العربية Best this month
Best VPN by useThe full ranking
Best VPN for privacyAudited no-logs, strong encryption and DNS leak protection.Best VPN for gamingLow latency, DDoS protection and access to servers worldwide.Best VPN for unblockingReach geo-blocked content with reliable obfuscated servers.Best VPN for iPhone and AndroidLight iOS and Android apps with stable auto-connect.Cheapest VPNs worth paying forBest value for money, with a money-back guarantee and current deals.Best free VPN in the UAEWhat free VPNs really give you, and where they stop.
Our top pick
9.8out of 10 in our review

Among the fastest in independent reviews, with the strongest security toolkit. Our first pick for most people.

From $3.49 a monthRefund 30 days10 devices
Get NordVPNRead the review

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In-depth review of each VPNAll reviews
#1NordVPN9.8From $3.49 a month#2ExpressVPN9.4From $4.99 a month#3Surfshark9.2From $2.19 a month#4Proton VPN9.0From $3.49 a month#5CyberGhost8.7From $2.19 a month#6PIA8.5From $2.03 a month#7Hotspot Shield8.2From $2.42 a monthThe full rankingAll seven side by side
How we work:How we reviewWho owns which VPN?
Best on a budget
9.2out of 10 in our review

Unlimited devices on one subscription at a competitive price.

From $2.19 a monthUnlimited devicesRefund 30 days
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We may earn a referral commission when you sign up. It never changes the ranking.

Unblock what is blocked
Unblock websitesThe safe way to reach websites blocked where you are, step by step.Unblock WhatsApp and FaceTime callsWhatsApp and other calling apps in the countries that block internet calls.
Internet calls are blocked in 2 of the 10 countries in our guides:The UAEQatar
Best for unblocking
9.8out of 10 in our review

A large network in 100+ countries with reliable access to the main platforms.

Servers in 100+ countriesFrom $3.49 a month
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We may earn a referral commission when you sign up. It never changes the ranking.

VPN for streaming servicesAll streaming guides
Netflix VPNDisney Plus VPNPrime Video VPNBBC iPlayer VPNShahid VPNAll streaming services
Best for streaming
9.4out of 10 in our review

Tops our Disney+, Prime Video and BBC iPlayer guides, with streaming rated excellent.

Streaming: Yes, excellentFrom $4.99 a month
Read the ExpressVPN reviewBest VPN for streaming
VPN by countryAll countries
Saudi ArabiaSAVPN: LegalCalls: WorkingThe UAEAEVPN: LegalCalls: BlockedEgyptEGVPN: Grey areaCalls: ThrottledMoroccoMAVPN: LegalCalls: WorkingAlgeriaDZVPN: LegalCalls: IntermittentIraqIQVPN: Officially restrictedCalls: Frequent blocksQatarQAVPN: LegalCalls: BlockedKuwaitKWVPN: LegalCalls: WorkingOmanOMVPN: RegulatedCalls: VariesBahrainBHVPN: LegalCalls: Working
The law in detail:Saudi ArabiaUAEEgyptAll countries
Updated 2026 referenceVPN in the Middle East

A 2026 reference: what is blocked, VPN status and internet calls in each country.

10 countriesLaw and calls, country by country
Open the reference
Best VPN

The best VPNs this month: the seven we review, ranked

There is no single best VPN for everyone, but there is a best one for each need. We review seven in depth and rank them on what you can check: published audits, ownership, servers, features and real prices.

Here is the ranking, our pick for each use, and the facts behind every score.

See the ranking
Updated November 20266 min readIndependent review
Best this month
ExpressVPNEasiest to use9.42
NordVPNBest overall9.81
SurfsharkBest value9.23
On this page
  1. 01The ranking
  2. 02One by one
  3. 03By use
  4. 04Compared
  5. 05Method
  6. 06Head to head
  7. 07FAQ
01

The best VPNs of 2026, ranked

We may earn a referral commission when you sign up through our links. It never changes the ranking.

  1. 1
    Best overall

    NordVPN

    4.9

    Among the fastest in independent reviews, with the strongest security toolkit: RAM-only servers, obfuscated servers and five no-logs reviews since 2018.

    • 7,200+ servers in 225 locations
    • No-logs reviewed by PwC, then Deloitte
    • Obfuscated servers and NordWhisper
    • 10 devices, 30-day refund
    9.8out of 10
    Excellent
    From$3.49a monthVisit site via nordvpn.comRead the full review
  2. 2
    Easiest to use

    ExpressVPN

    4.8

    The simplest apps we review, automatic obfuscation across the network and its own Lightway protocol, audited by KPMG three times.

    • 214 locations in 113 countries
    • No-logs audited by KPMG
    • Automatic obfuscation
    • 10 devices on Basic
    9.4out of 10
    Excellent
    From$4.99a monthVisit site via expressvpn.comRead the full review
  3. 3
    Best value

    Surfshark

    4.7

    Unlimited devices on one subscription at a low price, RAM-only servers and two Deloitte no-logs audits.

    • 4,500+ servers in 100 countries
    • Unlimited devices
    • No-logs audited by Deloitte
    • Obfuscated servers
    9.2out of 10
    Very good
    From$2.19a monthVisit site via surfshark.comRead the full review
  4. 4
    Best for privacy, best free plan

    Proton VPN

    4.6

    Swiss, owned by a non-profit foundation, audited every year since 2022, and the only free plan we trust.

    • 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
    • Yearly no-logs audits by Securitum
    • Stealth protocol, even free
    • Free plan with no data cap
    9.0out of 10
    Very good
    From$3.49a monthVisit site via protonvpn.comRead the full review
  5. 5
    Best for streaming

    CyberGhost

    4.5

    Servers tuned for streaming services and a 45-day money-back window on longer plans.

    • 125 locations in 100 countries
    • Streaming-optimised servers
    • 45-day refund on long plans
    • 7 devices
    8.7out of 10
    Good
    From$2.19a monthVisit site via cyberghostvpn.comRead the full review
  6. 6
    Cheapest, and most configurable

    Private Internet Access

    4.4

    Open-source apps with fine control over settings, unlimited devices and the lowest prices in our review, before and after renewal.

    • Locations in 100+ countries
    • No-logs audited by Deloitte
    • Unlimited devices
    • From $2.03 a month
    8.5out of 10
    Good
    From$2.03a monthVisit site via privateinternetaccess.comRead the full review
  7. 7
    Fast, with a free plan

    Hotspot Shield

    4.2

    Its own Hydra protocol and a free plan with limits and ads, but no independently audited no-logs policy.

    • 1,800+ servers in 80+ countries
    • Free plan with limits and ads
    • 45-day refund
    • No published no-logs audit
    8.2out of 10
    Fair
    From$2.42a monthVisit site via hotspotshield.comRead the full review
02

The seven VPNs, one by one

Pick a VPN to see its network, privacy record, devices and price, from its own pages.

Network

7,200+ servers in 225 locations, all RAM-only. NordVPN says it upgraded them to 10 Gbps.

Speed and blocked networks

NordLynx, among the fastest protocols in independent reviews, plus obfuscated servers and the NordWhisper protocol.

Privacy

No-logs reviewed by PwC in 2018 and 2020, then by Deloitte in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Kill switch for one app or the whole device.

Devices and refund

Ten devices and a 30-day refund.

Price and owner

From $3.49 a month on a long plan, renewing at about $11.59 a month. Part of Nord Security. Read the full review.

03

The best VPN for each use

Best VPN for privacy

Audited no-logs, jurisdiction and what each provider has disclosed.

See the picksBest VPN for gaming

Low delay, DDoS protection and what a VPN cannot fix.

See the picksBest VPN for unblocking

Obfuscation and servers for blocked sites and apps.

See the picksBest VPN for iPhone and Android

Apps, kill switch and free options on your phone.

See the picksCheapest VPNs worth paying for

First-term and renewal prices side by side.

See the picksBest free VPN in the UAE

The free plans and trials that exist, and the apps to avoid.

See the picksBest VPN for streaming

Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and Shahid.

See the guidesBest VPN by country

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt and five more.

Choose a country
04

The seven VPNs compared

Read on each provider's own pages on 2 November 2026. Prices are first-term prices on long plans.

VPNScoreNo-logs auditDevicesRefundFrom
NordVPN9.8PwC 2018, 2020. Deloitte 2022 to 20241030 days$3.49/mo
ExpressVPN9.4KPMG 2022, 2023, 202510 (Basic)30 days$4.99/mo
Surfshark9.2Deloitte 2023, 2025Unlimited30 daysabout $2.19/mo
Proton VPN9.0Securitum 2022 to 202610 (Plus), 1 free30 days$3.49/mo, or free
CyberGhost8.7Deloitte745 days (long plans)$2.19/mo
Private Internet Access8.5Deloitte 2022, 2024, 2025Unlimited30 days$2.03/mo
Hotspot Shield8.2None published1045 daysabout $2.42/mo

Scores are ours. The full method is in How we review.

05

How we rank VPNs

  1. 1
    Privacy you can check

    Named, dated no-logs audits, ownership, jurisdiction and transparency reports, from the providers' own pages.

  2. 2
    Speed and protocols

    The modern protocols each one supports and the results of published independent measurements. We do not run our own speed tests.

  3. 3
    Unblocking and streaming

    Obfuscation, server spread and what each provider officially supports, checked against independent reviews.

  4. 4
    Real prices

    First-term and renewal prices, devices and refund terms, read on the official pages.

06

NordVPN or ExpressVPN?

Our top two side by side. NordVPN is cheaper on its first term and faster in independent reviews. ExpressVPN is simpler and obfuscates automatically.

NordVPNOur top pick
ExpressVPNStrong alternative
Score9.89.4
Monthly price$3.49$4.99
Devices10 devices10 devices
Servers7,200+214 locations
Countries100+110+
LoggingNo-logs (audited)No-logs (audited)
StreamingYes, reliableYes, excellent
Refund30 days30 days
NordVPNExpressVPN

Read the full NordVPN review and ExpressVPN review, or compare all seven with filters.

Related guides

Best VPN in the UAE

Our ranking for UAE residents and visitors.

Read the guideCompare all seven

Filter by price, devices and audits.

Read the guideHow we review

What we check, and what we never claim.

Read the guide
FAQ

Best VPN: frequently asked questions

Short answers to what readers ask most. Question not here? Write to us.

NordVPN is our first pick overall: fast NordLynx connections, five independent no-logs reviews since 2018, obfuscated servers and 10 devices. ExpressVPN is second, with the simplest apps and automatic obfuscation.

ExpressVPN is our first pick for UAE users and NordVPN our pick for WhatsApp calls there. The full UAE ranking is in our guide to the best VPN in the UAE.

Proton VPN: based in Switzerland, owned by a non-profit foundation, with a no-logs policy audited by Securitum every year from 2022 to 2026.

Private Internet Access is the cheapest in our review both on its first term and after renewal. Surfshark gives the most devices for the money.

Proton VPN's free plan: no data cap, no ads and an audited no-logs policy, limited to one device and servers in 10 countries.

Next step

Compare all seven VPNs

Prices, devices, servers and audits side by side, with filters.

Open the comparison