Best VPN for Remote Work in 2025: What IT Teams Actually Use
Working remotely without a VPN is a security risk. But not all VPNs are suited for work. We look at what matters most for remote workers and which services deliver.
The VPN market is flooded with options marketed at remote workers, but most reviews focus on streaming and privacy rather than what actually matters for day-to-day work use. After testing the leading options specifically for remote work scenarios — accessing company resources, working from hotel Wi-Fi, video calls, and file transfers — here are the ones that actually hold up.
What remote workers actually need from a VPN
Streaming performance does not matter much for work. What does matter: consistent speeds for video calls, reliability that does not require constant reconnection, a kill switch that protects you if the connection drops, and ideally split tunneling so work traffic routes through the VPN while personal browsing does not.
NordVPN — best overall for remote workers
NordVPN performs consistently across different network conditions, which is the most important factor for remote work. Its Meshnet feature allows you to connect directly to your home or office network securely — useful if you have a NAS or need to access local resources. Split tunneling works well on both Windows and Android. The kill switch is reliable. At around $4 per month on a longer plan, the cost is easily justified for a professional.
ExpressVPN — best for international remote workers
If your work takes you to countries with heavy internet censorship — China, UAE, Russia — ExpressVPN has the best track record for actually working in those environments. It is more expensive than NordVPN but that reliability premium is worth paying if you are regularly working from countries with restricted internet.
ProtonVPN — best for privacy-sensitive work
Journalists, legal professionals, and anyone handling sensitive client data should consider ProtonVPN. The open source codebase and Swiss jurisdiction provide a level of verifiable trust that commercial VPNs cannot match. The Secure Core feature routes your traffic through two servers in privacy-friendly countries before it reaches its destination.
What to avoid
Free VPNs for work use. Without exception. Free VPN services monetise your traffic data, have severely limited bandwidth, and are not appropriate for any professional use. The cost of a paid VPN is trivial compared to the risk of transmitting work data over an insecure free service.
Setup tips for remote workers
Enable the kill switch on day one. Set the VPN to auto-connect on unknown networks. Use split tunneling to avoid routing personal traffic through your work VPN if your employer manages it. Check whether your VPN has a business plan — NordVPN Teams and ExpressVPN for Business both offer centralised management which IT departments prefer.
We test every tool we review. Ratings are based on real testing, not affiliate commission rates. Learn about our methodology →