During this COVID-19 global pandemic, we recommend having a powerful VPN with speeds high enough to keep up with the increased demand for streaming content. With the large majority of people staying at home, streaming might be slowed down due to volume of users.
Why You Need a US VPN
What many people tend to forget is that intelligence agencies such as the FBI and the NSA are constantly keeping tabs on your online movements. Other American corporations such as Google also monitor and gather information, crushing your rights to privacy.
The only way to truly overcome this is with a VPN.
What is the Best VPN for the US?
#1 ExpressVPN
For the best VPN for the US, we recommend ExpressVPN. Having more than 3,000 servers in 160 locations worldwide as well as jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, this VPN is compatible with all major platforms. Enjoy five simultaneous connections when connecting to Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux devices or even your router.
In addition to having military-grade protection, ExpressVPN offers security protocols such as DNS/IPv6 leak protection, split tunneling, and a Network Lock.
Staying anonymous online is simple with ExpressVPN as it will never log your IP address or the VPN IP address, browsing history, traffic destination or metadata and DNS queries.
There is 24-hour customer service available with the online chat feature which is not offered by all VPNs, putting ExpressVPN ahead of the pack, and you can also pay for your subscription with Bitcoin as well as PayPal or credit cards.
This lightning-fast VPN is great for your US VPN due to:
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Ultra-fast streaming speeds
- Compatible with Android TV (Box) and Fire TV
- Apps available for every device
- Hides your streaming activity
- No connection logs
- No activity logs
- P2P possibility
- Ping times that are minimally affected
- ExpressVPN works extremely well in high censorship countries
- Military-grade encryption
- Large international server network
- 30-Day money-back guarantee
- Outstanding customer service
- 99% uptime guarantee
- Up to five simultaneous connections
Want to know more about ExpressVPN? Find out everything you need to know in our detailed review.
#2 CyberGhost
This VPN is rich in servers offering almost 6,000 servers around the world. Like ExpressVPN, it is one of the few VPN services offering 24-hour assistance with its online chat help as well as setup guides found on the CyberGhost website.
Compatible with all major platforms, OpenVPN connections have military-grade encryption as well as perfect forward secrecy. To ensure that none of your traffic escapes the VPN tunnel there is also DNS leak protection as well as a kill switch.
Additional features that won us over include anti-malware defense as well as anti-tracking and an ad blocker.
The great thing about CyberGhost is that you don’t have to choose a server just based on the location you wish, but also how you want to use your VPN. This includes torrenting, streaming, public wifi or anonymous web browsing.
Here are more reasons CyberGhost is a great choice for your VPN in the US:
- Strict No-Logs Policy
- High speeds
- Automatic Kill Switch
- Simultaneous connections on up to 7 devices
- Easy to use
- 256-bit AES Encryption
- Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
- OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec and PPTP protocols
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Routers
Want to know more about CyberGhost? Find out everything you need to know in our detailed review.
#3 Surfshark
Surfshark is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in the VPN world. In just over a year Surfshark went from having just 100 to more than 1,000 servers in 61 countries.
This British Virgin Islands-based VPN is strict on user privacy and guarantees that it will never “collect IP addresses, browsing history, session information, used bandwidth, connection time stamps, network traffic, and other similar data.”
CleanWeb is an added feature that blocks malware, trackers, and ads, and MultiHop ensures that you can connect to multiple countries, making your connection even more difficult to track.
For a fast and reliable US VPN, choose Surfshark and enjoy:
- Great download speeds
- Zero logging
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited platform protection
- Unlimited Server Switching
- Some servers work with Netflix
- Strong encryption
- Torrenting allowed
- CleanWeb feature
- Unlimited devices
- Whitelister feature
Want to know more about Surfshark? Find out everything you need to know in our detailed review.
#4 ZenMate
Although not offering as many servers as mentioned above, there are hundreds to choose from in 35 countries.
This simple to use VPN is perfect for beginners and is compatible with all major platforms.
If you want to test out the waters, you can do so with the seven-day trial available, or even check out the free version which has a 2MB bandwidth restriction.
ZenMate is a German VPN that has optimized streaming servers as well as a streaming guarantee. The strict logs policy means that all your online movements remain your own.
“Strict German privacy laws regulate our company’s use of your information. As we don’t store the data in the first place, this also means that we can’t be forced into giving away personal data to any government or sell it to any 3rd parties.”
For a solid VPN choice in the US choose ZenMate. Here are some more reasons to do so:
- High-speed servers
- Kill switch
- Works with Netflix
- Simple to use
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Offers separate free ad-blocking software
- Free version available
- Always on switch
- 7-day free trial
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Compatible with all major platforms
- OpenVPN, L2TP protection protocols
- Identity shield
Want to know more about ZenMate? Find out everything you need to know in our detailed review.
#5 ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, which means it has to comply with very strict user privacy laws. Within its privacy policy, you will find that ProtonVPN promises never to “log user activity or share data with third parties. Our anonymous VPN service enables Internet without surveillance.”
This VPN was created by the people that brought your ProtonMail, the biggest encrypted emailing service in the world, so security is at the top of their list of priorities.
In terms of security protocols, ProtonVPN uses military-grade encryption as well as IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN and none of the ProtonVPN servers use the less secure PPTP or IPSec.
One of the biggest highlights of this VPN service is that ProtonVPN owns all of its own servers and manages them as well. Essentially this means that it connects to the net via its own network.
One of the best freemium VPN plans on the market comes from ProtonVPN, allowing users an excellent and safe connection for one device with absolutely no bandwidth restrictions. You have servers in locations such as the Netherlands, Japan and the US to choose from.
ProtonVPN rounds up our top VPNs for the United States due to:
- Strong encryption
- Forward secrecy
- All major platforms covered
- Strong protocols
- Swiss Based
- Strict no-logs policy
- DNS leak protection
- Kill switch
- Tor over VPN
- Easy to use
- Professional support
- P2P support
- Up to ten devices covered
- Quick country selector
- Quick connect
Want to know more about ProtonVPN? Find out everything you to know in our detailed review.
Privacy Laws and Regulations in the United States
More than 76% of the people in the United States use the internet on a regular basis, and instead of progressing in online freedom, it has actually declined in the past years, according to freedomhouse.org.
“In addition to surveilling private communications, law enforcement agencies have also monitored websites and social media platforms for suspected criminal activity. In October 2016, the ACLU reported that police were conducting social media surveillance using a tool called Geofeedia, which allows users to aggregate social media content by location (such as a protest site); the company specifically marketed its service to law enforcement agencies. Following the ACLU’s report, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram shut off Geofeedia’s access to their data.”
There is also the scandal that rocked the US a few years ago where Cambridge Analytica misused online data from millions of Facebook users in order to target impressionable and vulnerable voters to vote for the current president, Donald Trump.
This was brought to light back in December of 2014 when John Rust sent an email to the legal department for the University of Cambridge.
“According to an email, Rust informed the university that one of the school’s psychology professors, Aleksandr Kogan, was using an app he created to collect data on millions of Facebook users without their knowledge. Not only did the app collect data on people who opted into it, but it also collected data on those users’ Facebook friends.
He wrote that if just 100,000 people opted into the app, and if they had an average of 150 friends each, Kogan would have access to 15 million people’s data, which he could then use for the purposes of political persuasion. Journalists had already begun poking around, and Rust wanted the school to intervene, arguing Kogan’s work put the university at risk of “considerable media attention, almost entirely adverse.”
Social media is indeed a platform for disinformation and politically directed content, especially in the United States.
“In October 2017, executives from Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter were called to testify before Congress in response to concern over revelations that Russia may have used social media platforms to spread disinformation and sow discord among the American public, particularly during the 2016 presidential election.
Their testimonies revealed that 126 million Facebook users may have seen content produced by Russian operatives, while Twitter later disclosed it had discovered over 3,800 real accounts related to Russia’s Internet Research Agency and 36,000 bot accounts originating in Russia.”
There is also the issue of government surveillance of online communications which came under the spotlight back in January 2018. Congress voted to reauthorize FISA, which allows for the “incidental collection of Americans’ communications and metadata—for another six years. Despite calls for reform, the bill passed without meaningful additional privacy protections.”
US Streaming Services with a United States VPN
Whether you’re traveling overseas or heading abroad for business reasons, there is no need to give up your favorite television shows or access to the latest news. Here are some of the best streaming services that you will need a US VPN for.
Netflix
There is a reason that Netflix is on top of our list, and this is because it owns the streaming market. You will only be able to access the US library with a United States VPN, but when you do, you will have access to all the best movies and TV shows.
Price: $7.99 – $13.99/month
Hulu
If you cannot find the movie you’re looking for on Netflix, it’s most likely to be on Hulu. While the browsing platform isn’t the best, it does have a great selection on offer.
Price: $5.99/month
Amazon Prime
With an Amazon Prime subscription, there is the ability to watch pretty much any movie you want. Be careful, as there are paid and free movies mixed together, so that you don’t accidentally end up paying to watch something you thought was free.
Price: $99/year or $12.99 monthly
Disney+
Catch up on all your favorite Disney movies as well as Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, and National Geographic content.
Price: $6.99/month
Price: $69.99/year
HBO GO/ HBP NOW
HBO offers some of the best movies and television shows available on the market today. Whilst it might have a smaller selection than Amazon Prime, HBO offers high-quality movies and the ability to scroll the interface alphabetically and by genre.
Price: $15/month
Sling TV
There are a number of plans that you can choose from which support a number of simultaneous connections. There is also the ability to use the DVR feature for an added fee.
Price: $25/month
Conclusion
If you are an active internet user in the United States, or if you run a business online, it is seriously time to think about investing in a VPN. By doing so, you will be able to reach a higher number of websites as well as protect both your personal and financial data whilst on the internet.
With government agencies and advertising companies monitoring your online traffic, and with scandals coming out in the past few years, including that of Cambridge Analytica, there is no better time than now to become anonymous online.