VPN Provider Comparison
Nine widely used VPN providers compared, with a focus on jurisdiction, no logs policy and what each provider suits.
Last updated: September 1, 2026
How trustworthy each no logs policy is rated
A rough ranking based on the company's jurisdiction, independent audits and known real world cases. The longer the bar, the more trust is justified.
| Mullvad | Proton VPN | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | Private Internet Access | Betternet | Hola VPN | Planet VPN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company jurisdiction | Sweden | Switzerland | Panama | British Virgin Islands | Netherlands | USA | USA | Israel | USA |
| No logs policy audited | Yes, repeatedly audited and confirmed during government server seizures | Yes, independently audited | Yes, independently audited | Yes, independently audited, with RAM only servers | Yes, independently audited | Yes, repeatedly confirmed in court | No, no independent audit known | No, no independent audit known | No, no independent audit known |
| Anonymous payment possible | Yes, including cash by mail and cryptocurrencies | Yes, cryptocurrencies, an email account is required | Yes, cryptocurrencies | Yes, cryptocurrencies | Yes, cryptocurrencies | Yes, cryptocurrencies | Not relevant, the app is free | Not relevant, the app is free | Not relevant, the app is free |
| Open source apps | Yes, fully | Mostly | No | No | No | Partially | No | No | No |
| Cost | Fixed price regardless of plan length, around 5€ per month | Free tier available, subscription for more servers and speed | Cheaper with a longer contract | Rather expensive compared to others | Unlimited device count per subscription, affordable | Cheaper with a longer contract | Free, funded by selling usage data to advertising networks | Free, funded by selling users' bandwidth | Free, ad funded, optional subscription for more features |
| Suited for | Highest demands for anonymity and privacy | Privacy with good access to streaming servers | Beginners wanting a large server network | Simple usage, many locations | Households with many devices | Users who want many individual settings | Not recommended, high privacy risk | Not recommended, high privacy risk | Not recommended, high privacy risk |
No ads, no paid recommendation. For most people I recommend Mullvad, because of its Swedish jurisdiction, its repeatedly confirmed no logs policy and the option to pay completely anonymously. As a second option, Proton VPN works well, especially if you also need good access to streaming servers.
Running your own VPN server, for example with self hosted WireGuard, gives you full control over the software, but it does not hide your identity from websites the same way. The server still belongs to you and can be traced back to you. For real anonymity you need a third party provider with many other simultaneous users.
Betternet, Hola VPN and Planet VPN are included in the table on purpose, as a counterexample. With completely free VPN apps that have no transparent business model, the funding usually comes from selling your data, your bandwidth or from displayed ads. If you really want to stay free, the free tier of Proton VPN is a much better choice.
What a no logs policy actually means
The most important term for VPN providers, explained briefly and clearly.
In short
The provider keeps no records of when you connect, which IP address you had at the time, or which sites you visit.
Why it matters
Without stored records, there is nothing the provider could hand over in response to a government request or a data breach.
How to verify it
Independent audits by outside firms and real cases where authorities seized servers without finding any usable data are the most reliable evidence.