Just a decade ago, VPNs were mostly for geeks or travelers who wanted to bypass geo-blocks. Fast forward to 2025, and VPNs have gone from a niche tool to a mainstream necessity. But why? Because our data is all over the internet, being collected, tracked, and sold.
Thus, we’ve established that our data needs to be protected, and VPNs are of great use. Whether you’re working, streaming, or just browsing on the Internet, a reliable VPN gives you a shield: encrypting your traffic, hiding your identity, and keeping your digital footprint private.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best VPN tools for privacy in 2025.
Top 5 VPNs You Can Rely On
Windscribe: Fast, Reliable & Effective
Windscribe is the top choice for beginners and professional users alike who want top security without overspending. Windscribe believes that the internet should be free of censorship, personal data harvesting, targeted ads, and geographic restrictions. It’s entirely self-funded, so no paid ads or reviews. And that’s what distinguishes Windscribe from other VPN tools. But that’s not all!
Why Windscribe Is the Best Choice
- It offers strong privacy and freedom, including anti-fingerprinting tools, split tunneling, a built-in ad and tracker blocker (R.O.B.E.R.T.), and other features.
- You can create a Windscribe account without sharing a shred of your personal information. You don’t have to provide a name or email address, and you can pay with crypto to ensure your anonymity.
- The Windscribe website does not contain any 3rd party analytics, tracking pixels, A/B test platforms, or social widgets. That means that when you visit the website, you can be absolutely positive that your activity does not leak out to any 3rd party data harvesting platforms.
- It’s self-hosted, so when you use its services, you will not directly interact with any cloud-hosted tools or clouds in general.
- Windscribe is open source, so you can see exactly what you’re signing up for. Their transparency reports, audits, and court wins prove this.
Pricing Plans
Windscribe offers flexible pricing plans:
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- Free Use: 10 GB/month, limited servers.
- Monthly Plan: $9/month, with access to over 69 countries and 112 cities, unlimited data, configuration generator (OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard), and R.O.B.E.R.T. (that blocks ads, trackers, and malware).
- Yearly Plan: $5.75/month or $69/year, with full access to all the locations, unlimited data, configuration generator, and R.O.B.E.R.T.
- “Build-a-Plan” option: lets users pick only the server locations they need, making for a cheaper, more customized plan.
NordVPN
The goal of NordVPN is to control and guarantee that your digital life belongs to you. It protects your devices from malware and unwanted eyes and encrypts your internet connection.
Reasons to Choose NordVPN
- Uses RAM-only servers and post-quantum encryption in many settings with a strictly checked no-logs policy.
- Gives good geographical diversity, with thousands of servers in over 120 countries.
- Very quick (especially on more recent protocols), with dependable streaming and torrenting support.
- Allows the simultaneous connection of up to 10 devices.
Pricing Plans
NordVPN is a little on the premium side, with plans starting at about $12.99/month, but with longer commitments, you can save a bit, around $4.99/month on a 1-year plan. All subscriptions include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark
Surfshark offers strong privacy protections, but at the same time, it stays affordable. It’s one of the few VPNs that lets you connect unlimited devices on a single account, making it perfect for families or anyone working with multiple gadgets.
Why Is Surfshark Worth Considering
- Top-level encryption and reliable VPN protocols to browse the internet confidently.
- Connects unlimited devices and protects your entire household under a single account.
- Your privacy is protected through a no-logs policy and RAM-only servers.
- Shields your devices from viruses, malware, ads, and trackers.
Pricing Plans
Surfshark is one of the most affordable options, with plans starting at $9.99/month. Long-term plans are A LOT cheaper, and drop to $1.99/month if billed for two years. Especially, with the ability to connect unlimited devices, this is a real steal.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is totally transparent: all of its apps are open source and are regularly checked, so you know exactly how your data is protected. It has a solid free plan, with paid ones unlocking high-speed servers, streaming support, and advanced tools.
What Proton VPN Has to Offer
- Your data will be secure even on public WI-FI, as all network traffic is encrypted by using either AES-256 or ChaCha20.
- 10 devices can be connected under a single subscription across all operating systems and browsers.
- Their no-logs policy bans gathering or keeping private data, including IP addresses, bandwidth, browsing history, and used traffic logs.
- You’ll be all set up with a few clicks: just get a subscription, sign up, and press the Quick Connect button.
Pricing Plans
Proton VPN has a good free plan, which has a medium speed and limited locations. Paid plans start at $4.99/month if billed annually, and $4.49/month if billed for 2 years, while the full-feature VPN Plus plan costs just about $9.99/month, unlocking high-speed servers, Secure Core routing, and streaming support.
Total VPN
With over 1,800 servers spread across more than 80 countries, Total VPN guarantees you can safely access anything you need, whenever you need it, no matter where you are.
Why Total VPN Stands Out
- Total VPN encrypts your browsing and hides your online activities from others.
- Gives additional security for public Wi-Fi.
- Allows access to geo-restricted websites and content.
- Includes free ad blocker and antivirus protection.
Pricing
Total VPN offers competitive prices, and frequent discounts are also a part of the fun. It’s just $99/year with the option to pay monthly, quarterly, annually, and even biannually. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can cancel anytime.
Final Thoughts
It’s a known thing that “What’s been done in Google, stays in Google.” But not anymore. Make VPNs your best friends, since privacy in 2025 isn’t just a bonus – it’s a necessity. Consider privacy basics such as logging policy, jurisdiction, and encryption standards to evaluate the VPN platforms. Their server coverage, performance, and transparency are “honorable” mentions to check. Audits, transparency reports, or open-source apps generally make providers more trustworthy.
We gave you all the factors to sort out which VPN suits your priorities best, each bringing unique strengths in terms of speed, ethical monitoring, device support, and affordability.
So, what are you waiting for? Secure your data now!
