Easiest VPN for beginners (2025)
If you just want to tap Connect and forget about it, look for polished apps on every device, help available around the clock, and sensible defaults.
Our pick for beginners
NordVPN9.0/10- 24/7 live chat
- Native apps for 8 platforms
- 30-day money-back guarantee
How this list is scored
Weights for beginners
Same data as the overall ranking, re-weighted for this job.
- Apps & support
- 40%
- Value
- 20%
- Privacy & trust
- 15%
- Speed
- 15%
- Security features
- 10%
- Streaming
- 0%
5 providers qualify
The ranking for beginners
- 01
NordVPN
Security giant with a vast server network.
- 24/7 live chat
- Native apps for 8 platforms
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Score9.0/10- Privacy & trust
- 8.5
- Speed
- 8.0
- Value
- 8.0
- Security features
- 8.9
- Streaming
- 10.0
- Apps & support
- 10.0
- Best price
- $3.39/mo
- Billed
- $81.36 / 24 mo
- Renews at
- unverified
- Devices
- 10
- 02
Surfshark
Unlimited devices and great value.
- 24/7 live chat
- Native apps for 8 platforms
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Score8.7/10- Privacy & trust
- 5.5
- Speed
- 7.0
- Value
- 9.8
- Security features
- 8.9
- Streaming
- 10.0
- Apps & support
- 10.0
- Best price
- $2.19/mo
- Billed
- $52.56 / 24 mo
- Renews at
- unverified
- Devices
- Unlimited
- 03
CyberGhost
User-friendly VPN with optimized servers.
- 24/7 live chat
- Native apps for 8 platforms
- 45-day money-back guarantee
Score8.3/10- Privacy & trust
- 7.0
- Speed
- 5.0
- Value
- 9.0
- Security features
- 6.7
- Streaming
- 10.0
- Apps & support
- 10.0
- Best price
- $2.19/mo
- Billed
- $52.56 / 24 mo
- Renews at
- unverified
- Devices
- 7
- 04
Private Internet Access (PIA)
Highly customizable and privacy-focused.
- 24/7 live chat
- Native apps for 7 platforms
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Score7.8/10- Privacy & trust
- 7.0
- Speed
- 1.6
- Value
- 9.5
- Security features
- 8.9
- Streaming
- 8.5
- Apps & support
- 9.3
- Best price
- $2.19/mo
- Billed
- $52.56 / 24 mo
- Renews at
- unverified
- Devices
- Unlimited
- 05
Proton VPN
High-security VPN with a focus on privacy.
- Native apps for 7 platforms
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Score7.8/10- Privacy & trust
- 8.5
- Speed
- 7.6
- Value
- 8.1
- Security features
- 10.0
- Streaming
- 10.0
- Apps & support
- 6.9
- Best price
- $3.59/mo
- Billed
- $43.08 / 12 mo
- Renews at
- unverified
- Devices
- 10
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Before you buy
What matters for this job
Longer read: Setting up your first VPN
- One-tap apps
- Good apps connect to the fastest server automatically and turn on the kill switch by default.
- 24/7 live chat
- Help when something goes wrong at 11pm.
- Refund window
- Try it on every device you own before committing.
Questions
Common questions
Do I need to change any settings?
No. The defaults of every provider here are safe. Turning on the kill switch is the one setting worth checking.
Data last checked November 5, 2025. Methodology