No matter where you are in the world, it could be the comfort of your own home or a coffee shop in Vancouver, you need a great VPN to protect your devices. It’s worth knowing however that there are some countries in the world where your personal information is at a higher risk of being accessed than others. Canada is unfortunately one of these countries, its government is notorious for internet surveillance and the country is a member of the Five Eyes alliance. The only way you can truly keep your data safe here is with the best VPN for Canada.
Security is going to be top priority when it comes to the VPN you use in Canada. We’d advise keeping a look out for providers with reputable independent audits, that are ideally not based in Canada or any other country that’s a part of the Five Eyes alliance. A no logs policy is essential, and the more impressive the security credentials, the better the VPN is for Canada.
The best VPN for Canada at a glance:
• The best VPN for Canada: ExpressVPN - View on ExpressVPN
• The safest VPN for Canada : NordVPN - View on NordVPN
• The best value VPN for Canada: Surfshark - View on Surfshark
Whether you’re a Canadian resident or you’re just visiting, you should not pass up on the chance to keep your online data secure. The risk of cybercrimes is at an all-time high, and visiting a country in the Five Eyes alliance without the protection of a VPN is a huge danger. With a secure Virtual Private Network, you can put your mind at ease with the knowledge that your online presence is encrypted.
The providers in our ranking are the best of the best in fulfilling what a VPN should dofrom a privacy standpoint. They’re well tested in the public eye, and they truly have the best interests of their customers in mind.
About our expertise
At What’s The Best, we live and breathe technology. Among our team of tech experts, we have pretty much every base covered - from televisions and speakers to cameras and smartphones.
To say we spend a lot of time on the internet is a bit of an understatement, and most of the time, we’re using a VPN. Whether for work or recreation, we’re regularly connecting to VPN servers near and far.
It’s by collecting this shared knowledge, experience, and passion, that we are able to select the best VPNs for you. We trust each of our picks implicitly - in fact, many of them we use ourselves. That's because at What’s The Best, if we wouldn’t buy it ourselves, we don’t recommend it. Simple.
Please note: All prices are correct at time of writing. VPN deals and savings are subject to change at short notice.
The best VPN for Canada
go.expressvpn.com
ExpressVPN is a VPN provider with a strong a presence in every corner of the globe. Canada is a country that has a big place in ExpressVPN’s operations. With servers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver you’ll have no trouble with connectivity on Express in Canada.
You’ll be hard pushed to find a slow ExpressVPN server across its coverage of over 3000. Express speeds more than satisfy they don’t deliver the highest peaks ever recorded, but they’re fast and they’re consistent. All that speed and ability are nothing without the sufficient security that you’ll need in a five eyes allied country like Canada. ExpressVPN has privacy credentials in abundance. The next-gen Lightway protocol exceeds any expectations, running a military-grade encryption.
All of Express’ apps are polished and refined, from desktop, to smartphone, to router. Should you have any trouble with service whatsoever, ExpressVPN has a five-star customer support system that runs around the clock.
Read our full ExpressVPN review.
Pros
- Excellent connection speeds
- Super-secure
- Polished app
Cons
- Other providers achieve higher peak speeds
| Servers | 3000+ |
| Simultaneous connections | 5 |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Indpenedent audits | Yes |
- "I've been using ExpressVPN for a few months, and I'm really impressed with it. It's more than lived up to the hype, and it's a powerhouse that doesn't scream and shout about what it does for your online security. It just sits in the background of my devices and does what needs to be done.
I love its unique, next-gen privacy encryption and vast server list. I can easily hop between servers in different countries, which is great for streaming content or browsing the web anonymously. The interface is also really easy to use.
Overall, I'm really happy with ExpressVPN. It's the best VPN I've used, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to protect their online privacy." Tried and tested by Jack Barrell, VPN writer for What's The Best.
The safest VPN for Canada
nordvpn.com
Premium privacy is essential as an internet user in Canada, and there aren’t many providers out there offering a service quite as secure as NordVPN. It’s hands down one of the most secure VPNs in the game, and it’s got all the credentials to back it up.
Nord’s double data encryption with Nordlynx and WireGuard is an obvious place to start. This is a no-nonsense encryption that far exceeds the ability of almost any other provider. Nord’s independently run audits are highly credible, so their no logs policy has some serious backbone.
They can’t offer a consistent experience across all operating systems though as unfortunate as that is. Privacy is always unmatched, but on Nord’s mobile and browser extensions the interface gets a little clunky.
Pros
- Powerful security
- Reputable no logs policy
- Impressive speeds
Cons
- Mobile apps and browser extensions are awkward
| Servers | 5709 |
| Unlimited simultaneous devices | 6 |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Independent audits | Yes |
- Customer review: "Been a huge fan of NordVPN for years. I've tried other top VPN companies and I will always trust and have a better experience with Nord."
The best value VPN for Canada
surfshark.com
Surfshark is that middle ground VPN, if you don’t want to spend the most for a premium brand but you don’t want to settle for a cheap provider with questionable efficiency. When it comes to value for money, no one is doing it quite like Surfshark.
Unlimited simultaneous connections is a good place to start when discussing the value of Surfshark. With no device limit, you get premium security paired with delightful speeds across most servers. Surfshark is one of the fastest providers around, hitting some pretty impressive peak speeds. While you may not get these on every server, it’s incredible on the ones you do.
For the concerns about surfing the web in Canada, Surfshark boasts a well credited no logs policy. They run annual independent audits that guarantee that noting is stored in any sense. Features are pretty plentiful too, just take into account that Surfshark’s kill switch has been said to be a little shaky when put under extreme pressure.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- High peak speeds
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
Cons
- Some slow servers
- Minor kill switch issues in extreme scenarios
| Servers | 3200 |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Independent audits | Yes |
- Customer review: "An excellent VPN that you hardly notice you're using- great protection and very little loss of speeds. At this price, why would you go without?"
The best Canada VPN for coverage
www.privateinternetaccess.com
If you’re in Canada and you want the protection of a VPN, but you want access to the most servers possible, PIA has you covered. 35,000 servers at the tap of a button is truly astonishing. This feat opens up so many possibilities form a VPN provider that is already a solid option for keeping your devices safe in Canada.
Streaming is a joy with Private internet Access, and that huge server list means you’re going to have access to what will feel like endless streaming catalogues. Users swear by PIA for its torrenting capabilities too.
We have to say PIA could be a struggle for the total VPN beginners, this is just down to the sheer amount of features thar are woven throughout the apps. What might be a beginner’s nightmare is surely an experts playground.
Pros
- 35,000 servers
- Well-tested kill switch
- Feature-packed
Cons
- Overwhelming for beginners
| Servers | 35,000 |
| Simultaneous connections | Unlimited |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Independent audits | Yes |
- Customer review: "I've been a long time user of Private Internet Access and I will always choose them above other VPNs."
The best VPN for Canada with a free trial
protonvpn.com
A powerful Virtual Private Network for those who maybe don’t want to commit to a paid plan. We’ve got plenty of good things to say about Proton as it is, but here we have to highlight just how brilliant its free version could be for someone in Canada.
This is a high-powered VPN, that goes for security and speed. Neither of which are restricted or limited for the free version. There’s no free VPN or free version of any provider that delivers a zero-cost experience like Proton does.
It’s a good job it’s free, because if you run into any difficulty with the app the customer support centre isn’t anything to write home about yet.
Pros
- Comprehensive free plan
- Excellent security and speed features
- Solid apps
Cons
- Lacks 24/7 live support
| Servers | 1720 |
| Simultaneous connections | 10 |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Independent audits | Yes |
- Customer review: "Stunning. The best part is no ads on the free version. 3 servers super fast for free. It's just an amazing, super fast VPN."
Glossary of terms
VPN – Virtual Private Network
Encryption – The method in which your data is converted into code to prevent unauthorised access
Kill switch - When internet connection is lost, it’s a feature that kills any internet connection until a secure VPN link can be attained once more
What is Five Eyes?
The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was formed in 1946 and is the world's most extensive intelligence sharing arrangement. The alliance has been instrumental in gathering intelligence on a wide range of threats, including terrorism, cyberwarfare, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. However, it has also been criticized for its secrecy and for its potential to violate the privacy of individuals.
The name "Five Eyes" comes from the security classification of intelligence documents shared between these countries: "SECRET—AUS/CAN/NZ/UK/US EYES ONLY."
There are select countries that aren't Five Eyes members where a VPN is still very important, this can be down to privacy laws unique to these nations. For example, you'll need a capable VPN for India. Likewise, you'll need a reliable provider for China.
Are VPNs legal in Canada?
Yes, VPNs are completely legal in Canada in its entirety, and we’d strongly recommend you use one there. The only thing that would make using a Virtual Private Network in Canada illegal is if you acted illegally and used to VPN to hide your activity. This is something we’d firmly advise against.
Best free VPN for Canada
There are quite a few free VPNs you can use in Canada, but one we’d urge you to use is the free version of ProtonVPN. This free plan is very generous in comparison to other free providers, where most are limiting in data usage and bandwidth, Proton offers an experience that nearly rivals its paid plans.
Why is a VPN important?
A VPN is the only thing that can keep your personal information from being accessed online. By creating a tunnel through the ordinary flow of internet traffic, all of your online data including your presence, is encrypted.
Jack Barrell is the Commercial Content Writer for VPNs. He's hands-on when it comes to producing best-of articles, how-to guides, and product reviews for Virtual Private Networks. On his off-days, Jack can be found in the gym, at the movies, or flicking through a car mag.