Best VPN solutiuons for small businesses and teams

As remote working continues to surge in popularity, the demand for business VPNs is on the rise. In this article, we explore the top VPN solutions for small businesses and teams.

If you manage or own a small business that has remote workers, you may be interested in getting a business VPN for your entire workforce. Using a VPN for a small business allows your employees to work safely due to the encryption the service provides and remote access corporate resource safely (at home or on public WiFi networks).

Not all VPNs are suitable for business use, but a select few offer tailored features for business owners, such as a centrally managed plan to cover all of your employees, as well as administrative control to provide or deny access depending on your company’s needs.

In this guide, we've curated a list of the very best VPNs for small businesses. Our recommendations are fast enough to engage in secure online business meetings and Zoom calls, and for accessing company resources securely from any public WiFi network or home. Below, you can take a quick look at our top business VPN recommendations. Scroll down for in-depth summaries that will help you pick the right VPN for your business.

The best VPNs for small businesses and teams:

1. NordLayer: Our top choice business VPN. A specialist business VPN well-liked by small and medium-sized organizations. With strong encryption and a kill switch, this VPN can be set up to provide secure remote access and site-to-site functionality.
2. Perimeter 81: A fast and stable VPN for small business. Delivers fast and stable connections, capable of handling various network traffic types such as SSH, RDP, VNC, and Telnet. Supports site-to-site VPN configurations with robust encrypted connections.
3. Twingate: The perfect small business VPN for remote workers. Tailored for remote teams, this business VPN offers Single Sign-On (SSO) support, split tunneling, zero-trust access, and private gateways.
4. Windscribe: A budget-friendly VPN for businesses with robust security features, user-friendly apps, and centralized billing options. It offers excellent documentation but lacks 24/7 customer support.
5. ExpressVPN: Large network, no logging policy, and high-grade encryption, ExpressVPN is a reliable option for any small business. Works in China and the UAE. 
6. CyberGhost VPN: Known for its value for money, this service provides secure apps that are easy to install and start using. Has some of the fastest servers we've tested.

What makes a good VPN for small businesses?

The VPN market is flooded with competing services, and not all services are created equal. A VPN for businesses needs to offer exemplary privacy levels and security features that ensure your valuable company data is always protected in transit. In this guide, we ranked the best business VPNs based on these critical factors:

• Tailored services designed for businesses
• Speed and reliability
• Robust security features
• Support for multiple simultaneous connections
• Apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS

You can find out more about how we test and recommend VPNs later in this guide.

Best business VPNs: Detailed reviews

The summaries below offer an in-depth look at the feature sets provided by our top business VPNs. While security is a paramount focus for all our recommendations, each VPN distinguishes itself with its own unique strengths. These summaries highlight the specific benefits offered by each business-oriented VPN solution.

NordLayer, brought to you by NordVPN, is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses in need of watertight online security. It simplifies secure remote access to office networks and the internet, ensuring seamless protection for your team regardless of where they need to work. They can work on the move without the threat of eavesdroppers, evil twin attacks, or hackers. 

Managing user accounts is easy with NordLayer thanks to a centralized control panel that puts you in charge. Your employees will be able to route connections through a network spanning 33+ different countries without added billing complexities. Regardless of their location, staff will always require authentication to establish an encrypted connection to network resources.

Key features of NordLayer:

• AES-256 encryption: Your data is safeguarded with reliable encryption, guaranteeing privacy and security for all company data in transit.
• Dedicated IPs: Enjoy the benefits of a dedicated IP address for added control, security, and accessibility.
• Remote access and site-to-site connectivity: Whether you need remote access or site-to-site connections, NordLayer has you covered.
• Device security scanning: Protect your devices with built-in security scanning, which helps bolster your organization's defenses.
• Third-party authentication: Seamlessly integrates with popular services like GSuite, OneLogin, Okta, and Azure for streamlined user management.
• Granular monitoring: Lets you monitor VPN activity in your organization and keep an eye on the devices accessing your network.

NordLayer is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. Its robust encryption and a kill switch provide continuous data protection for your organization. Plus, NordLayer is committed to giving you support with setting up and using the VPN to make things as seamless as possible.

Accounts start at $8 per user, per month for its Lite plan, and go up to $14 per user per month for its Premium plan, which offers additional features depending on your needs.

AMAZING VALUE FOR MONEY: NordLayer is an excellent business-oriented VPN that is fully scalable. Has strong security features, fast speeds, and simple billing for businesses. Super-fast servers to prevent your staff from hitting roadblocks. 14-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

Perimeter 81 is a specialist business-oriented VPN that can significantly enhance the security of your remote workforce. With Perimeter 81, your team can effortlessly deploy private VPN servers, enabling them to securely connect with each other and company resources from anywhere on the globe. Perimeter 81 removes the complexities involved in managing network activity with an intuitive online dashboard. This allows you to oversee your entire team's connectivity with no barrier to entry or sophisticated IT team needed.

Key features that set Perimeter 81 apart:

• Tailored for distributed businesses: Ideal for organizations with remote teams in multiple locations, Perimeter 81 is designed to meet the unique needs of modern enterprises.
• Application fencing: Lets you fence off critical applications to safeguard them from potential threats and give your company robust security controls.
• SASE implementation: Embrace the future of networking with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integration, elevating your network security to the next level.
• Protect your premises and cloud accounts: Perimeter 81 can help your organization protect data on your physical premises or in the cloud.
• Granular Access Controls: Take full control over who can access your network and resources.

Perimeter 81 goes the extra mile with innovative features like network segmentation, allowing your organization to isolate sensitive data and shield it from potential breaches. If your business spans multiple locations, Perimeter 81 will give you secure site-to-site VPN access to seamlessly bridge between those networks. 

Subscriptions can easily be scaled to meet your organization's needs, giving any number of employees access to a network of 700+ public servers across 36+ global locations. Your employees are safe against Evil Twin hotspots, hackers, and online tracking, all without the need to deploy your own VPN infrastructure. Its comprehensive logging and traffic inspection capabilities empower your organization to continually monitor VPN access, and to check that employees are protecting their devices and company data.

Perimeter 81 has applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android with robust 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch that ensures you never leak data outside of the secure VPN tunnel. Pricing starts at $8 per month/per user for a basic plan and goes up to $16 per month/per user if you want access to all enterprise features.

EXCELLENT VPN FOR BUSINESSES AND TEAMS: Perimeter 81 is a great all-around business VPN solution for small enterprises. Its Advanced Cloud VPN offers a dedicated VPN feature set that is tailor-made for business use. Large, secure network of servers in 36+ locations. Highly adaptable and well-suited for a wide range of business purposes. 30-day money-back guarantee to test it with your team.

Twingate is a highly effective and reliable solution with numerous features that set it apart. It provides zero-trust access controls for your business while ensuring that your business network is completely concealed from public view for added security. 

Twingate doesn't require any adjustment to your existing network infrastructure, and it allows you to easily scale the VPN if your business grows. It has a reliable centralized admin console that gives you full control over who can access network resources throughout your organization, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network.

Key features of Twingate:

• Access control to applications: Twingate empowers IT administrators with complete control over who can access corporate applications, whether they are cloud-based or on-premises.
• Single sign-on (SSO): Implementing SSO ensures staff access only authorized resources, providing secure entry to SaaS applications and remote networks.
• Role-based access groups: Simplify user management and enhance security through Twingate's role-based access groups.
• Split tunneling: Twingate's split tunneling optimizes network traffic, routing it through the network only when necessary, thus improving speeds for bandwidth-intensive activities such as video calls.

Apps are available for all popular platforms, and the VPN provides robust AES-256 encryption for all tunnels in and out of your network. A choice of multi-factor authentication methods is available depending on your company’s needs. Starts at $5 per user per month for up to 100 users, and you can trial it for free with five team members to take it for a quick spin and gain some privacy for a handful of remote workers.

SECURE NETWORK ACCESS: Twingate is a zero-trust trustless solution tailored for remote teams relying on Single Sign-On (SSO). Unlike traditional VPNs, Twingate operates without a network of proxy servers, granting secure connections to your business resources only. If you want access to encrypted proxy VPN servers, shop elsewhere. 14-day free trial available.

Windscribe is a popular consumer-facing VPN based in Canada that has plans aimed at small businesses called ScribeForce. Windscribe offers a cost-effective solution tailored to business owners mindful of their budget, while still giving you all the important features needed to allow your workers to work remotely securely. 

Its business-oriented VPN plan includes all the features of a Windscribe Pro, granting your employees access to a vast network of over 600 servers across 50+ countries. Plus, you benefit from centralized billing and a user-friendly panel that lets you configure and manage the VPN for your entire team effortlessly.

Unlike the other VPNs on this list, ScribeForce functions solely as an internet proxy. It won’t set up or connect you to a private network.

Key features of ScribeForce:

• Fast speeds: Windscribe prioritizes fast connections, ensuring uninterrupted productivity for your team using the latest WireGuard protocol or OpenVPN depending on your preferences.
• Robust security: Using watertight 256-bit encryption with perfect forward secrecy, Windscribe fortifies your data against potential threats. Incorporates a kill switch, DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection for enhanced online safety.
• Ad and malware blocking: Windscribe blocks ads and malware across all your devices, enhancing online speeds and keeping your workforce productive.
• No-log policy: Windscribe adheres to a strict no-log policy, to ensure that it never has any data on file to hand over to Canadian authorities if requested.
• Cross-platform compatibility: Access Windscribe seamlessly across all your business devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Static IPs are available at an extra cost, and subscriptions start at just $3 per month per user. Overall, this makes it one of the cheapest business VPNs available. Admittedly, it isn’t as feature-packed as some of the other business VPNs mentioned, but it is perfect for teams that work remotely and want to prevent online tracking with a strong layer of encryption.

BEST CHEAP BUSINESS VPN: Windscribe delivers impressive speeds suitable for business applications, ensuring reliable performance and seamless private video conferences. With a strict no-logs policy and robust tunneling techniques, it prioritizes the security and privacy needs of your employees. Comes with a three-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN is a well-known VPN brand that is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of consumers and people who work remotely around the world. The VPN might not be the cheapest, and it doesn’t strictly have a plan directed at businesses. However, it does have excellent apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android that come with strong AES encryption, OpenVPN with obfuscation, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection. 

It has a no-logging policy, which means that it never retains any records of what you or your employees do while connected to the VPN. Businesses can profit from its extensive server network spanning 94+ countries. This vast global presence caters to employees who frequently travel or work remotely, ensuring seamless connectivity wherever they go. The highest server concentration resides in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific, with a presence in Africa and the Middle East as well.

ExpressVPN functions as a secure internet proxy and can not be used to set up connections to your company’s private network.

ExpressVPN features for businesses:

• Robust encryption: ExpressVPN employs strong AES encryption, safeguarding your business communications and data.
• Password manager: Enhance your teams' security with the convenience of a built-in password manager.
• Private DNS: Benefit from private DNS services, adding an extra layer of protection to your online activities and preventing ISPs from monitoring your web visits.
• Obfuscation for OpenVPN: Stealth VPN makes it easier to connect in countries that enforce censorship and ensures that staff can access Western accounts like Twitter, even when working in China.
• Fast connection speeds: This VPN was very fast in our tests, which makes it great for making private video conferences or testing international mirrors of company web pages.
• Diskless servers and a fully independently audited service: Ensures that the VPN’s security has been fully verified, and allows the VPN to quickly erase all data on a server remotely in an emergency.

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, exempting it from mandatory data retention laws and the jurisdiction of Western government agencies. Servers available in 94+ countries make it easy to check web page localization and marketing campaigns. You can try it yourself for up to eight employees using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

SUPERB ALROUNDER: ExpressVPN delivers fast and dependable performance that effortlessly unlocks most restricted websites. Robust privacy features and a strict no-logs policy ensure your employees’ online activities remain confidential. Works in regions like China and the UAE. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

CyberGhost VPN is an easy-to-use VPN that makes it easy for any business to gain privacy and security for remote workers. It doesn't have a dedicated business VPN option, but it is still an attractive option for small businesses and teams that want to gain online privacy. It is affordable and perfect for workers who are new to VPNs.

The VPN has more than 9,000 servers dispersed across 89+ countries – allowing you to get an IP address in many countries around the world to easily engage in location-based website testing for research and marketing purposes. You can’t set up a private network or use it to access your company’s internal apps and resources, though.

A strict no-logs policy means that your communications and online activities remain concealed from WiFi network providers, ISPs, and government snoops – allowing your staff to work remotely while keeping company data private.

CyberGhost VPN has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it allows businesses to connect using seven devices simultaneously.

CyberGhost VPN features for businesses:

• Reliable encryption: CyberGhost VPN employs robust AES-256 encryption, ensuring your data remains secure and confidential.
• Dedicated IPs: Tailor your VPN experience with the flexibility of a dedicated IP, enhancing your online presence.
• Optional antivirus: For added protection, CyberGhost VPN offers an optional antivirus suite, fortifying your defense against online threats.
• Expansive server network: CyberGhost VPN has more than 9,000 servers in 89+ countries.

The provider uses 256-bit AES encryption on the OpenVPN protocol and an internet kill switch adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring web traffic is prevented from ever escaping the encrypted VPN tunnel. You can try it risk-free with your team for 45 days.

BETTER FOR BEGINNERS AND NON-TECHY BUSINESSES: CyberGhost VPN combines user-friendliness with top-notch privacy measures. Enjoy the assurance of zero logs, DNS leak protection, and seamless access to popular streaming platforms and restricted services. Plus, it comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee to test it with your team.

Read our full review of CyberGhost VPN.

Business VPN testing methodology

We use a comprehensive VPN testing method and selection process, to ensure we only recommend highly secure VPNs that are suitable for businesses. Our evaluation includes rigorous speed assessments, checking the privacy policy, thorough app leak checks, and a comprehensive review of encryption protocols.

We put privacy first, but also look for VPNs that provide a wide range of features needed by businesses with remote workers. We also list VPNs that work in regions where internet blocks and access restrictions can negatively affect employees' productivity.

Our recommendations secure your employee's work data and privacy whether they are in the office, at work, or connected to public WiFi.  Below, you can see some of the criteria we used to recommend VPNs suitable for businesses:

• Business-focused: We prioritize VPNs tailored to business needs, ensuring secure remote resource access and zero trust access to business networks.
• Speed and bandwidth: We test for top-speed VPNs with unlimited bandwidth for efficient file transfers and remote server connections.
• Geo-unblocking: Our selections excel in bypassing geographic restrictions for full online access, including news, financial services, and web page localization.
• Enhanced security: Recommended VPNs offer advanced encryption, leak protection, and robust security features.
• Privacy assurance: We favor VPNs with strict no-logs policies, safeguarding both your business and user privacy.
• User-friendly: We seek VPNs with user-friendly apps, 24/7 support, and accessible setup guides for seamless experiences.
• Cost-effective: Our recommendations include budget-friendly options, often with money-back guarantees and discount coupons for risk-free trials.

Business VPN FAQs

Can I get a free VPN for my business?

If you have a relatively small team, you can consider using Twingate, one of our recommended VPNs, for free. Twingate allows up to five of your employees to establish secure, encrypted connections to your business network while protecting their data from prying eyes. It's an excellent option to test the VPN with a portion of your team or to utilize the service at no cost if your team is small enough.

However, it's important to note that Twingate may not offer the same versatility as our other recommendations, as it doesn't operate a network of proxy servers. Instead, it provides the necessary software to connect your employees to your company's resources.

If your employees require the capability to connect to IP addresses from around the world, you can explore any of the VPNs recommended in this guide, all of which offer a money-back guarantee. This allows you to test the VPN with your team to determine if it aligns with your specific business needs and requirements.

Please note that although you can find other free VPNs online, the majority of these are highly unreliable and insecure. Studies have revealed that free VPNs suffer from leaks, lack encryption, track and monitor connections, sell data to create a profit, and even contain spyware in their apps. That makes using most of the free VPNs you will find online a massive risk to your company’s data and the health of your employees' devices. 

For this reason, we strongly advise educating your employees about the risks associated with using free VPNs. It's essential to prioritize the security and privacy of your business data by choosing trusted, secure VPN solutions that align with your business requirements.

What is a business VPN?

In the world of business, VPNs come in different forms. Many companies operate their own VPNs, providing secure connections to internal servers for employees on the go. These enterprise VPN solutions differ from the VPNs discussed in this guide.

Our top two recommendations offer both VPN servers that function as secure internet proxies, and let you set up a secure gateway to your organization’s private apps, data, and other resources. A business VPN usually requires an admin to manage user accounts, access permissions, and privileges within the private network.

They can also be used to set up site-to-site VPNs that connect two or more geographically distant offices. We prioritize VPNs that offer centralized billing and tailored plans, encompassing features like site-to-site connectivity and centralized access management controls in addition to safe internet access.

The VPNs we recommended don’t require an IT degree to get set up. They make it easy to manage all of your organization’s users, access, and connections from a central dashboard.

When you connect to the VPN, all data transmitted to and from your internet-connected devices is encrypted. This crucial security measure shields your online activities and data from prying eyes, including local WiFi networks, ISPs, government surveillance, and other potential eavesdroppers. This makes a VPN an essential tool for any smaller business that cannot afford a full enterprise-level VPN solution.

The consumer VPNs featured in this guide support multiple connections, making them suitable for small businesses with multiple remote employees. Furthermore, the proxy networks controlled by the VPNs in this guide give internet-connected teams the ability to access regional internet services, while also enabling web-based businesses to test website localization and marketing campaigns effectively.

Why do I need a business VPN?

A business VPN serves two primary purposes. It ensures secure internet access for remote workers and allows employees to connect to the company server remotely – enabling employees to access files, applications, and other company assets privately and securely.

When your employees use a business VPN, an encrypted connection is created between their smartphone or laptop and a remote VPN server. This encryption acts as a protective shield, preventing third parties like hackers, government entities, and Internet Service Providers from intercepting and monitoring company data in transit. This security feature is important for remote workers who require secure internet access, especially when connected to vulnerable networks at hotels, airports, or cafes – where employees could potentially fall victim to evil twin hotspots and hackers.

A VPN grants staff members the ability to access files, documents, applications, printers, and various other resources on your business network with the same level of security as if they were at the office. 

For example, an employee can connect to a computer hosted on your work's network to create and modify documents without needing to download files onto their personal device. The encrypted connection also prevents local networks from detecting the IP address of your business network, which helps to shield it from attacks. 

How do I set up a VPN for my business?

Setting up a VPN for your business is a straightforward process with the business-oriented VPNs recommended in this guide. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth setup:

1. Choose one of the business VPNs recommended in this guide based on your company’s needs.
2. Visit the VPN provider's website and select the subscription plan that suits the number of employees in your team.
3. Download and install the VPN software on the company's devices to establish secure connections.
4. Grant access to your employees, allowing them to download and install the VPN software on their individual devices.
5. Educate your employees on the importance of using the VPN at all times when connecting to the company network or when working remotely to ensure their online activities are encrypted and secure.

Additionally, prioritize security by enforcing strong password practices and informing employees about VPN best practices. If any issues arise during setup or usage, employees can contact the VPN provider's customer support or refer to setup guides and FAQs for assistance.