Our VPN Review Process

We understand that choosing the right VPN is crucial to ensuring your online privacy, security, and overall internet experience. Our VPN reviews are designed to help you make informed decisions by providing in-depth evaluations based on real-world testing, performance analysis, and expert insights. We aim to make the complex world of VPNs easy to navigate, offering unbiased, honest, and comprehensive reviews to match every user’s needs.

Our VPN Testing Approach

We conduct hands-on, real-world testing to ensure our VPN reviews are accurate and reliable. We evaluate each VPN’s performance, security, usability, and customer support across multiple devices and platforms. Our goal is to provide unbiased insights to help you choose the best VPN for your needs.

How We Test & Rate VPNs

To ensure a fair and thorough evaluation, we assess each VPN based on several key criteria. Below is the breakdown of how we weigh each factor to calculate the overall rating for a VPN service:

  • Privacy & Jurisdiction – 20%
    We evaluate the VPN’s privacy policies, logging practices, and jurisdiction to ensure your data is secure and private.
  • Security Features – 20%
    We test encryption standards, kill switches, DNS leak protection, and additional features like multi-hop and Tor compatibility to assess the VPN’s security.
  • Performance & Speed – 15%
    We measure download/upload speeds, latency, and connection stability to ensure optimal performance for users.
  • Usability & Interface – 10%
    We assess the user-friendliness, setup process, and compatibility with various devices to ensure the VPN is accessible to all users.
  • Streaming & Geo-Restriction Bypass – 15%
    We test the VPN’s ability to unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, ensuring it bypasses geo-restrictions efficiently.
  • Torrenting & P2P Support – 10%
    We check whether the VPN supports P2P file sharing, assess torrenting speeds, and ensure security during P2P activities.
  • Customer Support – 5%
    We evaluate the availability, responsiveness, and helpfulness of customer support, testing various contact methods like live chat and email.
  • Server Network & Location – 5%
    We evaluate the size and distribution of the VPN’s server network to ensure good coverage for privacy, speed, and content access.

Our Testing Process

1. We Purchase the VPN Subscription

To get the true user experience, we always purchase a subscription for every VPN we test. We believe that this is the only way to gain a genuine understanding of what a VPN service offers. By paying for the subscription ourselves, we ensure impartiality and transparency in our review process. We also test any free versions of the VPNs when available to give you a complete view of the service.

2. Installation and Setup on Multiple Devices

We begin by downloading and installing the VPN software on various devices and platforms to see how it works across different environments. This includes:

  • Windows, macOS, and Linux for desktop applications.
  • iOS and Android for mobile testing.
  • Amazon Fire TV and other compatible devices, where applicable.

By testing across different devices, we gather real-world data on the VPN’s performance and usability, ensuring compatibility and identifying any issues with installation or setup.

3. Security & Privacy Evaluation

Security is the primary reason people use VPNs, so we ensure that every VPN we test meets the highest security standards. Here’s how we evaluate the security aspects of each VPN:

  • Encryption Standards: We check whether the VPN uses top-tier encryption protocols like AES-256, IKEv2, OpenVPN, or WireGuard. This ensures that your data is secure and private while using the VPN.
  • Data Leaks: We perform multiple tests to check for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, which could compromise your anonymity. We use tools like Wireshark to monitor traffic and confirm that the VPN service truly hides your real IP address and data.
  • Kill Switch & DNS Leak Protection: We check if the VPN has features like an Internet Kill Switch (to block internet traffic if the VPN disconnects) and DNS Leak Protection, ensuring your data remains safe even if the VPN fails.
  • Privacy Policy & Jurisdiction: We read through the VPN’s privacy policy to confirm that they don’t log your activity or data. Additionally, we evaluate where the VPN provider is based and whether it falls under any jurisdiction that could compel them to share user data (e.g., 14-Eyes countries).

4. Performance Testing (Speed, Stability, and Latency)

Performance is a critical factor when evaluating VPNs. While privacy and security are paramount, users also expect fast speeds and reliable connections. Here’s how we measure performance:

  • Speed Tests: Using platforms like Speedtest.net, we test both download and upload speeds to determine how well the VPN performs under normal conditions. We test various servers to get an average reading of each VPN’s speed.
  • Latency & Ping: We measure the ping and latency of each VPN server to assess connection responsiveness, which is especially important for gaming and streaming.
  • Connection Stability: We monitor the stability of the VPN’s connection by conducting long-term tests (24-48 hours), checking for connection drops, speed fluctuations, or any interruptions.

5. Streaming and Bypassing Geo-Restrictions

One of the primary reasons people use VPNs is to access content that may be geo-restricted, such as streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more. Here’s how we test VPNs for streaming capabilities:

  • Unblocking Streaming Platforms: We test each VPN to see if it can bypass geo-blocks and access major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video. We identify the best servers to connect to in order to unblock specific content regions.
  • Reliability and Consistency: We test multiple servers for each platform to see if the VPN consistently works with streaming services, avoiding the frustration of constantly switching between servers to find one that works.

6. Torrenting & P2P Support

For users who want to download or share files via torrents, we check whether the VPN supports P2P traffic (Peer-to-Peer). Here’s how we test this:

  • P2P Compatibility: We verify whether the VPN allows torrenting on all or specific servers.
  • Speed & Security: We evaluate the download speeds while torrenting and ensure that the VPN protects users from potential IP or DNS leaks during P2P file sharing.

7. Usability & Interface Review

Not all VPNs are user-friendly, and we believe that ease of use is a key factor for most users. Here’s what we look at when evaluating usability:

  • Interface Design: We assess the simplicity and design of the VPN’s user interface, ensuring it’s easy to navigate and intuitive for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Installation Process: We check how straightforward it is to install the VPN software, including setting up the app, configuring settings, and troubleshooting any potential installation issues.
  • Multi-Device Support: We test how well the VPN works across different devices and platforms, including mobile apps, desktops, and routers.

8. Customer Support Evaluation

Effective customer support is essential for resolving any issues users may encounter. We test the support services of each VPN by:

  • Live Chat & Email: We contact customer support at different times to assess responsiveness, helpfulness, and the quality of the assistance provided.
  • Support Availability: We test the availability of customer support around the clock, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it.
  • Support Knowledge: We evaluate how knowledgeable and effective the support team is in resolving common VPN issues, including troubleshooting connection problems, installation errors, and more.

9. Value for Money

The price of a VPN doesn’t always correlate with its performance or features, so we assess the overall value for money by:

  • Cost vs. Features: We compare the VPN’s cost with its features and performance to ensure that the pricing is justified.
  • Free Trials & Refund Policies: We look into whether the VPN offers a free trial or money-back guarantee, and assess how easy it is to claim a refund if needed.
  • Pricing Plans: We evaluate different subscription plans, looking at options for monthly, yearly, or long-term discounts.