BEST VPN SERVICES
In a hurry?
The best VPN for Traveling in 2023, as found in our independent testing, is NordVPN!
A VPN can be extremely useful. It can help get better deals on flights, hotels and rentals.
A VPN is also a must when connecting to public Wi-Fi, which is common when traveling, as there are many threats lurking there.
Finally, a VPN helps people access their preferred content and social media webpages, if they’re inaccessible in a certain region/country.
However, it’s important to know how to choose a VPN that can successfully complete all these tasks.
Get Better Deals
Using a VPN users can get an IP address from another country, changing their virtual location as well (location spoofing).
Some travel-related businesses, such as hotels, car rentals or even flight operators use a varying pricing model.
In this case it means that people from different countries see different prices for the same service. It’s important to clear cookies too when changing location using a VPN.
Safe Wi-Fi
It is frequent to use public Wi-Fi when traveling abroad, as mobile data plans can get extremely expensive.
Connecting to a public Wi-Fi network can result in the theft of personal information, such as bank, email logins or personal files. In some cases the device can be infected with malware.
A VPN can negate these risks, as with a VPN on, the traffic goes through a secure and encrypted tunnel, which makes it extremely difficult to intercept.
Suggest looking for providers that offer the OpenVPN protocol, which is widely accepted as the one with strongest encryption.
Bypass Censorship
Most non-democratic or privacy restricting countries impose bans on certain webpages or social media services.
China, for example, blocks Google (and its other products), Facebook, Instagram and other commonly known and used platforms or webpages.
A VPN can help bypass this censorship (again, providing an IP address from another country).
Such countries often impose VPN bans as well, either making them illegal or using technical capabilities to block VPN connections.
In the former case it’s important to check beforehand and evaluate the risk and possible outcomes of using a VPN in the country.
In the latter, premium VPN providers offer additional measures to overcome such bans, such as, Obfuscated servers, which hide the fact of using a VPN.
What to Look for in a VPN for Traveling:
A wide server coverage and high number of servers ensures the possibility to select preferred location and less crowded (therefore faster) servers.
A VPN with WireGuard protocol is a must when taking up a large amount of bandwidth, as it’s the fastest protocol out there. Some VPN providers offer their own adaptations of the WireGuard protocol, such as NordLynx.
As WireGuard protocol is believed to have security flaws, adaptations such as NordLynx negate those risks, while still benefiting from WireGuard’s speeds.
A kill switch terminates the access to the internet, in case the connection to the VPN server drops. This helps to prevent IP leaks and exposure of real location/identity of the user to 3rd parties.
Additional features, such as Double VPN or Obfuscated servers provide an extra layer of security or allow bypassing VPN blocks, if any.
More and more VPN companies offer security bundles, which now includes antivirus software, so a VPN provider that can protect from malware too should be the go-to choice in most cases.
Best VPN for Travel in 2023
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is a part of Nord Security. Nord Security’s other products include NordPass (password manager), NordLocker (file encryption and storing tool), NordLayer (business VPN) and NordWL (toolkit for building VPN products).
NordVPN offers Specialty Servers that further increase the user’s security or allows to bypass restrictions:
- Dedicated IP
- Onion over VPN
- Double VPN
- Obfuscated servers
- P2P
One NordVPN account allows users to secure 6 devices and is compatible with Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Android TV and others.
There are also available browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
- NordVPN is the industry leader (by a long way)
- 30-day risk-free trial
- Superfast speeds
- 5,442+ servers in 60+ countries
- Strict no-logs policy
- Next-generation military-grade encryption
- DoubleVPN, double privacy
- 6 simultaneous device connections
- Great for: Safety, security, anonymity & peace of mind
- Compatible with: Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, iPad & iOS, Linux, routers, Apple TV, FireFox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and more
NordVPN has its own WireGuard-based protocol called NordLynx, which allows users to enjoy the speeds of WireGuard, without the tradeoff of privacy risks.
In addition, NordVPN offers OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec protocols.
NordVPN has over 5200+ servers in 60 countries, so there’s always fast servers to choose from.
NordVPN website has a knowledge base that contains in-depth explanations about VPN protocols, servers and other useful reading material.
NordVPN app automatically chooses the fastest server in a selected country. If there’s any questions about NordVPN, there’s a 24/7 customer support team that will help you out.
NordVPN is a twice audited no-logs service to ensure our users their online activities remain confidential, so your activities will be private and your devices risk-free.
It’s a continuously updated service, rolling out updates every few months with crucial security updates for reliable user online safety.
What is Threat Protection?
Threat Protection is a new feature by NordVPN, which provides an additional layer of security and is essentially a step beyond VPN protection.
Threat Protection is meant to provide safer browsing by blocking malicious websites, ads and trackers, as well as identifying files infected with malware.
2. Surfshark
Surfshark is easily one of the best options for traveling, because they are not only safe, but they are affordable.
We talk a little bit further down below about how a free VPN is not viable, because of the risks associated with it.
If you are somebody who would jump on the chance to use a free VPN, then you definitely need to check out this VPN option.
- Surfshark is the best budget VPN
- 30-day risk-free trial
- Strict no-logs policy
- 3200+ servers in 95 countries
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections
- Great for: private browsing on a budget
- Compatible with: Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone & iOS, Linux, FireFox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and more
They aren’t free, but they have some of the most competitive pricing in the industry, so as far as the features that you are going to get, they are definitely going to be worth what you pay for them.
They also offer a money-back guarantee that lasts for 30 days, and their main goal is to help their clients protect their data, and keep it safe.
They also want to be able to help you cover all your devices at the same time, meaning that you can protect both your mobile and your laptop on the same subscription.
3. Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN is really great if you are planning on traveling overseas anytime soon, and you’re looking for a VPN that is going to cover all of your bases.
These guys offer a money back guarantee that is going to last for a month, and they even have a chart on their website, where they compare their pricing with other competitive VPNs in the industry.
- Atlas VPN is the best free VPN
- Privacy Pro servers
- 750 servers in 40+ locations
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections
- Great for: people seeking a freemium VPN
- Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Android, iPhone & iOS, Android TV, Fire TV Stick
Again, if you are low on budget as far as your VPN is concerned, you definitely need to make the most of these guys.
You can experience ultrafast streaming, as well as being able to cover unlimited devices on one subscription.
They are compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and they have more than 750 VPN servers that you can make the most of.
FAQs
How Do I Choose a VPN for Travel?
When you are away from home and traveling, it is really important to think about a few things when finding the right VPN for your needs.
Because you are not located where you usually are, you need to find a VPN that has a high level of security, and a high level of privacy at the same time.
We believe that the most important thing to consider when choosing the right VPN is trust.
A trustworthy VPN is going to be able to help you because they are independently audited, and they are upfront and honest when it comes to their privacy policy.
They are also going to have system designs to avoid storing your personal information, and they are going to show a consistent commitment to digital freedom, as well as Internet privacy.
If a VPN that you are considering using doesn’t provide these key features then you definitely need to move on, and choose something else.
Why Do I Have to Pay for My VPN?
This is a good question, and at the end of it we hope to have deterred you from using a free VPN.
Of course, when you are traveling, you only have so much money to spend, and the last thing that you want to do is have to spend most of it on a VPN.
However, while a VPN that is free can be tempting, it is really important that you steer clear of them.
This is because it is really difficult for a free VPN to match the service and features of a high-quality paid provider.
With a free VPN, you are much more likely to experience a slow connection, that other people are going to be using at the same time as you, as well as no customer support, really weak security and privacy measures, and not that many VPN locations to select from.
While you might not love the idea of having to pay for a VPN in the beginning, we promise you that you are going to discover that it is well worth what you pay for it.
Is a VPN Legal?
Yes, a VPN is completely legal, and they are regularly used by companies and individuals around the world to protect their online activity, and private information.
This includes countries that have highly restrictive governments.
Even if a VPN is seen as frowned upon, there are a lot of governments that endorse using them by academics, officials, and other prominent leaders as a measure to stay competitive in the world of technology.
What we are saying here is that it isn’t practical for any country out there to ban VPNs for traveling completely.
In saying this though, illegal activity online is still illegal, whether you are trying to cover your tracks with a VPN or not.
Keep this in mind, and also keep in mind the fact that if you’re traveling, there are going to be different rules and regulations around using a VPN depending on where you are.
Can I Use a VPN on My Mobile?
Yes, you can definitely use a VPN on your mobile phone, and this is how you might use your VPN the most when you are traveling.
If you use your smartphone a lot overseas, then you definitely want to cover your Internet activity with a VPN, especially if you plan on connecting to an unsecured network.
Wherever you go, you are going to get asked if you want to join a public Wi-Fi network, and the majority of the time, this public Wi-Fi network is going to be unsecured, and therefore risky.
The best way to protect yourself when using a public Wi-Fi network in another country is to get a mobile VPN.
You will also need to think about compatibility, and make sure that the mobile VPN you have chosen is compatible with your phone’s protocol, whether this is Android or iOS.
Is a VPN Going to Slow Down My Internet Connection?
Yes, the straightforward answer here is that VPNs for traveling do have the potential to slow down your Internet connection, but the VPNs for traveling that we’ve talked about on this list when it comes to traveling aren’t going to do so, because they have high-quality features, and they have criteria that help you avoid any buffering or lagging.
In fact, they are known for helping people stream specific content, which means that you’re going to be able to stream your favorite shows on Netflix when you’re overseas without having to deal with a slow connection speed.
What Kind of Security Measures Are Important?
When considering signing up for a VPN, there are some important security measures that you need to remember to make sure the VPN has, so that you can cover yourself in every way.
One really important security measure is a no-logs policy.
This means that the VPN service provider isn’t going to keep a log of your Internet activity, and they also not going to keep your personal information stored anywhere.
This way, the risk of a third party coming along and either voluntarily being given your information or hacking into the system to get it is low.
Another security measure that you will want to implement when using a VPN is a kill switch.
This means that if you are using an unstable network overseas, and for some reason your connection drops, the VPN is going to kill the connection, so that your personal information doesn’t stay exposed on the server.
Can I Use a VPN for Online Banking?
At some point in your travels, you’re probably going to want to use Internet banking.
However, because this contains highly sensitive information that is extremely confidential you’ve got to be really careful about the Internet connection that you are using when you try to access online banking.
The good news is that a VPN can give you an added layer of security when you are accessing your bank details online, so that whatever server you are connected to, you don’t have to worry about whether it is stable or not.
For example, you might not have a choice but to connect to a public Wi-Fi network in order to access your banking information, so in this scenario, you definitely need to cover yourself with a VPN.
In Summary, the best VPNs in 2023 are;
| Rating | VPN Service | Get Offer |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Top Rated#1 | NordVPN - #1 VPN in the industry | FREE Trial |
| #2 Top Rated#2 | Surfshark - top budget VPN | Start Now |
| #3 Top Rated#3 | Atlas VPN - best free VPN | Start Now |
Conclusion
As you can see, we’ve got a number of VPNs that you can choose when deciding on a VPN, should you choose to make the most of the fact that the world is more or less free of COVID at this point, and traveling has started to become a lot easier again.
Remember that when you are connecting to networks overseas, and you are trying to access personal information, it is really important that you increase your security, and choose a VPN that is going to cover all the bases.
When choosing the best VPN for travel in 2023, make sure that it is in line with what your needs are, and make sure that it has important security and safety measures in place.
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Written by Jason Wise
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