Karsten SturmayLooking for the best VPN providers? In this article, we listed the top ones we personally tried and say what we thought of them after using each one for a week. Let’s get to our conclusions!
How We Picked The Top VPN Providers in Edmonton
1. NordVPN
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| WEBSITE | https://nordvpn.com/ |
| CONTACT DETAILS | https://nordvpn.com/contact-us/ |
| 1. Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.1 User Interface | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.2 Security | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2. Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.1 Speed of Response | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.2 Reliability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 3. Affordability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 4. Availability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
NordVPN is one of the most trusted VPN providers in Edmonton- and for a good reason. Launched in 2012 by childhood friends, the intention is to be an internet security tool easily accessible to everyone.
Since then, it has grown to be one of the leading providers, with 5480 ultra-fast servers in 60 countries. It has many features you can use as well, such as Onion Over VPN, Meshnet, Dedicated IP, and many others.
For the full list, check out this link.
We think it might not be that beginner-friendly, however. The features might overwhelm first-time users, and we wish there were more support in that area.
Speaking of support, we like that they have email and 24/7 live chat channels through which customers can voice out concerns. We wish that they have phone support as well, though.
As for encryption and security, we like that they have minimal data logging, so they only log your email, payment information, and customer service information. They won’t keep information or activity logs.
They also use AES256, IKEv2/IPsec and OpenVPN protocols, making them very secure.
We noticed, however, that you can use it on only up to 6 devices, which is a bit on the lower end compared to other providers. As for the cost, it’s slightly cheaper compared to the other VPN providers on this list.
Overall, we think it’s a reliable provider and worthy of a spot on this list.
2. ExpressVPN
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| WEBSITE | https://www.expressvpn.com/ |
| CONTACT DETAILS | https://www.expressvpn.com/#seopenchat |
| 1. Ease of Use | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 1.1 User Interface | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 1.2 Security | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 2. Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.1 Speed of Response | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.2 Reliability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 3. Affordability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 4. Availability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
ExpressVPN was founded in 2009. Since then, it has built a strong name as a VPN provider because of its consistently reliable services.
Currently, they have over 3 million active subscribers in over 180 countries. After using ExpressVPN ourselves, we found out why so many people swear by them.
For one, it’s so easy to use ExpressVPN. It’s intuitive to connect and select a location.
So even if you’re a newbie, you can easily use this with no issues. Should you have any issues, they have email and live chat support.
We do wish they had a phone line, though.
Also, as the name suggests, ExpressVPN prioritizes speed. This is recommended for those who love to stream movies and other media.
As for access, they have 500+ servers in 94 countries, which is impressive. You can check out server locations here.
Like NordVPN, they have no activity and connection logs. So it’s very private and secure to use.
Unlike other providers, however, you can only use it on 5 devices. So that’s something to consider.
Something unique to ExpressVPN is Aircove which is the first-ever Wi-Fi router with built-in VPN protection. You get the full VPN benefits even for smart home appliances.
As for pricing, its monthly subscription price is within industry price. However, their yearly subscription is more expensive compared to other providers.
They do offer a free trial, though. So that’s something to look into.
3. CyberGhost
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| WEBSITE | https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/ |
| CONTACT DETAILS | https://www.cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/contact |
| 1. Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.1 User Interface | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 1.2 Security | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 2. Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.1 Speed of Response | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.2 Reliability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 3. Affordability | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 4. Availability | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Another great contender is CyberGhost. It was founded in 2011 in Romania and used by 38 million users worldwide.
You get access to 88 countries with 6800 servers. They have almost 400 servers in Canada alone, which is really impressive.
It has unlimited bandwidth so it’s very fast, based on our experience. There are no slow loading times and constant buffering to worry about.
They also have a LOT of features and a lot of buttons to click such as specialty servers, double VPN, Onion Over VPN, etc.
That being said, it might not be the easiest to use, especially if you’re a tech newbie, so that’s something to consider.
It uses AES 256-bit encryption and has DNS and IP leak protection. We also saw that it has an automatic kill switch so if you ever lose VPN connection it automatically disconnects your device from the internet connection.
As with other providers, they have a strict no logs policy, which we like. You can also use CyberGhost up to 7 devices, which is great.
They have 24/7 live chat support but do we wish they had a phone line for easier communications.
As for pricing, their monthly plan is slightly more expensive compared to other providers. You get the best deal if you buy the 2-year plan, though.
They have a lot of promos when you choose a longer plan, making it a better deal compared to other providers. They also have a 45-day money back guarantee.
4. Surfshark VPN
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| WEBSITE | https://surfshark.com/ |
| CONTACT DETAILS | https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us |
| 1. Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.1 User Interface | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.2 Security | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2. Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.1 Speed of Response | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 2.2 Reliability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 3. Affordability | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 4. Availability | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Surfshark VPN also has a strong reputation as a VPN provider in Edmonton. After trying it ourselves, we saw the reason behind the hype.
For us, its main selling points are the wide collection of privacy tools at your disposal and a good app. You can also use it on unlimited devices, which is a good bonus in our book.
As we mentioned, they have a wide range of privacy tools and you can even go for a plan that has VPN, antivirus, search protection, and an alert feature. We like that they make these tools easily available.
As for access, they’re pretty competitive but aren’t really remarkable with over 100 countries and 3200 servers. They, however, have 336 Canadian servers that you can find in the south of the country and unlimited simultaneous connections that is very impressive.
Their monthly subscriptions are on the pricier end of the spectrum. But if you avail of the 2-year plan, you can get a very reasonable deal.
You also get a free trial and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Surfshark VPN comes with different features such as MultiHop which allows you to connect to two servers at the same time, upping your security and privacy. It also has the automatic kill switch.
It also has two-factor authentication, which not a lot of providers have.
It’s also pretty easy to use. Signing up is a breeze and you can easily choose your location and connect in just one click.
We did notice, however, that they come with limited features compared to other providers, which can be a drawback. So do keep that in mind.
If you have any problems, they have a live chat support chatbox on their website.
5. IPVanish
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| WEBSITE | https://www.ipvanish.com/ |
| CONTACT DETAILS | https://support.ipvanish.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?_ga=2.162552380.1899825247.1674012294-1122999642.1674012294 |
| 1. Ease of Use | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 1.1 User Interface | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 1.2 Security | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| 2. Customer Service | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 2.1 Speed of Response | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 2.2 Reliability | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| 3. Affordability | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| 4. Availability | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Lastly, IPVanish is also a great option if you’re looking for a reliable VPN provider. For us, it’s best for those who will be using it primarily for business reasons.
This is because they have advanced security protocols, making them one of the most secure providers out there. So it’s best if you’re dealing with company devices and sensitive information.
If you’re using mostly for entertainment reasons such as streaming, however, we can say it performs adequately but may not be the best provider for the job.
Still, we think it’s worthy of a mention on this list because of its reliability and premium on security with its advanced encryption, unlock access, and online anonymity features.
Regarding access, it’s still noteworthy with 75 countries and over 2000 servers. You can also use it on unlimited devices, which is impressive.
It also has an independently verified no traffic logs policy. So you’re sure your information is kept private.
Pricing for IPVanish is very reasonable and is on the cheaper end when compared with other providers. So if you’re on a tight budget, they’re a great option.
We do think their customer support channels can be better. They have an online form and an updated FAQs form.
However, their live chat chatbox is manned by a bot. It loses its personal touch this way, we think.
Still, overall, we think it’s a reliable VPN provider and definitely worth checking out.
