A VPN is the single most practical privacy tool for most users. But not all VPNs deliver on their promises. We spent three weeks testing 12 providers — running speed benchmarks, checking for DNS leaks, reading audit reports, and testing streaming unblocking. Here is what we found.
What we tested and how
Every provider was evaluated on six criteria: download speed retention (measured with fast.com and Cloudflare speed test), DNS and WebRTC leak protection, verified no-log policy (audit required — self-declared was disqualified), streaming unblocking across Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+, kill switch reliability, and jurisdiction.
Pricing was noted but weighted last — a cheap VPN that leaks DNS queries is worse than no VPN at all.
Our top picks for 2025
1. NordVPN — Best Overall
NordVPN took the top spot for the third consecutive year. Its Panama jurisdiction places it outside mandatory data retention laws, and its no-log policy has been audited by Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In our speed tests, NordVPN delivered 91% of baseline on nearby servers — the highest of any provider we tested. It reliably unblocked all three streaming services throughout the testing period.
The Threat Protection feature (which blocks malicious domains and trackers without routing traffic through the VPN tunnel) is genuinely useful. It works even when the VPN is disconnected, acting as a standalone DNS filter. Best for: Most users wanting a proven, fast, verified VPN.
2. ExpressVPN — Fastest Raw Speed
ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol outperformed WireGuard on unstable and high-latency connections — critical for mobile use and international travel. Speed retention was 88% on nearby servers and a respectable 74% on cross-continental connections, where most VPNs degrade sharply. British Virgin Islands jurisdiction. Audited no-log policy. Best for: Mobile users and frequent travellers.
3. Surfshark — Best Value
Unlimited simultaneous connections is Surfshark's defining advantage. Households with many devices — phones, tablets, smart TVs, laptops — can protect everything under one subscription. Audited no-log (Deloitte 2023). Netherlands jurisdiction is within the 9 Eyes alliance but has strong GDPR protections in practice. Price is the lowest of the top-tier providers. Best for: Families and budget-conscious users with multiple devices.
4. ProtonVPN — Most Private
Swiss jurisdiction (outside all intelligence-sharing alliances), fully open-source clients audited by independent researchers, and Secure Core routing (traffic exits through a second server in a privacy-haven country) make ProtonVPN the serious choice for elevated-risk use cases. Speed is slightly lower than NordVPN or ExpressVPN but the privacy architecture is unmatched in this price range. Best for: Journalists, researchers, or anyone with above-average threat models.
VPNs we tested but do not recommend
Several providers failed our leak tests — DNS queries were routed outside the tunnel on connection drops before the kill switch engaged. Others had no-log policies that were self-declared with no third-party audit. We are not naming them here because providers change, but the lesson is: never trust a VPN that has not passed an independent audit by a named security firm.
What a VPN cannot do
- A VPN does not make you anonymous. You are still identifiable via browser fingerprint, logged-in accounts, and behavioral tracking.
- A VPN does not protect against malware on your device.
- A VPN does not encrypt traffic that leaves the VPN server — it is only encrypted between your device and the VPN endpoint.
- Your VPN provider can theoretically see your traffic. This is why the no-log audit matters.
Full comparison table
For a detailed side-by-side of all features, pricing tiers, and jurisdiction analysis, see our VPN comparison page.