HOW WE TESTED…
VPNs are notoriously difficult to test. Their performance can vary a lot across different global locations and device types – and figures from speed tests and other benchmarks tend to change over time, so you need to retest regularly. Plus, VPN services are by nature secretive black boxes, so it’s hard to verify claims such as a no-logging policy. The process is to subject these VPN services to a custom array of tests designed to determine which ones to avoid.
Features We gather as many technical details as possible, analysing things such as network size, server locations, and supported protocols and encryption methods.
Security We analyse and probe privacy policies and encryption methods, and pay attention to any independent security audits that the provider has undergone. We also run our own tests to verify DNS leak protection and kill switches. Performance Using multiple device types over a 1Gb/s internet connection, we measure connection speeds multiple times at regular points during the course of a day (and regularly throughout the year), and check connection times. Unblocking abilities We test the ability to unblock region-restricted content across global platforms such as Hulu, Netflix, Disney+ and more. Support We engage with the customer support offerings, such as live chat and email. We also analyse the help sections on the providers’ own websites.
VPNs are notoriously difficult to test. Their performance can vary a lot across different global locations and device types – and figures from speed tests and other benchmarks tend to change over time, so you need to retest regularly. Plus, VPN services are by nature secretive black boxes, so it’s hard to verify claims such as a no-logging policy. The process is to subject these VPN services to a custom array of tests designed to determine which ones to avoid.