- Generous international server network
- Exceptionally fast
- Excellent for streaming
- Intuitive apps
- Inconsistent pricing structure
- Not as transparent as other VPN rivals
- Tons of worldwide servers
- Highly transparent and private
- Outstanding for streaming
- Great free plan
- No 24/7 live chat support
- Large international server network
- User-friendly apps across all platforms
- Strong commitment to privacy and transparency
- Great for streaming
- Only eight simultaneous connections
- Expensive
- Diverse international server network
- Lots of unique security features
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Inconsistent speed performance
- 14 Eyes jurisdiction (Netherlands)
What is the best VPN for travel?
| NordVPN | ProtonVPN | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | |
| Number of servers | 7,400-plus | 12,000-plus | 3,000-plus | 3,200-plus |
| Number of countries | 118 | 117 | 105 | 100 |
NordVPN is the best VPN for travel overall, boasting an impressive 7,400-plus servers peppering 118 different countries. Its fast speeds and worldwide server network make it a great choice for travel, both domestically and internationally, as well as streaming.
Proton is the best free VPN on the market, offering access to servers in five different countries. Additionally, its paid premium plan boasts an exhaustive network of 12,000-plus servers in 117 countries.
ExpressVPN is an excellent all-around VPN for travel with more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries. Some competitors include more simultaneous connections and a slightly larger international server network, but ExpressVPN's apps are intuitive for both VPN newcomers and privacy power users alike.
Surfshark is the best budget VPN for travel, with a terrific feature set and 3,200 servers in 100 countries.
About VPNs for travel
A virtual private network masks your IP address, which provides information about your physical location. VPNs fulfill various needs, including bolstering privacy, unblocking geographically protected content like foreign Netflix libraries and circumventing bandwidth throttling. That suite of features makes VPNs particularly useful when traveling. Whether you want to stream region-restricted movies and shows while traveling, log into your online banking app from abroad without triggering a CAPTCHA or add an extra layer of protection on public Wi-Fi (such as at the airport terminal and your hotel), a VPN is essential for travel. The benefits of VPNs make them great to install before you embark on your journey.
Here at CNET, we’ve thoroughly assessed dozens of VPNs, running speed tests, checking for DNS leaks, streaming videos and comparing prices to analyze value. When rounding up the top travel VPNs, we primarily focused on each provider’s server locations by number of countries and total options. We also considered privacy features, device compatibility and general performance. Whether you're on spring break, galavanting across the globe on business or taking a vacation abroad, a virtual private network is a great addition to your app arsenal. Let’s dive into the best VPNs for travel to keep you connected wherever you roam.
Factors to consider in a VPN for travel
There’s a lot to think about when selecting a VPN for travel. Leveraging our years of expertise in the VPN space coupled with what you’ll need when traveling, here’s what to look for:
Server network
Specifically for travel, you’ll want a large VPN server network. More overall connectivity options are beneficial, you’ll also want plenty of countries if you plan on any international travel. Therefore, it's important to consider the total number of servers as well as the individual country count. For instance, some VPNs have thousands of servers sprinkled through only a few nations. At the high end, you'll find VPNs with servers in 100 or more countries, although I'd recommend picking a VPN with a presence in at least 50 international locations. Many servers in a smaller handful of countries might work if you only travel to one of those spots. For regular international adventures, greater country choice comes in handy.
Privacy
VPNs add a layer of protection by encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address, making it harder for cyber attackers to access your browsing data. When traveling, you’ll likely use open wireless networks at an airport terminal, in the hotel lobby or at a coffee shop, but a VPN protects your data from eavesdropping, whether by cyber criminals or snooping ISPs. Look for a strict no-logging policy, and AES 256-bit encryption (OpenVPN and IKEv2) or ChaCha20 (WireGuard or IKEv2) at a minimum.
Device compatibility
You’ll want a VPN that runs on the gadgets you’re bringing on your trip. Make a list of the devices you want to bring along with a VPN installed and ensure your provider has apps for those electronics. Luckily, most providers offer solid Windows, MacOS, Android and iPhone apps. Many offer Linux VPN apps, but only a few feature a graphical user interface, which is more beginner-friendly than a command-line interface. If you want to tote your Linux laptop or a Steam Deck along, look for a VPN with a Linux GUI app. Although most folks don’t travel with streaming devices, you might tote along a Fire Stick, Android TV box or Apple TV for your hotel room.
Speed
All VPNs throttle your internet upload and download speeds somewhat, but the fastest options drop your connectivity by an average loss of only 10% to 25%. Especially if you’re performing internet-intensive tasks like streaming video in 4K, Zooming for work, gaming or uploading YouTube videos, you’ll want a fast VPN. Even if you aren’t, reliable internet speeds are great for a better experience checking your email and browsing the web.
Streaming support
Aside from privacy, many people use VPNs to unblock region-restricted content. For instance, you can use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer -- normally available only in the UK -- from other countries, like the US, meaning you can stream shows like The Jetty. Similarly, a VPN is useful when traveling. If you’re on holiday in a foreign country but want to access Netflix libraries from your home country to continue your binge-watching, a VPN makes that possible. Check which VPNs unblock the streaming services you want to watch from abroad.
Price
VPNs range from around $13 a month to about $100 annually. Generally, you’ll get a discount by paying for a year or more of service upfront, but we don’t recommend shelling out for more than 12 months at a time. While the VPN you pick might initially be fast, secure and excellent for streaming, it could get acquired by a shady company, suffer a data breach or get slower during a year. We suggest sticking to an annual plan for the best value and the least risk.
Why you should use a VPN for travel
A VPN makes a great travel companion thanks to its privacy features and geographic unblocking. Since a VPN encrypts your internet traffic, it protects your data to a degree from others on a public Wi-Fi network seeking unencrypted data. Websites you visit don’t see your actual IP address and instead view an IP given to you by your VPN software, making it harder to view personal information such as your physical location or online activity. You’re still susceptible to malware, viruses and phishing attacks, so keep in mind that a VPN isn’t an antivirus software replacement. You can find antivirus software bundled with some VPNs and vice versa.
VPNs can also spoof apps and internet-connected services like websites into thinking you’re located in a different region. For example, you might be on holiday in the UK but want to access your Gmail without triggering a security login. Or perhaps you’d like to stream a movie that is only available on US Netflix while in Canada. Using a VPN, you can make it appear like you’re in a different city or even country. Whether for entertainment purposes or bypassing CAPTCHAs, VPNs can circumvent location restrictions.
For more geographically specific VPN information, check out our guides to the best VPNs for Canada, Mexico, Australia and Japan.
How we test VPNs for travel
I couldn’t use this article as an excuse to travel extensively, but I have country-hopped regularly, with notable stints in the UK, Peru and Sierra Leone. On a trip to Rome in 2019, I downloaded a VPN on my laptop and Android phone before leaving so I could stream Netflix from the hotel and access my Gmail without triggering a security alert (at the time, I was using VPN Unlimited, although I’ve since switched to NordVPN). To select the best VPNs for travel, we rigorously assessed dozens of providers by running speed tests, checking for DNS leaks, poring over terms of service, using apps and streaming videos. We researched VPN provider server networks, factoring in the overall number and country locations, which dictate whether a virtual private network is suitable for globe-trotting.
Other VPNs we tested
PIA
Private Internet Access brings a lot to the table, particularly for regular travelers. Its large server network blankets the globe with 35,000 servers in 91 countries. ExpressVPN and Surfshark deliver more individual country choices, but PIA’s sheer number of servers lets you easily find an optimal connection. It’s an especially great VPN for folks traveling domestically or to one of the worldwide locales where Private Internet Access maintains a decent presence. In our experience, we found PIA unblocked Disney Plus, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on both US and UK servers, making it a good VPN for streaming.
Its wallet-friendly pricing sets you back just $12 monthly, $40 for the first year ($50 annually upon renewal) or $79 total for three years. By comparison, most VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN typically charge $60 to $100 a year. The value-packed Surfshark charges around $48 for your first year, its price jumps to $60 after its initial sweet introductory pricing.
Despite its relatively low cost, PIA doesn’t cut corners. Although it’s not the most feature-rich VPN, you’ll get a solid privacy suite, including a kill switch that stops your internet if your VPN gets disconnected, split tunneling for using a VPN for some apps but not others and 256-bit encryption over OpenVPN or IKEv2 with ChaCha20 on WireGuard. There’s multihop, which routes your connection through another server for additional privacy, and obfuscated servers, making it tougher for apps or ISPs to identify when you’re using a VPN. PIA also boasts unlimited simultaneous connections -- the pricier ExpressVPN limits you to eight.
Unfortunately, PIA delivered middling internet speeds in our testing with an average speed loss of 49%. All VPNs slow down your connection somewhat, with the fastest VPNs offering an average internet speed loss of 20% or less. For instance, NordVPN -- the quickest VPN we benchmarked -- provided a best-in-class 11% reduction, while Surfshark clocked a solid 17%. Folks with faster internet connections like fiber shouldn’t notice a difference even with a higher speed loss, but PIA isn’t ideal for people with slower speeds like satellite internet users. With its decent features, pricing transparency and subscriptions that significantly undercut the competition, PIA remains a solid VPN that boasts a generous server network, unlimited simultaneous connections and relative affordability compared to VPN rivals. But for the price, you're better off with Surfshark, which is faster and offers a larger global server network.
IPVanish
IPVanish offers 2,400-plus servers in 108 countries, which is in the ballpark as rivals such as NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark. (Disclosure: IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) In our experience, IPVanish's internet download speeds were uneven, with a 44% average internet download speed loss in our 2024 testing, with fast speeds marred by occasionally noticeable dips, which could impact gaming or 4K streaming.
IPVanish provides plenty of perks, including unlimited simultaneous connections, user-friendly apps and great streaming capabilities. It streams and unblocks region-restricted content from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus with aplomb. At $13 monthly, $40 for the first year or $53 total for two years (both the 12- and 24-month plans jump to $90 per year after the sweet introductory pricing), IPVanish saves you money upfront compared to companies like ExpressVPN or NordVPN. IPVanish works fine for casual use, but you can get a VPN with more robust privacy features and faster internet speeds, all of which benefit travel. IPVanish’s user-friendly apps make it a decent choice for beginners seeking a VPN to add peace of mind and allow for streaming abroad. Wallet-friendly VPNs PIA and Surfshark are better options for the money because of their larger server networks.
CyberGhost
With 11,500-plus servers spanning 100 countries, CyberGhost offers loads of choices for international travel. It’s decent for streaming from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other sites. You can use specific servers optimized for streaming, but streaming works on all servers. CyberGhost remains wallet-friendly at $13 per month, $42 every six months or $57 total for the first two years of service (you’re billed annually after 24 months of service on its two-year plan).
CyberGhost lacks advanced privacy features like Tor over VPN or double-hop servers, both of which make it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source. There is obfuscation, which makes it more difficult to determine that you’re using a VPN, which can circumvent restrictions by countries, ISPs or Wi-Fi networks that have blocked VPNs. Obfuscated servers could be useful when running a VPN at school, work or in a country where virtual private networks are frowned upon.
CyberGhost's high internet speed loss isn’t ideal for demanding applications like 4K streaming or gaming. CyberGhost does provide some useful features, including a kill switch, which shuts off your internet if your VPN gets disconnected and split tunneling for selectively choosing some apps, but not all to route through your VPN. All things considered, CyberGhost is acceptable for casual use like streaming videos or web browsing, and its exhaustive server network is particularly well-suited to travel. Uneven speed loss and middle-of-the-road privacy features mean you’ve likely got better choices.
Hotspot Shield
Sporting over 3,200 servers in 80-plus countries, Hotspot Shield works well enough for globe-trotting. We like its reasonable 26% average speed loss and excellent streaming support. Still, the lackluster pricing of $10 per month or $96 annually runs you more than faster, more secure VPNs such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark. Because Hotspot Shield is based in the US -- part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance -- it’s not great for privacy-concerned users. Its closed-source Hydra Catapult VPN protocol and unnecessary data collection give us pause in recommending it over other options, particularly when you can spend less money to get a faster VPN with better privacy.