- Lots of unique security features
- Unlimited simultaneous connections for all your devices
- RAM-only server network
- 14-Eyes jurisdiction (Netherlands)
- Deceptive pricing page
- Expensive monthly plan
- User-friendly apps across multiple devices
- Blazing-fast internet speeds
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Excellent streaming service unblocking on multiple platforms
- Inconsistent pricing structure
- Not as transparent as other VPN rivals
- Streamlined, easy-to-use app for all your devices, including routers
- Strong commitment to privacy and transparency
- Forward-thinking security enhancements
- Excellent for streaming on various platforms
- Privacy-friendly jurisdiction (British Virgin Islands)
- Only eight simultaneous connections
- DNS leaks detected (but immediately addressed)
- Expensive
- Unlimited simultaneous connections for all your devices
- Extremely cheap prices
- Open-source apps
- Linux GUI app
- Solid privacy and transparency
- Great for streaming service unblocking
- US jurisdiction
- Middling connection speeds
- Lacks more advanced features found in rival VPNs
- Highly transparent
- 10 simultaneous connections
- Open-source
- Unlimited free plan
- No 24/7 live chat support
- Split tunneling only available on Android and Windows
What is the best multidevice VPN?
Surfshark is the best VPN for several devices because of its unlimited simultaneous connections, vast app availability and unique privacy feature package that doesn’t break the bank.
NordVPN is a great choice for folks with serious bandwidth requirements, such as gamers or streaming video fanatics, because of its best-in-class internet download speeds, excellent device support and 10 simultaneous connections.
ExpressVPN, while not truly unlimited with its eight simultaneous device allowances, works for most folks while delivering outstanding performance for everything from security to streaming. Its beginner-friendly apps work well for VPN newcomers and privacy enthusiasts alike.
IPVanish | Surfshark | PIA | ProtonVPN | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Windows | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
MacOS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Linux | ✔️ | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ (with GUI) | ✔️ |
Android/AndroidTV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
iOS/iPadOS | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Fire TV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Smart TV* | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Apple TV | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Router | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Browser plugin** | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Simultaneous connections | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 | 8 | 10 |
*Smart television sets running Google TV/Android TV or Fire TV can download VPN apps directly, while LG's webOS, Samsung's Tizen OS and Roku TVs require a router VPN.
**For Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Opera and Vivaldi.
About VPNs for multiple devices
Virtual private networks have a myriad of different applications, from enhancing your privacy by encrypting your web traffic to letting you access geo-blocked content by masking your public IP address. VPNs are also available on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets and even smart TVs. Long gone are the days when the VPN client for your Amazon Fire TV stick would be an afterthought compared with the one you use on your desktop. Now VPNs are built to be both easy to use and full of features, no matter which device you're on.
VPNs can help you access geo-blocked content like foreign libraries of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. A VPN does this by keeping your public IP address hidden behind the VPN server you're connecting to, replacing your address with the VPN's and making it look like you're in a different city, state or country altogether. VPNs can also help out with certain types of internet issues, allowing you to bypass ISP throttling by hiding the contents of your traffic.
To provide a consistently smooth experience, VPN servers require a huge amount of bandwidth, which is why most VPN providers have put simultaneous connection limits in place to keep the network running properly. Though you can install a VPN as many times as you want, most usually limit the number of simultaneous connections per account to between five and 10 devices at a time. That's sufficient if you just need to cover a desktop, laptop and phone, but it's not going to cut it for power users with many different devices, or anyone who wants to share a VPN account with their family members or friends. For these situations, we recommend picking a provider that offers unlimited simultaneous connections. Running a VPN on a router removes this restriction, but it isn't easy to set up and may void your router's warranty.
Our experts at CNET tested a bunch of different VPN providers and compiled a list of the best VPNs for multiple devices. Our rigorous testing regime puts each VPN through its paces, ensuring that we test out all major features of a given VPN on every available platform. We've evaluated each company's connection speeds, checked for DNS leaks, pored over privacy policies and assessed streaming service unblocking.
Factors to consider in a multidevice VPN: How to Choose the right VPN
Based on our years of experience using, testing and researching VPNs, these are the most pertinent factors to consider when choosing a VPN for multiple devices:
Number of simultaneous connections allowed
If you have a lot of devices that you want to protect with a VPN, you’ll want a VPN that allows for enough simultaneous connections to cover all of your devices. Most VPNs offer at least five simultaneous connections, but some offer up to an unlimited number. Before purchasing a subscription, check with the VPN provider to see if it offers enough simultaneous connections for all of the devices on which you want to use the VPN. Normally, you can install a VPN on as many devices as you please, but you're limited in how many active VPN sessions you can have. For instance, you can install a VPN on 20-plus devices, but if there's a 10 simultaneous device limit, you can only have a VPN running actively on 10 of those gadgets at a time.
Platform compatibility
Your VPN should be compatible with all of the devices you want to use it on. Many VPNs have apps that are compatible with the most popular platforms like Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. In addition to traditional x86 Windows apps, many VPN providers now offer Windows for ARM apps so you can run a virtual private network on the Microsoft Surface Pro and other ARM-based devices. For streaming, look for Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV support. Linux users may have issues finding a VPN that offers a useful, native app for Linux. Even if the VPN has a native GUI for Linux, it may not offer the full functionality that its MacOS and Windows counterparts. If you want to protect all of your connected devices, independent of their individual compatibility with the VPN, you can connect using a VPN-compatible router. It’s a more cost-intensive and technically demanding way to go, but it effectively eliminates compatibility issues.
Privacy
Privacy is one of the most important considerations for any VPN, regardless of what you need one for. Make sure the VPN you’re using for all of your devices offers basic privacy protections like AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption, a kill switch, DNS leak protection and a no-logs policy. Check the provider’s privacy policy and look for trust signals like transparency reports and external audits.
Speed
Whether you’re streaming, gaming or simply browsing the internet, you’ll want a VPN that can deliver fast connection speeds. A VPN will naturally slow down your connection speeds, often by 50% or more. With a fast VPN, your speeds shouldn’t decrease by more than 20% and the speed drop shouldn’t be noticeable for most online activities.
Network
The breadth of a VPN’s network of servers is an important consideration for various reasons. For one, if you’re traveling, there’s a better chance that you’ll have a server located close by, meaning that your VPN connection should be faster and more stable wherever you are. Additionally, more server locations mean access to a potentially wider selection of geographically restricted content from other regions. Before purchasing a subscription, check the VPN’s server page to ensure its network covers the locations that you need. Most of our top-rated VPNs have thousands of servers in 100-plus countries.
Streaming support
While many folks rely on VPNs for privacy, virtual private networks can be great for entertainment, like gaming or streaming videos. Because VPNs can make it look like you're in a different geographical area, like another city, state or country, you can bypass regional blocks to access geo-restricted content. A VPN can unlock foreign Netflix, Disney Plus or Amazon Prime Video libraries. You can also access streaming services from your home country, like BBC iPlayer, CBC, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount Plus, Max and other sites, while traveling abroad. A VPN may let you get better streaming video quality on mobile devices or even save money on streaming service subscriptions.
Price
Paying more for a VPN doesn’t necessarily translate into greater platform compatibility or a more generous simultaneous connection count. Some of the more budget-friendly VPNs allow for far more simultaneous connections than many of the more expensive options. Depending on the VPN you choose, you could pay from about $40 to $100 per year, so there are options for every budget.
Support
Most VPNs are generally pretty simple to set up and use on most compatible devices. As with any product or service you purchase, it’s good to have competent support staff on hand to answer questions and easy-to-follow setup and troubleshooting guides to reference for help with any issues you may run into. The top VPNs in the market today typically offer live chat customer support and have extensive knowledge bases filled with guides for setting up and using their services on all sorts of platforms.
How we test VPNs
We evaluated the best VPNs for multiple devices based on each provider’s platform compatibility as well as its simultaneous connection allowance. We also evaluated how each VPN performs on different devices and operating systems along with its overall consistency and functionality across platforms. In addition, we looked at core VPN considerations like features, privacy protections, speeds and network coverage when coming up with our list.
Other VPNs we tested
IPVanish
IPVanish provides unlimited simultaneous connections so you can use a VPN on your phone, tablet, computer, streaming box and any other devices at once without issue. By comparison, many of its competitors remain selective; NordVPN and Proton VPN offer 10 simultaneous connections while ExpressVPN allows just eight. Additionally, IPVanish features VPN apps for nearly every platform imaginable. It's even one of the few companies with an Apple TV app. A handful of providers, including Surfshark, Proton VPN, NordVPN, PIA, ExpressVPN, PrivadoVPN, IPVanish, PureVPN, FlowVPN, Tailscale, VPNIFY, SafeShell and SwizzVPN, offer downloadable TVOS applications. There's even a graphical user interface for IPVanish's Linux app, which is still a rarity. (Disclosure: IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
We like that IPVanish's apps are user-friendly and uncomplicated. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a VPN newcomer, you won't be confused about enabling it. Its exceptional streaming support -- we successfully unblocked Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and other apps -- makes this an excellent VPN for entertainment. We didn't find any leaks in our 2024 tests, but we clocked an average 44% internet download speed loss, which is well below the fastest VPNs.
With servers in 108 countries, IPVanish is right up there with competitors like NordVPN (118), Surfshark (100 countries), Proton VPN (117) and ExpressVPN (105). We found servers close to us, but you'll want to consult IPVanish's server location list to ensure it's a VPN provider that works for your needs. You'll pay $13 per month, $40 annually (before a price hike to $90 after your initial 12 months of service) or $53 for two years (after 24 months, that cost spikes to $90 each year). IPVanish's upfront pricing is cheaper than NordVPN and ExpressVPN but more expensive than Private Internet Access and Surfshark. Ultimately, IPVanish is a decent VPN that you can use on nearly any device -- including your Apple TV -- with no limits on simultaneous users. Other VPNs provide significantly faster speeds, stronger privacy and overall better value.
Hotspot Shield
With its user-friendly app design, split tunneling and excellent streaming service geo-unblocking, Hotspot Shield is a decent VPN for casual users. It features a sizable network comprised of over 1,800 servers in more than 80 countries. Hotspot Shield uses AES 256-bit encryption for solid industry-standard privacy. Its closed-source proprietary OpenSSL-based Catapult Hydra VPN protocol and US jurisdiction mean it’s not ideal for more privacy-conscious folks. While Hotspot Shield does support 10 simultaneous devices, its underwhelming privacy and transparency make it tough to recommend when its VPN rivals offer more benefits like faster speeds, greater simultaneous device allowances and lower subscription costs.
Read our Hotspot Shield review.
TunnelBear
TunnelBear provides unlimited simultaneous connections without breaking the bank. It sports 256-bit encryption, split tunneling and several VPN protocols including WireGuard and OpenVPN as well as IKEv2. It also has a high 11,500-plus server network spanning 100 countries.However, TunnelBear falls short in a lot of categories. In our testing, its unreliable connectivity often resulted in high internet speed loss. Plus, TunnelBear only supports a handful of platforms, like Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPadOS and web browsers. At a minimum, we’d an Apple TV app at this point -- most of its competitors have one. If you need an affordable VPN for general use, TunnelBear is acceptable, but we suggest one of the best cheap VPNs, like Surfshark, IPVanish or PIA instead.