1. Independently audited no-logs policy
Any provider can claim “no logs” in its marketing. The meaningful version is a policy that’s been independently verified by a named third-party auditor (for example, a Big Four accounting firm) on a recurring basis — not a one-off audit from years ago. Check the audit date and scope, not just the headline claim.
2. Jurisdiction
The country a provider is legally based in determines what data-sharing laws and intelligence agreements it could be compelled to comply with — including the “Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes” alliances. It’s one factor to weigh, not a strict requirement, since a strong no-logs policy matters more than jurisdiction alone if there’s genuinely nothing to hand over. See our jurisdiction explainer.
3. Kill switch
A kill switch blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly, preventing your real IP address and unencrypted traffic from leaking out during a brief disconnect. Confirm the provider offers this on the specific platform (desktop, mobile) you’ll actually use.
4. Simultaneous device limit
Plans vary from a handful of connected devices to fully unlimited. If you’re covering a household or a small team, check this number explicitly rather than assuming — it varies a lot between providers.
5. Protocol support
Modern protocols like WireGuard (and provider-specific variants built on it) generally offer a good balance of speed and security; OpenVPN remains a solid, well-tested fallback. Avoid providers still relying solely on older, weaker protocols like PPTP.
6. Server network & RAM-only infrastructure
RAM-only (diskless) servers wipe data on every reboot rather than writing to persistent storage, which is a genuine technical safeguard against certain kinds of data seizure. A larger, more geographically spread server network generally means more consistent speeds and more streaming-catalogue options.
7. Free tier vs paid, honestly assessed
A genuinely free, ongoing tier (not just a trial) can be fine for light, occasional use, but usually comes with data caps, fewer server locations or slower speeds. Some free VPN apps have been found in independent research to log or monetise user data in ways a paid provider with a clear business model typically doesn’t need to. See Free vs Paid VPNs for the trade-offs.
8. Fit for your specific use case
Streaming, torrenting, business/team admin and router-level coverage each favour different features. Check the category that matches what you actually need: Streaming, Torrenting / P2P, Business & Team, Router-Level.
See real providers scored against these criteria