We ran NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, and AdGuard VPN from Indian IPs for 30 days — testing Netflix unblocking, ping, speed, and ISP throttling bypass on Jio, Airtel, and Vi.
Here's the honest breakdown — including the drawbacks of each that most review sites skip.
Free plan available · No credit card · 2 minutes setup
Tested from
Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore
Period
March–April 2026
Devices
Android, Windows, iOS
ISPs
Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL
TL;DR before the full breakdown
Most review sites only list pros. We list the real drawbacks too.
€3.09/mo · Good but overpriced for India
What's good
What's missing
€6.67/mo · Premium price, average gain
What's good
What's missing
€2.49/mo · Budget option with trade-offs
What's good
What's missing
€4.99/mo · Privacy-first but expensive
What's good
What's missing
And what it doesn't do as well
Blocks ads in every app — browser, streaming apps, games. Not just trackers. NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark don't do this.
AdGuard's own protocol disguises VPN traffic as HTTPS. Significantly harder to detect and throttle on Jio and Airtel than WireGuard or OpenVPN.
3GB/month, no credit card, no time limit. Proton VPN also has a free plan but it's capped to slow servers. AdGuard's free plan uses the same fast servers.
€2.69/month on the 2-year plan with 10 devices and ad blocking included. ExpressVPN charges €6.67/month for fewer features.
Where AdGuard VPN is weaker
Best available price (long-term plan) · April 2026
| Feature | 🛡️ AdGuard VPN | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price/month | €2.69 | €3.09 | €6.67 | €2.49 | €4.99 |
| Devices | 10 | 6 | 8 | ∞ | 10 |
| Server locations | 55+ | 60+ | 90+ | 100+ | 60+ |
| Ad blocking | ✅ Yes (all apps) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ⚠️ Trackers only | ❌ No |
| Free plan | ✅ 3GB/mo (fast servers) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ⚠️ Yes (slow servers) |
| Own VPN protocol | ✅ Yes (HTTPS disguise) | ❌ No | ⚠️ Lightway | ❌ No | ⚠️ Stealth (limited) |
| India ISP bypass | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Good | ✅ Good | ⚠️ Inconsistent | ⚠️ Variable |
| Netflix unblocking | ✅ Reliable | ✅ Reliable | ✅ Reliable | ⚠️ Sometimes fails | ⚠️ Hit or miss |
| No-logs audit | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Kill switch | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Setup time | < 2 min | 3–5 min | 3–5 min | 3–5 min | 5–10 min |
Prices as of April 2026 · Best available long-term plan · All prices in EUR
Not everyone needs the same thing
→ AdGuard VPN
Best price, free plan to test, ad blocking, works on Jio/Airtel/Vi
→ NordVPN
Best server count and double VPN — if you need very specific countries
→ Surfshark
Unlimited devices on one plan — cheapest if you have many users
→ Proton VPN
Swiss jurisdiction, open source, audited — but pay more for it
→ ExpressVPN
No practical advantage over AdGuard VPN or NordVPN at 2.5x the price
"Finally can watch Netflix US from India. Speed is great, no buffering. Best VPN I've tried."
Rahul M.
Student, Mumbai
"WhatsApp calls work perfectly over AdGuard VPN even when my office blocks it. Game changer."
Priya S.
Remote worker, Bangalore
"Reduced ads from 100 per session to basically zero. The ad blocking feature alone is worth it."
Arjun K.
IT professional
All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee
Also available: Free plan with 3GB/month — no credit card required.
NordVPN is good. ExpressVPN is expensive. Surfshark is inconsistent from India.
AdGuard VPN is the only one with ad blocking, a real free plan, and a protocol that Indian ISPs can't easily throttle.
👉 Try the free plan — 3GB, no card, 2 minutes.
Try AdGuard VPN free