Why No-Log Claims Are Not All Equal
Every VPN provider claims to have a no-log policy. The difference is in what that means in practice and whether it has been independently verified. Some providers have had their claims tested by government requests or court orders, and the results were revealing. A true no-log provider has nothing to hand over when compelled by legal process.
What a Real No-Log Policy Covers
A meaningful no-log policy means no connection timestamps, no IP addresses, no DNS queries, no traffic content, and no session duration data. Some providers claim not to log traffic but do log connection times and original IPs. This is enough to identify which user was connected when, even without the traffic content.
Mullvad VPN
Mullvad requires no email address to create an account. You get an account number and pay anonymously. They have been audited multiple times and had their servers searched by Swedish police in 2023. The police left with nothing because there was nothing to find. For people who need privacy to be real rather than just marketed, Mullvad is the benchmark.
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is operated by the team behind ProtonMail, which has a long track record in privacy infrastructure. They are based in Switzerland with strong privacy laws. They have undergone independent audits. The free tier offers unlimited data, which is unusual. For users who want a trusted name with strong infrastructure, ProtonVPN is a consistent recommendation.
IVPN
IVPN is a smaller provider with a strong technical reputation. Like Mullvad, they do not require an email to sign up. They are audited regularly and publish the results. Their pricing is usage-based rather than bandwidth-based, which suits privacy-focused users who may not need a VPN continuously running.
What to Avoid
Free VPNs that make money from advertising or data sales, providers based in 14-Eyes countries with poor track records, and any provider that has had logs handed over to authorities despite no-log claims are worth avoiding if privacy is the goal.