Switzerland is a small, landlocked country that became a federal state in 1848, but was created on August 1st, 1291. The country borders Germany, Italy, France, and Austria, and for years has been what many consider a neutral zone. They rank highly in government transparency, civil liberties, and have one of the highest quality of life ratings in the world. If you live in or are planning on traveling to Switzerland, you should use a VPN.
| 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 | |
There are many things that make Switzerland a great place. Whether it is the mostly mountainous terrain and scenery, the high quality of exports, or the delightful chocolates, many people visit on vacation. Another thing Switzerland is known for is their banking industry. For many years, bank accounts there have been protected by Swiss laws. Because of that, the country has been the place where money is held for a wide range of business activities. Despite efforts to change not only the image but the procedures of the Swiss banking system, not much has changed.
From a privacy standpoint, Switzerland has a high degree of personal freedom. An example of that is their stance on digital piracy. It is perfectly legal to download pirated content, but you are not allowed to upload it. Though, it is questionable how much this law is enforced. Still, if you live in Switzerland, we would advise you use a VPN. Much like many of the other countries in the EU, if the Swiss government is going to monitor it’s citizens, they are suppose to let them know first.
Let’s take a look at some good reasons to use a VPN in Switzerland. One of the most important uses is for privacy. Whereas the Swiss government may not track your actions like some countries, there are hackers that would. They will prey upon tourists or even citizens and take their personal information. The last thing you need as a visitor is to get your information compromised. Using a VPN will add an extra layer of encryption to your online activities, and you can perform them in peace.
Another good reason to use a VPN is to unblock content. When you use a VPN, you create a secure connection to a server that may be located in another country. The Swiss government does not really block websites, however, you would generally still encounter commercial blocks. Imagine that you wanted to watch a BBC show from Switzerland. If you were not located in the UK, you would receive an apology message stating that the content you are trying to watch is not available. That is because media companies use a technology called geo-restriction. By connecting to a server in the UK, the geo-blocking would think you were located there instead, and you would be able to watch as much as you want. Geo-restrictions are also used in cases like Netflix. Even though Netflix is available almost worldwide, every region has their own library. Connecting to a server in the US would allow you to see the largest Netflix library. The same could also be said for any other region you wanted to connect to.
As you may be able to tell by now, there are some good reasons to use a VPN, but we will sum them up. If you are going to use any sort of P2P network, a VPN is crucial to protect yourself. It will also prevent prying eyes from obtaining your sensitive personal data. Lastly, it will give you the option of unblocking content around the world. Connect to a US server to watch Netflix, Hulu, or even HBO Now. That will also allow you access to popular music streaming sites like Pandora. There are other examples I could use, but that should give you the general idea.
The VPN providers we mention in the table above were chosen by as the best overall VPNs for Switzerland. The criteria we used were pricing, speeds, server locations, and security. All of the providers we mention are well known in the privacy space, and offer a stellar service. We think you will be happy with any of the options in our list.