Built by Palo, based in the UK. Not a marketing agency, just a person who spent three years using and testing VPNs. This is a genuine opinion on all of them.
A few years ago I started using a VPN without even knowing what it does and what it does not. I learned there is a lot of misconception, inaccurate, twisted or incomplete information all over the internet. So I decided to look deeper into it. I am not an expert, just a regular person who likes to know what he is doing.
I started with OpenVPN and quickly realised it was not what I expected. It had a messy, uncomfortable feeling to it. I have not touched it since. Instead I started testing alternatives. Over time I went through a lot of them. Some were good, some were not reliable, others had trust issues. And that was when I started testing them properly.
I have a regular internet connection, 75 Mbps, not a laboratory one. I was eager to know if a VPN slows your speed down and by how much. Would it be enough for streaming? For playing games and streaming simultaneously on Twitch?
And then I came across Proton VPN. It was different. It connected straight away, worked seamlessly, and I have been using it ever since when I am not testing others. The speed held up. In fact it dropped just 4% when connected to Netherlands and surrounding EU countries. On longer distances there was a little latency, but the speed still held up and I never noticed a drop below 15%. It was still comfortable, well above the 40 Mbps needed to stream 4K, or the 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload needed to play and stream simultaneously. But honestly, when you are watching a film you are not constantly checking numbers. All you need is comfort, popcorn, and peace of mind that your VPN is doing its job. And Proton VPN did.
But I was determined to finish testing all the major VPN providers, and after the time I spent I have to say I have formed a clear opinion on all of them.
"All you need is comfort, popcorn, and peace of mind that your VPN is doing its job. And Proton VPN did."
I could not find an honest comparison of VPNs. The truth is they are hard to compare directly. Connection speeds vary by country and distance, but other characteristics are very much comparable. The software, ease of use, privacy policies, pricing, and whether providers actually hold up their own claims. Some of them do not.
I also found that VPNs are widely misunderstood and misrepresented, in the worst cases oversold with statements that simply are not true. Mainly that a VPN makes you anonymous. The truth is somewhere in the middle.
I tested every VPN I write about. I do not work for any of them, nor for any press outlet. I look at real speeds on my own internet connection, how the app behaves in day to day use, noting issues, checking privacy policies, and whether providers actually hold up their claims. Not all of them do. Price is a factor too.
I also keep checking back, looking at updates, servers added, and whether speeds have improved. A two year old review is not worth much today, so I update regularly when things change.
Spam and exaggerated claims about what VPNs can do are giving the whole industry a bad name and leaving people making the wrong decisions.
I built TopVPNTested because I wanted people to actually understand and trust the VPN they choose, the same way I trust mine. If you find anything I have written to be wrong or outdated, get in touch. I would rather be corrected than be wrong. I am human after all. Thank you.
Start with our top-rated picks or compare all eight side by side.
See Our Top Pick →