The best VPNs for gaming

Read our full review of NordVPN.

NordVPN is one of the most reliable VPN services out there, NordVPN lays claim to over 5,200 servers in nearly 60 countries around the globe. It's also one of the best services for streaming and powerful security. NordVPN is one of the most comprehensive services on the market.

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

CyberGhost VPN has over 6,200 servers worldwide, offers unlimited bandwidth, and features AES 256-bit encryption, DNS and IP leak protection, and an automatic kill switch (among other stellar security tools). It's also capable of unblocking streaming services like Disney+, Prime Video, Netflix, and more top sites.

Private Internet Access is an impressive service that offers powerful levels of encryption and a massive server network. Both of these things are pretty crucial when navigating popular porn sites.

Users can connect 10 devices simultaneous with the same account, meaning it's a great option for large households or anyone who streams porn on multiple devices. Users also get a dedicated IP address feature and plenty of customisation options, making Private Internet Access one of the most versatile options for secure streaming of porn.

All of the above is packaged in an easy-to-use and intuitive interface, which will be appealing to complete VPN beginners.

Read our full review of PureVPN. 

PureVPN users get apps for every operating system, enterprise-grade security, 10-multi logins, and access to over 6,000 secure servers in 140 countries. PureVPN also has a strong record for good customer support.

Read Mashable's full review of TunnelBear.

Who it's for:

TunnelBear is an easygoing VPN with a restricted but workable free tier that's good for short-term, occasional use. It's also a good pick for those who didn't know what "VPN" stood for prior to reading this guide: The TunnelBear app is extremely easy to navigate and jargon-free.

Why we picked this:

McAfee's TunnelBear democratizes the VPN experience, forgoing supplementary security features and convoluted industry lingo in favor of a charming, basic app. (It'll underwhelm power users, but VPN beginners should find it refreshingly approachable.) Users can connect to servers by sending a little bear to yellow pipes on its posterized map interface — pretty cute — or by selecting locations from a list. It was reliably fast in testing, but I'd only recommend it for casual browsing (not traveling or streaming): TunnelBear's network is on the smaller side and can't unblock regional content. Split tunneling is available on all platforms, though it's usually limited to web- or app-based traffic, not both. There's no multi-hop.

TunnelBear gives users the option of signing up for a free tier, which includes one simultaneous connection, country-level server selection, and 2GB of browsing data per month. Per a TunnelBear rep, free users are subsidized by the provider's paid subscribers and covered by the same no-logs policy. (There's also no credit card required to sign up; some premium VPNs' free trials mandate it.) If you decide to upgrade, a paid Unlimited plan unlocks unlimited bandwidth, unlimited simultaneous connections, and city-level server selection. However, users should be mindful that TunnelBear doesn't offer any sort of money-back guarantee, and refunds are only available on a case-by-case basis.

TunnelBear gets special props for its commitment to transparency, having been the first consumer VPN to publish a third-party audit of its infrastructure and technologies back in 2017. It's done one every year since, and the seventh and most recent one was published in February 2024. (You can read it in full without an account.) The company also posts Topics: Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, Tech, VPN (Virtual Private Networks), ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Private Internet Access, TunnelBear, PureVPN, CyberGhost VPN