VPN usage has skyrocketed recently, with many people forced to work from home or self-isolate during the on-going coronavirus outbreak.
VPNs offer a way to anonymise and encrypt your online activity and are used for a variety of reasons. They can also help to bypass geoblocks on certain kinds of online streaming content. For example, some Disney Plus users were able to log-on in the UK before the UK release, thanks to a VPN.
Related: Top 5 VPNs for streaming Disney Plus in the UK right now
Atlas VPN’s traffic rose by 112% in Italy during the second week of March, compared to the previous week’s traffic figures. The country is one of the hardest hit by coronavirus in Europe, with most Italians already confined to their homes.
In the USA, usage jumped by 56%, despite the fact that anti-virus measures have only recently been introduced. Russia too saw a 36% jump is use, despite not being too badly affected by the virus yet, in relative terms.
Iran saw weekly traffic jump 38% and Spain saw a weekly leap of 36% VPN traffic. Both countries have also seen harsh restrictions put in place to reduce the spread of the virus.
Compare our top 4 recommended VPNs
| ExpressVPN | Private Internet Access (PIA) | Windscribe | Cyberghost | |
| Score | 4/5 | 4.4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Verdict | Read our review | Read our review | Read our review | Read our review |
| Price | From £6.68/month | From £2.74/month | From $3.70 (£2.80)/month | From £2.10/month |
| (1 year) | (6 months) | (1 year) | (1 year) | |
| Best for | Privacy & international streaming | Security | Streaming and price | Easy to use, international coverage |
| Simultaneous devices | 5 | 10 | Unlimited | 7 |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Kindle Fire, Fire TV | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Blackberry, Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, Chrome, Firefox, Opera | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
| Trial version? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimer | We recommend VPNs for legal uses only. Streaming services should only be used within the terms of and conditions of the services. We do not approve illegal or unethical uses of VPN services, including piracy. | |||
Related: Best VPN 2020 – Top 9 options for privacy, speed and Disney Plus
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
