Security & privacy tools / VPN19 tools
Best VPN services
Hide your traffic and location with a virtual private network. Facts come from each tool's own pages, and every score says where it comes from. How we rank
- Tools
- 19
- Researched
- 9
- Free option
- 3
- Only listed
- 10
Ranked by signals we can measure or quote: website health, the facts each tool's own pages state, and community discussion. Nothing here has been hands-on tested yet, so this is not a quality test. How the signals rank works
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Details and sources
- Free tier
- Not stated.
- Paid plan
- Not stated.
- Signup
- A signup is not required for the free VPN service. The page says: “We provide a top-notch free VPN service that's always free, with no trials, payments, or sign-ups required.”
- Watermark
- Not stated.
- Where files go
- Data is processed on the company's servers, which are located in secure facilities and are completely encrypted. The page says: “The servers we use for storing the personal data are located in secure facilities, are operated by us and are completely encrypted.”
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
Details and sources
- Free tier
- No free tier. The pricing page says there is no free plan.
- Paid plan
- 5 euro per month, flat rate including VAT; same rate for 1 month, 1 year or 1 decade. Equivalents shown: $5.60, GBP 4.18, SEK 55.02, A$7.97, CA$7.83. Accepted cryptocurrencies get a 10% discount. Cash accepted in several currencies.
- Signup
- An account number is generated on the site to pay. Whether an email is required is not stated.
- Watermark
- Not applicable.
- Where files go
- Privacy policy says Mullvad never stores activity logs or metadata. Payment and support data are kept for limited periods (for example transaction IDs deleted after 20 days; support emails and problem reports erased after 70 days; some payment data kept for statutory periods). Personal data is stored and processed only within the EU/EEA.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Mullvad pricing, Mullvad privacy policy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Free Personal plan, non-commercial use only: up to 6 users, unlimited user devices, up to 3 ACL groups, 50 tagged resources included, 1,000 ephemeral minutes per month.
- Paid plan
- Standard $8 per user per month; Premium $18 per user per month; Enterprise custom. Billed monthly by seat count. Annual billing for Standard and Premium not stated.
- Signup
- Policy refers to registration and user accounts but does not explicitly say whether an account is required.
- Watermark
- Not applicable.
- Where files go
- Policy says it collects limited device metadata, connection logs between devices and account details. It says it cannot access the content of user traffic, which is end-to-end encrypted. No specific retention period stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Free tier: Not stated. A free trial is mentioned in the FAQ, limited to 3 devices; its length is not stated.
- Paid plan
- Starter and One are $2.49/mo ($67.23 for first 27 months); One+ is $3.99/mo ($107.73 for first 27 months). 24, 12 and 1 month terms shown; only the 24-month price is stated. 30-day money-back guarantee. Prices may vary with VAT, currency and coupons; renewal prices not stated.
- Signup
- Policy describes account creation with email, but does not say whether an account is required.
- Watermark
- Not applicable.
- Where files go
- Policy says no browsing information or traffic is stored. Temporary connection details (user ID and/or IP, timestamps) are deleted within 15 minutes after a session ends. Account data kept while subscribed plus 2 years after last login.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: Pricing, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Not stated.
- Paid plan
- ExpressVPN offers flexible pricing for up to 500 users and custom plans for larger teams. The page says: “Whether you’re a small team or a larger organization, we’ve got you covered—flexible pricing for up to 500 users, custom plans for larger teams.”
- Signup
- Not stated.
- Watermark
- Not stated.
- Where files go
- Not stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Home. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Not stated.
- Paid plan
- AirVPN offers various payment options including PayPal, Credit Cards, Amazon Pay, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Doge, and Monero. The page says: “See plans & payment options . PayPal Credit Cards Amazon Pay Bitcoin Litecoin Bitcoin Cash Doge Monero.”
- Signup
- An account is required to use the service. The page says: “When you open an account , you are not forced to enter any personal data, not even a real e-mail address.”
- Watermark
- Not stated.
- Where files go
- Technical data necessary for connections are handled by automatic systems only in RAM and only for the time necessary to provide the service. The page says: “Technical data which are strictly necessary for the Internet / networking connections that are specifically related to the Air service are handled by automatic systems only in RAM and only for the time being necessary to provide the service.”
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-04. Sources: Home, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Access Server free plan allows up to 2 simultaneous connections, free forever, no credit card required. New sign-ups start with a 14-day trial of up to 100 connections, then move to the free plan.
- Paid plan
- Growth plan is $7 per connection per month, monthly or yearly billing, up to 2,000 connections. Enterprise and IoT is custom priced via sales.
- Signup
- Plans link to an account sign-up page and the FAQ mentions free plan sign-ups, but the page does not state explicitly that an account is required.
- Watermark
- Not applicable.
- Where files go
- The privacy policy covers website data, not VPN traffic. It says nothing specific about logging VPN traffic. Website logs record IP addresses, user-agent strings and URLs. No retention period is stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-01. Sources: OpenVPN Access Server pricing, OpenVPN privacy policy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Not stated.
- Paid plan
- Hotspot Shield offers a subscription with a 45-day money-back guarantee. The page says: “When you purchase your subscription directly from us, we provide a money-back guarantee and will refund your subscription fees in full if you decide Hotspot Shield isn't for you within the first 45 days of enrollment.”
- Signup
- The service requires an account to secure devices. The page says: “Secure 10 devices with one account, from laptops, phones, and TVs.”
- Watermark
- Not stated.
- Where files go
- Not stated.
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Home. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
- 9UnclearSignup unclearFile handling unclearHealth 3.7
Details and sources
- Free tier
- Not stated.
- Paid plan
- Not stated.
- Signup
- An account is required to use the service. The page says: “Choose your plan, download the PIA VPN app, verify your account, and be protected in minutes.”
- Watermark
- Not stated.
- Where files go
- Personal data is primarily stored in the United States. The page says: “We collect information globally, and we primarily store that information in the United States.”
From the tool's own pages, checked 2026-11-08. Sources: Home, Privacy. Prices and limits change; check the tool before you rely on them.
Read automatically by a program, not by a person. Each fact quotes the sentence it came from, and a fact is shown only if that sentence is on the page. Where a page did not say, it reads “Not stated.”
Answers come from each tool's own pages (“Unclear” means they do not say). Tick “Compare” on two to four tools to read them side by side.
Also listed (10, not yet tested)
Each of these answered when we visited its site. We have not tested them or recorded facts, so they are in alphabetical order, not ranked.
- CyberGhostOpen
CyberGhost is the best VPN service. With blazing fast servers, it offers top privacy for all devices, Windows, iOS, Mac, Android, or Linux.
- IPVanishOpen
Protect your connection and devices with a fast, private VPN plus next-gen antivirus. 150+ locations, verified no-logs, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- IVPNOpen
IVPN is listed for: vpn.
- NordVPNOpen
NordVPN is listed for: vpn.
- ProtonVPNOpen
Get fast, secure VPN service in 140+ countries. Download our free VPN now — or check out Proton VPN Plus for even more premium features.
- PureVPNOpen
PureVPN is listed for: vpn.
- TunnelBearOpen
Really simple VPN to browse the web privately & securely. Unblock websites around the world with applications for Mac, PC, iOS, Android & Chrome.
- VyprVPNOpen
Protect yourself with exclusive features and proprietary technology. VyprVPN is the best VPN for hiding your IP address for streaming, privacy, and more!
- WindscribeOpen
Protect your privacy, stream global content, and mask your location with the best VPN service. Enjoy fast speeds and servers in over 135 locations.
- WireGuardOpen
WireGuard: fast, modern, secure VPN tunnel
Other Security & privacy tools rankings
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