Virtual private networks (VPNs) are services that you can use to hide your online activity and obscure your digital footprint to prevent advertisers — and others — from tracking you. VPNs are also useful in bypassing firewalls, accessing content restricted to specific locations, and masking what websites you visit, and when. VPNs have become so popular that the digital marketplace is full of them. All VPN providers are competing for your attention and money (as the majority of VPNs are offered on a subscription basis), and it can be difficult to cut through the noise and find good, reputable VPN services suitable for your needs. This is where ZDNET comes in. Our experts provide hands-on reviews of the top VPNs on the market today, backed by extensive testing and research. This is how we test VPN software to make the right recommendations for you based on your needs. How ZDNET tests VPNs in 2024 Charlie Osborne/ZDNETNowadays, VPNs offer such an extensive list of features that choosing the right VPN can be a daunting and confusing experience. As the majority of reputable VPN services must be paid for, it is essential that you are able to either test out or pick the right VPN from the start. This becomes critical if you need extensive security, if you live somewhere known for censorship, or if you are in a country that frowns upon VPN usage — or bans it entirely outside of state-controlled solutions.This is why ZDNET has developed a comprehensive testing structure that accounts for all of the major features VPN users want today: speed, stability, security, server availability, and flexible plans. We also want to see clear and transparent privacy policies, external security audits, warrant canaries, and a dedication to resolving security issues and vulnerabilities as they are reported.We also consider a VPN’s other selling points, such as whether additional services are on the table — including cloud storage, password managers, and data breach scanners — and just how well these VPNs perform in typical home environments. A thorough ZDNET review of a VPN takes time, and includes multiple tests to ensure reliability, strong connectivity, and reasonable speeds. This independent process is necessary if we are going to give you authentic and genuine assessments of a VPN’s strengths, weaknesses, and how they perform over an extended period of time so that you can make an informed decision before taking the plunge. ZDNET VPN experts include David Gerwirtz, an expert in DIY IT and hardware, a US policy advisor, and a computer scientist. Together with Charlie Osborne, a cybersecurity journalist, and other ZDNET authors, we combine decades of experience using, testing, researching, and reviewing VPN software. We have run hundreds of speed tests on numerous VPNs throughout the years — including over a dozen VPNs more recently — and we have also conducted in-depth research on each VPN, including soliciting customer feedback and speaking to other experts. If a VPN is going to meet our standards as a top recommendation, it must perform well in numerous criteria. See below for the most significant criteria we test for, and how. How we test VPN speeds More
