Best Value-for-Money VPNs for the UK [10 Tested Services]

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best value for money vpn uk

The VPN market grows with each passing day, and it can be challenging to pick the right service for the right price.

While there are numerous criteria to factor in, the number and distribution of servers are among the most essential ones. Also, advanced features like obfuscation, multi-hop, and proprietary protocols can also come in handy.

But most importantly, you need to consider the primary purpose you need the VPN.

That’s why we reviewed the top services on the market to present you with the ten worth every penny for those of you living or traveling to the UK.

Let’s dive in!

10 Best Value-for-Money VPNs for the UK

Below you’ll find a detailed overview of the VPN providers that will do a great job if you’re in the UK or want to access geo-restricted content from there.

  1. ExpressVPN – fast and secure servers
  2. Surfshark – handy advanced features
  3. NordVPN – optimal security
  4. Private Internet Access – wide server network
  5. CyberGhost VPN – servers optimized for various activities
  6. PrivateVPN – obfuscated servers
  7. PureVPN – streaming and torrenting optimization
  8. Hotspot Shield – excellent locations for gaming
  9. ProtonVPN – good for avoiding censorship
  10. HMA – the most servers available in the UK

1. ExpressVPN â€“ Lightning-fast obfuscated locations

ExpressVPN is among our top recommendations when it comes to the best value-for-money VPN for the UK because it performs excellently on many fronts.

Get ExpressVPN

From ensuring privacy and security to bypassing geo-blocking effectively, ExpressVPN is a foolproof solution you can always depend on no matter what you want to achieve.

With an impressive number of 151 locations across 94 countries worldwide, it will help you connect virtually anywhere you like. Furthermore, it can access restricted content while also anonymizing and securing your traffic from monitoring, surveillance, or cyberattacks.

As for the UK, you can choose from five convenient servers.

ExpressVPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaAdelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Sydney – 2, Woolloomooloo7
BrazilBrazil, Brazil – 22
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Toronto – 2, Vancouver4
FranceAlsace, Marseille, Paris – 1, Paris – 2, Strasbourg5
GermanyFrankfurt – 1, Frankfurt – 3, Nuremberg3
Hong KongHong Kong – 1, Hong Kong – 22
IndiaIndia (via Singapore), India (via UK)2
ItalyCosenza, Milan2
JapanShibuya, Tokyo, Tokyo – 2, Yokohama4
NetherlandsAmsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague3
SingaporeCBD, Jurong, Marina Bay3
SpainBarcelona, Barcelona – 2, Madrid3
SwedenSweden, Sweden – 22
SwitzerlandSwitzerland, Switzerland – 22
United KingdomDocklands, East London, London, Midlands, Wembley5
United States 12 states + D.C.24
Other countries1 VPN location for each country78
ExpressVPN locationsTotal151

ExpressVPN uses best-in-class AES with 256-bit key encryption along with the fast and safe Lightway (proprietary), OpenVPN, and IKEv2 VPN protocols.

Also, it relies on RAM-only servers to protect your data in case someone were to hack them. Plus, each server comes with automatic obfuscation that will help you in restrictive areas or evade detection when accessing streaming services or other resources.

ExpressVPN comes with a kill switch called Network Lock that will shield your traffic from accidental exposure during VPN connection loss. Also, it includes Split tunneling (lets you route only certain apps through the VPN) and a built-in Speed Test.

More about ExpressVPN:

  • No activity or connection logs
  • Five simultaneous connections
  • Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email support
  • Seven-day free trial for Android and iOS
ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

This VPN is very hard to match when it comes to speed, privacy, security, unblocking content, and location coverage.
Check Price Visit Website

2. Surfshark â€“ Static IP and MultiHop locations

Get Surfshark

Surfshark is undeniably one of the most reliable and highly-reputed VPNs out there. We tested it multiple times on different platforms, and the results were impressive.

From masking your online identity to spoofing your location to encrypting sensitive data, Surfshark is definitely a service you can rely on.

Surfshark occupies a top spot in the hierarchy of VPNs that provide the most locations. Therefore, if you get it, you’ll have access to servers in 142 locations in 99 countries worldwide and four in the UK, specifically.

Surfshark location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaPerth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide5
BelgiumBrussels, Antwerp2
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver3
FranceBordeaux, Marseille, Paris3
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt am Main2
IndiaDelhi, Virtual Location2
ItalyMilan, Rome2
PolandGdansk, Warsaw2
PortugalLisbon, Porto2
SpainBarcelona, Madrid, Valencia3
United KingdomEdinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester4
United States 17 states25
Other countries1 VPN location for each country87
Surfshark locationsTotal142

In addition to many well-distributed VPN locations, Surfshark utilizes bank-grade encryption to secure your data and offers lightning-fast speeds to stream without interruptions or play lag-free. It is also packed with many useful features to boost your digital privacy and safety.

For instance, the MultiHop or double VPN feature affords double privacy and security by rerouting your data twice via two VPN servers. Also, Surfshark includes a Kill Switch, CleanWeb (adblocker), and Bypasser (split tunneling).

Moreover, it has a NoBorders mode that lets you easily get around network restrictions. Its Camouflage mode, on the other hand, obfuscates your VPN connection so you may use Surfshark in highly-restrictive places without getting noticed.

More about Surfshark:

  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email expert support
  • Seven-day free trial for Android, iOS, and macOS
Surfshark

Surfshark

Are you annoyed by geo-restrictions? Get Surfshark, pick a different VPN location, connect to it, and you’ll be all set.
Check Price Visit Website

3. NordVPN â€“ Double VPN and obfuscated locations

Get NordVPN

NordVPN is held in high regard by its more than 14 million subscribers and is also one of the most recommended services given its reliability and strong performance.

Very few providers can match it in the number of features offered. Moreover, our various speed test results showed that it’s the fastest VPN in the industry.

Undoubtedly, NordVPN is also among the services with the most locations, operating servers in 85 locations in 59 countries on six continents.

It’s also one of the best value-for-money VPN providers for the UK.

NordVPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaAdelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney5
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver3
FranceParis, Marseille2
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt2
United KingdomEdinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester4
United States 13 states16
Other countries1 VPN location for each country53
NordVPN locationsTotal85

NordVPN lets you bypass geo-barriers so you can unblock websites, apps, or games not available in your country. In addition, it might help you get better price deals for certain services, such as apps, games, or airline tickets.

Last but not least, NordVPN is highly focused on delivering the utmost privacy and security. Besides, it is safe to use even in the most restrictive environments, as it easily tricks detection.

Its main features are the specialty servers â€” Double VPN, Obfuscated servers, Onion Over VPN, and P2P. It also has Kill Switch, Split tunneling, and Threat Protection (this one protects you from intrusive ads, tracking, or malware).

More about NordVPN:

  • Strict no-logs policy
  • One account secures five devices
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email support
  • Seven-day free trial for Android and iOS
NordVPN

NordVPN

Give NordVPN a try, and you’ll no longer need to worry about geo-blocking, tracking, surveillance, or cyber threats.
Check Price Visit Website

4. Private Internet Access â€“ Streaming-optimized servers

Get PIA VPN

Private Internet Access (PIA) not only has the largest number of servers but also extended server coverage that includes 145 locations in 84 countries spread over six continents. As of now, PIA is the only VPN with servers in cities across all 50 US states.

It also has decent coverage in the UK — servers in London, Manchester, and Southampton.

Hence, no matter if you’re traveling or residing in an area where certain websites or apps are blocked, all you need to do is connect to a VPN server in a different location to unblock them.

Moreover, if you’re worried about ISP throttling or that you may be the target of tracking, monitoring, or hackers, PIA will protect you big time, as it uses the strongest security.

PIA location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaMelbourne, Perth, Sydney3
CanadaMontreal, Ontario, Toronto, Vancouver4
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt2
SpainMadrid, Valencia2
United KingdomLondon, Manchester, Southampton3
United StatesAll 50 states + D.C.53
Other countries1 VPN location for each country78
PIA locationsTotal145

If you want to watch streaming services such as Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or Pluto TV, but end up realizing they are unavailable in your country, feel free to connect to a streaming-optimized location.

PIA offers Multi-hop and Obfuscation. The former reroutes your traffic through a second proxy server (Shadowsocks or SOCKS5) for extra encryption, whereas the latter masks your VPN traffic. Thus, it will appear as normal ISP traffic, allowing you to bypass VPN blocks.

Moreover, PIA provides a Kill Switch that will block Internet traffic altogether when the VPN connection drops or when the VPN is off.

Also, if you want to have only certain apps or IP addresses go through the VPN tunnel, you may set up specific rules with Split Tunnel.

More about PIA:

  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Ten simultaneous connections
  • Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email customer support
  • Seven-day free trial for Android and iOS
Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

Pick from the many PIA VPN locations available to browse anonymously, safely, and restriction-free from anywhere.
Check Price Visit Website

5. CyberGhost VPN â€“ Streaming, gaming, and P2P locations

Get CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is based in Bucharest, Romania, and is one of the best VPNs on the market when it comes to privacy, safety, speed, and features.

This service masks your IP address and secures your data using powerful encryption and protocols. As a result, you’ll manage to surf anonymously and safely.

Also, its 115 locations spread across 91 countries on 6 continents will let you access region-blocked content with just a few clicks. Moreover, you can choose from three locations in the UK — Berkshire, London, and Manchester.

CyberGhost VPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaMelbourne, Sydney2
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver3
FranceMarseille, Paris, Strasbourg3
GermanyBerlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt3
ItalyMilano, Rome2
RomaniaBucharest, NoSpy Bucharest2
SpainBarcelona, Madrid, Valencia3
SwitzerlandHuenenberg, Zurich2
United KingdomBerkshire, London, Manchester3
United States (9 states + D.C.)Phoenix (AZ), Los Angeles (CA), San Francisco (CA), Washington (DC), Miami (FL), Atlanta (GA), Chicago (IL), Las Vegas (NV), New York (NY), Dallas (TX), Seattle (WA)11
Other countries1 VPN location for each country81
CyberGhost VPN locationsTotal115

CyberGhost VPN has three privacy features: 

  • Block content â€” ad and malware blocker
  • Prevent DNS leaks â€” CyberGhost’s custom domain servers ensure DNS leak protection
  • Automatic Kill-Switch — prevents traffic outside the VPN tunnel when the connection drops

Consequently, when you combine these features with the most advanced encryption, CyberGhost will surely shield you from trackers, advertisers, snooping, monitoring, surveillance, and hackers.

Finally, if you want to access streaming platforms without getting detected, lower ping while playing online with your friends, or torrent securely, you have the option to connect to the dedicated servers for streaming, gaming, and torrenting respectively.

More about CyberGhost VPN:

  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Link up to seven devices to one account
  • 14-day or 45-day money-back (depending on the plan)
  • 24/7 live chat and email customer support
  • Free trial (24-hour for desktop and 7-day for mobile)
CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN

A VPN with many locations like CyberGhost gets you covered no matter where you live. Plus, it’s ultra-fast and highly secure.
Check Price Visit Website

6. PrivateVPN â€“ Stealth (obfuscated) locations

Get PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN is based in Sweden, which is a very privacy-friendly jurisdiction since the VPN provider is not mandated to collect info regarding your traffic and share it with third parties.

Although a smaller service, compared to other VPN giants presented here, PrivateVPN guarantees top privacy and security and is also very fast and affordable.

PrivateVPN has servers in 86 locations in 63 countries and many other useful features that rank it among the best value-for-money VPNs for the UK.

PrivateVPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaBrisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney4
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver3
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt2
Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong – China Route2
IndiaBangalore, Mumbai2
RussiaKrasnoyarsk, Moscow2
SwedenGothenburg, Kista, Stockholm3
United KingdomLondon, Manchester2
United States11 states12
Other countries1 VPN location for each country54
PrivateVPN locationsTotal86

PrivateVPN is very user-friendly and can be used on most devices and operating systems as a native app or by router configuration. Also, it uses top-notch encryption and protocols that will allow you to browse privately and securely at home and on public Wi-Fi networks.

The VPN is very good at circumventing geo-blocks and works very well with popular streaming services. Actually, PrivateVPN is one of the best VPNs for streaming based on multiple tests we made with various platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max.

As for VPN features, it provides a Kill SwitchDNS and IPv6 Leak ProtectionApplication Guard (terminates specific apps if the VPN disconnects), and Stealth VPN (obfuscation).

More about PrivateVPN:

  • Zero data logging policy
  • ten simultaneous connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email support
  • Seven-day full free trial for desktop and mobile
PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN

If you don’t want to take our word for it, get the seven-day trial and test PrivateVPN to determine whether it’s up to par.
Check Price Visit Website

7. PureVPN â€“ Streaming and torrenting locations

Get PureVPN

PureVPN was established in 2006 and is located in the British Virgin Islands – a country that affords full privacy, as it doesn’t belong to any intelligence alliances, such as the Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes.

Being around for some time now, the VPN managed to garner 3 million+ users and make quite a reputation for itself. As to server number and distribution, PureVPN has servers spread over 95 locations in 77 countries worldwide.

Moreover, the VPN successfully passed many of our speed, geo-blocking, anonymity, and privacy tests. For this reason, we consider that it qualifies as a very dependable VPN solution.

PureVPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaBrisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney4
CanadaQuebec, Toronto, Vancouver3
United KingdomLondon, Manchester2
United States 11 states + D.C.13
Other countries1 VPN location for each country73
PureVPN locationsTotal95

PureVPN spoofs your location and encrypts your traffic with AES 256-bit encryption coupled with the fastest and most reliable protocols in the industry.

As such, this will protect you from bandwidth throttling, tracking, monitoring, surveillance, or cyberattacks no matter where you are or what you do on the web.

Feature-wise, PureVPN offers an Internet Kill Switch (IKS) to prevent IP leaks and data exposure when the VPN experiences connection issues, Split Tunneling, DNS Leak Protection, P2P and streaming servers, and Quantum-Resistant servers.

More about PureVPN:

  • Strict zero-logs policy
  • Supports ten multi-logins
  • 31-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 excellent live chat and email support
  • Seven-day free trial with all premium features
PureVPN

PureVPN

PureVPN is one of the very few VPNs that offer a full trial. So, do not hesitate to try it out if you’re unsure about its reliability.
Check Price Visit Website

8. Hotspot Shield â€“ Streaming and gaming locations

Hotspot Shield is the most used VPN service in the industry, enjoying hundreds of millions of downloads. Obviously, this tells a lot about its trustworthiness.

On top of that, it’s also one of those VPN products that have the most locations available, with servers distributed across 122 locations in 85 countries across the globe.

As a result, Hotspot Shield will get you covered no matter if you want to circumvent geo-blocks or just browse anonymously, privately, and safely.

Plus, it comes with streaming and gaming servers in the US and the UK, which are optimized to ensure the smoothest experience.

Hotspot Shield location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaAustralia (automatic), Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney6
CanadaCanada (automatic), Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver4
FranceFrance (automatic), Paris2
ItalyItaly (automatic), Milan, Rome3
SpainSpain (automatic), Barcelona2
United KingdomUnited Kingdom (automatic), Coventry2
United States 18 states + D.C.25
Other countries1 VPN location for each country78
Hotspot Shield locationsTotal122

In order to protect your traffic and sensitive data, Hotspot Shield employs top-of-the-line AES-256 encryption. Also, it uses its own proprietary protocol, Hydra, to provide the best overall performance in terms of speed, privacy, and security.

In addition, the Hydra protocol also obfuscates your traffic by making it look like regular Internet traffic. This way, it is nearly impossible for anyone to detect and restrict VPN use.

Ultimately, Hotspot Shield includes other useful VPN features for premium users, including Kill SwitchPrevent IP leak (prevent IP detection while connected to the VPN), Smart VPN (split tunneling), and P2P support.

More about Hotspot Shield:

  • Doesn’t log info linked to your VPN sessions
  • Ten device connections
  • Risk-free 45-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 live chat and email customer support
  • Offers a seven-day free trial and a limited free plan
Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield

Use Hotspot Shield to access restricted content and secure your traffic by picking from the many VPN locations available.
Check Price Visit Website

9. ProtonVPN â€“ Streaming and P2P locations

Get ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a VPN solution created by the Swiss-based company Proton AG, which also developed the very popular ProtonMail encrypted email service.

The VPN service is noteworthy, especially for evading censorship and ensuring excellent privacy, security, and speed.

With regard to server distribution, ProtonVPN operates many servers spread across 88 locations in 66 countries worldwide. Even though it’s last on our best value-for-money VPNs for the UK, it’s definitely worth considering.

ProtonVPN location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaAdelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney4
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver3
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt2
JapanTokyo, Osaka2
NetherlandsAmsterdam, Rotterdam, Steenbergen3
TaiwanTaichung City, Taipei2
United KingdomLondon, Manchester2
United States12 states + D.C.14
Other countries1 VPN location for each country56
ProtonVPN locationsTotal88

Moreover, your entire traffic will be redirected via a VPN tunnel using military-grade encryption (AES-256 or ChaCha20).

ProtonVPN lets you get around geo-blocks in no time. Plus, it has specialty servers for streaming and torrenting, as well as Secure Core servers that offer multi-hopping or double VPN.

As regards the available features, you need to get the premium plan to unlock all of them.

If you do so, you will have access to features such as Kill SwitchNetShield (ad blocker), Split Tunneling, or VPN accelerator (increases VPN speed by up to 400%).

More about ProtonVPN:

  • Strict no-logs policy
  • Ten simultaneously connected devices
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 friendly email customer support
  • A limited free plan
 ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN

Although ProtonVPN offers a free plan, this is limited. Thus, you’d better go premium to enjoy full access to the features.
Check Price Visit Website

10. HMA â€“ Largest number of locations

Get HMA VPN

HMA (formerly HideMyAss!) is a well-known VPN service owned by the Czech cybersecurity company Avast. The VPN comes with user-friendly native apps and allows router setup too.

Boasting 297 locations in 218 countries spread over six continents, HMA is beyond doubt the service that has the widest server network in the industry.

What’s more, no other VPN gives you more options to browse with different IP addresses from the UK. Moreover, HMA manages to bypass geo-blocking very easily.

HMA location distribution across countries

CountryLocationsNo.
AustraliaMelbourne, Perth, Sydney3
CanadaMontreal, Toronto, Vancouver, via Germany (Frankfurt), via South Africa (Johannesburg, via USA (New York)6
FranceMarseille, Paris, via Republic of Singapore (Singapore), via South Africa (Johannesburg, via USA (New York)5
GermanyBerlin, Frankfurt, via Republic of Singapore (Singapore), via USA (New York)4
LithuaniaSiauliai, Vilnius2
PortugalLeiria, via London (UK)2
SpainBarcelona, Madrid2
UkraineKyiv, Odessa2
United KingdomDonkey Town, Glasgow, London, via Republic of Singapore (Singapore), via South Africa (Johannesburg, via USA (New York)6
United States 47 states + D.C.57
Other countries1 VPN location for each country and territory208
HMA locationsTotal297

When it comes to security and privacy, HMA utilizes AES-256-GCM military-grade encryption together with the OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols. This encryption can’t be cracked even with brute-force attacks using the most advanced computers.

Consequently, you should rest assured that it will keep those trying to pry into your online affairs at bay, whether it be your ISP, advertisers, trackers, governments, or hackers.

Besides, HMA includes a Kill SwitchSplit TunnelingIP Shuffle (picks different IPs randomly when you’re connected to the VPN), streaming and P2P servers, and a Speed Test that will help you connect to the fastest locations.

More about HMA:

  • Audited no-log VPN
  • Five to ten simultaneous connections (depending on the plan)
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Support via knowledge base or email
  • Seven-day free trial across all devices

Wrap Up

If you didn’t know which is the best value-for-money VPN for the UK, hopefully, we were able to help.

Ultimately, if you choose a provider from the ten suggestions discussed above, you’ll also enjoy fast speeds, strong security, and advanced features.

Let us know which worked best for you in the comments!

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