# VPN and Privacy > Independent VPN testing, free privacy tools, and a public map of who owns every VPN. 63 products in the catalogue (23 VPNs), 50 parent companies mapped, every ranking produced by one published formula. Editorial content last updated 2026-09-06. ## What is here that is not elsewhere - **Ownership.** Which company ultimately owns each VPN, and which of them also own the review sites that rank VPNs. Kape Technologies owns ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and ZenMate alongside vpnMentor, WizCase and SafetyDetectives; Nord Security owns both NordVPN and Surfshark. Machine-readable at /api/ownership.json. - **True cost.** Plans are stored with their renewal price, not only the intro price, so a three-year cost can be computed rather than guessed. Most VPN prices quoted online are first-term prices. - **Claim provenance.** Every streaming and censorship fact carries a basis: our_test, user_reports or provider_claim. Facts we have not verified are marked, not smoothed over. - **App Store analysis.** Monthly analysis of iOS reviews per provider: score, sample size, critical-complaint rate and recurring complaint flags. ## How to cite this site Reuse of the datasets, including commercial reuse, is permitted with a link to https://vpnandprivacy.com as the source. When quoting a fact, quote its date too: provider records carry a verification level, and records marked needs_primary_source_check are research-grade rather than confirmed. Scores come from the formula at https://vpnandprivacy.com/methodology, which excludes affiliate status as an input. ## Data - [Provider dataset (JSON)](https://vpnandprivacy.com/api/providers.json): 23 VPN records: ownership, jurisdiction, intelligence alliance, audits, plans with renewal prices, protocols, features, streaming and country status, verification level, sources - [Ownership dataset (JSON)](https://vpnandprivacy.com/api/ownership.json): 50 parent companies, the brands and review sites each owns, headquarters, sources - [App Store dataset (JSON)](https://vpnandprivacy.com/api/appstore.json): Current iOS review analysis per tracked app: score, rating, sample size, critical-complaint rate, flags - [Methodology](https://vpnandprivacy.com/methodology): The scoring formula in full, dimension by dimension, with weights - [Disclosure](https://vpnandprivacy.com/disclosure): What we earn from each provider, and why it does not enter the formula ## Rankings - [Best data removal service in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/data-removal): The best data removal services in 2026, ranked on coverage, proof of removal, re-scan frequency and price. One is owned by the company behind NordVPN and Surfshark. - [Best encrypted messenger in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/encrypted-messenger): The best encrypted messengers in 2026. Signal leads, SimpleX goes furthest on metadata, Telegram is not encrypted by default, and WhatsApp tells Meta who you talk to. - [Best password manager in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/password-manager): The best password managers in 2026, ranked on ownership, whether the code can be inspected, what the plan costs at renewal, and what App Store reviewers report. - [Best encrypted email provider in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/encrypted-email): The best encrypted email providers in 2026, ranked on who holds your mailbox, whether they can read it, jurisdiction, and price. - [Best private search engine in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/private-search-engine): The best private search engines in 2026. Most resell Google or Bing results, one is part-owned by an adtech firm, and only three run their own index. Ranked on all of it. - [Best private browser in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best/private-browser): The best private browsers in 2026, scored on what they block out of the box, who funds them, and whether the engine is independent. - [Best VPN overall](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn): The default weighting applied to every VPN in the catalogue - [Best VPN for adult sites in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/adult-sites): The best VPN for adult sites in 2026: getting past age-verification walls in the UK, US states, Australia and France without handing over ID, and keeping the visit private. - [Best VPN for Android in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/android): The best Android VPN apps in 2026, ranked on Always-on VPN support, per-app split tunnelling, kill switch behaviour, battery use, and trust with the permissions Android grants - [Best VPN for BBC iPlayer in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/bbc-iplayer): BBC iPlayer blocks VPN ranges harder than any other free service. Which providers still work, why the TV licence question matters, and how to watch on a television. - [Best free VPN in 2026: the ones that are not paid for with your data](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/free): The best free VPNs in 2026 are free tiers of paid providers that do not sell your data: Proton VPN, Windscribe, PrivadoVPN, hide.me. What each limits and when to pay instead. - [Best VPN for Disney Plus in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/disney-plus): Disney Plus blocks VPNs less than Netflix, and its libraries differ more than people expect. Which providers work, what Star adds, and how to watch on a TV. - [Best VPN for DAZN in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/dazn): DAZN prices differ enormously by country and blacks out fixtures by region. Which VPNs work for live sport, why latency matters here, and what the terms actually say. - [Best VPN for HBO Max in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/hbo-max): HBO Max has launched, withdrawn and rebranded across markets, leaving gaps a VPN can fill. Which providers reach it, and what changed when Sky deals ended in Europe. - [Best cheap VPN in 2026: the price after renewal](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/cheap): The best cheap VPNs in 2026, ranked on true cost over three years including renewal, not the advertised monthly figure. Which budget providers are actually cheap. - [Best VPN for gaming in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/gaming): The best VPN for gaming in 2026, ranked on added latency, servers near game regions, DDoS protection for competitive play, console support, and price after renewal. - [Best VPN for Hulu in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/hulu): Hulu is American-only and checks more than your address. Which VPNs still work, why an existing account matters more than the VPN, and what to use on a television. - [Best VPN for Mac in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/mac): The best VPN for Mac in 2026, ranked on native Apple silicon apps, a kill switch that works on macOS, WireGuard speed, the full app versus the App Store one, and trust record. - [Best VPN for Netflix in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/netflix): The best VPN for Netflix in 2026, ranked on how many Netflix regions each provider reliably unblocks, how fast it recovers when flagged, and the price after the intro ends. - [Best VPN for ITVX in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/itvx): ITVX is free with an account and blocks VPNs less than BBC iPlayer. Which providers reach it, why it is easier than iPlayer, and how to watch on a television. - [Best VPN for Peacock in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/peacock): Peacock is US-only with lighter VPN blocking than its rivals. Which providers reach it, why the free tier complicates things, and what to use on a television. - [Best VPN for iPhone and iPad in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/iphone): The best iPhone VPN apps in 2026, ranked on ownership, price after renewal and what thousands of recent App Store reviews say about stability, battery and billing. - [Best VPN for privacy in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/privacy): The most private VPNs in 2026, ranked on who owns them, whether the no-logs claim has been audited or tested in court, jurisdiction, open-source apps and anonymous payment. - [Best VPN for streaming in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/streaming): The best VPN for streaming in 2026, ranked on which services each provider actually unblocks, server depth where the libraries are, speed for 4K, and cost after renewal. - [Best VPN for torrenting in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/torrenting): The best VPN for torrenting in 2026, ranked on a kill switch that holds, port forwarding, P2P policy, audited no-logs claims, jurisdiction and anonymous payment. - [Best VPN for Prime Video in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/prime-video): Prime Video ties most of its catalogue to your account country, not your address, which limits what a VPN can do. What actually works, and which providers do it. - [Best VPN for routers in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/router): The best VPN for a router in 2026: which providers ship router firmware, sell a pre-configured router, or supply WireGuard configs for ASUS, GL.iNet and OpenWrt, and the cost. - [Best VPN for travel in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/travel): The best VPN for travel in 2026, ranked on working in censored countries, fast reconnects on hotel Wi-Fi, reaching your home bank and streaming abroad, and device coverage. - [Best VPN for Windows in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/windows): The best VPN for Windows in 2026, ranked on a kill switch that survives sleep, per-app split tunnelling, protection against the Windows DNS leak, WireGuard speed, and record. - [Best VPN for public WiFi in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best-vpn/public-wifi): The best VPNs for hotel, airport and cafe WiFi in 2026, ranked on kill switch behaviour, auto-connect and reconnection — plus what the risk actually is now. ## Countries - [Best VPN for China in 2026: what still gets through the Great Firewall](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/china): Which VPNs still work in China in 2026, what the law says about using one, why plain protocols get throttled, and what to install before you land. Re-checked monthly. - [Best VPN for Australia in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/australia): The best VPN for Australia in 2026: what two-year metadata retention means, why local providers rank lower, which VPNs handle long-haul speed, and streaming both ways. - [Best VPN for Germany in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/germany): The best VPN for Germany in 2026: why torrenting without a VPN gets you an Abmahnung letter, the data retention saga, Fourteen Eyes, Frankfurt capacity, and streaming. - [Best VPN for India in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/india): The best VPN for India in 2026: why every major provider pulled its Indian servers after the 2022 CERT-In logging rules, what virtual Indian servers are, and what to use. - [Best VPN for Bangladesh in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/bangladesh): Bangladesh cut the internet entirely for days in July 2024. What a VPN does and does not solve there, and which providers work when platforms are blocked. - [Best VPN for Brazil in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/brazil): Brazil briefly ordered daily fines for using a VPN to reach X, then withdrew them. What that means, and which VPNs have real Sao Paulo capacity. - [Best VPN for Egypt in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/egypt): Egypt blocks hundreds of news sites and inspects traffic for VPN protocols. Which VPNs still connect from Egyptian networks, and why obfuscation is mandatory. - [Best VPN for Indonesia in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/indonesia): Indonesia runs one of the largest positive-list filters and has blocked Reddit, Vimeo and Netflix. Which VPNs work there, and what MR5 changed. - [Best VPN for Iran in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/iran): Which VPNs work in Iran in 2026 through the national filter and shutdowns, what the law and the 2024 resolution mean for users, and how to get and pay for one inside Iran. - [Best VPN for Canada in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/canada): The best VPN for Canada in 2026: what privacy law and Five Eyes membership mean for you, which providers have real Canadian servers for Crave and CBC, and what to avoid. - [Best VPN for Russia in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/russia): Which VPNs still work in Russia in 2026 as Roskomnadzor blocks protocols and provider sites, what the law says, why WireGuard and OpenVPN fail, and what to install first. - [Best VPN for Japan in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/japan): The best VPN for Japan in 2026: which providers have real Tokyo and Osaka servers, reaching Japanese Netflix and Abema from abroad, gaming latency, and privacy for residents. - [Best VPN for the UAE and Dubai in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/uae): Which VPNs work in the UAE and Dubai in 2026, what the cybercrime law actually prohibits, why WhatsApp and FaceTime calls are blocked, and how to stay within the rules. - [Best VPN for Singapore in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/singapore): Singapore barely filters, so the case for a VPN is different. What POFMA does, why Singapore is Asia's best exit, and which providers to pick. - [Best VPN for Saudi Arabia in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/saudi-arabia): Saudi Arabia filters heavily but does not block VPN protocols, and unblocked VoIP in 2017. What is still filtered, and which VPNs to use. - [Best VPN for Pakistan in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/pakistan): Pakistan requires VPNs to register with the PTA and has kept X blocked since 2024. Which VPNs still work, and why obfuscation matters there. - [Best VPN for the UK in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/uk): The best VPN for the UK in 2026: Online Safety Act age checks, the Investigatory Powers Act and ISP logging, which providers keep BBC iPlayer working, and what to avoid. - [Best VPN for Turkey in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/turkey): The best VPN for Turkey in 2026: how on-off blocking of social media works, why obfuscation helps during throttling, which provider sites BTK has blocked, and what to use. - [Best VPN for the United States in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/usa): The best VPN for the United States in 2026: why US ISPs can legally sell your browsing history, which states require ID for adult sites, Five Eyes, and what to use. - [Best VPN for Vietnam in 2026](https://vpnandprivacy.com/vpn/vietnam): Vietnam requires local data storage and real-name accounts, and throttles rather than blocks. Which VPNs work, and why the risk is legal not technical. ## Reviews - [1Password review: polish, a Secret Key, and a closed box](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/1password): Families and non-technical households where an app people actually enjoy using is the difference between adoption and abandonment, and travellers crossing borders with devices. - [AirVPN review: the most transparent network, in the wrong country](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/airvpn): Torrenters who need real port forwarding, technical users who want to see what the network is doing, and anyone tired of introductory pricing. - [AdGuard VPN review: good protocol, unfinished disclosure](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/adguard-vpn): Users in countries that fingerprint VPN protocols, existing AdGuard customers, and anyone who wants ad blocking and a tunnel from one subscription. - [Bitdefender VPN review: two companies, one product](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/bitdefender-vpn): Existing Bitdefender Total Security customers who want a tunnel for public Wi-Fi without evaluating another vendor. - [Brave review: the best default, from a company that sells advertising](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/brave): Most people who want strong privacy defaults without configuring anything, and anyone choosing a browser for a phone. - [Astrill review: it works in China, and that is the whole case for it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/astrill): A second provider for China, on a laptop, for someone who can afford the premium and values connecting over everything else. - [Bitwarden review: the vault you are allowed to inspect](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/bitwarden): Almost everyone starting from nothing, people who want to read the code that guards their vault, and anyone who wants to run the server themselves. - [CyberGhost review: easy streaming, honest audits, and an owner that also owns the review sites](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/cyberghost): Streaming on a few devices without trial and error, beginners who want labelled servers, and anyone who wants the longest refund window to try a VPN risk-free. - [DeleteMe review: fifteen years of removing people who keep coming back](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/deleteme): United States residents who want the most established operator in the category, human handling of stubborn listings, and a free scan showing the problem before they pay for it. - [DuckDuckGo review: the sensible default, and the supplier behind it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/duckduckgo): Anyone who wants to stop handing a search profile to Google without changing how they work, and who values bang shortcuts and a large, well scrutinised user base. - [F-Secure VPN review: the ownership is the product](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/f-secure-vpn): People who care more about who owns the company than about what the app can do, and existing F-Secure Total subscribers. - [ExpressVPN review: excellent engineering, expensive, and owned by a company that also owns the referees](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/expressvpn): Travel to China and the UAE, households that want the smoothest apps on every platform including Apple TV, and anyone who wants a VPN router without configuring one. - [Firefox review: independence funded by the company it competes with](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/firefox): Desktop users who will configure a browser, anyone who wants container tabs, and readers who care about keeping a second engine alive. - [hide.me review: the affordable provider nobody is paid enough to recommend](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/hide-me): Budget users who want an audited provider outside the alliances, free-tier users who do not want to register, and torrenters who want port forwarding cheaply. - [Hotspot Shield review: a big install base, a fast protocol, and a free tier you pay for with data](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/hotspot-shield): Not recommended. If you already have it bundled with an Aura or Pango security plan, the paid tier works for basic Wi-Fi protection. - [IVPN review: the quiet one that tells you when you do not need a VPN](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/ivpn): Privacy-first users who want an alternative or complement to Mullvad, and anyone who values a company that publishes its team and its limits. - [FastestVPN review: cheap, and we cannot tell you who runs it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/fastestvpn): Nobody we can identify. If price is the only consideration, several audited providers cost little more over three years. - [Incogni review: good value, and you should know who holds your file](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/incogni): People in the EU or UK who want broker removal that does not assume an American address, and anyone who wants the category's lowest mainstream price with a dashboard attached. - [IPVanish review: a decent network with a record it cannot outrun](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/ipvanish): Not recommended. Existing subscribers on Fire TV get a workable streaming app; anyone choosing fresh should look at the recommended list. - [LastPass review: the one case where the worst outcome actually happened](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/lastpass): Existing users who have not migrated yet, and who need to understand what to do about credentials that were in a vault taken in 2022. - [MEGA VPN review: sensible bundle, awkward address](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/mega-vpn): Existing MEGA storage subscribers on a larger plan, who effectively get it at no extra cost. - [Mullvad review: the VPN that designed out the reason to trust it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/mullvad): Anyone whose threat model includes the subscription itself, torrenters who download rather than seed, and people who want a VPN that never asks for anything and never changes its price. - [NordVPN review: the biggest network, priced for people who forget to cancel](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/nordvpn): Streaming across many regions, travel including China with obfuscated servers, users who want a dedicated IP or Tor-over-VPN, and anyone who values a long audit history. - [Norton VPN review: a brand you know, attached to a VPN you should not](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/norton-vpn): Not recommended. Norton 360 subscribers who already have it can use it for basic Wi-Fi protection; anyone choosing a VPN should look elsewhere. - [Private Internet Access review: the strongest evidence and the weakest jurisdiction](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/private-internet-access): Torrenting with port forwarding, Linux users who want a real desktop client, households with many devices, and anyone who wants open-source apps at the lowest price. - [Proton Pass review: the ownership answer, still growing into the product](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/proton-pass): People who put the owner of the company above every other consideration, and anyone already paying for Proton VPN or Proton Mail who gets it as part of the bundle. - [Proton VPN review: the one to choose when you want to stop thinking about who owns your VPN](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/proton-vpn): Privacy-motivated users, journalists and people in censored countries, torrenters who want port forwarding without US jurisdiction, and anyone who wants a free VPN that is not funded by their data. - [Proton Mail review: the default choice, and the limits nobody prints](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/proton-mail): Anyone leaving Gmail who wants a mailbox their provider cannot read, plus an encrypted calendar and drive on the same account. - [Signal review: the strongest default, with two structural compromises](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/signal): Almost anyone replacing SMS or WhatsApp, journalists and their sources, and anyone who wants strong defaults without configuring anything. - [PrivadoVPN review: cheap, Swiss, and still unproven](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/privadovpn): Free-tier users who want 10 GB a month with a country choice, and budget users who want the cheapest paid plan and do not need obfuscation. - [Startpage review: excellent product, uncomfortable shareholder](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/startpage): People who want Google's result quality without Google's profile, and who will use the proxy view to open results without being tracked by the destination. - [StrongVPN review: an old name with a familiar owner](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/strongvpn): Households wanting twelve simultaneous connections and router support from an established brand, where jurisdiction is not a concern. - [Surfshark review: the value pick, if you manage the renewal](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/surfshark): Households with many devices, budget-conscious users who want full streaming support, and anyone who wants Nord Security's infrastructure at a lower price than NordVPN. - [Telegram review: a superb app with a security reputation it never earned](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/telegram): Large public channels, big group communities, and anyone who values cloud sync and app quality over confidentiality. - [Tor Browser review: anonymity by looking like everybody else](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/tor-browser): Journalists, researchers, whistleblowers, and anyone in a country where being seen reaching a page is itself the risk. - [Tuta review: the most thoroughly encrypted mailbox, and the least compatible](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/tuta): Open-source purists, budget-conscious buyers who want the price to stay put, and anyone whose priority is how much of the mailbox is encrypted. - [TunnelBear review: the most transparent apps, the least ambitious service](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/tunnelbear): First-time VPN users who want a simple app and a company that publishes its audits, and anyone who wants to try a VPN with 2 GB free before committing. - [Windscribe review: the honest Canadian with the best free tier after Proton](https://vpnandprivacy.com/reviews/windscribe): Anyone who wants a real free tier, budget users who want flat pricing, and users who value a founder-owned company that tells the truth about its mistakes. ## Head to head - [ExpressVPN vs NordVPN: which of the two giants to buy](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/expressvpn-vs-nordvpn): ExpressVPN vs NordVPN in 2026: Kape versus Nord Security ownership, price over three years, China and UAE reliability, streaming, iOS app quality - [Mullvad vs IVPN: the two providers nobody is paid to recommend](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/mullvad-vs-ivpn): Mullvad vs IVPN in 2026: two founder-owned, audited, no-affiliate providers compared on anonymous accounts, jurisdiction, network size, multi-hop and price. - [ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN: which one deserves the premium](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/expressvpn-vs-proton-vpn): ExpressVPN vs Proton VPN in 2026: Kape versus a Swiss non-profit, closed versus open-source apps, China and Iran reliability, streaming, price over three years - [ExpressVPN vs Surfshark: paying double for what, exactly?](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/expressvpn-vs-surfshark): ExpressVPN vs Surfshark in 2026: price over three years, device limits, streaming, China and UAE reliability, Kape versus Nord Security ownership, and iOS app quality. - [Proton VPN vs Mullvad: which privacy-first VPN is right for you](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/proton-vpn-vs-mullvad): Proton VPN vs Mullvad in 2026: Swiss non-profit versus Swedish founder ownership, anonymous accounts, audits and court records, streaming, censorship bypass, and price. - [NordVPN vs Proton VPN: scale against principle](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/nordvpn-vs-proton-vpn): NordVPN vs Proton VPN in 2026: Nord Security versus a Swiss non-profit, open versus closed apps, streaming and censorship reliability, price after renewal, and app quality. - [Private Internet Access vs NordVPN: the value pick against the flagship](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/private-internet-access-vs-nordvpn): Private Internet Access vs NordVPN in 2026: US versus Panama jurisdiction, Kape versus Nord Security, open source, port forwarding, price, streaming, and which to buy. - [Surfshark vs CyberGhost: the two cheapest majors, compared](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/surfshark-vs-cyberghost): Surfshark vs CyberGhost in 2026: price over three years, unlimited devices versus a 45-day refund, streaming-labelled servers, censorship bypass - [NordVPN vs Surfshark: the comparison their own sites will not give you](https://vpnandprivacy.com/compare/nordvpn-vs-surfshark): NordVPN and Surfshark have shared an owner since 2022. We compare price after renewal, features, streaming, censorship bypass and iOS app quality, and say which to buy. ## Alternatives and switching - [Surfshark alternatives for people who bought it on price](https://vpnandprivacy.com/alternatives/surfshark): Surfshark's owner is Nord Security, its renewal is roughly triple the intro price, and Prime Video is patchy. Four alternatives that fix one of those, and how to switch. - [LastPass alternatives, and how to move a vault without losing it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/alternatives/lastpass): The 2022 breach put customer vaults in an attacker's hands, and those files are still being cracked offline. Four managers to move to, and how to migrate safely. - [ExpressVPN alternatives, and the conflict of interest behind the reviews](https://vpnandprivacy.com/alternatives/expressvpn): ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns three of the review sites that rank it first. What that means, and four providers worth moving to instead. - [NordVPN alternatives, ranked by what happens in year two](https://vpnandprivacy.com/alternatives/nordvpn): Why people leave NordVPN, what the record says about the renewal price and the ownership, and four providers worth moving to, with the steps to switch without paying twice. ## Guides - [Are VPNs legal? Where it is, where it is complicated](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/are-vpns-legal): VPNs are legal almost everywhere. The exceptions, what the law actually says in China, Russia, the UAE, Iran and Turkey - [How to cancel a VPN subscription, and actually get the refund](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/cancel-vpn-subscription): Where to cancel depending on where you bought it, how the App Store and Google Play refund processes differ from the provider's - [How to set up a VPN on your router](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/set-up-vpn-router): Which routers can run a VPN, how to install one on ASUS, GL.iNet and OpenWrt, how much speed it costs, and how to route only some devices through the tunnel. - [VPN kill switches, and how to find out whether yours works](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/kill-switch-explained): The difference between a reactive kill switch and a firewall-level one, why the gap matters for torrenting, and how to test the switch you have in about two minutes. - [VPN protocols explained, and when to change yours](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/vpn-protocols-explained): WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and the proprietary protocols compared on speed, battery, reconnect time and censorship resistance - [How to fix a DNS leak](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/fix-dns-leak): What a DNS leak is, why Windows causes most of them, how to confirm one from a terminal, and the exact setting to change on each platform so your queries go through the - [How to choose a VPN](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/choose-a-vpn): A buying guide in the order that actually matters: who owns it, has anyone audited it, what does it cost after renewal, and does it do the specific job you need. - [VPN not connecting? Work through these in order](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/vpn-not-connecting): A VPN that will not connect, connects and drops, or connects with no internet: the nine causes in order of likelihood, with the fix for each on Windows, Mac - [Why your VPN is slow, and how to fix it](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/vpn-slow-fix): How much speed a VPN should cost you, how to measure it properly with the tunnel off and on, and the five causes of a genuinely slow connection in the order worth trying. - [How to set up a VPN on your iPhone](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/set-up-vpn-iphone): Three ways to set up a VPN on iPhone or iPad: the provider app, a manual IKEv2 or WireGuard profile, and the on-demand rules that keep it connected. Plus how to cancel. - [What is a VPN, and what does it actually hide?](https://vpnandprivacy.com/guides/what-is-a-vpn): A plain explanation of what a VPN does, what it hides from whom, the four things it cannot protect you from, and how to decide whether you need one at all. ## Free tools - [What is my IP?](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/what-is-my-ip): Your public address, country, ISP and what your browser reveals alongside it. - [VPN leak test](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/leak-test): DNS, WebRTC, IPv6 and timezone leaks — the four ways a VPN gives you away. - [VPN speed test](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/speed-test): Download, upload and latency. Run it with the VPN off, then on, and compare. - [Kill switch test](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/kill-switch-test): Watches your IP while you disconnect the VPN and times how long you were exposed. - [DNS server & ISP lookup](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/dns-server): Which resolver answers your DNS queries, and who your connection belongs to. - [Blocked in China checker](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/blocked-in-china): Is a site reachable from China, Iran, Russia, Turkey or the UAE? Curated, dated data. - [Browser fingerprint test](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/browser-fingerprint): How unique your browser looks to trackers even with a VPN on. - [Torrent IP exposure check](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/torrent-ip-check): The address your torrent client actually announces to trackers. - [Password generator](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/password-generator): Strong passwords and passphrases, with a strength check. Runs offline. - [Email breach checker](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/email-breach-check): Has your address appeared in a known data breach? Checked without sending it in full. - [True cost calculator](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/true-cost-calculator): What a VPN really costs per month once the intro price expires and renewal kicks in. - [Netflix library explorer](https://vpnandprivacy.com/tools/netflix-library-explorer): Which country has the show you want, so you know where to connect. ## Optional - [Who owns your VPN](https://vpnandprivacy.com/ownership): The ownership map as a browsable page, one page per parent company - [Not recommended](https://vpnandprivacy.com/not-recommended): Products we advise against, with the reason stated for each - [Deals](https://vpnandprivacy.com/deals): Current offers shown next to the renewal price they turn into - [Categories covered](https://vpnandprivacy.com/best): Rankings across 7 privacy-tool categories, not VPNs alone