Which Paid VPNs Are Worth It in 2025? Comparing Price, Trust, and Real-World Use

You’ve seen the ads. You’ve seen the claims. “Military-grade encryption,” “lightning-fast servers,” “no logs ever.” But when it’s your money on the line, the question is simple: Which paid VPNs actually deliver?

In this final part of the series, we’re comparing the 10 most popular paid consumer VPNs as of 2025, based on pricing, transparency, speed, and how well they’ve handled scrutiny over the years. No buzzwords. No fluff. Just what matters.

Table of Contents

• What You’re Really Paying For
• NordVPN: Reliable, Powerful, Still One of the Best
• ExpressVPN: The Streaming Favorite With a Corporate Caveat
• Surfshark: The Budget Beast With Unlimited Devices
• Proton VPN (Paid): For Privacy First, Speed Second
• CyberGhost: Cheap, Fast, But Another Kape Product
• Private Internet Access (PIA): Customizable and Transparent
• Mullvad: Anonymous by Design
• Windscribe (Paid): Flexible and Affordable
• Atlas VPN: Lightweight, Owned by Nord
• Hide.me (Paid): Underrated and Balanced
• Recap: The Big Picture
• The Kape Question: Who’s Really Behind That VPN?
• So, Who Should You Trust?
• Final FAQ: Paid VPNs

What You’re Really Paying For

Let’s get this out of the way: most paid VPNs offer similar technical ingredients. While the free tiers compete in included services, the paid ones lay out exactly what they have to offer: AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN/WireGuard protocols, kill switches, and a bunch of worldwide servers. But the differences come down to trust, track record, and how they’ve handled being in the spotlight.

Speed matters. So does streaming access. But if a company is vague about how it handles your data, or worse, has a sketchy parent company, that should raise a flag.

NordVPN: Reliable, Powerful, Still One of the Best

• Price: From €3.19/month (2-year plan)
• Headquarters: Panama
• Features: Meshnet, Double VPN, Threat Protection, streaming support
• History: 2018 server breach (resolved, disclosed, audited after)
• Best for: Power users and privacy-conscious travelers

Bottom line: Still a top choice. Fast, stable, and independently operated.

ExpressVPN: The Streaming Favorite With a Corporate Caveat

• Price: From €6.67/month (12-month plan)
• Headquarters: British Virgin Islands
• Features: Great for Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other geo-blocked content
• History: Owned by Kape Technologies
• Best for: Frequent streamers who want a plug-and-play solution

Bottom line: Technically excellent, but Kape ownership may raise eyebrows for privacy purists.

Surfshark: The Budget Beast With Unlimited Devices

• Price: From €2.49/month (2-year plan)
• Headquarters: Netherlands
• Features: Unlimited connections, CleanWeb, GPS spoofing
• History: No major incidents, owned by Nord Security
• Best for: Families, roommates, or multi-device households

Bottom line: Excellent value, strong on features, and fast enough for most.

Proton VPN (Paid): For Privacy First, Speed Second

• Price: From €4.99/month
• Headquarters: Switzerland
• Features: Secure Core, Tor support, NetShield tracking blocker
• History: Transparent, independently audited, no major scandals
• Best for: Journalists, researchers, and users who care about open-source and ethics

Bottom line: Not the fastest, but possibly the most transparent and privacy-forward.

CyberGhost: Cheap, Fast, But Another Kape Product

• Price: From €2.03/month (2-year plan)
• Headquarters: Romania
• Features: Streaming servers, ad blocking, 7-device support
• History: Owned by Kape Technologies
• Best for: Users who want fast streaming without spending much

Bottom line: Good performance for the price, but the parent company’s history may give some pause.

Private Internet Access (PIA): Customizable and Transparent

• Price: From €1.98/month (3-year plan)
• Headquarters: United States
• Features: Port forwarding, multi-hop, open-source apps
• History: Owned by Kape Technologies, has passed multiple audits
• Best for: Tech-savvy users who want advanced features

Bottom line: Excellent value if you don’t mind the U.S. jurisdiction and Kape’s ownership.

Mullvad: Anonymous by Design

• Price: €5/month (flat rate, no long-term discount)
• Headquarters: Sweden
• Features: No email sign-up, cash and crypto accepted, open-source
• History: Consistent transparency, no affiliate marketing, no scandals
• Best for: People who distrust everyone, including VPN providers

Bottom line: The only VPN you can pay for with physical cash. Hardcore privacy done right.

Windscribe (Paid): Flexible and Affordable

• Price: From €1/month (custom) or €5.75/month (unlimited)
• Headquarters: Canada
• Features: Build-your-own-plan pricing, ad blocker, split tunneling
• History: No major controversies, strong independent presence
• Best for: Users who want control without a bloated plan

Bottom line: An underrated option with lots of room to customize.

Atlas VPN: Lightweight, Owned by Nord

• Price: From €1.82/month (3-year plan)
• Headquarters: United States
• Features: SafeSwap rotating IPs, ad tracker blocker
• History: Owned by Nord Security; fewer independent audits
• Best for: First-time VPN users who want simplicity

Bottom line: A cheaper, simpler cousin to NordVPN with decent fundamentals.

Hide.me (Paid): Underrated and Balanced

• Price: From €2.59/month (2-year plan)
• Headquarters: Malaysia
• Features: Port forwarding, streaming support, all major protocols
• History: Clean reputation, no known incidents
• Best for: Casual users who want a dependable all-rounder

Bottom line: Quietly solid, rarely mentioned, and worth a look.

Recap: The Big Picture

The Kape Question: Who’s Really Behind That VPN?

Three of the VPNs on this list – ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access (PIA) – are owned by a single company: Kape Technologies.

That’s not always obvious, and it’s not exactly something these brands advertise.

🕵️ A Look at Kape’s Past

• Kape was originally called Crossrider, a company that made browser toolbars and monetization tools widely flagged for ad injection and tracking.
• In 2018, Crossrider rebranded as Kape Technologies, shifting focus to the privacy space.
• Between 2017 and 2021, Kape acquired CyberGhost, PIA, and finally ExpressVPN.
• In 2023, Kape delisted from the London Stock Exchange and became a private company under Unikmind, based in the Isle of Man.

Here’s the tension: while each VPN still claims operational independence and many have undergone third-party audits, the parent company’s roots in ad tech leave privacy-minded users uneasy.

If you’re just trying to unblock Netflix abroad, that history may not matter. But if you’re using a VPN to protect your identity, ownership matters.

So, Who Should You Trust?

If privacy is non-negotiable, Mullvad and Proton VPN are your safest bets. If streaming is your priority, NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN are consistent winners, but you’ll have to decide how much Kape’s ownership matters to you.

I myself am a proud Windscribe subscriber. I’m happy with its pricing, its features, and ease of use, even though their jokes can be stupid at times.

There’s no one-size-fits-all VPN. But there is a right fit for you, depending on what you’re using it for, how many devices you’ve got, and whether you’re okay with trusting a rebranded adware firm.

Final FAQ: Paid VPNs

• Are all VPNs equally secure?
  • No. Same encryption, yes, but very different policies, ownership structures, and server security practices.
• Should I avoid Kape-owned VPNs entirely?
  • Not necessarily. If you trust the audits and you’re not doing high-risk activities, they’re perfectly usable. Just go in with eyes open.
• Can I test before buying?
  • Yes. Most VPNs on this list offer 30-day money-back guarantees.
• Which VPN is 100% anonymous?
  • None. But Mullvad comes closest, especially if paid in cash and used properly.