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Can Anybody Recommend a Great VPN?

HappyDude20 said:
Hello all,

I’m looking for a VPN to install to my new MBP. I feel like every other YouTube video has an influencer recommend another VPN service and I don’t know which to trust.

Obviously one that is fast and reliable are preferred. Free would be spectacular.
Click to expand...

Head on to StackSocial, usually they have inexpensive lifetime VPN options.

I’ve bought a lifetime KeepSolid from them for ~30$ (5 devices, 99 years), and it has been a quite good four years and counting now.
 
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Ruggy said:
I've used several of them. I used PIA for a couple of years, Torguard, Nord VPN
The best one and they one I've stuck with for a long time is ExpressVPN especially for what you want to do with it.
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In my opinion, $100 a year for a VPN is rather expensive, compared to the other reputable services you mentioned.

What makes Express worth the extra money?
 
Apple_Robert said:
What makes Express worth the extra money?
Click to expand...

I'm looking for a VPN myself, and I've been trying both ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Thanks to the incentives, nordVPN is 100 dollars for 2 years, where is ExpressVPN is 100 dollars for 15 months. Both have a money back guarantee and I'm still researching but here's my take

1. Speed - both are nearly identical for domestic servers in the US. I'll give a slight edge to Nord as they seem to have about 50mbps faster but as I keep testing it seems to normalize to a full on tie.

2. Software. I think ExpressVPN provides a better experience in the application and web site. This may boil down to personal preference plus their software seems less bloated - Nord's takes longer to start up - at least on windows.

3. Servers/countries. ExpressVPN offers more countries but less servers overall. I guess depending on your needs, its a toss up. Internationally it appears that Nord is faster but I've not really put it through its paces

4. Streaming - ExpressVPN seems to offer more hand holding and/or guidance to unlock streaming services so you can watch items outside of your local area - my kids want this, I personally don't care

5. Support, I've not used this, but based on reviews, ExpressVPN offers a slightly better experience.

6. Security - Nord offers a bit more onion over vpn,

7. Reputation - ExpressVPN seems to have a better more transparent stance. They publish their security audits and have seem to be upfront with their systems. Back when NordVPN was hacked they basically tried to sweep that under the rug and state that it wasn't a big deal, even though their encryption keys were stolen. They also were not up front with the hacking - it was only when a tech crunch article uncovered the issue. This kind of rubs me the wrong way, for a company that is supposed to be privacy minded.

For people reading my post, it would seem i'm favoring ExpressVPN and you're right, I seemed to be biased towards them. I'm not sure why, but i seem to prefer them given what I posted above. I'm not sure if the price which is effectively 2x of Nord is worth that though.

My computer habits are incredibly tame, I don't torrent, i'm not doing much other then playing some games, youtube and minor browsing to tech sites, like MacRumors.

Here's a set of reviews from security,org - I have no idea if they're a good/bad sight, I just pulled them up thanks to the all knowing and all seeing google.
www.security.org

ExpressVPN Review 2026: Powerful Encryption & Security

When it comes to a VPN, you don't want to take a risk with a company you don't know that much about. That's why I'm excited to review ExpressVPN. They're one of
www.security.org www.security.org
www.security.org

NordVPN Review 2026: A Top VPN Tested by Experts

A VPN is one of the most important tools you can have in your cybersecurity toolbox. VPNs keep your identity hidden and your browser history secure. In this
www.security.org www.security.org

Here's jayztwocent's dialog regarding the hacking - its less about that they got hacked and more about how they handled themselves

 
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maflynn said:
I'm looking for a VPN myself, and I've been trying both ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Thanks to the incentives, nordVPN is 100 dollars for 2 years, where is ExpressVPN is 100 dollars for 15 months. Both have a money back guarantee and I'm still researching but here's my take

1. Speed - both are nearly identical for domestic servers in the US. I'll give a slight edge to Nord as they seem to have about 50mbps faster but as I keep testing it seems to normalize to a full on tie.

2. Software. I think ExpressVPN provides a better experience in the application and web site. This may boil down to personal preference plus their software seems less bloated - Nord's takes longer to start up - at least on windows.

3. Servers/countries. ExpressVPN offers more countries but less servers overall. I guess depending on your needs, its a toss up. Internationally it appears that Nord is faster but I've not really put it through its paces

4. Streaming - ExpressVPN seems to offer more hand holding and/or guidance to unlock streaming services so you can watch items outside of your local area - my kids want this, I personally don't care

5. Support, I've not used this, but based on reviews, ExpressVPN offers a slightly better experience.

6. Security - Nord offers a bit more onion over vpn,

7. Reputation - ExpressVPN seems to have a better more transparent stance. They publish their security audits and have seem to be upfront with their systems. Back when NordVPN was hacked they basically tried to sweep that under the rug and state that it wasn't a big deal, even though their encryption keys were stolen. They also were not up front with the hacking - it was only when a tech crunch article uncovered the issue. This kind of rubs me the wrong way, for a company that is supposed to be privacy minded.

For people reading my post, it would seem i'm favoring ExpressVPN and you're right, I seemed to be biased towards them. I'm not sure why, but i seem to prefer them given what I posted above. I'm not sure if the price which is effectively 2x of Nord is worth that though.

My computer habits are incredibly tame, I don't torrent, i'm not doing much other then playing some games, youtube and minor browsing to tech sites, like MacRumors.

Here's a set of reviews from security,org - I have no idea if they're a good/bad sight, I just pulled them up thanks to the all knowing and all seeing google.
www.security.org

ExpressVPN Review 2026: Powerful Encryption & Security

When it comes to a VPN, you don't want to take a risk with a company you don't know that much about. That's why I'm excited to review ExpressVPN. They're one of
www.security.org www.security.org
www.security.org

NordVPN Review 2026: A Top VPN Tested by Experts

A VPN is one of the most important tools you can have in your cybersecurity toolbox. VPNs keep your identity hidden and your browser history secure. In this
www.security.org www.security.org

Here's jayztwocent's dialog regarding the hacking - its less about that they got hacked and more about how they handled themselves

Click to expand...
Fair assessment thus far.

I did test ExpressVPN a few years ago. I think I made thread about it when I tested several VPN at once. From what I recall, Express gave me quick customer service the few times I tested them. The UI for Express is nice and easy to navigate. My usage correlates to yours. As such, I couldn’t justify the cost for Express, especially when there is Nord, PIA or SurfShark (which is what i use now).
 
Apple_Robert said:
As such, I couldn’t justify the cost for Express, especially when there is Nord, PIA or SurfShark (which is what i use now).
Click to expand...
I can't disagree, though I'm willing to pay more for what I would say is perceived benefit for my money. I'm about 90% sure i'll be cancelling Nord and maybe I'll take a look at Pia and Surfshark. I've been playing with Express for about a week and so far I do like it
 
So I'm trying SurfShark

My initial thoughts are colored with being underwhelmed. The good news is there's a Boston server, the bad news is that at times performance is pitiful. Re-running the test via the app and web shows a wide swing on performance. While i do expect to see some degradation, and time of day can and will affect this, I'm shocked to see things go so slow for a while and then perk back up.

1622735385079.png
 
maflynn said:
when NordVPN was hacked they basically tried to sweep that under the rug and state that it wasn't a big deal, even though their encryption keys were stolen. They also were not up front with the hacking - it was only when a tech crunch article uncovered the issue
Click to expand...
For me, those actions instantly make NordVPN a non-starter. When clients pay a company for security and privacy services, hiding and then PR-spinning a serious and foundational breach is outrageous. Business users, especially small businesses that do not have a lot of in-house network expertise or time to devote to running their computers, could face regulatory, technology, and reputation problems for years to come.

If one of my financial services providers did something similar, I would immediately transfer my assets and funds to another institution. Banks, stock brokerages, money transfer services, financial advisors, and the like are in a similar position of trust. Transparency and accountability are extremely important in these relationships.

I've been waiting for Mozilla VPN to be reviewed and tested by multiple sources to help me decide between Mozilla VPN (powered by Mullvad) and Mullvad's direct offering.
 
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KaliYoni said:
For me, those actions instantly make NordVPN a non-starter. When clients pay a company for security and privacy services, hiding and then PR-spinning a serious and foundational breach is outrageous. Business users, especially small businesses that do not have a lot of in-house network expertise or time to devote to running their computers, could face regulatory, technology, and reputation problems for years to come.

I've been waiting for Mozilla VPN to be reviewed and tested by multiple sources to help me decide between Mozilla VPN (powered by Mullvad) and Mullvad's direct offering.
Click to expand...
I would just go with Mullvad. I'm not sure Mozilla VPN offers anything additional. It's basically just a rebranded Mullvad.

I've been using Mullvad for quite a while now and I'm very happy with it.
 
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maflynn said:
So I'm trying SurfShark

My initial thoughts are colored with being underwhelmed. The good news is there's a Boston server, the bad news is that at times performance is pitiful. Re-running the test via the app and web shows a wide swing on performance. While i do expect to see some degradation, and time of day can and will affect this, I'm shocked to see things go so slow for a while and then perk back up.

View attachment 1786321
Click to expand...
Try a different city. I never use a local connection. I have had excellent results with the Seattle server. I usually get well over 300 down / 200 - 225 up with Seattle.
 
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Apple_Robert said:
I never use a local connection.
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Oh no question, but the thing is, if you're going to get the best performance, its going to be on a server closest to your location.

I've just cancelled my "trial' of NordVPN, it seems the only way to cancel these is to go through the chat process. It was a bit of a pain because the first level was a bot, and then when I finally got a human, he was pushing to keep me on for the full 30 days. My issue is that I'm easily distracted and if I let it go for the full 30, then there's a chance I'd miss the deadline. I get why they're doing it, but I hate having to "convince" the support folks that I want my money back.

As for SurfShark, one other concern was niggling at me, they're discounting the cost so much - which seems like a loss leader to build up their customer base, its possible to see higher prices when renewal time comes around. I'm not saying that will happen but its something to keep in mind
 
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maflynn said:
Oh no question, but the thing is, if you're going to get the best performance, its going to be on a server closest to your location.

I've just cancelled my "trial' of NordVPN, it seems the only way to cancel these is to go through the chat process. It was a bit of a pain because the first level was a bot, and then when I finally got a human, he was pushing to keep me on for the full 30 days. My issue is that I'm easily distracted and if I let it go for the full 30, then there's a chance I'd miss the deadline. I get why they're doing it, but I hate having to "convince" the support folks that I want my money back.

As for SurfShark, one other concern was niggling at me, they're discounting the cost so much - which seems like a loss leader to build up their customer base, its possible to see higher prices when renewal time comes around. I'm not saying that will happen but its something to keep in mind
Click to expand...
I agree about server location. Most of the time when I tried the local area server, which seemed to connect very quickly, I noticed it was rather slow compared to Seattle. I don't know why that is.

I did get a excellent deal on a 2 year sub with SurfShark. And the price will probably be higher after that. Usually there are sales 3 times (or so) a year with all of the VPNs so, I don't really worry about it.

While I still have subs to PIA and Nord (5 year deal and 2 year deal respectively) I quit using Nord because of their lack of transparency and honesty when they were hacked. PIA has always been reliable with a pretty consistent sub price when on sale. Their servers are ok although most of them (U.S.) seem to get a lot of heavy use, which is why when I got the M1 and saw SurfShark in the App Store, I decided to get them a shot.
 
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Apple_Robert said:
I quit using Nord because of their lack of transparency and honesty when they were hacked
Click to expand...
That's why I really didn't seriously consdier them. I tried them, but it was merely a curiously look. As I said I think I'm getting value for my money at ExpressVPN so I'll just keep what I have ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
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Not an expert on VPNs, but have used and happy with Cactus VPN for some years. Enough server choices, reliable connection and, to me, fair value for money. Often has introductory discounts during the year.
 
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If you want value and good you could check out trust.zone . I've been using it for years and never had a problem other than the odd server not being available or the connection dropping out after a few days, forcing me to switch to another one. They have plenty of servers around the globe and streaming is fast enough for the odd geo fencing case.

You can use up to 5 devices and they swear they don't monitor or log anything but they would at least have to monitor the number of connections per account to enforce that 5 device limit...

I mostly use it for other things than streaming though so your use case may differ. You can try them for free and they are always running specials such as 2 years for $56 right now but I've seen better especially during CyberMonday sales. They also have good 3 year deals which is obviously to be weighted against the chances of them closing shop but they've been around for many years now. 🙂

They also accept BTC payment if you're so inclined.

You can pretty much use all VPN protocols under the sun and no 3rd party client is required but one is provided if you just want to click a button without having to think about the details. Therefore works with pretty much anything. iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, XBox, Play Station, Smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Routers like Asus Merlin... The list goes on.

They have a Warrant Canary as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrant_canary​

 
This WireGuard feature mentioned here, I see SurfShark, Mullvad and PIA offer it. Do I have to do anything else to configure this or it just works for the end user? Am assuming this just means safer more complicated encryptions?

I know I made this thread like well over 2 years ago and I really only stuck with using free slow vpns from time to time.

am heavily considering getting SurfShark today. Has simple looking apps on Mac and iPhone and I think I’ll be happy.
 
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