Independent · Every fact sourced
Ten VPNs, compared on what you can actually check.
A VPN asks you to trust it with everything you do online, so we compare the evidence behind that trust: who owns each provider and where, which no-logs claims were audited or tested by police and courts, what went wrong and how it was handled, and what the plan really costs once the promo ends. No speed scores we can't back up, no star ratings. Not sure you need one? Start there.
What we compare, and how
No-logs, tested
Independent audits of the no-logs claim (who, when, what scope, point-in-time or over a period), and real-world tests: server seizures, police searches and court cases where logs were or weren't there.
Track record
Breaches and how fast they were disclosed, ownership changes and who the owner is, and features removed under pressure, such as port forwarding.
Jurisdiction & owner
The legal entity and country you are trusting, and its parent company. Several big brands share an owner, which matters if you're trying to spread your risk.
Protocols & tools
WireGuard or the provider's own protocol, obfuscation for networks that block VPNs, port forwarding, open-source apps, and whether there's a usable free plan.
Real price & refund
The price on the provider's own site on the date we checked, the plan length it needs, what it renews at, and the real conditions of the money-back guarantee.
Ten VPNs, side by side
Ordered by how well each no-logs claim has been tested, by auditors and by police and courts, then by price and straight dealing. It is an order, not a score: Proton VPN and Mullvad top it for different reasons (a free plan and a long audit record; a flat price and an empty police raid), and the mainstream brands below them are close. Read the "Skip it if" line in each review before you pay.
Affiliate disclosure: some links to the platforms on GetVPN.now may earn us a commission if you sign up or pay. It never costs you more, and no platform pays to be listed or to change what we write. How we rate
| Platform | Best for | Price & refund | No-logs audits | Breaches & incidents | Protocols & free plan | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPNPrivacy VPN with free plan, Switzerland | Anyone who wants a reputable free plan, or a paid VPN with a long run of yearly no-logs audits and a full 30-day refund. | $2.99/mo (1 yr); 30 days | Securitum, 2026 | 2021 Proton Mail IP order | WireGuard/Stealth; free plan | |
| MullvadPrivacy VPN, Sweden | People who want to give away as little as possible: an account number instead of an email, cash payments and one flat price. | €5/mo flat; 14 days | Cure53 infra, 2024 | 2023 police search | WireGuard only; no free plan | |
| NordVPNMainstream VPN, Panama | People who want a large mainstream VPN with the longest run of repeated third-party no-logs assurance reports and a tool for networks that block VPNs. | $3.49/mo (2 yr); 30 days | Deloitte, late 2025 | 2018 server breach | NordLynx/OpenVPN; no free plan | |
| ExpressVPNMainstream VPN, British Virgin Islands | People who want a long-established mainstream VPN with its own audited protocol on every platform, including routers. | $2.99/mo (2 yr); 30 days | KPMG, 2025 | 2017 Turkey seizure | Lightway/OpenVPN; no free plan | |
| SurfsharkMainstream VPN, Netherlands | People who want a mainstream provider under Dutch and EU law with recent no-logs and infrastructure audits, and a trial first. | $2.49/mo (2 yr); 30 days | KPMG, Nov 2026 | 2026 test-server breach | WireGuard/OpenVPN; no free plan | |
| Private Internet AccessMainstream VPN, United States | Torrenters and tinkerers who want port forwarding, open-source apps, unlimited devices and a no-logs claim tested in US court. | $2.03/mo (3 yr); 30 days | Deloitte, 2022/2024/2025 | No logs found in 2016/2018 cases | WireGuard/OpenVPN; no free plan | |
| IVPNPrivacy VPN, Gibraltar | Privacy-focused people who want open-source apps, multi-hop, sign-up without an email and the option to pay in cash or Monero. | $6/mo or $60/yr; 30 days | Cure53 no-logs, 2019 | 2026 BTCPay theft | WireGuard/OpenVPN; no free plan | |
| WindscribeFreemium VPN, Canada | People who want a free plan on unlimited devices with more server countries than Proton’s, or a cheap à-la-carte paid plan. | Free; Pro $5.75/mo (1 yr) | Packetlabs pentest, 2024 | 2021 Ukraine server seizure | WireGuard/Stealth; 10 GB free | |
| CyberGhostMainstream VPN, Romania | Budget buyers who want a long plan with a 45-day refund window and Deloitte-reviewed servers. | $2.19/mo (2 yr); 45 days | Deloitte, 2022/2024/2025 | 2023 Windows app flaw | WireGuard/OpenVPN/IKEv2; no free | |
| PureVPNMainstream VPN, British Virgin Islands | Bargain hunters who want the lowest long-plan price and accept a no-logs record that starts with a 2017 failure. | $1.49/mo (5 yr); 31 days | Big Four, 2020; 2023 check | 2017 logs identified a user | WireGuard/OpenVPN/IKEv2; no free |
Facts last checked November 2026. Each platform's review page lists the sources.
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