Best VPN for Privacy in 2022 [Best VPNs Comparison]

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If you surf the web without the best VPN to protect your privacy, your personal information could be at risk. This is because the online landscape is a nexus for hackers, digital marketers, and other third-party snoops. Having your web traffic go through the default, unprotected route opens the door for hackers to intercept it.

What Makes the Best VPN for Privacy?

While many VPN providers claim to improve your privacy, not every VPN is up to the task. We tested a variety of VPNs, and the following VPNs performed best.

Privacy VPNs should be able to protect the personal information you share or create online. The VPN should hide your actual IP address so it cannot be tracked. It should also come with solid VPN protocols and encryption to enclose your traffic in an impenetrable layer of encryption that prevents the snoopers from reading or intercepting it.

Additionally, you should consider that a VPN has a kill switch that shuts down your internet traffic if the VPN connection fails. This, coupled with protection against IP, WebRTC, and DNS leaks, helps prevent accidental leaks that could expose your personal information to snoopers and malicious third-party spying. This includes your ISP, hackers and surveillance agencies.

With these tools, one might think that the privacy problem is solved. But there is a huge problem. Your digital footprints as well as your personal data can still be viewed by the VPN provider. A VPN provider must adhere to a “no-logs” policy, which ensures they do not store or collect your personal information.

The 5 Best VPN Services for Privacy

Security and privacy are two things that go hand in hand. That’s why we’ve included VPN services that excel in both areas. You will see that all VPN services have a similar core, but they have different bells and whistles. We’ll go through their specifics and share the pricing details, starting with ExpressVPN.

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers privacy and security features, as well as obfuscation technology, allowing users to enjoy digital privacy even in countries that have restrictions.

ExpressVPN is without a doubt the best VPN for privacy thanks to its wide range of privacy and security features. The VPN uses OpenVPN, a proven protocol that uses AES256 encryption to protect your online activity. You also get network lock (or kill switch) and leak protection to protect against accidental DNS and WebRTC leaks.

Additionally, ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy provides peace of mind that the company will not collect, store, or share your activity logs. We’ve seen VPN providers claim they have no logs only to be forced to stick to government agencies. ExpressVPN hasn’t been in the news for its bad behavior as it’s a company that sticks to its privacy policies.

The VPN provider is also headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which has no data retention laws. ExpressVPN is accredited by the ioXt Alliance for its superior security. This provides additional security and privacy.

Use Reliable Privacy-Focused Technologies

The use of TrustedServer and Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) technologies is a perfect example of ExpressVPN’s commitment to protecting user privacy. ExpressVPN uses PFS to periodically change encryption keys. This means that even if a user is given a key, the entire traffic string cannot be decrypted.

ExpressVPN is a pioneer in avoiding traditional hard drive servers. It uses RAM-only servers that delete your browsing history and configuration files on every reboot. This means it leaves no trace of your digital footprint, making it difficult for people to track you.

ExpressVPN keeps you private and anonymous when you surf the web.

ExpressVPN is the most expensive VPN service. The cost is justified by the wide range of VPN features and blazing-fast speeds. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee should you need extra time to make a decision. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN offers 5,200+ VPN servers to help you unblock streaming and other digital platforms while protecting your privacy.

NordVPN comes with a range of security features ranging from a kill switch and DNS leak protection to secure protocols and strong encryption – guaranteeing that your traffic travels through an encrypted tunnel with no accidental leaks. Thanks to the high speeds, you can stream online games and movies without lag.

NordVPN’s threat protection tool can block web trackers that collect your personal information. This means that third parties cannot use your browsing history to display intrusive advertisements. Hackers can’t create a profile to phish you. It also detects and removes infected downloaded files, preventing cyber criminals from installing spyware on your device.

Like ExpressVPN, NordVPN has a no-logs policy, which means it has no information about your browsing history or VPN connections. Auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers audited NordVPN’s 2021 no-logs policy and confirmed that the provider is fully compliant. NordVPN revised its policy in 2022, and the data request clauses are nothing more than reassuring. (We eagerly await the 2022 no-data-logging audit.)

Secure Your Personal Information With Dark Web Monitoring

The dark web monitoring tool is another great addition to NordVPN’s privacy toolbox. This feature searches dark web repositories for data associated with your email. If it finds any, it sends you an alert so you can take remedial action.

NordVPN also offers a dual VPN that encrypts your traffic across two servers for added protection. The VPN server is obscured by the VPN server, which means onion over VPN servers are great for avoiding internet censorship.

NordVPN is located in Panama – a country with no data retention laws, which is great from a privacy perspective.

NordVPN is an ExpressVPN alternative that is cheaper and faster. While the monthly plan is pricey, advanced plans come with significant discounts. Each plan comes with unlimited bandwidth and data, and six simultaneous connections (read our NordVPN review). You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is a great budget choice that is secure and has privacy features.

Surfshark is an alternative to NordVPN that is a more affordable alternative for privacy-conscious users. It comes with a full set of security options, including secure protocols and encryption, as well as a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a range of other security features. Additionally, its servers are RAM-based, which means your browsing data, as well as IP addresses and configuration files, are wiped out on every reboot.

Additionally, the CleanWeb feature is a handy tool if you’re afraid of accidentally installing malware or trackers that might leak your personal information. Although its detection rate is not quite as high as that of the best antivirus, it will remove most malware-infested websites and suspected phishing domains from your browser.

There is no legal jargon or underhanded lines in the logging policy. Surfshark may collect certain information, including your IP address.

Luckily, Cure53 audited the Surfshark browser extensions and confirmed that they don’t keep logs, although we’d love to see independent audits of the top VPN apps.

Sidestep Government Surveillance With NoBorders Mode & MultiHop

If you are in a country where surveillance agencies and ISPs are known to monitor your internet activity, it is recommended to use the MultiHop servers. This feature routes your internet traffic through two VPN servers, which means that even if one goes down, the other still encrypts it to protect it from surveillance agencies. It is a great tool for journalists, human rights activists and whistleblowers who are under repressive regimes.

Surfshark’s NoBorders servers can be used if you live in a repressive nation. These servers are designed to bypass government blockades, such as China’s Great Firewall. Another notable feature is the Surfshark One security suite, which comes with an antivirus that blocks any attempts by hackers to install spyware on your device.

Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, making it a great choice for large families.

Surfshark is the cheapest VPN among our top three choices. The monthly plan is more expensive than the two-year plan but offers the best deal. You get unlimited concurrent connections as well as unlimited bandwidth and a 30-day money-back guarantee no matter which plan you choose. To learn more, read our full Surfshark review.

4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost offers additional privacy features that go beyond the basic privacy features. CyberGhost also accepts cryptocurrency payments for increased anonymity.

CyberGhost is another excellent VPN for privacy. It’s a privacy juggernaut, but it’s also very user-friendly. If you’re a VPN beginner or an experienced user, you don’t have to struggle to navigate the privacy and security options. Even the advanced options have descriptions of what they do to help you configure the application to match your privacy preferences.

In addition to the standard security and privacy features, CyberGhost offers the privacy-focused NoSpy servers. The VPN provider owns and operates the servers from its headquarters in Bucharest, Romania to protect against government confiscation or intrusion by unauthorized persons. CyberGhost is not obliged to provide your personal data to authorities if they contact them. Romania also has privacy-friendly laws.

CyberGhost would not be forced to release your personal information from authorities. In accordance with the no-logs policy, CyberGhost does not monitor, keep or store your traffic logs while you are using the service.

There’s no third-party audit to authenticate every no-logs policy claim, but the fact that CyberGhost wasn’t in the bad news is a positive sign.