Our Favorite VPNs for Windows

Not all Windows VPN clients are created equal—some are simply much better than others on the world’s largest operating system. Just because a VPN provider says it supports Windows doesn’t mean all its features and perks will be available. There are often inconsistencies under the same VPN provider across different operating systems: split tunneling is missing, or certain encryption protocols aren’t available, and so on.

After some thorough testing, these are our top VPN picks for Windows users based on quality, features, and privacy.

NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the strongest overall picks when it comes to completeness and dependability on Windows. The most important part of any VPN is the encryption protocol, and Nord VPN has some of the best proprietary options available on Windows, including its highly secure NordLynx protocol and its obfuscating NordWhisper protocol, which hides the fact that you’re using a VPN. Nord also shines via its excellent two-tiered kill switch, which can protect you from unprotected traffic by cutting the internet connection and closing chosen apps if the VPN ever goes down.

One highly unique feature for NordVPN users on Windows is its mesh net, which acts as your own private secure network to connect all your devices regardless of where they are. Use it to connect your laptop, desktop, tablet, and phone in one encrypted networking environment ready for file sharing and access with ease and peace of mind. You can also use Meshnet to create networks with family members and co-workers.

Proton VPN

Proton VPN is an exceptionally transparent VPN provider that deserves to be on the shortlist of any Windows user looking for a trustworthy VPN. It has open-sourced all its apps, inviting anyone and everyone to view the source code and report any issues they can find. Furthermore, the company operates a bug bounty program that pays researchers for finding vulnerabilities.

Proton VPN’s straightforward and open approach continues in its succinct yet complete privacy and no-logs policies. Proton explicitly maintains that it does not log any browsing activity or the content of your communications. Additionally, Proton manages a transparency report that it updates any time new information becomes available. The report shows the number of data requests Proton VPN receives and how many were denied; as of writing, Proton has denied every request. This commitment to keeping your data out of the hands of basically anyone is largely possible due to Proton VPN’s Swiss jurisdiction, which comes with some of the strongest data privacy and protection laws on the planet.

Proton VPN places a high priority on its Windows users, with features often solidified for Windows first—some features are exclusive to Windows. For example, Proton VPN Windows users can operate the platform’s advanced kill switch and flexible split tunneling simultaneously.

An advanced kill switch ties the VPN’s active state directly to your device’s internet access, meaning that if the feature is active, your device is completely denied internet access until the VPN is on. This differs from a normal kill switch, which may still leave you vulnerable if you accidentally turn off the VPN manually or during boot-ups; these are some of the most common ways VPN users on Windows experience unprotected traffic despite having a VPN.

Windows Proton users also have some of the best split tunneling options, with the ability to route apps and specific URLs around the encrypted tunnel to maintain performance for crucial activities.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the most focused and intuitive VPNs available on Windows. A highly efficient interface gives you quick control over your VPN settings and supplies all the information you need, a surprisingly rare trait with VPN apps today. Most are either cluttered with upselling of adjacent services or so dedicated to minimalism that they fail to provide all the necessities. PIA, on the other hand, strikes the perfect balance, but superb app design is far from its only benefit to Windows users.

When testing PIA’s performance, we found that its connections were among the most stable, keeping the VPN’s effect on internet latency and jitter minimal. A stable connection is often more important than getting every scrap of download bandwidth you can, especially today when most residential internet connections have more than sufficient speeds. PIA’s low impact on latency and jitter means a silky smooth internet experience for you, especially with micro-time-sensitive tasks like video calls and gaming.

Like Proton VPN, PIA is also a highly transparent and trustworthy provider, with open-source software, a third-party verified no-logs policy, and a quarterly issued transparency report that shows the brand never gives in to data requests.

Surfshark

Surfshark offers Windows users an exceptionally complete set of privacy and security features with all plans, and even better, its design makes implementation super easy. In addition to the VPN greatest hits like a kill switch and split tunneling, the base plan gets you more advanced privacy methods like rotating IP: a server option that periodically switches the VPN server and effectively turns your traffic into an encrypted moving target that’s much harder to track and exploit. Another favorite server option is multi-hop, which sends your traffic through two VPNs instead of one.

Surfshark’s performance deserves a mention as well. When we tested Surfshark over a fiber connection, it preserved download speed better than every other VPN service we tested, save one (Nord takes the top prize).

One thing to note is that Surfshark is designed for users who want all the bells and whistles of a top privacy solution without getting lost in the weeds. Its user interface is designed for speed and efficiency, which means sacrificing some fine settings and information. This is a VPN for those looking for something with fast implementation and no babysitting required.

CyberGhost

This one is my personal favorite as my daily driver VPN for the last seven years. CyberGhost has an incredibly solid and well-rounded foundation, especially on Windows, that provides steady and strong performance you can rely on. Results from our speed testing showed that CyberGhost was equally well-suited for preserving internet speed as well as connection stability, with a low impact on latency and jitter. CyberGhost only impacted download and upload speed by about 6%, and latency and jitter were increased by 29% and 52%, respectively—that’s a lot better than most services.

CyberGhost also provides Windows users with some of the best server selection available, with 11,500+ servers in 100 countries. CyberGhost gives you all the usual server selection tools, such as location and speed filtering, but it also packs something a bit more unique with server groups set aside for specific activities, like gaming, streaming, or downloading torrents.

CyberGhost offers great performance, an awesome server list, and a top-notch app, but there is one caveat for desktop users: split tunneling is limited to websites on Windows and Mac OS, meaning you can’t point any apps to around the VPN, but split-tunneling works great for pointing specific websites around the VPN on Windows and Mac.

Check the specifics before making a decision

Windows is so popular that every major VPN supports it. Before you choose a provider, research its functions on Windows, especially if you need specific features. During our VPN testing, we’ve found that the most common inconsistencies across platforms are VPN protocols and split tunneling implementations. If you’re dead set on using the WireGuard protocol, for example, make sure the provider you choose offers it on Windows. Likewise, if you need to use split tunneling to navigate your Steam games around the VPN, make sure the provider offers app-based split tunneling. Don’t simply rely on vague feature lists.

Lastly, once you get a VPN, make sure you use it. Set up auto-connect and the kill switch. A VPN can protect your privacy if it isn’t activated.

Choosing a VPN

Finding the best VPN for your online privacy needs often means more than looking for the highest ratings. It’s important to choose the provider that has the performance and features that are a good fit your online activity. We’ve completed tons of research on the major VPN providers, comparing speeds, pricing, and features to help you make the right call.