Best VPN Reddit Roundup: A Comparison of Top 5 VPNs

Given the flood of these sponsored and (let’s face it) not always honest best VPN reviews from shills out there, I felt the urge to share my genuine insights. Actually, the user-made VPN comparison table on r/vpn is partially what influenced me to put my own thoughts and experiences into a comparison of the so-called best VPNs.

As someone who’s been using VPNs for a while and has tried quite a few, I wanted to take a closer look at five big names: NordVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN, Atlas VPN, and Mullvad.

Table of Contents

  • Key Findings Summarized
  • Pricing and Plans
  • Servers, Protocols, and Speed
  • Trustworthiness
  • No-logs Policies
  • Streaming
  • Conclusion

Key Findings Summarized: Best VPN 2023

VPN providers Price Servers Speed Protocols
NordVPN $12.99 / $4.99 / $3.19 (2 years) 5,800 in 60 countries 646.12 avg IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, NordLynx
Surfshark $12.95 / $3.99 / $2.49 (2 years) 3,200 in 100 countries 602.38 avg WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN
ProtonVPN $8.99 / $5.99 / $4.99 (2 years) 2,970 in 69 countries 497.82 avg OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, Stealth
Atlas VPN $11.99 / $4.08 / $1.82 (2 years) 1,000 in 42 countries 396.07 avg IPSec/IKEv2, WireGuard
Mullvad $6 (only monthly available) 784 in 38 countries 355.35 avg OpenVPN, WireGuard

Pricing and Plans

Provider Monthly 1 year 2 year
NordVPN $12.99 $4.99/mo $3.19/mo
Surfshark $12.95 $3.99/mo $2.49/mo
ProtonVPN $8.99 $5.99/mo $4.99/mo
Atlas VPN $11.99 $4.08/mo $1.82/mo
Mullvad $6 - -

From the first glance, you can already see that pricing varies depending on whether the provider is accurately focusing on short-term gains or on long-term loyalty. Like, while Atlas VPN offers compelling long-term prices ($1.82/mo for their 2-year plan), NordVPN provides a balance of affordability and reliability, especially with its 2-year plan for $3.19/month. I like that Mullvad keeps it simple with a one-size-fits-all pricing approach with the $6 monthly plan but if you’re looking for a long-term subscription, neither ProtonVPN nor Mullvad won’t be a steal.

Servers, Protocols, and Speed

Provider WireGuard IPSec/IKEv2 OpenVPN
NordVPN :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
Surfshark :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
ProtonVPN :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
Atlas VPN :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :cross_mark:
Mullvad :white_check_mark: :cross_mark: :white_check_mark:

When I was searching for the best VPN, the server distribution and speed were pivotal. Honestly, NordVPN, giving us 5,800 servers in 60 countries is unmatched. Surfshark also impresses me with its coverage across 100 countries and that’s really good if you need to access some smaller countries. Speed-wise, NordVPN’s average of 646 Mbit/s again establishes its dominance. ProtonVPN’s network stretches to 2,970 servers in 69 countries with speeds around 497 Mbit/s. All 3 players - NordVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN - offer OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 as protocols, yet NordVPN has introduced their NordLynx (branded tech built around WireGuard) which boosts speeds fairly. While Atlas VPN offers both IPSec/IKEv2 and WireGuard protocols, its speeds fall short compared to the abovementioned providers for sure. Lastly, Mullvad has 784 servers in 38 countries (a big con for me as the servers can sometimes be overloaded so it buffers when streaming) with an average speed of 355 Mbit/s, and their protocol offerings are OpenVPN and WireGuard.

Trustworthiness

When entrusting your data to a VPN, reliability is non-negotiable. All the featured providers offer AES-256 encryption, with NordVPN leading in reputation (thanks to its three security audits). Atlas VPN uses robust AES-256 and ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption and also incorporates a kill switch, preventing accidental data exposure. NordVPN, renowned for its market-leading AES 256-bit encryption, also includes a trusted kill switch feature. Surfshark comes equipped with AES-256 GCM & ChaCha20 encryption and stands out with its kill switch. ProtonVPN offers AES-256 encryption and includes a kill switch too. Finally, Mullvad integrates AES-256 encryption, though, it’s essential to note that while they provide a kill switch for most platforms.

No-logs Policies

Privacy enthusiasts like myself will be particularly interested in what the provider has to say about no-logs when choosing the best VPN. Although Atlas VPN’s location in the US (a 5-Eyes member) might raise some concerns (a bummer to be honest), its strict no-logs policy offers at least some comfort. NordVPN’s no-log policy has been validated in three separate audits. Surfshark too has had its no-log policy audited twice. ProtonVPN and Mullvad also uphold a no-logs policy but the latter has had some new reputational transparency dents which make them a bit harder to trust now.

Streaming

Provider Streaming platforms
NordVPN BBCiPlayer, Netflix, YT, HBO Max, Disney+
Surfshark HBO Max, Netflix, BBCiPlayer, Disney+
ProtonVPN Netflix, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, YT
Atlas VPN Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, YT, Max
Mullvad YT

Shoutout to the binge-watchers here - I’ll quickly dig into streaming compatibility. I call NordVPN a versatile tool for streamers, supporting platforms from BBCiPlayer to Netflix and many more. Surfshark follows suit, while Atlas VPN, despite its limitations in speed, supports platforms such as Netflix and Hulu. ProtonVPN is largely efficient too, but occasional server overloads might cause buffering during intensive streaming sessions as mentioned before. However, what I’m sure is that sadly, Mullvad is an absolute no-go in this best VPNs list if you’re getting the VPN solely for streaming.

VPN discounts

In case you’re planning to buy a VPN, I looked for available discount codes for your convenience. Unfortunately, only the top 2 providers had them in there:

  • NordVPN discount: savenow (75% off)
  • Surfshark discount: redditspecial (86% off)
  • ProtonVPN discount: - BF2023 (40% off)
  • AtlasVPN discount: -
  • MullvadVPN discount: -

Final thoughts

After going back and forth, I think NordVPN emerges as the best VPN in the market today. Keep in mind that I’m not devaluating the worth and strengths of the other VPNs, it’s just that NordVPN’s characteristics position them as a top pick for those seeking an all-round VPN experience. Go for NordVPN but I guess the bottom line is - don’t be afraid to try a couple and find the best VPN yourself too.

Update (April 2024)

Atlas VPN has been shut down as of April 24, 2024, therefore the features and comparison isn’t relevant for the people who are currently looking for a new best VPN.

Been using NordVPN for a while and it’s the best app. Easy to use and runs smoothly without lagging my phone. Helps me to accsess online books and streaming content, definetly reccomend!

Went with Surfshark because can handle more devices than Nordvpn

Nord user out here, it’s been my go-to for a while now. Can second that the servers server selection is sufficient and they’re not overloaded.

IME FWIW - Nordvpn does give logs away, I have personal experience with my IPTV

ProtonVpn doesn’t

Why does no one ever talk about CactusVPN? It’s like no one knows about it?

I don’t really understand why you would go with a million-pound company who literally doesn’t care, when there are better independents out there.

can someone explain the protocals for a dummie??? pls

Most obvious NordVPN shill I’ve seen.

Which one works with Netflix?

Thanks! Looks like an extensive research was done regarding this, especially when it comes to the streaming part. It is so difficult to keep track on which VPN unblocks what or with what streaming services does it work, so this will be really helpful in the future.

I had Protonvpn monthly plan, but it was so shit when I was trying to use it for streaming. After a few recommendations for Nordvpn I decided to try it out and have no complaints so far.

I wish this had some info on their performance when torrenting but overall nice job dude

I cancelled them after 2 weeks because of server drops. They called me about it, but didn’t get shitty and cancelled without problems.

I use to have Express VPN and it was amazing. Three weeks ago I switched to Nord VPN and now regret in switching to them. .Nord VPN speed while using it suck big time compared to Express VPN. Also website fails to load using Nords VPN and never had that issue with Express VPN.

To be quite honest Nord VPN that is supposed to be number one is actually garbage… I regret big time switching to them…

Buyer beware…

From my experience, NordVPN is the best VPN.

Sure, it depends on what you’re looking for and why do you purchase it in the first place. Nonetheless, the features that NordVPN offers is unmatched in the market as of today and no other player is even near. Hopefully they keep it up.

Been using NordVPN since a while and i would say it’s a reliable choice for VPN users. With it’s top-notch quality it also provides excellent value for the price by offering different subscription plans to fit different budgets, which can be a win-win situation.

Beware Surfshark’s shady subscription related practices. (In the US at least: ) There’s no option to turn off auto-renewal, cancel the subscription, or close your account. It might be because my paypal was the only payment method, but I cannot remove my paypal from Surfshark either.

You literally need to get with Customer Service if you don’t want to keep giving them money. This is the third VPN i’ve ever used, but the first that made me jump through hoops to cancel.

Not only their business practices, but their killswitch feature seems to disable itself after every update so you have to make sure to check/turn it back on; in the past it didn’t even work properly when it was turned on.

I don’t care how “good” or “private” they are, this is all very shady and I cannot abide it. I will be finding a different private VPN, surfshark will not scam me any longer.

thanks hide work for me

thx, hidevpn work for me

Yep Nordvpn is by far the best vpn app the others are terrible and have so many bugs.