8 Best VPNs for School Wi-Fi in 2024
By Julia Newman 8 days ago, VPN Deals & Reviews
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If your school blocks such popular websites like Facebook, YouTube and Spotify, you can use a VPN for school Wi-Fi to access them. Such a program allows you to watch your favorite content without limitations whenever you want. Besides, it guarantees the utmost safety and anonymity while being online. A VPN changes your IP address and encrypts data traffic between your device and a server, so no one can track your activity.
Top 8 VPNs for School Wi-Fi
- Surfshark - Software with an intuitive interface
- NordVPN - Better online gaming experience
- ExpressVPN - Great for gaming and streaming
- VyprVPN - The fastest VPN
- IPVanish - Best for torrenting and P2P
- Strong VPN - OpenVPN obfuscation
- Hotspot Shield - Best for private browsing
- Hide.me - VPN masking with SoftEther
With the help of VPN services you can get around the blocks of your school Wi-Fi and access the needed info without problems. Moreover, since the public Wi-Fi has many hidden dangers, using a VPN is a smart decision, because such a program keeps your traffic encrypted and ensures better security.
1. Surfshark - Our Choice
- Amazing speeds and unblocking capabilities
- No restriction on the number of connections
- Strong security and privacy credentials
- Fewer servers than other VPN providers offer
Verdict: Surfshark stands out from other VPN apps that work at school because it allows for an unlimited number of simultaneous connections, while other providers have a six-device limit. The range of services offered surpasses the 1700 line covering more than 60 countries. The service is absolutely suitable for “double-crossing” your school Wi-Fi blocks and allowing you to enjoy content on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
Every single feature here is created to provide you with 100% security and anonymity. Surfshark uses uncrackable 256-bit AES encryption, Kill Switch, protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, and even malware-scanning technology.
Besides, the service adheres to no-logs policy, which means no one can ever track your online activity. You can pay in one of 3 cryptocurrencies to enjoy the offered goodies. If anything disturbs you, there is 24/7 customer support at your disposal.
2. NordVPN
- High speeds
- DDoS protection
- Kill Switch
- No-logs policy
- 6 simultaneous connections
- Some servers can be sluggish
Verdict: The common tendency for many educational establishments is to limit access to certain websites, so neither teachers nor students can view the content shared there. This typically refers to Facebook, Netflix, and other platforms for entertainment.
Nord VPN tops this list, offering numerous handy features with double data encryption, no-logs policy, and strong security being the most appealing of them. The service is based in Panama, which results in better data protection.
If you use the desktop version, you can take advantage of the Kill Switch feature and DNS leak protection. If you opt for a single license, you can have up to 6 simultaneous connections, as well as use Dedicated, Shared Static and Dynamic IP.
The service provides P2P and covers 21 countries around the globe. Many people decide on Nord VPN download because of its effectiveness and straightforward operation. You can install it on mobile devices and computers. So, watching a funny video or chatting with your friend during a break can become a reality with this service.
2. ExpressVPN
- Top privacy and security
- Doesn’t keep logs
- Advanced configuration for power-users is limited
Verdict: Express VPN is a platform with 3000 servers arranged in 94 parts of the globe. You can use this VPN for torrenting, gaming, streaming and unblocking content concealed by school Wi-Fi. The biggest advantage of this service is that it doesn’t keep logs, which makes Express VPN number one choice for users, who want absolute privacy while being online. It supports cryptocurrencies and allows up to 3 simultaneous connections.
Thanks to a broad network of servers, you can easily find the fastest one for your location. It also comes with the Kill Switch feature, which is here called a “network lock” and works according to a regular principle. This also ensures an additional level of protection for your searching activity.
This VPN school Wi-Fi unblocker uses the OpenVPN encryption parameter with 256-bit AES-CBC by default. Besides, it includes HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy.
3. VyprVPN
- Provides access to the majority of popular websites
- Ultra-fast
- Zero-logs policy
- A bit more expensive than other offers
- Too few settings for professional users
Verdict: This service differs from similar programs with its peculiar approach to user’s personal data and online activity. The developers admit that they save the user’s source IP address, the VyprVPN address used by a person, connection start and stop time, and the total number of bytes used.
Anyway, it is still a frequent choice of many users, who admire a huge number of servers offered, versions for all popular desktop and mobile OS, in-depth manual setup instructions, and a user-oriented interface.
This is a great VPN to use at school because you can choose from 700 servers and easily access content shared on Hulu, Netflix, and BBB iPlayer. Besides, it allows for torrenting, though some users reported their accounts being suspended because of said activity.
4. IPVanish
- High download speeds
- Customizable
- Strong encryption improves security
- Some issues with Windows client
- Live customer support is unavailable
Verdict: Despite some issues with Windows client, this is one of the best VPNs that work in school for a number of reasons. Primarily, it allows choosing from more than 1100 servers being scattered across 60+ countries. Moreover, IPVanish is remarkably fast, which mainly relates to the download speed.
During tests, this service showed above-average results on longer distances, and can be deservedly called a decent VPN for torrenting.
This P2P-friendly VPN provider has clients optimized for most standards platforms, and even contains setup manuals for additional devices. Though the Windows client if full of basic and more advanced features, the program is rather intuitive to deal with.
6. Strong VPN
- Five simultaneous connections
- Doesn’t store logs
- OpenVPN obfuscation
- Unblocks streaming sites
- Very speedy
- Setup can get technical
- May seem confusing for some
Verdict: Strong VPN is one of the oldest school unblockers with over 20 years of experience in this field. It is valued for top-level privacy and security measures that are available in a budget-friendly package. The praiseworthy features are numerous protocols, OpenVPN obfuscation tools that can cope with high-end blocks let alone those used at schools and colleges.
This service has 500 servers in 26 counties and can be used for gaming, streaming, and torrenting with efficiency thanks to its amazing speeds. Being optimized for various OS, it is regularly installed on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
In case you need professional assistance, get in touch with the customer support or look for instructions in the help center. Strong VPN is also compatible with TOR for enhanced protection.
7. Hotspot Shield
- Free version
- Amazing speed results during tests
- Well-designed, smart desktop app
- Few server locations
- Limited OpenVPN support
Verdict: Hotspot Shield has a native VPN software for Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. The clients have a catchy design, are lightweight and intuitive to use. However, if you like customizing programs to match your needs, there are few such options, as most settings are turned on by default.
Hotspot Shield has varied security protocols, as well as malware-scanning features and private browsing. Privacy is the top priority of this service and anything that can be recorded during your online sessions is deleted right after you close the program.
8. Hide.me
- Port forwarding
- Embedded Kill Switch option
- IP and DNS leak protection
- Agile
- Disappointing download and upload speeds
Verdict: This is the best VPN to use at school if you are after something powerful and feature-rich. Right after you install the program, you get access to all the tools and functions without additional expenses. Here you can use Kill Switch, Split Tunneling, “Stealth Guard” and torrenting servers. Hide.me is a very straightforward program with amazing security features, helpful customer supports and zero-logs policy. It fully complies with its name.
The Kill Switch feature is available in most VPNs, but the developers of Hide.me decided to go the extra mile and made it possible to activate/deactivate it for particular apps. This sounds really cool and works even better.
Not only allows this VPN provider to access sites blocked by your school, but is also ensures complete protection from hackers being online. A VPN substitutes your IP address with another one and encrypts the data traffic between your computer and the server.
