Cloud Hosting

Since long before most office workers began full-timing it from home, VPNs have been the tool of choice for remote workers who need to access corporate networks. While the average security-conscious person might use a personal VPN to access region-locked streaming video or just to protect their privacy, VPNs have a much longer history in the workplace. VPNs let employers offer protection to their workforce, and in some cases, let remote employees access corporate resources as if they were sitting in their offices.

PCMag has done extensive testing of personal VPN services for years. That being the case, we decided that our first foray into the space of business-class VPNs would be to examine the business and team offerings of some of our favorite personal VPNs. Note that there are other products and services tailored exclusively for enterprise customers and IT departments. We haven't examined those services for this piece.

All of these VPNs provide all the assurance or privacy you get with any VPN. When anyone on your team connects to one of these services, their traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel between their machine and a server operated by the VPN company (or by your company, but more on that later). Nobody, not even those on the same Wi-Fi network, will be able to monitor or intercept their traffic. Even ISPs will be blinded, and unable to sell anonymized data about their movements. Out on the web, your team members will have their true IP addresses hidden behind the IP address of the VPN server. They'll also be able to spoof their locations by connecting to a distant server.

This doesn't directly help your employees do their jobs, but it does protect their privacy and their data. Some VPN companies argue that it helps protect sensitive files and corporate data, but I'd argue that those shouldn't be sent over any system that doesn't already encrypt and protect them. Or, better yet, don't let those files out of your secure network.

If your workforce travels often, or works remotely, they may frequently be in situations where the available Wi-Fi is far from trustworthy. Similarly, remote workers may need to spoof their locations to access localized versions of sites. Also, providing the tools and training to improve their privacy and keep themselves safe, may spill over to keeping your corporate information safe.

Keep in mind that your employees and your companies will still need basic security protection. Using password managers and two-factor authentication will help protect against account takeovers that can expose corporate data and be used for phishing attacks. Antivirus protects machines against malware that could cost valuable time and money repairing.

Several of PCMags top-rated VPN companies said that while they do not offer corporate or team options, they are aware that some companies do procure their products to secure employee privacy online. These include CyberGhost, Surfshark, and Editors' Choice winner ProtonVPN.

Some of these VPNs go further, letting you access your local network and network resources as if your employees were physically on the network. Before the bewildering advent of consumer VPNs, this is what VPNs were primarily used for: connecting securely to work stuff. While terminology sometimes differs, the companies we spoke with usually call this a "site-to-site VPN."

With this setup, all VPN traffic is routed through a server controlled by your company, usually on company premises. This lets employees access resources like shared drives, and work as if they were connected to their office internet. Jack Murray, Senior Researcher at NordVPN Teams, told me that this model has some issues. The on-premises server requires upkeep, and can become a bottleneck since all the VPN traffic has to flow through the corporate network. "The connection between the outside networks and the company network gets jammed at the edge just as we saw with numerous companies during the COVID19 lockdown," said Murray.

Like so many business operations, some VPN companies have moved to the cloud. In this scenario, traffic is routed from employees not through a server in your office but a dedicated server operated by NordVPN. "Allocating different connection capacities, the traffic is split into the flow that goes to the local network and the rest of the internet, instead of sending all traffic through local network as traditional corporate VPNs do," explained Murray.

Golden Frog VyprVPN has a similar offering called VyprVPN Cloud. "Although the on-premesis server has similar characteristics, it is slightly different from a site to site VPN," a VyprVPN representative told me. By connecting to a dedicated, cloud-based server, Golden Frog's customers can securely access more company resources, not just those attached to an on-premises server. The representative explained that corporate customers can add the static IP address of the dedicated server to an access list, letting remote employees connect to cloud-based resources.

The differences between different setups can be very confusing. If you're exploring purchasing a VPN for your company, it's important to understand what you want a VPN to provide your team. Once you understand that, you can work with potential vendors and ensure that you're getting exactly what you pay for.

Among the VPNs listed here, Encrypt.me, Golden Frog VyprVPN, and NordVPN allow for accessing corporate resources remotely. In some cases this can include on-site, dedicated server deployment. You should contact these companies for more information if this sounds right for you.

(Note: Encrypt.me is owned by J2 Global, which also owns PCMag's publisher Ziff Media.)

Keep in mind that routing employee traffic through corporate networks can make things a little complicated. Unless there's been some very specific configuration, anyone connected to the VPN will have all of their traffic routed through the corporate network. This might include some things that suck up company bandwidth, such as streaming videos, or may be against the policies of the company, like BitTorrent seeding.

It can also lead to embarrassing situations. An employee could easily forget they're connected to the corporate VPN before streaming porn, or any content that's inappropriate for the workplace. When using corporate VPNs that connect to private networks, be sure you know how they work, how to tell when they're active, and how to shut them off.

When you connect your personal device to a VPN, all of your traffic flows through its infrastructure. If the VPN company chose to abuse that position, it could learn as much about you as your ISP. That's different with some of the team and corporate options, since it might be your company that's in control of the server. But signing on with any third party means being aware of the risks to your business and your employees.

Unfortunately, the consumer VPN industry is still fairly young and extremely volatile. It can sometimes be hard to tell who the good actors are. When we review VPNs for PCMag, we send the companies a questionnaire that asks about what country's legal framework the VPN company operates under, what efforts are made to secure server infrastructure, whether the company sells user data, and so on. We try to include as much information as possible in our reviews so readers can make an informed decision. For one reader, a US-based VPN might be a total nonstarter. For another reader, being based in the US might be a critical need. Read our full reviews for more on how each service protects users' privacy.

Again, it's probably a different story if you're hosting the VPN server yourself. But consider that your employees may be using the service's commercial servers for day-to-day browsing, and may be using the VPN company's app. If you're looking at a VPN company, take some time to ask about their privacy policies, what protections are in place for your information, and what efforts they make to protect customers.

A VPN goes a long way toward protecting individual privacy. It can also protect your corporate data, whether it's by connecting your workforce to a secure network or ensuring that your employees are safe in their day-to-day lives. While you can set up your own VPN, opting for a team or business account from a consumer VPN means you'll get more servers, more support, and apps made for everyday use.

Advertisement

Mullvad VPN is clearly a company of principals, and is fanatically dedicated to customer privacy. When you sign up with Mullvad, you're issued a number instead of a login or username. The company works hard to know as little about its customers as possible, and to protect its customers above all else. The service is also a flat fee: 5 per month ($5.50 USD, at the time of writing), and does not offer annual discounts or other promotions.

This dedication to fairness and privacy earned Mullvad VPN an Editors' Choice award. However, that laudable stance may have some drawbacks in a business setting. The company says that the entire model of enterprise VPNs is antithetical to its security and privacy practices. A centralized billing system, a company representative pointed out, requires information Mullvad simply does not have. A company may also have to log hacking attempts, which Mullvad also does not do.

That said, the company tells us it offers discounts on its base price. Small teams can expect a 10 percent discount, while larger teams can get a 50 percent discount. Mullvad cannot be used for accessing corporate resources, and does not offer dedicated servers. A company representative did say, however, that the company can segment its servers and offer a portion to corporate customers.

We appreciate the simplicity of TunnelBear, and it has helped earn the product an Editors' Choice award. With a bright yellow color scheme and a cadre of powerful bears, TunnelBear makes it super simple to get online with a VPN.

TunnelBear embraces a similar simplicity with its teams option. The VPN does not offer access to corporate resources, nor does it offer dedicated servers. It does offer standard VPN protection for $69 per person, per year. Customers can provide access to any employee with a certain email domain, making it easy to grant employees access. TunnelBear prorates the cost of adding new team members mid-year, and a company representative says that TunnelBear credits customers for unused time when employers remove a user.

ExpressVPN is notable for offering servers in 94 countries, without relying on virtual servers to boost that figure. Among the services we have reviewed, it offers the most hardware in the most locations, making it a strong choice for a frequent traveler.

ExpressVPN offers a discount model for teams that's similar to Mullvad's. Depending on the number of licenses, corporate customers can expect up to 40 percent off the normal price. Unlike Mullvad, Express does offer centralized billing and license management. It does not offer access to corporate resources, nor does it provide dedicated servers.

NordVPN is a juggernaut in the VPN space, boasting an enormous number of servers and a strong global presence. It offers many additional privacy features that other VPNs ignore. This includes multi-hop connections, which let you route a VPN connection through an additional server for added privacy, and VPN access to the Tor anonymization network. It has also made a major investment deploying WireGuard, a new open-source VPN technology. The company has worked to mend fences after a limited security incident on one of its servers.

On the business side, the company has a very robust offering. NordVPN's team option starts at $7 per user, per month for its Basic plan, and goes up to $9 per user. per month for its Advanced plan. A company representative tells us that dedicated servers are available at the higher tier. The company offers dedicated servers in 31 countries, but more can be offered upon request. NordVPN does provide remote access to corporate resources, and can provide on-site deployment of its service.

One of the more established companies on our list is Golden Frog, with its VyprVPN product. VyprVPN has a smaller number of servers, but does far better than most with a wide array of server locations available across the world. Its app is simple and easy to use.

Golden Frog VyprVPN has two team offerings: VyprVPN for Business and VyprVPN for Business Cloud. The former starts at $299 per year for the first three users, and increases by $99 per year for each additional user. VyprVPN for Business customers get access to all of the company's consumer features, but are limited to just three simultaneous connections per user.

VyprVPN for Business Cloud, on the other hand, starts at $349 per year for the first three users, and each additional user costs $99 per year after that. Business Cloud customers get all of the features provided by the Business plan, but also get the option for adding on-premises servers or dedicated cloud-based servers.

The consumer version of IVPN is notable for its affordable price and the wide array of server locations it offers. IVPN also includes port forwarding and a multi-hop connection option, both of which are rarely seen among VPN products, and are included in the team offering.

IVPN offers a tiered pricing system for teams. The first five seats will cost you $50 a month or $500 per year. This scales up in increments of 10, and tops out at 91-100 seats for $500 per month or $5,000 per year. It's notable in that you're not charged per person, per month. The company tells us that customized plans for teams larger than 100 people are available.

This product cannot be used to access corporate resources remotely, nor does it offer dedicated servers.

As a consumer product, Encrypt.me is especially notable for allowing an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. Most companies limit you to just five, but Encrypt.me skips limitations entirely. It also has an excellent distribution of servers across the globe, offering locations in 75 countries.

In some ways, Encrypt.me may be more successful as a business or teams VPN than as a consumer product. Encrypt.me forgoes the cash-up-front model and instead charges monthly with no long-term commitments. Teams of one to 25 employees costs $7.99 per user, per month. Teams of 25 to 100 users cost $6.99 per user, per month. For teams beyond 100 users, Encrypt.me charges $5.99 per user, per month.

Encrypt.me does let customers access corporate resources with either an on-site server, or an AWS cloud-deployed server. The company also says that it offers content filtering. This feature can block known dangerous sites, but can also block advertising, porn, gambling, and social media.

PureVPN boasts an array of server locations across the globe, meaning theres always one close at hand (or far away for spoofing your location). The service is reasonably priced, but it's in need of a UI refresh.

When we spoke with PureVPN, the company emphasized its dedicated servers and dedicated IPs available with PureVPN for Business. PureVPN notes that administrators can assign sub admins, and assign shared or dedicated IPs to team members.

PureVPN for Business starts at five accounts and goes up to 50, although the company says it can provide custom configurations for larger organizations. An account with shared IP addresses costs $8.45 per person, per month. If you want dedicated IP addresses, the price jumps to $9.99 per user, per month. Adding a dedicated server takes the cost much higher, to $399 per month, depending on the server requirements.

PureVPN offers dedicated IP addresses in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, Malta, Singapore, the UK, and the US. Currently, PureVPN does not provide on-site deployment or the ability to access corporate resources via VPN. However, it does offer custom port forwarding.

Continue reading here:
The Best VPNs for Businesses and Teams - PCMag.com