Remote work has changed the way computers connect to business systems. A work laptop may be used from a home office in the morning, a hotel in the afternoon, and a coffee shop the next day. Business files, customer information, company applications, email, and internal systems may all be accessed through networks that the employer does not control.
A virtual private network can create an encrypted connection between a remote worker’s device and a VPN server, reducing exposure when using networks that may not be fully trusted. However, choosing the best VPN for remote work requires looking beyond ordinary consumer VPN features. A VPN intended for an individual who wants online privacy is not necessarily suitable for a company that needs centralized user management and controlled access to business resources.
What Remote Workers Need From a VPN
A remote worker usually needs a VPN for more than hiding an IP address. The main purpose is to create a protected connection between the device and a trusted network or security service.
Encryption is particularly useful when working from public Wi-Fi. Hotels, airports, cafés, libraries, and coworking spaces can all provide convenient internet access, but the worker may have little control over how those networks are configured.
A VPN can encrypt traffic between the device and the VPN server, making it harder for someone on the local network to intercept that traffic.
Speed is another important consideration.
Remote work often involves video meetings, cloud applications, large file transfers, voice calls, remote desktops, and collaborative documents. A VPN that significantly reduces connection speed can make ordinary work frustrating.
A fast protocol such as WireGuard or a provider’s modern equivalent can help reduce the performance penalty associated with VPN encryption.
Stability may matter even more than maximum speed.
A remote worker can tolerate a slightly slower connection, but repeated VPN disconnections during a video conference or while working on a remote server can cause serious problems.
A kill switch is another useful feature. If the VPN connection unexpectedly fails, the kill switch can prevent supported traffic from continuing over the ordinary internet connection. This can reduce the possibility of sensitive traffic being transmitted outside the protected connection.
Split tunneling can also be valuable.
Instead of sending every connection through the VPN, split tunneling allows selected traffic to use the VPN while other traffic uses the normal internet connection.
For example, company applications can be routed through the VPN while ordinary personal browsing uses the direct connection. This can reduce unnecessary VPN traffic and sometimes improve performance during video meetings.
However, split tunneling should be configured according to company security requirements. An employer may require all traffic to pass through its security infrastructure.
Consumer VPNs and Business VPNs
One of the most important distinctions is between a personal VPN and a business VPN.
A consumer VPN is generally designed for one person or a household. It can encrypt internet traffic, change the apparent IP address, and provide privacy on public networks.
A business VPN has a different purpose.
A company may need to manage dozens or hundreds of employees. IT administrators may need to create accounts, remove employees, enforce security policies, monitor connections, manage devices, and control access to internal systems.
This is why business-oriented VPN services provide centralized administration.
NordLayer is an example of a business-focused VPN platform based on the broader Nord security ecosystem. It provides centralized management, identity-related features, dedicated access options, and controls intended for organizations rather than individual consumers. Current business VPN comparisons place it among the leading choices for managed remote access.
OpenVPN’s business-oriented cloud platform is another option for organizations that want centralized remote connectivity and identity-based access. Its approach combines traditional VPN technology with more modern zero-trust capabilities, device policies, and administrative controls.
For a small company, these features can make a substantial difference.
Instead of telling every employee to install a consumer VPN and configure it independently, an administrator can establish a consistent system for the entire organization.
Proton VPN can also be considered by businesses that place a strong emphasis on privacy. Its broader reputation is built around privacy-focused services, while its business offerings provide features intended for organizations.
Private Internet Access can be useful for smaller organizations and technically experienced users who want greater control over VPN configurations.
ExpressVPN is particularly attractive for individuals and very small teams that prioritize ease of use and connection performance, although it does not provide the same centralized business-management experience as a dedicated business VPN platform.
The choice therefore depends heavily on the size of the organization.
A freelancer working alone may have no need for a complicated business administration system. A company with several remote employees may benefit from centralized management, while a larger organization may need identity integration, access policies, dedicated IP addresses, audit capabilities, and device controls.
Choosing the Best VPN for Remote Work
For an individual remote worker, NordVPN is one of the strongest general-purpose choices. Current 2026 testing continues to rank it highly for the combination of speed, security, ease of use, and privacy. Its modern VPN protocol is designed for high performance, while features such as a kill switch and split tunneling can be useful during remote work.
However, an individual subscription should not automatically be used to access confidential company systems. If an employer provides a corporate VPN, that system should normally take priority.
The employer’s VPN may provide access to internal servers, applications, databases, and company resources that a consumer VPN cannot provide.
For small teams, NordLayer can be more appropriate because it is designed around business administration rather than simply personal privacy.
OpenVPN’s business platform can also be a strong option for organizations that want flexible remote access combined with centralized controls and a path toward zero-trust security.
Proton VPN can appeal to organizations that place privacy high on the list of requirements. Its security-focused approach can be particularly relevant when protecting sensitive communications and business information.
Surfshark is another option worth considering when many devices need protection. Its ability to support numerous devices can make it attractive for individuals who use multiple computers, phones, and tablets, although business users should distinguish between consumer plans and dedicated business services.
The geographical location of VPN servers also matters.
A remote employee in one country connecting to a server on another continent may experience higher latency than someone using a nearby server. For ordinary internet access, a nearby server is generally preferable when privacy rather than geographic location is the primary objective.
A company may deliberately require a particular VPN gateway, however, because the gateway could be connected to company systems or assigned a dedicated business IP address.
Dedicated IP addresses can be useful when a company’s security system restricts access to approved IP addresses. Instead of employees appearing from constantly changing consumer VPN addresses, the organization can potentially allow access from known business VPN addresses.
This should be designed by the company’s IT or security team rather than configured casually by individual employees.
Securing Remote Work Beyond the VPN
A VPN is only one part of remote-work security.
A protected VPN connection cannot stop an employee from entering a password into a fake website, opening a malicious attachment, or installing unsafe software.
Strong account security remains essential.
Every business account should use a unique password, and multi-factor authentication should be enabled wherever possible. A password manager can help employees create and maintain unique credentials without requiring them to memorize dozens of passwords.
Company laptops should also be kept updated.
Operating-system updates, browser updates, security patches, and application updates can address vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit.
Device encryption is important as well. A VPN protects network traffic, but it cannot protect files stored on a laptop that has been stolen if the device itself is not properly secured.
Screen locks and strong device authentication should be mandatory for work computers.
Employees should also be careful when using personal devices for business activities. A personal computer may not have the same security controls, update policies, antivirus protection, or administrative restrictions as a company-managed device.
For businesses handling particularly sensitive information, a zero-trust access model may be more appropriate than relying solely on a traditional VPN. Zero-trust systems verify users and devices before allowing access to individual applications rather than assuming that everyone inside a VPN connection should have broad network access.
This distinction becomes increasingly important as companies move applications and data into cloud services.
A VPN can still be valuable, but modern business security may combine VPN technology with identity management, device security, multi-factor authentication, application-level access controls, and monitoring.
For an individual remote worker, the best VPN for remote work is usually one that provides strong encryption, reliable connections, fast performance, a kill switch, and split tunneling without making daily work complicated.
For a business, the requirements are broader. Centralized management, employee provisioning, access policies, dedicated IP options, authentication integration, device controls, and security monitoring can become more important than the number of consumer VPN servers available.
NordVPN can be a strong choice for individual remote workers, while NordLayer and OpenVPN’s business-oriented platform are better suited to organizations that need centralized control. Proton VPN, Surfshark, Private Internet Access, and ExpressVPN can also have useful roles depending on privacy requirements, team size, device needs, and ease-of-use preferences.
The most important consideration is to understand what the VPN is actually protecting. A personal VPN primarily protects the connection between a device and the VPN provider. A corporate VPN can provide controlled access to company resources. These are different functions, and confusing the two can leave a remote worker believing that business systems are protected when they are not.
A strong remote-work setup combines a suitable VPN with multi-factor authentication, secure devices, updated software, strong passwords, careful handling of company information, and appropriate access controls. When these measures work together, employees can work from home, hotels, coworking spaces, and other locations with a much stronger security foundation.