In Might 2024, the Inside Income Service urged entrepreneurs and small companies within the U.S. to be cautious of cybercriminals and implement measures towards cyberattacks. Phishing was a spotlight concern, particularly as risk actors get higher at social engineering scams to steal firm knowledge.
With this, one straightforward method to strengthen your corporation’ safety is thru the usage of a digital personal community. VPNs are capable of masks IP addresses and make accessing inner sources safer and protected.
On this article, we check out six small enterprise VPNs for you and your corporation.
High small enterprise VPN software program comparability
As a disclaimer, this listing merges each enterprise and client VPNs. Since small companies can fluctuate in each dimension and construction, we wished to supply options that may accommodate all forms of SMBs.
| Our ranking (out of 5) | Beginning value | Encryption | Server areas | Standout options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordLayer | N/A | $8 per consumer per 30 days | AES-256 and ChaCha20 | 30+ international locations (gateway areas) | Scalability because the enterprise grows |
| Surfshark VPN | 4.6 | $3.99 per per 30 days (Surfshark One) | AES-256 | 100 international locations | Limitless simultaneous system connections |
| Mullvad VPN | 3.7 | $5.46 per 30 days | AES-256 | 45 international locations | Nameless accounts and fee strategies |
| Windscribe VPN | 3.5 | $5.75 per 30 days | AES-256 | 69 international locations | Centralized billing through ScribeForce |
| Proton VPN | 4.0 | $4.99 per 30 days | AES-256 and ChaCha20 | 100 international locations | Free model with limitless knowledge |
| Perimeter 81 | 3.9 | $8 per consumer per 30 days | AES-256 | 33 international locations (gateways) | Zero belief community entry |
NordLayer: Greatest total small enterprise VPN
NordLayer is my advice as the perfect total small enterprise VPN. It allows small companies to simply arrange safe entry to their firm community with out compromising productiveness or safety from threats.
SEE: How you can Run a Cybersecurity Danger Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)
As cyberattacks proceed to evolve, I discover NordLayer’s emphasis on the safety service edge framework to be important. This provides a holistic method in defending a small enterprise’ IT infrastructure. Except for this, NordLayer contains safety capabilities equivalent to cut up tunneling, an always-on VPN, lively monitoring studies and site-to-site connections.
Why I selected NordLayer
I picked NordLayer for the highest spot for its scalability as a enterprise VPN. As small companies develop, shrink or evolve, NordLayer is ready to regulate to the corporate’s wants and guarantee continued safety. I particularly like how SMBs can go for its NordLayer Lite subscription and transfer as much as its extra premium plans when the necessity arises.
Pricing
NordLayer has 4 subscription tiers that cater to totally different enterprise sizes, specifically NordLayer Lite, Core Premium and Enterprise. All 4 tiers have a month-to-month and a yearly subscription choice.
Under is an outline of every tier’s annual pricing and their corresponding characteristic inclusions:
- Lite: $8 per consumer per 30 days; 5 customers minimal, web entry safety and fundamental risk prevention.
- Core: $11 per consumer per 30 days; 5 customers minimal, superior web entry safety and fundamental community entry management.
- Premium: $14 per consumer per 30 days; 5 customers minimal, community entry management plus granular community segmentation.
- Enterprise: $7 per consumer per 30 days; 50 customers minimal, custom-fit community safety with versatile and curated pricing.
Options
- Exercise monitoring.
- Website-to-site or multi-site connections.
- Community entry management.
- Cut up tunneling and AES 256 visitors encryption.
Execs and cons
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For the time being, we’ve but to offer NordLayer a full, particular person evaluation. Nevertheless, I’ll you should definitely replace this text as soon as we give it a full star ranking.
Surfshark VPN: Greatest for small groups
Surfshark VPN is my alternative for SMBs with small groups. Whereas it’s a client VPN, I strongly really feel that Surfshark is a good choose for budget-conscious companies that need most worth out of a VPN service. It is because Surfshark VPN offers top-tier speeds and safety, with assist for limitless gadgets. With one Surfshark subscription, a small workforce can join a number of gadgets on the identical time.
SEE: AVG Safe VPN vs Surfshark (2024): Which VPN Is Higher? (TechRepublic)
That is alongside its massive 100-country server community, safe AES-256 encryption and independently audited no-logs coverage.
Why I selected Surfshark VPN
I picked Surfshark VPN for its limitless simultaneous system connections, which I really feel will be particularly helpful to smaller groups. With Surfshark’s limitless connections, small companies made up of 5–20 members received’t have to purchase a further subscription to attach a number of gadgets on the identical time.
Pricing
Surfshark has three subscription tiers, every with a month-to-month, an annual and a two-year subscription choice. Plans are divided into Starter, Surfshark One and Surfshark One+.
To me, the perfect worth comes with Surfshark One, because it contains the primary VPN service with extra safety capabilities like electronic mail breach alerts and private knowledge safety studies.
Under is the pricing for Surfshark’s One subscription tier:
- Surfshark One 1 month: $15.95 per 30 days.
- Surfshark One 1 yr: $3.99 per 30 days.
- Surfshark One 2 years: $2.69 per 30 days.
Options
- Limitless system connections.
- RAM-only servers.
- WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN protocols.
- 3,200 servers in 100 international locations.
Execs and cons
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If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full Surfshark VPN evaluation.
Mullvad VPN: Greatest for privacy-focused customers
A favourite amongst privateness fans, I like to recommend Mullvad VPN for people who prioritize anonymity above all different options. It brings two key privateness options: a random account numbering system and nameless fee strategies. In comparison with different VPNs that require customers to create a username or present an electronic mail deal with, Mullvad VPN mechanically generates a random account quantity that helps preserve your on-line id confidential.
SEE: The 5 Greatest VPNs With Free Trials in 2024 (TechRepublic)
Potential Mullvad VPN customers can even pay for a subscription through nameless fee strategies like money, cryptocurrencies and purchasable vouchers — providing a further layer of privateness to their VPN expertise. That is on prime of providing industry-standard AES-256 encryption, an reasonably priced month-to-month subscription and constant third-party audits of its VPN.
Why I selected Mullvad VPN
I picked Mullvad VPN for its concrete measures in upholding its clients’ anonymity. With its random account numbering system, choices for money and crypto funds and constant impartial testing, it walks the speak in terms of prioritizing consumer privateness.
Pricing
Mullvad VPN provides a single value for all its contract choices, which I recognize because it simplifies the shopping for course of. Whereas this offers particular person customers an reasonably priced month-to-month plan, I do want they supplied a decrease month-to-month value for longer contracts sooner or later.
- 1 month: $5.46 per 30 days.
- 1 yr: $5.46 per 30 days.
- 1 decade: $5.46 per 30 days.
Options
- Nameless account numbers.
- Lockdown mode.
- DNS content material blockers.
- OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN protocols.
Execs and cons
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If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full Mullvad VPN evaluation.
Windscribe VPN: Greatest for centralized billing
One other stable small enterprise VPN is Windscribe VPN. Windscribe VPN provides a devoted free model with free 10GB of month-to-month knowledge, limitless simultaneous system connections and a singular Construct-A-Plan subscription that lets companies choose which particular server areas they need of their plan. It has VPN apps for Home windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android and equal purposes for Chrome, Firefox and Edge browsers.
SEE: 4 Greatest Free VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Personally, I feel its most noteworthy characteristic is its ScribeForce subscription. ScribeForce is Windscribe VPN’s personal model of workforce accounts, permitting for centralized billing and workforce administration capabilities in a single subscription. That is supreme for small companies that need a straightforward method to handle consumer accounts with out having to cope with complicated procedures usually present in technical enterprise VPNs.
Why I selected Windscribe VPN
I selected Windscribe VPN for its ScribeForce workforce accounts that permit for centralized billing and workforce administration in a single subscription. This makes Windscribe a wise choice for small companies that need a user-friendly VPN and the flexibility to handle a workforce from a single, centralized management panel.
Pricing
Windscribe VPN has 4 plan choices: a month-to-month, yearly, customizable and Workforce accounts plan. Under is pricing for every:
- Month-to-month: $9.00 per 30 days.
- 1 yr: $5.75 per 30 days.
- Customizable Construct A Plan: $1.00 per location per 30 days.
- ScribeForce: $3.00 per seat per 30 days.
Options
- OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard VPN protocols.
- Advert, tracker and malware blocker.
- Has a free model.
- Centralized billing and workforce administration.
Execs and cons
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If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full Windscribe VPN evaluation.
Proton VPN: Greatest free VPN choice
For my finest free VPN choose, I select Proton VPN. It is a VPN answer that has gained reputation for its Swiss-based operations and give attention to high quality safety. It’s an independently audited answer that has the additional advantage of being primarily based in Switzerland, a rustic with a few of the strongest privateness legal guidelines on the planet. With this, I discover Proton VPN a sensible choice for small companies and particular person customers who’re particularly cautious of presidency surveillance.
SEE: ProtonVPN vs AtlasVPN (2024): Which VPN Ought to You Use? (TechRepublic)
Nevertheless, my favourite half about Proton VPN is its free model. Proton VPN free offers zero knowledge limits for its free service — a pleasant change in comparison with different free variations that implement a month-to-month knowledge cap for his or her free plans. To me, this makes Proton VPN one of many extra viable free VPN providers that may truly be used long run.
Why I selected Proton VPN
I chosen Proton VPN for its beneficiant free model that provides customers entry to VPN servers in 5 international locations with no knowledge cap or bandwidth restrictions. This may be helpful for small companies that merely need a cost-effective method to change their IP deal with each every now and then with out worrying about exceeding a month-to-month knowledge restrict.
Pricing
Proton VPN has two paid subscription tiers: Proton VPN Plus and Limitless. It additionally has a devoted free model referred to as Proton VPN Free.
Looking at its paid plans, Proton VPN’s Plus subscription contains its full VPN server suite and its quickest velocity, whereas Limitless bundles all Plus options with different Proton encrypted providers. For me, Proton VPN Plus is the higher worth of the 2.
Under is a abstract of pricing for Proton VPN’s Plus subscription tier:
- Plus Month-to-month: $9.99 per 30 days.
- Plus 1-year: $4.99 per 30 days.
- Plus 2 years: $4.49 per 30 days.
Options
- OpenVPN, WireGuard and Stealth VPN protocols.
- 6,400+ servers in 100 international locations.
- 10 simultaneous system connections.
- Helps Home windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android and iOS.
Execs and cons
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If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full Proton VPN evaluation.
Perimeter 81: Greatest for unified safety suite
Whereas it stands extra as an enterprise-facing choice, I really feel Perimeter 81 can nonetheless be a viable small enterprise VPN choice — particularly for SMBs which are bigger. It provides an intensive safe entry service edge answer that brings zero belief community entry, safe net gateways and safe consumer administration to companies.
SEE: Free VPN vs Paid VPN: Which One Is Proper for You? (TechRepublic)
On prime of its always-on VPN that helps preserve workers on the safe community, Perimeter 81 additionally has cloud firewall coverage capabilities, cut up tunneling and a cloud-based administration platform. Whereas not all SMBs may have such instruments, Perimeter 81 provides varied subscriptions that cater to totally different wants and necessities.
Why I selected Perimeter 81
I’ve Perimeter 81 on this listing as a first-rate choice for bigger SMBs which will need a complete safety answer that covers extra bases. I like the way it’s particularly designed for hybrid workforces, accommodating distant staff with out skimping on community safety and effectivity.
Pricing
Perimeter 81 has 4 subscription tiers: Necessities, Premium, Premium Plus and Enterprise. All plans embody a nifty 30-day money-back assure that lets companies refund their buy in the event that they discover it isn’t the precise match.
Under is a abstract of pricing and options for every subscription:
- Necessities: $8 per consumer per 30 days; 10 customers minimal, fundamental safe community entry and administration.
- Premium: $12 per consumer per 30 days; 10 customers minimal, superior community safety administration and always-on VPN.
- Premium Plus: $16 per consumer, per 30 days; 20 customers minimal, layered safety and community capabilities for giant organizations.
- Enterprise: Contact gross sales for pricing; 50 customers minimal, enterprise-features like limitless consumer configuration profiles and SIEM integration.
Options
- At all times-on VPN.
- Internet and DNS filtering.
- WireGuard VPN protocol.
- Malware safety.
Execs and cons
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If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full Perimeter 81 evaluation.
How do I select the perfect VPN for my small enterprise?
When selecting the perfect small enterprise VPN, it’s vital to have in mind your corporation dimension, deliberate workflow with the VPN and first safety necessities.
For small companies that solely actually need a VPN for content material unblocking and further safety, client VPNs like Surfshark VPN, Proton VPN or Windscribe VPN could also be higher choices. I envision these VPNs to be completely fitted to small companies with small groups or people working their very own small enterprise.
On the flip facet, small companies which are bigger or have stricter safety necessities might wish to have a look at enterprise or enterprise VPN options like NordLayer or Perimeter 81. These VPNs are particularly designed to maintain entry to firm sources safe and are capable of scale up or down, relying on your corporation’ wants.
Luckily, there are a selection of VPN suppliers accessible that may accommodate several types of small companies and safety calls for.
Ideally, a top quality VPN also needs to supply an excellent mixture of security measures, VPN efficiency and price. This entails issues like having top-tier encryption algorithms, rigorous third-party testing and cheap subscription charges.
Methodology
My rundown of the perfect small enterprise VPNs concerned an in depth evaluation of well-liked VPN options catering to SMBs and their explicit wants. In my analysis, I seemed into every supplier’s official product documentation, characteristic inclusions and marketed use circumstances.
My suggestions additionally thought-about how properly every small enterprise VPN balanced core VPN options like VPN protocols, encryption, server networks and value, amongst others. I additionally took into consideration actual consumer suggestions and our workforce’s hands-on testing of the talked about VPNs to spherical out my ultimate evaluation.
Lastly, I additionally considered which small companies would profit finest from every explicit VPN. My aim right here is to supply the very best VPN for every kind of SMB or enterprise proprietor.