Best overall
NordVPN
★★★★★
- Speed loss−6%
- Servers6,300+ / 111 countries
- Log policyAudited no-logs
- Kill switchYes, system-wide
$3.09/mo, 2-yr plan
Get NordVPN →
// terminal vpncl --scan --report
We put VPNs through the same tunnel and time what comes out the other side.
VPNCL- get a strong vpn with trusted platform VPN cloud.
0
VPNs tested
0
Speed tests logged
0
Leak checks per VPN
Independent lab — no provider sees results before publish
Re-tested monthly — rankings move when performance does
Real accounts — every plan is bought at full price
// top_picks.json
Three VPNs that passed every test
Ranked on connection speed loss, leak protection and how honestly the logging policy held up.
Surfshark
★★★★★
- Speed loss−9%
- Servers3,200+ / 100 countries
- Log policyAudited no-logs
- Kill switchYes, system-wide
$2.19/mo, 2-yr plan
Get Surfshark →
ExpressVPN
★★★★★
- Speed loss−11%
- Servers3,000+ / 105 countries
- Log policyAudited no-logs
- Kill switchYes, system-wide
$4.99/mo, 1-yr plan
Get ExpressVPN →
// compare.sh
Compare providers side by side
Filter the table by what matters most to you.
// how_we_test.log
The same five checks, every provider
This is a real sequence — each stage has to pass before a provider moves to the next.
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01
Baseline speed test
We measure download, upload and latency without a VPN, then again on five server locations, at three times of day.
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02
Leak check
DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leak tests run on every connection to confirm nothing slips outside the tunnel.
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03
Kill switch stress test
We force-drop the VPN connection mid-transfer and confirm traffic actually stops instead of falling back to the open network.
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04
Logging policy review
We read the policy against any independent audit or court records, not just the marketing page.
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05
Support & refund check
We open a real support ticket and request a refund inside the money-back window to confirm both actually work.
// faq.md
Questions we get asked a lot
Yes, in the vast majority of countries. A small number of countries restrict or ban VPN use, so it's worth checking local law before connecting, especially while traveling.
Some speed loss is normal since traffic takes a longer, encrypted path. The providers on this list keep that loss under about 15% on a nearby server, which most people won't notice for browsing or streaming.
It means the provider doesn't record what you connect to, your browsing activity, or your originating IP. We only credit a "no-logs" claim when it's backed by an independent third-party audit.
Some links on this site are affiliate links — if you sign up through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rankings are based on our own test results, not on commission size.