VPN services of 2024: comparison on security, speed, and stability

There are many VPNs on the market, and it takes time to choose the best one. Each VPN is similar and uses the same technology. In addition, each of us has its own parameters for selecting the appropriate solution. For example, data security is essential for money transactions and good speed for movie streaming, while mere surfing requires only stability.

This article discusses what makes a VPN fast, secure, and stable and identifies the best VPNs in 2024 in each category. It will help you understand what to consider when choosing the right VPN.

Quick guide: what is a VPN and how it works

The most secure VPNs: Examples of 2024

Security of a VPN is the ability to protect user data and ensure user anonymity on the network. Several factors influence this ability, from the traffic encryption level to the service's privacy policy. Let's look at the critical aspects of security:

• The VPN protocol is the basis of data protection. Modern and secure ones include OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, WireGuard, and V2Ray. Protocols such as PPTP and L2TP/IPsec are outdated in 2024. The article Which VPN Protocol is Best provides a detailed comparison.

Services running on OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, WireGuard, and V2Ray: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, BlancVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, PIA, ProtonVPN.

• The encryption algorithm affects how difficult it is to decrypt the data. The more complex it is, the better the protection. For example, in 2024, AES-256 is considered the most reliable. It's impossible to hack, but the battery runs out faster.

Services using the AES-256 algorithm include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark, Mullvad, VyprVPN, and TorGuard.

• Privacy Policy. The VPN service must adhere to the no-logs policy -- does not record user actions. This protects against data transfer to third parties and is a crucial point of anonymity.

Services with a no-logs policy include BlancVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, NordVPN, Windscribe, TunnelBear.

• Leak protection. Even with an active VPN, data leaks can occur. For example, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC technologies can bypass VPNs and reveal your actual IP address. Reliable services have built-in protection against such leaks.

Services with leak protection include PIA, CyberGhost, BlancVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN.

The fastest VPNs: examples of 2024

The speed is one of the critical criteria for choosing a VPN provider. It is vital for watching videos, playing games, and downloading big files. The speed is affected by many things, and not all of them depend on the VPN service. The user influences the most important ones:

• the VPN can't be faster than initial internet speed. If your internet is slow, the VPN will be slow, too;
• old phones and computers slow down when processing encrypted traffic;
• the farther the VPN server is, the slower the connection. Choose a server close to you to make it faster.

Things that affect VPN speed and depend on the VPN service itself:

• The VPN protocol. Different protocols provide different levels of speed. For example, WireGuard, IKEv2, V2Ray are considered faster than OpenVPN, which can run slower with complex encryption settings.

Services running on WireGuard, IKEv2, and V2Ray protocols include NordVPN, BlancVPN, ProtonVPN, Mullvad, Surfshark, CyberGhost, PIA.

• Bandwidth. The speed of a VPN connection is affected by the quality of the server infrastructure. More powerful servers are better able to handle large amounts of data and provide higher speeds.

Services that have enough speed to play online games and watch streaming 4K videos without brakes and reloading include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, BlancVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost.

Why is it not good to use a free VPN?

Owners of free services must earn something. Most often, they make money from users by tracking and selling their data, showing intrusive ads, and using their devices' computing power.

The most reliable VPN services in 2024

A reliable VPN is a service that provides a stable connection without interruptions. Like speed, reliability isn't only about the provider. Many other things can affect it, like:

• a weak internet connection;
• wrong firewall or antivirus settings;
• old software on your computer;
• government blocks, ISP blocks, or corporate network blocks.

Here are some things that affect reliability and depend on the VPN provider:

• Backup servers. If one server stops working, the VPN can switch to another one automatically. This way, you don't lose your connection.

Services with automatic switching to backup servers include NordVPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark, PIA.

• Protection from leaks via DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC. Without this protection, a VPN's connection can be interrupted when a threat is found.

Services with leak protection include CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, BlancVPN, Surfshark, PIA.

• The VPN protocol. Some protocols work better with packet loss and can restore the connection if something goes wrong. IKEv2/IPsec and V2Ray are suitable for changing networks, like Wi-Fi to mobile data. WireGuard and OpenVPN are also considered stable.

Services running on IKEv2/IPsec, V2Ray, WireGuard, OpenVPN include CyberGhost, BlancVPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Mullvad, Surfshark.

VPN comparison: which service should I choose?

Choosing the right VPN depends on your needs. The VPN protocol is most important if you need a general solution. IKEv2, WireGuard, and V2Ray provide the optimal balance between speed, safety, and stability. If you want something specific, look at the examples in this article.

Remember that how well a VPN works depends on many things. A good internet connection, an up-to-date operating system, and choosing a nearby server will help make the best of any VPN. With all these things in mind, you can choose the best VPN.