When a VPN supplier claims to have a “no-logs coverage,” it implies that they gained’t retailer or “log” customers’ on-line exercise and knowledge. This contains delicate data reminiscent of looking historical past, IP addresses, downloaded information, and different knowledge that could possibly be tied again to you.
VPNs are primarily used to safe on-line site visitors and assist customers stay nameless to keep away from focused adverts, conceal their location, or make sure the safety and privateness of their private knowledge.
Although many VPN suppliers might promote having a no-logs coverage, not all follow-through with their guarantees. Some suppliers don’t have impartial safety audits that affirm their coverage, leaving all of it to belief. A lot worse, some VPN suppliers have been caught logging knowledge regardless of claiming not to take action.
On this article, we’ll discover VPNs that actually allow you to browse anonymously and conduct third-party audits to show they don’t log person knowledge.
Nameless (No-Log) VPNs in contrast
Under are a number of the key options to search for in an nameless, no-log VPN. The variations between these will spotlight how every VPN can fit your wants greatest whereas offering high-quality safety.
| Servers and International locations | Most Current Safety Audit | Safety Protocols | Gadget Connections | Annual Pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 7,067 servers in 113 nations | December 2023 by Deloitte Lithuania | OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordLyx (primarily based on WireGuard) | 10 | $4.59 per thirty days |
| Surfshark | 3,200+ servers in 100 nations | December 2023 Cell App Safety Evaluation (MASA) | OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2 | Limitless | $2.99 per thirty days |
| Proton VPN | 9,586 servers in 117 nations | July 2024 by Securitum | OpenVPN, WireGuard, Stealth (Mac) | 10 | $4.99 per thirty days |
| Mullvad VPN | 649 servers from 48 nations | December 2024 by X41 D-Sec representatives | OpenVPN and WireGuard | 5 | $5.20 per thirty days |
| ExpressVPN | 3,000 servers (reported) in 105 nations | June 2024 by Cure53 | OpenVPN and Lightway | 8 | $6.67 per thirty days |
| CyberGhost VPN | 9,000-11,000 servers (reported) in 100 nations | Could 2024 by Deloitte Audit Romania | OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2 | 7 | $6.99 per thirty days (6-month plan) |
NordVPN: Finest total
NordVPN supplies an in depth suite of privateness and security-focused options that make it one of many high VPNs at the moment. It boasts double VPN capabilities, obfuscated servers, robust AES-256 encryption, and built-in safety towards malware and adverts. That is on high of getting an intuitive software and quick web efficiency.
In January 2024, NordVPN introduced that it had commissioned a fourth third-party audit confirming its no-logs coverage which states that no knowledge of customers’ on-line exercise is ever saved or recorded. Specifically, Deloitte Lithuania audited NordVPN from the interval of November 30 till December 7, 2023.
That is on high of its different audits, reminiscent of a third-party analysis carried out by Cure53 again in February 2023 on NordVPN’s structure and cellular app safety and an analogous no-logs audit by Deloitte again in January 2023.
Why I selected NordVPN
I’ve NordVPN as my greatest total for its robust mixture of safety features, giant server fleet, and verified no-logs coverage. It not solely has a no-logs coverage that’s been just lately confirmed by an impartial safety audit, nevertheless it additionally brings quick efficiency and a contemporary person interface as nicely.
Pricing
NordVPN has three tiers: Customary, Plus, and Full. Of the three, I really feel NordVPN Plus provides the most effective stability of options and value. It contains the VPN, malware safety, knowledge breach scanning, and advert blocking.
- NordVPN Plus 1 month: $13.99 per thirty days.
- NordVPN Plus 1 12 months: $5.49 per thirty days.
- NordVPN Plus 2 years: $3.89 per thirty days.
Options
- 7,067 servers in 113 nations.
- Menace safety towards malware, adverts, and trackers.
- Helps as much as six simultaneous connections.
- Darkish Internet Monitor.
- Encrypted file-sharing function.
NordVPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| Specialised servers for safety and privateness. | No free model. |
| Quick and dependable VPN pace. | Priced comparatively excessive. |
| Independently audited no-logs coverage. | |
| Intuitive desktop software. |
For extra data, learn our full NordVPN evaluation.
Surfshark: Finest for these on a funds
Surfshark supplies a safe VPN answer at a really low value. Surfshark’s one-year and two-year plans are a number of the most affordably priced available in the market. You additionally get limitless system connections with all Surfshark plans, permitting you to guard a number of gadgets at no further value.
On the no-logs entrance, Surfshark’s no-logs coverage was confirmed by Deloitte in January 2023. Its most up-to-date audit was in December 2023, when Surfshark’s Android cellular app handed an impartial Cell App Safety Evaluation (MASA).
Why I selected Surfshark
I picked Surfshark for being the most effective VPN choices for these on a funds. It has a slew of subscription choices that supply flexibility to totally different customers, supplies an intuitive desktop software, and has been audited by an impartial agency.
I notably like the way it permits for limitless system connections, making it a fair better option for customers who don’t need to buy an extra subscription to guard extra gadgets.
Pricing
Surfshark has three tiers: Starter, One, and One+. I like to recommend going for Surfshark One because it nonetheless provides decrease charges with out dropping out on options reminiscent of antivirus safety, breach alerts, and knowledge safety reviews that aren’t present in Starter.
If you would like Surfshark’s most inexpensive plan, I counsel selecting Surfshark Starter for one 12 months at $2.99 per thirty days.
- Surfshark Starter 1 12 months: $2.99 per thirty days.
- Surfshark One 1 month: $17.95 per thirty days.
- Surfshark One 1 12 months: $3.39 per thirty days.
- Surfshark One 2 years: $2.49 per thirty days.
Options
- 3,200+ servers in 100 nations.
- 24/7 stay help and guides.
- Limitless system connections.
- RAM-only servers.
- Antivirus and knowledge breach monitoring.
- MultiHop.
Surfshark VPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| Inexpensive pricing. | No free model. |
| Intuitive person interface. | No Home windows free trial. |
| Quick speeds and efficiency. | Month-to-month subscription is costly. |
| Can defend a number of gadgets with one account. | Some options could also be buggy in the beginning. |
For extra data, learn our full Surfshark evaluation.
Proton VPN: Finest towards authorities surveillance
Customers nervous about authorities intervention or knowledge requests ought to strive Proton VPN. It has the distinctive benefit of being primarily based in Switzerland, a rustic with a number of the strongest privateness legal guidelines on this planet. This helps alleviate any issues that authorities might seize person knowledge from the VPN for surveillance functions.
Proton VPN can also be open-source, which implies that its code is publicly accessible to be inspected for vulnerabilities or dangers.
When it comes to its no-logs claims, it was most just lately audited again on July 12, 2024 by Securitum. The third-party audit confirmed that Proton VPN didn’t preserve logs or commit anti-privacy practices. Securitum was additionally the agency that audited Proton VPN’s no-logs coverage again in April 2023.
Why I selected Proton VPN
I chosen Proton VPN for its distinctive worth proposition of working in a privacy-friendly nation — Switzerland. Within the realm of VPNs, there have been cases the place surveillance-heavy nations have ordered VPNs at hand over person knowledge regardless of no-logs claims. With Proton VPN, you might have much less to fret about since Swiss privateness legal guidelines are a number of the hardest on this planet.
Pricing
Exterior of getting a free model, ProtonVPN has two tiers: Plus and Limitless. Plus, it contains the VPN itself, whereas Limitless contains Proton’s different providers reminiscent of Proton Mail, Cross, and Drive.
- Free.
- Proton VPN Plus 1-month: $9.99 per thirty days.
- Proton VPN Plus 1 12 months: $4.99 per thirty days.
- Proton VPN Plus 2 years: $4.49 per thirty days.
Options
- 9,586 servers in 117 nations.
- Has a free model.
- 10 GBps succesful servers.
- Helps as much as 10 simultaneous connections.
Proton VPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free model has no knowledge restrict. | Stay chat is just accessible for paid customers. |
| Independently audited no logs coverage. | |
| Open supply. | |
| Based mostly in privacy-friendly Switzerland. |
For extra data, learn our full Proton VPN evaluation.
Mullvad VPN: Finest for privateness fanatics
Privateness fanatics have long-recognized Mullvad VPN for its huge deal with anonymity and privateness — and it lives as much as the hype. Mullvad makes use of a novel and nameless account quantity system that eliminates the necessity for customers to share their private electronic mail to create an account.
Moreover, the VPN additionally lets customers pay for the service by means of money, cryptocurrency, or bodily vouchers. This permits customers to forego the standard bank card or PayPal funds, eradicating any want at hand over delicate cost data.
Its no-logs coverage has additionally been confirmed by Assured AB in June 2022, with their most up-to-date infrastructure audit by Radically Open Safety being revealed simply final August 2023.
In December 2024, Mullvad VPN shared its most up-to-date safety audit that evaluated its VPN app’s safety stage. Carried out by professionals from X41 D-Sec, the audit concluded that Mullvad VPN’s software and supply code had a “high-security stage” total.
Why I selected Mullvad VPN
I selected Mullvad VPN for its proactive efforts to make sure the utmost privateness for its customers and clients. Its randomized account numbering system and nameless cost strategies are underrated options that I do know carry a number of worth to individuals who worth their privateness on-line.
Pricing
- Flat fee of €5 or $5.20 per thirty days, no matter subscription size.
Options
- Nameless person account numbers.
- 649 servers from 48 nations.
- Break up tunneling.
- Constructed-in kill swap.
Mullvad VPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| Independently audited no-logs coverage. | Small server community. |
| Inexpensive month-to-month subscription. | Longer subscriptions may be costly. |
| Respectable pace and efficiency. | No free trial. |
| Simple to make use of desktop app. | |
| Lets customers pay in money or vouchers. |
For extra data, learn the full Mullvad VPN evaluation.
ExpressVPN: Finest for safety audits
In case you’re searching for a VPN supplier that’s proven a powerful dedication to third-party testing, try ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has a complete of 19 third-party audits for his or her complete suite of merchandise, which embody their VPN desktop apps, privateness coverage, browser extensions, and cellular counterparts. This exhibits us that ExpressVPN shouldn’t be afraid to check their safety claims throughout their providers.
Happily, these audits complement a really strong VPN service that gives a big server community, a well-designed person interface, and quick total speeds.
ExpressVPN’s most up-to-date audit was in June 2024 by Cure53, which assessed their VPN browser extension, notably for Chrome and Firefox. Per the report, Cure53 praised ExpressVPN’s browser extension for its “well-implemented safety measures.”
Why I selected ExpressVPN
I picked ExpressVPN for its spectacular portfolio of third-party audits. As of December 2024, ExpressVPN has 19 safety audits evaluating numerous facets of its service. I particularly recognize how ExpressVPN has had its app bear intensive impartial testing since 2018 — a testomony to how severe they take the general safety of their VPN.
Pricing
ExpressVPN has simple pricing, providing a month-to-month, one-year, and a two-year plan for its VPN software. Under is the pricing for every:
- 1 month: $12.95 per thirty days.
- 1 12 months: $6.67 per thirty days.
- 2 years: $4.99 per thirty days.
Options
- RAM-only server know-how.
- Browser extension that acts as distant.
- As much as eight simultaneous system connections.
- Servers unfold throughout 105 nations.
ExpressVPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive and well-designed app interface. | Not as inexpensive as different VPNs. |
| Quick and dependable speeds. | |
| Independently audited VPN. |
For extra data, learn our full ExpressVPN evaluation.
CyberGhost VPN: Finest for big server and placement community
These searching for a big server community unfold throughout many places ought to contemplate CyberGhost VPN. Proper now, it reportedly has 9,000-11,000 servers in 100 nations and 126 places — permitting customers the pliability to masks their location from a number of areas. CyberGhost additionally permits you to safely and anonymously entry torrenting websites by means of their optimized torrenting servers.
CyberGhost VPN has a powerful no-logs coverage that was confirmed by Deloitte in September 2022. CyberGhost VPN additionally commonly publishes yearly Transparency Studies that include data on the variety of knowledge requests they obtain from authorized authorities and firm holders. This apply they’ve been doing since 2011 is a laudable present of transparency from the VPN supplier.
In Could 2024, CyberGhost VPN introduced that Deloitte Audit Romania had carried out a second audit of its server community and administration programs. In that report, it was discovered that there was no proof of any system or configuration that was not in accordance with CyberGhost’s no-logs coverage.
Why I selected CyberGhost VPN
I’ve CyberGhost VPN on this record due to its sizable server fleet, which includes 1000’s of servers unfold throughout 100 nations. That is excellent for customers whose major use for a VPN is to unblock region-locked content material on-line. I additionally recognize how CyberGhost VPN’s app mechanically categorizes servers which are greatest optimized for streaming, gaming, and torrenting.
Pricing
- 1 month: $12.99 per thirty days.
- 6 months: $6.99 per thirty days.
- 2 years: $2.03 per thirty days.
Options
- 9,000-11,000 (reported) servers in 100 nations and 126 places.
- Specialised servers for nameless torrenting.
- Recurrently revealed annual Transparency Studies.
- RAM-only servers.
- Customizable Good Guidelines panel.
- Helps as much as 7 simultaneous connections.
CyberGhost VPN professionals and cons
| Professionals | Cons |
|---|---|
| 24-hour free trial with no bank card required. | No annual plan. |
| Inexpensive two-year plan. | Month-to-month plan solely has a 14-day money-back assure. |
| 45-day money-back assure. | |
| Independently audited no-logs coverage. | |
| Specialised servers for gaming and streaming. | |
| In depth server and placement community. |
For extra data, learn our full CyberGhost VPN evaluation.
VPNs which have logged person knowledge
There are just a few VPN suppliers that publicize a no-logs coverage however have been discovered to have been logging knowledge or had privateness insurance policies that contradicted their claims. Whereas a few of these VPNs have since modified possession or carried out related modifications, you ought to be conscious of those logging incidents.
- IPVanish VPN: In 2016, IPVanish reportedly gave person logs to america Division of Homeland Safety to trace a toddler pornography suspect. Whereas it initially claimed to don’t have any logs, it was ultimately reported that the VPN did actually hand off knowledge to authorities.
- Hotspot Defend VPN: Again in 2017, the Middle for Democracy and Expertise accused Hotspot Defend of promoting delicate person knowledge collected through its free model.
- Norton Safe VPN: Whereas it has a no-logs coverage, Norton’s International Privateness Assertion exhibits that it collects extra knowledge than customers would favor. Some examples of such are customers’ system names, IP addresses, classes inside cookies and URLs, simply to call just a few.
- Speedify VPN: Speedify’s privateness coverage explicitly states that they retailer customers’ IP addresses, browser sorts and pages accessed when visiting the Speedify web site, regardless of having a no-logs coverage.
Whereas we don’t know what intentions sure VPNs have in probably logging person knowledge, prospects might embody: promoting person knowledge to advertising corporations and third-party advertisers or aiding authorities businesses which are members of surveillance agreements, such because the 5 Eyes or 14 Eyes alliances.
It’s important to decide on a VPN service that has an iron-clad no-logs coverage backed by robust safety features and impartial safety audits.
Methodology
Selecting the most effective nameless (no-log) VPNs for this record concerned a holistic evaluation of how every VPN protected person knowledge. We checked out every VPN’s no-logs coverage and confirmed whether or not or not they collected any delicate person knowledge. We additionally thought-about an organization’s willingness to be independently audited and the way just lately they have been audited. Lastly, we checked out different related VPN options, together with VPN protocols and security-focused options like RAM-only servers and pricing.