Privacy/legal
30%
No-logs signals, audits, jurisdiction, ownership, and privacy controls.
EU privacy buyer guide
Compare VPNs by privacy, jurisdiction, and real buyer tradeoffs.
A static, source-backed ranking for people who care about GDPR posture, EU sovereignty, logging claims, data retention, audits, price, and practical VPN features.
Comparison table
Ranked VPN offerings
Filter the curated dataset by legal posture, technical features, buyer use case, and effective monthly price.
10 of 10 providers shown
| Comparison criteria | #1 Mullvad 87Strong | #2 Surfshark 87Strong | #3 Proton VPN 86Strong | #4 CyberGhost 86Strong | #5 IVPN 82Strong | #6 NordVPN 77Balanced | #7 ExpressVPN 74Balanced | #8 Private Internet Access 72Balanced | #9 Windscribe 69Acceptable | #10 Mozilla VPN 67Acceptable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 87 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 82 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 69 | 67 |
| Effective monthly price | €5.00 | €3.39 | €3.99 | €6.99 | n/a | n/a | €3.49 | €3.10 | n/a | €4.99 |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden | Netherlands | Switzerland | Romania | Gibraltar | Panama | British Virgin Islands | United States | Canada | United States |
| Ownership | Europe | Europe | Europe | Europe | Europe | Europe | Global | North America | North America | North America |
| Subscription options | 1 mo · €5.00/mo | 1 mo · €16.45/mo 15 mo · €3.39/mo 27 mo · €2.29/moBest deal | 1 mo · €9.99/mo 12 mo · €3.99/mo renews at €6.99/mo 24 mo · €2.99/moBest deal renews at €6.99/mo | 1 mo · €11.99/mo 6 mo · €6.99/mo 26 mo · €1.59/moBest deal | 1 mo · $6.00/mo 12 mo · $5.00/moBest deal | 1 mo · $12.99/mo 12 mo · $4.99/mo 27 mo · $3.49/moBest deal | 1 mo · €13.99/mo 15 mo · €3.49/mo renews at €6.66/mo 28 mo · €2.29/moBest deal renews at €6.66/mo | 1 mo · €11.69/mo 12 mo · €3.10/mo renews at €3.10/mo 39 mo · €1.29/moBest deal renews at €1.94/mo | 1 mo · $9.00/mo 12 mo · $5.75/moBest deal | 1 mo · €9.99/mo 12 mo · €4.99/moBest deal |
| Privacy score | 89 | 74 | 89 | 75 | 88 | 76 | 72 | 75 | 59 | 61 |
| EU score | 96 | 96 | 73 | 96 | 65 | 65 | 56 | 43 | 55 | 43 |
| GDPR posture | Strong GDPR posture | Strong GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Strong GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture | Adequate GDPR posture |
| EU sovereignty | EU-owned / EU-headquartered | EU-owned / EU-headquartered | European privacy jurisdiction | EU-owned / EU-headquartered | European privacy jurisdiction | EU jurisdiction | Global / non-EU | Global / non-EU | Global / non-EU | Global / non-EU |
| No-logs claim | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Independent audit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Data retention | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | No identifying logs | Minimal operational retention | Minimal operational retention |
| RAM-only servers | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Anonymous payments | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, Stealth | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | NordLynx, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | Lightway, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth | WireGuard |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Smart TV, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Smart TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Smart TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Smart TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Smart TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Router, Browser extension, Smart TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Plan terms | 0-day refund | 30-day refund | Free plan · 30-day refund | 45-day refund | 30-day refund | 30-day refund | 30-day refund | 30-day refund | Free plan · 0-day refund | 30-day refund |
| Streaming | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| P2P | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| External rating | 96/100 | 85/100 | 91/100 | 84/100 | 89/100 | 87/100 | 83/100 | 80/100 | 83/100 | 78/100 |
| Last reviewed | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 |
| Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source | Primary source |
* Affiliate link: If you purchase through a marked link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not affect scores or rankings.
Introductory prices apply to the first billing term; renewal prices are shown where the provider discloses them.
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Methodology
Independent ranking built for privacy-first buyers
We score VPNs from a buyer's point of view: clarity of logging and jurisdiction, practical privacy features, day-to-day performance, support quality, and overall value. Rankings may include affiliate links, but the methodology stays independent and is based on curated public sources, provider documentation, and hands-on review.
- We prioritize what matters to people choosing a VPN for everyday privacy, travel, and public Wi-Fi.
- We do not let affiliate partnerships decide the order or the score.
- We review public sources and provider materials before publishing or updating any ranking.
EU sovereignty/GDPR
25%
EU entities, EU servers, GDPR posture, and European privacy jurisdictions.
Product/value
35%
Protocols, platforms, features, refund policy, free plans, and effective monthly price.
Source confidence
10%
Source count, normalized ratings, and review-date freshness.
Source freshness
Reviewed against curated public sources and provider documentation.
When providers change features, pricing, or policies, we refresh the entry and note the review date so readers can judge freshness.
Legal note
This comparison is informational only and is not legal, security, or financial advice. Readers should check the provider's terms, privacy policy, refund conditions, and the laws that apply in their own country before buying.
FAQ
Common questions
Do affiliate links change the ranking?
No. Rankings are based on the methodology, not the affiliate relationship. Affiliate links are disclosed separately and never replace editorial judgment.
What sources do you use?
We use provider documentation, public support pages, pricing pages, privacy policies, and other curated public sources. We also verify the details we can reasonably confirm before publishing.
How often is the comparison updated?
We update entries when public information changes or when a fresh review is needed. Each entry should show a review date so you can see how current it is.
Does a higher score mean total anonymity?
No. A VPN can improve privacy and reduce exposure, but it does not make you anonymous or replace careful browsing habits, account security, or local laws.