Does the provider offer mobile VPN?

You might understand that you need the privacy protection of a VPN when you’re
accessing the web through your laptop or desktop. But many of us spend a lot of time
visiting websites, watching videos, and playing online games through our mobile
devices. Because of this, it’s important to rely on VPN services when using your mobile
devices, too.
Fortunately, most major VPN providers — especially those that charge a fee — offer
mobile services, too. All of the companies in our list, for example, do this. Finding a VPN
service that can protect your phone and tablet, then, shouldn’t be a challenge.
Is mobile VPN an option?

 Norton Secure VPN – yes

 PureVPN – yes
 IPVanish – yes
 CyberGhost – yes
 Hotspot Shield – yes
 VyprVPN – yes
 Private Internet Access – yes
 StrongVPN – yes
 Surfshark – yes
 NordVPN – yes
 ExpressVPN – yes
 TorGuard – yes
 Encrypt.me – yes
 Safer VPN – yes
 HMA – yes
 Tunnel Bear – yes

How many devices can connect to the VPN at

once?
Think of how many devices in your home connect to the internet. You have your
laptops, tablets, smart phones, and voice assistants. You might even have smart
appliances that access the web.
That’s why it’s important to work with a VPN provider that allows several devices to
connect to it at one time. That way, you can have both your laptop and your children’s
tablets routed through a VPN at the same time.
Some VPN providers might offer different plans that allow for a higher or lower number
of simultaneous connections. In general, you can expect to pay more for a greater
number of connections. Top providers allow you to connect 10 or more devices
simultaneously.
Number of simultaneous VPN connections:

 Norton Secure VPN – 1, 5 or 10 based on plan level

 PureVPN – 5
 IPVanish – Unlimited
 CyberGhost – 7
 Hotspot Shield – 5
 VyprVPN – 5
 Private Internet Access – 10
 StrongVPN – 12
 Surfshark – Unlimited
 NordVPN – 6
 ExpressVPN – 5
 TorGuard – 8
 Encrypt.me – Unlimited
 Safer VPN – 5
 HMA – 5
 Tunnel Bear – 5

Does the VPN block ads?

Pop-up ads can be annoying and dangerous. They can slow your browsing speeds and
clutter your screen when you’re trying to watch videos or read a blog post. Even worse,
cybercriminals often use pop-up ads — if you click on them — to infect your computer
with malware.
That’s why ad blockers are so important: They help to keep these ads from showing up
on your screen when you’re surfing the web. This can improve speed — web pages
load faster when they’re not bogged down with ads — and help keep your devices safe
from ads littered with malware.
You want a VPN service that blocks ads, then. Again, most paid services will do this.
And you can see that each VPN provider in our list does block ads.
Does the VPN block ads?

 Norton Secure VPN – no

 PureVPN – yes
 IPVanish – no
 CyberGhost – yes
 Hotspot Shield – no
 VyprVPN – this information is not available
 Private Internet Access – yes
  StrongVPN – this information is not available
 Surfshark – yes
 NordVPN – yes
 ExpressVPN –no
 TorGuard – yes
 Encrypt.me – yes
 Safer VPN – this information is not available
 HMA – yes
 Tunnel Bear – yes

Does the VPN have a kill switch?

What if your connection with your VPN provider drops? Usually, your laptop,
smartphone or other device will revert back to public Internet Protocol address provided
by your home Internet Service Provider. This means that snoops could then be able to
track your online activity and see your IP address until you connect back with your VPN
provider.
Some VPN providers offer a kill switch feature to deal with this. If the VPN connection
drops, the kill switch is designed to instantly sever your connection to the internet. This
way, your IP address and online activity aren’t visible to anyone else.
Does the VPN have a kill switch?

 Norton Secure VPN – no

 PureVPN – yes
 IPVanish – yes – currently macOS, Android, and Windows clients support this
feature
 CyberGhost – yes
 Hotspot Shield – yes
 VyprVPN – yes
 Private Internet Access – yes
 StrongVPN – yes
 Surfshark – yes
 NordVPN – yes
 ExpressVPN – yes
 TorGuard – yes
 Encrypt.me – no
 Safer VPN – yes
 HMA – yes
 Tunnel Bear – yes

Does the VPN log user data?

Paid VPN services usually promise that they won’t log your data. That’s a good thing: If
your VPN provider is logging — or tracking — your activity online, what’s to stop it from
one day sharing or selling your browsing history with businesses or government
agencies?
The logging of data is why many tech experts recommend that consumers avoid free
VPN services. These services might log your data and then sell them to others as a way
to make money because they are not collecting monthly subscriptions.
Remember, the purpose of a VPN is to protect your online privacy. So it’s wise to
consider a VPN provider that doesn’t log your data.
Does the VPN log user data?

 Norton Secure VPN – no

 PureVPN – no
 IPVanish – no
 CyberGhost – no
 Hotspot Shield – no
 VyprVPN – no
 Private Internet Access – no
 StrongVPN – no
 Surfshark – no
 NordVPN – no
 ExpressVPN – no
 TorGuard – no
 Encrypt.me – yes
 Safer VPN – no
 HMA – no
 Tunnel Bear – no

VPN glossary
Learning about VPNs may seem like it requires a specialized vocabulary. Here’s a
glossary with definitions of some of the most common terms you’ll see.

AES encryption
Encryption is essential to helping keep your data unreadable by hackers, private
companies, and possibly by government agencies. Encryption jumbles up your data so
that others can't make sense of it without the specific decryption key. AES, which stands
for Advanced Encryption Standard, was an encryption method developed by Belgium
cryptographers Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen. In 2002, AES became the U.S.
federal standard for encryption. It has since become the standard form of encryption for
the rest of the world, too.
Browser history
A record of all your internet activity using a particular web browser, including keywords
you searched for and websites you accessed.

Geo-restrictions
One of the main reasons users rely on VPNs? They want to get around geo-restrictions.
These restrictions are often put in place by entertainment companies that only want to
distribute content to certain regions. For instance, Netflix might offer content in the
United States that it doesn't show in the UK. It might offer programming in the UK that
Netflix users in the United States can't access. By using a VPN with an IP address
based in the UK, U.S. viewers can try to access Netflix programming that isn't available
in their home country. The VPN service — and the VPN connection — hides the
location where the actual internet connection is made. Check your streaming service
agreement for its Terms of Service, and also be mindful that some countries may have
penalties for using VPN to circumvent its rules.

Google search history

A record of all your internet searches using the Google search engine.

IP address
IP stands for Internet Protocol, and an IP address is a series of numbers and periods
that identifies a computer that’s using the Internet Protocol to send and receive data
over a network.

Ipsec
IPsec is a series of protocols, or rules, that virtual private networks use to secure a
private connection between two points, usually a device such as a laptop or smartphone
and the Internet. Without these protocols, VPNs would not be able to encrypt data and
ensure the data privacy of users. The name IPsec stands for Internet Protocol Security.

ISP
Short for Internet Service Provider, this is a service you pay for to connect to the
internet. ISPs can record your browsing history and may be able to sell it to third parties,
for marketing or other purposes.
Kill switch
Users sign up with a VPN provider for online privacy and data security. But what
happens if a VPN provider’s network connection fails? Your computer or mobile device
will default back to the public IP address provided by your ISP. This means that your
online activity can now be tracked. A kill switch, though, prevents this from happening. If
your VPN provider’s connection fails, the kill-switch feature severs your connection to
the Internet completely. This way, your online activity won't be monitored by others. Not
all VPN providers offer this feature, so look for it when shopping around.

L2TP
The acronym L2TP stands for Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol, and is a series of rules that
allow internet service providers to allow for VPNs. L2TP on its own, though, does not
encrypt data, so does not provide complete privacy for users. That's why L2TP is
usually used with IPsec to help protect the online privacy of users.

Public Wi-Fi
A wireless network in a public place that allows you to connect a computer or other
device to the internet. Public Wi-Fi is often unprotected and potentially accessible to
hackers.

Search engines
A service that allows you to search for information using keywords on the internet. Many
popular search engines record your search history and can make money off that
information.