Why This Site Exists

We're tired of VPN review sites that all recommend the same 5 VPNs regardless of what's actually best for users.

The Problem with VPN Review Sites

If you've searched for "best VPN" recently, you've noticed something: every site ranks ExpressVPN #1.

Why? Because ExpressVPN pays $40 per sale in affiliate commissions. NordVPN pays $30. Surfshark pays $35.

These sites aren't ranking VPNs based on quality—they're ranking them by commission rate. The "testing" is often fabricated, and the reviews are identical across hundreds of affiliate sites.

Our Approach: Privacy First

We focus on VPNs that are actually good for privacy:

  • Mullvad - Used by the Tor Project, anonymous accounts, audited
  • IVPN - Transparent ownership, ethical practices, audited
  • ProtonVPN - Swiss privacy, created by CERN scientists
  • AirVPN - 10+ year track record, beloved by power users

These aren't the VPNs that pay the highest commissions. They're the ones that are actually trustworthy.

Our Standards

✓ We Test VPNs Ourselves

We actually subscribe and test speed, privacy features, and real-world usage. Not just copy-paste from press releases.

✓ We Prioritize Privacy

We recommend VPNs based on jurisdiction, audit reports, and transparency—not commission rates.

✓ We're Honest About Trade-offs

No VPN is perfect. We explain what you're giving up with each choice (speed vs privacy, price vs features, etc.).

✓ We Disclose Affiliates

Yes, we earn commissions. But we're transparent about it and never let money dictate our rankings.

Why We Don't Recommend ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is fast and user-friendly, but there are serious concerns:

  • Owned by Kape Technologies - Former malware distributor that now owns 30+ VPNs
  • Expensive - $6.67/mo vs. Mullvad's €5/mo (better privacy)
  • Questionable audits - Audited by PwC (paid by ExpressVPN's parent company)
  • Marketing over substance - Spends more on ads than R&D

We'd rather recommend Mullvad, which is used by security researchers, has a proven no-logs policy, and accepts anonymous cash payments.

VPN Ownership: The Truth

Most users don't realize that a handful of companies own most VPNs:

  • Kape Technologies: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access, Zenmate, and 20+ others
  • Nord Security: NordVPN, Surfshark, AtlasVPN
  • Ziff Davis: IPVanish, StrongVPN, Encrypt.me, Perimeter81

We prioritize independently owned VPNs: Mullvad (Swedish), IVPN (Gibraltar), ProtonVPN (Swiss), AirVPN (Italian activists).

Our Mission

To be the anti-affiliate-site: honest, transparent, and actually helpful.

We'd rather earn your trust and make modest affiliate commissions than trick you into buying overpriced VPNs you don't need.

If you find value in our honest approach, use our affiliate links. If not, that's okay—just find a VPN that actually protects your privacy.

How We Make Money

Full transparency:

  • Affiliate commissions - We earn $3-20 per sale depending on the VPN
  • No ads - We don't run banner ads or sell user data
  • No sponsored posts - VPN companies can't pay for better rankings

Mullvad pays the lowest commission (~€3/sale), yet we rank it #1. That should tell you something.

Questions or Feedback?

We're building this site in the open. If you have suggestions, disagree with our rankings, or spot an error, let us know.

Contact Us