When you work remotely, a VPN isn't optional—it's business insurance. Public WiFi in coffee shops, airport lounges, and Airbnbs is a security nightmare. I spent the last six months testing NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN, and Private Internet Access while living as a digital nomad. Here's what I learned.
Quick Verdict
For most remote workers, NordVPN hits the sweet spot of price, performance, and reliability. If budget is no object, ExpressVPN offers the smoothest experience. If you need to cover a whole household on one plan, Surfshark's unlimited devices can't be beat.
What Remote Workers Actually Need
After 60+ hotel WiFi networks and too many coffee shops to count, I can tell you what matters:
Reliability > Speed You don't need 500Mbps for email, Slack, and Google Docs. You need a VPN that connects the first time, every time. Nothing kills productivity faster than fighting with your VPN instead of working.
Server Density Matters In popular digital nomad destinations (Bali, Medellín, Lisbon), VPN servers get crowded. The more servers a provider has in a country, the less likely you are to get "server at capacity" errors.
Customer Support is Critical When you're 12 time zones from home and your VPN won't connect, waiting 24 hours for an email response isn't an option. You need live chat that actually solves problems.
NordVPN: Best Overall for Remote Work
Why It Wins:
- 8,966+ servers in 179 countries (most in the industry)
- 10 simultaneous device connections
- $2.99/month on the 2-year plan
- 24/7 live chat that consistently answers in under 10 minutes
- 4 independent audits of their no-logs policy
The Good: One user put it perfectly: "Nord Just Works! it's rare to have an issue and when I did have one, I just reset it and it was good again."
I tested NordVPN from 12 countries and only had connection issues twice—both resolved by switching to a different server. The NordLynx protocol (WireGuard-based) consistently delivered 85-95Mbps on local servers, which is more than enough for 4K video calls and large file transfers.
The Not-So-Good: Streaming is reliable but occasionally requires server cycling. Netflix US worked on 3 out of 5 servers I tried. Not a dealbreaker, but ExpressVPN was more consistent here.
Best For: Remote workers who want maximum value. NordVPN gives you 90% of ExpressVPN's features for half the price. The slight inconvenience of occasionally trying a second server is worth saving $90 over two years.
ExpressVPN: Premium Choice for Professionals
Why It Wins:
- Fastest speeds tested (especially long-distance)
- 19 independent audits (most in the industry)
- Excellent router integration for home offices
- Consistently reliable streaming
- Based in British Virgin Islands (privacy-friendly jurisdiction)
The Good: ExpressVPN just works. I rarely thought about it, which is the highest compliment I can pay a VPN. Streaming connected on the first try every single time. The Lightway protocol delivered the fastest speeds I tested, especially on connections to servers halfway across the world.
The Not-So-Good: It's expensive. At $6.67/month for the 2-year plan, you're paying a premium. Also, 8 device connections is generous until you're traveling with a partner and both have laptops, phones, tablets, and a streaming device.
Best For: Remote workers whose time is worth more than money. If you bill $100+/hour, the $4/month difference over NordVPN is irrelevant. You're paying for the peace of mind that it will work when you need it.
Surfshark: Budget Choice for Digital Nomads
Why It Wins:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections (industry unique)
- $2.19/month on the 2-year plan
- Clean, modern interface
- Good streaming performance
- Works well in restrictive countries
The Good: Surfshark's unlimited device limit is a game-changer for digital nomads traveling in groups. I covered my entire 4-person coworking house in Medellín on one subscription. That's $2.19/month split four ways = less than $0.55 per person.
The Not-So-Good: Speeds are more variable than Nord or Express. I noticed significant slowdown during peak hours (6-9 PM local). Customer support is slower—often 20+ minutes for live chat.
Best For: Budget-conscious digital nomads and people traveling with partners or groups. The unlimited devices feature is genuinely unique in the industry.
ProtonVPN: Privacy-First Alternative
Why It Wins:
- Based in Switzerland (strong privacy laws)
- Open-source apps
- Free tier with unlimited data (unique)
- Secure Core architecture (routes through privacy-friendly countries)
The Good: If privacy is your #1 concern, ProtonVPN is hard to beat. The company behind ProtonMail has a track record of fighting for user privacy. The free tier is genuinely useful for occasional VPN users.
The Not-So-Good: Paid plans are expensive for what you get. Speeds are slower than the competition. Streaming is hit-or-miss.
Best For: Journalists, activists, and remote workers handling sensitive client data who need maximum privacy over everything else.
Private Internet Access: Power User Choice
Why It Wins:
- Highly customizable (great for tech-savvy users)
- Affordable ($2.19/month on 2-year plan)
- Good speeds and reliability
- Open-source clients
The Good: PIA gives you control knobs other VPNs don't. Port forwarding (great for torrenting), split tunneling per application, DNS leak protection—you can tweak everything.
The Not-So-Good: The interface is intimidating for non-technical users. Streaming is less reliable than Nord or Express. Based in the US (not ideal from a privacy jurisdiction standpoint).
Best For: Technical remote workers who want control and transparency over convenience.
Comparison Table
| VPN | Price (2-year) | Devices | Servers | Speed | Streaming | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | $2.99/mo | 10 | 8,966+ | 9.7/10 | 15+ Netflix libraries | Value seekers |
| ExpressVPN | $6.67/mo | 8 | 3,000+ | 9.8/10 | 20+ Netflix libraries | Professionals |
| Surfshark | $2.19/mo | Unlimited | 3,200+ | 9.2/10 | 15+ Netflix libraries | Budget travelers |
| ProtonVPN | $4.99/mo | 10 | 1,900+ | 8.5/10 | Limited | Privacy-focused |
| PIA | $2.19/mo | 10 | 35,000+ | 9.3/10 | Hit-or-miss | Power users |
My Recommendation
Get NordVPN if you want the best balance of everything. It's what I use personally and recommend to friends. The price is right, the performance is excellent, and the 10-device limit covers most remote workers.
Get ExpressVPN if budget doesn't matter and you want the smoothest experience. It's the "Apple" of VPNs—premium pricing for premium polish.
Get Surfshark if you're traveling with others or want the cheapest option that still works well. Unlimited devices is a killer feature.
Pro Tips for Remote Workers
1. Set Up Your Router Configure your VPN on your home router before you travel. This protects every device on your network and means you don't have to think about it when you're working from an Airbnb.
2. Test Before You Need It Connect to your VPN from your home WiFi before you leave. Troubleshooting connection issues in an airport terminal with 20 minutes before a flight is not fun.
3. Keep a Backup Have a second VPN provider as a backup. I've had occasions where my primary VPN was blocked in a specific country (looking at you, China). Having a backup saved me.
4. Use Split Tunneling Enable split tunneling for local services that don't work through VPN (like banking apps or local streaming). This saves bandwidth and reduces frustration.
The best VPN for remote work is the one you actually use. All five options here are solid—pick the one that matches your budget and technical comfort level, then forget about it and get back to work.