Best VPN Services for Canada

With a growing number of Canadians frustrated over content restrictions and the erosion of online privacy, many are now looking for a good VPN service. Additionally, Canadian expats are also flocking to VPNs to unblock media and websites that are geo-restricted to Canada. But with all the VPNs on the market, how do you find the best VPN for Canada while also knowing which ones to avoid?

In this Canada VPN guide, we’ll show you which VPNs made the cut with excellent speeds, secure apps, and reliable connections.

Trends that are propelling VPN usage in Canada

There are three main reasons that VPN usage continues to grow in Canada: privacy, security, and streaming.

1. Privacy – Online privacy in Canada has been eroded over the years by laws that give different agencies the authority to investigate and record your browsing history. Internet providers in Canada can easily record all your online activity and hand this over to third parties (unless you are using a VPN that encrypts all traffic).
2. Security – Many Canadians are seeking more security when using public WiFi. A VPN encrypts your data and provides more security when you are using public wireless.
3. Streaming – A VPN is the ultimate tool to improve your streaming and get access to geo-restricted content.

We’ll explore these trends more below.

All of the VPNs for Canada that are recommended in this guide meet the following criteria:

1. Located in a good privacy jurisdiction
2. Passed all tests with no leaks found whatsoever
3. Good performance throughout the server network
4. High-quality VPN apps for all major operating systems
5. Supports the OpenVPN protocol and strong encryption
6. Offers a money-back guarantee
7. Trustworthy and well-established VPN provider

Here are the best VPNs for Canada based on the latest test results:

1. ExpressVPN – Best VPN service for Canada

ExpressVPN is currently the best VPN for Canada. What makes ExpressVPN stand out? It offers the best speeds, excellent security, reliable apps, and is great for streaming Netflix and torrenting. ExpressVPN’s apps include a Network Lock feature (kill switch) that integrates with the operating system firewall to block all non-VPN traffic if the connection drops. Traffic is encrypted via 256-bit AES encryption using the OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols.

Do you want to use a VPN on all available devices? ExpressVPN is a great choice with support for all major operating systems and platforms. Their apps are clean and minimal, while also integrating all the features. It ranks as the best VPN for Windows and does well with all operating systems.

While many VPNs suffer from privacy scandals and various setbacks, ExpressVPN has had a squeaky-clean track record over the years. It has undergone independent security audits by Cure53 and even had its no-logs policies audited and verified by PWC. It also runs all servers in RAM-disk mode to ensure no information can be stored or seized by third parties (see the TrustedServer feature).

As I found in my review of ExpressVPN, the server network offers consistently fast speeds with high-bandwidth data channels. ExpressVPN currently has over 3,000 server locations in 94 countries around the world. And while many VPNs are getting blocked with Netflix and other streaming services, ExpressVPN continues to get through and is currently the best VPN for Netflix (with 24/7 access).

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, an excellent privacy jurisdiction outside of the Five Eyes surveillance countries. For support, they offer 24/7 live chat and email, as well as a 30 day money-back guarantee with all subscriptions.

ExpressVPN Canada servers

• Toronto
• Montreal
• Vancouver

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2. NordVPN – A cheap and reliable VPN for Canada

NordVPN is a strong contender, currently in second position, as the best VPN for Canada. It is based in Panama and is a well-regarded no logs VPN service with a good track record. NordVPN has apps for all major devices and operating systems. The apps come with built-in leak protection (kill switch) and utilize strong encryption standards. Recently, NordVPN rolled out support for the WireGuard VPN protocol on all apps, which further improves speeds.

NordVPN offers double-VPN servers, Tor-over-VPN servers, as well as a CyberSec feature to block ads, trackers, and malware domains. It is an audited and verified no-logs VPN that has also passed independent security audits (performed by Versprite).

When it comes to performance, NordVPN consistently outperforms other VPNs (see the IPVanish vs NordVPN comparison). NordVPN has over 5,400 servers in 59 countries, as well as various specialty servers for different use cases. It is also a VPN that works for China, with built-in obfuscation features and obfuscated servers.

In terms of value and price, NordVPN is one of the best VPNs you’ll find. Right now they’re offering a big discount on two-year plans (coupon below), which drops the price down to only $3.71 per month. This makes it one of the best cheap VPNs on the market.

If you need a VPN for watching Canada Netflix, CBC, or any other streaming service, NordVPN has you covered. All major Netflix regions are supported, as well as Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and more. They even offer an Amazon Firestick VPN app.

All NordVPN plans come with a 30 day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support.

NordVPN Canada servers

• Montreal
• Toronto
• Vancouver

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3. Surfshark – An affordable and fully-featured VPN for Canada

Next up on our Canada VPN list is Surfshark, a secure and fully-featured VPN at a very low price. Despite being a relatively newer service (launched in 2018), Surfshark has taken the VPN world by storm. It offers a very polished service that is packed with features and options. Surfshark’s privacy features include:

• Double-VPN servers
• Camouflage mode to conceal VPN traffic and get through blocking attempts
• CleanWeb feature to block ads, trackers, and malicious domains
• WhiteLister split tunneling feature

With the growing privacy concerns in Canada, Surfshark’s added features may be quite useful. It has also passed a third-party audit conducted by Cure53. For encryption, Surfshark uses an AES-256 cipher with the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols.

Like the other best Canada VPNs, Surfshark offers an excellent lineup of apps for all major operating systems and devices. These apps include built-in leak protection settings and all the privacy and security features discussed above. One drawback with the Mac OS app, however, is that it does not support the OpenVPN protocol (see these VPN services for Mac instead).

If you are looking to stream Canadian media with privacy and security, Surfshark will fit the bill. They support Canada Netflix, as well as nine other Netflix regions, Hulu, Disney+, and many more. Torrenting is also allowed on every server in Surfshark’s network. It’s also a great VPN for Kodi streaming.

While Surfshark does offer good performance with many servers, I found some variability in the network when testing. It’s not quite as fast as ExpressVPN or NordVPN, but speeds are still pretty good. However, with 1,700 sever locations in 63 countries, you should be able to find a fast and reliable server in your area.

All Surfshark plans come with a 30 day money-back guarantee. Live chat is always available directly through the Surfshark website (24/7).

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Check out our Surfshark review for more info and test results.

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4. VyprVPN for Canada

VyprVPN is another great Canada VPN in terms of performance and security. Like our other recommended VPNs for Canada, VyprVPN is a no-logs VPN service based in a good privacy jurisdiction (Switzerland). It offers secure apps and good features at a very reasonable price.

As illustrated in the VyprVPN review, the servers I tested all performed very well with consistent speeds. VyprVPN utilizes the OpenVPN protocol with 256-bit AES encryption. They also offer a self-developed obfuscation protocol (called the Chameleon protocol) that will allow users to easily get around VPN blocks. This makes VyprVPN a great choice for places where VPNs are blocked, such as work and school networks, or certain countries.

One unique feature with VyprVPN is that they own 100% of the servers in their VPN network. In other words, they never rent servers from third parties. This provides VyprVPN users with better performance and a higher level of security for their data. Customer support is also great, with live chat assistance as well as a 30 day money-back guarantee on all plans.

VyprVPN Canada servers

• Toronto

https://www.vyprvpn.com

See our VyprVPN review for more info.

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5. VPNArea for Canada

Despite not being a big name in the VPN industry, VPNArea is another great VPN for Canada. It offers very secure apps that utilize 256-bit AES encryption while also offering great performance. VPNArea performed well in testing for the VPNArea review and continues to be one of the top-performing VPNs.

For privacy and security, VPNArea apps utilize strong leak protection settings. It is a no-logs VPN based in Bulgaria, which is a good privacy jurisdiction. Similar to NordVPN, VPNArea offers an ad-blocking feature that works with all apps and servers.

While it does not support as many Netflix regions as other VPNs we’ve discussed, VPNArea does support US and UK Netflix. If you want to specifically stream Canada Netflix, you may want to go with another provider. VPNArea continues to support torrenting on dedicated P2P servers. And if you want a VPN with a dedicated IP address, you can select this add-on from VPNArea.

For price and value, VPNArea is quite competitive, with a two-year plan at only $2.99 per month. Subscriptions come with a 30 day money-back guarantee and with 24/7 live chat support.

VPNArea Canada servers

• Montreal
• Toronto
• Vancouver

https://VPNArea.com/

Our VPNArea review has more info.

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Why should you use a VPN for Canada?

As we noted earlier, VPN usage continues to grow in Canada. Here is a brief overview explaining why more Canadians than ever are using VPN services:

1. Online privacy concerns in Canada

Surveillance and the loss of online privacy is a big concern for regular Canadians. This trend has been ongoing for many years. Just like in the US, Canada has many laws that sound fine on the surface, but contain problems that are hidden in the details. is more of a problem today in Canada than ever before.

In the past few years, Canada has passed a number of laws that infringe on Canadians’ right to online privacy.

1. Bill C-11 (Copyright Modernization Act) – Passed in September 2011, the Copyright Modernization Act basically forces data collection by internet providers and search engines to enforce copyright claims. In other words, it forces you to sacrifice your online privacy so large digital media companies can go after someone for downloading music or videos.
2. Bill C-51 (Antiterrorism Act 2015) – The Antiterrorism Act of 2015 is also alarming. It provides Canadian authorities with sweeping authority to hack, record, and monitor practically any device that uses the internet in Canada. Of course, the issue of sacrificing privacy to combat “terrorism” is a worldwide trend and is not limited to Canada.
3. Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act – This is the “lawful access” legislation that was passed in December 2014. While the legislation was proposed to theoretically protect people from “cyberbullying”, it included many other provisions unrelated to its original intent. This bill broadly expanded the ability of authorities to access online data, phone records, and digital tracking with only a “reasonable grounds for suspicion.”

People in Canada today can now be snooped and surveilled by internet providers, telephone companies, and a broad assortment of government agencies – and it’s all perfectly legal.

The best and most effective solution to these problems is to use a VPN whenever you are online. VPNs work great on computers, tablets, phones, and more. This will encrypt and anonymize your online activity, thereby making it unreadable to third parties.

Canada’s neighbor to the south, the United States, may also be collecting data on Canadian expats and passing this on to others (discussed more in the VPNs for USA guide).

2. Canadian internet providers record browsing data

If the surveillance concerns noted above weren’t enough to put you on edge, it gets even worse. Canadian internet providers can easily record every website you visit. In many countries, such Australia, this is mandatory due to data retention laws.

Canadian internet providers can record your browsing history by simply recording DNS requests. These requests reveal all the websites you visit and are sent to your internet provider in cleartext. When you use a VPN, however, the VPN servers will handle all DNS requests and they will be encrypted (hidden) from third parties.

This is a trend we are seeing everywhere. In the UK, internet providers are forced to record all web browsing of their users and pass this data on to the government – this is why using a VPN for the UK is so important.

3. Heavy-handed copyright laws

Canada is also home to harsh copyright violation laws. Thanks to the Copyright Modernization Act (Bill C-11), internet providers and search engines must record your activity. If you are suspected of infringing on any copyright, such as downloading music or movies, you can be hit with fines in the thousands of dollars. (Time to get the best VPN for torrenting and keep your activity concealed.)

4. Streaming and accessing geo-restricted content

Another reason for people in Canada to use a good VPN is for accessing geo-restricted media and websites. For example, UK expats living in Canada may want to watch BBC, which blocks anyone who does not have a UK IP address. With a VPN, someone in Vancouver, for example, could connect to a server in London and stream BBC iPlayer with a VPN till their heart’s content.

Similarly, Canadians living abroad can use a VPN to access Canadian Netflix. A VPN is also useful for streaming Canadian TV channels, such as the CBC.

5. Get a Canada IP address with a VPN

Lastly, there are also people outside of Canada who may want a Canadian IP address. In addition to accessing Canadian media, a Canadian IP address might be necessary for banking and other services.

To get a Canadian IP address, all you need to do is connect to a VPN server in Canada. The VPN server’s IP address and location will replace your IP address and location.

What about Canadian VPNs?

You may have noticed that there are no Canadian VPN services (VPNs legally based in Canada) recommended in this guide. The reason for that is simple: Canada is not a very good jurisdiction for privacy. Like the United States, Canada has passed many laws that infringe on peoples’ right to privacy, as we have already noted.

Additionally, Canada is also a member of the Five Eyes alliance of surveillance/data collection partners. This means that the Canadian government cooperates with the US, UK, Australia, and other governments to collect and share mass surveillance data. And speaking of Australia, VPN usage there is also growing, thanks to mandatory data retention laws and the loss of privacy.

Here are some of the Canadian VPNs I’ve tested, none of which were top-performers:

• Windscribe
• TunnelBear
• Betternet

Canada is a great country. From a privacy perspective, however, it would be wise to pick a VPN that’s located in a better jurisdiction.

Are VPNs legal in Canada?

Yes. VPNs are perfectly legal and are used by people in Canada every day for privacy, security, and online freedom.

In fact, Canadian businesses use VPNs every day for data security, especially with remote workers or traveling employees. Even in places like China, VPNs are still legal for everyday use and achieving more online privacy and security.

From Canada to Europe and Australia, VPNs are quickly becoming popular as more people choose to restore their privacy with good VPN services and other privacy tools. In short, you don’t have anything to worry about when using a good, trustworthy VPN, whether you’re located in Canada or anywhere else.

Of course, you should not be using a VPN to break any laws in your country. If you’re like most people, however, a VPN is just an important tool for privacy, security, and more online freedom.

How to get the best VPN speeds for Canada

The main tip for getting the best VPN speeds for Canada is to connect to a nearby server in your geographical region. For each of the Canada VPN services above, I also provided all of the server locations in Canada. If you are in Canada, connecting to one of these locations, or a nearby VPN server in the US, will offer the best performance.

For high-performance VPN services, such as ExpressVPN, speeds should be excellent with nearly all servers, whether you are connecting to one in Europe or North America. As a general rule of thumb, however, you should expect some speed tradeoff for long-distance connections, such as connecting to servers in Australia from Canada.

WARNING: A VPN will not help if you have speed problems from your internet provider.

I have seen various complaints from people about Rogers, Bell, and other Canadian internet providers. Issues range from speed problems to connectivity.

If you are having speed issues, you may want to first verify the problem does not reside with your internet provider. It’s also easy to test your VPN for speeds and leaks.

Conclusion: Best VPNs for Canada

While Canada remains a great country with friendly people and beautiful scenery, it is also a place where online privacy continues to deteriorate.

Using a VPN for Canada will help you to restore your privacy, secure your data, and access any content you want from around the world, wherever you are located.

Here are the best VPN services for Canada that performed well in the latest round of testing and meet all of the criteria listed at the top of this guide.

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