While we realize that there are military forces from multiple countries around the world, this post will mostly focus on those in the branches of military service for the United States. That said, we will make mentions of other countries as well. No matter what you think of what the government is doing, brave men and women are defending the sovereignty of the nation in the armed forces. Though this post does not compare to those sacrifices that they make every day, hopefully, it will provide some great options and important reasons to use a VPN if you are in the military and deployed abroad.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
Because we realize that downtime for soldiers is precious, we’ll get right to the first point. The first reason to use a VPN if you are deployed is for security. Soldiers need to communicate with others including family. Though the channels are supposed to be secure, using an extra level of protection is a good idea. That way, you can help ensure your private communications and business stays private.
The next reason to use a VPN is a bit more obvious. If you need to use public access WiFi or cellular data in the country you are deployed in, there is a good chance you will run into restrictions and blocks. Often times, deployments can be to areas where things are censored more. When you use a VPN for this purpose, you create an encrypted connection to a server in the country of your choosing. Please note that we used US locations in this post because of various providers and criteria. Let’s look at some of them now.
What is the best VPN for Military Members Deployed Abroad?
There are a number of different factors that influence that decision. However, we will take a look and tell you the best options based on the following criteria:
- Military grade encryption levels for great privacy protection wherever you are.
- VPN network reliability to allow for long connection times and eliminate disconnects
- VPN servers that performed well on VPN servers inside the US
- The ability to unblock geo-restricted content
- Strict no logs policy
- Mobile apps and support for Amazon Firestick devices
Now, on to the best options for members of the military that are deployed abroad.
1. Best VPN for Military: ExpressVPN
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ExpressVPN brings together fast VPN access with MediaStreamer which acts as a Smart DNS service to unblock access to geo-restricted content. The VPN service will help encrypt your connection and unblock live sporting events. You will even find a list of the latest live entertainment and sporting events on their website. Being in the British Virgin Islands puts ExpressVPN outside the 5 eyes and 14 eyes countries. They maintain a no-log policy that has been verified through high profile legal requests over the years.
ExpressVPN manages a very large VPN network. Beyond the USA, the ExpressVPN network boasts thousands of servers in key locations to help protect their user’s privacy. You can use their network to protect your privacy, unblock censorship, and watch your favorite streaming services from anywhere.
The ExpressVPN app allows you to select a server location down to the city but you do not need to choose a specific server. Instead, the client will select the fastest server in your chosen location. You also need to know that some cities are not shown on the recommended tab inside the client. However, we decided to use Chicago as one of the cities you could possibly connect to. Simply select the “All” tab, open Americas, and then open USA – Chicago. At this point, you can select servers there. When we tested a server in the city of Chicago and came up with a speed of 113.11 Mbps there.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of using ExpressVPN is their support for a wide range of devices. ExpressVPN offers custom VPN software for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Connect from your desktop and mobile at the same time with up to 5 simultaneous connections. You can also install the ExpressVPN web extension for Chrome or Firefox. Want to protect your entire home network with a single VPN account? If so you can use the ExpressVPN router app to get all set up. The MediaStreamer feature adds Smart DNS support to game consoles (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, etc.), media boxes (Apple TV, Roku, Nvidia Shield TV, etc.), and Smart TVs.
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ExpressVPN performed very well in our speed tests. They are a great choice for privacy and to unblock geo-restrictions. Customer support is available 24/7 to provide assistance and answer any questions. Enjoy the best VPN for less with confidence as ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee.
2. Best VPN for Military: NordVPN
Sign up for 36 months for just $3.49 per month (70% discount)
NordVPN is based in Panama which some users prefer to using a VPN company that’s actually headquartered in the United States. You will find that NordVPN has a strong presence in the US with servers located throughout the country. Members have full access to their network in the USA and beyond for a very good price.
You will find that NordVPN has perhaps the best mix of services for the price if you subscribe to a longer term account. All users have full access to their network and custom software. You can connect using the VPN client for Windows or Mac. They also have an easy to use mobile app for both Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad) devices.
NordVPN hosts many servers in the US, and we tested one from New York City as an example. From the console, clicking on the 3 horizontal dots to the right of the country, you can locate the server area and see the percentages of the servers available. We tested a server in NYC and found it to have a download speed of 108.31 Mbps.
Want to access streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world? If so NordVPN is a great choice. They are one of the only VPN services that can still unblock Netflix. You can sign up for unlimited VPN and SmartDNS service with a 30-day money back guarantee.
3. Best VPN for Military: PIA
Sign up for 24 months for just $2.69 a month (77% discount)
Private Internet Access (PIA) gives users a few different options. Unlike in the past, you no longer have to set up a profile for each VPN server. Now, you can connect to any of their server locations in 29 countries. As you can see below, the PIA team has organized their servers by region, country, and city. The server locations are listed in alphabetical order by country.
There are a lot of torrent users who love Private Internet Access. The service includes a feature that will stop your system from communicating if the connection to their service drops. Meaning if your encrypted VPN access is dropped for any reason it will keep you safe.
PIA offers a Windows client and other apps that are simple and easy to use. However, you won’t want to underestimate it. PIA offers different levels of privacy protection depending on your needs. You can control encryption levels to help you find the right balance between privacy and speed. As you can see, we tested a server in New York City and it performed well. The result of that test shows a speed of 125.60 Mbps.
When it comes to their Windows client the PIA team has included an Internet kill switch. The kill switch will kill your Internet connection anytime the VPN fails. That can really come in handy for those wanting to ensure anonymity. Private Internet Access offers members a 30-day money back guarantee.
4. Best VPN for Military: CyberGhost
Sign up for 36 months for just $2.75 a month (79% discount)
CyberGhost was founded in 2001 by 7 enthusiastic young team members in Bucharest, Romania. Since that time the company has grown into one of the largest VPN services in the world. The team of 50+ members is focused on protecting users privacy. Robert Knapp, co-founder and CEO, continues to lead the team even after they joined the Crossrider group in 2017. Since that time the CyberGhost network has expanded quite a bit.
CyberGhost offers a nice mix of server locations, strong encryption, and the ability to unblock popular streaming services like Netflix, YouTube Red, and Amazon Prime. Some of the channels even let you unblock geo-restrictions for multiple regions. For example, you can access Amazon Prime video content in the US, Germany, or UK. The Windows client also gives you the option to surf anonymously, protect WiFi, torrent anonymously, unblock basic websites (Google, Facebook Instagram, etc.), and choose a server.
Since we wanted to test a server in the US for testing purposes, we opened the Windows client and expanded the interface. From there, you will want to click on the “All Servers” tab if it isn’t already active. Scroll down to the US and click to the right of the star. This will bring up a full list of servers in the country. The CyberGhost network includes a number of servers in the US and is fast because the US is a big base of operations. We connected to a server in Los Angeles and we got a speed of 120.67 Mbps.
The CyberGhost VPN client is one of our favorites. It is very easy to use and includes a number of advanced features to help protect your online privacy. They have a development team in Germany that is continually adding features to the client and mobile apps. You can sign up for full access to the CyberGhost network with a 45-day money back guarantee.
5. Best VPN for Military: IPVanish
Sign up for 12 months for just $5.20 a month (57% discount)
Many different providers have server locations in multiple parts of the world. Of course, that includes IPVanish. You can expect fast speed in locations that you would want to connect to. Because of that, we choose IPVanish as one of our go-to options to use while you are deployed abroad.
As well as quite a bit of coverage in various European regions, Asia, and of course, North America, IPVanish hosts servers in every continent other than Antarctica. The network produces great speeds and they perform well on our speed tests. You can select a location or an individual server from the drop-down menu.
No matter server you want to connect to, they are all available to use. When looking at the lists of servers, you may see the letter “a” as part of their server name. That designation means they are the fastest in the network. To show an example of some of the speed you can expect, we connected to a server in New York City, tested it there, and came up with a speed of 129.73 Mbps.
When it comes to value IPVanish is hard to beat. They offer unlimited access to their VPN network and custom software for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Amazon Firestick and more. You can even set up your router to protect every device on your network. A 7-day money back guarantee covers all new members.
That concludes our list of the best options to use if you are military deployed abroad. However, you are welcome to check our top 10 VPN list if you would like to see other options. You know, however. that you should not compromise on security, speed, server locations, or price. No matter which option you choose from the list above, using a VPN has you covered. Please use our guide to help you make the best decision for your needs.