The Best VPN for Remote Working

TThe Best VPN for Remote Working (From People Who Actually Work Remotely)

Right, let’s talk VPNs. The best VPN for remote working isn’t some marketing nonsense – it’s the one that doesn’t let you down when you’re trying to access client files from a dodgy café WiFi in Manchester city centre.

What is a VPN? A VPN (Virtual Private Network) encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a secure server, protecting your data and masking your location – think of it as a secure tunnel for your online activities.

We’re the Zinn Hub team, and we’ve been working remotely since before it was trendy. Coffee shops, kitchen tables, that one time from a beach in Portugal (don’t tell our clients). We’ve tried more VPNs than we care to remember, and most of them were rubbish.

Why Remote Workers Need a VPN More Than Ever

Look, everyone bangs on about public WiFi being dangerous. They’re right, but that’s not the whole story.

The café incident that changed everything

Last year, our designer was working from this trendy place in Shoreditch. Lovely flat whites, terrible WiFi security. Someone intercepted her emails and tried to scam our biggest client. Fun times. That’s when we got serious about VPNs.

Getting locked out of your own work

Ever tried accessing your company’s systems from abroad? Half the time you get blocked because you’re connecting from the “wrong” country. I spent three hours on the phone with IT from a hotel in Dublin because I couldn’t log into our project management system. A VPN would’ve sorted it in thirty seconds.

The research problem

We do a lot of international research for clients. Turns out, loads of UK databases and news sites are geo-blocked when you’re travelling. During that Berlin project, I couldn’t access half the resources I needed. Properly annoying.

What Makes a VPN Perfect for Remote Work?

Not all VPNs are created equal, and choosing one for remote work requires looking beyond the marketing claims about server counts. Here’s what actually matters when you’re trying to get work done:

Security Features That Actually Matter

It needs proper encryption: Look for AES-256 encryption. It’s the same stuff governments use, so it should handle your quarterly reports just fine.

Kill switch that works: If your VPN cuts out, the kill switch stops your internet completely until it reconnects. Learned this the hard way during that Shoreditch incident.

No-logs policy (actually audited): Choose providers that have been properly audited by companies like Deloitte. Anyone can claim they don’t log your data – fewer can prove it.

Performance That Won’t Drive You Mad

Actually fast connections: If your VPN slows your internet to dial-up speeds, you’ll stop using it. Good ones should only slow you down by 10-15%.

Servers where you need them: Loads of servers sounds impressive, but you want them in places you actually work from.

No data caps: Remote work means big file uploads, video calls, and cloud sync. Data limits are useless.

User Experience That Doesn’t Require a Computer Science Degree

Works on all your devices: Your phone has just as much work stuff as your laptop. Make sure you can protect everything.

Interface that makes sense: If setting it up requires a manual, find a different one.

Support that actually helps: When it breaks at 11 PM before a client deadline, you want someone who knows what they’re talking about.

The Top VPNs for Remote Workers in 2025

Right, here’s what we’ve settled on after years of trial and error:

1. NordVPN – Our Current Team Favourite

We switched to NordVPN about two years ago after getting fed up with our previous provider cutting out during client calls. It’s been solid.

Why it works for us:

• Fast enough that we forget it’s running (NordLynx protocol is brilliant)
• 7,300+ servers means we can always find a decent connection
• Kill switch actually works (learned this the hard way)
• Blocks malware and trackers automatically with Threat Protection Pro
• £2.33/month if you pay for two years upfront
• Independently audited by Deloitte and PwC (proper audits, not marketing fluff)

The Meshnet thing is brilliant – means Sarah can access files on my computer when she’s working from her parents’ place in Scotland. Proper handy for collaboration.

Downsides: Not the cheapest, and you need to commit to longer plans for decent pricing.

2. Surfshark – The Budget Option That Doesn’t Suck

Before NordVPN, half the team used Surfshark. Still recommend it if you’re watching the pennies.

What’s good about it:

• £1.59/month for two years (excellent value)
• Actually unlimited devices (we tested this thoroughly)
• CleanWeb ad blocker works effectively
• Interface that’s genuinely intuitive
• Over 3,200 servers in 100+ countries

Tom still uses it because he has multiple devices and prefers the budget-friendly option.

The catch: Customer support can be a bit hit-and-miss, and some servers are slower than others.

3. ExpressVPN – For When You Need It to Just Work

Our creative director, Emma, swears by ExpressVPN. At £3.99/month it’s not the cheapest, but she’s never had it fail during an important client presentation.

Emma’s reasoning:

• Never, ever goes down
• Customer support that actually knows what they’re talking about
• Works from literally anywhere (she tested it from some remote village in Wales)
• One-click connection – no messing about
• TrustedServer technology – no data stored on servers
• Consistently fast (410 Mbps in our tests)

The trade-off: It costs slightly more per month than budget options, but the reliability justifies the premium if you can’t afford downtime.

4. Private Internet Access – For the Tech Nerds

Our developer, James, loves PIA because he can tweak every setting imaginable. £1.67/month and more options than you can shake a stick at.

James says: “It’s like the Linux of VPNs – you can customise everything, but you might spend hours doing it.”

What’s good:

• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Over 35,000 servers (mental number)
• Independently audited no-logs policy
• Apps available in 19 languages
• Excellent for torrenting (when legally required for work, naturally)

Good for technical people who want control. Not so good if you just want something that works out of the box.

5. Proton VPN – The Privacy Obsessed Choice

We’ve used the free version for testing, and it’s actually decent. The paid version is expensive but proper secure.

Good bits:

• Free version that doesn’t completely suck
• Swiss company (became a non-profit in 2024), so good privacy laws
• Open source (you can literally read the code)
• No ads even on the free version
• Over 13,600 servers across 122 countries
• Stealth protocol for bypassing censorship

Less good bits: Expensive for the paid plans (£7.99/month), and the free version only has a few server locations.

Quick Comparison Guide

Which VPN Should You Choose?

Choose NordVPN if: You want the most balanced option with speed, global coverage, rich features, and independently verified security audits.

Choose Surfshark if: You need to secure multiple devices or your entire household without breaking the bank, and want premium features at budget prices.

Choose ExpressVPN if: Ease of use and rock-solid performance matter more than saving a few quid, and you value premium customer support.

Choose Private Internet Access if: You’re technically minded and want granular control over your VPN settings with excellent long-term value.

Choose Proton VPN if: You’re especially privacy-focused, value transparency through open-source software, or want a reliable free tier with decent performance.

Business-Grade Options for Teams

Running a remote team? Consider business-grade VPNs with centralised management:

• Perimeter 81: Offers dedicated business features including user management dashboards, team analytics, and compliance tools starting from approximately £6.40/month ($8/month) per user
• NordLayer: NordVPN’s business solution with centralised control, dedicated servers, and enterprise-grade security features
• TorGuard Business VPN: Provides dedicated IP addresses, business-grade support, and team management tools

These solutions are ideal for startups or remote-first companies requiring centralised control over their team’s VPN usage.

VPN Legality and Compliance in the UK

VPNs are completely legal in the UK. OFCOM (our telecoms regulator) has some concerns about using them to bypass age verification on certain platforms, but for work purposes, there are no restrictions whatsoever.

OFCOM and the Online Safety Bill: While VPNs are perfectly legal, using them to bypass age verification systems required under OFCOM’s Online Safety Bill is actively discouraged by regulators. That said, privacy advocates continue to highlight VPNs’ broader benefits for keeping browsing activity private and secure – particularly crucial for remote workers handling sensitive business data.

For Business Use: There are no restrictions on using VPNs for legitimate business purposes, including accessing company resources, securing communications, or protecting data on public networks. Most UK businesses actively encourage or require VPN use for remote workers.

Just don’t use your work VPN to do anything dodgy. Common sense, really.

Common VPN Mistakes Remote Workers Make

The mistakes we made so you don’t have to:

Choosing Based on Price Alone

We tried some bargain-basement VPN that shall remain nameless. It cut out halfway through a client presentation. Twelve people on Zoom watching me frantically try to reconnect. Mortifying.

Why Free VPNs Are Usually Rubbish

We tested loads of free VPNs. Most of them were awful:

⚠️ Why Free VPNs Can Be Risky for Remote Workers

Free VPN providers need to generate revenue somehow, and it’s rarely through your best interests:

• Data harvesting: We discovered one was tracking and selling our browsing habits
• Limited security: Often use weaker encryption or outdated protocols
• Bandwidth restrictions: Caps that interfere with video calls and file transfers
• Overcrowded servers: Slower speeds due to too many users on limited infrastructure
• No customer support: When something breaks, you’re on your own
• Malware risks: Some free VPNs have been caught distributing malicious software

For business use, the risks simply aren’t worth the savings. Stick with reputable paid providers.

For work, investing in a quality VPN service (£1.60-£12.80 monthly) is worthwhile for your productivity and security.

Ignoring Server Locations

During a project with US clients, we initially used a VPN server in Singapore. The connection was so slow that file uploads took hours. Now we always check server locations before committing – if you work with specific regions, make sure your VPN has servers there.

Forgetting About Mobile Devices

One of our phones got compromised on public WiFi because we only protected laptops. Your phone probably has more sensitive stuff than your computer these days.

Not Testing Before Important Meetings

Set up your VPN at home, then test it from a café, a train, your parents’ house. Different networks can behave differently. Never assume your VPN will work perfectly in a new location.

Setting Up Your Remote Work VPN: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Pick one from our list above. We’d go with NordVPN or Surfshark for most people.

Step 2: Sign up for an annual plan. Monthly plans are stupidly expensive.

Step 3: Download the app on all your devices. Don’t just do your laptop.

Step 4: Configure it properly:

• Enable the kill switch feature
• Set up auto-connect for public WiFi networks
• Configure split tunnelling if you need certain apps to bypass the VPN

Step 5: Choose your server – for general remote work, connect to a server in your home country or where your company is based.

Step 6: Test everything before you actually need it – connection speed, work applications, video call quality.

Done. Get back to work.

VPN Etiquette for Remote Teams

Using a VPN as part of a remote team requires some consideration:

Inform Your IT Department

Let your company’s IT team know you’re using a VPN. They might have specific recommendations or requirements, and it helps them troubleshoot any connection issues.

Be Mindful of Time Zones

If your VPN makes you appear to be in a different time zone, be clear about your actual availability. Don’t let your colleagues think you’re working at 3 AM when you’re actually enjoying a civilised 9 AM start.

Respect Company Policies

Some companies have specific VPN requirements or prohibitions. Always check your employment contract and IT policies before implementing your own solution.

The Future of VPNs for Remote Work

As remote work continues to evolve, so too do VPN technologies. Here’s what to watch for:

Enhanced Integration

VPN providers are increasingly integrating with business tools and cloud services, making it easier to maintain security without compromising productivity.

Improved Speeds

New protocols like WireGuard are delivering faster speeds with lower battery drain on mobile devices – perfect for the always-connected remote worker.

AI-Powered Optimisation

Some providers are beginning to use artificial intelligence to automatically select the best servers and settings based on your usage patterns and requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best VPN for working from home?

NordVPN is the best overall choice for remote workers in 2025, offering the ideal balance of security, speed, and features. Surfshark provides excellent value for budget-conscious users, whilst ExpressVPN remains the premium choice for maximum reliability.

Are VPNs legal for remote workers in the UK?

Yes, VPNs are completely legal for business and personal use in the UK. There are no restrictions on using VPNs for legitimate remote work purposes, including accessing company resources and securing data on public networks.

Which VPN is fastest for remote work?

ExpressVPN consistently delivers the fastest speeds (averaging 410 Mbps in recent tests), followed closely by NordVPN with its NordLynx protocol. Both are excellent for video conferencing and large file transfers.

Can I use one VPN for multiple devices?

Yes, most quality VPNs support multiple devices. Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, whilst NordVPN allows 10 devices, and ExpressVPN permits 8 connections per account.

Do VPNs work on mobile for remote work?

Absolutely. All recommended VPNs offer dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android with the same security features as their desktop counterparts. This is essential for remote workers who frequently work from mobile devices.

How much should I expect to pay for a business VPN?

Quality VPNs range from £1.60-£12.80 per month ($2-$15) for individual plans. Business-grade solutions like Perimeter 81 or NordLayer start around £6.40/month ($8/month) per user and include additional management features.

Our Final Thoughts

After years of remote work and countless VPN trials, we’ve learned that the right VPN isn’t just about features and pricing – it’s about reliability when you need it most. Whether you’re presenting to clients from a café in Camden or collaborating with colleagues from your kitchen table, your VPN should be invisible until you need it.

Our current recommendations:

• Most of us use NordVPN for its balance of speed, security, and reliability
• Budget-conscious team members love Surfshark for its unlimited devices and excellent value
• Our perfectionist colleagues swear by ExpressVPN when reliability trumps cost

The key is choosing a service that matches your actual working style, not just your ideal scenario. The best VPN is the one you’ll consistently use without thinking about it.

Remember, in a world where your biggest security breach could come from the person sitting at the next table in Café Nero, a VPN isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s as essential as a reliable internet connection and a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones.

We’ve made the mistakes, done the testing, and learned the lessons so you don’t have to. Choose wisely, set it up properly, and get back to doing what you do best.

This guide was last updated in July 2025. VPN pricing and features may change. Always check providers’ current offerings before making a purchase decision.