How We Test VPNs

Unlike most VPN review sites, we actually test VPNs. Here's our transparent methodology.

1. Privacy & Jurisdiction

What We Check:

  • Company jurisdiction - Is it in a 5/9/14 Eyes country?
  • Ownership transparency - Who actually owns the company?
  • No-logs policy - What do they claim, and has it been proven?
  • Independent audits - Has Cure53, KPMG, or another auditor verified claims?
  • Court cases - Have authorities requested data? What happened?
  • Payment methods - Do they accept cash/crypto for anonymity?

Why this matters: A VPN in a 5 Eyes country (US, UK, Australia, etc.) can be compelled to log data and hand it over. We prioritize VPNs in privacy-friendly jurisdictions like Sweden, Switzerland, and Gibraltar.

2. Speed Testing

Our Testing Setup:

  • Baseline: 500 Mbps fiber connection (US West Coast)
  • Test servers: Nearest location, Europe, Asia
  • Protocol: WireGuard (when available), then OpenVPN
  • Tool: Ookla Speedtest, Fast.com, and manual file downloads
  • Tests: 5 runs per server, averaged results

What We Measure:

  • Download speed - How fast can you stream/download?
  • Upload speed - Important for video calls and cloud backups
  • Ping/latency - Critical for gaming and real-time apps
  • Consistency - Do speeds vary wildly between tests?

Note: Speed varies by location, time of day, and server load. We publish raw data so you can see the full picture, not just cherry-picked "best case" results.

3. Leak Testing

We Test For:

  • DNS leaks - Does your ISP still see what sites you visit?
  • WebRTC leaks - Can websites see your real IP address?
  • IPv6 leaks - Does IPv6 traffic bypass the VPN tunnel?
  • Kill switch - Does it actually work when connection drops?

Tools we use: ipleak.net, dnsleaktest.com, and manual packet inspection with Wireshark.

4. Streaming Performance

Services We Test:

  • Netflix (US, UK, Japan libraries)
  • BBC iPlayer (UK)
  • Disney+ (US)
  • Amazon Prime Video (US)
  • Hulu (US)

Reality check: Most VPNs work with Netflix, but reliability varies. We test monthly and update our recommendations when services stop working.

5. Features & Usability

  • App quality - Is it buggy? Easy to use?
  • Platform support - Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile, routers?
  • Device limit - How many devices?
  • Split tunneling - Can you route specific apps outside VPN?
  • Ad blocking - Built-in tracker/ad blocking?
  • Multi-hop/double VPN - Extra privacy layer available?
  • Port forwarding - For torrenting and remote access?

6. Customer Support

  • Response time for email support
  • Live chat availability and quality
  • Quality of knowledge base/docs
  • Helpfulness of responses (not just copy-paste)

7. Value for Money

We evaluate cost vs features, but cheaper isn't always better. Privacy and reliability are worth paying for.

Price Considerations:

  • Monthly vs annual pricing
  • Refund policy and money-back guarantee
  • Free trial availability
  • Payment method flexibility (crypto, cash)
  • Cost per device

What We Don't Do

  • ❌ We don't fake test results - Every claim is backed by real testing
  • ❌ We don't rank by commission rate - Privacy comes first
  • ❌ We don't give perfect scores - Every VPN has trade-offs
  • ❌ We don't accept paid placements - VPNs can't pay for higher rankings
  • ❌ We don't copy competitors - Our reviews are original

Scoring System

Privacy (40%)

Jurisdiction, ownership, audits, no-logs policy, payment methods

Speed (25%)

Download/upload speeds, latency, consistency across servers

Security (20%)

Encryption, protocols, leak protection, kill switch reliability

Usability (15%)

App quality, platform support, features, customer support

Continuous Testing

VPN services change. Servers go offline, companies get acquired, policies change.

We re-test VPNs quarterly and update reviews when significant changes occur. All reviews include a "Last Updated" date.

See Our Raw Data

We publish speed test results, leak test screenshots, and methodology details for every VPN we review.

View VPN Reviews