About Us

Our Mission

It’s pretty simple — We help people protect their online privacy and connect them with the right VPN brands & services for their needs.

As governments and companies around the world increasingly track and limit our online behaviour, it’s a no-brainer why many people want to maintain ownership of their online presence.

We are committed to delivering expert reviews that resonate with the experiences of an average user. To achieve this, we conduct continuous testing to ensure our VPN reviews and guides are comprehensive and current, and we offer these in a variety of languages.

Our goal is to champion internet freedom globally, making us your go-to resource for discovering and learning about top VPN services. With our help, you can learn to navigate the internet safely and according to your preferences.

Our Values

Everything we do is driven by a commitment to honesty, transparency, and dedication. Our approach to VPN reviews reflects these values. We strive to deliver content that is straightforward, clear, and relatable, ensuring it aligns closely with the real-world experiences of everyday users.

Our commitment is to prioritize our readers, providing you with objective information. We do not accept payments for favorable reviews or overlook any shortcomings.

Our operations are funded through affiliate commissions, which help cover our expenses. When you purchase a VPN through our links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Our review process remains unaffected by these commissions, and we maintain transparency in our results. We only recommend VPNs that we trust! You can find our review methodology below.

While we try to evaluate every VPN on the market, our team continually assesses top VPNs for speed, security, and reliability to compile a list of the best all-round VPNs. This selection considers reader satisfaction and our commercial ties. Our writers use these insights to craft listicles, retaining the autonomy to adjust content as needed based on specific research and user needs.

Whether supporting you in choosing the right VPN for your needs, guiding you on how to use your VPN as effectively as possible, or simply helping you stay up-to-date with the latest VPN news - there’s something for everyone.

Our ultimate aim is to empower you to achieve the privacy, security, and freedom you desire online.

Review Methodology

1. Privacy and Logging Policy

Many VPNs claim to protect your data, behavior, and online identity. We scrutinize these claims by thoroughly reviewing their privacy policies. While it's common for VPNs to collect minimal data like connection timestamps and data usage, the collection of IP addresses or browsing history raises significant privacy concerns. We deduct points for VPNs that gather identifiable information or have unclear, complex privacy policies. Additionally, the history, ownership, and jurisdiction of the VPN are critical factors; those with controversial pasts or bases within the 14 Eyes Alliance see a reduction in their scores. A third-party audit confirming a VPN's adherence to a no-logs policy significantly boosts our review ratings, validating their commitment to user privacy.

2. Speed

Speed is vital for a satisfactory user experience, impacting streaming, downloading, and gaming. We conduct manual speed tests by comparing VPN-connected speeds to baseline non-VPN speeds across various global servers and at different times. We evaluate download speeds, upload speeds, and ping. A VPN should not reduce speed by more than 20% on nearby servers and 40% on distant ones to ensure smooth HD streaming. Our comprehensive testing helps you understand how a VPN might affect your internet speed.

3. Security Features

The primary function of a VPN is to ensure your safety on public WiFi and secure your data. We begin by assessing the encryption standards; at a minimum, VPNs should use AES 128-bit encryption, though we recommend those with AES 256-bit. We also examine the available security protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard for optimal security and speed balance. Our tests include DNS/IP leak protection and kill switch functionality. Features like split tunneling and obfuscation, which help bypass censorship, are also evaluated, enhancing the VPN's rating if effective.

4. Streaming

A VPN's compatibility with streaming services is crucial. Our team tests VPNs across major platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max to ensure they unlock content and maintain high streaming quality without interruptions. We regularly verify VPN performance on various servers and protocols to assess their reliability in streaming settings.

5. Ease of Use

The usability of a VPN app is paramount. We test ease of installation and operation across multiple devices and operating systems. Our continual updates and installations of VPN apps ensure we stay informed about the latest changes. A user-friendly interface that simplifies server selection and settings adjustment without manual configurations indicates a well-designed app.

6. Customer Support

Effective customer support is essential for a satisfactory VPN experience. We evaluate the responsiveness and quality of VPN support through their email systems and live chat features, prioritizing VPNs that offer 24/7 support and connect users with knowledgeable staff. Comprehensive FAQs, tutorial videos, and setup guides are also crucial, as they empower users to solve issues independently.

7. Torrenting

Our torrenting tests focus on VPNs that support P2P sharing. We assess torrenting speeds and privacy/security features critical to safe and efficient downloading. Features like strong encryption, IP leak protection, and extras like port forwarding and split tunneling are key factors that enhance a VPN's torrenting performance, contributing to a higher score.