Zoom quickly became the go-to online chat software for a lot of companies and schools, who use it for video conferencing and online classes, respectively. Families and friends even rely on it to stay in touch with their loved ones. However, it’s riddled with privacy issues, and it doesn’t even use end-to-end encryption. In other words, it’s vulnerable to cyber-criminals and the like. On top of that, it’s not available in certain countries.
A VPN can do the trick here. Not only will it add layers of security and privacy, but it will also let you use Zoom regardless of your location. Thing is, not all VPN providers are the same—one may work better for a specific software than another, for instance.
At that, there are plenty of factors to consider to find the best VPN for Zoom. One you can’t go wrong with is ExpressVPN. It has a solid track record in terms of connection speed and reliability, as well as security. There are other alternatives worth taking a look at, though. CyberGhost VPN is the perfect pick if you’re on a budget, while NordVPN will fit the bill if you want airtight security. Last but not least, Surfshark has the basics down pat and offers extra features such as Whitelister.
With over 3,000 servers in 94 countries, ExpressVPN is a solid VPN service that can keep your data protected and help you bypass strict geo-blocks.
Contents
Best VPN for Zoom Comparison Chart
| Name | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | CyberGhost VPN | Surfshark |
| Â |  |  |  |  |
| Price | on ExpressVPN | on NordVPN | on CyberGhost | on Surfshark |
| Server Numbers | 3,000+ | 5,200+ | 6,400+ | 1,700+ |
| Server Locations | 94 Countries | 59 Countries | 90 Countries | 63 Countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | 5 | 6 | 7 | Unlimited |
| Ad Blocking | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | No | No | No | No |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days | 30 Days | 45 Days | 30 Days |
Connection
All four VPN providers offer a lot of connection options because of their high number of servers and locations.
It isn’t a stretch to say that ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Zoom. For starters, it has more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries, meaning there’s no shortage of connection choices. It provides excellent speeds that’s more or less at the same rate as your normal connection in short distances. It doesn’t fall behind in long distances either, as speeds in this case are only slightly slower.
Both CyberGhost VPN and NordVPN have comparable performance to ExpressVPN. They even boast more servers to boot. Surfshark kind of lags behind in numbers (but not in speed, mind you). One thing that it offers that the others don’t is unlimited simultaneous connections, which is a huge plus.
In summary, there’s a good chance you won’t experience any stuttering or hiccups during a Zoom call on these VPNs.
Ease of Use
An intuitive interface goes a long way for beginners.
Providing tutorials and guides and 24/7 live chat support are par for the course for VPN services. None of the four fall short in that regard. However, CyberGhost VPN stands out from the pack because of how simple its client is to use. This is especially important if you’ve only ever heard about VPNs because of Zoom’s security issues.
In short, you can always get a helping hand from these VPN providers’ customer support. It’s just more likely that you won’t need to on CyberGhost VPN.
Boasting more than 5200 servers in 59 countries, NordVPN is among the fastest and most reliable VPN services in the market today.
Security
When it comes to security protocols, all four VPNs have the staples covered.
If you’re paranoid about online safety, NordVPN is probably your best bet. It has a history of providing top-notch security and privacy. To top it all off, it even has Double VPN that encrypts your connection twice. Surfshark has something similar called MultiHop that lets you connect to two separate servers at the same time.
It goes without saying that all four VPN services use the usual security protocols. The list includes 256-AES encryption, IKEv2, and OpenVPN, to name three. Each one also maintains a “no-logs” policy, meaning they don’t collect or monitor info like traffic data and browsing activity. That’s a standard for reputable providers, in case that wasn’t clear.
At any rate, you’re going to need these if you want to stay secure on Zoom.
Streaming Services
A bit of binge-watching here and there won’t hurt.
Sure, this comparison is to figure out which is the best VPN for Zoom, but that doesn’t mean you should eschew VPNs’ ability to unblock geolocked content. All work and no play can make anyone dull, after all.
That said, all of them can unlock Netflix, Hulu, and a variety of other streaming services. However, Surfshark has the upper hand here—if you’re primarily a Netflix user, that is. That’s because it can open up the most Netflix libraries out of the four.
Still, your viewing options will increase regardless of which one you subscribe to.
Verdict
ExpressVPN offers a well-rounded experience on all fronts, while NordVPN ups the ante on security.
It wasn’t an easy decision, but we’ll have to go with ExpressVPN. It can just get the job done and compensates for what Zoom lacks in terms of security. Speaking of, NordVPN is the second best pick here. Considering its security features, you won’t have to worry too much about Zoom’s privacy issues on it (but don’t get too complacent).
Meanwhile, CyberGhost VPN and Surfshark are just the thing if you’re on a tight budget. The two are some of the most affordable VPN services around. Not to mention that CyberGhost VPN even offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. Also, just because they’re among the cheapest doesn’t mean they aren’t secure or anything like that. In other words, you can also have peace of mind using Zoom on either of the two.
FAQs
Technically, you don’t. However, if you want to reduce the risk of your Zoom calls getting hacked by cyber-criminals, a VPN is necessary since Zoom doesn’t have end-to-end encryption.
Our top recommended VPNs for Zoom are ExpressVPN and NordVPN. To find out why, check out our comparison chart above.
Yes, especially if you want to ensure security and privacy. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are among the best VPNs to use with Zoom as they’ve proven reliable in terms of speed and security.
In the summer of 2020, Zoom announced that it will stop offering its services to users from Mainland China (Source: CNBC)
