VPN Comparison GuideCompare VPN services by what you actually need them for
Honest, specific comparisons across streaming, torrenting, privacy, business, router-level and free vs paid VPN use cases — including the real trade-offs, not just the marketing claims.
✓ Claimed vs independently audited no-logs, explained
✓ Every category compared honestly
Providers we compare
Cards marked “Approved” are live, active affiliate partnerships with a real tracked link; the rest are shown for comparison only and are not affiliate links.
✓ Approved Streaming · Torrenting · No-Logs
RAM-only server network with a no-logs policy independently assured by Deloitte for the sixth time, per its own site.
✓ Approved Streaming · Privacy
A cross-platform VPN provider with a no-logs policy, per its own site.
✓ Approved Budget-friendly
A budget-focused provider with a self-owned server network and unlimited simultaneous device connections on its plans, per its own site.
✓ Approved Streaming · Torrenting
The only major provider offering unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, per its own site.
Streaming · Router-Level
Runs its own RAM-only TrustedServer network and Lightway protocol, with a dedicated router app, per its own site.
No-Logs · Free tier
Its free tier is described on Proton’s own site as the only free VPN with no data limit, no ads and no logging of activity.
Router-Level · Streaming
Supports manual OpenVPN-based router setup so every device on a network counts as a single connection, per its own setup guides.
✓ Approved
Self-owned server network across 78+ countries with an independently audited no-logs policy, per its own site.
✓ Approved
Unlimited simultaneous device connections on the premium plan, plus a genuinely free 10GB/month tier — not just a trial, per its own site.
✓ Approved
Built by the team behind the AdGuard ad/tracker blocker; layers DNS-level filtering on top of standard VPN encryption, across 60+ countries.
✓ Approved
personalVPN Pro includes 8 simultaneous connections and a system-level “Network Lock” kill switch, across 300+ servers in 45 countries, per its own site.
✓ Approved
Free tier includes 10GB/month across 13 locations, no card required; premium plans add a per-app kill switch across 1,600+ servers in 66+ countries, per its own site.
VPN usage over the last two decades
Real, separately-sourced data points, not a smoothed trend line. Each one measures something different — search interest, a self-reported survey, or a short-term demand spike — so treat these as snapshots, not one continuous curve.
Why do people actually get a VPN?
Based on 2026 VPN-usage survey data (Security.org’s Consumer VPN Report, cross-checked against other 2026 industry stats roundups) — the three most commonly cited reasons, each linking to the relevant comparison on this site.
Using public Wi-Fi at cafes, airports or hotels?
Around 80% of VPN users cite general security as a reason for using one — and protecting themselves on public Wi-Fi is the single most commonly named specific reason of all (51%). A VPN encrypts your traffic regardless of how secure the network you’re on actually is, and cuts down on the ad-tracking and browsing profiling a lot of people are also trying to avoid.
Want to watch a show that’s not available in your country?
Unblocking geo-restricted streaming catalogues is one of the biggest reasons people get a VPN in the first place — cited by roughly a fifth to two-fifths of users depending on the survey. No provider can guarantee it’ll always work (streaming platforms actively fight VPN detection), but the right provider makes a real difference.
Need to securely reach work files or systems on the road?
Around 1 in 5 VPN users say secure remote access to work resources is a specific reason they use one. Business and team plans add centralised billing, admin control and often dedicated static IPs — a different setup to a personal consumer plan.
Streaming & entertainment: does your VPN actually work?
The first in an ongoing series on why people actually use a VPN. Tap a service below for the honest, current verdict — not marketing copy.
Why this matters — by the numbers
Recent known data breaches
A snapshot of recently disclosed breaches, most recent first — a reminder of why encrypting your own traffic and using strong, unique passwords matters regardless of which VPN (if any) you choose. Source: Have I Been Pwned, as of 11 August 2026. Refreshed periodically, not a live feed.
Named in a ShinyHunters “pay or leak” extortion campaign; email addresses and other data published.
The Russian VPN service SplitVPN (formerly NotVPN) was itself breached — a reminder that a provider’s own security matters as much as its stated no-logs policy.
Targeted in a ShinyHunters extortion campaign; data allegedly taken from its cancer-diagnostics business.
Targeted in a ShinyHunters “pay or leak” extortion campaign; email addresses and other personal data published.
Test-and-measurement equipment maker targeted in a ShinyHunters extortion campaign; 100GB+ of data allegedly published.
Law-enforcement takedown of the SocGholish malware distribution network, coordinated internationally.
Targeted in a ShinyHunters “pay or leak” extortion campaign; data published publicly.
Targeted in a ShinyHunters “pay or leak” extortion campaign; email addresses and other data published.
Compare every VPN we track
Sortable, filterable — click any column heading, or filter by what you’re using a VPN for.
| Provider | From | Devices | Platforms | No-logs audit | Kill switch | Servers / countries | What stands out | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free 10GB tier; paid Build-A-Plan from ~$1/location/mo | Unlimited | | Partial — no dedicated no-logs audit; 2024 PacketLabs infra audit found no logging evidence | Yes | 60+ countries, 100+ locations | A permanent free tier (not a trial) plus a pay-only-for-what-you-use ‘Build-A-Plan’ pricing model. | Visit site → | |
| Free tier available; 24-mo plan from $1.11/mo (90% off promo) | 10 (premium); 1 (free tier) | | No independent audit found — stated policy only | Yes (per-app on premium) | 1,600+ servers, 66+ countries | A genuinely free 10GB/month tier (13 locations, no card required) alongside a much larger paid network. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$1.87/mo (long-term plan); free 10GB tier available | Unlimited | | No independent audit found — stated policy only | Yes (Windows, macOS, Android) | 100+ locations, 55+ countries | Unlimited simultaneous device connections plus a genuinely free 10GB/month tier, not just a trial. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$2.03–2.19/mo (long-term plan) | Unlimited | | Yes — Deloitte (3 audits, latest early 2026) | Yes | 91 countries, 140+ locations | 100% open-source apps published on GitHub, with a no-logs policy PIA says has held up under real law-enforcement data requests. | Visit site → | |
| From ~$2.11/mo promo (2-yr, renews ~$5.75/mo) | 10 | | Yes — KPMG, 4 audits (2019–2024) + always-on framework | Yes | 80+ countries, 6,000+ servers | KPMG ‘always-on’ continuous audit framework — surprise checks year-round, not just a one-off report. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$2.19/mo (2-yr plan) | 7 | | Yes — Deloitte Audit Romania (2nd audit, May 2024) | Yes | 100 countries, 11,500+ servers | Runs its own first-party ‘NoSpy’ servers in Romania; supports manual router setup rather than a dedicated router app. | Visit site → | |
| From ~$2.40/mo (2-yr plan) | 10 | | No independent audit found | Yes | 60+ countries, 70+ locations | Built by the team behind the AdGuard ad/tracker blocker; layers DNS-level filtering on top of standard VPN encryption. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$2.49/mo (2-yr plan) | Unlimited | | Yes — Deloitte (2022, 2023, 2025) | Yes | 100 countries, 4,500+ servers | The only major provider offering unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$2.49/mo (24-mo Pro plan) | 8 | | No independent audit found — stated policy only | Yes (Network Lock) | 300+ servers, 45 countries | System-level ‘Network Lock’ kill switch from an established provider running since 2003. | Get deal → | |
| Free tier available; paid from ~$2.59/mo (long-term plan) | 10 | | Independently audited no-logs policy, per its own site | Yes | 2,600+ servers, 91 countries | A genuinely free tier alongside an independently audited no-logs policy and 10 simultaneous connections — note this is a different company from the similarly-named HideMy.Name VPN also on this site. | Get deal → | |
| Free tier available; paid from ~$2.99/mo | 1 (free tier); more on paid plans | | Yes — Securitum (annual since 2022) + 2025 SOC 2 | Yes (customizable) | 127+ locations, 20,500+ servers (free: 10 countries) | Its free tier is a genuinely free VPN with no data cap, no ads and no activity logging — not just a trial. | Visit site → | |
| From ~$3.09/mo (2-yr plan) | 10 | | Yes — Deloitte (6 audits, latest Feb 2026) | Yes | 135+ countries, 9,000+ servers | Double VPN multi-hop encryption plus built-in Threat Protection malware/tracker blocking, on top of a Deloitte-audited no-logs policy. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$3.49/mo (2-yr plan) | Not clearly published (“one subscription covers all your devices” per its own site) | | No independent audit found — stated policy only | Reported in third-party reviews (not stated on its own features page) | 70+ regions per its own site | One of only three providers on this site with a live tracked partner link right now, alongside NordVPN and FastestVPN. | Get deal → | |
| From ~$4.49/mo (2-yr Advanced plan) | 10–14 (by plan tier) | | Yes — KPMG (2022, 2024, June 2025) + Cure53 | Yes (Network Lock) | 113 countries, 214+ locations | RAM-only TrustedServer network and Lightway protocol, with a dedicated router app and pre-configured Aircove routers. | Visit site → | |
| From ~$4.58/mo (annual plan) | 5 | | No independent audit found — stated policy, not third-party verified | Yes | 40+ countries, ~70 cities | Smaller-scale no-logs provider with apps across major desktop/mobile platforms; not yet independently audited. (Note: a different company from the similarly-named hide.me.) | Get deal → | |
| Flat ~$5.76/mo (€5), every plan length | 5 | | Yes — 10+ audits (Cure53, Assured AB) | Yes (all platforms except iOS) | ~50 countries, ~580+ servers | Generates an anonymous account number instead of requiring an email or name; accepts cash-by-mail or crypto. | Visit site → | |
| From ~$10/mo standard; lifetime deals also offered | Unlimited, per its own site | | No independent audit found — stated policy only | Yes | 47–49 countries, 800+ servers | Cayman Islands-based (outside the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances), with unlimited device connections and a live lifetime-deal tracked link on this site. | Get deal → |
Use-case categories
Streaming-Optimised VPNs
Most requested category
Built for unblocking geo-restricted streaming catalogues
No-Logs / Privacy-Focused VPNs
Read the audit, not just the claim
The real difference: claimed no-logs vs independently audited no-logs
Business, network-wide and budget options
Business & Team VPNs
Centralised billing and admin, priced per seat rather than per device
Router-Level VPNs
Protects every device on a network at once, including ones that can’t run a VPN app
Free vs Paid VPNs
Read this before choosing free
Free VPNs commonly trade data limits and speed for zero cost — and sometimes more than that
or whole-network coverage all reward different features.