Best VPNs for Privacy (2025) Transparent Ranking
We rank VPNs on five criteria with visible weights: Privacy/Logging (40%), Jurisdiction (20%), Security Features (20%), Speed (10%), and Value (10%). Some providers are affiliates (clearly marked), but the scoring decides the order.
Quick Picks
- Best pure privacy: ProtonVPN
- Best overall mix (privacy + performance): NordVPN Affiliate
- Best value (unlimited devices): Surfshark Affiliate
- Most anonymous signup: Mullvad
- Fast & beginner-friendly: ExpressVPN
Our Scoring Table
| Rank | VPN | Privacy & Logging 40% |
Jurisdiction 20% |
Security 20% |
Speed 10% |
Value 10% |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | ProtonVPN | 10 (40) | 10 (20) | 9 (18) | 7 (7) | 7 (7) | 92 |
| #2 | NordVPN Affiliate | 9 (36) | 10 (20) | 9 (18) | 9 (9) | 8 (8) | 91 |
| #3 | Surfshark Affiliate | 9 (36) | 9 (18) | 9 (18) | 8 (8) | 9 (9) | 89 |
| #4 | Mullvad | 10 (40) | 9 (18) | 8 (16) | 7 (7) | 6 (6) | 87 |
| #5 | ExpressVPN | 8 (32) | 9 (18) | 8 (16) | 10 (10) | 7 (7) | 83 |
Numbers in parentheses are weighted points (e.g., 9 × 40% = 36). Totals determine rank.
Why these scores?
Privacy & Logging (40%) – Independent audits, no-logs enforcement history, open-source apps where applicable.
Jurisdiction (20%) – Outside 5/9/14 Eyes (e.g., Panama, Switzerland, BVI) scores higher.
Security (20%) – Multi-hop, kill switch, DNS/IPv6 leak protection, tracker/malware blocking, modern protocols (WireGuard/ChaCha20).
Speed (10%) – Aggregated benchmarks and observed stability.
Value (10%) – Monthly cost, device limits, money-back window, feature depth.
Editor's Notes & Recommendations
ProtonVPN (#1) – Best for strict privacy
Swiss jurisdiction, open-source apps, and strong no-logs posture. Excellent for privacy purists. After setup, run our VPN Leak Test to verify protection.
NordVPN (#2) – Best overall privacy + performance Affiliate
Panama jurisdiction, repeated audits, Double VPN, and Threat Protection. Great balance of security and speed.
Surfshark (#3) – Best value & unlimited devices Affiliate
Audited no-logs policy, MultiHop, CleanWeb ad/tracker blocking, and unlimited connections for households.
Mullvad (#4) – Most anonymous signup
Account numbers instead of emails, accepts cash, strong privacy ethos. Simple app, flat pricing.
ExpressVPN (#5) – Fast & beginner-friendly
BVI jurisdiction, audited no-logs, very fast with Lightway protocol. Great UX, a bit pricier.
Disclosure: Affiliate links for NordVPN and Surfshark only. This never changes our scoring.