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 often to eat at Tim Hortons before it took over American markets. We pointed our TV antennas just so, in order 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, followed by the in-depth information you need to make an informed choice.
TunnelBear VPN
Best for First-Time VPN Users
Bottom Line:
TunnelBear is the Canadian-born VPN option, but its origins aren’t its only strength. The service is affordable and its bears are remarkably friendly. Beneath its approachable design is a strong commitment to customer privacy.
PROS
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Excellent privacy policies
- Annual independent audits
- Friendly, approachable design
- Bears
CONS
- No multi-hop connections
- Split tunneling not available on all platforms
Bottom Line:
NordVPN boasts over 480 servers in three locations across Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The company also provides multi-hop connections in Canada, as well as obfuscated servers. While expensive, NordVPN has an impressive array of tools and protections.
PROS
- Uses WireGuard VPN technology
- Multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
- Numerous server locations
- Unique Meshnet features
CONS
- Expensive
- Poor malware-blocking results
- Occasionally cramped interface
CyberGhost VPN
Best for Frequent Travelers
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN provides 180 servers in Montreal, 63 in Toronto, and 63 in Vancouver. P2P is explicitly allowed on these servers. CyberGhost also offers a robust suite of tools and a strong privacy policy.
PROS
- Large, well-distributed server fleet
- Allows up to seven simultaneous connections
- Several add-ons, including antivirus
- Outstanding speed test scores
CONS
- Expensive
- No third-party audit
- Confusing privacy policies
Surfshark VPN
Best for Protecting Many Devices
Bottom Line:
Surfshark has 336 servers in Canada: 180 in Montreal, 93 in Toronto, and 63 in Vancouver. It’s also a good value, providing unlimited simultaneous connections.
PROS
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Large global server presence
- Multi-hop and split tunneling tools
- Intriguing potential in Surfshark Nexus
CONS
- High monthly price
- Privacy policy needs clarification
- Confusing long-term subscription pricing
HMA VPN
Best for World travelers
Bottom Line:
HMA VPN has 13 servers in Vancouver, 35 in Toronto, and nine in Montreal. These servers are clearly marked as being physically located within Canada. The company has greatly improved its privacy practices in recent years.
PROS
- Friendly, simple interface
- The greatest number of server locations
- Handy IP shuffler
- Surprising speed test scores
CONS
- Monthly subscription not available in certain regions
- Unclear where VPN servers are located
- Lacks multi-hop connections and split tunneling
Proton VPN
Best for Privacy Wonks
Bottom Line:
ProtonVPN has 12 Basic and 32 Plus servers available in Canada across Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The company also offers multi-hop connections to Canada via Iceland, Sweden, or Switzerland. ProtonVPN has a strong pedigree for privacy, and provides rarely seen features for less than many competitors.
PROS
- Best free subscription
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent Speedtest scores
CONS
- Awkward Chrome OS implementation
- Complicated pricing structure
Mullvad VPN
Best for Bargain Hunters
Bottom Line:
Mullvad supports Canada with 21 servers in Montreal, 10 in Toronto, and three in Vancouver. It offers multi-hop bridge servers in Montreal and Toronto. Mullvad protects customer privacy with a unique account system, and uses the latest VPN technology. It’s also extremely affordable.
PROS
- Requires no email or account information
- Extremely affordable
- Radically transparent
- Some advanced features, including multi-hop and port forwarding
CONS
- Awkward desktop interface
- Servers in a small range of countries
- Pay-as-you-go system may confuse some customers
Mozilla VPN
Consumers of Conscience
Bottom Line:
The non-profit behind Firefox offers a feel-good VPN option where your money goes to a worthy cause. Built off the Mullvad infrastructure it also has 21 servers in Montreal, 10 in Toronto, and three in Vancouver, and also offers multi-hop connections. It’s more expensive than Mullvad, however.
PROS
- Helps support nonprofit Mozilla
- Powered by privacy hawk Mullvad
- Simple, snazzy design
- Multi-hop and split tunneling
- Excellent Speedtest scores
CONS
- Few server locations
- Expensive, limited compared with Mullvad
IVPN
Best for Budget Conscious Privacy Hawks
Bottom Line:
IVPN has four servers in Canada, split between Montreal and Toronto. The company offers servers configured for both OpenVPN and WireGuard. IVPN supports multi-hop connections and uses an anonymizing account scheme similar to Mullvad.
PROS
- Flexible, affordable pricing
- Unique multi-hop system
- Privacy baked into its account system
- Strong stance on transparency
CONS
- Offers few server locations
- Multi-hop and Account ID might confuse some users
ExpressVPN
Best for World Travelers
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN provides one server in Montreal, two in Toronto, and one in Vancouver. The company uses RAM-only servers to protect its infrastructure, but should undergo more thorough public audits.
PROS
- Large, diversely distributed fleet of servers
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Split tunneling
- Stylish interface
CONS
- Expensive
- No multi-hop connections
Buying Guide: The Best VPNs for Canada in 2022
Which VPN Is Best for Canada?
To assemble this roundup, we went through our top-rated VPN services and looked for services that offer servers in Canada. To protect your privacy, a nearby VPN server is the best option. Other activities may require a distant VPN server, which we discuss below.
We then ordered the list by the number of servers each service provides within Canada, from greatest to least. 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.
Note that TunnelBear 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.
How a VPN Works
How We Test VPNs for Canada
Canada is an especially large country, stretching (like the US) from sea to shining sea. That can present a problem for VPN use 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. This year, we’ll provide new speed test data, but on a rolling basis that will be updated throughout the year. Our latest results are in the table below.
Unlocking Regional Content
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.
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 the UK, Canada doesn’t limit access to online pornography. 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(Opens in a new window) intelligence sharing alliance, after all. In 2017, the CBC reported(Opens in a new window) 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.
Pro Tips for Choosing a VPN
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, 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.
What Is Two-Factor Authentication?
Many Excellent Options
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 that 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.)
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