At a Glance
If you’re visiting New Jersey or any other state in the United States, you’ll likely be online – if for no other reason than to find things to do and places to eat. If you’re using the internet while traveling, you’ll likely use WiFi hotspots, meaning you’re in danger of having your online activities monitored.
Plus, Freedom House gives the United States a Freedom on the Net score of 76 (0=Least Free, 100=Most Free). While there are few limitations on what you can access online in the United States, you will have issues accessing geo-controlled content in other countries. Plus, your ISP is allowed to monitor and log your online travels, and is allowed to sell that info to anyone that can afford to pay for it.
How Can a VPN Help Me in New Jersey?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) has a remedy for all of the above issues. A VPN shields your online activities from prying eyes – thanks to its ability to encrypt your internet connection. A VPN also temporarily assigns a fresh IP address to your connected device, from another country if you wish, making it look as if you’re connecting from that country. This opens up access to content limited to users in that country.
In this article, I’ll review the top six best VPNs for use while visiting or residing in New Jersey. I’ll also cover the protections and advantages offered by VPNs.
WANT TO TRY A TOP VPN FOR NEW JERSEY RISK-FREE?: All of the top VPN service providers on this list offer 30- to 45-day money-back guarantees. If you subscribe to one of these VPN providers and then find the VPN isn’t right for your particular needs, you can simply contact the provider and ask for a refund before the money-back guarantee period has elapsed.
Best VPNs for New Jersey
I’ve spent quite a bit of time testing and ranking dozens of VPNs and have determined that the following six VPN providers are the best for New Jersey.
In case you’re in a hurry, here’s a TL;DR run down. Full reviews can be found a little later in the article.
The best VPNs for New Jersey:
- NordVPN: Top VPN provider for New Jersey. NordVPN boasts a large network of servers, extremely fast connections, comprehensive native app support, and total online security and privacy protections. The provider offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark: Best budget VPN for New Jersey. Surfshark is my budget provider, providing champagne service at a beer bottle price. The provider offers unlimited concurrent connections, fast speeds, and strong encryption, all for a low price.
- ExpressVPN: Premium VPN for New Jersey. ExpressVPN, although expensive, offers premium online protection and enhancement. The provider’s large global server network offers high-speed, well-protected connections. The provider has servers located in New Jersey.
- CyberGhost: Attractive choice for rookie VPN users. CyberGhost offers a long 45 days to try out their service. The provider offers easy-to-use apps, all of which offer one-click protection. Truly free browser extensions are also available.
- Private Internet Access (PIA): Reliable Jersey VPN protection. PIA’s comprehensive online security and privacy keep your online travels safe while in New Jersey, while also providing reliable access to geo-controlled content in select other countries.
- PrivateVPN: Mighty-mite VPN provider. PrivateVPN has the lowest number of servers of any provider on this list. That said, the provider offers comprehensive online security and privacy protections, while providing reliable access to content in several countries. The provider has servers located in New Jersey.
When choosing which VPN providers to recommend for New Jersey, I considered the following factors:
- Global server coverage (bonus points for servers in New Jersey)
- Online privacy and security features
- Download speeds
- Customer support
- Native app support
You can read more about the criteria I used in the testing methodology section found later in this article.
These are my top VPN service providers for New Jersey.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is my top VPN provider for New Jersey, thanks to its excellent performance in several service categories.
The provider offers 6,000+ servers in 60+ countries, including the United States, where the provider has several VPN servers scattered around the country.
NordVPN protects its customers’ connections by using government-grade encryption, automatic kill switch protection, IP/DNS leak prevention, and malware and ad blocking.
It also offers obfuscated server connections that can hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. Users can also opt for Double VPN protection, which routes their connection through a pair of VPN servers for added security.
NordVPN keeps no user logs, and the VPN provider allows you to pay with the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, if that’s how you roll. The provider’s owned-and-operated servers keep third-party contractors away from customer data. Plus, NordVPN runs all of its servers 100% from RAM, with no data ever being written to a physical hard drive. This ensures that all data is completely wiped from any server that is rebooted or powered off.
NordVPN’s connection speeds are quite impressive, allowing you to stream in HD or 4K, play online games, or share large files. The VPN never throttles its customers’ bandwidth, nor does it impose data caps on customers’ VPN usage.
The provider offers app support for several popular device platforms, including iOS, Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire, ChromeOS, Apple TV (running tvOS 17 or later), and Android TV. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browser extensions are also available to protect your browsing sessions. The provider can also be configured on multiple makes and models of routers, if you need to simultaneously connect more than six devices.
NordVPN’s excellent customer support includes 24/7 live chat, email, and a comprehensive support library. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Native Apple TV support
- Impressively fast connection speeds
- 6,000+ servers in more than 60 countries
- Comprehensive security and privacy protections
Cons:
- No labeled streaming-optimized servers
THE BEST VPN FOR NEW JERSEY:NordVPN provides comprehensive online protection and enhancement for popular devices. The provider’s connection speeds are quite impressive, and the service includes high-end encryption and wide-ranging app support. The provider offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read my full review of NordVPN.
2. Surfshark
Surfshark doesn’t charge much for its substantial services, making it an excellent VPN option for internet users on a tight budget.
Surfshark offers 3,200+ servers in 100+ countries, providing reliable protected access to content around the globe.
Your online security is a given, thanks to Surfshark’s use of banking-level encryption, an automatic kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection. The provider also offers ad and tracker blocking, as well as malware and phishing protections.
An optional “MultiHop” option routes your internet connection through a pair of VPN servers, doubling up on your encrypted protection and anonymity.
Surfshark accepts cryptocurrency in return for its services, and the provider also never records logs of your online activities. All of the provider’s servers are run 100% from volatile RAM, ensuring that all data is completely wiped when a server is rebooted or powered down.
Surfshark connections provide enough horsepower to ensure you have a positive streaming, gaming, or file sharing experience while online. The provider never limits your bandwidth and VPN data usage.
Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire, and Android TV device platforms are all available, as well as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browser extensions. The provider also offers support for select makes and models of routers.
Surfshark offers an unlimited concurrent connections allowance, meaning you can connect as many devices as you need to the provider’s servers at any one time on a single user account.
The provider offers around-the-clock live chat, searchable support documents, an FAQ section, and a “Contact Us” form. Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- Fast connections
- Budget-priced extended subscriptions
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Comprehensive online security and privacy
Cons:
- Streaming servers are not labeled in app
BEST BUDGET VPN FOR JERSEY:Surfshark offers fast connection speeds, unlimited simultaneous connections, comprehensive online security and privacy, and responsive customer support. You can try out Surfshark’s budget-priced services for 30 days.
Read my full review of Surfshark.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a premium VPN provider, and as such, it carries a premium price. That said, the provider delivers an excellent return on investment.
It offers an impressive global server network of more than 3,000 servers in over 100 countries around the globe (including servers located in New Jersey). The provider’s network provides reliable access to geo-blocked content all over the world.
ExpressVPN provides government-grade encryption, as well as IP/DNS leak and automatic kill switch protections to secure its users’ online activities. The provider accepts Bitcoin cryptocurrency in return for its services and follows a strict no-server-logs policy.
Also, the provider uses its own proprietary “TrustedServer” technology to run all of its server operations from RAM, writing no data to a physical hard drive or SSD. This means all information is wiped upon every server reboot or shutdown.
ExpressVPN’s download speeds are quite impressive, providing plenty of bandwidth for streaming content in HD or 4K, fast-moving online games, or the sharing of large files. There are no data caps or bandwidth restrictions to worry about with this provider.
ExpressVPN’s app support is impressive, including apps for macOS, Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, Apple TV (iOS 17 or later), Android TV, Amazon Fire, and ChromeOS device platforms. Browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge are also available. The provider offers support for select makes and models of routers, even offering customized firmware for some models.
Up to eight simultaneous connections can be made on a single set of login credentials.
ExpressVPN provides around-the-clock customer support in the form of 24/7 live chat, email support, a trouble ticket system, and an easy-to-search support library. You can try ExpressVPN’s service without risk for 30 days.
Pros:
- Easily unblocks several video streaming services
- Comprehensive app and browser support
- Fast connection speeds
- Impressive global server network
Cons:
- More expensive than many other providers
- No labeled streaming servers in apps
BEST PREMIUM VPN SERVICE:ExpressVPN’s premium services come at a somewhat premium price. The provider offers impressively fast connection speeds, provides the ability to reliably unblock content all around the world, and supports a variety of connected devices. The provider has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read my full review of ExpressVPN.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a powerful VPN service that’s easy to use, making it an excellent VPN option for first-time users.
The provider’s server network is quite large, with 11,600+ servers in 99+ countries. Streaming-, gaming-, and downloading-optimized servers are available in several countries.
All CyberGhost connections are well-secured with military-grade encryption and IP/DNS leak protection, as well as the ability to block ads and malware. The provider can also force websites to show secure versions of their web pages when available.
The provider never saves any logs of your internet travels, and you can pay with Bitcoin if you so choose.
When it comes to fast connection speeds, CyberGhost excels, thanks to the provider’s optimized servers, you can watch video streaming content in HD, play many types of games and share files. There are never any data caps to deal with, and there are no bandwidth limitations, ever.
CyberGhost’s apps are easy to use and are available for Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, and Android TV devices. Router support is available for a select number of makes and models.
Up to seven devices can be connected to the provider’s servers simultaneously.
CyberGhost’s browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox are truly free. But it’s also true that the browser extensions only offer connections to eight servers in four countries, so your ability to access streaming services will be less than when using the full-blown app.
This VPN offers excellent customer support via always-available live chat, a trouble ticket system, and an easy-to-search support library.
While CyberGhost offers only a 14-day money-back guarantee period for a one-month subscription, users can take advantage of a 45-day money-back guarantee if they opt for a one-year or two-year subscription.
Pros:
- Free Chrome and Firefox browser extensions
- Intuitive apps
- Streaming-, gaming-, and downloading-optimized servers
- Large global server network
Cons:
- Only a 14-day guarantee on monthly subscription
- Monthly subscription price is a bit high
BEST VPN FOR FIRST TIMERS::Easy-to-use apps make it perfect for the beginning VPN user looking for easy to use and reliable online protection and enhancement. The provider’s free browser extensions make it easy to protect browser sessions. CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee for its one-year and longer subscription lengths.
Read my full review of CyberGhost.
5. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) does an excellent job of providing online protection for most popular connected devices.
The provider boasts a good-sized global server network, made up of 3,300+ servers located in 90+ countries. This provides reliable access to content in those countries, which cover most of the globe.
PIA protects its customers’ connections with banking-grade encryption, a kill switch, and IP/DNS leak protection. The VPN also blocks ads, trackers, malware, and malicious websites.
The provider’s servers are run free of user logs, so there are no records connected to your online activities. A handy Bitcoin subscription payment option keeps your payment information undercover.
PIA has joined the growing number of VPN providers that run their servers solely from RAM, writing no data whatsoever to a hard drive or SSD. This means all data is automatically and securely wiped whenever the provider’s servers are restarted, powered down, or unplugged.
This provider’s connection speeds are admittedly the second-slowest speeds on this list. However, PIA’s connections are fast enough to easily handle most popular online activities (depending on your usual connection speeds). Data caps or bandwidth throttling are never imposed by this VPN.
PIA offers native app support for Android, Android TV, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux device platforms. Chrome, Opera, and Firefox browser extensions are also available. The provider is compatible with select router makes and models.
The provider places no limit on the number of devices that users can simultaneously connect to its servers.
PIA’s support options include live chat, a trouble ticket tracking system, and a searchable support library. You can try out PIA for free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- Large server network
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Runs its servers 100% from RAM
Cons:
- Second-slowest connections on this list
- Has issues working well in restrictive countries
RELIABLE VPN PROTECTION FOR NEW JERSEY:PIA’s comprehensive online security and privacy keeps your online activities undercover. The VPN also provides reliable access to geo-controlled content in 90+ countries. Customers can protect an unlimited number of their connected devices at once. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available.
Read my full review of Private Internet Access.
6. PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN has a rather low server count, although it does well in locating the servers they do have.
PrivateVPN has the lowest server count (200+). However, those servers are spread (if rather thinly) among 63+ countries (surprisingly, the provider has servers located inside Jersey state lines). Those servers provide reliable access to geo-fenced content in those countries.
The provider also came in last in the connection speed derby. Even so, the provider’s connections can easily handle your favorite online activities. Plus, PrivateVPN never imposes data caps or throttles your bandwidth.
PrivateVPN protects its users’ connections with banking-grade encryption and IP/DNS leak protection, all designed to keep your online activities undercover. The provider’s “Stealth VPN” feature hides its customers’ VPN usage undercover by disguising it as normal browser activity.
The provider’s strict no-server logs policy ensures that there are no records kept of your online activities. A cryptocurrency payment option keeps your payment information incognito.
PrivateVPN offers native apps for Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, and Windows devices. While browser extensions are not available, select routers can be manually configured to work with the provider.
Up to 10 devices can be simultaneously connected to the PrivateVPN server network.
PrivateVPN support options include agent chat, a support request form, and an FAQ page. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to trial the service.
Pros:
- “Stealth VPN” hides your VPN usage
- No data caps or connection throttling
- Top-notch online security and privacy
Cons:
- Server numbers could be better
- App support could also be better
UNDERCOVER VPN PROTECTION:While PrivateVPN has a small number of servers, it does a good job of spreading them around 63+ countries. A “Stealth VPN” feature keeps your VPN usage hidden. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available.
Read my full review of PrivateVPN.
Methodology for Assessing VPNs for New Jersey
While New Jersey internet users enjoy what is termed a “free” internet experience, the U.S. government is nosy and requires ISPs to save logs recording their online activities, making a VPN a vital tool in your privacy arsenal. Carefully consider several factors before making a VPN buying decision.
Below, you’ll find the features I researched when creating this list of VPNs for use while visiting or living in New Jersey.
- Connection speeds: A fast connection makes everything better online (except paying bills and taxes, of course). Most of the VPNs I include on my list provide fast connections.
- Server network: An ideal VPN server network should cover as much of the globe as possible. Also, look for a provider with multiple servers in each country, as it helps prevent a single server from being overloaded by being hit by too many users at once.
- Value: To determine a VPN provider’s true value, compare its asking price to the features it offers. The VPNs on this list all offer an excellent return on investment.
- Ease of use: A VPN should offer easy-to-use apps for connected devices. The VPN services on this list offer intuitive apps for many popular devices.
- Security and privacy: A VPN should protect your connections with banking-level encryption, a kill switch, and DNS/IP leak protection. A strict no-logs policy is also a requirement. The VPNs on this list offer all of these protective measures.
- Streaming: Streaming video and music are both popular online pastimes. The VPNs on this list offer reliable access to popular streaming services, such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Spotify, and other streamers.
The list above is just highlights of the features I research as part of my comprehensive VPN testing methodology. My data-driven approach provides an understanding of each VPN provider and their services, allowing me to only recommend VPNs that are a good fit for my readers’ needs.
How to Use a VPN for New Jersey
Using a VPN to protect and enhance your internet travels while in New Jersey requires a few simple steps.
5 steps to use a VPN for New Jersey:
- Subscribe to your VPN provider of choice (I recommend NordVPN).
- Install the provider’s app(s) onto your device(s).
- Log into the VPN.
- Select a VPN server located in the United States if you’re simply looking to protect your online activities, or select a server stationed in another country to access geo-blocked content for that country.
- Enjoy your newly protected and enhanced internet access!
Is a Truly Free VPN a Good Option for New Jersey?
I refuse to recommend a “free” VPN due to several reasons.
First of all, some freebie VPNs will make you wait in a virtual waiting room with other free users, waiting for a chance to connect. Once you are finally allowed to connect, you’ll find you have only a few server locations to choose from, if you’re given any server choices at all.
Furthermore, free VPN service providers often impose daily or monthly data caps, and your connection speeds will likely be severely throttled.
Free VPNs are also a hazard to your privacy. Free VPNs keep their servers humming by logging your online activities and selling that information to the highest nosy bidder. Some free VPNs have been caught inserting unwanted ads and tracking cookies into their users’ browsing sessions.
As you can see, free VPNs are not worth trying. If you’re not sure a VPN is for you, try a paid VPN provider and take advantage of its money-back guarantee.
New Jersey VPN FAQs
Are VPNs legal in New Jersey?
VPNs are legal in the United States and by extension in New Jersey, and in most of the rest of the world (other than a handful of countries). This means internet users in New Jersey can legally keep their online activities undercover. Just don’t use a VPN to do anything illegal, as that is rightfully frowned upon, even in New Jersey.
Can I Use a VPN to Play PokerStars in New Jersey?
Yes, you can play PokerStars in New Jersey. The poker site allows bettors to parlay from within the state. However, you’ll need to use a VPN to access the site from states that haven’t legalized online poker.
Are Paid VPNs Worth the Money?
Quality paid VPN providers are absolutely worth the money. Paid VPN providers do not usually log your online travels, do not sell your personal information to outsiders, and do not limit your VPN usage by imposing data caps or bandwidth throttling.
Paid VPNs usually offer better native app support, a large global server network, and top-notch customer support.
Conclusion
Internet users in New Jersey and elsewhere should take advantage of the online security and privacy protections offered by a quality VPN service.
NordVPN is my top pick for VPN protection for New Jersey. The provider offers fast and well-protected connections, complete privacy protection, comprehensive app support, and top-notch customer support. The provider offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit the NordVPN website.
Contents [hide]
- At a Glance
- How Can a VPN Help Me in New Jersey?
- Best VPNs for New Jersey
- 1. NordVPN
- 2. Surfshark
- 3. ExpressVPN
- 4. CyberGhost
- 5. Private Internet Access
- 6. PrivateVPN
- Methodology for Assessing VPNs for New Jersey
- How to Use a VPN for New Jersey
- Is a Truly Free VPN a Good Option for New Jersey?
- New Jersey VPN FAQs
- Conclusion