Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK — Kodino

Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

Petr Novák
Published on 1.9.2022

Using a VPN gets more and more popular every year. It became everyday routine for some, but so many people still don’t even know what VPN is and how it works. That’s why this article can help explain basic terms about VPN networks, how they function, why you should use one and we will also compare the most popular free and paid options on the market right now.

12 best VPNs for United Kingdom 2024

Name Price Supported devices Servers / countries Money back guarantee
NordVPN from €3,19 up to 6 5 746 / 60 30 days
Surfshark from €2,14$2.30 unlimited 3 200 / 97 30 days
CyberGhost VPN from €2,45 up to 7 5 800 / 90 45 days
Proton VPN free or from €4,99 up to 10 2 900 / 65 30 days
atlasVPN from €1,98£1.71 unlimited 1 000 / 42 30 days
oVPN from €4,22 up to 7 96 / 20 10 days
PureVPN from €2,29 up to 10 6 500 / 70 31 days
VyprVPN from €5,00 up to 10 700 / 63 30 days
Private Internet Access from €1,79 unlimited 35 400 / 84 30 days
TunnelBear free or from €3,33 unlimited 5 000 / 47 after contacting customer service
ExpressVPN from €6,67 up to 5 3 000 / 94 30 days
AdGuard VPN free or from €2,16 up to 10 1 000 / 59 30 days

Comparison of the best VPN providers 2024

  1. NordVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €3,19 per month
    • Security: up to 6 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 5 746 servers from 60 countries
    • Warranty: money back guarantee up to 30 days
    • Website: NordVPN.com
    • NordVPN Review

    More information about NordVPN

    A popular paid option for your computer or smartphone. The service was founded in 2012 and offers users a selection of servers from 60 countries. There is an app for Windows, Linux, macOS, Chrome or Firefox browser extensions, as well as mobile apps for iOS and Android.

    There are currently three paid options to choose from, and the best value is of course the longest term plan, which will set you back €3,19 when converted to a month. It can save you up to 70% compared to the other plans. You can buy additional services to the basic VPN, such as secure cloud storage or a password manager.

    NordVPN boasts lightning fast speeds, quality traffic encryption, and a large selection of servers. You can connect to one of 5,746 servers from 60 countries. Customer support is available 24/7 in case of any problems.

    For encryption, state-of-the-art 256-bit AES encryption. The proven OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP and IKEv2 protocols are used for connectivity, as well as our own optimized NordLynx protocol built on modern WireGuard. NordVPN offers advanced security features such as Kill switch, Multi-hop and also dedicated servers for Tor network connections. To ensure that NordVPN’s protection is always top-notch, the company offers rewards for exposing vulnerabilities.

  2. Surfshark

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €2,14$2.30 per month
    • Security: unlimited number of devices
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 3 200 servers in 97 countries
    • Warranty: money back guarantee up to 30 days
    • Website: Surfshark.com
    • Surfshark Review

    More information about Surfshark

    The main advantage of Surfshark is the ability to use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. The service supports Android, Apple, Windows, Linux, and Chrome or Firefox browser extensions. Optionally, you can activate the ad-blocking system and add any website to the whitelist, which is a list of sites for which the browser will not use the VPN.

    Surfshark has private DNS on each server and states that it doesn’t store any of your personal information. This makes your web surfing anonymous.

    Surfshark’s VPN subscription is most beneficial if you pay for 2 years up front. One month will then cost you €2,14$2.30. If you pay for a year in advance, you’ll pay €3,72$3.99 for one month, and if you want to charge by the month with no commitment, you’ll pay €12,07$12.95.

    You can choose from 3 200 servers in 97 countries spread all over the world. Support is available 24 hours, 7 days a week via live chat, phone and email.

    Surfshark offers industry-leading security for your data with the highest AES-256 encryption, which you can optionally downgrade to AES-128. Surfshark uses Wireguard, IKEv2, OpenVPN TCP and OpenVPN UDP communication protocols. All protocols are community tested and secure. There are also advanced protection features such as Kill-switch (disconnecting from the Internet if VPN protection is lost) or Multi-hop (connecting across multiple servers for more complex tracking of the original location).

  3. CyberGhost VPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €2,19 per month
    • Security: up to 7 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 9 211 servers in 91 countries
    • Warranty: money back option within 45 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: CyberGhostVPN.com
    • Cyberghost VPN Review

    More information about CyberGhost VPN

    This provider boasts over 15 years of experience in providing VPN services. It offers over 9 200 servers from more than 90 countries. With one subscription, you can secure up to 7 different devices at once.

    The service is available for Android, Windows, iOS and Mac and also offers extensions for the most used web browsers. There are servers that are designed specifically for streaming Netflix and other services, as well as servers that are designed for torrenting.

    There are four subscription plans to choose from, the most affordable one will save you up to 80% compared to the other three and the price starts from €2,19/month. If a customer is not satisfied with CyberGhost VPN services, they have the option to request a refund within 45 days of ordering a subscription. Customer support to help you with all your problems in addition to the refund is available around the clock.

    The service will protect you from DNS leaks and also from malicious malware that you may come across on the internet. For better security of your internet surfing, there is a Kill switch, 256-bit AES encryption and also you can choose from all authenticated protocols – IKEv2, Open TCP and UDP and also the modern WireGuard. The security of using CyberGhost VPN is also confirmed by an audit conducted by Deloitte.

  4. ProtonVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: free or from €4,99 per month
    • Security: up to 10 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 2 900 servers in 65 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: ProtonVPN.com
    • Proton VPN Review

    More information about ProtonVPN

    Swiss high-speed VPN with a primary focus on security. Being headquartered in Switzerland ensures the highest security standards, no logs of web activity are stored and it is integrated with the Tor network.

    ProtonVPN uses the OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Wireguard protocols and AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption. To maximize security, the service features a Kill switch to disconnect the internet in the event of an insecure connection, Multi-hop multi-connection and also offers a stealth mode that hides VPN usage from your ISP.

    The app is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and of course iOS and Android mobile devices. However, it lacks an extension for web browsers.

    The advantage of ProtonVPN is that it is completely free to use. In addition to the paid plans, ProtonVPN also offers a free option. This variant is suitable for basic protection because it lacks, for example, multiple connections, in addition to which it is possible to choose from a significantly lower number of servers in the Netherlands, Japan and the USA only and to connect only one device.

  5. atlasVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €1,71 per month
    • Security: unlimited
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: 1 000 servers in 42 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: atlasVPN.com
    • AtlasVPN Review

    More information about atlasVPN

    The advantage of atlasVPN is the very good connection speed and the unlimited number of simultaneously connected devices. The relatively low price of the monthly subscription is also a positive. AtlasVPN also gets plus points for being able to handle unblocking foreign content on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, YoutTube and Disney+.

    The VPN’s weaker side is its lesser setup and customization options. The range of locations could also be wider, although the smaller number of servers didn’t affect connection speeds. Some competitors also offer support for more operating systems and browser extensions.

    We can also commend atlasVPN for its security audit, which did reveal flaws, but the company fixed them promptly. atlasVPN offers advanced security features such as Kill switch, Multi-hop connection or the ability to connect to the Tor network. Encryption is AES-256, which is the highest standard offered in the VPN industry. Protocols available are IPSec/IKEv2 and advanced WireGuard.

    If you use our discount coupon code “KODINO” when ordering atlasVPN services, you’ll get four months of free subscription as a bonus compared to the standard three. In case of dissatisfaction with the service, you can withdraw from the contract within 30 days of purchase without giving any reason, at which point all your money will be refunded. atlasVPN also offers a free version, but this has a limited number of servers and additional features.

  6. OVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €4,22 per month
    • Security: up to 7 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: 96 servers in 20 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 10 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: oVPN.com
    • OVPN Review

    More information about OVPN

    OVPN offers three subscription lengths. The longest subscription is for three years, comes out to €4,22 per month, and offers the ability to protect multiple devices at the same time, as well as a free multi-hop feature compared to shorter subscriptions. If you’re not satisfied, you can request a refund within 10 days of purchase. You can use OVPN on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows devices and you can also download web browser extensions.

    The service has a quality no-logs policy, which means it doesn’t store any user data or their internet activity. You don’t even need an email to create an account, and you can pay with bitcoins, which only adds to your anonymity. Other security features include a Kill switch and multi-server (multihop) connections. OVPN uses OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, which are widely used and secure among VPN providers. Encryption is 256-bit and ensures maximum security of your data.

    Use OVPN if you want to watch foreign content from streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, Hulu or HBO, it also supports torrenting so your real address remains hidden from other users. As evidenced by the lawsuit OVPN won when it had to release the details of the operators of The Pirate Bay, a torrenting site.

    The downside of OVPN is that it only operates 96 servers in 20 countries, which is significantly less than its competitors. This disadvantage is partly offset by the fact that all the servers are owned by the company and are RAM-based, meaning that no user data is stored on them.

  7. PureVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €2,29 per month with special promotion
    • Security: up to 10 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 6 500 servers in over 70 countries
    • Warranty: money back option within 31 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: PureVPN.com
    • PureVPN Review

    More information about PureVPN

    PureVPN offers an above-average number of servers, with more than 6 500 available in 70 countries. The service can also be used for streaming, as PureVPN has been able to unblock Netflix, HBO, Disney+ and more. The download speed is sufficient for watching top quality videos.

    Up to 10 different devices can be secured at once through one PureVPN subscription. In addition to Windows, Linux and macOS computers and iOS and Android smartphones, PureVPN is also compatible with routers, Android TV and Amazon FireStick. You can also protect PlayStation or Xbox gaming consoles with a secure connection. Extensions for Chrome or Firefox web browsers are also available.

    Subscriptions are available for a month, a year or 24 months, which you often get additional months for free as a bonus. PureVPN offers 24/7 customer support and a refund option if dissatisfied within 31 days, and a free trial version is also available on mobile. PureVPN is already used by more than 3 million customers worldwide.

    With the Kill switch feature, PureVPN prevents your data from being leaked by disconnecting your device from the internet when VPN protection is interrupted. The highest available AES 256-bit encryption is used to protect your data when using a VPN. Among the communication protocols available are L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Wireguard, which is becoming increasingly popular with VPNs. The company is based in the British Virgin Islands and has undergone privacy audits in the past. However, it has faced criticism in the past for releasing available data and assisting the FBI in catching a criminal who used its services.

  8. VyprVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €5,00 per month
    • Security: up to 10 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: Over 700 servers in 63 countries
    • Warranty:Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: VyprVPN.com
    • VyprVPN Review

    More information about VyprVPN

    VyprVPN is a secure, independent VPN service with a 30-day money-back option. You can download a simple and user-friendly app for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. With VyprVPN, you can surf safely at home and on the go, just like two million other users. With a subscription that’s available for a year or a month, you also get access to VyprDNS and VyprVPN Cloud.

    With one account, you can protect up to 10 devices simultaneously. Another positive is the quality and round-the-clock support via chat. While there are fewer servers than competitors, they are available in less frequent locations. VyprVPN has also managed to unblock Netflix, HBO, Disney+ and other popular streaming platforms.

    With VyprVPN, you can also take advantage of its own Chameleon Protocol, which masks your VPN connection. This is a great tool in countries that are trying to control access to the internet and available content. The protocol is built on top of OpenVPN. VyprVPN also offers regular OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPSec. VyprVPN’s encryption uses 256-AES, which is the highest level of security among VPN providers. For your protection, VyprVPN also offers Kill switch or automatic protection when you connect to an unsecured wi-fi network.

    The drawbacks are the higher price compared to competitors, also lower transfer speeds and also a higher load on your computer when using the app.

  9. Private Internet Access

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €1,79
    • Security: unlimited
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: 35 400 servers in 82 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: PrivateInternetAccess.com
    • Private Internet Access Review

    More information about Private Internet Access

    Private Internet Access is the company that boasts the highest number of servers in operation, with 35 400 servers in 82 countries. The company is trusted by more than 15 million customers. The company does not store any logs, which is backed by auditing and also open-source code that any experienced user can check.

    The service offers users a free trial for 7 days on a mobile device. In addition, there is also a 30-day money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with Private Internet Access. A two-year subscription then works out to €1,79/month, which puts this VPN among the cheaper ones.

    The security of Private Internet Access is top notch. The company uses 256-bit AES encryption in conjunction with Wireguard and OpenVPN communication protocols, which are popular among VPN providers and ensure security, fast transfers, and reliability. Private Internet Access also offers advanced features to secure your connection, such as Kill Switch or Multi-hop, which routes your connection through two servers. In addition, protection against malware and trackers is also available.

  10. TunnelBear

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: free or from €3,33
    • Security: unlimited devices
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: over 5 000 servers in 47 countries
    • Warranty: no money back guarantee, need to contact support
    • Website: TunnelBear.com
    • TunnelBear Review

    More information about TunnelBear

    Canadian company TunnelBear has been providing its VPN services since 2011 and has gained a lot of popularity mainly due to its simplicity and sophisticated apps that are available for macOS, Windows, iOS or Android devices. Simply open the app, select your country, and start surfing securely with one click. Everything else works reliably in the background.

    You can try out TunnelBear’s features for free. The company offers one free plan, which is perfect for seeing if the app suits you. If it does, the company offers, monthly, annual and three-year subscription plans. With the longer one-year subscription plan, you can save up to 67% over the monthly subscription.

    To keep your data secure, TunnelBear uses the most advanced 256-bit encryption and IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard protocols that are verified and used by most VPN providers. The app also offers a Kill switch to prevent your data from being leaked during a VPN outage, and it can also mask your VPN connection that looks like a regular connection on the outside. TunnelBear’s reliability is also confirmed through an independent third-party audit.

    The downside to the free version of TunnelBear is the limitation of data transferred to just 2GB per month. Overall, TunnelBear lags behind in unlocking geo-blocking streaming services as reported by the customer support centre.

  11. ExpressVPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: from €6,67 per month
    • Security: up to 5 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 3 000 servers in 94 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: ExpressVPN.com
    • ExpressVPN Review

    More information about ExpressVPN

    ExpressVPN claims to be the trusted market leader in VPN service provision. It has a global network of over 3 000 servers located in 94 countries and offers unlimited bandwidth speeds.

    The 3 paid plans offer flexibility in subscription length, price and renewal frequency (monthly, semi-annual or annual). With each plan, you are protected by a 100% money back guarantee within 30 days of purchasing the service. In addition to traditional payment methods, you can even pay with bitcoins. 24/7 support is also available. On the positive side, there’s also an above-average connection speed and the ability to unblock foreign content from streaming services Netflix, HBO and others.

    On the negative side, ExpressVPN is primarily higher in price compared to its competitors. Some services also allow you to use the VPN on multiple devices under one account, but ExpressVPN partially offsets this with the ability to use it on a router that protects the entire household and counts as one device.

    To protect your privacy, ExpressVPN offers the most secure 256-bit encryption in conjunction with a multitude of protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and its own Lightway protocol, which offers lightning-fast speeds and connections. Among the security features available are Kill switch or whitelisting of secure applications. ExpressVPN is also certified by an independent company as a “no logs company”.

  12. AdGuard VPN

    Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

    • Price: free or from €2,16 per month
    • Security: up to 10 devices simultaneously
    • Available for computers: yes
    • Available for smartphones and tablets: yes
    • Server options: more than 1 000 servers in 59 countries
    • Warranty: Money back option within 30 days in case of dissatisfaction
    • Website: AdGuardVPN.com
    • AdGuard VPN Review

    More information about AdGuard

    AdGuard VPN is a sister product to AdGuard AdBlocker, which is a popular ad blocking tool. The service is so good at blocking ads, malware and trackers. The company offers a total of 1 000 servers in 59 countries. On all servers, AdGuard VPN supports streaming so you can watch foreign content from Netflix, HBO, Disney+, or YouTube.

    You can choose from three subscription plans – monthly for €10,79, yearly for €3,59/month or two-year for €2,16/month, which is the most affordable and ranks among the cheapest even compared to the competition. If you want to give AdGuard VPN a try, you can take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee.

    AdGuard VPN also offers a free version, but it has limited speeds, fewer servers, can’t handle unlocking streaming platforms, and has a limit of 3GB of data transferred per month.

    For your protection, AdGuard VPN uses its own AdGuard protocol, which masks the connection as a regular connection, making it harder to detect VPN use. You can set the encryption and choose between 128- and 256-bit, which is the most secure. In terms of security features, AdGuard offers a VPN Kill switch. The app doesn’t store data on VPN usage, but it lacks a security audit from an independent company for now.

What is a VPN network and how does it work?

First and foremost, it is a service that encrypts your internet connection and protects your online identity. VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology was initially developed to allow remote users and branch offices to access corporate applications, email accounts and resources. But recently, using a VPN is more common for many specific reasons.

VPN connection is secure, because the whole communication between you and visited website is encrypted. Your IP address is also changed to different one, and in most cases, you can choose which country suits you best. This way you are browsing the internet safely and anonymously, as websites you visit see information about VPN servers and not your location and connection details.

Best VPN 2023: Comparison of 12 free and paid VPNs for UK

As we mentioned, one of the most important advantages is secure internet connection, which is also really important when using public Wi-Fi networks, because these networks are unsecure and can reveal all your web activity and personal information.

But using a VPN can have some great additional use cases, like bypassing geo-restrictions when using some online streaming services. Because most of these streaming services, like Netflix, restricts their content to a specific country where you are located. Using a VPN can solve this problem. You can also bypass some restrictions when using the internet at school, at work or libraries, because more often than not, you cannot access some content at these facilities or use social networks, stream video or play online games.

There are tens of great VPN providers on the market right now. Many of them are free to use, but most of them have paid tiers and options. When you choose paid VPN, you are guaranteed higher transfer speed, server or IP address selection from multiple countries and simultaneous use on more devices.

Conclusion

There are countless possibilities when searching for the right VPN and it’s only up to you what set of features you’re looking for. It might be transfer speeds, supported devices or number of available VPN servers. But for many people, deciding factor is the price. That’s why we included few popular free VPNs to try out, so you can decide which one works the best for your needs.

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