How we rank: VPN services
The Score (0–100) is a weighted sum of the factors below. Each factor is the weighted average of its metrics; each metric is calculated from one published fact. Missing facts score zero, and a service is ranked only when enough of its Score is backed by facts.
A service is ranked only when at least 70% of its Score is backed by verified facts.
Privacy & security 35%
Independent verification of the no-logs policy, how recent the last audit is, RAM-only servers, the jurisdiction of the operating company, modern protocols, open-source apps and a kill switch.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| No-logs policy independently audited | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Latest independent audit | This year = 100, minus 100/5 per year |
| RAM-only servers | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Jurisdiction | Five Eyes = 30, Fourteen Eyes = 60, other = 100 |
| WireGuard protocol | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Open-source apps | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Kill switch | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
Network & features 25%
Number of countries (where you can connect), simultaneous devices per account, server count (log scale: the first thousand servers matter most) and split tunneling.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| Server countries | Linear from 0 (0) to 100 (100) |
| Simultaneous devices | Unlimited = 100; linear from 1 to 10 |
| Servers | Logarithmic, full score at 10,000 |
| Split tunneling | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
Price & terms 20%
Lowest effective monthly price on the longest plan, the 1-month price, the refund window and whether a free plan exists. Lower prices score higher.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| Best price per month (long plan) | Linear from 1.5 (100) to 8 (0) — lower is better |
| 1-month plan | Linear from 5 (100) to 15 (0) — lower is better |
| Money-back guarantee | Linear from 0 (0) to 45 (100) |
| Free plan | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
User reputation 12%
App Store and Google Play ratings. A rating of 3★ scores 0 and 5★ scores 100; the score is damped when there are few ratings (full weight at 500,000).
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| App Store rating | 3★ = 0, 5★ = 100, damped below 500,000 ratings |
Transparency 8%
A public transparency report (government and legal requests) and track record: 15+ years on the market gets full credit.
| Metric | Rule |
|---|---|
| Transparency report | Yes = 100, No = 0 |
| Founded | Full score at 15+ years |