Do you live or work in the United States? Or are you planning a trip there? Though the US government does not exert extreme control over online content like China, people’s Internet activity can be monitored.
In fact, the USA PATRIOT Act gives the FBI the legal justification to request for user data from internet service providers (ISPs). Web surfing within local networks at work or school may also be restricted, with particular websites blocked out entirely.
And if you find yourself outside the shores of the US, geo-blocking could prevent you from enjoying your favorite US shows. If in the US, there’s also a chance you’d love to take a peek at foreign content such as those on BBC iPlayer without having to bother about geographic blocks.
If you want to avoid dealing with these content barriers, or simply want to protect yourself from the snooping eyes of your ISP and government agencies, using a VPN is an absolute necessity. A VPN is also a no-brainer when using a public Wi-Fi which is potentially insecure.
But choosing the best VPN for the US can be difficult with a lot of washup products that don’t stand up to their claims. To make your job a lot easier, we’ve taken the time to test a ton of VPNs for the USA, and identified the best of these for you.
When selecting the best VPN for the US, we recommend a balance between privacy, speed and unblocking capacity. You want a VPN that gets you past all of those annoying content blocks, but you also need one that protects your privacy.
With that in mind, here are the factors to consider when making your selection:
54Mbps
90 Countries
This VPN service is based in Romania and it offers a wide range of security and privacy protocols for you to choose from. CyberGhost keeps no logs of user activity or any metadata. It has a high-grade security, OpenVPN connections and 256-bit AES encryption with perfect forward secrecy protocols.
Throw in DNS leaks protection and a kill switch, and you can be sure that no hacker can get into the encrypted VPN tunnel. Some of its other features include an ad blocker, anti-tracking and anti-malware defense.
CyberGhost allows its users to choose a server depending on your usage plan, whether it is for streaming, torrenting, public Wi-Fi and anonymous web surfing. It is available for Android, MacOS, Windows and iOS users.
CyberGhost is easy to use, especially if you are a newbie. It is a great package and not too pricey; it also has an industry-topping 45-day money back guarantee. Other features include:
However, it can struggle when it comes to streaming from other websites asides Netflix. It is also not advisable to use this VPN service to apply advanced configurations.
47Mbps
52 Countries
PrivateVPN is a Swedish-based VPN, and one of the newer options on this list. But its strong features belie its age and have led to its rapid rise in the VPN world. It runs a no-log policy and is protected with a 256-bit AES encryption and OpenVPN protocol security.
PrivateVPN uses a kill switch to stop all internet traffic once there is a drop in the VPN connection; it also has an in-built DNS leak protection that halts any webpage request that is sent outside the confines of the encrypted tunnel.
This VPN is also fast and has the ability to decode and circumvent every barricade in its way. Its P2P file sharing works on all its servers and it allows you to use 6 different connections at once on one plan. It works with iOS, Windows, MacOS and Android. You can pay with Bitcoin (for those who want to sign up anonymously) credit card, PayPal.
Some of the other incredible features include:
However, PrivateVPN has a limited number of servers to choose from when compared to other VPN providers, and you will need support assistance to be able to locate the best server for any purpose. This is hardly an issue, though, with the 24/7 live chat support option.
90.51Mbps
60 Countries
This Panama-based VPN provider has made a name for itself where security is concerned. It has double-hop servers that pass your traffic through two servers, and a Tor-over option through which it sends traffic via the Tor network when it leaves the VPN server.
Most of the IPs of this service are shared but there are some of the dedicated IP servers for you to choose from if you need it. It also uses OpenVPN protocol which uses 256-bit encryption standard.
You can pay for this service digitally via your credit card or Bitcoin. The company keeps no record of any logs of the traffic of its users or connection metadata. You can have up to 6 different simultaneous connections for one subscription. It works with iOS, MacOs, Windows and Android.
Some of the other benefits of this service include:
84.13Mbps
77 Countries
Few VPNs can claim to match the size of IPVanish’s IP network. Despite having just over 1,500 servers in its network, the VPN boasts an eye-watering 40,000+ IP addresses spread over 70+ countries.
IPVanish follows a strict no-logs policy. It also ensures your privacy and security are fully guaranteed, employing a kill switch, OpenVPN encryption protocol, obfuscation technology, and DNS leak protection to make it impenetrable.
Interestingly, IPVanish supports P2P traffic on all of its servers. It also offers excellent speeds for downloading torrents, streaming, and gaming. And the VPN is hugely compatible with a host of devices, including Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, and your Fire TV.
Other impressive features include:
85Mbps
94 Countries
ExpressVPN boasts strong security protocols, combining 256-bit AES encryption with an OpenVPN protocol. Even though your metadata is recorded, it doesn’t store any traffic logs. Thankfully, with the company based in the British Virgin Islands (outside of the 14-eyes alliance), your data is safe.
All ExpressVPN servers have shared IPs which means you can share your IP address with quite a number of users. This means even those who manage to isolate your IP will find your traffic lost in the midst of traffic from other users. You can pay for this service with your credit card, Bitcoin or PayPal.
This VPN supports different OS such as MacOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android and other routers. Some other benefits of this VPN include:
However, ExpressVPN is more expensive than other VPN options but if you can afford it then go for it as it is worth your money.
86.7Mbps
59 Countries
PrivateVPN is a Sweedish based VPN that is new when compared to other VPN providers. It is gaining on its competitors due to its features and performance. It runs a no log policy and it is protected with a 256 bit AES encryption and OpenVPN protocol security. It doesn’t have any log records.
It has a killswitch that stops all internet traffic if there is a drop in the VPN connection; it also has an in-built DNS leak protection that halts any webpage request that is sent outside the confines of the encrypted tunnel.
This VPN is also fast and has the ability to decode and circumvent every barricade in its way. Its P2P file sharing works on all its servers and it allows you to use 6 different connections at once on one plan. It works with iOS, Windows, MacOS and Android. You can pay with Bitcoin (for those who want to sign up anonymously) credit card, PayPal.
Some of the other incredible features include
However, PrivateVPN has a few number of servers to choose from when compared to other servers and you will need support assistance to be able to locate the best server for each purpose. A 24/7 live chat support will be great to assist users.
48.99Mbps
53 Countries
Few VPNs are as cheap as Surfshark, but that doesn’t mean it is a poor VPN. Far from it, Surfshark is a relatively new entrant into the VPN market that has taken to the market like shark to water.
Based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark is big on privacy and security. The VPN keeps no logs, ensuring your privacy is forever protected. With its split tunneling feature, you’re also able to decide which website traffic you want passing through the VPN, and which shouldn’t.
Other valuable features of Surfshark include:
76.9Mbps
35 Countries
SaferVPN is an Israel based VPN that offers you top security and privacy. It is pretty easy to use for beginners and pros alike. With a subscription, you have access to more than a hundred severs in about 30 different countries.
Even though the number of servers is minute when compared to other competitors, you can be sure that the speed of this service makes up for it. They ensure that you are adequately secure as they record no traffic logs or IP address, and the connections are protected with an AES 256-bit encryption.
The servers are optimized for streaming and it can unblock streaming video sites both in the US and UK. It works with iOS, Windows, MacOS and Android.
Other important features produced by this site include
However, this VPN doesn’t have some popular features like other VPNs and sometimes it employs public DNS server like Google.
Millions of people around the world subscribe to VPN services to get US IP address. As a US resident, you may think you do not need a US IP address. Without a VPN, however, you may be barred from access to many sport programs restricted to certain states. This can be frustrating if you want to see a game. With a VPN, you can easily bypass blackout games and gain access to restricted TV schedules.
Whether you are trying to protect your online activity from the snooping eyes of ISPs and government agencies or want to be able to bypass filters and unblock websites, using a good VPN is an absolute necessity in the United States.