Ah, Black Friday, all of the fun of a Friday combined with all the sales you could ask for. While most people rush to Best Buy for a new TV or the latest console, watch the chestnuts roast and shop for a new VPN instead. A VPN may not fit under the tree, but you can at least be sure the Grinch won’t steal your holiday happiness.
Ahead of the official start of Black Friday, many VPNs are already going on sale, making this the perfect time to buy!
How do I know I need a VPN?
Think about how much time you spend online shopping around Black Friday. You send your precious information across the blizzard of cyberspace. Adding a VPN to your wish list can help protect your connection like little Randy in A Christmas Story. It makes your connection anonymous, perfect for playing Secret Santa or streaming out-of-region holiday films.
You’re already on the internet constantly, just like me. I have a dozen tabs open right now, and I don’t want anything shady to try to hack through one of them. Think about all of the weird, random free Wi-Fi you’ve connected to over the years. Wouldn’t you like to know that all of your browsing is secure?
That’s exactly where a VPN steps in. It exists to bring you peace of mind while you browse the web. Not to mention the cool features like watching geo-restricted Netflix content.
How do you pick the best VPN for you and your family? Check out a few options below that are on our nice list.
Top-end power and speed: NordVPN
NordVPN, like Rudolph, is probably the most famous reindeer VPN of them all. Using the dedicated app is a snap, and there are more servers than Santa has elves. NordVPN uses these servers to your advantage by combining two to give you double encryption.
Your holiday shopping stays secret from your family and the government thanks to the strict no-logs policy that NordVPN keeps in place. You can also stream all of your holiday favorites or relax and watch the Yule log with secure connections to Netflix or your favorite torrenting site. Here are a few of the best NordVPN features:
- Over 5,500 servers in 60 countries.
- Works with Netflix and torrenting.
- Strict no-log policy and double encryption.
- Easy-to-use apps to connect with all of your devices.
For a gift that keeps giving all year round, a long-term NordVPN subscription includes discounts that you won’t find in shorter plans. The three-year plan we’ve linked here actually beats the subscription price directly from NordVPN!
Speed to stream Netflix: ExpressVPN
If you’re on the holiday movie binge, ExpressVPN is your go-to service. Not only is it red and white like a certain holiday favorite, but it’s perfect for unblocking Netflix exclusives. ExpressVPN is a top challenger to NordVPN thanks to blazing-fast speeds and servers in 94 countries.
ExpressVPN packs the latest and greatest when it comes to security measures too. You can rely on OpenVPN and IPSec protocols and AES-256 encryption standards to keep Krampus from crimping your streaming style. Another nice feature is that you can choose your security standards for each server you connect to. The highlights of choosing ExpressVPN include:
- Fast servers hosted in 94 countries.
- No DNS or IP leaks.
- Choose your security standards based on your server.
- The easy-to-use app contains a killswitch just in case.
However, ExpressVPN tends to be a bit more expensive than some of our other choices. You’ll have to be ready to splash a little extra Black Friday cash for the speed and security, but plans come with free months of coverage included.
Protection at the lowest price: Surfshark
Stocking stuffers aren’t the gifts that break the bank, and Surfshark provides the security you need at the lowest price. Subscriptions to Surfshark can cost as little as $1.99 per month, leaving you plenty extra to spend on Cyber Monday splurges.
If you’ve got a family full of devices, Surfshark provides unlimited connections to protect your gadgets. If Johnny wants a Pixelbook and Susie wants a ROG Phone, you can protect them both. There are added security measures like an IP-protecting killswitch and a Multihop to switch servers. You can trust the following features special to Surfshark:
- Connect an unlimited number of devices.
- Use the Multihop and Adblocker to browse in peace.
- Choose from plans costing as little as $1.99 per month.
- Add special sites to the Whitelister and use your regular IP.
You can even choose a few sites to add to the Whitelister that works from your true IP address. Your IP isn’t on the naughty list, sometimes it’s exactly what you need.
US-based security: IPVanish
Counting the IPVanish servers is as difficult as counting snowflakes in a blizzard. You can enjoy the flexibility of worldwide servers and five simultaneous connections for your VPN needs. IPVanish is perfect if you want to watch a holiday movie but the rest of your family is still catching up on other geo-restricted shows.
Authorities can choose to demand your data if they need to, but IPVanish still offers a strict no-log policy. You can download quickly and securely, and IPVanish even protects your Amazon FireTV Stick too. Never doubt that your connection is secure with bank-grade AES-256 encryption. Choosing IPVanish will help you with numerous features such as:
- Connect up to five devices simultaneously.
- Take advantage of 1,300 servers in 75 countries.
- Protect all of your devices from your phone to your Fire Stick.
- Download faster with unlimited bandwidth.
IPVanish offers deals on subscriptions from $3.25 per month and it’s a US-based company with over 1,000 servers.
Perfect for VPN beginners: TunnelBear
Maybe you just want to hibernate this holiday season, but a great VPN doesn’t have to. TunnelBear works hard to connect you through 23 different countries for paw your browsing needs. They even perform annual independent security audits to bulk up for winter.
TunnelBear features easy-to-use apps that let you choose your country and flip the switch to browse. Added security measures block unsecured traffic if you should happen to lose your WiFi connection. Think of it as a nice, warm security bear hug. The TunnelBear app works for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, so all of your devices are protected. A few of the most beginner-friendly TunnelBear features include:
- Security maintained with regular independent audits.
- Take advantage of professional-level security with TunnelBear for Teams plans.
- Dedicated support staff and knowledge base to resolve problems.
- Use the GhostBear feature to beat VPN-blocking software.
Is this deal not quite right for you? To see all our hottest deals, head over to the DEALS HUB. Also be sure to check out our Black Friday guide!