Overview
- Jump To Details
TunnelBear VPN
Best for First-Time VPN Users - Jump To Details
NordVPN
Best Premium VPN - Jump To Details
CyberGhost VPN
Best for World Travelers - Jump To Details
Surfshark VPN
Best for Protecting Many Devices - Jump To Details
Proton VPN
Best Free VPN and Highest Rated Overall - Jump To Details
HMA VPN
Best for Global Server Options - Jump To Details
Mullvad VPN
Best for the Privacy Conscious - Jump To Details
Mozilla VPN
Best for Open-Source Enthusiasts - Jump To Details
ExpressVPN
Best for Frequent Travelers - Jump To Details
IVPN
Best for Flexible Subscriptions
For those of us who grew up just a short drive from the Ambassador Bridge to Windsor, Ontario, Canada has an outsized place in our formative years. We visited crossed the border to eat at Tim Hortons before it took over American markets. We pointed our TV antennas just so, to pick up Canadian channels. We're grateful we can now repay that nation for all it has given to us with this list of the best VPNs for Canada.
Read on for our top picks, followed by everything you need to know about choosing a VPN in Canada.
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
TunnelBear VPN
Best for First-Time VPN UsersWhy We Picked It
If you're dismissing TunnelBear VPN because of its majestic bears, you are making a mistake. TunnelBear VPN is a simple but powerful service, and one that doesn't cut corners on privacy—it has released annual audits for years and has one of the best privacy policies in the industry. TunnelBear VPN also offers the rare truly free subscription option, although you will be limited to 500MB-1.5GB of data per month.
Unfortunately, TunnelBear VPN doesn't disclose how many servers it has in different locations, so we don't know how it compares. That said, the company has been growing and upgrading its infrastructure for years. We put it at the top of our list to acknowledge its Canadian roots and highlight a truly local option.
Who It's For
TunnelBear VPN is a very straightforward product, and its whimsical design makes it easily approachable for first-time VPN users. Its free version also means you can try it without risk and ensure it will work for exactly what you need. The company recently removed restrictions on the number of simultaneous connections, making it a good choice for families or anyone with numerous devices.
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Excellent privacy policies
- Annual independent audits
- Friendly, approachable design (with bears!)
Cons
- No multi-hop connections
- Split tunneling not available on all platforms
- Data limit on free subscription
Learn MoreTunnelBear VPN ReviewNordVPN
Best Premium VPNWhy We Picked It
NordVPN has everything we want to see in an excellent VPN. It supports split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to Tor via VPN. Its apps let you easily access specific servers across the globe so you can find the perfect one to meet your needs. NordVPN has also rolled out unique new features, now letting you route traffic through your other devices.
NordVPN has a very large presence in Canada, with over 480 servers across Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Who It's For
NordVPN does it all, but it's not cheap. That said, it provides a consistent and full-featured experience across every platform. It also had excellent scores across the board in our speed testing. It could easily be picked up by someone new to VPNs, but has tools and features to satisfy the experienced customer.
Pros
- Multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
- Excellent design
- Traffic routing and file-sharing with Meshnet
- Built-in antivirus tools
Cons
- Expensive
- Lackluster malware-blocking results
- Limited utility of free Meshnet traffic routing
Learn MoreNordVPN ReviewCyberGhost VPN
Best for World TravelersWhy We Picked It
More servers necessarily means better performance, but because it means more opportunities for you to find a server that works for what you need. CyberGhost VPN might have the largest global server network, numbering over 9,500 machines. In Canada, CyberGhost VPN offers 480 servers—296 in Montreal, 92 in Toronto, and 92 in Vancouver.
Who It's For
CyberGhost VPN is tied with NordVPN and Hotspot Shield VPN for the highest monthly cost for a VPN, so you'll probably need to make space in your budget for this one. That might be worthwhile if you plan on traveling frequently or need to spoof your location, since CyberGhost VPN certainly has the tools for doing so.
Pros
- Large, well-distributed server fleet
- Allows up to seven simultaneous connections
- Several add-ons, including antivirus
- Outstanding speed test scores
- Newly completed third-party audit
Cons
- Expensive
- Confusing privacy policies
Learn MoreCyberGhost VPN ReviewSurfshark VPN
Best for Protecting Many DevicesWhy We Picked It
Surfshark VPN is a super slick product with stylish flourishes across its apps, but it also has features that go beyond VPN protection, such as split tunneling and multi-hop connections. New tools like automatic IP rotation shows that this company is continuing to iterate and grow.
In Canada, Surfshark VPN boasts 126 servers across Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Who It's For
Surfshark VPN is among the most expensive VPNs on the market, but helps to offset that cost with an excellent user experience and set of features. It also places no limit on the number of simultaneous connections, making it a good choice for device-heavy households.
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Large global server presence
- Multi-hop and split tunneling tools
- Intriguing potential in Surfshark Nexus
Cons
- High monthly price
- Some issues with IP rotator feature in testing
- Privacy policy needs clarification
Learn MoreSurfshark VPN ReviewProton VPN
Best Free VPN and Highest Rated OverallWhy We Picked It
Proton VPN is our highest-rated VPN for good reason. It offers split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to the Tor network via VPN, and fits all that into a straightforward app that also lets you select specific servers. Best of all: Proton VPN offers the best free VPN subscription we've yet seen, and places no data limit on its free users.
In Canada, Proton VPN has 116 servers: 56 in Montreal, 28 in Toronto, and 32 in Vancouver. It also offers multi-hop connections to Canada via Iceland and Switzerland.
Who It's For
Proton VPN has a slightly above-average price, but makes up for it with an overall excellent experience across platforms. It racked up excellent results in our speed testing, too. Users will also get access to the large Proton suite of tools: secure email, calendar, and cloud file storage that puts privacy first.
If you're intrigued by Proton VPN's free offering, know that only paying customers can access its Canadian servers.
Pros
- The best free VPN subscription
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent speed test scores
Cons
- Awkward ChromeOS implementation
Learn MoreProton VPN ReviewHMA VPN
Best for Global Server OptionsWhy We Picked It
HMA VPN boasts servers in 190 countries—far more than any competitor and nearly four times the average we've seen. The company accomplishes this with numerous servers configured to appear in different countries called virtual locations, however, which may be an issue for some. That's not an issue for its 57 Canadian servers, however. The company says it has 9 servers in Montreal, 35 in Toronto, and 13 in Vancouver.
Who It's For
Like TunnelBear VPN, HMA VPN has a lot of character and a charming interface. It also boasts rarely seen features, like automatic IP rotation, and has worked to improve its privacy practices. Unlike other VPNs, HMA VPN shirks a monthly subscription fee, so be prepared to spend more upfront.
Pros
- Friendly, simple interface
- Exceptional upload speed test results
- Wide global distribution of servers
- Handy IP shuffler
Cons
- Lacks multi-hop connections and split tunneling on some platforms
- Middling total server count
- Bare-bones iOS version
Learn MoreHMA VPN ReviewMullvad VPN
Best for the Privacy ConsciousWhy We Picked It
In the name of privacy, Mullvad VPN shirks both automatic recurring subscription payments and logins. Instead, you pay money periodically to activate an anonymous account number that serves as both password and username. Mullvad VPN is also one of only two VPNs we've reviewed that let you make anonymous payments via cash mailed to its HQ.
Mullvad VPN has 26 servers in Canada: 7 in Montreal, 13 in Toronto, 4 in Vancouver, and 2 in Calgary.
Who It's For
Mullvad VPN is for the privacy-conscious shopper, but its low price also makes it attractive. For just 5 euros per month, you get a full-fledged VPN with split tunneling and multi-hop connections. Its apps leave a little to be desired, but they're perfectly usable.
Pros
- Affordable
- Requires no email or account information
- Radically transparent
- Multi-hop, split tunneling, and port forwarding
Cons
- Awkward desktop interface
- Servers in a small range of countries
- Pay-as-you-go system may confuse some customers
Learn MoreMullvad VPN ReviewMozilla VPN
Best for Open-Source EnthusiastsWhy We Picked It
Paid services like its VPN help the non-profit Mozilla avoid the capitalist pressures other companies are subjected to, and its status as a champion of the open internet doesn't hurt either. Smartly, Mozilla partnered with Mullvad VPN, which operates Mozilla VPN's underlying infrastructure. With a simple, snazzy design, this VPN has advanced features like split tunneling and multi-hop connections.
Mozilla VPN provides access to Mullvad VPN's Canadian servers. That means 7 servers in Montreal, 13 in Toronto, 4 in Vancouver, and 2 in Calgary.
Who It's For
Mullvad VPN has additional privacy protections and costs less than Mozilla VPN, but that extra money will go toward a good cause. Mozilla VPN also requires a Firefox account, which many Firefox users will already have, making it a little easier to get started.
Pros
- Helps support nonprofit Mozilla
- Powered by privacy hawk Mullvad VPN
- Simple, classy design
- Multi-hop and split tunneling
Cons
- Few server locations
- Gathers some user information
- Expensive compared with Mullvad VPN
Learn MoreMozilla VPN ReviewExpressVPN
Best for Frequent TravelersWhy We Picked It
ExpressVPN offers split tunneling in its well-designed client and lets customers access a large collection of servers across the globe—including many regions ignored by other VPN companies. It also lets you choose specific servers, making it easy to find the perfect one for any activity.
In Canada, ExpressVPN offers 5 servers: 1 in Montreal, 2 in Toronto, and 1 in Vancouver.
Who It's For
ExpressVPN is not cheap, so you may have to budget for it. But world travelers or anyone who needs to spoof their location with pin-point accuracy will make good use of ExpressVPN.
Pros
- Large, diversely distributed fleet of servers
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Split tunneling
- Stylish interface
Cons
- Expensive compared with VPNs with similar feature sets
- No multi-hop connections
Learn MoreExpressVPN ReviewIVPN
Best for Flexible SubscriptionsWhy We Picked It
Both IVPN and Mullvad VPN use a privacy-respecting account system that requires almost no personal information, both support split tunneling and multi-hop connections, and both accept cash payments sent to their HQs. IVPN is a little pricier than Mullvad VPN, but it offers one thing Mullvad VPN does not: flexible subscriptions ranging from one week to three years.
IVPN provides four servers in Canada, split evenly between Montreal and Toronto.
Who It's For
IVPN's flexible pricing plan makes it very attainable, and its privacy protections mean you can try it with little risk. It lacks Canadian servers on the country's west coast, which might make it impractical for anyone who lives in that area.
Pros
- Flexible, affordable pricing
- Powerful multi-hop system
- Privacy is baked into its account system
- Strong stance on transparency
Cons
- Offers few server locations
- Multi-hop and account ID features might confuse some
Learn MoreIVPN Review
Buying Guide: The Best VPNs for Canada in 2024
How We Picked the Best VPNs for Canada
This roundup is built with the assumption that customers are physically in Canada, so we ranked services based on their total server count within the country. With VPNs, you're more likely to get better performance if you connect to a server that's nearby, so more Canadian servers means more options for Canadians.
Keep in mind that every VPN we've tested has an extensive presence in the UK, US, and Canada, so you'll almost always find some representation. We started with our top-rated VPNs to ensure we had the best options on the list. One notable exception was exchanging Private Internet Access for HMA VPN because the latter has an impressively large worldwide server collection.
At the top of the list, we placed TunnelBear VPN, but not because of its server count. In fact, the company does not disclose the number of servers it has in any country. We gave it preference because it's a Canadian company—and an excellent service in its own right. The other services on this list operate under different legal jurisdictions, which may be an important point for some users.
Canada is an especially large country, stretching (like the US) from sea to shining sea. That can present a problem for VPN users because the farther you are from the VPN server, the more likely you are to experience internet slowdowns. At the very least, you'll probably see greatly increased latency.
More servers don't necessarily solve this problem, but more server locations might. Much of that, of course, will depend on where you are in relation to those servers. Companies with VPN servers on both the east and west coasts of Canada are more likely to provide lower latency service than companies with just one location.
At PCMag, we test VPN speeds from our offices in New York City, using only US-based VPN servers. In this location, we enjoy above-average quality of service for VPNs. That means our test results won't match those of someone in the US in a less populous region, and especially not another country—even a close neighbor like Canada.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, all of PCMag has been working from home since mid-March, 2020. With only limited access to the PCMag Labs, we have adjusted our testing methodology. We now provide new speed test data on a rolling basis that is updated throughout the year. Our latest results are in the table below.
Do You Need a VPN in Canada?
Canada doesn't have many of the issues found in other popular VPN locales. Unlike the US, it's our understanding that Canadian ISPs cannot sell your data without express consent. Unlike China, Canada doesn't have a massive internet surveillance and censorship machine. So is a VPN of any use in Canada?
This isn't to say surveillance doesn't exist in Canada—it's a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, after all. In 2017, the CBC reported that while Canadian ISPs can't sell your data, there are all sorts of ways for information to be harvested and used. That suggests VPNs may still be useful privacy tools in Canada. Furthermore, online advertisers are everywhere, and you can use a VPN to blunt their attempts at tracking your online movements as well.
How to Unblock Regional Content in Canada
We view VPNs as privacy tools, but most people probably use them to access region-locked content online. If there's a movie or show available in country X and not where you live, just tunnel into a VPN server in country X and enjoy.
In practice, it's much more complicated. Netflix, for instance, aggressively blocks VPNs, and other streaming platforms likely have a similar stance. VPNs are frequently tweaking their products to sneak by gatekeepers, in an endless streaming cat-and-mouse game. The upshot is that a VPN that works with your streaming platform of choice today may not do so tomorrow.
We periodically evaluate VPN services' ability to let us access Canadian Netflix. In our 2021 evaluation, just three services worked successfully: ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark VPN.
Tips for Choosing a VPN in Canada
Before laying down your hard-earned loonies, here are two things to keep in mind when you're choosing a VPN:
First, you will always save money by opting for a longer subscription. However, we caution against this—at least initially. Instead, use a free VPN subscription or short-term subscription to test out a VPN in your home environment. That way, you can find out whether it will work with all the sites and services you need and get a feel for its performance hands-on. If you like what you see, you can always upgrade to a long-term subscription.
Second, while a VPN is a useful tool for improving your privacy online, it can't protect against every ill. To really anonymize your traffic, you'll need Tor, but using it will impact your internet speeds far more than a VPN. Also, advertisers and spooks have numerous tools for monitoring online activity and not all of them are stopped by VPNs.
Just because you're using a VPN doesn't mean you can slack on security in other areas either. Be sure to use a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for every site and service you use, enable multi-factor authentication wherever it's available, and install local antivirus software.
Ultimately, anyone looking for a VPN with a strong presence in Canada is lucky. After the US and UK, it's one of the most popular regions for VPN providers to focus their efforts. Canadians are also fortunate the need for a VPN is arguably less crucial than it is in many other countries, but there are still privacy gains to be had by using one. If you can't decide whether you need a VPN, our piece explaining what a VPN is, and why you need one can help you decide.
(Editors’ Note: While they may not appear in this story, IPVanish, and StrongVPN are owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.)
