The Best VPNs for Canada ( in 2019)

Many Canadians are turning to VPN services in order to protect their online freedoms. Historically Canada had been a country with a relatively free and open internet. However, the past 3 years have brought massive legislative changes that have decreased Canadians’ privacy and freedoms online.

Some of the most common reasons to switch to a VPN:

  • To prevent your Internet Provider (ISP) for monitoring your online browsing history
  • Avoid spying/data collection by Canadian/US government agencies
  • Unblock geo-restricted content/videos (access US Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer)
  • Download torrents safely and unrestricted

We’ll discuss the Canada’s legal changes later in the article along with a detailed look at the best VPN for specific intended uses. But first, here are our top recommended VPN services for Canada…

The Best VPN Services for Canada (overview)

RankVPN Provider (review)Best UseBest PriceWebsite

1

Private Internet AccessTorrents/any$3.33/mVisit Site >

2

IPVanishHD Streaming/any$6.49/mVisit Site >

3

VPN.ACTorrents$4.80/mVisit Site >

4

VyprVPNSpeed/Security$3.13/mVisit Site >

5

ExpressVPNAll-Purpose$8.32/mVisit Site >

The reason for the massive surge in demand for VPN services? Canada’s new internet privacy laws have increased monitoring/logging of the Canadians’ online history. The same laws also limit Canadians’ digital rights.

The Copyright Modernization Act, which went into effect January 2nd 2015 brought new changes including:

  • Requiring ISP’s to keep logs on subscriber online activity for 6 months
  • Requiring ISP’s to forward copyright violation notices
  • Made it illegal to break ‘Digital Locks’ on content/software

There has also been increased co-operation between Canada and extra-national security agencies such as the NSA and the ‘Five-Eyes’ alliance.

Sections in this Article:

  1. Choosing a VPN for Canada (summary)
  2. VPN Uses: Unblocking geo-restricted content
  3. VPN Uses: Torrents and p2p Filesharing
  4. VPN Uses: Data security/privacy and identity theft protection

How to choose a VPN for Canada

Whether you live in Canada  or you’re located in a different country and you want access to Canadian media services or IP addresses, we’ve got you covered.

We picked the best VPN choice for each of the most common VPN uses (Streaming geo-blocked content, Filesharing/Torrents, and general data security).

This is not some half-assed list we just threw together. Each recommended VPN provider has been chosen based on these criteria:

  1. Suitability for the intended use/purpose
  2. Speed
  3. Customer reviews
  4. Security/Privacy
  5. Must have server locations in Canada

Fortunately most of these providers also have a 100% refund policy if you aren’t satisfied with their service (usually 7 days) so you can feel free to try a couple until you find the perfect fit without being tied to a subscription. I’m pretty confident you’ll like any of these recommendations however.

Also make sure to check out our crazy in-depth VPN reviews if you want even more information about these VPNs. There’s also direct review links in this article.

VPNs to Stream Geo-blocked Video (like Netflix)

You may already know that Netflix has a different show/movie catalog for each country, only accessible with an IP address from inside that country. Other services (such as Hulu, Spotify, and Pandora) can only be accessed from specific countries.

With the proper VPN, you can unblock all of these services, no matter where you’re physically located in the world. Simply connect to a VPN server located in the desired country and then binge-watch Breaking Bad episodes to your heart’s content.

Top Choices:

How we chose these VPNs

The #1 criteria for a streaming VPN is speed. A VPN will always be slower than your normal connection (unless you’re being throttled). This makes it critical to choose a VPN that delivers the fastest possible speeds.

We also factored in the variety of server locations and useful extras. For example, IPVanish has servers in more than 120 cities around the world (talk about content variety). Iron Socket made the list because they include SmartDNS service with every VPN purchase.

IPVanish

IPVanish is a VPN service headquartered in the USA. They are known primarily for their massive server network (70+ countries) and their extremely fast speeds (which they can deliver because their parent company is a Tier-1 CDN). No other North-American VPN can say that.

Unblock geo-restricted content in Canada using IPVanish
Direct from IPVanish’s homepage

IPVanish also rebranded as a non-logging VPN, which means they are an excellent all-around VPN service, suitable for streaming, p2p/torrents, or general security. You can try IPVanish risk-free for 7 days thanks to their 100% refund policy.

Download IPVanish

IronSocket VPN (Includes SmartDNS and Proxy Service)

IronSocket VPN and SmartDNS Ironsocket is a relatively new VPN provider, but they stand out in a crowded industry because of the all-inclusive nature of their VPN plans. And when you buy VPN service from IronSocket, you get tons of extras including: SmartDNS Proxy, SOCKS Proxy, and HTTPS Proxy service.

This SmartDNS proxy is especially useful for unblocking video streaming websites and global media channels like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more. The benefit of Smart DNS (vs VPN) is that there is no encryption, and no 3rd party server so you get 100% of your available bandwidth for maximum video quality.

Currently their SmartDNS service can unblock over 120 channels worldwide. They even have some Canada specific channels in cause you’re traveling outside the country.

IronSocket SmarDNS can unblock video and media streaming sites worldwide, with zero speed loss.
Unblock 120+ channels worldwide (Including some Canadian channels)

IronSocket has servers in 39+ countries, including Canada (Toronto server location).

The only real downside of IronSocket is that they don’t have their own custom VPN software yet. Instead they use the extremely popular, free and OpenSource VPN software from OpenVPN. If this name sounds familiar, it’s because OpenVPN is the most popular VPN protocol in the world, and used by all major VPN providers.

IronSocket has full instructions on how to setup the OpenVPN software on their website. The owner also informed us that they will be releasing their own custom software in the near future.

Try IronSocket

The Best VPNs for Downloading Torrents Safely

The p2p/filesharing landscape in Canada changed dramatically in 2015. Internet Providers are now required to log 6 months months of subscriber connection activity and torrent downloads are monitored much more closely than they used to be.

Torrents are commonly monitored either by: (Learn more about torrent monitoring here)

  1. Automated bots that connect to torrent swarms and record all peer IP addresses
  2. Deep packet inspection by your ISP (Internet Provider)

Fortunately the right VPN provider can fix both these holes in your torrent privacy. We always recommend non-logging VPNs for torrent downloaders. A VPN can make your torrent activity virtually untraceable. This is accomplished with a combination of encryption and an anonymous IP address.

Here’s how a VPN restores your torrent privacy:

  1. A VPN assigns you a new IP address (which appears in the torrent swarm) and cannot be traced back to your internet provider (if you choose a non-logging VPN like those we recommend below.
  2. The VPN uses strong Encryption which prevents your ISP from inspecting your internet traffic. They cannot see what sites you’re visiting or what files/torrents you’re downloading.

So without further ado, here are our favorite VPNs for Canadian bittorrent users. We only chose companies not headquartered in Canada (so they aren’t subject to the 6 month data retention laws).

They also have a reputation for torrent-friendliness and many include extra features like anonymous proxy service, pre-configured anonymous torrent clients, Kill-Switch security, and more…

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access is probably the most popular VPN service in the world among p2p/bittorrent enthusiasts. Their combination of privacy, torrent-friendliness, and price is basically unmatched by any other VPN. Make sure to read our full PIA review if you want to see everything they have to offer.

Private Internet Access VPN (High security, no logs)

Don’t be fooled by their somewhat odd homepage (featuring children riding bicycles). Private Internet Access is a hardcore non-logging VPN service, and they take privacy very seriously.

Maximum Security Control

PIA is one of the only VPNs that gives the user full adjustable control over encryption strength, VPN protocol, and Authentication method. This means that you can tweak their software for the optimal blend of security/speed based on your personal needs.

Free Proxy Included (works for torrents)

They also include a SOCKS5 proxy server based in the Netherlands. This can be used with or without a VPN connection. It’s actually perfect for torrent users, and can be used with any major torrent client for an extra layer of protection.

Below is a tutorial on how to use PIA with Vuze (but it works for uTorrent, Transmission, etc)

All Private Internet Access Features:
  • 256-bit Encryption (Same strength as U.S. Gov’s top secret communications)
  • Servers in 30 countries
  • Unlimited Bandwidth
  • No Logs
  • 5 Simultaneously connected devices allowed (2.5x standard)
  • Socks proxy included (Netherlands)
  • only $3.33/month (with 1 year subscription)
  • 7-day 100% refund guarantee

It takes less than 5 minutes to signup for PIA, install the software, and be connected to their VPN network. They even allow anonymous payments by Bitcoin or Gift Card. And best of all, Private Internet Access has an unconditional 7 day money-back guarantee so you can try their service virtually risk free.

Try Private Internet Access for 7 Days

 

Other VPNs for Torrents

There are a number of other torrent-friendly VPN providers, though we do recommend most users try Private Internet Access first (because they’re the cheapest option and have more than enough features for most people).

If you want greater flexibility or some more advanced features, here are some other solid options:

VPN.AC

VPN.ac is a non-logging Romania-based VPN provider. They allow torrents on specific servers are known for protecting their users’ privacy. They offer 256-bit AES encryption, SHA-512 authentication (extremely strong) and anonymous DNS servers to make sure your web browsing history is never leaked by accident to your ISP.

VPNac also runs frequent discounts/specials. Currently they’re offering 20% off on 1 year plans.

Torguard

Torguard is a non-logging VPN currently based in the USA (though they’ve publicly stated they would relocate if their users’ privacy was threatened). Torguard sells both VPN and Torrent proxy service (each sold separately).

They also include off-shore encrypted webmail with every VPN purchase.

My favorite feature is their auto-proxy installer which will automatically configure your favorite torrent client to use any of their 8 proxy server locations (no complicated manual setup required).

The Best VPNs for General Security/Travel/Identity Theft Protection

If you fall into the general use category (which includes HD video streaming/geo-unblocking) then you how tons of VPN options available to you. It’s not nearly as important that you choose a non-logging VPN (unless you frequently use bittorrent).

Instead, you can focus on the features that matter most. Including:

  • VPN Speed
  • Number of server locations
  • Ease of use/VPN Software quality
  • Mobile VPN
  • Extra security features

So based on the above criteria, we’ve selected our top-recommended VPNs.

VyprVPN

VyprVPN

VyprVPN (Based in the UK) is one of only two VPN providers in the world with their own Tier-1 data network (the other being IPVanish). This means their network is capable of exceptionally fast speeds.

I also personally consider VyprVPN’s software to be the best around. Their desktop software as tons of features that few other VPNs offer (Favorite servers list, stealthVPN mode, adjustable encryption, Kill-Switch, DNS encryption, and more…)

Amazingly, their mobile app (for iPhone/iPad/Android) has almost 100% of the functionality of the desktop version instead of a bare-bones version like most providers.

Vypr VPN Software screenshot
VyprVPN Desktop Software

Their Chameleon Stealth Technology allows you to disguise VPN traffic as regular SSL http traffic, making it possible to slip through firewalls undetected (even sophisticated country firewalls like China’s).

For more info on what VyprVPN is capable of, make sure to read our in-depth VyprVPN Review.

Save 50% your first month

Best one-size-fits-all option

I recognize every Canadian has different security needs when it comes to choosing a VPN, but whenever someone asks me which VPN provider they should try first I invariably recommend Private Internet Access.

I already discussed PIA’s advantages above (under the torrent section) but you should definitely check out our PIA Review to see everything they have to offer.

The #1 reason I recommend them first is that PIA is so much cheaper than most of their competitors (starting at $3.33/month). They also have better security, encryption strength, and network management that most similarly priced VPNs.

So the idea is, take advantage of Private Internet Access’s low price and 100% refund policy. If they’re a good fit, Great! If not, take your refund and try a different provider but odds are you won’t need to. Sign up and be online in 5 minutes!

Conclusion

If you made it this far, you should have a pretty good idea of which VPN provider you’d like to try first. Don’t worry, it’s not as critical a decision as some people make it out to be. As long as your VPN is stable, fast enough, and in a comfortable price range then you should be quite happy.

If you’re not sure what to expect and this is your first VPN subscription, go for a 1 month plan first (instead of 1 year subscription) and try the service out. If you like it, upgrade to a longer subscription to get the biggest discount.

For maximum privacy, it’s recommended you only use Canadian servers when you want to access local services, though for must users it’s just fine to select the fastest server possible (which will often but not always be located in Canada).

Our Recommended VPNs for Canadians

RankVPN Provider (review)Best UseBest PriceWebsite

1

Private Internet AccessTorrents/any$3.33/mVisit Site >

2

IPVanishHD Streaming/any$6.49/mVisit Site >

3

VPN.ACTorrents$4.80/mVisit Site >

4

VyprVPNSpeed/Security$3.13/mVisit Site >

5

ExpressVPNAll-Purpose$8.32/mVisit Site >

I hope you enjoyed this article! Thanks for reading, and best of luck in your VPN search. Any questions? Feel free to contact us or even better, tweet us @VPNUniversity

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