Best VPN Services for International Travel: A Guide with Selection Criteria

When selecting a VPN for international travel, prioritize these key factors: “Opt for a Paid VPN Over a Free One”, “Prioritize High Internet Connection Speed”, “Access to Sites and Services from Your Home Country”,“Prompt 24/7 Support”, and “User-Friendly Interface”.

Benefits of using a VPN when Traveling Abroad

There are several advantages to using a VPN when you’re traveling overseas:

• Access to Websites and Services from Your Home Country: When you’re abroad, access to certain sites and services from your home country might be restricted. This could be due to copyright constraints, or because some countries, like China, impose restrictions on accessing foreign sites. By connecting to a VPN server located in your home country, you can bypass these restrictions and access content as if you were back home.
• Secure Use of Free Wi-Fi: VPNs provide an added layer of security when using public Wi-Fi networks. The reliability of free Wi-Fi in cafes, train stations, and other locations abroad can be questionable. If the network isn’t secure, your data could be vulnerable to snooping or, in worse cases, theft of personal and payment information. By using a VPN, your data is encrypted between your device and the VPN server, greatly reducing the risk of external threats.

5 Points to Consider When Choosing a VPN for International Travel

There are five key factors that should be considered when choosing a VPN for international travel.

Opt for a Paid VPN Over a Free One

While some VPNs offer complimentary services, it’s advisable to choose a paid VPN. Here’s why:

• Lower Security and Privacy Standards
• Annoying Advertisements
• Restrictions on Speed and Capacity
• Limited Server Options
• Potential Lack of Trustworthiness

The reliability and transparency of some free VPN providers can be questionable. For instance, a Hong Kong-based free VPN service once leaked personal data and logs of 20 million users. (Reference: VPN Mentor)

While some free VPNs might offer decent communication speeds, their potential security flaws should not be ignored. Given that operating a VPN involves costs, offering services for free often leads to compromises, raising concerns about how they might monetize user data. To ensure a secure and uninterrupted experience, especially when traveling, it’s best to opt for a reliable paid VPN. Many of the paid VPNs we recommend offer trial periods, allowing you to use them during your trip and cancel afterward if you choose.

Free VPN vs. Paid VPN: Making the Right Choice for Your Security

Prioritize High Internet Connection Speed

A stable and fast internet connection speed is crucial for a seamless VPN experience. A slow connection, despite your efforts to connect through a VPN, can be immensely frustrating. Therefore, always opt for a VPN service known for its excellent internet connection speeds.

Access to Sites and Services from Your Home Country

One of the primary reasons for using a VPN while traveling is to access content from your home country smoothly. Therefore, it’s crucial to select a VPN that ensures uninterrupted access to sites and services from your homeland. Two main criteria should be fulfilled:

• The VPN should not be blocked in your travel destination.
• The VPN should not be blocked by service providers from your home country.

If you’re traveling to countries with strict VPN regulations, like China, the first criterion becomes especially significant. Furthermore, some service providers actively block VPN connections. To navigate around these obstacles, it’s wise to opt for a VPN service with a longstanding successful history or significant market popularity. Their enduring presence and widespread recognition attest to their reliability as VPN providers.

Seek Prompt 24/7 Support

Choosing a VPN with quick and responsive support is crucial. If issues arise, having immediate assistance ensures they don’t disrupt your trip. Given potential time zone differences when traveling, a VPN with 24/7 support becomes even more essential.

Choose a User-Friendly Interface

The usability of a VPN application matters. Some VPNs might be clunky or slow to connect. While ease of use might seem minor, it’s a key factor that can greatly influence your overall experience.

The Best VPN Services for International Travel

Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.

The key points are compared as follows:

	ExpressVPN	NordVPN	SurfShark
Internet Connection Speed	Ultra-fast	fast	fast
Popularity	No.2	No.1	No.5
24/7 customer support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Easy to Use	Good	Good	Good
Countries and servers	105/3,000+	60/5,800	100/3,200+
Money-back Guarantee	30 days	30 days	30 days
Monthly Price (12-Months-plan)	$6.67	$4.99	$3.99

All services offer 24-hour support and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Detailed explanations of each service are provided below.

ExpressVPN: Ultra-fast Internet Speeds

Prices	1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	105
Servers	3,000+
Maximum devices supported	8

ExpressVPN has some of the fastest internet speeds of the VPNs we have used. ExpressVPN is consistently found by review sites to be one of the fastest VPNs. Furthermore, they have more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries, so you have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. We have confirmed that you can even connect to servers in China, where restrictions are strong.

After you’ve registered with ExpressVPN, you can use it to easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.

▼Official Site▼

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

NordVPN: The Ultimate Balance or Price and Internet Speed

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	60
Servers	5,800+
Maximum devices supported	6

NordVPN has established itself as a leading VPN service, offering an excellent balance of price, internet speed, server coverage, and global reach. As a result, NordVPN has gained the largest market share worldwide. It consistently receives positive reviews from top experts in the industry. With a vast network of over 5,800 servers across 60 countries, NordVPN provides a wide range of options for changing your IP address to various locations. NordVPN prioritizes user privacy with a secure no-logs policy, along with additional features such as a kill switch and 24/7 customer support.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using NordVPN just by downloading their app.

▼Official Site▼

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

Sufshark: Impressive Performance with a Lower Price

Prices (standard plan)	1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month
Money-back Guarantee	30 days
Countries	100
Servers	3,200+
Maximum devices supported	Unlimited

Surfshark, established in 2018, has quickly gained a strong reputation and popularity worldwide despite being a relatively new service. While it may have some occasional delays in connecting and slightly weaker region-blocking capabilities compared to ExpressVPN and NordVPN, it offers significant advantages. By opting for the 24-month plan, you can obtain Surfshark at a much lower price than ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Additionally, Surfshark provides unlimited simultaneous connections, allowing you and your family to connect and use all your devices simultaneously. With over 3,200 servers in 99 countries, Surfshark offers a wide range of options. It also boasts a private and secure no-logs policy, a kill switch, and 24/7 customer support.

After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using Surfshark by downloading their app.

▼Official Site▼

\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/

How to Connect and Use a VPN While Traveling Abroad

Below is a guide on how to connect to a VPN when traveling overseas, using ExpressVPN as an example:

STEP1. Register with ExpressVPN and Download and Launch the App

To register with ExpressVPN, click the “Get ExpressVPN” button as shown below. After the price plan is shown, follow the instructions.

If you’re planning to use a VPN while traveling abroad, it’s advisable to install the VPN application in advance. In many countries, you can sign up for and install a VPN service on-the-go. However, in nations with strict internet regulations like China, accessing the official website of the VPN service becomes impossible once you’re within their borders. Additionally, if you access the service from a country with high taxes, you might incur additional charges. To prevent potential issues like “connection failures” or “installation errors” when abroad, it’s best to set up and test the VPN in your home country before departure.

STEP2. Connect to a Server in Your Home Country After Establishing an Internet Connection

Assume you reside in the United States and you’re traveling abroad, but wish to access a US-based website. First, establish an internet connection. Next, launch the ExpressVPN application and sign in. To connect to a US server, click “…” within the app and input “United States” into the search box. This will allow you to link up with a server based in the US.

Select a server and click the power icon in the middle. Now, you can connect to a server in the US.

STEP3. Navigate to the Desired Website

Now, access the website via the US server and choose the content you wish to view. By simply connecting to the VPN, you’ll be able to browse content as though you were back in your home country.

You need to access the website while connected to a server in the US, so that the website will treat you as if you are accessing it from the US.

FAQ

Conclusion

The benefits of using a VPN while traveling abroad include “Access to Websites and Services from Your Home Country” and “Secure Use of Free Wi-Fi.” In this article, we have provided some tips for choosing the right VPN and also recommended some reliable VPN services.