Best VPN for Small Business 2025
Secure your remote team, protect client data, and meet compliance requirements.
🏢 Quick Picks for Small Business
Best Overall: NordVPN Teams — Easy management, great support
Best Budget: Surfshark — Unlimited devices, one subscription
Best for Compliance: Perimeter 81 — Enterprise features, audit logs
Business VPN vs. Consumer VPN
Small businesses face a choice: consumer VPNs (cheaper, simpler) or dedicated business solutions (more features, more cost). Here's the difference:
Consumer VPNs
- ✓ Lower cost ($2-5/user/month)
- ✓ Simple to set up
- ✓ Good for basic protection
- ✗ No centralized management
- ✗ No team admin dashboard
- ✗ No dedicated IPs
- ✗ Limited compliance support
Best for: Freelancers, very small teams (1-5), basic security needs
Business VPNs
- ✓ Centralized admin dashboard
- ✓ Team management & roles
- ✓ Dedicated/static IPs
- ✓ Audit logs for compliance
- ✓ Priority support
- ✓ SSO integration
- ✗ Higher cost ($8-15/user/month)
Best for: Teams 5+, compliance requirements, IT management needs
Best Business VPN Solutions
NordVPN Teams
Business Features
- ✓ Central Control Panel
- ✓ Team management dashboard
- ✓ Dedicated servers option
- ✓ SSO with Azure, Okta, Google
Support & Security
- ✓ 24/7 priority support
- ✓ Onboarding assistance
- ✓ Kill switch & auto-connect
- ✓ Activity reports for admins
Surfshark (Consumer)
Why It Works for Small Teams
- ✓ Unlimited simultaneous devices
- ✓ One subscription covers everyone
- ✓ Fast WireGuard speeds
- ✓ CleanWeb blocks malware
Limitations
- ✗ No admin dashboard
- ✗ No SSO integration
- ✗ No audit logs
- ✗ Consumer-level support
Budget hack: For teams under 10 with basic needs, one Surfshark subscription ($2.19/mo) covers unlimited devices. That's ~$0.22/person/month for a 10-person team.
Perimeter 81
Enterprise Features
- ✓ Zero Trust Network Access
- ✓ Complete audit logs
- ✓ SOC 2 Type 2 certified
- ✓ HIPAA & GDPR compliant
Management
- ✓ Role-based access control
- ✓ Network segmentation
- ✓ Automatic WiFi security
- ✓ Device posture checks
Common Small Business Use Cases
🏠 Remote & Hybrid Teams
Employees working from home, coffee shops, or co-working spaces need secure connections to company resources.
Recommended: NordVPN Teams for management features, or Surfshark for budget-conscious teams.
🌍 International Operations
Teams spread across countries need reliable connections and consistent access to shared resources regardless of location.
Recommended: NordVPN (6,400+ servers in 111 countries) for global coverage.
⚖️ Compliance Requirements
Healthcare, finance, and legal businesses need audit trails and documented security measures for HIPAA, SOC 2, or industry regulations.
Recommended: Perimeter 81 for comprehensive audit logs and compliance certifications.
🔐 Client Data Protection
Agencies, consultants, and service providers handling sensitive client information need to demonstrate security measures.
Recommended: Any audited VPN with kill switch. NordVPN Teams adds documentation for client assurance.
Cost Comparison: 10-Person Team
| Solution | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Admin Panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark (1 subscription) | $2.19 | $26.28 | No |
| NordVPN (10 consumer licenses) | $33.90 | $406.80 | No |
| NordVPN Teams | $70 | $840 | Yes |
| Perimeter 81 | $80 | $960 | Full Suite |
The math: Surfshark's unlimited devices makes it absurdly cheap for small teams. The tradeoff is no management features. For teams that need admin controls, NordVPN Teams offers the best value.
Implementation Checklist
-
1.
Audit your needs
How many users? Remote workers? Compliance requirements? International access needs?
-
2.
Choose appropriate tier
Consumer VPN for basic needs, business VPN for management requirements.
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3.
Document your VPN policy
When must VPN be used? What's protected? Who has access?
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4.
Deploy to team devices
Install clients, configure auto-connect, enable kill switch.
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5.
Train your team
When to use VPN, how to verify connection, what to do if issues arise.
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6.
Monitor and review
Check usage (if business tier), address issues, update as team grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can employees use the VPN for personal browsing? ▼
That's a policy decision. Consumer VPNs don't distinguish work from personal use. Business VPNs can be configured with usage policies, but enforcement varies. Most small businesses allow reasonable personal use since it still protects the device.
Do we need dedicated IPs? ▼
Only if you whitelist IPs for server access or use IP-based authentication. Most small businesses don't need them. NordVPN Teams and Perimeter 81 offer dedicated IPs as add-ons if required.
What if an employee leaves? ▼
Business VPNs let you revoke access instantly from the admin panel. With consumer VPNs, change the shared password and remove the app from company devices. Business VPNs handle offboarding much more cleanly.
Does VPN replace antivirus or firewalls? ▼
No. VPN encrypts your connection but doesn't scan for malware or block all threats. You still need endpoint protection (antivirus) and network security. Some VPNs like NordVPN include Threat Protection features, but these supplement — not replace — dedicated security tools.
The Bottom Line
For most small businesses, the right choice depends on whether you need management features:
Basic protection (1-10 employees): A single Surfshark subscription at $2.19/month covers unlimited devices. No admin panel, but unbeatable value.
Team management (5+ employees): NordVPN Teams at $7/user/month adds centralized control, activity reports, and priority support.
Compliance requirements: Perimeter 81 at $8/user/month provides audit logs, certifications, and zero-trust architecture for regulated industries.