With that in mind, a travel VPN, a tool that is unfortunately often overlooked, can keep your data safe and give you peace of mind when you’re on the go. A VPN can be especially critical during travel when you connect to different Wi-Fi routers and don’t know who else is using it. You may have a strong Wi-Fi connection in an airport or café, but is it secure? In most cases, with open Wi-Fi hotspots, the answer is a resounding “no.” That’s where a VPN comes to the rescue. The best VPNs create secure tunnels that protect your internet traffic. This provides an extra layer of protection against having your financial information or login credentials exposed or stolen. Remember, VPNs are illegal in some countries because the host government wants to monitor all traffic. Make sure you check local laws before doing something that may be frowned upon or investigated. The service you use at home may be great for streaming movies, but VPNs can serve a much more serious purpose abroad. I’ve researched and rounded up the best travel VPNs to help you find the top option for keeping your connections safe and secure. Also: The best VPN trials ExpressVPN has a sizable server network comprising 160 server locations in 94 countries. No matter where you’re traveling, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to connect to a local server. ExpressVPN is a widely used VPN provider that supports many platforms and devices. It’s also one of the best VPNs for iPhones and a top VPN for Android, which makes it useful for traveling, especially when you’re using multiple devices on different operating systems. You can use the native app or set up ExpressVPN manually on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chromebooks, and more. A key advantage of ExpressVPN is the private DNS it runs on every VPN server when it comes to travel. That means that when you’re trying to access Gmail, for example, ExpressVPN’s DNS will give you an actual IP address for Gmail. You don’t have to opt-in to ExpressVPN’s private DNS because requests are protected automatically without exposure to third parties. Review: ExpressVPN ExpressVPNs privacy policy clearly lays out what information it collects. It doesn’t log information that could be used to identify you, such as your IP address, browsing history, or DNS queries. However, it does track the dates you connect, how much data is transferred, and the server location. ExpressVPN has made this information very clear and easily accessible, which is a plus. At the time of writing, subscription costs begin at $6.67 per month on a limited-time deal with a 12-month plan and three months thrown in for free; $9.99/month for six months, or $12.95 for a month of access. In our most recent testing, although speed was rather average, the Surfshark connection was reliable and had fast connection times. Surfshark VPN is a very secure option, and we found no DNS leaks during recent tests. The company doesn’t log your activity while using the service and offers private DNS capabilities, as well as what Surfshark calls NoBorders mode. This feature enables you to access sites regardless of restrictive border connections. Be careful, though. Countries restricting access tend to frown on bypassing those restrictions. Review: Surfshark VPN Surfshark VPN comes with many standard features, including split tunneling, a kill switch to keep your connection secure if it drops, MultiHop (a double VPN), static and rotating IP addresses, and an ad blocker. There are also inexpensive add-on tools, including a tracker-free search engine, data breach scanner, and antivirus software. Surfshark operates a live warrant canary and is independently audited. At present, Surfshark is running a sale. Reduced from $12.95/month (the typical one-month subscription fee), the VPN will only cost you $2.30/month for a two-year subscription plan. Alternatively, you can sign up for a year and you will pay $3.99 /month. You are billed for the complete package at the time of sign-up. Two free months are on offer if you sign up for the 24-month plan. In our review of NordVPN, it was fast and had a reliable and consistent connection. NordVPN’s performance was generally consistent across a wide range of test situations. This means that if you’re traveling, you’re likely to be able to count on the same performance from NordVPN no matter where you’re connecting from. NordVPN also supports P2P sharing and is one of our favorite VPNs for torrenting. It offers a second layer of encryption through its Double VPN feature and has a dedicated IP if you’re trying to run a VPN that doubles as a server. As far as compatibility goes, NordVPN supports all of the major platforms and has additional browser plugins for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Overall, NordVPN is a solid choice. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which should give you enough time to test out the product and see if it’s a good fit for you. Also: How to set up and use NordVPN The subscription cost can also be considered expensive outside of sales events. You can select between Complete, Plus, and Standard on a two-year, one-year, and monthly plan, the difference being whether or not you also want access to a password manager, data breach scanner, or encrypted cloud storage service. Prices start from $4.19 /month on a two-year standard plan to $14.49 /month on a complete, one-month subscription. At the time of writing, NordVPN is running a birthday promotion for new subscribers. If you sign up for the two-year plan, on any tier, will be given a gift of either three months or one year free. IPVanish is a highly configurable product with a user-friendly interface and a raft of configuration options for the app. The app gives you many server selection options and shows each location’s ping speed and server load. These features can be valuable when you’re on the road because they allow you to choose the optimal server based on your current location, which can vary depending on where you are in the world. Review: IPVanish VPN IPVanish’s connection speed was fast, but the download speeds were subpar (cuts speeds by 73%) compared to other services in our most recent testing for the fastest VPNs. If the freedom to configure your VPN to your liking and the ability to choose from an extensive list of countries and servers are your priorities, this is the VPN for you. IPVanish offers a discounted plan for $3.33 /month if you commit for two years. This increases to $4.50 /month for a yearly plan and $11.99 for one month. However, unless you turn off automatic renewal, you can expect a price hike once your deal ends. It supports the most popular mobile platforms, as well as a wide range of other platforms and devices. Therefore, even when not traveling, ExpressVPN can secure your internet connection from just about any device. Also, I ensured every pick offers strong security, so your data will not be visible while using the program, and certain features (like a kill switch) are included. I also considered the importance of server and country availability, as the more expansive the network, the more user choice. However, if your online activities are being monitored at the ISP level – say, by a government – they may recognize the signature of a VPN. While they can’t see what you are doing, they will know you are using VPN connections. VPNs are useful in unblocking geo-restricted content and can be a vital tool for accessing information in countries with repressive governments. They are important services for anyone that wants to maintain a high level of safety and privacy online. It lists travel advisories for US citizens, and they have foreign service officials who can provide general guidance. Check the travel advisories web page. Your nation’s foreign ministry may have a similar service if you’re outside the US. If you’re looking to understand which countries either ban or discourage VPN usage, NordVPN has a legal guide that lists countries with severe restrictions, bans, and possible penalties for breaking VPN laws. Online services you access in-country might have less protection than the very same services in your host country. And, of course, there are all the normal travel security issues, like being careful what you spend, how you handle cash, who you trust, and so on that could bring risk while traveling. Airfare prices are set by algorithms based on complicated factors, such as demand. You could notice a price difference using a VPN to spoof your location, but the change in cost may or may not be related to your location. From a practical standpoint, it’s difficult to account for every possible variable. Also, given the amount of data available on consumers, maybe the real advantage of using a VPN is remaining anonymous. Another way to look at it is if a VPN actually reduces the cost of airfare, it’s most likely not going to have as big of an impact as other factors. There are other tactics for booking cheap flights that should be higher on your priority list. Booking early and keeping an eye out for price drops (check if there are change fees before booking), or traveling during days or times of day when there is less demand are great ways to secure the best possible prices on flights. You can also check out ZDNET’s guide on the top VPNs for more options.
