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VPN for remote workers

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Start from your problem, not a brand. Each section covers one remote-work situation, with what NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and CyberGhost list on their own sites (checked 11 Nov 2026).

Joint top for remote work: Surfshark and CyberGhost (checked 11 Nov 2026). Scores: Surfshark 92.2/100, CyberGhost 90/100, NordVPN 75.5/100, Proton VPN 66.3/100.

See the remote-work rankingJump to providers
A person working on a laptop at a desk at home

Working from cafés and public Wi-Fi

On shared Wi-Fi the main thing to get right is what happens when the VPN connection drops. A kill switch blocks traffic until the VPN reconnects. All four providers list one: NordVPN (checked 11 Nov 2026), Surfshark, Proton VPN (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS/iPadOS) and CyberGhost ("Automatic Kill Switch").

Turn it on in the app before you connect. More detail: Kill switch and split tunnelling for remote work.

Travelling for work

Travel usually means a laptop, a phone and maybe a tablet on one account. Simultaneous devices allowed per account:

Simultaneous devices and money-back period per provider
ProviderDevices at onceMoney-back
NordVPN10Source and checked date for NordVPN Simultaneous devices30 daysSource and checked date for NordVPN Money-back period
SurfsharkUnlimitedSource and checked date for Surfshark Simultaneous devices30 daysSource and checked date for Surfshark Money-back period
Proton VPN10Source and checked date for Proton VPN Simultaneous devices30 daysSource and checked date for Proton VPN Money-back period
CyberGhost7Source and checked date for CyberGhost Simultaneous devices45 daysSource and checked date for CyberGhost Money-back period

If the service doesn't suit you, the money-back period is NordVPN 30 days, Surfshark 30 days, Proton VPN 30 days and CyberGhost 45 days.

Your home router

Putting the VPN on your router covers devices that can't run a VPN app. Each provider publishes router instructions:

Router setup is more technical than installing an app; follow your provider's guide for your router model.

Split tunnelling for work apps

If a work tool, a company VPN or a printer on your network doesn't work with the VPN on, split tunnelling lets you exclude it. Where each provider lists it (checked 11 Nov 2026):

  • NordVPN: Android, Android TV and Windows. Not listed for macOS or iOS.
  • Surfshark: Android, and Windows for apps only.
  • Proton VPN: paid plans, on Windows, macOS (experimental), Linux, Android, Android TV and the browser extension. Not iOS.
  • CyberGhost: Android only, for now.

Do you need a dedicated IP?

Only if your employer allows access by IP address. NordVPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost sell a dedicated IP as a paid add-on. Proton VPN offers dedicated IPs on business plans only, not on personal plans (checked 11 Nov 2026).

How we score remote work

Each provider gets a score out of 100, built only from facts it publishes on its own site or in published audit reports. Here is what counts, and how much.

Best for remote work: what we score and how many points each criterion is worth
What we scoreShare of the scorePoints
Audited no-logs (named auditor + year)25
Renewal price20
Split tunnelling + kill switch20
Dedicated IP available15
Simultaneous devices10
Money-back period10
Total100
How the maths works
  • Yes-or-no features earn their full points if the provider has them and nothing if it doesn't. Where one line covers two features (split tunnelling + kill switch), each feature is worth half.
  • Prices are compared with the cheapest provider. The cheapest gets full points; the others get points in proportion, so a price twice as high earns half the points.
  • Devices and money-back days are compared with the most generous provider, which gets full points; the others get points in proportion (30 days when the best is 45 earns two-thirds). If a provider allows unlimited devices, it gets the full device points and fixed limits get none.
  • Fresh, verified facts only. A fact counts only if we have checked it on the provider's own page in the last 30 days. If any fact this score needs is missing or out of date, we don't name a winner until it's re-checked.
  • Joint winners. Providers within 3 points of the top score are shown as joint top, each with its own check date. We never break a tie. If all four are that close, we name no winner.
  • Price must be in US$. Where price counts, a provider whose US$ price we couldn't verify is listed but not ranked. We never convert currencies.
  • Commission is never an input. What a provider pays us has no effect on any score or order.

Scores are rounded to one decimal place. Facts used in this score were checked 11 Nov 2026.

Providers we compare for remote work

The facts that matter most for work, side by side. Full details and sources are on the comparison page.

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