How to Download a VPN in 3 Easy Steps

VPN shield on a laptop with a download symbol

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN software encrypts your internet traffic and sends your data to an external server via a secure connection. From there, the data travels onto the internet. During this journey, the visible IP address changes. This means that the IP address that’s visible when online is different from the IP address at your location. As a result, your internet traffic is secure and anonymized.

Are you interested in using the internet in a safer manner and being more anonymous when online? Have you been thinking about downloading a VPN? The first step is to choose a reliable VPN provider. This article will help you when you’re making that decision. We’ll discuss some excellent VPN providers and look at both free and paid VPNs.

Next, it’s just a matter of downloading the software from the chosen provider. You can do this through the official website of your preferred VPN provider. Not only can you download a VPN for your laptop or computer, but it’s also possible to download a VPN for your smartphone. In this article, we’ll give you some handy tips and instructions to find the right VPN for you, and how to download it.

Download a VPN for Free in 3 Steps

Do you want to get started quickly? Follow the steps below to download a VPN.

  1. Choose a reliable VPN provider.
  2. Go to the official website of your preferred VPN provider. Make sure you always use the right website to avoid accidentally downloading a dangerous cracked VPN.
  3. Download the VPN app. After downloading the VPN, you only need to activate the app to be able to surf freely, securely and anonymously online.

Choose a Reliable VPN Provider

Before downloading a VPN, it’s important to find out which VPN is best for you. You can include determining factors such as safety, speed, ease of use, value for money, and anonymous purchase options. There are a number of reliable VPN providers that we can recommend in total confidence. First, we’ll discuss four of our favorite premium VPN providers. Then, we will check out a decent free VPN provider.

Download the ExpressVPN Software for Free

In our opinion, ExpressVPN is the best VPN available right now. This VPN provider offers stable connections and is very suitable for anonymous and safe online surfing. In addition, ExpressVPN makes downloading and streaming content a breeze. ExpressVPN is also very easy to use and has a reliable money-back guarantee.

Furthermore, this provider does not log any data that could unveil your browsing history. Therefore, ExpressVPN is a good choice if you value your privacy and anonymity. The only downside is the price, which is slightly higher in comparison with other VPN providers. However, you get a lot in return. ExpressVPN offers you the best quality.

You can download ExpressVPN apps from their official website in three easy steps:

ExpressVPN-download

You can download ExpressVPN on your computer and other devices, including Android. A VPN for Android has many advantages. Just like on a computer, all your online traffic is protected at once. This gives you more privacy.

ExpressVPN’s VPN app for Android can be downloaded in four easy steps:

  1. Sign up for an ExpressVPN subscription through the official website.
  2. Download and install the VPN app for Android on your phone or tablet.
  3. Connect to one of their servers. Choose an appropriate server location depending on what you want to do online. For example, you can choose an American server to watch the American version of Netflix.
  4. Turn on VPN and surf the internet freely, securely and anonymously.

You can download ExpressVPN for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux devices. With one subscription, you will be able to connect five supported devices simultaneously. You can install the app on as many devices as you want.

ExpressVPN
Deal:
Great discount on annual subscription + 30-day money-back guarantee!
From
$6.67
8.9
  • Very easy to use VPN
  • Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e. Netflix)
  • 3000+ servers in 94 countries
Visit ExpressVPN

Download the NordVPN Software for Free

NordVPN is a very fast and secure VPN. If your online privacy is important to you, this reliable VPN provider will suit you very well. NordVPN has an excellent reputation with regards to security and an extensive server network. In addition, NordVPN is very user-friendly and therefore suitable for novice VPN users. If you’d like to, you can even use NordVPN’s money-back guarantee to use the service for free for a couple of weeks.

You can download the various software versions for different operating systems and devices via your account page. Next, all you need to do is log on. In the app store, you will find the NordVPN app for tablets and mobile devices.

nordvpn_download_all-devices

NordVPN
Our pick
Our pick
Deal:
Only $3.29 a month for a two-year subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
From
$3.29
9.3
  • Excellent protection and a large network of servers
  • Nice and pleasing application
  • No logs
Visit NordVPN

Download Surfshark

Surfshark is another good and affordable VPN service. Furthermore, the VPN service is very fast, and you can choose from a wide range of servers in various countries. This VPN is also very easy to use. In addition, we have nothing but good things to say about Surfshark’s security.

The VPN provider does not keep any data logs. In addition, Surfshark works very well with the American version of Netflix. It is also possible to download torrents with this VPN. The low price and its user-friendliness make Surfshark an excellent VPN.

Not sure yet? You can try Surfshark obligation-free for 30 days, as Surfshark offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

Surfshark can be downloaded from their official website, and they have versions available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux devices. In the ‘My Account’ section you will find different buttons to download software for the various devices and operating systems.

Surfshark Screenshot Account Pagina

Do you want to download Surfshark VPN on your Android phone? This can be done in a few steps. On mobile devices you can find the Surfshark VPN app in the App Store or on Google Play.

Do you want to download this VPN on your Mac or on your PC? Then go to the official Surfshark website and click on the corresponding icon to download Surfshark’s software:

Surfshark
Deal:
Safe and anonymous internet for only $2.30a month
From
$2.30
9.0
  • Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
  • 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
  • Cheap with many extra options
Visit Surfshark

Download CyberGhost for Free

CyberGhost is known for its user-friendliness. This makes this VPN an ideal choice for novice VPN users. We are also pleased with the speed of CyberGhost’s VPN service. With a fast VPN you can enjoy all the benefits of a VPN, without experiencing delays and buffering issues while surfing the internet.

Another positive point is the security this VPN provider offers. CyberGhost has taken various measures to protect user data.

You can download this VPN for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux. For your laptop or PC, download the VPN software from the CyberGhost website.

CyberGhost Windows

Would you rather download the VPN for your tablet or smartphone? Then go to the App Store or Google Play and download the official app.

CyberGhost
Deal:
Try CyberGhost for $2.15 per month!
From
$2.29
8.8
  • Very user-friendly
  • High quality for a low price
  • Torrents and Netflix possible
Visit CyberGhost

Download a Free VPN

If you want to download a free VPN, it is very important to be choosy. Many free VPNs are not secure and come with data or speed limits. Fortunately, not all free VPNs have these limitations. There are a number of reliable options that we can recommend. Below we discuss a reliable, free VPN.

Download ProtonVPN for Free

ProtonVPN is one of our favorite free VPN providers. The biggest advantage of using ProtonVPN is that there is no data limit. Unfortunately, however, the number of servers you can access for free is very limited. This means that if a large number of ProtonVPN users are online and using the same free servers, the speed can drop significantly. A bonus of ProtonVPN is their good security.

You can download the free version of ProtonVPN via their official website. You can download ProtonVPN for Windows and Linux.

protonvpnfree_download_windowsenmac protonvpnfree_desktop-min

ProtonVPN is not only available for your computer or laptop. They also have a mobile version to encrypt and anonymize your internet activities. You can download ProtonVPN for Android and iOS.

protonvpnfree_mobile-min

ProtonVPN Free
From
$0.00
7.0
  • Free servers in the Netherlands, Japan and the US
  • No datalimit
  • Servers often slow and crowded
Visit ProtonVPN Free

Conclusion: Download a VPN for Free

Downloading a VPN is very easy. With a VPN, your internet traffic is secured in no time. Of course, it all starts with choosing a reliable VPN. In our opinion, ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost are the best options. Below you will find the links to download these VPNs:

All these providers score well on speed and safety. In addition, all these providers have excellent Android software and can be downloaded both on a computer and on your smartphone. Instead of a paid VPN you can also use free versions. While many free VPNs are not sufficiently secure, there are some good options. We are very pleased with the free version of ProtonVPN, for example.

IT communication specialist
Sandra has many years of experience in the IT and tech sector as a communication specialist. She's also been co-director of a company specializing in IT, editorial services and communications project management. For VPNoverview.com she follows relevant cybercrime and online privacy developments. She rigorously tests the quality of VPN services using VPNOverview.com's dedicated VPN testing protocol that has been finetuned and optimized over the years.