Best Overall

4.9

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On NordVPN's website

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NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

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Best for Gaming

4.6

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On ExpressVPN's website

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ExpressVPN

• Premium VPN offering strong security and ultra-fast speeds
• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

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Best Budget VPN

4.9

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On Surfshark's website

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Surfshark

• VPN technology offering stability and speed
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services
• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

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There are many reasons why schools block their students from accessing certain websites. During the late ‘90s and the early 2000s, educational institutions began to adopt the internet as a necessary tool for learning.

However, administrators quickly realized that students might not use it for academic purposes 100% of the time. Firewalls and site blockers became the norm for on-site machines. In response, students began seeking out virtual private networks (VPNs) to access restricted content.

But what are the best VPN services for both value and functionality? Avoiding censorship, internet service provider (ISP) throttling, and firewalls, as well as accessing regional streaming content, better gaming experiences, and even saving money are all high priorities for student VPN users.

NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark are all great options for students to use on their school network. With manageable costs and high functionality, these three VPN providers check all the boxes. Let’s look at their pricing and features so you can decide what’s best for you.

Why schools block internet access

Circumventing a school’s inherent protections for browsing social media (like Snapchat), accessing other regions’ streaming services (like BBC iPlayer), and looking at restricted content are huge draws for working under a VPN connection. Just know there’s a chance of getting caught that may have adverse consequences.

Today, the internet is a vital part of everyday life. With it being such a vast landscape, there are more reasons than ever before to put protections on internet access.

Ransomware is a huge concern for schools with multimillion-dollar price tags being the least of their worries. (Identity data of students and staff, including medical records and Social Security numbers, is a huge draw for hackers.) And managing everyone’s cyber knowledge for internet safety is difficult with hundreds or even thousands of students.

Additionally, an educational system’s ISP may be prone to throttling the connection speed on school Wi-Fi because of the demand caused by so many people accessing the servers. This, coupled with the prevalence of public Wi-Fi-related hacks and good old-fashioned censorship, are all reasons why using a VPN as a student can significantly enhance your user experience. A VPN encrypts your data so even the IT administrators can’t see what you’re doing.

The best VPNs for school and college 2023

• NordVPN: Best overall
• ExpressVPN: Best for gaming
• Surfshark: Best budget VPN

Top 3 VPN services for school and college compared

VPN	NordVPN Best Overall	ExpressVPN	Surfshark
Starting price	Starts at $2.99/mo	Starts at $6.67/mo	Starts at $1.99/mo
Free version	No — comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee	No — comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee	No — comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Features	Split tunneling, malware scanning, strict no-log policy, streaming accessibility	Router compatibility, gaming support, browser extensions	Unlimited devices, pop-up blocker, 24/7 customer support
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read Our NordVPN Review	Get ExpressVPN Read Our ExpressVPN Review	Get Surfshark Read Our Surfshark Review

NordVPN: Best overall

4.9

Best Overall

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

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NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

Who it’s best for

NordVPN is best for streaming enthusiasts, but don’t think that is its only advantage. If you’re the kind of person who wants to stream content from all across the web, NordVPN gets through the most VPN blockers. Watching Netflix with a VPN can unlock entire catalogs of content you may never have discovered. You can even get a dedicated IP address in a region of your choice to confuse the blockers further.

What we liked

There’s a reason NordVPN is regarded as the best VPN on the market. It’s consistent, reliable, and has a ton of useful features. The dashboard is user-friendly and easy to navigate. As far as the service itself, NordVPN is extremely transparent about its practices. They even have a link on their website to test for a DNS leak. It’s as trustworthy as it is useful.

Some of the more attractive features are the strict no-logs policy; the ability to thwart even the savviest of VPN detectors on streaming platforms like Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer; and Double VPN, which allows you to reroute your IP address twice to keep your data safe. Additionally, it lets you customize the kill switch if the connection ever drops. These features are all in addition to the standard features you find on most VPNs, like a variety of server locations and fast connection speeds.

What we didn’t like

In the world of VPNs, NordVPN isn’t the cheapest. It also doesn’t provide you with any free features. You'll have to pay for a subscription if you want to enjoy any of NordVPN’s protection. Speaking of subscriptions, the price advertised as the lowest is only if you purchase a full year upfront. If you’re a student, that could be a chunk of change you may not have.

Also, there isn’t an excuse in 2023 as to why Safari is still being left out of the browser extension list. Mac and iPhone users also want to enjoy the web protection NordVPN offers. It’s time for NordVPN to start including Safari along with Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

NordVPN specs

ExpressVPN: Best for gaming

4.6

Best for Gaming

Learn More

On ExpressVPN's website

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ExpressVPN

• Premium VPN offering strong security and ultra-fast speeds
• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Who it’s best for

If you’re a gamer who’s looking to cross regions, get faster gameplay without ISP throttling, or want the latest downloadable content (DLC), ExpressVPN could be your choice. It boasts itself as a necessity for gamers. Reviewers in rural areas love it as well as mobile gamers who are looking to stay protected as they travel.

What we liked

The top feature for gamers is the ability to install ExpressVPN on routers. This allows for indirect access from your gaming console to the VPN features. Since ExpressVPN protects against bandwidth throttling, you can livestream on Twitch or in PvP tournaments without lags or buffering.

What we didn’t like

Even though ExpressVPN makes sure not to save any identifying data, it still collects some aggregated connection logs. None of the information collected and logged is sensitive (i.e., your IP address or credit card number) but there’s really no reason for logging.

Also, ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands and could be considered within Five Eyes territory. Minor logging plus a global intelligence group specifically formed for spying don’t sound like best practices for a VPN.

ExpressVPN specs

Surfshark: Best budget VPN

4.9

Best for a Low Price

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On Surfshark's website

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Surfshark

• VPN technology offering stability and speed
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services
• Headquarters in Nine Eyes Alliance

Who it’s best for

Surfshark's lowest price starts around $1.99/mo, making it a cost-effective choice for any student on a budget. But don't be fooled, despite the low price Surfshark comes chock-full of features including the CleanWeb tracker and ad blocker that also doubles as malware protection, the Bypasser split tunneling feature, and the option to use Surfshark on as many devices as you want.

What we liked

Unlimited devices and camouflage mode are two of Surfshark VPN’s best features. The camouflage mode is particularly helpful because it masks your connection to disguise your VPN usage. Many VPN services still create IP addresses that are specific to VPN usage, but with Surfshark you can mask that you’re using a VPN. This is key in getting around VPN detectors.

Surfshark also has a strict no-logs policy. Since it’s based in the Netherlands, Surfshark falls within a Nine Eyes country, so that policy is important. It’s also fast, secure, and reliable.

What we didn’t like

Software that’s meant to help with privacy that’s also based in Fourteen Eyes alliance countries feels like a contradiction. Also, while Surfshark covers the main operating systems and browsers, the only additional hardware it protects is an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Since Surfshark allows for unlimited devices, compatibility with routers would be a nice addition.

Surfshark specs

VPNs that didn’t make the cut

• Private Internet Access
• CyberGhost
• Free VPNs

Whether it was laggy connections, connection issues, or the sale of personal data, these VPN options just weren’t good enough for us to recommend.

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a solid VPN choice, but it was just too laggy. During testing, it wouldn’t allow a page to load (on a competitor’s site). Even after turning it off, the page still wouldn’t load. The entire program had to be removed from the hard drive to allow pages to load.

It’s also buggy on mobile devices. This, coupled with the fact that some features cost extra, made it a less student-friendly option.

Read Our PIA Review

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is another good option, but the connections aren’t always the best. There are some connections you’ll need to attempt more than once. This includes when you want to watch streaming. It may get caught by the VPN detectors on some streaming sites as well. Since the price point is similar to other VPNs, it didn’t make the cut this time.

Read Our CyberGhost Review

Any free VPN

Free VPNs are most likely what students are looking for when shopping for VPNs. The problem is that they often log activity and cap you off with data usage. 

The best free VPNs are mostly just free samples to get you to buy their actual service. Less than reputable free VPNs are straight-up selling your information — or worse, come loaded with malware. If your goal is privacy, especially when trying to circumvent censorship or content restrictions, free VPNs aren’t a good idea.

Best VPNs for school and college FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs for school and college

NordVPN is still the number one choice for school, college, and beyond. ExpressVPN and Surfshark are close seconds due to their interesting and unique features as well as their competitive costs and unlimited bandwidth. Surfshark is especially impressive as it offers unlimited devices and a super low initial cost for a multi-year contract.

While there are other options out there, these three provide the most useful features for their price, as well as fast speeds and no connection issues. You can trust that your data and activity will be well-guarded if you use any of these VPNs. Additionally, you’ll be able to enjoy full use of the internet without the restrictions that may come from your educational institution’s IT department.

3 best VPNs for school and college 2023

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
NordVPN	Starts at $2.99/mo	Best overall	Get NordVPN Read Our NordVPN Review
ExpressVPN	Starts at $6.67/mo	Best for gaming	Get ExpressVPN Read Our ExpressVPN Review
Surfshark	Starts at $1.99/mo	Best budget VPN	Get Surfshark Read Our Surfshark Review

How we tested the best VPNs for school and college

In researching the most trusted and useful VPNs, we looked for speed, security, price, and extra features. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark are mentioned repeatedly across the internet. After testing them on our own machines, we agree they’re great tools with features necessary for VPNs.

Features include:

• Multi-device capabilities
• Fast speeds
• Expansive server list
• VPN protocol and encryption type
• Kill switch
• Extra security features
• Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux compatibility
• Browser compatibility
• Leak protection
• Affordability

4.9

Limited-time offer: 69% off + 3 extra months

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

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NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

Author Details

Mary James

About the Author

Mary lives in Los Angeles and has been a cybersecurity writer for over five years. With a B.S. in Liberal Arts from Clarion University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, her career in online security began in sales and content creation for a private cybersecurity firm.