If you’re looking for a virtual private network (VPN) you can use in school, you need one that works on your institution’s Wi-Fi network. Your phone has cellular data but might be slow or have a weak connection on campus. Even if it works well, most laptops and tablets lack that option.
The best VPNs are fast enough for video streaming, keep your privacy secure, and let you browse globally as if you’re a local. When you connect from school, you also need a VPN that can break through network restrictions so you can access your favorite content as you would from home.
These are our recommendations for robust and affordable VPNs that are best for school.
Overall best VPN for school
Proton VPN
- Performance is among the best
- Even more fast servers worldwide
- Easy-to-use app and extension
- No big price increases on renewal
- Quick, helpful live chat 15 hours daily
- Uncapped free version
- Live chat isn't available 24/7
- Windows app was slower than the extension
CERN scientists founded Proton to help ensure privacy for everyone. Proton VPN is an open source solution that offers Stealth technology to obfuscate VPN traffic to bypass administrative blocks. Since Proton VPN manages this without sacrificing speed or charging too much, it's our top pick for the best VPN for school.
Proton's Stealth protocol is based on WireGuard, but it uses some advanced techniques to make VPN traffic look normal, so it gets past network detection and bypasses firewalls.
Proton VPN is one of very few services to offer a completely free version. While some free VPNs are capped, Proton Free doesn't limit data usage. There are no ads and your activity isn't logged.
A $60 annual Proton Plus subscription is worth paying for since it supports up to 10 devices and unlocks more and faster servers that support high-quality video streaming and torrenting. Proton VPN has a monthly plan, but you'll get the best deal by paying for one or two years of service in advance.
Best fast VPN for unlimited devices
Surfshark
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Plenty of fast servers worldwide
- Easy-to-use design
- Fast, helpful live chat support
- Supports unlimited devices
- No free version
- Two-year plan reverts to annual upon renewal
Surfshark is a good choice if you own many devices or if you want to share a VPN with your family. There's no limit on the number of simultaneous connections. That's one of the reasons it's a good alternative to NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Your school might try to block VPNs, but Surfshark's Camouflage mode disguises VPN traffic when you use the OpenVPN protocol. It's not as fast as WireGuard, so you should only pick OpenVPN if you have trouble connecting to your favorite websites.
You might expect unlimited device support to be expensive, but Surfshark has among the lowest prices on this list. For $48 per year, you get a high-quality VPN with over 3,200 servers in 100 countries.
Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, which is part of the Nine Eyes intelligence alliance. That means Surfshark data might be subject to government surveillance sharing. However, independent audits confirm Surfshark's no-logs policy, which means there's no internet activity data to share.
Best VPN with an alternate protocol
NordVPN
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Plenty of fast servers worldwide
- Easy-to-use design
- Fast, helpful live chat support
- Renewal price are high
- Threat Protection doesn't replace antivirus
NordVPN is one of the few virtual private networks with a custom protocol. NordLynx is based on the WireGuard protocol but boasts privacy, security, and speed upgrades. That makes it particularly useful on school networks that might recognize and block the more common OpenVPN and standard WireGuard protocols.
Like most top-rated VPNs, NordVPN supports split-tunneling. That means you can connect to a remote server in your browser to bypass limitations while accessing local content normally in another app.
If your school has overly tight restrictions, this could be the solution you need. NordVPN is also affordable with a $60 annual subscription. To save even more, choose the two-year plan.
NordVPN is based in Panama, so it's outside the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, ensuring greater privacy. With 6,400 servers in 111 countries, you can browse globally to find information from every perspective.
Best VPN for speed
ExpressVPN
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Plenty of fast servers worldwide
- Easy-to-use design
- Fast, helpful live chat support
- It's expensive
- No free version
ExpressVPN is recognized as one of the fastest VPNs available. It uses a custom-made Lightway protocol that's built for speed without sacrificing security. An advanced obfuscation feature disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS data, helping to bypass network restrictions.
It's more expensive than most VPNs, but a quick connection could be worth the extra money. If the $100 cost for the first 15 months seems too steep, you can always get the $13 monthly subscription on the occasions you need more speed.
ExpressVPN supports up to eight devices, so you can protect your privacy on multiple phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. With 3,000 servers in 105 countries, this VPN can bypass geo-blocking worldwide.
Like most VPNs on this list, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee if you find it doesn't work at your school.
Best VPN for total anonymity
Mullvad VPN
- New AI and quantum computing protection
- Consistent 5 euro monthly cost
- Total anonymity, no email required
- Accepts cryptocurrency, cash, more
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Email support, no live chat
- Requires some tinkering for best performance
Mullvad VPN is quite unique as it's a completely anonymous service.. When you sign up, you're assigned a random account number that's used to connect to your account. Mullvad doesn't require a name, email address, username, or password. You can even pay with cash or crypto to keep your financial data private. This makes it useful for staying anonymous online.
As you might expect, Mullvad VPN obfuscates VPN traffic to hide it from network monitoring and blocking. Nothing is logged, so your privacy is secure even though Mullvad is based in Sweden, a Fourteen Eyes Alliance member.
With Mullvad, you can connect to 706 servers in 47 countries. As a privacy-focused VPN, Mullvad includes an optional kill switch that blocks internet data if VPN protection is lost due to connectivity issues.
Mullvad VPN costs about 5 euros per month, which is about $5.16. That's the lowest monthly cost available. It's not the fastest, and it only supports five devices, but it might be the best pick for completely hiding your identity.
Best for user-friendly design
CyberGhost
- Easy-to-use design
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Fast, helpful 24/7 live chat support
- Fast servers worldwide
- Speeds are somewhat inconsistent
- Free extension is only a proxy
- Limited options
CyberGhost is one of the easiest VPNs to get started with and a great place to start if using a virtual private network sounds like a lot of work. There are presets optimized for gaming, torrenting, and streaming so you don't have to tweak the settings to get good performance.
To help mask VPN traffic, CyberGhost's random port feature automatically switches on each new connection. You can choose between WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols if you still have trouble.
CyberGhost is the only VPN on our list that offers a free trial. It's just for 24 hours, but that's long enough to verify if it works well on your school's network. A six-month subscription costs $42, which is quite expensive, but if you pay for 26 months in advance, it's just $57. Beware of an increase in year three.
Best VPN for customization
Private Internet Access
- Low prices on long-term plans
- Lots of customization options
- Supports unlimited devices
- No independent audit of no-logs policy
- Based in a Five-Eyes country
Private Internet Access (PIA) supports an unlimited number of devices, obfuscates VPN traffic, doesn't log your activity, and offers many ways to customize your connection. PIA includes plenty of options like split-tunneling, multi-server hops, and port forwarding.
There's a lot to like about PIA, including the price. An annual subscription costs $40, which is quite low. For an even better VPN deal, you can subscribe for three years for $79. New subscribers get three bonus months with the long-term subscription, dropping the equivalent monthly cost to $2.09.
The reason PIA is last on the list is the lack of independent verification of its no-logs policy and security standards. PIA is located in the U.S., so Fives Eyes surveillance is possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing network between the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The purpose is to prevent terrorism and aid national security.
Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes alliances represent agreements among larger groups. Nine Eyes includes France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. Fourteen Eyes adds Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Sweden.
If your VPN has good encryption and a no-logging policy, there won't be much data to share in the event of a legal demand. However, using a VPN in a country with stronger privacy protections is a good idea if you have any concerns about surveillance.
What to consider
You school might have legitimate reasons for limiting access to the internet, so remember to use caution when visiting fringe websites. Fake news is rampant, and downloading apps can be dangerous. A VPN protects your privacy but might not block malware.
Hackers are quite sophisticated, so stepping beyond the safeguards your school set up could put your personal data at risk. To complete your cybersecurity measures, check out our guide to the best antivirus software solutions.
How we tested
When we review VPNs, we test speed on a fast Windows desktop PC with a 900Mbps internet connection over Ethernet. That eliminates Wi-Fi variances and ensures a consistent testing environment so we can make relative speed comparisons for downloads, uploads, and latency. That said, location, date, and time of day can affect results.
The best streaming VPNs maintain high-speed servers worldwide to improve reliability.
Most VPNs support Windows, macOS, iOS , and Android, and some also allow use with smart TVs, gaming consoles, routers, and more. It's important to verify that your devices are compatible since support varies. Check the developer website to make sure before subscribing.
Why you should trust us
Digital Trends has reviewed all major VPNs and keeps up to date with the latest information and best VPN deals to help you decide which one offers the features and performance you need. We analyze subscription prices, comparing the long-term value of monthly, annual, and other plans.
We also alert you to VPN renewal costs, so you won't be caught off guard and shocked by a high bill a year or two later. Finding the right VPN isn't easy, so you need expert advice from reviewers that have tried them all. Our hands-on experience helps you make informed decisions, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each service so you can get the best VPN with the speed, privacy, and compatibility you need at a price you can afford.
