Start with the device limit, because it decides how many people can share
A device limit is the easiest feature to check and the easiest to get wrong. Three providers here allow more connections than the rest, and one of them publishes a range rather than a single figure. Compare these numbers before you look at anything else, because a limit that is too low shapes every other choice you make.
Avast SecureLine VPN and AzireVPN both sit at 10 and 10, which leaves room for a household of phones, laptops and a television. Betternet works differently: it lists 5 to 10, so the number you get depends on the plan you pick rather than on a single published figure. Treat a range as a range, not as a promise.
Amnezia VPN offers 7, 12VPN offers 6, and AirVPN and Astrill VPN each allow 5 at a time. Banana VPN is the tightest of the group at 3, so it suits a single user or a couple rather than a shared household account. Read the Banana VPN review alongside the others to see how that limit is described in practice.
Platform coverage tells you where a VPN is actually useful
A VPN app you cannot install is a VPN you will not use. The providers here split into two groups: those that cover desktop, mobile and TV operating systems, and those that stop at the usual desktop and phone set.
Amnezia VPN has the widest reach, with support for Windows, macOS and Linux on top of phones and laptops. 12VPN also goes beyond standard devices, adding Windows, macOS and Linux to its app list, which matters if you run a router or want the service on a streaming box.
Avast SecureLine VPN covers Windows, macOS and Android, while Astrill VPN lists Windows, macOS and Linux and so includes router support. AzireVPN and Banana VPN both keep to Windows, macOS and iOS, and AirVPN stays with the core desktop and mobile set.
Betternet stands apart again. Its platform list reads Windows, Mac and iOS, so browser extensions are part of the package rather than an extra. If you mainly browse in Chrome or Firefox, that difference may matter more to you than an extra protocol. Check the VPN rankings to see how platform support is weighted against price.
Protocols tell you how the tunnel is built
The protocol is the software that carries your traffic. More protocols usually means more choice about speed, censorship resistance and battery use, though each provider has a different mix.
Amnezia VPN publishes the widest protocol list at AmneziaWG, XRay Reality and OpenVPN. That spread matters most in places with heavy filtering, where a standard tunnel can be blocked and an obfuscated one can still connect. Astrill VPN takes a similar approach with OpenWeb, OpenVPN and StealthVPN, adding proprietary options to the usual names.
Betternet uses Hydra, IPSec and WireGuard, a modern set built on WireGuard. AirVPN is simpler at OpenVPN and WireGuard, and AzireVPN lists a single option, WireGuard, which keeps its configuration minimal.
Banana VPN offers the widest mix of legacy choices at OpenVPN, IKEv2 and L2TP/IPsec. That range includes older protocols, so treat the list as a compatibility tool rather than a recommendation. Avast SecureLine VPN lists OpenVPN and IPsec. The AirVPN review explains how a short protocol list can still be a strength.
Privacy features are where the plans separate
A kill switch is the baseline. It cuts your connection if the VPN drops, so your traffic does not leak out in the clear. Every provider listed here includes one, so you can treat that as table stakes rather than a differentiator.
The features above the baseline are split tunnelling, multi-hop and obfuscation. AirVPN, Amnezia VPN and Betternet each pair a kill switch with kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation. Astrill VPN goes furthest with kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop, adding multi-hop to the same set, which routes traffic through extra servers and makes the path harder to trace.
Avast SecureLine VPN includes kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop, with multi-hop but no obfuscation. At the simpler end, 12VPN and AzireVPN list a kill switch on its own, at kill switch and kill switch. Simplicity has its own appeal: fewer settings mean less to configure and fewer things to get wrong. The 12VPN review and AzireVPN review set out how each one handles defaults.
Server reach and streaming support
Server reach is quoted as the number of countries, and a larger number means more likely to find a fast server close to you. Avast SecureLine VPN has the widest spread at 74, followed by Astrill VPN at 56 and AzireVPN at 36.
In the middle sit AirVPN at 23 and Amnezia VPN at 20. Banana VPN is the most concentrated at 10, which is worth weighing if you travel often or need a nearby server for low latency.
Streaming claims vary more than any other feature here, and the honest answer is that they change over time. Amnezia VPN lists the longest catalogue at YouTube, Netflix and Hulu, while AzireVPN names Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ and Banana VPN names YouTube and BBC iPlayer. Avast SecureLine VPN frames its support in terms of Built for streaming, downloads, and everything else you do online and Up to 2 Gbps for 4K streaming and big downloads. A general VPN ranking can help you weigh streaming against price, and the Amnezia VPN review sets out its catalogue in full.
Put price and reliability last, and check them together
Once limits, platforms, protocols and privacy features line up, the remaining differences are price and how dependable the service feels in daily use. A cheaper plan with a device limit below your household size will cost more in frustration than it saves.
Weight the trade-off in this order. Confirm your device count fits the limit, confirm the VPN runs on the devices you actually own, then decide whether extra protocols and obfuscation are worth paying for. Streaming support matters only if you watch abroad, and it is the feature most likely to change between renewal cycles.
One useful shortcut is to read the Free VPNs comparison first, since a free tier reveals the device limit and platform support without any commitment. Then open the individual reviews, such as the Avast SecureLine VPN review and the Astrill VPN review, and check whether the limits described there match what your household needs. You end up with a shortlist rather than a long one, and you know exactly which feature each pick wins on.