Alex Mitchell
Husain Parvez
The Short Answer
The best VPN for small businesses is NordVPN (via NordLayer), with centralized admin controls, SSO integration, and a court-tested no-logs policy. ExpressVPN offers the simplest setup with enterprise-grade encryption, while Surfshark wins on value with unlimited connections and per-seat business pricing. For the best free tier, Proton VPN leads on Swiss-law privacy.
About our Methodology and Testing
We focused on VPNs that secure distributed small-business teams: encrypted remote access, centralized admin controls, dedicated IPs, and audited privacy. Out of more than 23 business-capable VPNs evaluated across 85+ hours of hands-on testing, we shortlisted the five best for small enterprises. Our top criteria were AES-256 encryption, independently audited no-logs policies, per-seat scalability, and compliance-friendly jurisdictions.
A single cyberattack can severely damage your small business, disrupting operations and customer trust. The best VPN for small businesses offers an essential layer of security, combining robust encryption, reliable privacy practices, and easy-to-use management features tailored for small enterprises. Identifying the best small business VPN requires a transparent breakdown of features, pros and cons, and pricing.
With over 85 dedicated hours evaluating 23+ tools, I have crafted an exclusive, well-researched list of VPNs — both free and paid — tailored specifically for small business needs. Read more…
Best VPN for Small Business: Editor’s Choice
Best VPNs for Small Business: Free & Paid Recommendation
|
#1 Best Overall
|
|
 |
 |
|
| VPN Provider | ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | Proton VPN |
| Number of servers: | 2000+ | 7900+ | 3200+ | 13000+ |
| No. of Server Countries | 105 | 126 | 100 | 120+ |
| 24/7 support | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Max connections | 8 | 10 | Unlimited | 10 |
| Our Review |
Excellent – 9.8
 |
Excellent – 9.7
 |
Good – 9.6
|
Good – 9.5
|
| Free trial | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Link | Try Free Now | Try Free Now | Try Free Now | Try Free Now |
1) ExpressVPN
Best Encryption for Small Business
ExpressVPN is a proven small business VPN operating under an independently audited no-logs policy and TrustedServer architecture — RAM-only servers that wipe all data on every reboot. Its proprietary Lightway protocol delivers consistently fast connections across 2,000+ servers in 105 countries, with dedicated IP add-ons available in 20+ major business hubs. Its AES-256-GCM cipher and cross-platform apps cover Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux under a single account.
ExpressVPN offers robust AES-256-GCM encryption across all plans, plus a kill switch and split tunneling for flexible connection management. Perfect Forward Secrecy generates a unique encryption key for every session, so past sessions remain encrypted even if a future key is exposed.
The British Virgin Islands base avoids strict data-retention laws, and Threat Manager blocks connections to known malicious domains and tracking networks at the DNS level using a continuously updated blocklist — useful for keeping distributed teams safe.
Why ExpressVPN for Small Business?
ExpressVPN’s AES-256-GCM encryption, TrustedServer RAM-only architecture, and beginner-friendly apps make it the simplest way for a small business to deploy enterprise-grade privacy without a dedicated IT team.
What We Like
- ✓Beginner-friendly interface, easy to roll out to staff
- ✓TrustedServer RAM-only technology wipes all data
- ✓Router app connects unlimited office devices
- ✓Top-notch encryption with Perfect Forward Secrecy
What We Don’t Like
- ✕No centralized team dashboard like NordLayer
- ✕One of the more expensive options per seat
- ✕Dedicated IP is a paid add-on
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | $12.99/mo • $4.99/mo over 12 months • $2.79/mo over 28 months (Basic) |
| Free Trial / Refund | 30-day money-back guarantee | 7-day free trial on mobile |
| Servers | 2,000+ servers |
| Countries | 105 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | 8 simultaneous |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & Email |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
30-Days Money-back Guarantee
2) NordVPN
Best Overall: Fast Speed and Centralized Management
NordVPN is one of the best business VPN solutions available, with its dedicated NordLayer platform providing centralized admin controls, SSO integration with Google Workspace, Microsoft Azure AD, and Okta, and AES-256 encryption across a 6,400+ server network in 111 countries. Its no-logs policy has been independently audited by Deloitte and validated in court. NordLynx delivers independently verified download speeds exceeding 700 Mbps.
NordLayer’s site-to-site feature connects all your business locations under one secure network, and CyberSec blocks malicious domains at the DNS level — reducing phishing exposure for distributed teams without endpoint software. The centralized dashboard manages data usage and monitors user activity.
SCIM-based user provisioning enables automated employee onboarding and offboarding through identity providers, and dedicated IPs plus trusted protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2 round out an enterprise-grade feature set at small-business scale.
Why NordVPN for Small Business?
NordVPN’s NordLayer dashboard, SSO and SCIM provisioning, and court-tested no-logs policy make it the most scalable and manageable choice for growing small-business teams.
What We Like
- ✓Centralized billing and admin dashboard (NordLayer)
- ✓Site-to-site connectivity and SSO integration
- ✓Reliable kill switch instantly cuts network traffic
- ✓Unlimited bandwidth and 700+ Mbps speeds
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Per-device connection limit on standard plans
- ✕NordLayer business tier costs more than consumer plans
- ✕Manual OpenVPN setup is not beginner-friendly
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | $12.99/mo • $4.99/mo over 12 months • $3.39/mo over 24 months (consumer) • NordLayer from $8/user/mo |
| Free Trial / Refund | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Servers | 6,400+ servers |
| Countries | 111 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 simultaneous |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & Email |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
30-Days Money-back Guarantee
3) Surfshark VPN
Safe and Affordable for Distributed Teams
Surfshark delivers a verified business VPN backed by a Deloitte-audited no-logs policy and RAM-only servers that wipe connection records on every reboot. Its business plan adds centralized billing and team management to CleanWeb DNS-level ad and malware blocking, unlimited simultaneous connections, and ChaCha20/AES-256 encryption. Per-seat business pricing starts at approximately $5.90 per user per month.
CleanWeb stops malware, ads, and pop-ups before they load, keeping staff focused and saving bandwidth, while Bypasser split tunneling lets you keep trusted local apps off the VPN. NoBorders Mode and obfuscated servers maintain access on restrictive networks during business travel.
Surfshark applies both AES-256 and ChaCha20 ciphers — ChaCha20 offering superior performance on mobile devices — plus two-factor authentication and GPS spoofing across an unlimited number of devices.
Why Surfshark for Small Business?
Surfshark’s unlimited connections, per-seat business pricing, and Deloitte-audited no-logs policy make it the best-value option for cost-conscious small businesses protecting many devices.
What We Like
- ✓Two-factor authentication secures every device
- ✓Camouflage Mode hides traffic on filtered networks
- ✓Unlimited device connections under one plan
- ✓Lowest per-seat business price in this comparison
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Does not support site-to-site VPN connections
- ✕Fewer enterprise admin controls than NordLayer
- ✕Monthly plan is much pricier than long-term plans
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | $15.45/mo • $1.99/mo over 24 months (Starter) • Business from ~$5.90/user/mo |
| Free Trial / Refund | 7-day free trial | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Servers | 3,200+ servers |
| Countries | 100 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | Unlimited |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & Email |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
30-Days Money-back Guarantee
4) Proton VPN
Best Free VPN for Small Businesses
Proton VPN is a privacy-first business VPN from the team behind Proton Mail, operating under Swiss privacy law — one of the strongest data-protection jurisdictions globally. Its no-logs policy has been independently audited. Proton VPN for Business starts at $6.99 per user per month and includes dedicated servers and static IPs in 15 countries, enforced two-factor authentication, MDM support, and SSO integration.
NetShield blocks ad trackers, malware domains, and phishing sites at the DNS layer, and DNS leak protection routes all queries through Proton’s own encrypted resolvers. Perfect Forward Secrecy gives each session a unique key, protecting past data even if one key is exposed.
All servers use AES-256 encryption under a strict no-logs policy, and split tunneling lets you keep selected business processes on the local network. Crucially, Proton’s free tier offers genuine privacy at no cost for the smallest teams.
Why Proton VPN for Small Business?
Proton VPN’s Swiss jurisdiction, audited no-logs policy, and genuinely useful free tier make it the best privacy-first pick for small businesses and solo founders on a tight budget.
What We Like
- ✓Two-factor authentication protects business data
- ✓Unlimited bandwidth even on the free tier
- ✓Swiss privacy law and audited no-logs policy
- ✓Business tier adds dedicated IPs, SSO, and MDM
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Support can be slow due to time-zone differences
- ✕Free tier has limited country selection
- ✕Fewer office-network features than NordLayer
Pricing Plans
| Pricing Plans | Free tier • $9.99/mo • $3.99/mo over 12 months (Plus) • Business from $6.99/user/mo |
| Free Trial / Refund | Free plan available | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Servers | 6,200+ servers |
| Countries | 100+ countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 simultaneous |
| Support | 24/7 Email Support |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
30-Days Money-back Guarantee
5) Perimeter 81
Best Zero Trust Platform for Small Business
Perimeter 81 is a Zero Trust Network Access platform purpose-built for small and medium businesses, offering AES-256 encryption, automatic Wi-Fi security, and a centralized cloud-based management console. Its architecture enforces least-privilege access — each employee reaches only the resources their role requires — and it supports SSO integration with Okta, Google Workspace, and Azure AD, alongside dedicated static IPs and network segmentation.
The Secure Web Gateway adds web filtering managed from a central dashboard, and Device Posture Check ensures employees connect only from devices meeting security standards. Automatic Wi-Fi security activates VPN protection on untrusted networks with zero configuration.
Its Zero Trust architecture enforces role-based least-privilege access aligned with NIST SP 800-207 guidelines, making it one of the most fully featured small-business network-security platforms reviewed.
Why Perimeter 81 for Small Business?
Perimeter 81’s Zero Trust architecture, device posture checks, and centralized cloud console make it the most security-mature choice for businesses that need network segmentation and least-privilege access.
What We Like
- ✓The most business-focused feature set reviewed
- ✓Convenient dashboard simplifies team management
- ✓Smooth integration with third-party tools (SSO)
- ✓True Zero Trust segmentation and device checks
What We Don’t Like
- ✕Very few servers worldwide, so connection options are limited
- ✕Higher per-seat cost than consumer VPN plans
- ✕Best suited to teams that need full ZTNA, not casual use
Key Specs
| Pricing | Starts at $8/user/month (Essentials, billed annually) |
| Number of servers | 799+ servers |
| Site to Site | Yes |
| Base of operation | Israel |
| Supported Platforms | Windows, iOS, macOS, Linux, and Android |
| IP addresses | Dedicated or shared |
| Connecting devices | 5 devices |
30-Days Money-back Guarantee
Why Small Businesses Need a VPN
Small businesses are disproportionately targeted by cybercriminals precisely because they handle valuable data — customer payment information, employee records, and proprietary systems — while operating with smaller security budgets than enterprises.
According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average data breach for an organization with fewer than 500 employees costs $3.31 million, and Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report found that 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses specifically.
Remote and hybrid work security: A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between an employee’s device and your company’s systems, making intercepted traffic unreadable to third parties.
Public Wi-Fi exposure: Employees connecting to hotel, airport, or conference Wi-Fi without VPN protection expose credentials, client data, and internal system access to anyone monitoring the network.
ISP and surveillance visibility: A no-logs VPN eliminates ISP-level logging and selling of your business’s browsing and communication patterns.
Geo-restricted business tools: A VPN with global server coverage removes geographic access barriers for distributed teams.
What to Look for in a Small Business VPN
Not all business VPNs are designed for the same organizational size or security maturity. These criteria are the primary dimensions used to evaluate every tool on this page.
AES-256 encryption and modern protocols: Every reviewed VPN supports AES-256 with at minimum WireGuard (or NordLynx), OpenVPN, and IKEv2.
Verified no-log policy: A business VPN’s no-log policy must be independently audited or court-validated — as with Private Internet Access — not self-attested.
Dedicated IP availability: Businesses connecting to financial platforms or partner portals frequently need a consistent IP to avoid security blocks from shared VPN IPs.
Centralized admin controls: Admin dashboards for user provisioning, connection monitoring, and access policy enforcement separate business VPNs from consumer tools.
Kill switch and DNS leak protection: Both must be present and independently verified to prevent data exposure if the connection drops.
Scalability and per-seat pricing: Predictable per-user pricing with volume discounts prevents cost surprises as your business grows.
Compliance support: For HIPAA, GDPR, or PCI-DSS, the VPN should operate from a strong data-protection jurisdiction and publish compliance documentation.
Feature Comparison Table
How Did We Choose Best VPN for Small Business?
At BestVPNZone, we take pride in providing accurate and unbiased VPN reviews supported by thorough research and hands-on testing. We dedicate over 85 hours to evaluating more than 23 tools to help you make safe and informed choices that suit your business needs. We focus on the following factors:
- Robust Security: Strong encryption and zero-log policies that keep your data private and secure.
- Ease of Use: Responsive interfaces and hassle-free setup that simplify onboarding.
- Scalability: Options that let you add users easily and adapt to growing needs.
- Reliable Speed: Consistently high speeds that help your team work from anywhere.
- Versatile Integration: Compatibility with existing tools so your business runs efficiently.
- Dedicated Support: Responsive support so you can resolve issues quickly.
Alternatives: Best VPNs for Small Business
Although VPNs do a good job of encrypting your connection and protecting your data, they might not be the right fit for every organization. In that case, you can consider these alternatives:
1) The Onion Router (TOR): The TOR browser is a powerful network of relays that encrypts your request and routes it through multiple nodes, adding a layer of encryption at each one. Link: https://www.torproject.org/
2) Silo: Silo is a cloud-based web browser that masks your connection and isolates local endpoints. It also vets sites and blocks spammy files from auto-downloading. Link: https://www.authentic8.com/products/silo-for-research
How to Set Up a VPN for a Small Business?
You can set up a VPN for a small business in these easy steps:
Step 1) Assess your needs regarding device connections, data, speed, scale of usage, and target locations.
Step 2) Select a reputable VPN with the appropriate encryption, security standards, protocols, and features that fit your budget.
Step 3) Pick a VPN protocol (WireGuard/NordLynx, OpenVPN, or IKEv2).
Step 4) Install the VPN software on relevant devices and provision users from the admin dashboard.
Verdict
When securing your business online, finding a VPN that balances performance, security, and affordability is the goal. For anyone seeking a trustworthy option, here is my verdict:
- ✓ExpressVPN offers impressive speed, robust security, and a user-friendly interface — an excellent choice for companies seeking reliability and easy setup.
- ✓NordVPN stands out with NordLayer’s admin controls, cost-effective pricing, and advanced privacy — ideal for scalable, secure remote work.
- ✓Surfshark provides powerful protection with unlimited device support — a budget-friendly, customizable solution for growing businesses.