VPN
Seven VPNs tested from a UK connection and priced in pounds, with the renewal terms and refund windows that the headline rates leave out.
Hands-on tested No pay-to-play scores Updated October 1, 2026
NordA security powerhouse with a huge server network and extra tools.
Surfshark
Unlimited devices on one plan, outstanding value.
TotalA straightforward VPN from the makers of TotalAV, with AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection and servers in 50+ countries.
Proton VPN
Swiss-based, open-source privacy from the team behind Proton Mail.
Private Internet Access
Cyber
Express| # | Product | Score | Best for | Devices | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nord |
9.8/10 | Best Overall | 10 | £2.59 | Visit Site |
| 2 | Surfshark | 9.6/10 | Best Budget VPN | Unlimited | £1.79 | Visit Site |
| 3 | Total |
9.3/10 | Best for Simplicity | — | £1.59 | Visit Site |
| 4 | Proton VPN | 9.2/10 | Best for Privacy | 10 | £2.39 | Visit Site |
| 5 | Private Internet Access | 9.0/10 | Proven No-Logs | Unlimited | £1.69 | Visit Site |
| 6 | Cyber |
8.9/10 | Best for ease-of-use | 7 | £1.92 | Visit Site |
| 7 | Express |
8.7/10 | Best Apps for UK Users | 8 | £2.19 | Visit Site |
Every provider here was tested on a British connection and every price on this page is the pound figure the provider charges, read from its own checkout rather than converted from dollars. That matters more than it sounds: a rate converted from a dollar price is usually wrong by the time a reader reaches the payment screen, and the gap is always in the provider's favour.
The order is our own test ranking, not a payment. We earn a commission when a reader subscribes, which costs the reader nothing and moves nobody up the list.
Position is decided by our own testing: connection speed, the privacy policy and whether it has been audited, the number of simultaneous devices, server coverage including the UK, and what the plan actually costs over its full term rather than in month one.
Prices are read from each provider's own checkout in pounds and refreshed when we revisit the page. We never invent a discount and we never sell a position. We earn a commission when a reader subscribes; it costs the reader nothing and does not affect the order.
UK server coverage. If you need a British IP, for your bank or a service that checks where you are, the provider needs servers in the UK and enough of them that one busy evening does not slow everything down.
The renewal price, not the headline. Every provider on this page advertises a low monthly rate on a multi year term. Year two is dearer at all of them. The renewal figure is in each review, and it is the number worth comparing.
Devices per plan. Two providers here place no limit at all. If you are covering a household rather than a laptop, divide the price by the device count before you compare anything.
The refund window. All seven offer money back. The window varies, and it is the cheapest insurance available against choosing wrong.
Buy in sterling where you can. A provider that bills in dollars leaves you exposed to your card issuer's conversion fee on every renewal, which is a quiet few percent a year on top of the advertised rate.
Yes. Using a VPN is legal in the United Kingdom. What you do while connected is still subject to the same law as any other connection.
A little, because traffic is encrypted and routed through another server. On a modern provider and a nearby UK server the difference is usually small enough that you would not notice it in normal use. Our speed testing is part of the ranking.
Only if something needs to see a British IP address, such as a bank or a service that checks your location. For privacy on public wifi, any nearby server will do, and a closer one is usually faster.
Providers set each currency separately rather than converting. The pound figure here is the one taken from the provider's own checkout, so it is what you will actually be charged.
It renews at a higher rate at every provider on this page. We list the renewal terms in each full review, because the second year is where the real cost sits.
A security powerhouse with a huge server network and extra tools.