A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and sends it through a server run by the VPN provider. The websites you visit see that server's IP address instead of yours, and your internet provider, or whoever runs a public Wi-Fi network, can no longer see which sites you use. People use VPNs for privacy, for security on networks they do not trust, and to reach content that is only available in certain countries.
A VPN moves your trust from your internet provider to the VPN company, so the evidence behind its privacy promises matters most: an independently audited no-logs policy, where the company is based, and how it has responded to legal requests for data. Then check the price after the introductory term, since most providers discount the first one or two years heavily, and how many devices one subscription covers.
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|
 NordVPN | Best for households with up to 10 devices that want a VPN with audited no-logs claims | $5.49/mo | No |
 Proton VPN | Best for privacy-minded users who want audited no-logs claims and a free plan to start on | Free plan | No |
 Surfshark | Best for households that need one VPN plan to cover an unlimited number of devices | $4.24/mo | 7 days |
 Mullvad | Best for privacy-minded users who want a VPN account with no email, paid in cash or crypto | €5/mo | No |
 ExpressVPN | Best for households that want one VPN on phones, laptops, a router and a smart TV | $6.24/mo | 3 days |
5 of 5 tools
The ranking
In order, with what each tool is for and what it costs. Use the filters above to narrow the list.
Best for households with up to 10 devices that want a VPN with audited no-logs claims
NordVPN is a Panama-based consumer VPN for people who want no-logs claims reviewed by outside auditors, with 10 devices on every plan. One- and two-year terms are billed upfront at an introductory price and renew yearly at a higher one.
$5.49/mo
starting price
Best for privacy-minded users who want audited no-logs claims and a free plan to start on
Proton VPN is a Swiss VPN with open-source apps and a free plan, for people who want no-logs claims audited every year. The free plan covers one device with no data cap; VPN Plus covers 10 devices and adds streaming, P2P and Secure Core.
Free plan
paid from $4.49/mo
Best for households that need one VPN plan to cover an unlimited number of devices
Surfshark is a Dutch VPN for households with many devices: every plan allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Longer terms are billed upfront at an introductory price, and Surfshark doesn't publish what they renew at.
$4.24/mo
7-day free trial
Best for privacy-minded users who want a VPN account with no email, paid in cash or crypto
Mullvad is a Swedish VPN for people who want an account with no email or personal details: sign-up generates an account number, and you can pay in cash or crypto. It costs a flat €5 a month, with no discount or renewal increase for longer periods.
€5/mo
starting price
Best for households that want one VPN on phones, laptops, a router and a smart TV
ExpressVPN is a consumer VPN for households that want one subscription across computers, phones, routers, smart TVs and game consoles. Its three tiers cover 10 to 14 devices, and longer terms are billed upfront at an introductory price that renews higher.
$6.24/mo
3-day free trial
Head to head
Feature-by-feature matchups between leading VPN Services tools, with a clear verdict.
Methodology
We compare the tools on this page using what can be checked from the outside: published pricing and plan limits, documented features, and each vendor's own security, compliance and support documentation. This is desk research, not hands-on testing. Where something can only be judged by using a product, we say so rather than imply we measured it.
What we weigh here:
How the order is set:
Buyer's guide
A no-logs policy is a promise, and an outside audit is the evidence that it holds. Check who did the audit, how recently, and whether it examined the servers or only the policy documents. Securitum has audited Proton VPN's no-logs policy every year from 2022 to 2026, Deloitte assured Surfshark's in 2023 and 2025, and NordVPN lists reviews by PwC and Deloitte from 2018 to 2024. KPMG assessed ExpressVPN's servers and privacy policy as of February 2025, and Assured AB's 2022 audit of Mullvad servers found no logging of customer data.
Proton VPN is based in Switzerland and says Swiss law doesn't oblige it to retain data logs. ExpressVPN operates from the British Virgin Islands and NordVPN from Panama, and both say no data retention laws there apply to VPN providers. Surfshark says the Netherlands, its base, doesn't require companies to store or report user data, and Mullvad is incorporated in Sweden. Jurisdiction weighs most for journalists, activists and others who expect legal requests for their data.
ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark sell one- and two-year plans at a first-term price that rises at renewal. ExpressVPN Basic is $74.85 for its one-year plan, then $99.95 a year; Proton VPN Plus is $53.88 for the first year, then $83.88. Surfshark doesn't publish its renewal prices. Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month with no introductory rate and no increase.
Proton VPN is the only provider here with a free plan: no data cap and no credit card, but one device at a time, servers in 10 countries chosen at random, and no P2P or secure streaming. The others offer trials or refunds instead, from Surfshark's 7-day trial, which asks for payment details, to Mullvad's 14-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ
It depends on the billing term. Month to month, Proton VPN Plus costs $9.99, ExpressVPN Basic $14.99 and Surfshark Starter $16.45. Longer terms cost less upfront but renew higher: ExpressVPN Basic is $74.85 for its one-year plan and then $99.95 a year, and Proton VPN Plus is $53.88 for the first year and then $83.88 a year. Surfshark doesn't publish its renewal prices. Mullvad charges a flat €5 a month with no introductory rate and no renewal increase, and Proton VPN also has a free plan.
A free VPN is as safe as the company running it, so check it the way you'd check a paid one: where the company is based and whether its no-logs policy has been audited. Of the providers compared here, Proton VPN is the only one with a free plan. It's based in Switzerland, Securitum has audited its no-logs policy every year from 2022 to 2026, and the free plan has no data cap and needs no credit card. It covers one device at a time and uses servers in 10 countries, chosen at random.
It means more when an outside firm has checked it. Look at who did the audit, how recent it is and whether it examined the servers or only the policy documents. Securitum has audited Proton VPN's no-logs policy every year from 2022 to 2026, Deloitte assured Surfshark's no-logs statement in 2023 and 2025, KPMG assessed ExpressVPN's server setup and privacy policy as of February 2025, and Assured AB's 2022 audit of Mullvad servers found no logging of customer data. ExpressVPN, Mullvad and Surfshark also run their servers from RAM, which wipes data on every reboot.
Usually a little. Your traffic takes an extra trip through the VPN server and is encrypted on the way, so a nearby server adds less delay than one on another continent. All five providers here support WireGuard, or in NordVPN's case NordLynx, which is based on it. Plan limits can matter too: Proton VPN's free plan runs at medium speed, while VPN Plus offers speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
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