Recommended VPNs

A VPN hides your real IP address, which helps you get around censorship, stop your ISP logging what you do, and avoid being profiled by IP. It is not a cure-all. A VPN only moves the trust to the provider, who can see your IP and traffic. So a VPN is only as good as the company you hand your traffic to.

How to choose a VPN

The VPN market is murky. Most review sites run on affiliate payouts. A handful of parent companies own many of the big names. Check who is behind any provider you like.

Here are some things to look for.

Both OpenVPN and WireGuard. OpenVPN is older, hardened, and censorship-resistant. WireGuard is faster and gentler on battery.
A system kill switch. Cuts your traffic if the VPN drops, so your IP never leaks.
A no-logs policy. Ideally one proven by an audit or a court case.
At least one third-party audit. An independent look at the apps and infrastructure.
Servers in 30 or more countries. For flexibility and getting around geo-blocks.
Apps for every platform. Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.