We don't run a testing lab, and we'd rather you knew that from the start. The VPNs we recommend are chosen through careful research: who has independently checked a provider's privacy claims, how it has behaved when things went wrong, whether it has the features our readers actually need, and what it costs. This page explains what we look at, where our information comes from, and what we don't do.

Why we're upfront about this

Plenty of VPN sites say they've tested everything themselves. Proper speed and streaming testing across lots of servers and services takes a dedicated setup and a lot of time, and the results can change within days when a streaming service updates its detection. We don't do that kind of testing, so we don't claim it.

What we can do is read the evidence carefully, check it against more than one source, and explain our reasoning in plain English. That way you can decide for yourself how much weight to give our picks.

Independent no-logs audits

Almost every VPN says it doesn't keep logs of what you do. On its own, that promise isn't worth much. What we look for is a no-logs policy that has been checked by an independent auditor, ideally more than once, with a named firm and a published report or summary you can read.

We also read what the audit actually covered. Some audits look at the whole service; others only check one part of it, such as the server setup or a single app. A recent, wide-ranging audit counts for more than an old, narrow one.

Track record

A provider's history tells you a lot about how it treats your data in real life, not just on paper. We look at things like:

  • Server seizures and legal requests: when authorities have taken a provider's servers or asked for user data, did anything identifying actually turn up? Cases where nothing useful was found are some of the strongest evidence a no-logs policy holds up.
  • Security incidents: no company is immune to problems. What matters is whether the provider owned up promptly, explained what happened and fixed it, or tried to play it down.
  • Ownership and transparency: who owns the company, where it's based, and whether it publishes transparency reports or runs a bug bounty programme.

Features that matter to our readers

Most people who read this site want to stream, travel or stay safe on public wi-fi, so we focus on the features that make a difference there:

  • Kill switch: cuts your internet if the VPN drops, so your real location isn't exposed. We check whether it's available on every platform, not just desktop.
  • DNS leak protection: stops your device sending location-revealing requests outside the VPN. You can check this yourself with our IP and DNS checker.
  • UK server coverage: lots of our readers want to watch UK services from abroad, so a good spread of UK servers matters.
  • Streaming support: whether the provider says it works with the services our readers use, and whether that's backed up by independent reviewers and reader reports.
  • Device apps: proper apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and streaming devices like Fire TV, plus clear instructions for routers.
  • Money-back guarantee: a fair refund window means you can try a service yourself and walk away if it doesn't suit you.

Price and fair terms

We look at what a VPN really costs, not just the headline deal. That includes the price when a plan renews, how many devices you can use at once, and how easy it is to cancel and get a refund. A cheap first year doesn't help much if the renewal price is a nasty surprise.

Where our information comes from

We try never to rely on a single source. For each provider, we draw on:

  • The provider's own help pages, setup guides and published policies, read in full rather than skimmed for marketing claims
  • Published audit reports and the auditors' own statements
  • Reputable independent reviews and test results from established technology publications and security researchers
  • Reputable news reporting on incidents, court cases and ownership changes
  • Reports from our own readers about what is and isn't working for them

Where sources disagree, we say so, or we hold back until the picture is clearer. Phrases like "military-grade encryption" or "zero logs guaranteed" don't count as evidence on their own.

What we don't do

We don't run our own lab speed tests, and we don't run our own streaming tests against services like BBC iPlayer or Netflix. Speeds depend heavily on your own connection and where you are, and streaming access can change from one week to the next. When we talk about speed or streaming, we're drawing on the provider's documentation, independent test results and what readers tell us.

That's one reason we put so much weight on money-back guarantees. The most reliable test of whether a VPN works for you is trying it on your own devices and connection, with the option of a refund if it doesn't.

Some pages on this site contain affiliate links. If you click through and subscribe, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. That's how we fund the site. Our current affiliate partners, and the three VPNs we recommend, are NordVPN, ExpressVPN and PureVPN. You can see the full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.

Commission rates play no part in which VPNs we recommend. A provider can't pay to be included, and having an affiliate deal doesn't guarantee a recommendation. If a partner's audits, track record or features stopped stacking up, we'd stop recommending it. Not having a deal doesn't stop us writing about a provider either. Our Editorial Policy explains how we keep the two separate.

When we change a recommendation

Our picks aren't set in stone. We look at them again when there's a reason to: a new or failed audit, a security incident, a change of ownership, a big price change, or a pattern of reader reports saying something has stopped working. When we update a guide, we show the new date and a short note explaining what changed.

If you've had a problem with a VPN we recommend, please tell us through the contact form. Reader reports are one of the best early warnings we get.

Frequently asked questions

No, not in a lab. We don't run our own speed or streaming tests. Our recommendations are based on independent audits, each provider's track record, its features and price, its own documentation, reputable independent reviews and test results, and what our readers tell us.

Because we show our working. We favour VPNs whose privacy claims have been checked by independent auditors and whose history backs those claims up, and we explain our reasoning in plain English. We'd also always suggest choosing a VPN with a money-back guarantee, so you can try it yourself without risk.

No. Commission rates play no part in our choices. Our three current recommendations are also our affiliate partners, and we're open about that on our Affiliate Disclosure page. If any of them stopped meeting the standards on this page, we'd stop recommending it.

We'd rather point you to a small number of providers with strong evidence behind them than a long list we can't stand behind. A short list is also easier to keep up to date.

Connect to the VPN and use our IP and DNS checker. It shows the location websites can see, and whether your DNS requests are going through the VPN or leaking outside it. If anything looks wrong, our troubleshooting guides walk you through the fixes.

Yes, please do. Use the contact form to get in touch. We can't cover every suggestion, but we read everything, and reader interest does shape which providers we look into next.

We look at our recommendations again when something changes, such as a failed audit, a security incident or a run of reader reports. If a provider no longer meets our standards, we update or remove the recommendation and add a note explaining why.