Some important things to look for when shopping for a VPN include the simultaneous connection total the VPN service allows, the number of servers available, and the company's server location count. Most VPN services allow you to connect up to five devices with a single account. Any service offering fewer connections is outside the mainstream. You'll need to connect every device you wish to protect to the VPN service, so a mere two or three licenses will barely be enough for even one person, let alone a connected couple or family. This paradigm may be changing, however. Many services now offer far more than five simultaneous connections. Some have even done away with the restriction entirely, offering protection for unlimited devices. Avira Phantom VPN, Encrypt.me VPN, IPVanish VPN, Editors' Choice winner Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN all place no limit on the number of simultaneous connections. (Editors’ Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.) Of course, there are more than just phones and computers in a home. Game systems, tablets (including Chromebooks), and smart home devices such as light bulbs and fridges all need to connect to the internet. Many of these things can't run VPN software on their own. Some VPN companies provide instructions on how to configure a router to use a VPN, which would protect all the devices on the network. There's some debate on whether this will cause even more unforeseen complications. We don't recommend this solution to anyone other than an experienced and patient tinkerer.