List of VPN Service Providers - 2025

[dkbit98]

Have you tested the speed? I will do it, but I am asking for info beforehand.

Yes I did test it for one month and speed was very good.
That depends on your real location, so it won't work the same in Madagascar, Malta and Mongolia.
You need to test it first so I wish NYM adds daily plans.

Why do you think Mullvad is expensive compared to NYM?
Mullvad costs 5 euros per month no matter the duration.
NYM costs minimum 4.49 CHF per month if you do the 2 year subscription.

Because there is 50% discount if you pay with bitcoin, monero, nym token and maybe some other crypto.
Being decentralized and no-log possible also has a price, so it can be dirt cheap.
NYM also started accepting cash via post payments for $EUR $CHF $USD $GBD.

[apogio]

You need to test it first so I wish NYM adds daily plans.

In 24 days my monthly Mullvad subscription will end. Then I 'll try NYM. And finally I will conclude in one of these 2, unless I find another option to test. With Mullvad, I don't have a speed limitation so far, I am more than good with it. In terms of privacy, as I said I paid with XMR, using TOR browser, without an email registration and essentially I am "unknown".

[NotATether]

Being decentralized and no-log possible also has a price, so it can be dirt cheap.

Yeah, about that...

Switzerland is trying to end all no-log policies for VPNs in the country.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/crypto-projects-prepare-to-battle-for-privacy-in-switzerland/ar-AA1DLimX

^-- sorry for the MSN link, it was the first one in DuckDuckGo search results. But it's on other sites as well.

Basically all these VPN companies are threatening to move out of Switzerland if they start requiring VPNs and email providers to keep logs.

I know that Nym announced it is going to move out regardless, in any case.

But the question is to where.

[apogio]

Yeah, about that...

Switzerland is trying to end all no-log policies for VPNs in the country.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/crypto-projects-prepare-to-battle-for-privacy-in-switzerland/ar-AA1DLimX

^-- sorry for the MSN link, it was the first one in DuckDuckGo search results. But it's on other sites as well.

Basically all these VPN companies are threatening to move out of Switzerland if they start requiring VPNs and email providers to keep logs.

I know that Nym announced it is going to move out regardless, in any case.

But the question is to where.

Hmm, that's not good. I was considering Switzerland to be a good option for a VPN company, because of these privacy rules. Having read about it, I am now concerned. Are there any alternative countries? Not that it will be a 100% private, but just somewhat more privacy-oriented.

[ABCbits]

Being decentralized and no-log possible also has a price, so it can be dirt cheap.

Yeah, about that...

Switzerland is trying to end all no-log policies for VPNs in the country.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/crypto-projects-prepare-to-battle-for-privacy-in-switzerland/ar-AA1DLimX
--snip--

I'm aware privacy in Switzerland is in decline, due to their action against Proton[1]. This time, they're going to deteriorate it further, what a shame.

--snip--

Hmm, that's not good. I was considering Switzerland to be a good option for a VPN company, because of these privacy rules. Having read about it, I am now concerned. Are there any alternative countries? Not that it will be a 100% private, but just somewhat more privacy-oriented.

Good question. I wonder whether any small country (that include micro-state) and region with special administrative right have decent privacy law, since they usually have more relaxed law to attract more investor.

[1] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/protonmail-scandal-tarnishes-swiss-privacy-reputation/46952640

[Synchronice]

I consider the fact that NYM is registered in Switzerland to be a good thing for privacy, because Switzerland is good in terms of privacy-protecting rules.

That doesn't mean much for me because what's written on paper is different from what's actually happening. For example, Russia can create the best privacy-protecting rules but will anyone really believe that they'll be enforced? I do not compare Switzerland to Russia, there is a difference between these two countries but I'd say that it doesn't mean much.

You need to test it first so I wish NYM adds daily plans.

In 24 days my monthly Mullvad subscription will end. Then I 'll try NYM. And finally I will conclude in one of these 2, unless I find another option to test. With Mullvad, I don't have a speed limitation so far, I am more than good with it. In terms of privacy, as I said I paid with XMR, using TOR browser, without an email registration and essentially I am "unknown".

Many VPNs have free trial for android users, so, download it from Play Store and check whether it gives you a free trial or not.
I'd really suggest you to give IVPN a try though.

Hmm, that's not good. I was considering Switzerland to be a good option for a VPN company, because of these privacy rules. Having read about it, I am now concerned. Are there any alternative countries? Not that it will be a 100% private, but just somewhat more privacy-oriented.

Mullvad is based in Sweden and I think that's a good choice.

[apogio]

That doesn't mean much for me because what's written on paper is different from what's actually happening. For example, Russia can create the best privacy-protecting rules but will anyone really believe that they'll be enforced? I do not compare Switzerland to Russia, there is a difference between these two countries but I'd say that it doesn't mean much.

Although I get the point, I disagree, because even though rules are often selectively avoided at a nation-state level, it's better to exist, than to not exist at all. Yes, the authorities misuse their power and they often use laws to enforce certain policies that aren't fair, but nevertheless, when a rule exists, it's more difficult to avoid it than when it doesn't exist.

But, of course, no country can be considered a privacy heaven.

[Synchronice]

That doesn't mean much for me because what's written on paper is different from what's actually happening. For example, Russia can create the best privacy-protecting rules but will anyone really believe that they'll be enforced? I do not compare Switzerland to Russia, there is a difference between these two countries but I'd say that it doesn't mean much.

Although I get the point, I disagree, because even though rules are often selectively avoided at a nation-state level, it's better to exist, than to not exist at all. Yes, the authorities misuse their power and they often use laws to enforce certain policies that aren't fair, but nevertheless, when a rule exists, it's more difficult to avoid it than when it doesn't exist.

But, of course, no country can be considered a privacy heaven.

Yes, I agree with you, it's better to have laws than to not have laws and countries also matter because, for example, if the same law is written in Russia and in Switzerand, I'd definitely stick with Switzerland because such laws are strictly protected in Switzerland compared to Russia but my exact point was that despite the fact that it's written, it doesn't mean that it's protected and followed 100%.

I did some research and as it seems, Iceland should be a very good option for VPN companies because of their very pro-privacy laws.

[dkbit98]

In 24 days my monthly Mullvad subscription will end. Then I 'll try NYM.

Don't forget to pay with crypto to get a discount, and post review after you test it, I think one month is minimum now.
Another interesting new alternative is Obscura VPN, but that is available only for MacOS for now.

Switzerland is trying to end all no-log policies for VPNs in the country.

Whole Europe is going crazy, Spain limits cash withdrawal from banks, CBDC announced in EU from October, etc.
I think I even saw that in UK every crypto transaction will have to be KYC only from 2026  

[NotATether]

Whole Europe is going crazy, Spain limits cash withdrawal from banks, CBDC announced in EU from October, etc.
I think I even saw that in UK every crypto transaction will have to be KYC only from 2026  

Best to not use European IP addresses in the VPNs unless you really have to. They are forcing crypto companies to take the scorched earth approach for EU customers.

[apogio]

Best to not use European IP addresses in the VPNs unless you really have to. They are forcing crypto companies to take the scorched earth approach for EU customers.

Do you mean European, as in geographically located in Europe, or as in European Union? Because on could argue that Switzerland is a good option, that's why I am asking.

[joniboini]

Has anyone used Windscribe? I just noticed they seem to be under fire recently because they ban accounts due to excessive data usage for their "unlimited plan". I noticed one of the accounts used 60 PB/month. While I doubt I'll hit that high in my monthly usage, I've been wondering if it's time to drop them off (although they're one of the cheapest options for me).

[LoyceV]

Has anyone used Windscribe?

I haven't used it, but I've seen their agressive discounts (and don't like that for a VPN).

I noticed one of the accounts used 60 PB/month.

That's 23 GB/s on average. I highly doubt that. Where did you notice this?

While I doubt I'll hit that high in my monthly usage, I've been wondering if it's time to drop them off (although they're one of the cheapest options for me).

With many things, and that includes bandwidth consumption, the 80/20-rule applies: 80% of the bandwidth is used by 20% of the users. And within that 20%, it applies again. That means that most users pay more because of the costs created by a small number of excessive users. A Fair Use Policy can help prevent excessive costs from a few people.

I'd like to see more price models like this:

I stumbled upon this thread on Lowendtalk. Note that I wouldn't trust that VPN, comments say it's not encrypted and basically only meant to avoid the Great Firewall of China, but I like the price model: €1/TB, unlimited time. Especially for light users, paying per TB could be a better deal than unlimited bandwidth while you pay per month. But I haven't seen any other VPN provider offer that.

For reference: 1 TB would last me about 3 months on my desktop, and many years on my phone.

[NotATether]

Best to not use European IP addresses in the VPNs unless you really have to. They are forcing crypto companies to take the scorched earth approach for EU customers.

Do you mean European, as in geographically located in Europe, or as in European Union? Because on could argue that Switzerland is a good option, that's why I am asking.

I meant EU countries only.

If you don't live on the continent, latency is high anyway.

[apogio]

I haven't used it, but I've seen their agressive discounts (and don't like that for a VPN).

Me neither, I dislike unreasonable discounts, because they look like they have put a red arrow pointing at them saying "here we are, notice us please"

If you don't live on the continent, latency is high anyway.

Yeah certainly, even though when I travelled to the a country in the middle east, I didn't see a major difference, but it obviously depends on the country and their internet performance.

[Synchronice]

Another interesting new alternative is Obscura VPN, but that is available only for MacOS for now.

It's very strange to create a VPN only for MacOS users, I think that's mostly a marketing plan because if privacy is the main reason, then they should be linux focused but their product is focused on Apple users and by marking their VPN as MacOS limited, it might make some people to feel that this is a special service for Mac and they might buy it for only that reason.

Whole Europe is going crazy, Spain limits cash withdrawal from banks, CBDC announced in EU from October, etc.
I think I even saw that in UK every crypto transaction will have to be KYC only from 2026  

Good luck to them with CBDC in Germany
Wasn't UK enforcing KYC on transactions higher than 2K pounds? Or something like that?

I'd like to see more price models like this:

I stumbled upon this thread on Lowendtalk. Note that I wouldn't trust that VPN, comments say it's not encrypted and basically only meant to avoid the Great Firewall of China, but I like the price model: €1/TB, unlimited time. Especially for light users, paying per TB could be a better deal than unlimited bandwidth while you pay per month. But I haven't seen any other VPN provider offer that.

For reference: 1 TB would last me about 3 months on my desktop, and many years on my phone.

I agree with you, that's way better and fair price model.

[joniboini]

That's 23 GB/s on average. I highly doubt that. Where did you notice this?

IIRC, it was in a Reddit comment from their representative replying to a user who claimed they got banned recently. I think the user stated that they did use a lot of data in a month, but never explicitly stated the number of it, then the Windscribe representative claimed it was 60 PB/month. Other reports claimed the users only use 10 TB or less,s so I'm not sure the exact limit for their "unlimited" plan. I guess I'll look for other services if they keep being hush hush about it.

[LoyceV]

I guess I'll look for other services if they keep being hush hush about it.

I can think of many reasons not to use them, but a Fair Use Policy that doesn't bother me isn't one of them.

[RickDeckard]

You need to test it first so I wish NYM adds daily plans.

In 24 days my monthly Mullvad subscription will end. Then I 'll try NYM. And finally I will conclude in one of these 2, unless I find another option to test. With Mullvad, I don't have a speed limitation so far, I am more than good with it. In terms of privacy, as I said I paid with XMR, using TOR browser, without an email registration and essentially I am "unknown".

I suppose that by now you are already trying NYM, so looking forward to your feedback. Cure53 have also recently released an audit[1] where most of NYM was audited and, in their conclusions, there's an interesting take:

Nym's decentralized approach to servers hopes to mitigate the risk of centralized logging rather than depend on the possibly misleading assurance given by a no-log audit of a centralized entity. However, even decentralized servers can not be meaningfully subjected to a no-logs audit.

[1]https://cure53.de/audit-report_nym.pdf

[apogio]

I suppose that by now you are already trying NYM, so looking forward to your feedback. Cure53 have also recently released an audit[1] where most of NYM was audited and, in their conclusions, there's an interesting take:

Hello, not really, I am still using Mullvad. But I plan to do it soon enough and I 'll post in this thread, because I am curious as well.

I plan to test:

1. IVPN
2. NYM