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The popularity of VPNs has been supercharged since the introduction of the Online Safety Act in the UK, with swathes of popular websites and services now blocked without undergoing a strict age verification procedure.
With rumours that Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) could be restricted to over-18s, these security apps have become more popular than ever. If you want to add military-grade encryption to everything you do online, it might be time to consider downloading and installing a VPN.
New to the category? It might be daunting to subscribe to a multi-year contract for one of these apps.
While free VPNs can be useful, there are some security and privacy concerns with this approach. A paid-for service like ExpressVPN is an infinitely better option, as it won't impose data limits, will ensure high-speed downloads and streaming, and since you're already paying for the service, it won't gather data to cover its costs.
If you want reassurance when subscribing to a new service, like ExpressVPN, the majority of the best VPN deals comes with a money-back guarantee, which should put you at ease. But which have a money-back guarantee and how long for?
VPNs work by encrypting all of your online traffic before it's sent over the internet. This prevents your ISP, advertisers, hackers, and fraudsters from tracking your online activity, stealing your personal data, or placing restrictions on you | EXPRESSVPN PRESS OFFICE What is a VPN?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that protects and anonymises everything you do online. VPNs can conceal your online activities by routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel that connects to secure servers worldwide.
The most reliable VPNs use the same encryption standards as governments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ensuring that even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) on Wi-Fi cannot record the websites you visit, the duration of your sessions on each site, or your current location. This protection extends to advertisers, trackers, and hackers, preventing them from monitoring your online behaviour.
Furthermore, personal information entered into online forms and sensitive data transmitted to and from your device will be safeguarded from hackers using strong encryption provided by a VPN.
Subscribe to ExpressVPN for just £1.99 – just 6 pence a day
Protect your personal information and encrypt everything you do online for just £1.99 with the latest ExpressVPN deal. That equates to just 6p a day for military-grade encryption across 10x devices.
Unsurprisingly, this blockbuster sale trounces NordVPN, its biggest competitor.
ExpressVPN boasts apps for iPhone, Android, Linux, Windows, Mac, Fire TV, and dozens more, to secure your internet traffic from prying eyes, advertisers, and governments. We praised its speed and reliability in our ExpressVPN review. For a limited time, you'll benefit from an extra 4 months free with a two-year plan
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Which VPNs offer a money-back guarantee?
Most well-known VPNs offer very generous money-back guarantees, including ExpressVPN – one of our top picks. Subscriptions start from just £1.99 per month, allowing you to secure up to 10x different gadgets. ExpressVPN users can tap into a massive infrastructure of 3,000+ servers spanning 105 nations, with its custom Lightway protocol seen as the standout feature – designed to bolster speeds when streaming, while ensuring that your connection remains shielded, and offering extras like ad blockers and more.
The software is compatible with virtually every platform, from PCs and smartphones to Smart TVs. Even consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, which typically don't support VPNs, can be covered via the MediaStreamer tool. With 10-Gbps network speeds, it handles gaming and high-definition videos with ease.
Security-wise, it offers military-grade encryption and a strict no-logs commitment. Because it is based in the British Virgin Islands, it operates outside the Five Eyes surveillance alliance, meaning it cannot be forced to share user data with UK or US authorities.
While it is a premium-priced option, the 30-day refund policy provides a risk-free way to test its capabilities. ExpressVPN also works on Linux, Mac, Windows 11, and Windows 10 and phones – perfect for any device you may have.
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ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and your original payment method will be credited with the full order amount as soon as possible. Users can request a refund right here.
One thing to note is that this offer is only for first-time customers only. ExpressVPN isn’t the only VPN out there. Most other premium VPN providers also offer similar money-back guarantees.
NordVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions, allowing a full refund within 30 days of the initial purchase. Value VPN champion Surfshark also offers a 30-day, risk-free money-back guarantee on initial subscriptions, allowing a full refund if cancelled within the first 30 days.
However, all of these VPNs are beaten by Cyberghost VPN, which offers a whopping 45-day guarantee for subscriptions of six months or longer, allowing for a full refund if you're unsatisfied within those periods by contacting their 24/7 support team via live chat or email.
Should you buy a free VPN?
Free VPNs can be a helpful way to dip your toes into the water with these useful apps without committing to a lengthy subscription for an application that ends up not working for your needs. However, free VPNs can impose strict limits on the amount of data transferred and are rarely the best option in terms of privacy.
If privacy is your main concern, free VPNs can log data of your internet visits and might hand them over to authorities if they wish. Most paid-for services have no-logs policies that ensure that they never keep a record of the websites you visit.
Many free VPNs can also sell your data because they are free, contradicting the point of using a VPN for privacy. Most free VPNs also have data caps, which can be reached pretty quickly if you’re streaming shows.
Depending on the VPN that you choose, some VPNs can also be a security risk, especially with the surge of companies and individuals jumping in on the Online Security Act, blocking many websites. For the reasons above, we highly recommend a paid-for VPN service, and most offer money-back guarantees, which means if you’re not happy, you can get your money back.