Different apps require different criteria and each type will be tested in a way that is unique to its purpose. With VPN software, the process couldn't possibly be more straightforward. The main question to ask is - does it work?

Yes, sometimes, that's all that it will boil down to - the app's functionality. Does it do its job? Are you able to watch a video from the US while in China or access a game aimed at the UK market while located in Russia?

Obviously, we are never superficial, so we decided to throw in a few more variables into the equation. How easy is the app to use? Is the interface intuitive enough? Does the layout make logical sense? We even went so far as to consider the aesthetic component. After all, no one wants to look at an ugly app.

With all this in mind, we have selected a strong top 3 - not forgetting to consider the costs involved!

VPN apps are a notoriously tricky territory and finding something fast, reliable, and affordable often seems like an impossible task. This, however, is only a superficial impression that we have held onto for far too long. In reality, a good app can be found.

NordVPN promises a lot and delivers on every front. Once you open it and create an account (which is a process that will not take more than a minute), you will be ready to start rocking. There is no free option per se but, if you sign up for the premium version, you will get a 30-day free trial which you can easily opt out of and get all your money back - no questions asked.

Once you start, you will have an option to quickly connect to a location in your country - or manually chose a spot abroad. Much like is all other apps, this process will only take a couple of seconds. The main difference is that you will also get a chance to pick the city in the case of larger countries such as India or Australia.

Keeping it straightforward and simple, NordVPN lets you connect, pause, and disconnect with just one tap. Equally easily, you can allow for local network discovery - meaning that any portable or Bluetooth device will still be able to find you - if you want it to - and that you will be able to use your printer with ease.

Another option worth mentioning is CyberSec, a part of the settings section that adds another layer of security to your browsing. While trawling the contents of the app, we realized that the overall design is minimalist yet not simplistic - beautiful yet not obtrusive. It strikes a fine line between elegance and functionality, with a harmonious color scheme to boot.

It is also important to note that the so-called Nord Account includes not just one app - but three! NordVPN, NordPass (to take care of all your passwords), and NordLocker (for added security) are all included.

Obviously, an important part of the testing is our consideration of the prices. In the case of NordVPN (or rather, the 3-in-1 bundle it comes in), the initial number of $9.99 per month may appear high. However, you will be pleasantly surprised by the sums you will face once you opt for a longer period of time.

One-year membership will end up costing $4.49 a month while, if you commit to a two-year time, you will be able to get everything as low as $2.89 per calendar month. Impressive, isn't it? This literally turns NordVPN (and the related app) into the most affordable of our top three - and a clear winner.

This section may paint us in a bad light - as a nit-picky and demanding bunch - but the truth is, we have to be perfectly honest with you at all times. There is no point in sugarcoating the information and, no matter how smitten we are with an app, we will still be perfectly frank about any of the flaws we may encounter.

Perhaps the only thing that has left us somewhat upset is the fact that with NordVPN, as with most other apps, you still have to pay for it at all. Yes, we are, in fact, that stringy. Don't hold it against us. AppGrooves is, after all, more focused on bringing you great savings than ever before. Large expenses are simply not an option. Have you checked our coupons section? (Yes, that was a shameless plug.)

We have also detected minor drag on Instagram. It was minimal and, for some reason, it is not an issue that manifests itself on any other browser or app. Other than that, NordVPN performed wonderfully and allowed us to browse without any problems whatsoever.

Embarrassing as it may sound to that in-the-know, we must admit that we weren't fully familiar with CyberGhost. The name did ring a bell, but an actual hands-on experience with it has been something that has eluded us. Judging by the number of users and positive reviews, we may as well have been missing out. Still, let's start at the beginning.

The account creation process is simple enough - as long as you can think of a very good password that will contain upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters, that is. You will also need to give the app permission to access your location and then you'll be ready to rumble. Initially, you will be offered a choice to use the fastest remote connection available, which will be selected at random.

If, on the other hand, you are aiming for a specific country, you will be able to choose among more than 100. Places as diverse and Monaco, Serbia, and Pakistan are all covered. The available choices will practically spoil you. The "app split-tunnel" will let you choose whether you want to cover all your apps with a VPN service or simply focus on one or two individual programs.

We decided to focus on the US as we tried accessing the PBS website from a location in the UK. This went smoothly enough, and a broadcast of a particularly good classical music event streamed without any problems.

CyberGhost's interface is remarkably intuitive and easy to use yet, under a sleek interior, it hides a wealth of features anyone interested in the ins and outs of such software will marvel at. You will be able to monitor traffic, data use, speed, and various other parameters without much trouble.

Still, one thing that sets CyberGhost apart from other VPN apps is its focus on the security of your WiFi connection. Everyone who travels knows the risks associated with connecting to random hotspots. This is where this little platform goes above and beyond to make sure that your personal information never gets stolen. With multiple layers of protection, you simply won't have to worry about this sort of thing.

The financial side of things isn't too bad either. It costs $12.99 per month to subscribe for 30 days or $3.99 per month for an entire year. This, however, is not the lowest it can go. In fact, deals and offers are quite common, and you can make amazing savings if you keep an eye out for promotions.

Certain names in the digital realm immediately summon up certain ideas, certain qualities that, even after more than two decades in the business, still ring true. Kaspersky is one such company. Known across the globe for its security software, it is the bane of all malware and ransomware you can possibly imagine. This sense of safety which the name brings with it rubs off rather easily onto its more recent product - the Fast Free VPN app.

We started off expecting quite a bit from this platform, and we are pleased to say that we weren't disappointed - not one bit. The interface is beyond simple, and there are practically no ways to do anything wrong. No unusual buttons, no odd commands - nothing. Even the most inexperienced user will have to try very hard to create a problem.

You can start on a free plan. This will suffice if you will only use it once a day for quick online visits but won't sate the thirst of a more demanding user expecting to use up more than 200 MBs in one go. That will be your daily limit.

If you wish for a more comprehensive service, the deal is actually pretty good. For a mere $36.99 a year, you will literally get unlimited, round-the-clock access that will serve you no matter how many hours of videos you intend to watch on a daily basis. Full HD content will be at your fingertips. Once you add up the number, the deal is downright amazing.

It is extremely affordable, especially when you consider that, unlike many other apps, Kaspersky does not create any lag whatsoever. While browsing, you will not experience even the slightest slow-down but will instead glide through the pages, apps, and videos as you normally would. The platform will automatically connect you to the fastest server, but you will also have a choice between points in almost 50 different countries.

Your security is further strengthened by a "kill switch" that will serve to disconnect you in case the VPN rate gets too low (which hasn't happened at any point while we were testing this app). Another layer is created by "smart protection" which will come in handy to anyone often connecting to random WiFi networks along their journey. Overall, we cannot possibly recommend Kaspersky's software enough.

We always pay attention to the app description but rarely take it too seriously. The makers of this app claim it to be #1 but would barely rank as #5 on our list. More often than not, we had trouble connecting. The signal would take a while to stabilize, which could become extremely annoying, especially if you're trying to connect to a live broadcast of your favorite band's gig. Troubleshooting the connection was something we had to do more than a couple of times, at which point we decided that this platform simply wouldn't make the cut.

We had pretty high hopes for this one, especially since, in the past, we have heard from people who have used it for some pretty extensive browsing. It did, in fact, work for us too - for a while, at least. At one point, it simply disconnected and refused to reconnect. The problem persisted for two days and no amount of dealing with customer support would resolve it. We are still unsure whether this was a one-off experience or a genuine problem faced by many users at the time. Despite its impressively high ratings, we cannot include it in our top 3. A bit more stability would surely boost its position on the list.

Testing this one was an odd experience, to say the least. In fact, we didn't get much further from the login screen - even if we did immediately subscribe to the paid version. The app kept reporting a problem - not on just one smartphone, but two different devices. This discouraged us from trying any further, so this app will likely remain a mystery to us due to such a major technical glitch that would not go away even after three days.

This app seems to have a strong focus on security. No intrusive marketing machinery or team of hackers should be able to trace your tracks or intrude into your most personal data. This is a noble aim that, as the story usually goes, suffers from pretty shoddy execution. To protect you from attacks, this app simply blocks you from accessing your own social media accounts. Apps such as Facebook and Instagram are rendered useless. Some may agree that this is a good move, but this isn't an option for us who work on the internet. Surprisingly enough, other types of content will load rather quickly.

Hotspot used to be a great choice for just about any system out there. Windows, iOS, and Android would equally benefit from its speed and reliability. The past tense is, of course, deliberate. Today, this app is but a shadow of what it once was. Instead of an all-around solution, it presents itself as a collection of bugs and glitches too numerous to mention. The lag is so pronounced that in 2021 Hotspot isn't worth your time nor your money. A shame, really.

At first glance, TunnelBear seems rather promising. Fast yet simple, it could easily be a fave to anyone looking to protect their privacy or access content from the other side of the globe. All illusions are destroyed once you reach the numbers. The free version only allows for 500 MB per month (yes, five hundred megabytes per thirty days) of browsing before it asks you for a paid upgrade, worth no less than $5.75. Compared to many other platforms, it is extremely expensive and, as such, doesn't fit our money-saving policy - at all.