Find out how the best VPNs in Canada can protect your online privacy and have P2P capabilities. With wide server coverage and fast connection speed, you can also stream content from any available region.
The #1 VPN provider for the Canadian is NordVPN – their no logging policy, 256 bit military grade encryption, and low pricing makes them the best VPN!
The internet is getting less free, that’s why we personally bought VPNs and tested their speed, security features, and server coverage. We then shortlisted the top 7 VPNs with strong protocols and leak-free, so you may surf the web worry-free from surveillance and content restriction.
Note
As with all my VPN tests, before judging their speed I always judge my own. The following is my actual broadband speed based on a service line of 500Mbps, without a VPN connection active:
As I am based in Malaysia, my speeds will tend to be high connecting to nearby Asia-region VPN servers and for the most part, gradually decline as I connect to servers further away. This is a general rule of thumb since distance does play a part in line quality, affecting both speed and latency.
As you can see, a VPN-free connection to Canada nets me a decent speed of 560 Mbps.
Excellent
CA$4.89/mo
NordVPN has been steadily improving its services and 2019 was a very exciting year for them. This year we re-evaluated their performance and they managed to improve even further on past performance.
Even with a slight hike in their pricing, they remain extremely competitive and offer the most serious bang-for-buck that we see in this very challenging space today.
They are an excellent choice as Best VPN for Canada due to many reasons. One of the first is that they are based in Panama, which is also a good place to be for VPNs. Aside from that, NordVPN has a sterling reputation and is another VPN provider that has a huge number of servers in many countries.
Their strict no-logging policy, 256-bit military-grade encryption, and great price plans combine well to offer almost anyone a deal that is hard to resist.
With a 114 Mbps downstream speed, NordVPN remains as one of the top Choices for this region and remains at the top of our recommended VPNs for Canada list. What makes them an even more attractive proposition is that they not only allow P2P traffic but have specially optimized servers for it!
Read our in-depth review on NordVPN to learn why it’s Bitcatcha’s #1 VPN!
Excellent
CA$2.93/mo
Surfshark may be new to the business having just come into play late 2018 but it has come out with a bang. Even as it fields less than 1,000 servers in 60-odd countries, it manages to offer strong and stable connections as shown in our speed tests.
They are also able to handle P2P / torrents plus make available multi-region content for movie streaming sites like Netflix. For me the holy grail of Netflix is US region content and I’ve been getting my binge-fix off Surfshark for the past year with no issues whatsoever.
Surfshark also offers this service an excellent price-points on their two-year plan. Keep an eye on this one, folks, it may be heading up in our lists as more time passes!
Learn more of its excellence at our thorough review on Surfshark!
Good
CA$11.71/mo
One of the best VPN services I have ever tested, ExpressVPN has so far been one of my top picks no matter which country I am ranking it for. It has a massively broad range of server locations and many servers. Even better, it is based out of the British Virgin Islands which is lax in its data retention laws.
I have tested the service comprehensively and have no hesitation in recommending them as the top VPN service provider for Canadians. ExpressVPN is stable and allows access on a good range of devices as well.
As an idea of how good it gets, I compared my default line speed without a VPN to an ExpressVPN covered test to the same location. With ExpressVPN on and connected to a server in Canada, I managed a strong 86 Mbps downstream speed even though upload speeds were a bit disappointing.
Again, something to note here is my actual distance from Canada which is as far as it can probably get. The performance that ExpressVPN is about par for the course for them overall. Naturally, as a rule of thumb, the closer the VPN server the better their speed is likely to be for you.
Read our complete review on ExpressVPN to see why it’s one of our top picks!
Excellent
CA$3.85/mo
CyberGhost is perhaps one of the services which has the most distinct marketing identity of all the services we’ve assessed. In fact, they seem to have built up quite a cult following thanks to the hip and upbeat tone of their marketing.
This is another of the more well-known names in the VPN industry and personally, I have warmed to them greatly over time. I re-run performance tests regularly and find that CyberGhost has much improved over the first time I came across it.
Today, I feel that it has in fact grown sufficiently that it moves up my ranking ladder a fair bit. The best part of the deal is that despite all the improvements I have observed, CyberGhost still has managed to keep prices very reasonable as long as you commit to their extended plan.
Canadians need to take note that most CyberGhost servers are in the EU zone, but thankfully, they have a pretty solid performance both in the US as well as Canada. This gives them a relatively broad base of appeal to a global audience.
If you’re travelling and need to visit the Asia region frequently for some reason, specific choices are more limited but performance is solid still so long as you connect to the right countries there (like Singapore).
Their extreme performance on Canada-based servers gives them a solid leg to stand on in these rankings.
See our full review on CyberGhost to learn more!
Excellent
CA$4.57/mo
IPVanish has suffered greatly in the past due to its embroilment in certain… shall we say, unfortunate incidents. Yet aside from that, take note that they are under new management and hopefully such things will become just speed bumps in their past.
Moving those incidents aside, they remain a VPN giant in the field and boast speeds that are impressive. Luckily for that, since if you have any complaints about their speed, there isn’t much you can do as they force 256-bit encryption on everyone without exception.
As I mentioned, IPVanish, say what you like about them, offers some interesting speeds. These numbers are certainly capable of putting them on our top VPN for Canada list. With my location in Malaysia and running the test out of their Canada server, I got a very strong 121 Mbps down speed.
Strangely enough, it suffers quite a bit on the upstream but I’m pretty sure that isn’t a top priority for most of us.
This bodes well for Canadians who will be connecting to servers in proximity to them or even in the neighbouring US. The one major flaw here is in their customer service which is not that great. If you’re from a Western country and expect a certain standard of support – it’s here that IPVanish falls below par.
Read our in-depth review on IPVanish to find out more!
Excellent
CA$5.87/mo
One of the most important deciding factors in TorGuard’s placement is that it is a very P2P-friendly VPN service provider. There isn’t a lot of bling on the user-facing side, but it is remarkable in performance.
There is one key difference between TorGuard and many competitors in that it allows you to choose what level of encryption you prefer. This means that for P2P users, you can turn down encryption a notch and enjoy faster torrenting speeds anytime!
Aside from that, TorGuard has many other redeeming qualities, such as stable speeds, multi-platform capability and the ability to bypass VPN blockers. A downside is that unless you fork out extra for a residential IP, use of this VPN with Netflix is very dodgy.
As one of the top three best VPNs for Canada, TorGuard of course met certain speed requirements. This showed in my test result for it from a Vancouver-based VPN server and again, Canadians should be able to match speed ratio with US-based servers.
The only downside is that for younger users who are used to the sleekness of modern applications, the TorGuard interface will look like something from the past.
Read our thorough analysis on TorGuard for more information!
Excellent
CA$1.56/mo
FastestVPN has a tough name to fight and when I first tried it – it honestly wasn’t that hot. Since then I’ve re-evaluated their service and they’ve made a ton of improvement in performance.
Add to that the fact they’ve managed to keep prices extremely as well – it’s only $1.56/mo on their 3-year plan. While it’s true that the FastestVPN network isn’t that awesome, Canadians don’t have that problem locally since their servers here are very steady.They also have P2P optimized servers which makes them good for that as well.
The latest iteration of their service also seems to have resolved many earlier problems such as the hiccups in service when trying to use Netflix. Now, everything streams just peachy and at these speeds – enjoyably so.
Speeds on FastestVPN when connected to a Toronto-based server for me exceeded 200 Mbps. That is extreme for a country that’s literally across the world from where I am, so there is little doubt it can perform even better for Canadians.
Head over to our FastestVPN review to learn more!
Virtual Private Network, or VPN, are private networks of servers. They help users increase digital privacy while adding additional layers of security at the same time. They can be used by both businesses and individual consumers.
In a major business context, most VPNs are built and run by the companies themselves, or customized by special service providers. This allows them to offer off-site employees to access confidential information safely.
We mainly look at VPNs from an individual consumer or small business context. Part of this is due to the fact that consumer VPNs are significantly easier to access and use. However, they are also priced for the consumer market – more affordably so.
The main objectives are still the same though – privacy and security. By routing your data connection through secure VPN servers, you adopt the physical characteristics of those servers in some way.
Your point of origin is masked, along with many other details of your own device and internet connection. What you’re showing to the outside world is essentially your representation online – the VPN server.
While all this is going on, VPNs also help by encrypting your data. If somehow data is lost or stolen during transmission, that encryption will prevent anyone else from being able to read and use the information.
Given its proximity to the United States, it is not much of a wonder that Canada has been heading firmly in similar directions about Internet censorship.
In fact, over the past few years there have been disturbing movements by the Canadian government to increase regulation on Internet users.
In 2017 the ruling of a case by the Supreme Court of Canada showed this clearly – that Canada agreed with worldwide Internet censorship.
In addition to that, users who want to participate in P2P file sharing will also find themselves scrutinized as anti-piracy enforcement firms bring their attention to the country.
If you’re in Canada and are beginning to worry about these moves – you’re right to be since it is very real.
Although technically not related to VPNs and Internet privacy directly, developments in Canada over the past few years show worrying trends. In 2017 a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada approved of a company’s efforts to attempt to force the blocking of certain websites.
While this was based on a very specific case, it does show that the legal system can lean firmly towards censorship action in some form of other. The ruling even affected Google as the court felt that ‘Google was subject to the jurisdiction of Canadian courts by virtue of its operations in Canada.’
The decision was troubling and poses the danger of having set a very dangerous precedent in the country.
As recently as last year, a coalition of telecommunications and entertainment companies in Canada tried to propose the blocking of websites which they claimed were involved in copyright infringement.
Dubbed ‘FairPlay Canada’, the group aimed at the formation of a body dedicated to sending lists of sites to block to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Best of all – the coalition would have no oversight, meaning they could basically do whatever they wanted. The move came about because the group used an age-old argument bandied around the world for year, that that illegal streaming of copyrighted media was harming businesses.
Thankfully, this blatant attempt to grab control of Internet censorship was denied along with much criticism. Yet the reason why it was denied was simply because CRTC claimed copyright law is not within its oversight.
This is worrying because groups such as FairPlay Canada could possibly get such regulation passed – if it finds the right avenue of appeal.
Countries around the world vary in their enforcement of copyright law. For example, many would be aware that companies doggedly pursue P2P file sharers with lawsuits in hand. Canada isn’t different in this and in fact has very similar legal guidelines on the matter.
This has in the past already led to the closure of websites which not just violate copyright laws, but even act as enablers of said infringements. These elements are all ingredients for a system open to abuse and misuse, certainly not a good sign for Canadians who may simply be trying to enjoy an Internet free of restrictions.
The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) has in the past been accused of acting illegally when it comes to surveillance in Canada. The most notable occasion was revealed in the Snowden leaks when information that it carried out surveillance activities without a warrant in the country.
To this day, CSE continues to carry out surveillance activities in the country and states that it “may choose to keep records of Canadians’ private communications”. This resulted in a slight hiccup in 2015 when information on Canadians was accidentally shared with allies. Oops.
As Stephanie Carvin, a former national security analyst with the Canadian government has said “One of the key things about national security is that you’re allowed to be an asshole.”
Thankfully the answer to these surveillance nightmares and potential censorship isn’t that difficult – use a VPN. And even better, VPNs are legal in Canada.
They are already in widespread use, not only within the government but also in businesses and many other forms. There is a caveat though. If you opt to use a VPN that is based in Canada, then the government can force the VPN provider to release user data when necessary.
While most VPNs will claim that they do not keep logs, take this with a pinch of salt and keep a look out for the policies regarding user logs and other data.
With the more obvious horror stories I’ve shared above fresh in your minds, it’s probably a good time for me to suggest that it’s a really good idea to focus on the privacy and anonymity aspects of a VPN for users in Canada.
With both the government as well as private industry coming after users, a VPN needs to be able to ensure that your data and activities can be kept exactly the way it should be – private.
One of the best ways to ensure this is to keep an eye out for VPNs that not only have strict no-logging policies but that are also based out of countries that are laxer in their data retention laws. This certainly excludes countries in the five eyes and fourteen eyes jurisdiction.
With an average household speed of 100Mbps in Canada, there should not be a major issue with VPN speeds since almost all top-tier VPN service providers should be able to manage this benchmark.
Although it isn’t really a top-priority location for most VPN servers there is a good reason why – its proximity to the US. Almost all VPN service providers will have a least one, if not more server locations in the US which Canadians can easily access for a low latency connection.
The security spiel on VPNs is the same for Canadians everywhere. The ideal balance is known only to you, as a user. Do you opt for 256-bit encryption at the risk of lower VPN speeds or are you willing to lower that bar for increased speed?
The point in question here is – does X VPN service provider off you the choice of adjustable encryption rates? That is probably what you need to ask if this is an issue for you.
Despite being a US neighbour, Canadians still don’t get access to US-restricted Netflix content. This is one of the reasons why users around the world use VPNs – for geolocation spoofing. Thankfully the proximity also means fast access to US-based VPNs which is great for streaming Netflix.
Look out for one which does support Netflix connections though since many are often blocked by them.
Since there are increased efforts to crack down on file sharing due to copyright violations, it would be a good idea to also use a VPN connection for that. Not all VPNs are good with P2P so one which supports it broadly or even has P2P optimized servers would be good.
Look out for VPNs that have P2P traffic guidelines clearly spelt out in their terms of service, such as NordVPN or TorGuard.
By their very nature, VPNs are intended to help mask your identity and secure your data. However, they also come along with many other redeeming capabilities. Let’s consider how they can be used:
There are many web services that restrict access based on where in the world you come from. One major culprit that behaves in this manner are media streaming services such as Netflix. All of us pay the same fees to Netflix, so why should we not get equal access?
Using a VPN will help you bypass the geo-blocks that most of these services put into place. For example, by connecting to a US server, a good VPN service will give you access to US-region Netflix content.
We don’t all live in free countries. Some governments are more oppressive than others. The more totalitarian among them may attempt to curb digital freedom. This is generally done by issuing instructions to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telling them what sites to block.
Since VPNs encrypt our data and route information through their own servers, ISP-implemented blocks generally fail. Using them, you can regain your digital freedom and access any sites which may have been blocked.
The problem with the Internet today is that everyone wants a piece of you. Data has become a much-wanted source of currency and companies and hackers all chase after it. Some tracking is even done more legitimately, but at the end of the day – they know who you are and what you do.
VPNs help avoid this and for regular folks, it helps that you know people can’t follow your data trail.
Torrenting has become a very touchy subject in today’s world. The problem isn’t with the technology itself – it’s simply for file sharing. However, copyrights and intellectual property laws intervene.
Because of this many countries have imposed various laws on torrenting or file sharing. The situation can be very murky sometimes. Using a VPN can help you ease your worries since you can torrent safely – and no one will know where you’re doing it from.
The use of a VPN secures your connection, no matter where you link to. This ability makes it perfect for business use. Anyone who is outside the office can easily and quickly access information on company servers.
This process helps you protect the information you’re getting to, such as invoices, customer information, billing details, and more.
While VPNs are awesome, there do remain some limitations that you need to pay attention to. They aren’t blank cheques that will allow you to do anything you want online without heed. For instance, they:
While aiming to achieve many similar things, VPN, Tor, and Proxies are not really the same thing. You might be able to get away with using either for some purposes, but the technology is fundamentally different.
The Onion Router, or TOR, is more of an anonymizer that works by routing packets of data though a massively conflagurated network of hubs and nodes. It does this in the hope of making things as difficult as possible to trace the origins of the data.
It’s free to use, but the way it’s built makes it very slow to use. At the same time it does not offer the same level of protection to either the source or the data itself that a VPN service does.
Proxies only serve to route your connection through a third party server. It doesn’t mean your data is safe, especially since the provider of the proxy server itself can be shady at the best of times.
It is possible to combine these services with a VPNs service to improve your overall security profile. Honestly though, in most cases, simply using a VPN is sufficient.
To recap, here are the top 3 VPN for Canada:
So do Canadians need to be looking at VPNs?
When I first approached this topic, I was a little reserved as I usually focus on certain areas in my interest. Exploring the landscape in Canada, I was quite alarmed at what I found, and my first thought was that I positively had to recommend something to our friends for that market.
Upon reflection, I realised that the scenario is being played out in multiple countries around the world at the same time. Even in my home base of Malaysia, alarming moves are being made towards increased censorship and so on.
With that, I really do recommend that Canadians take stock of the current situation and seriously consider looking at one of the VPNs on this list to protect themselves. The situation worldwide is bleak, my friends, better safe than sorry.
