NO. 01
Proton VPN
Switzerland A+
Outside 14-Eyes Independently audited
- Servers
- 20,000+ servers
- Devices
- 10 devices
- From
- $2.99/mo
Independent VPN scorecard
The right VPN for you, decided on the facts
Tell us what you need it for and we'll match you to one of six VPNs we track on jurisdiction, independently audited no-logs policies, servers and real price — not on fear, and not on speed tests we never ran.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links here are affiliate links: if you buy through them TunnelScore may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes your price or our rankings. Full disclosure.
Classified · No. 01FILE / PROTONVPN
Top of the scorecard
Proton VPN
Switzerland · 10 devices
A+
- Jurisdiction
- A Switzerland
- Audit
- A Independent
- Renewal price
- B+ $6.99/mo
Privacy Dossier · Classified
NO. 02
NordVPN
Panama A
Outside 14-Eyes Independently audited
- Servers
- 9,300+ servers
- Devices
- 10 devices
- From
- $3.09/mo
NO. 03
ExpressVPN
British Virgin Islands A-
Outside 14-Eyes Independently audited
- Servers
- 3,000+ servers
- Devices
- 10 devices
- From
- $3.49/mo
NO. 04
Surfshark
Netherlands B+
14-Eyes reach No-logs · audit unclear
- Servers
- 4,500+ servers
- Devices
- Unlimited devices
- From
- $1.78/mo
NO. 05
CyberGhost VPN
Romania B+
Outside 14-Eyes Independently audited
- Servers
- 9,900+ servers
- Devices
- 7 devices
- From
- $2.03/mo
NO. 06
Private Internet Access (PIA)
United States B+
14-Eyes reach Independently audited
- Servers
- Servers in 90+ countries
- Devices
- Unlimited devices
- From
- $2.03/mo
The matcher
Find your VPN
B+
Best match · 92/100SurfsharkNetherlands · Unlimited devices
- A strong fit for streaming
- Entry price ($1.78/mo on the long term) is within your $6/mo budget
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
⚠ That entry price is a long-term intro rate — it renews higher. Check the renewal before you commit.
Also worth a look
90/100NordVPNPanama
A strong fit for streaming — That entry price is a long-term intro rate — it renews higher. Check the renewal before you commit.
View NordVPN88/100ExpressVPNBritish Virgin Islands
A strong fit for streaming — That entry price is a long-term intro rate — it renews higher. Check the renewal before you commit.
View ExpressVPNAffiliate disclosure: Some links here are affiliate links: if you buy through them TunnelScore may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes your price or our rankings. Full disclosure.
At a glance
Compare all six at a glance
| VPN | Privacy | Based in | Devices | From | Refund | Visit site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | A | Panama | 10 devices | $3.09/mo | 30-day | Get deal |
| Surfshark | B+ | Netherlands | Unlimited devices | $1.78/mo | 30-day | Get deal |
| ExpressVPN | A- | British Virgin Islands | 10 devices | $3.49/mo | 30-day | Get deal |
| Proton VPN | A+ | Switzerland | 10 devices | $2.99/mo | 30-day | Get deal |
| CyberGhost VPN | B+ | Romania | 7 devices | $2.03/mo | 14-day | Get deal |
| Private Internet Access (PIA) | B+ | United States | Unlimited devices | $2.03/mo | 30-day | Get deal |
What actually matters in a VPN
Most "best VPN" lists rank on affiliate payout and vague speed claims. We rank on what you can verify: the jurisdiction a provider answers to, whether its no-logs policy was independently audited, the network size, how many devices you can cover, and the price you actually renew at — because VPN intro deals jump hard after the first term.
Our picks come from each provider's published specs and audit reports, cited and dated — not from benchmarks we didn't run. Read how we compare, or compare every VPN's price and renewal.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best VPN in 2026?
- It depends on your priority. NordVPN is the audited all-rounder; Surfshark gives unlimited devices at the lowest entry price; ExpressVPN is the simplest pick for streaming and China; Proton VPN is the privacy hardliner's choice. The recommender above matches a VPN to your use case, devices and budget.
- Are cheap VPNs safe to use?
- A low price is fine if the provider has a clear, independently audited no-logs policy and a sensible jurisdiction. The risk is with free VPNs that monetise your data. Among paid options, Surfshark and Private Internet Access are inexpensive yet run audited no-logs policies, so cheap does not have to mean unsafe.
- How does TunnelScore make money?
- We earn affiliate commissions when you sign up with some VPNs through our links, at no extra cost to you. Commissions never change our rankings, which are set on published specs, jurisdiction, audit status and price. See our full affiliate disclosure.
- Do you run your own speed tests?
- No, and we say so plainly. We do not publish synthetic speed or leak tests. Our comparison is built from each provider's published specifications, jurisdiction and independent audit reports, with sources cited and a last-verified date. That transparency is our methodology.