Independent UK testing · Updated 1 September 2026
We test every VPN from the same London connection and publish the raw numbers: download speed, speed loss, latency, GBP pricing and privacy audits. Then you decide.
Ranked by our weighted score across speed, privacy, security, streaming, features, ease of use and value.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Sort by score, price, speed or server count, and filter by what you actually need.
Showing 8 of 8 VPNs. Prices in GBP, speeds measured from London.
| VPN | Score | Best for | UK price | Avg speed | Speed loss | UK servers | Countries | Devices | Streaming | Kill switch | Split tunnelling | Protocol | Money-back | Current deal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 9.4 | Best Overall | £3.39/mo | 412 Mbps | 8% | 440 | 111 | 10 | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+ | Yes | Yes | NordLynx (WireGuard) | 30 days | Multi-year plan discount | |
| Surfshark | 9.1 | Best Value | £2.19/mo | 398 Mbps | 11% | 120 | 100 | Unlimited | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, ITVX | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 30 days | Long-term plan discount | |
| ExpressVPN | 9.0 | Best for Beginners | £5.49/mo | 372 Mbps | 14% | 90 | 105 | 8 | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Disney+, Prime Video | Yes | Yes | Lightway | 30 days | 3 months extra on annual plan | |
| Proton VPN | 8.9 | Best for Privacy | £3.59/mo | 364 Mbps | 15% | 250 | 112 | 10 | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 30 days | Two-year plan discount | |
| Mullvad | 8.6 | Most Private | £4.30/mo | 352 Mbps | 17% | 40 | 49 | 5 | Limited streaming support | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 30 days | No discounts offered | |
| CyberGhost | 8.4 | Best for Streaming Servers | £1.99/mo | 341 Mbps | 21% | 700 | 100 | 7 | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, ITVX | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 45 days | 45-day guarantee on long plans | |
| Private Internet Access | 8.3 | Best for Advanced Users | £1.79/mo | 330 Mbps | 23% | 300 | 91 | Unlimited | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 30 days | Three-year plan discount | |
| IPVanish | 8.0 | Best for Families | £2.49/mo | 318 Mbps | 26% | 110 | 75 | Unlimited | Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes | WireGuard | 30 days | Two-year plan discount |
Every provider is tested on identical hardware over a fixed London fibre line, with a baseline reading taken immediately before each run.
We publish download speed, upload speed, latency and percentage speed loss per server location, with the test date attached.
Category weights are fixed and published. Reviewers do not see commission rates, and providers with no affiliate programme are ranked the same way.
Average download speed recorded on each provider's UK servers during our most recent test rounds.
Higher is better. Baseline line speed is recorded before every run.
NordVPN: 414 Mbps, Surfshark: 401 Mbps, ExpressVPN: 387 Mbps, Proton VPN: 383 Mbps, Mullvad: 374 Mbps, CyberGhost: 356 Mbps, Private Internet Access: 347 Mbps, IPVanish: 333 Mbps
Last updated 1 September 2026. View testing methodology
Answer four questions about how you will use a VPN and we will show you three matches, with our reasoning for each one.
Start the VPN FinderSame test data, ranked differently depending on what matters to you.
Start with the basics. No jargon, no scare tactics, written for UK readers.
A plain-English explanation of what a virtual private network does and who benefits from one.
An honest look at when a VPN genuinely helps UK users, and when it does not.
Using a VPN is legal in the UK. What you do while connected still follows UK law.
Seven categories, fixed weights, published in full — including how often we re-test and how we handle corrections.
Read our methodologyA short monthly email when we publish new speed tests, price changes and reviews. No spam, unsubscribe any time.