Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, are essential tools for every privacy oriented user. And they should be essential tools for businesses, especially those who are embracing digital transformation. After all, VPNs add an extra layer of security, particularly now when many employees are working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes them more vulnerable. Users are now using their own internet or even public WiFi to work and connect to their company’s systems. This comes with its own set of risks as company systems become vulnerable, increasing the risk of a potential cyber attack. This is where VPNs come in. Using a VPN allows employees to safely connect to their companies’ systems, whether they are using their home internet or public WiFi, as data is encrypted. If traffic is intercepted by someone, the data could not be read.

VPNs are particularly useful for small businesses who have limited resources and no dedicated IT departments. Small businesses have become a common target of cyber attacks precisely because they do not have adequate security. While not all powerful, VPNs are an affordable solution that can do a lot to protect a business and its employees. Having dedicated hosting plans for your website can also decrease the chances of your site being breached.

However, choosing the right VPN for your business can be challenging. When picking one, you need to consider what exactly you need from it. Here are a few main points to consider when choosing a VPN for your business:

• Price.

One of the most important parts of choosing a VPN is the price as there is only so much money a business can dedicate to it. Fortunately, most good VPNs are affordable.

• User-interface.

If employees struggle to use it because of its difficult and unfriendly user interface, a VPN will not do much good.

• Which OSs it supports.

Employees likely use different devices with different OSs, and that is important to take into account when choosing a VPN.

• Data logging policies.

When choosing a VPN, it’s very important to investigate its data logging policies. Ideally, a VPN should not collect and store any data.

Difference between a regular VPN and a business VPN

While in principle, consumer and business VPN have the same function, they have some significant differences. For one, consumer VPNs are usually meant for individual users who wish to unlock geo-blocked content, browse safely on unsecure networks, unlock streaming services, etc. Business VPNs, on the other hand, focus on security and data protection. Business VPNs also come with additional features, such as dedicated IP addresses with dedicated servers. Furthermore, business VPNs are also designed for multiple users, allowing for easy management. Essentially, all users can be managed from one universal account.

Advantages of using a business VPN:

• adds an extra layer of security;
• allows traveling or remote employees to safely access company network and data;
• all users can easily be managed from one account;
• additional features like dedicated IP addresses with dedicated servers.

Can you use a free VPN for your business?

Free VPNs are a controversial topic in general, not just when talking about business VPNs. The issue with free virtual private networks is that they often log data and share it with third-parties. Some VPNs are transparent about collecting this data and clearly explain it in their Privacy Policies, while others purposely conceal this. It’s safe to say that if a free VPN says that it doesn’t collect any information or keep any logs, it’s not being entirely transparent. Showing ads and selling collected data is how free VPNs make money so it’s very suspicious when they deny collecting any data. In the end, even if users don’t pay in money, they pay in their data.

We don’t recommend using free VPNs for individual users, and we certainly don’t recommend businesses use them. At least not the ones that care about privacy or security.

6 best business VPN solutions 2021

Here are our “6 best business VPN solutions for 2021” recommendations with short reviews.

Perimeter 81

• Number of servers: 700+.
• Server locations: 35.
• Available on: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux.

At this time, Perimeter 81 is arguably the best VPN for businesses, small and medium ones in particular. It’s not simply a VPN, it a whole platform created specifically to grant small businesses and enterprises a secure and user-friendly remote access environment. It allows team members from all over the world to connect to private VPN servers and securely access files, applications and resources. Compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, Perimeter 81 allows easy network and setting management via a comprehensive web console. It may not be suitable for businesses that have less than 5 team members, as that is the minimum number of users required to use Perimeter 81. But with over 700 servers in 35 locations all around the globe, some great features, easy/comprehensive management, satisfactory speeds, and easy-to-use apps, Perimeter 81 is a great choice for a business VPN solution.

It has 256-bit encryption, two-factor-authentication, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. There is strict no-logging policy, and implemented security protocols include OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP and PPTP and WireGuard. All inbound and outbound traffic is encrypted, which prevents someone from intercepting the connection and being able to read the data. This will ensure that users, wherever they are, will be protected when using unsecured networks. This is especially important when working from home or traveling abroad. A DNS filtering feature will also allow management to filter spam and block malicious or potentially distracting websites on company devices.

Perimeter 81 offers two payment options, a monthly one and an annual. Paying annually is cheaper in the end, though the whole amount has to be paid in bulk. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The subscription plans are as fallows:

• Essentials: $10/month/user ($8/month if paid annually). Includes all basic features, 24/7 in-app chat support and office hours email support.
• Premium: $15/month/user ($12/month if paid annually). Includes advanced features, 24/7 in-chat support and prioritized response email support.
• Enterprise: a custom price for enterprise-ready security features that allow network customization and management. Includes 24/7 in-app chat support/email support/phone support.

Pros:

• specifically designed for businesses;
• custom plan option;
• sleek and user-friendly interface that can be managed without a background in IT;
• 30-day money-back guarantee;
• great management features, in addition to the VPN.

Cons:

• a minimum of 5 users is required in order to use Perimeter 81.

NordVPN Teams

• Number of servers: 3000+.
• Server locations: 32+.
• Available on: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux.

Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, NordVPN Teams is a VPN solution for small and medium businesses, essentially a business version of the consumer NordVPN. Management can easily use the control panel to manage the network, add new or manage existing users, create teams, monitor activities, and more. 2048-bit double encryption ensures that even if the a business is hacked, the data is essentially inaccessible. It also has a strict no-logging policy and a kill switch to protect data. It’s easy-to-use, both desktop and mobile apps have sleek, minimalistic designs and are user-friendly. While not necessary, users also have the option to change a few settings, such as auto-connecting upon launch, managing the account and choosing the VPN protocol (IKEv2, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP and automatic).

NordVPN Teams has three subscription plans, payable either on a monthly or yearly basis. Discounts are applied to those who subscribe to a yearly plan, so while paying the whole sum in advance is necessary, it’s cheaper in the end. The offered subscription plans are as follows:

• Basic: $9/month/user ($7/month if paid annually). Includes basic features like Cloud VPN, kill switch, 2FA, SSO with Google, Azure AD, Okta, shared access to 33 server locations, 24/7 customer support, etc.
• Advanced: $11/month/user ($9/month if paid annually). Includes features part of the Basic plan, as well as the ability to purchase dedicated servers, to choose between 20+ dedicated server locations, has dedicated account management, and priority 24/7 customer support.
• Enterprise: in order to get a fully customized network security system for an enterprise, users would need to contact NordVPN Teams. In addition to all Advanced features, Enterprise also offers next-gen site-to-site capabilities, centralized configuration and management, LDAP Active Director, API access, 24/7 phone support, on-premise dedicated servers, premium custom features, and custom logo and app colors.

Pros:

• large number of servers;
• trustworthy company with a good track record;
• simple, easy-to-use apps.

ExpressVPN

• Number of servers: 3000+.
• Server locations: 160.
• Available on: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux.

Business ExpressVPN is the same as consumer ExpressVPN. Since it doesn’t have a business version, it may not be suitable for bigger companies or enterprises. However, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs in the business, and often tops best VPN lists, thus is a good choice for businesses looking to secure team members, especially those working remotely.

Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, ExpressVPN is a powerful VPN with more than 3000 servers in 160 locations. It has a strict no-logging policy, top-of-the-line security features including military-grade encryption, split-tunneling, and an automatic kill switch. Furthermore, no VPN is better than ExpressVPN when it comes to speed. Its sleek but user-friendly interface makes using ExpressVPN very easy. There are also many clear instructions and videos provided to help users set everything up. There is also 24/7 customer support if any issues arise.

ExpressVPN does not have a business version, so the regular prices apply to both businesses and individual users. As is usual, committing long-term is cheaper in the end, even if paying the whole sum is necessary. ExpressVPN offers the following plans:

• $12.95/month, billed $12.95 every month. 30-day money-back guarantee.
• $9.99/month, billed $59.95 every 6 months. 30-day money-back guarantee.
• $6.67/month, billed $99.95 for the first 15 months, then every 12 month thereafter. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• large number of servers;
• sleek, user-friendly interface;
• great speeds;
• 24/7 customer support.

Cons:

• no business plan;
• a bit expensive compared to other options.

TorGuard

• Number of servers: 3000+.
• Server locations: 50+.
• Available on: PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux.

Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, TorGuard is a powerful VPN with unlimited speed and bandwidth. TorGuard has a dedicated Business version that uses military grade 256-AES encryption, and security protocols like OpenVPN and SSL/SSH, and has a kill-switch. It has over 3000 servers in more than 50 locations, and accounts come with 24/7 customer support. TorGuard is a easy-to-use and has a user-friendly interface, though it may not be the fastest VPN available. It also has a strict no-logging policy, which ensures that no data is collected.

TorGuard’s Business VPN has four subscription options, depending on the size of the team. There is a 7-day free trial, as well as 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Starter: $69/month. Includes up to 10 users package, up to 10 email accounts, and up to 3 dedicated IPs.
• Small: $110/month. Includes up to 15 users package, up to 15 email accounts, and up to 5 dedicated IPs.
• Medium: $169/month. Includes up to 20 users package, up to 20 email accounts, and up to 10 dedicated IPs.
• Enterprise: businesses can create their own custom subscription plan.

Pros:

• large number of servers;
• custom plan option;
• 24/7 customer support;
• user-friendly interface.

Cons:

•  not the fastest VPN.

VyprVPN

• Number of servers: 700+.
• Server locations: 70+.
• Available on: PC, Mac, iOS and Android.

Available on Window, macOS, iOS and Android, VyprVPN is a powerful VPN that comes with a dedicated business version. It uses OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols, as well as offers NAT Firewall. It ensures that team members can safely and privately use the Internet when traveling or working remotely, even when using public WiFi. VyprVPN has a user-friendly interface, is easy to set up and not difficult to use. Businesses can use the admin interface to manage the account, add and remove users, control access with admin and user privileges. It also allows businesses to create dedicated servers and IPs. Business accounts also have a dedicated account manager who will provide support if necessary, in addition to 24/7 regular customer support.

Businesses can choose between VyprVPN for Business and VyprVPN for Business Cloud. Both plans have a free trial.

• VyprVPN for Business: starts out at $299/year. Comes with features like multiple user management, global business servers, and dedicated account manager.
• VyprVPN for Business Cloud: starts out at $349/year. Comes with features like dedicated IP, dedicated server, and fast/easy deployment.

Prices are rather unclear for business accounts, as the site only shows starting prices for both business plans.

Pros:

• 24/7 customer support;
• free trial;
• user-friendly interface.

Cons:

• unclear prices for business accounts;
• no Linux version.

Encrypt.me

• Number of servers: 120+.
• Server locations: 60.
• Available on: Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

Encrypt.me is a VPN service that focuses on keeping users safe on unsecure networks. It’s not the typical VPN in the sense that does not claim to be able to make users anonymous when browsing or that it can make users “look like” they’re in another country. Instead, it focuses on keeping user data safe.

Available on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, Encrypt.me is a simple yet effective VPN service that solely focuses on keeping users safe when connected to unsecure networks. It uses military grade encryption (256-bit AES) to secure user data, and comes with features like DNS protection, auto-secure function, content filtering, and private endpoints.

One issue, a deal-breaker for many, is the fact that Encrypt.me collects data, which is unexpected for a VPN. In their Privacy Policy, they very clearly state that they collect the following information:

• the number of bytes sent/received;
• connection time length;
• the IP address, both the one connected from and the virtual one they assign;
• the source port of the outgoing connection with start/end times.

The Privacy Policy says that the data is permanently deleted after 16 days. However, the question is why the data is collected in the first place. Though Encrypt.me are very transparent about what they do and do not do, it may not be the best option for those who are concerned about privacy.

Encrypt.me offers subscription plans depending on what users need. If businesses are looking to secure individual users, they can do so by either purchasing weekly ($3.99), monthly ($9.99) or yearly ($99.99) passes, or by subscribing to a monthly plan ($9.99/month) or an annual one ($99.99). However, it also has Encrypt.me For Teams. Creating a team allows all accounts to be managed in one place. There has to a minimum of 2 team members, and the larger the number of team members the lower the price per user.

• If between 2 and 25 team members, the price is $7.99/user/month.
• If between 25 to 100 team members, the price is $6.99/user/month.
• If between 100 to 250 team members, the price is $5.99/user/month.
• If there are more than 250 team members, businesses should contact Encrypt.me to set up a deal.

There is also 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

• flexible payment plans;
• unlimited number of devices;
• two-week free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee;
• very simple to use.

Cons:

• data collection practices.