TorGuard is a capable tool for torrenting, but it asks a lot of its users. Streaming often means paying extra for a dedicated or streaming IP. The refund window is just 7-day, and the apps can feel slow and cluttered next to newer rivals.
If those trade-offs have worn thin, you have better options. Below are seven VPNs that fix TorGuard's weak spots without giving up the privacy features that drew you to it in the first place.
We start with the reasons people switch, then compare every pick side by side.
Quick Picks: The Best TorGuard Alternatives
Why Look for a TorGuard Alternative?
TorGuard has real strengths, and it is fair to name them first. Torrenting is well supported, with port forwarding built in, and the protocol list is deep: WireGuard, OpenVPN, OpenConnect and a Stealth mode for restrictive networks. Long-term subscribers on Trustpilot praise its stable pricing and day-to-day reliability, and Trustpilot rates TorGuard 4.2 out of 5 overall. You can read the full picture in our TorGuard VPN review.
The problems start once you step outside torrenting. In our testing, Standard-plan servers often failed to load Netflix or Prime Video and threw a proxy error instead. Pro-plan servers or a paid streaming IP fixed it, and BBC iPlayer did not work on regular servers at all. The dedicated IP add-on costs $7.99 a month on the Standard plan, so good streaming quickly turns into a bigger bill.
The apps are the other sore point. Connecting and disconnecting took too long for us, and we saw "not responding" errors and failed connections that blamed network or driver problems. Settings are scattered across tabs, which makes the app hard going for beginners. A brand-new account can also lag about five minutes before the first login works, and on Linux you have to install WireGuard manually.
Speed is a mixed bag too. On distant servers it dropped sharply, and even a same-city server delivered only about two-thirds of our unprotected connection. Torrenting has a catch of its own: US servers block P2P, so you need to pick a non-US location by hand.
Then there is the fine print. TorGuard is based in Florida, inside the Five Eyes alliance, and it has not published an independent no-logs audit. There is no open free trial, only a "fresh start" promo for people switching from another VPN. The 7-day money-back window is far shorter than the 30 days most rivals give, and refunds are granted case by case. Support tickets can take days, and Trustpilot complaints mention surprise renewal charges and account suspensions without notice.
If you still have time left on a TorGuard plan, set up your replacement first and run both for a few days. That way you can confirm your streaming services and torrent client work before you cancel.
TorGuard vs the Alternatives at a Glance
This table lines TorGuard up against all seven picks on the features that usually drive a switch. For the full TorGuard breakdown, see our TorGuard VPN review. Prices that move with promos and region are shown as approximate.
| Product | Buy | Monthly price | Best long-term price | Jurisdiction | No-logs audit | Streaming | Port forwarding | Devices | Money-back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Check price → | $14.99 | $3.49/mo (2-yr) | Panama | PwC + Deloitte (sixth, 2026) | Strong | Not listed | 10 | 30-day |
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Check price | $9.99 | $2.99/mo (2-yr) | Switzerland | Securitum, yearly 2022 to 2026 | Strong (paid) | Yes (paid) | 10 | 30-day |
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Check price | About $15 to $16 | $2.49/mo (2-yr) | Netherlands | Deloitte 2023, 2025 | Strong | Not listed | Unlimited | 30-day |
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Check price | $11.95 | $2.03/mo (3-yr + 3 mo) | United States | Deloitte 2022, 2024 | Mixed | Yes | Unlimited | 30-day |
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Check price | EUR 5 | EUR 5 flat | Sweden | Cure53 infrastructure audits | Weak | No | 5 | 14-day |
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Check price | About $13 to $16 | $2.99/mo (2-yr) | British Virgin Islands | KPMG 2025 | Strong | Not listed | 10 / 12 / 14 | 30-day |
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Check price | $12.99 | $2.19/mo (26-mo) | Romania | Deloitte (third, 2026) | Strong | Not listed | 7 | 45-day |
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About $10 | About $4 to $5/mo | Florida, US | None published | Plan and IP dependent | Yes | 8 / 12 / 30 | 7-day |
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is the pick for most people leaving TorGuard, because it fixes the streaming problem without an add-on. Regular NordVPN servers unblocked Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney+, ESPN+ and YouTube TV for us, with no special streaming server and no paid IP. On nearby servers our download speed fell by only about 7 percent, and 4K streams and video calls never buffered. On far-off Australia and South Africa servers it still held above 60 Mbps.
Privacy is where it pulls clearly ahead of TorGuard. NordVPN is based in Panama, and its no-logs policy has now been verified a sixth time, most recently by Deloitte in a report published in February 2026. You also get Threat Protection Pro for ad and malware blocking, Meshnet, Double VPN, obfuscated servers and dedicated P2P servers. Port forwarding is not among its listed features, so heavy seeders should look at Proton VPN or PIA instead. A dedicated IP is available as an add-on. Our full NordVPN review covers the rest.
NordVPN
NordVPN felt like the most complete upgrade from TorGuard in our testing. Streaming just worked on ordinary servers, and speeds stayed high close to home and far away. We did need to uninstall and reinstall once to clear a first-run glitch, and Double VPN cut our speed by roughly 80 percent, so we kept it for occasional high-privacy sessions. Live chat answered within minutes, though some fixes were scripted rather than technical.
Pros
- Unblocks major streaming services on regular servers
- Very small speed loss on nearby servers
- No-logs policy verified six times
- 10 devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Port forwarding is not a listed feature
- Monthly plan is expensive at $14.99
- Double VPN is very slow
Best for: Streamers and everyday users who want one VPN that handles everything. Skip if: Port forwarding for torrent seeding is a must-have.
The 2-year Basic plan is billed $94.23 for the first 27 months. The 1-year plan costs $5.49 a month, and month-to-month runs $14.99.
2. Proton VPN
Proton VPN is the switch we would make if privacy is the main reason you are leaving TorGuard. It is run by Proton AG in Switzerland and majority-owned by the nonprofit Proton Foundation. Securitum has audited its no-logs policy every year from 2022 to 2026, and you can read Proton's published Securitum no-logs audit reports yourself. That is a world away from TorGuard's unaudited, US-based setup.
It also keeps the torrent features TorGuard users care about. Paid plans include P2P support and port forwarding, along with Secure Core multi-hop, the Stealth protocol, NetShield blocking and open-source apps. There is no dedicated IP option, which matters if you rely on one for work logins. Read our full Proton VPN review for the details.
Proton VPN
The app installed in under two minutes and explained every setting in plain language, which is the opposite of TorGuard's tab maze. Paid servers cut our download speed by no more than about 8 percent, and VPN Accelerator lifted throughput noticeably on distant servers. 4K video started in under four seconds, and Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and HBO Max all unblocked consistently. Secure Core ran about 35 percent slower than a standard connection, and Stealth was slower than WireGuard.
Pros
- Swiss jurisdiction and yearly Securitum audits
- Port forwarding and P2P on paid plans
- Excellent streaming and speeds
- Genuinely useful free plan
Cons
- No dedicated IP option
- Live chat is not 24/7 and not open to free users
- Secure Core costs noticeable speed
Best for: Privacy-focused users who still want torrenting and streaming. Skip if: You need a dedicated IP address.
VPN Plus is billed $71.76 for two years, or $9.99 on monthly billing, and it covers 10 devices. Refunds come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, prorated by usage. Proton's server spread has grown fast, and it now reaches 140-plus countries.
3. Surfshark
Surfshark suits households, since every plan allows unlimited simultaneous connections. TorGuard caps the Standard plan at 8 devices, so a family with phones, laptops and a TV stick fills it quickly. Surfshark B.V. is based in the Netherlands, and Deloitte verified its no-logs policy under ISAE 3000 in 2023 and again in 2025. The Deloitte ISAE 3000 report on Surfshark's no-logs policy is public.
One detail worth knowing: Surfshark keeps your connection IP for about 15 minutes during a session before deleting it, which Deloitte checked. The network covers 4,500+ servers in 100 countries, and you get CleanWeb, MultiHop, Camouflage obfuscation and a dedicated IP add-on. Port forwarding is not among its listed features. See our Surfshark review for more.
Surfshark
Surfshark slowed our downloads by only about 10 percent, even on a transatlantic server. Torrenting stayed fast, about 5 percent slower on a 4GB file with Camouflage Mode running. Netflix worked reliably across several regions, and the native Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV apps made TV setup simple. The macOS app ran noticeably better than the Windows app, where ping spiked on some servers, and MultiHop slowed things down significantly.
Pros
- Unlimited devices on every plan
- Small speed loss, even far away
- Native TV apps for easy setup
- Deloitte-verified no-logs policy
Cons
- Month-to-month plan is among the priciest
- Windows app trails the macOS app
- Port forwarding is not a listed feature
Best for: Families and anyone with lots of devices. Skip if: You only want short monthly plans.
The Starter plan is billed $67.23 for 27 months. Surfshark One costs $2.79 a month on the same term, and One+ costs $4.49. Month-to-month is roughly $15 to $16 depending on region and tax, so the value really only shows up on the 2-year plan. All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Private Internet Access
PIA is the closest like-for-like swap for TorGuard power users. It offers port forwarding, open-source apps, a multi-level kill switch, WireGuard and OpenVPN, and encryption settings you can tune in detail. A dedicated IP add-on costs about $2.50 a month, well below TorGuard's $7.99. It also allows unlimited devices.
The catch is jurisdiction. PIA is based in the United States, a Five Eyes member, and has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2019. If US jurisdiction is why you are leaving TorGuard, PIA does not solve that. It does have something TorGuard lacks: Deloitte Audit Romania checked its no-logs policy in 2022 and again in 2024, and its no-logs claim has also held up in US court cases. Our Private Internet Access review goes deeper.
Private Internet Access
PIA's Windows app is polished but exposes a lot of settings, from kill switch levels to protocol, encryption and port forwarding. That suits tinkerers coming from TorGuard more than beginners. Netflix US streamed on the first attempt, while HBO Max blocked a standard US server and then worked in 4K on a streaming-optimized server. Speeds were inconsistent: some US and UK servers lost around three quarters of a fast gigabit line, while other runs lost closer to 12 percent. Live chat answered quickly and knowledgeably.
Pros
- Port forwarding and deep configuration
- Unlimited devices
- Cheap dedicated IP add-on
- Deloitte-audited no-logs policy
Cons
- US jurisdiction, like TorGuard
- Inconsistent speeds between servers
- No dedicated Fire TV Stick app listing in some regions
Best for: Torrent users who want port forwarding with a cheaper, audited service. Skip if: Leaving US jurisdiction is your main goal.
That long plan is billed $79 up front. The 1-year plan costs $3.99 a month, billed $47.88, and monthly billing is $11.95. New subscribers get a 30-day money-back guarantee, though app-store purchases are excluded. There is also a 7-day free trial on iOS and Android, which TorGuard does not offer. The network covers 91 countries.
5. Mullvad VPN
Mullvad is for people who want the most anonymous signup possible. Signup took seconds for us: Mullvad issued a random 16-digit account number and asked for no email or name. You can pay with cash, crypto or vouchers, and the price is a flat EUR 5 a month with no tiers and no long-term discounts. That is the simplest pricing on this list.
Mullvad is based in Sweden and covers 566 servers across 50 countries. It has been WireGuard-only since its OpenVPN servers went offline in January 2026. Its audits are security reviews of its infrastructure rather than a formal no-logs attestation. Still, the Cure53 audit of Mullvad's VPN infrastructure found no issues that compromised user privacy, and a 2023 Swedish police visit found no customer data to take. One big warning for TorGuard torrenters: Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023. Our Mullvad VPN review has the full story.
Mullvad VPN
Mullvad's account-number signup is the cleanest privacy setup we have used. Streaming is its weak point: Netflix US and BBC iPlayer blocked its servers with a VPN/proxy error, and access that worked one session failed minutes later. Websites threw CAPTCHA challenges often while we were connected. Speeds varied a lot by server, fast on some nearby locations and slow on others. Support is email-only, so answers can take a while, and the iOS app lacks some advanced network settings found on desktop and Android.
Pros
- No email or name needed to sign up
- Flat EUR 5 monthly price
- Repeated independent infrastructure audits
- Cash and crypto payments
Cons
- No port forwarding since 2023
- Weak, unreliable streaming
- Only 5 devices and email-only support
Best for: Privacy purists who want anonymous signup and simple pricing. Skip if: You stream or seed torrents.
Mullvad covers up to 5 devices per account and offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, except for cash payments. There is no free trial and no free tier.
6. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has the most polished apps of the group, which makes it the best fit if TorGuard's clunky interface is your biggest complaint. It is user-friendly from the first launch, and ease of use is where it beats TorGuard most clearly. It is based in the British Virgin Islands and has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2021. KPMG assessed its TrustedServer setup and privacy policy in a report published in 2025, following earlier KPMG work in 2022 and 2023.
You get the Lightway protocol, post-quantum encryption, RAM-only TrustedServer hardware, servers in all 50 US states and the MediaStreamer smart DNS for devices that cannot run a VPN. Router support is broad, covering Aircove, Asus, Linksys and Netgear apps plus manual setups. Port forwarding is not among its listed features. Our ExpressVPN review has more.
ExpressVPN
Netflix libraries in several countries, ESPN+ and Hulu all streamed without issues for us. The kill switch, called Network Lock, fired correctly when a server timed out or the network changed. Speed was the trade-off: downloads fell by roughly 37 to 39 percent on nearby servers, more than NordVPN or Proton VPN. Email support took close to two days to reply, so live chat is the faster route.
Pros
- The most polished, user-friendly apps here
- Reliable streaming across several services
- Broad router support
- KPMG-assessed privacy setup
Cons
- Bigger speed loss than NordVPN or Proton
- Costs more than NordVPN and Surfshark on comparable terms
- Device allowance depends on your tier
Best for: Users who want the simplest, most polished app experience. Skip if: Raw speed or the lowest price matters most.
Basic is billed $83.72 for the first 28 months, then renews at $99.95 per year. Advanced costs $4.49 a month and Pro $7.49 on the same term, with 10, 12 and 14 devices respectively. Servers span 113 countries. There is no free tier, but mobile app stores offer a 7-day free trial, and every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
7. CyberGhost
CyberGhost fixes TorGuard's streaming headache in the most direct way, with dedicated servers labelled for each platform. Its streaming servers for Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime Video loaded on the first try for us, without any server-hopping. That is exactly what TorGuard charges extra for with its streaming IPs.
It is operated by CyberGhost S.R.L. in Bucharest, Romania, and has been owned by Kape Technologies since 2017. Deloitte Audit Romania has now audited its no-logs policy three times, and CyberGhost's third Deloitte no-logs audit was published in February 2026. It also offers dedicated torrenting servers, NoSpy servers, RAM-only servers and a dedicated IP add-on. Port forwarding is not among its listed features. Our CyberGhost review has the full test.
CyberGhost
The app connected to a nearby server in under ten seconds on first launch, and switching protocols took about four seconds without dropping the connection. The kill switch tripped within about two seconds on Android and triggered reliably across repeated disconnects. Long distances are its weak spot: downloads dropped by more than 55 percent on Australia and South Africa servers, while nearby servers lost about 20 percent. Streaming servers also threw CAPTCHA checks on websites fairly often.
Pros
- Labelled streaming servers that just work
- 45-day money-back window on longer plans
- Three Deloitte no-logs audits
- Privacy Guard and ID Guard included on the 26-month plan
Cons
- Big slowdowns on distant servers
- The 7-device cap fills up quickly
- First renewal roughly doubles the monthly rate
Best for: Streamers who want a server picked for each service. Skip if: You connect to far-off countries often.
The 26-month plan is billed $56.94 for the first term and includes Privacy Guard and ID Guard at no extra cost. The first renewal is the price shock: it rolls into a 12-month term at the same $56.94, so the effective rate climbs to about $4.75 a month, and the auto-renew toggle is easy to miss. The 6-month plan costs $6.99 a month and the monthly plan $12.99. Longer plans get a 45-day money-back guarantee, while the 1-month plan gets 14-day. Every plan covers 7 devices, and servers span 100+ countries.
How to Choose a TorGuard Alternative
Start with the reason you are leaving. If streaming is the problem, NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN and CyberGhost all handled major services in our testing without a paid IP. Mullvad is the one to avoid for streaming, and PIA works best once you switch to its streaming-optimized servers.
If you torrent heavily, check port forwarding first. Proton VPN (paid plans) and PIA offer it, while Mullvad dropped it in 2023. The other four do not list it among their features. If you only download, rather than seed, any pick with P2P servers will do.
The best TorGuard alternative is the one that fixes your specific complaint, whether that is streaming, refunds, jurisdiction or a cluttered app.
Jurisdiction matters if Five Eyes was your worry. Proton VPN (Switzerland), NordVPN (Panama), Mullvad (Sweden) and Surfshark (the Netherlands) move you outside the US. PIA does not. Also note that CyberGhost, PIA and ExpressVPN share one owner in Kape Technologies.
Look at the audit trail too. Every pick except Mullvad has a formal, third-party no-logs report, and Mullvad backs its claim with infrastructure audits instead. Finally, compare the refund window. TorGuard gives you 7 days; most of these give you 30, Mullvad gives 14, and CyberGhost gives up to 45.
Multi-year prices are introductory. Check what the plan renews at before you pay, especially with CyberGhost, where the first renewal roughly doubles the monthly rate.
If you do not want to pay at all, Proton VPN's free plan is the safest choice. It has no data cap and no ads, covers 1 device and auto-picks a server in one of 10 countries. Windscribe is the other free name worth a look, though its free allowance changes often, so check the current limits before you rely on it.
