20 PROVIDERS TRACKED·TOP SCOUT SCORE EXPRESSVPN 95·CHEAPEST TRACKED PLAN $1.59/MO (CYBERGHOST)·NO SPONSORED RANKINGS
Choose a VPN
on evidence, not ads.
Most VPN rankings are ads in disguise. VPNScout scores 20 providers from documented evidence — privacy policies, independent audits, jurisdictions, published third-party tests and real plan pricing — and shows you exactly how each score is built.
No sponsored rankings. We don't run a private lab — and we say so.
Start with your question
“Which VPN can I actually trust?”
Every provider scored on documented evidence: policies, audit history, jurisdiction — with the methodology public.
See all providers“Does it matter where a VPN is based?”
A lot. 5/14-Eyes membership and data-retention laws change your real privacy. Our tier guide explains it.
Jurisdiction guide“Which one works with Netflix?”
Use-case lists built from documented unblocking track records — streaming, torrenting, gaming, budget.
Best by use case“NordVPN or Surfshark?”
Head-to-head comparisons on the criteria that differ — not 2,000 words about both being “great”.
Compare head-to-headAll 20 providers, one honest table
Full details →| Provider | Scout Score | Privacy | Speed | Streaming | From | Jurisdiction | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 95 | 94 | 95 | 96 | $2.49/mo | VG · tier 1 | Review → |
| NordVPN | 94 | 95 | 88 | 92 | $3.49/mo | PA · tier 1 | Review → |
| ProtonVPN | 93 | 97 | 91 | 88 | $2.99/mo | CH · tier 1 | Review → |
| Surfshark | 91 | 88 | 90 | 93 | $2.49/mo | NL · tier 3 | Review → |
| Mullvad | 89 | 99 | 88 | 60 | $5/mo | SE · tier 3 | Review → |
| Private Internet Access | 88 | 87 | 86 | 84 | $3.33/mo | US · tier 4 | Review → |
| CyberGhost | 87 | 87 | 84 | 91 | $1.59/mo | RO · tier 2 | Review → |
| Windscribe | 86 | 89 | 84 | 82 | $5.75/mo | CA · tier 4 | Review → |
| IPVanish | 84 | 82 | 87 | 80 | $2.19/mo | US · tier 4 | Review → |
| Mozilla VPN | 83 | 92 | 86 | 64 | $4.99/mo | US · tier 4 | Review → |
| AirVPN | 82 | 91 | 78 | 65 | $2.75/mo | IT · tier 3 | Review → |
| hide.me | 81 | 85 | 83 | 76 | $2.59/mo | MY · tier 2 | Review → |
| VyprVPN | 80 | 87 | 81 | 75 | $3/mo | CH · tier 1 | Review → |
| Bitdefender Premium VPN | 80 | 84 | — | — | — | RO · tier 2 | Review → |
| TunnelBear | 79 | 81 | 75 | 70 | $3.33/mo | CA · tier 4 | Review → |
| PureVPN | 78 | 74 | 80 | 81 | $2.15/mo | VG · tier 1 | Review → |
| Hotspot Shield | 77 | 68 | 95 | 84 | $2.42/mo | US · tier 4 | Review → |
| PrivadoVPN | 76 | 76 | — | — | $10.99/mo | IS · tier 1 | Review → |
| PrivateVPN | 76 | 80 | 75 | 88 | $2/mo | SE · tier 3 | Review → |
| Norton VPN | 76 | 76 | — | — | $6.67/mo | US · tier 4 | Review → |
Scout Score = documented evidence: security features, jurisdiction, independent audit history, published third-party tests and pricing transparency — full methodology. Prices are vendor list prices we track; "—" means we haven't verified plan pricing yet.
Where your VPN lives matters
Full jurisdiction guide →Tier 1 · Best
Switzerland, Panama, BVI — strong privacy law, no retention
Tier 2 · Good
Romania, Malaysia, Netherlands — solid protections
Tier 3 · Concerns
14-Eyes members — intelligence-sharing agreements
Tier 4 · Caution
5-Eyes (US, UK, AU, CA, NZ) — strongest surveillance reach
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