ADJACENT DECISION HUB

Virtual private networks

Compare privacy claims, independent audits, protocol support, device limits and performance without treating a VPN as anonymity.

Pricing checked 15 July 2026Last checked 2026-07-15 · verify decisive terms directly
NU
Research profileIndependent data

BEFORE YOU COMPARE

Compare these fields first

01

01

Jurisdiction and ownership

02

02

Published audit scope and date

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03

Logging policy

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04

Protocol and kill-switch support

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05

Device and router coverage

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06

Country legality and network blocking

Representative options and decision context

DIRECT SOURCE

Proton VPN

Potential fit

Published privacy and audit documentation

Important limitation

Features and server choice vary by plan

View provider documentation ↗
DIRECT SOURCE

Mullvad

Potential fit

Account-minimization and simple pricing

Important limitation

Streaming and support priorities may differ from mainstream services

View provider documentation ↗
DIRECT SOURCE

NordVPN

Potential fit

Broad device support and mainstream usability

Important limitation

Renewal price and feature availability require checking

View provider documentation ↗
Commercial-link status

These are direct, non-affiliate source links checked 15 July 2026. No sponsored relationship or commission is active.

RELATED GUIDANCE

Questions worth answering

What a VPN can and cannot protect

A VPN hides your traffic from your local network and ISP, but it does not make you anonymous online, does not protect against malware, and the provider itself can see your traffic unless independently audited otherwise.

Understanding no-logs audits

Check the audit's date, scope (which systems were actually examined) and whether it's a one-time snapshot or a recurring commitment -- a single old audit says less than a current, narrowly-scoped one implies.

VPN use while travelling

Some countries restrict or block VPN use entirely -- research the specific destination's current legal status before relying on a VPN there, not just its general reputation.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

No. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic from your local network, but websites can still track you through cookies, browser fingerprinting and account logins regardless of VPN use.