Islands	Netherlands
Simultaneous Connections	10	Unlimited
Compatibility	Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Routers, Browsers	MacOS, Windows, Linux, Chromebook, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Routers, Browsers

Speed winner: ExpressVPN edges out Surfshark in a tight race

ExpressVPN and Surfshark are two of the fastest VPNs based on our latest speed tests. We measured an 18% average speed loss with ExpressVPN and 21% with Surfshark. All VPNs will slow your connection to a certain degree, but we consider a VPN that cuts your speeds by less than 25% “fast” — and both ExpressVPN and Surfshark make that cut.

If you want the fastest speeds possible with both providers, use Lightway with ExpressVPN and WireGuard with Surfshark. They’re both lightweight VPN protocols built for speed, so you likely won’t notice a difference in performance whether you’re just browsing the internet or streaming movies in 4K.

Earlier this year, ExpressVPN introduced Lightway Turbo (which can boost speeds by running traffic through multiple tunnels simultaneously), which helped significantly improve its speed performance.  

Surfshark’s new FastTrack feature is also designed to boost your VPN speeds by leveraging Surfshark’s Nexus Network to optimize the route your traffic takes to the VPN server. The feature is currently only available on the MacOS app and through Surfshark’s Vancouver, Seattle and Sydney server locations. While FastTrack performance didn’t factor into our official 2025 speed testing results because it wasn’t available at the time, the feature was able to boost my VPN speeds by about 20% during some ad hoc testing I did after its release in August. Although my results didn’t come close to the 70% increase cited by Surfshark, users with slower or less stable internet connections may experience a more pronounced bump in VPN speeds using FastTrack.

Value winner: Surfshark delivers a ton of value, despite increased renewal prices

ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPNs available but still a solid option it is for both casual and critical use cases, even at those prices. Surfshark is much easier on the wallet and includes some unique privacy features not offered by ExpressVPN, but it lags a little in a few key areas like streaming as well as privacy and transparency. 

At the beginning of September, ExpressVPN followed the lead of several of its competitors and introduced a tiered subscription model with three different subscription plans: Basic, Advanced and Pro. ExpressVPN’s Basic tier includes only the VPN and a stripped-down version of its Advanced Protection suite and costs $13 a month, $75 for the first 15 months (then $100 a year) or $98 for the first 28 months (then $100 a year) — which is expensive for just a VPN, no matter how good it is.

If you want to bundle additional services with your ExpressVPN subscription, you can spring for the Advanced or Pro plans. The Advanced plan delivers a little more value for the price than the Basic plan, including a password manager, full suite of Advanced Protection tools and most Identity Defender features. Advanced costs $14 a month, $90 for the first 15 months (then $120 a year) or $126 for the first 28 months (then $120 a year). The Pro plan includes everything in the Advanced plan, plus the full suite of Identity Defender tools and a dedicated IP for $20 a month, $135 for the first 15 months (then $200 a year) or $210 for the first 28 months (then $200 a year). That’s a steep jump in cost compared to the features it adds over the Advanced plan. For most people, ExpressVPN’s Advanced plan offers the best value.

Surfshark, on the other hand, delivers a lot of value for casual users on long-term subscription plans. Surfshark’s monthly plan costs $15.45, which is unnecessarily expensive and not something I’d recommend purchasing under any circumstances — unless you plan on using it for less than a month and asking for a refund within the first 30 days of purchase. Otherwise, if you only need a VPN for a month, you’re much better off with ExpressVPN at $13, Proton VPN at $10 or even Mullvad at 5 euro (about $6). Surfshark’s yearly and two-year Starter plans offer tremendous value, though. The yearly plan costs $48 for the first 15 months and renews at $79 annually and the two-year plan costs $54 for the first 27 months and $79 annually thereafter. At that price, you’ll get Surfshark’s Alternative ID personal detail generator alongside a VPN.

Surfshark doesn’t offer a password manager like ExpressVPN does, but it does offer bundled subscription plans that include additional privacy and security tools. The Surfshark One plan includes everything in Starter, plus antivirus, data leak alerts and private search and costs $18 a month, $51 for the first 15 months (then $99 a year) or $67 for the first 27 months (then $99 a year). The One-plus plan adds on data removal services and costs $20.65 per month, $91 for the first 15 months (then $119 a year) or $108 for the first 27 months (then $119 a year). So if you find those extra services useful and already have a password manager, you may find Surfshark a better value overall regardless of which subscription tier you choose.            

Privacy and security winner: ExpressVPN’s privacy and transparency are nearly unmatched, though unique Surfshark features make a compelling case

If you’re a journalist, whistleblower, activist or anyone else with critical online privacy needs, I recommend choosing ExpressVPN over Surfshark because of its forward-thinking privacy initiatives. ExpressVPN has long been a standard bearer in the industry when it comes to privacy and transparency, while Surfshark (although still solid) is still playing catch-up in a few ways when it comes to things like independent audits. But if you’re just looking for general privacy protections or want access to unique features, Surfshark is still an excellent choice.

ExpressVPN consistently demonstrates that it’s willing to push the boundaries and go above and beyond what most other VPNs deliver. ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology takes privacy a step further by reinstalling the entire software stack upon reboot in addition to wiping the server clean. This helps ensure no data is left on a hard disk while minimizing the risk of misconfiguration when a server is rebooted. ExpressVPN was also one of the first providers, alongside Mullvad, to implement post-quantum encryption to protect against future decryption threats from quantum computers, and it keeps up with the latest standards. As part of its post-quantum WireGuard rollout, ExpressVPN even published a white paper detailing its process to serve as a blueprint for other VPNs to follow. Surfshark also rolled out its post-quantum layer this year, which is now available on Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android when using the WireGuard protocol.

Surfshark published its latest independent audit in June, its fourth overall and first since 2022. Deloitte’s audit report found that Surfshark does not keep logs of user activity and is accessible to Surfshark users online through their user account portal. By comparison, ExpressVPN has published 23 independent audits since 2018, far outpacing Surfshark and the rest of the competition. I also like how ExpressVPN makes its full audit reports accessible to the general public through its extensive Trust Center, rather than only to paying users who’ve submitted personal data for the privilege. It’s emblematic of ExpressVPN’s commitment to extreme transparency. Although independent audits don’t paint a full picture, they’re still important trust signals, and when done at such a steady clip, can be even more compelling.

ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction outside of the Five, Nine and 14-Eyes data-sharing alliances. Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is part of the alliance and may therefore pose an issue for users with critical privacy needs because countries with intelligence-sharing agreements may comply with international requests for user information.

ExpressVPN and Surfshark employ secure AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption standards, along with critical privacy protections like a kill switch and DNS leak protection. Both VPNs also offer features that automatically change your IP address during your connection, making it more difficult for an adversary to track you online, though each provider’s feature operates slightly differently.

Surfshark delivers a few extra privacy features that ExpressVPN doesn’t. Surfshark’s Dynamic MultiHop feature lets you select any two server locations from its network to tunnel through, encrypting your traffic twice instead of just once and adding an extra layer of privacy. And with Alternative ID, you can generate a whole fake persona, complete with full name, email address, physical address and birthdate to use on websites where you don’t want to share your personal information. 

A brand-new feature called Everlink, which Surfshark calls a “self-healing server infrastructure,” also helps the provider stand out from the pack. Essentially, Everlink works to automatically and seamlessly reconfigure the VPN tunnel in the event of a server failure or server maintenance. While Everlink could theoretically eliminate the need for a traditional kill switch, I’d recommend having Surfshark’s kill switch employed at all times, regardless, for an extra layer of privacy.

Ultimately, these are useful features from Surfshark, but they don’t totally make up for how far ahead ExpressVPN is on forward-thinking features and overall transparency

Usability winner: ExpressVPN is the easiest VPN to use across platforms

ExpressVPN’s apps are the simplest to use on virtually any platform, making the service an excellent choice for beginners. Express delivers a consistent, easy-to-use experience across most platforms — although its Apple TV app is laid out a bit differently. Either way, none of ExpressVPN’s apps require any learning curve whatsoever, so even if you’ve never used a VPN before, you’ll have no trouble getting started. 

Surfshark is also incredibly easy to use across platforms, but its apps require just a little more getting used to than ExpressVPN’s because of its busier interface. That said, I like how you can easily access your recently used locations, fastest servers, closest country, static IP servers and multihop connections, right from the home screen. I also like how Surfshark allows you to pause your connection instead of disconnecting outright. This lets you temporarily jump off the VPN connection without the risk of forgetting to reconnect later on.

ExpressVPN and Surfshark each offer apps for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV. I particularly like ExpressVPN’s updated iOS and Android apps, which include a few helpful upgrades that allow you to customize the look of the app and more easily navigate to recommended server locations and toggle settings like protocol selection and advanced protection features from the home screen. 

Both VPNs also work on routers, but ExpressVPN offers an unbeatable router app that makes it super easy to use the service on its own Aircove or other compatible router for whole network coverage or use on devices like Roku streaming devices that don’t natively support VPN apps. 

Both providers are also excellent choices for streaming geographically restricted content from around the world. However, ExpressVPN has an edge due to its flawless unblocking performance and its intuitive router app. During my latest streaming tests, ExpressVPN was able to unblock everything I tried on popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video — across all platforms I tested. Surfshark also performed admirably, but Hulu detected the VPN and blocked access to its content when I tried to stream on my Fire TV Stick — although Surfshark did unblock Hulu on other platforms. 

ExpressVPN’s vast global network of 11,500-plus servers across 105 countries eclipses Surfshark’s 3,200-plus servers across 100 countries. However, with Surfshark, you can connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, while ExpressVPN limits you to 10 simultaneous connections on its Basic plan, making Surfshark a better choice for large households or people with many devices.    

Bottom line

If you’re still undecided, know that ExpressVPN or Surfshark are two of the best VPNs available. Both are excellent all-around services that deliver strong privacy, fast speeds and top-notch usability. Which one you ultimately go with may come down to your budget, your privacy needs or your streaming requirements.

For users with critical privacy needs, I recommend ExpressVPN because of its forward-thinking privacy protections, extreme transparency and privacy-friendly jurisdiction. I also recommend ExpressVPN for people who like to stream tons of international content because of the extensive reach of its server network paired with its outstanding unblocking capabilities. If you’re on a budget, I recommend Surfshark because the pricing on its long-term plans is much easier on the wallet than ExpressVPN’s prices — and you still get a solid, premium VPN experience even though you’re paying considerably less. Surfshark is also an excellent choice if you want the specific benefits of features like Alternative ID or Dynamic MultiHop.

Mullvad VPN Now Adds QUIC Protocol to Get Around Firewalls and Censorship

It’s available now for desktop users and coming to mobile soon.

Swedish virtual private network company Mullvad VPN is adding QUIC obfuscation for WireGuard to help users get around firewalls and censorship, the company said in a blog post earlier this month. 

WireGuard is an industry-standard VPN protocol that’s both lightweight and effective, using strong cryptography while also being speedy. QUIC obfuscation is a technique that disguises online usage as regular HTTP/3 web traffic, making detection more difficult, since HTTP is seen as normal internet usage. 

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“HTTP is generally not blocked by state-level censors, since much of the internet would be unreachable without it,” Mullvad’s blog post said.

A representative for Mullvad didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Read more: Best VPN Service for 2025: VPNs Tested by Our Experts

The VPN industry is highly competitive and growing rapidly. It was valued at $41.33 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $151.92 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. 

Multiple players in the space are fighting for the Best VPN title, many of whom heavily advertise their services online, such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark. 

Read more: ExpressVPN Adds Siri, Widgets and Shortcuts to Its iOS App

Mullvad VPN seeks to set itself apart by being very privacy-focused. As governments around the world crack down on civic unrest, online privacy concerns and pornography, VPN usage is soaring in certain markets as a response.

Sadly, many consumers lose billions of dollars every year because of the ubiquity of suspicious online activity. Anyone can fall victim to online scams or insecure sites. But using a VPN is a simple way to make sure your credit card, identity and other information stay protected as you pay bills, log into trusted sites and more.

We’ve found an assortment of top VPN providers offering discounts when you sign up for yearly, two-year and longer terms. Unsure which VPN is right for you? Check out our roundup of top-rated VPN services you can count on to maintain your privacy, keep your data safe from prying eyes and even take better advantage of streaming subscriptions.