A VPN isn't something most people think about until they're on hotel Wi-Fi, trying to reach a work server from abroad, or just tired of their ISP logging every site they visit. The problem is there are dozens of VPNs claiming to be "the best," and most of that marketing is noise. We put four of the most established consumer options side by side — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN — on the things that actually matter: speed, price, device limits, and whether their no-logs claims have actually been independently audited.
| Provider | 2-yr price | Devices | Speed (tested) | No-logs audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | ~$3.09–3.59/mo | 10 | ~810 Mbps | Yes, multiple |
| ExpressVPN | ~$2.49/mo (promo) | 10 (Basic) | Strong, consistent | Yes, 19+ audits |
| Surfshark | ~$2.49/mo | Unlimited | ~764 Mbps | Yes, Deloitte (2023 & 2025) |
| Proton VPN | Free tier available | 1 (free) / 10 (paid) | ~738 Mbps | Yes, Swiss jurisdiction |
Prices and speeds shift constantly in this market — treat these as a snapshot, not gospel, and check current pricing before you buy.
NordVPN — the fastest, and the one we run
NordVPN's own NordLynx protocol (built on WireGuard) is a big part of why it keeps testing as the fastest of this group. A proper kill switch cuts your Windows traffic instead of silently falling back to an unprotected connection if the VPN drops — the one feature that actually matters in a VPN, and Nord's implementation is solid once you turn it on in Settings → Kill Switch (it's not on by default in every version). The Windows app's server picker is more style than substance, and it pushes bundled extras like its password manager a bit hard during setup, but the VPN itself just works.
Where to get it: Check the current NordVPN deal here — multi-year plans run at a steep discount compared to month-to-month.
ExpressVPN — the most audited, the smoothest app
If NordVPN wins on raw speed, ExpressVPN wins on trust paperwork: its published total is 19+ independent audits, including a 2025 KPMG no-logs audit and repeat reviews of its TrustedServer infrastructure by Cure53. Its Windows app is widely considered the cleanest and least confusing of the major providers — genuinely just "click connect." The trade-off is price (its cheapest plan runs higher than Nord or Surfshark outside of promo pricing) and a 10-device cap on its base plan, same as Nord.
Surfshark — unlimited devices for less
Surfshark's whole pitch is simple: every plan, including the cheapest one, covers unlimited devices at once. If you're protecting a household — phones, laptops, a streaming box, a partner's devices — that alone can make it cheaper than buying multiple Nord or Express licenses. It's been through two independent Deloitte audits (2023 and 2025) verifying its no-logs policy, and its measured speeds are close behind NordVPN's. The catch is a smaller server network than the two market leaders, which occasionally shows up as more variance in speed depending on which server you land on.
Proton VPN — the privacy-first pick, and the only real free option
Proton VPN is the odd one out here in a good way: it's the only provider in this group with a genuinely usable free tier — no credit card, one device, servers in 5 countries, unlimited data. It won't beat streaming geo-blocks or P2P speeds on the free plan, but it's a legitimate way to try a VPN, or to cover a single device, for $0. Proton is based in Switzerland with strong privacy jurisdiction and a reputation built on privacy-first engineering (the same team behind Proton Mail). Paid plans add more countries, more devices, and better speeds, but it tested a bit behind Nord and Surfshark in raw throughput.
So which one should you actually use?
- You want the fastest connection and don't mind the upsells: NordVPN.
- You want the cleanest app and the most third-party proof it does what it claims: ExpressVPN.
- You're protecting a whole household on a budget: Surfshark, for the unlimited-device pricing alone.
- You want to try a VPN for free, or you care most about privacy jurisdiction: Proton VPN.
Any of the four will keep your traffic off public Wi-Fi and away from casual ISP logging — the differences here are about degree, not one being secure and the others not. We currently run NordVPN day-to-day, mainly for the speed, but it's genuinely not a wrong choice to pick based on device count or price instead.
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link for NordVPN. If you buy through it, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Pricing, speed, and audit details for all four providers are drawn from public reporting and may change — verify current terms before purchasing.