Raven Wu
Updated on: December 20, 2023
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for Synology in 2024:
- 🥇ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Synology in 2024. It has strong privacy and security features that can prevent your data from being intercepted, and it’s blazing fast, so you can transfer files securely without compromising on speeds. Finally, it’s very easy to set up and use.
Connecting your Synology NAS to a VPN is the best way to protect your data, especially if you’re sharing files or accessing Synology NAS remotely.
But, there aren’t many VPNs that work well with Synology. Some VPNs don’t have the necessary VPN protocols (OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec) required to set up a connection, and a lot of them have slow speeds, which will impact your transfers, and weak privacy and security features that can put your data at risk.
After extensive research and testing, I’ve found the best VPNs for Synology. They all use protocols that are compatible with Synology NAS, have fast speeds and strong security that are great for file sharing, and are easy to set up and use.
My favorite VPN on the list is ExpressVPN. It supports setups via the more secure OpenVPN protocol, has lightning-fast speeds, and comes with top-notch privacy and security features.
Quick summary of the best VPNs for Synology:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for Synology in 2024 (with the best protocol for Synology + fast speeds).
- 2. 🥈CyberGhost VPN — Great VPN for users on a budget (with affordable plans + strong privacy features).
- 3. 🥉NordVPN — Top-notch security features for secure connections to Synology + fast speeds.
- 4. Surfshark — Beginner-friendly VPN (with user-friendly apps and a large server network).
- 5. PrivateVPN — Decent VPN with support for all protocols that work with Synology NAS.
- Comparison of the Best VPNs for Synology.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Synology in 2024
Approved by our experts
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for Synology in 2024. It has the OpenVPN protocol, which is the best protocol that works with Synology. It also lets you choose between OpenVPN UDP and TCP — the former has faster speeds, but the latter is better if you encounter frequent connection issues or broken downloads.
And ExpressVPN is very easy to set up on Synology. Setting a VPN up on Synology needs to be done manually, which can get a little technical — but ExpressVPN’s guide for it walks you through the whole process step by step and makes it very straightforward. I especially like how the guide has a ton of screenshots, which are very helpful. Overall, it took me about 10 minutes to get it all set up.
From a security standpoint, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs out there. On top of industry-standard security features, it has advanced security features like:
- Full leak protection. Protects your online privacy by preventing IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.
- RAM-only servers. Any data on ExpressVPN’s servers is stored on volatile memory rather than on a hard drive. This means it’s wiped clean every time the servers are rebooted or power is lost (so it’s not sitting around for someone to exploit).
- Perfect forward secrecy. This keeps your data safe by frequently refreshing the encryption keys used to guard your data. If a malicious actor managed to compromise one of these keys, they’d only have access to a tiny amount of your data — your past and future sessions would remain secure.
- Ad Blocker. Filters out most ads and stops them from loading and appearing on your browser.
When it comes to privacy, ExpressVPN is also excellent. It has a strict no-logs policy that’s been verified by multiple independent audits. Additionally, it’s headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which is a privacy-friendly territory and isn’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other).
Also, this is the fastest VPN on the market. In my tests, my upload and download speeds were just as fast with ExpressVPN as when I’m not connected to it, so you won’t notice much of a difference when transferring files to and from Synology NAS. Plus, the VPN has servers in 105 countries, so you can easily connect to a nearby server for the fastest speeds.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $6.67 / month, and they’re all backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out risk-free.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is the #1 VPN for Synology in 2024. It has the OpenVPN protocol (both UDP and TCP), which is the most secure option, and maintains top-tier speeds for fast file transfers. Additionally, it has excellent privacy and security features and is really easy to set up on Synology. All of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. CyberGhost VPN — Affordable VPN for Synology With Strong Security Features
CyberGhost VPN is a very secure option for Synology if you’re on a budget. Its plans are very affordable, and they all come with advanced security features, including DNS and IPV6 leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and RAM-only servers.
CyberGhost VPN offers the OpenVPN protocol. Like ExpressVPN, it also supports both OpenVPN UDP and TCP and has an easy-to-follow guide on its website for setting the VPN up on Synology.
It’s also great for privacy. I like that it publishes transparency reports every 3 months, which detail all the requests for user information they’ve received and how CyberGhost was unable to comply with the requests as it doesn’t log user data. Also, its no-logs policy has been independently audited, and it’s headquartered in Romania, which doesn’t have mandatory data retention laws and is outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.
The VPN also lets you add extra security features in its router configuration. For example, you can enable its ad and malicious blocking feature — while it doesn’t get rid of all ads, it’s really good at protecting you from shady websites.
CyberGhost has servers in 100 countries and fast speeds — I was able to download large files pretty quickly, and all HD videos I watched loaded in around 2 seconds. That said, ExpressVPN still provides faster speeds.
CyberGhost VPN’s plans are very affordable, starting at just $2.03 / month, and it backs all of its plans with a money-back guarantee. Its shortest plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, and its long-term plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is longer than most other VPNs offer.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN is an excellent, low-cost VPN for Synology — its best value plan starts at only $2.03 / month. I like that it supports both the OpenVPN protocol (UDP and TCP), which is really good for security. In addition, the VPN provides great speeds and strong security. All of its long-term plans come with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
🥉3. NordVPN — Fast & Secure VPN for Synology
NordVPN has really good speeds for uploading and sharing files on your Synology NAS. In my tests, I got very good speeds for file transfers while connected to both a local server and a more distant server. And when I tested the VPN connection on my other devices, most sites loaded instantly and HD videos loaded in 2 seconds, and there was no buffering when I skipped through them.
In terms of security, NordVPN is very strong. Like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN, it provides full leak protection and uses perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers. Also, it has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited several times. What’s more, it uses server colocation, meaning it ships its own hardware to the data centers it works with, so only the provider’s team has access to the servers.
And it’s really great that NordVPN supports the OpenVPN protocol (both UDP and TCP). It also offers detailed guides on its website on how to set up the VPN on Synology, which are very user-friendly.
NordVPN is a solid choice for torrenting as well. It allows P2P traffic on 4,500+ servers in 45+ countries, works with top P2P apps like Vuze and Deluge, and even has SOCKS5 proxy support, which changes your IP address but doesn’t encrypt your traffic to provide the fastest download speeds.
NordVPN’s plans start at $3.39 / month, and it backs all subscriptions with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It accepts payment via credit card, Amazon Pay, Union Pay, ACH Transfer, and cryptocurrencies.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN is a fast and secure VPN for Synology. It has great speeds on local and distant servers for file sharing and other online activities. It’s also easy to set up the VPN on Synology, it comes with good security features, and it’s great for torrenting. It also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Surfshark — User-Friendly VPN for Synology With a Large Server Network
Surfshark is a solid VPN that’s very easy to configure on Synology NAS. It supports the OpenVPN protocol (UDP and TCP), and I really like the detailed guide on its website for manually setting up the VPN on the device — even people new to VPNs won’t have a hard time following it. When I used it, it only took me about 12 minutes to set up the VPN on my Synology device.
It also has one of the largest server networks on this list, numbering 100 countries. In my speed tests, I had good file upload and download speeds when connected to a local server using Surfshark. And though my speeds slowed down a bit when connected to a more distant server, they were still decent for sharing files. However, the VPN was overall slower than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN.
Security-wise, Surfshark is a pretty strong VPN. It uses perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers, and it has DNS leak protection. It’s a shame it’s missing IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection — that said, I never experienced any leaks in my tests.
It also has decent privacy features. Its no-logs policy has undergone an independent audit, and it’s headquartered in the Netherlands, which does have mandatory data retention laws but not for VPNs, so Surfshark isn’t legally obligated to keep or share user data — plus, the Netherlands isn’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.
Surfshark’s prices start as low as $1.99 / month, and all of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is really easy to set up on Synology and has a huge server network. It provides access to very straightforward setup guides, and it also has good security features, decent speeds, and good privacy. Surfshark’s plans are all backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
5. PrivateVPN — Decent VPN That Works With All Synology Protocols
PrivateVPN offers OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, and PPTP setups for Synology. That said, the VPN recommends using OpenVPN with Synology — I agree with that recommendation since OpenVPN provides the best security out of the three. And the VPN has a guide for setting up the VPN on your Synology device, though it’s a bit hard to find since PrivateVPN’s support section doesn’t have a search function.
This provider’s security is only OK. It uses perfect forward secrecy, but I was disappointed to discover that it doesn’t use RAM-only servers (like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN). PrivateVPN also has IPv6 and DNS leak protection but is missing WebRTC leak protection.
PrivateVPN has a no-logs policy, too, but it’s never been independently audited. It’s headquartered in Sweden, which is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, but the good news is Sweden doesn’t have mandatory data retention laws for VPNs.
Its speeds are also good. I experienced only a small drop in file transfer speeds when connected to a local server. On a distant server, the slowdown was more noticeable, but it was overall still pretty minor.
PrivateVPN has low-cost plans that start at $2.00 / month, and all purchases are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
PrivateVPN supports all protocols that work with Synology NAS devices — including the OpenVPN protocol, which is the most secure one. It also provides decent speeds and pretty good privacy and security features. All of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full PrivateVPN review
Comparison of the Best VPNs for Synology in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN for Synology in 2024
- Pick a VPN that has support for Synology. Synology routers don’t support VPN apps, so you need a VPN that you can manually configure on your router. All of the VPNs on my list support manual setups on Synology routers and provide helpful step-by-step guides that show you everything you need to do.
- Find a VPN that supports the OpenVPN protocol. Synology routers work with the OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols, but OpenVPN provides the best combination of speeds and security — also, I don’t recommend using PPTP because its encryption is extremely weak. The VPNs I recommend all support OpenVPN.
- Choose a provider with high-end privacy and security features. Synology can’t protect your data when it’s being transferred, so you want a VPN with industry-standard security features to patch this vulnerability. Choose a provider that has 256-bit AES encryption (very strong encryption used by banks and militaries) and a strict no-logs policy, which means the VPN doesn’t log your IP address and online activities.
- Look for a VPN with fast speeds. All VPNs will reduce your connection speeds due to the encryption process, so I only chose VPNs that are able to maintain good speeds for fast file transfers. ExpressVPN was the fastest VPN in my tests.
- Go for a provider that offers good value. The VPNs on my list all have reasonably priced plans and come with a money-back guarantee, so you can try them out risk-free.
Guide to Installing a VPN on Synology (Step-By-Step)
To set up a VPN on Synology, you must use the OpenVPN, PPTP, or L2TP/IPsec protocol. The steps are pretty much the same for all protocols and VPN providers, so I’ve provided general instructions for what you need to do. You should refer to the installation instructions on your provider’s website for more specific instructions. All of the VPNs on my list have clear and easy-to-follow instructions (complete with screenshots) on their websites.
I mentioned PPTP in my guide, but I strongly advise against using it. I only covered it because Synology supports it. That said, it’s better to use OpenVPN or L2TP/IPSec instead, as PPTP has very weak encryption that’s really simple to compromise.
- Download the configuration files for OpenVPN, PPTP, or L2TP/IPSec. You can find these files on your VPN provider’s website. Download the files for the country you wish to connect to. Make note of the username and password you’re given in this process. You’ll need them later on.
- Disable IPv6 on your Synology device. You should do this to avoid accidental data leaks, as Synology doesn’t support IPv6 connections over a VPN connection.
- Create a VPN profile on Synology. Go to Synology’s control panel, Network, then Network Interface. Next, click Create and Create VPN profile.
- If you’re using the OpenVPN protocol, import the VPN configuration file you downloaded earlier and enter the username and password you obtained from your provider in step 1, as well as the CA certificate file.
- If you’re using the L2TP/IPSec protocol, you’ll need your username, password, address, and pre-shared key of the VPN server. You’ll then need to change the Authentication setting and make sure they match that of the VPN server you’re connecting to.
- And if you’re using the PPTP protocol, you’ll need the username, password, and address of the VPN server. Also, you’ll need to change both the Authentication and the Encryption settings, so that they’re the same with the VPN server settings.
- Apply your newly-created VPN profile. To do this, check the boxes next to Use default gateway on remote network and Reconnect when the VPN connection is lost. Now, hit Apply.
- Connect to a VPN server. Find the VPN profile you just created and click Connect. That’s it! All of the incoming and outgoing traffic on your Synology NAS is now protected by a VPN.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Private Internet Access. Private Internet Access is one of the best VPNs on the market. It’s fast, secure, and easy to use. It’s great for streaming and torrenting and has excellent mobile apps. It’s also one of the most customizable VPNs and has very affordable plans. However, it doesn’t have support for Synology.
- TunnelBear. TunnelBear is a cute and highly intuitive VPN that’s great for beginners. It also has a pretty decent free plan. But it doesn’t support Synology or any other router brands.
- IPVanish. IPVanish works on Synology and has pretty good security. However, its site doesn’t provide a Synology setup guide, which is inconvenient. Also, the provider is much slower than all of the VPNs on my list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What VPN should I use with Synology?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN to use with Synology. Not only is it the fastest VPN on the market, meaning it will impact your file transfer speeds the least, but it also has very strong privacy and security features to ensure that your data is protected. Also, it’s quick and easy to set up, thanks to the clear and easy-to-follow guides on its website.
Do I need to use a VPN with Synology?
I recommend using a VPN with Synology for maximum security. Your files are protected while they’re on Synology. The risk lies in transferring files to and from the device. In the transition, your data is exposed to threat actors and other third parties. Installing a VPN on Synology solves this issue because it encrypts all of the traffic coming in and going out of your device.
ExpressVPN works with Synology and is one of the most secure VPNs you can get. It comes with all the industry-standard security features, including 256-bit AES encryption and a strict no-logs policy. It also has advanced security features, like full leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and RAM-only servers.
How do I set up a VPN on my Synology NAS?
You must perform a manual setup using the OpenVPN, PPTP, or L2TP/IPsec protocol. I recommend setting it up using the OpenVPN protocol because it’s faster and more secure. The specific instructions for setting up a VPN on a Synology NAS may differ slightly from one provider to another, but here are the basic steps:
- Step 1: Download the configuration files for your preferred VPN protocol. You can find these configuration files on your VPN provider’s website.
- Step 2: Create and apply a VPN profile on Synology. You can do this by going to the Synology control panel under Network.
- Step 3: Connect to a VPN server. Choose the VPN profile you just created and click Connect. You’re all set! All of the incoming and outgoing traffic on your Synology NAS is now protected by a VPN.
Is there a good free VPN for Synology?
In general, I don’t recommend using a free VPN with Synology. Free VPNs often come with a lot of limitations, including slow speeds, poor server coverage, daily or monthly data caps, and more. Additionally, free VPNs sometimes lack critical privacy and security features, which may expose your data to third parties.
Instead, I recommend getting an affordable paid VPN like ExpressVPN, which is fast, secure, and easy to set up on Synology NAS — plus, it comes with unlimited data, so you don’t need to constantly keep track of your data usage.
