VPN Comparisons: Every Matchup, Settled on Evidence

These VPN comparisons cut through a category built on inflated claims. Rather than a single ranking, we pit the major providers against each other in head-to-head matchups and settle every one on the same evidence: jurisdiction, the latest dated no-logs audit, protocols, RAM-only servers, device limits, refund windows and price. Below is the whole field at a glance, how we judge a bout, and links to all ten matchups so you can jump straight to the pairing you're weighing.

One principle runs through everything here: we compare what you can check. We do not publish benchmarked speed figures we did not measure, we date every audit, and we tell you when two brands that look like rivals actually share an owner. Where a provider that pays us nothing — Mullvad, Windscribe — honestly wins, we say so.

A word on what a VPN actually does before you compare them, because the marketing overpromises. A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address from the sites you visit and from your internet provider — but it does not make you anonymous or untraceable. It shifts your trust from your ISP to the VPN company, which is why who that company is, where it's based and whether it can prove it keeps no logs are the questions worth comparing. That's exactly what the matchups below do.

How we settle a VPN matchup

Every matchup runs an identical tale of the tape, so the comparison is consistent from one bout to the next. We line up nine things side by side: jurisdiction, the most recent independent no-logs audit and its date, RAM-only servers, the fastest protocol each ships, open-source status, simultaneous devices, the money-back window, the pricing model, and the use case each provider fits best. A row is only marked a win where the published, dated evidence genuinely favours one side; otherwise it's a draw.

The verdict that follows never crowns an absolute champion. It names a winner for a use case — streaming on a budget, privacy at all costs, the simplest possible app — because the honest answer to 'which VPN is best' is almost always 'best for what?'. That is the whole reason a versus desk exists alongside a ranked list.

Keeping the structure rigid also keeps us honest. Because the same rows appear in the same order every time, we can't quietly emphasise whatever flatters a provider that happens to pay a commission; a weak audit or a bad jurisdiction shows up in the same slot for everyone. If a row is genuinely too close to call, we say 'draw' rather than manufacture a difference to make the matchup look decisive.

The tale of the tape, at a glance

The table below summarises the eight providers we compare most. Treat prices as directional and always check the current rate — VPN pricing changes constantly and is region- and term-specific — and read every 'no-logs' entry as only as strong as its audit date.

A quick read of the field: NordVPN, Proton VPN and Mullvad lead on privacy substance, with Proton and Mullvad adding open-source verifiability. Surfshark, PIA and IPVanish compete on unlimited devices and low prices. CyberGhost owns beginner streaming and the longest trial. ExpressVPN sells polish and router hardware at the top of the price range. Almost none of them is a bad VPN — the matchups exist to find which one fits your specific use.

Jurisdiction and who owns whom

Direct answer: ownership matters as much as jurisdiction, and it's the thing most 'best VPN' lists bury. Roughly 105 VPN services are owned by about two dozen companies. NordVPN and Surfshark share a parent, Nord Security, after a 2022 merger. ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and Private Internet Access are all Kape Technologies brands. IPVanish belongs to Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag and CNET.

Why flag it? Because a glowing head-to-head between two 'rivals' may be comparing siblings, and some of the review sites ranking them are owned by the very companies they rank — Kape owns vpnMentor, Wizcase and SafetyDetectives, for instance. We name the parent on every matchup so you can weigh independence for yourself. It's also why editorially independent picks like Mullvad and Windscribe carry weight here.

Jurisdiction still counts, of course. Providers based outside the 5, 9 and 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances — Panama's NordVPN, the BVI's ExpressVPN, Switzerland's Proton VPN, Romania's CyberGhost — avoid legal regimes that compel routine data retention. US-based services like Private Internet Access and IPVanish sit inside 5 Eyes, which some threat models specifically avoid, though PIA's no-logs stance has been tested in court and held. Read jurisdiction and ownership together, not in isolation.

Audits: the only 'no-logs' proof that counts

Direct answer: a no-logs claim is worth nothing without a recent, independent audit, so we cite each by firm and date. Proton VPN's fifth no-logs assessment was by Securitum in August 2025; NordVPN's sixth by Deloitte in December 2025; Surfshark's by Deloitte in June 2025; CyberGhost's third by Deloitte Romania in Q4 2025; ExpressVPN's by KPMG as of February 2025; Private Internet Access's third by Deloitte in 2025; IPVanish's by Leviathan, re-run in 2025.

Two providers go further than any audit by publishing their source: Proton VPN and Mullvad ship 100% open-source apps, so their claims can be inspected, not just assured. Private Internet Access is also open source and has had its no-logs stance tested in court. Where verifiability is your priority, those are the names to shortlist.

Pay attention to audit scope and recency, not just the word 'audited'. Some assessments cover only the no-logs configuration; others also cover apps or the privacy policy. And an audit from 2022 says little about a service in 2026, which is why we date every one and note when a provider re-runs them on a regular cadence — NordVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark and CyberGhost all now audit repeatedly rather than once.

Protocols, speed and why we don't run benchmarks

Direct answer: we don't publish Mbps figures because we didn't measure them, and neither should anyone selling you a subscription. Almost every top provider now ships a WireGuard-based protocol — NordVPN's NordLynx, plus WireGuard on Surfshark, CyberGhost, PIA, IPVanish and Mullvad — which is generally the fastest option a consumer VPN offers. ExpressVPN's Lightway is a fast in-house alternative, audited by Cure53.

Your real-world speed depends far more on your own connection, the distance to the server and its load than on which of these you pick. We describe speed qualitatively, by the protocol shipped and reputable dated third-party testing, and leave the lab numbers to people who actually ran a lab.

One protocol nuance worth knowing: WireGuard is fast but minimal, so each provider layers its own privacy handling on top — Nord's NordLynx and Mullvad's DAITA are examples of that engineering. If you're often on networks that block VPNs, look past raw speed to obfuscation (Proton's Stealth, Nord's obfuscated servers), because the fastest tunnel is worthless if it can't connect at all.

Price, refunds and the honest pricing caveat

Direct answer: headline VPN prices are first-term promos, so compare renewal rates, not the sticker month. Surfshark and PIA are among the cheapest big brands on a long plan; ExpressVPN is consistently the priciest; Mullvad charges a flat rate with no discounts at all. Every major here offers a money-back guarantee — 30 days as standard, 45 days at CyberGhost, the longest of the field.

Use that guarantee as a real trial. Because refunds are honoured within the window, you can sign up to a long plan, test it against your actual services and devices, and cash out if it disappoints — just diarise the deadline, because miss it and you're on the full renewal rate. Prices shift often, so treat every figure here as directional and check the current rate before you buy.

Watch the renewal cliff in particular. Most brands advertise a low first-term rate that jumps sharply when the plan auto-renews, so the two-year headline price is not what you'll pay in year three. Mullvad is the outlier that refuses this game with a flat monthly rate. If predictable pricing matters more to you than a deep introductory discount, that's a genuine point in its favour — one we weigh in the relevant matchups.

The full card: all ten matchups

Direct answer: pick the pairing you're actually weighing and read that bout. Our headline heavyweight is NordVPN vs ExpressVPN, the premium-tier decider. On value, see Surfshark vs NordVPN and ExpressVPN vs Surfshark. For transparency, read Proton VPN vs NordVPN and the privacy-purist final, Proton VPN vs Mullvad.

For beginners and streamers, compare NordVPN vs CyberGhost and CyberGhost vs Surfshark. For the independence angle, Mullvad vs NordVPN backs the brand that pays nothing. And for the trust and same-owner cases, see IPVanish vs NordVPN and ExpressVPN vs CyberGhost. Weighing the big three at once? Read the NordVPN vs Surfshark vs ExpressVPN three-way.