A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address. In a world of increasing AI-powered surveillance and data collection, this matters more than ever.
But the VPN market is full of questionable claims and shady operators. Here’s what actually matters and which services are worth your trust.
Quick Comparison
| VPN | Best For | Price/Month | Jurisdiction | No-Logs Audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvad | Maximum privacy | $5.50 | Sweden | Yes |
| Proton VPN | Privacy + features | $5-10 | Switzerland | Yes |
| NordVPN | Overall performance | $3-12 | Panama | Yes |
| ExpressVPN | Speed + reliability | $6-13 | BVI | Yes |
What Actually Matters in a VPN
Critical Factors
Jurisdiction: Where the company is incorporated determines what laws apply to your data. Five Eyes countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) have broad surveillance powers and data-sharing agreements.
No-logs policy (audited): Anyone can claim “no logs.” What matters is whether an independent auditor has verified it, and whether the claim has held up in legal proceedings.
Ownership transparency: Who actually owns the company? Many “privacy” VPNs are owned by data-harvesting conglomerates.
Open-source clients: Can security researchers examine the code? Closed-source apps require blind trust.
Secondary Factors
Speed: All VPNs add latency. Good ones minimize it.
Server locations: More locations = more flexibility for accessing geo-restricted content.
Simultaneous connections: How many devices can use one subscription.
Protocol support: WireGuard is fastest, OpenVPN is most compatible.
Marketing Noise to Ignore
- “Military-grade encryption” (meaningless term)
- “Fastest VPN in the world” (impossible to verify)
- “100% anonymous” (no VPN can guarantee this)
- Server count (quality matters more than quantity)
The Services Reviewed
1. Mullvad — Maximum Privacy
Mullvad is the privacy purist’s choice. They’ve designed every aspect of their service to minimize data collection.
Privacy Features:
- Account numbers instead of email addresses
- Accept cash payments by mail
- No personal information required to sign up
- Audited no-logs policy
- Open-source apps
- Own server infrastructure
What Sets It Apart: Mullvad doesn’t even want your email. Create an account and you get a random number. Pay with crypto or literal cash mailed to their office if you want.
Their commitment to privacy is philosophical, not just business positioning. They’ve been in operation since 2009 with no known privacy failures.
Limitations:
- Fewer features than competitors
- No streaming-specific optimizations
- Smaller server network
- No affiliate program (we recommend them purely on merit)
Pricing:
- €5/month ($5.50), flat rate, no discount for longer terms
Best for: Users who prioritize privacy above all else and don’t need bells and whistles.
2. Proton VPN — Privacy with Features
From the makers of ProtonMail, Proton VPN combines strong privacy credentials with a more feature-rich experience.
Privacy Features:
- Headquartered in Switzerland (strong privacy laws)
- No-logs policy (audited)
- Open-source apps
- Secure Core servers (multi-hop through privacy-friendly countries)
- Tor over VPN support
What Sets It Apart: Proton’s Swiss jurisdiction and association with ProtonMail give them credibility in the privacy space. Their Secure Core routes traffic through Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before exiting anywhere else.
The free tier is genuinely useful (limited servers, but no data limits), which demonstrates they’re not harvesting data for revenue.
Limitations:
- Higher price for full features
- Speed slightly lower than some competitors
- Secure Core adds latency
Pricing:
- Free tier available (limited servers)
- Plus: Starting at $5/month (billed annually)
- Unlimited: $10/month with full Proton suite
Best for: Users who want privacy focus with more features than Mullvad, especially existing Proton ecosystem users.
3. NordVPN — Best Overall for Most Users
NordVPN balances privacy features with performance and usability, making it a good choice for most people.
Privacy Features:
- Audited no-logs policy
- Panama jurisdiction (no data retention laws)
- RAM-only servers (no persistent storage)
- Double VPN option
- Threat Protection (blocks ads, malware)
Performance Features:
- Large server network (5,800+ servers)
- NordLynx protocol (WireGuard-based)
- Good streaming unblocking
- Consistent speeds
What Sets It Apart: NordVPN has invested heavily in performance and usability while maintaining credible privacy features. Their no-logs claim has been audited multiple times and held up when servers were seized.
Limitations:
- Past security incident (2019, mitigated)
- Aggressive marketing can seem suspicious
- Owned by Nord Security (venture-backed)
Pricing:
- Starting at $3/month (2-year plan)
- $12/month (monthly plan)
Best for: Users who want a balance of privacy, performance, and ease of use.
4. ExpressVPN — Premium Speed and Reliability
ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive options but delivers consistent performance and reliability.
Privacy Features:
- Audited no-logs policy
- British Virgin Islands jurisdiction
- TrustedServer (RAM-only)
- Lightway protocol (proprietary, fast)
Performance Features:
- Excellent speeds globally
- Wide server coverage (94 countries)
- Reliable streaming access
- Very polished apps
What Sets It Apart: ExpressVPN has the most consistently fast speeds in testing. Their Lightway protocol rivals WireGuard for speed while being audited for security.
Limitations:
- Higher pricing
- Acquired by Kape Technologies (owns multiple VPNs, some controversy)
- Lightway is proprietary (though audited)
- Only 8 simultaneous connections (increased from 5)
Pricing:
- Starting at $6.67/month (annual plan)
- $13/month (monthly plan)
Best for: Users who prioritize speed and reliability and are willing to pay premium prices.
The Trust Question
VPNs require trust. You’re routing all your traffic through their servers. Can you trust them?
Green flags:
- Independent audits of no-logs claims
- Transparent ownership
- Open-source apps
- Long track record without incidents
- Legal proceedings that confirmed no-logs
Red flags:
- Free VPNs with no clear business model
- Ownership by data harvesting companies
- Closed-source everything
- Claims too good to be true
- No audit history
What VPNs Don’t Do
Important limitations:
VPNs don’t make you anonymous. They hide your IP from sites you visit, but:
- Your VPN provider sees your IP
- Browser fingerprinting can identify you
- Logging into accounts identifies you
- Payment methods may link to you
VPNs don’t protect against phishing. They encrypt your traffic but don’t verify where you’re going.
VPNs don’t protect against malware. Some include basic blocking, but it’s not a replacement for security software.
VPNs may not protect against your ISP. Your ISP knows you’re using a VPN, just not what you’re doing through it.
For AI Scam Protection Specifically
VPNs have limited direct impact on AI scams, but they help with:
Data collection reduction: Less tracking means less data available for scammers to personalize attacks.
Public WiFi security: Protects against man-in-the-middle attacks when using public networks.
ISP data selling: Your ISP can sell your browsing data. VPNs prevent this.
For AI scam protection specifically, behavior changes (verification protocols, skepticism) matter more than VPN usage.
My Recommendations
For maximum privacy: Mullvad
- No compromises on privacy
- No account information collected
- Proven track record
For privacy + features: Proton VPN
- Strong privacy credentials
- Full-featured experience
- Swiss jurisdiction
For most users: NordVPN
- Good balance of everything
- Easy to use
- Reasonable pricing
For speed priority: ExpressVPN
- Fastest consistent speeds
- Premium experience
- Higher price point
What About Free VPNs?
Avoid most free VPNs. If you’re not paying, you’re the product.
Exceptions:
- Proton VPN free tier (limited but genuine)
- Mullvad’s 30-day refund (technically a trial)
Free VPNs often:
- Log and sell your data
- Inject ads into your browsing
- Have poor security practices
- May even be outright malware
Final Thoughts
A VPN is one layer of privacy protection, not a complete solution. It’s worth having if you:
- Want to reduce tracking and data collection
- Use public WiFi frequently
- Want to prevent ISP monitoring
- Access geo-restricted content
Choose a provider you can trust based on jurisdiction, audits, and track record—not marketing claims.
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Note: Mullvad does not have an affiliate program—we recommend them purely on merit.