In today’s society, it is important to have privacy. One way you can do that is by connecting to a VPN. That said, it is often hard to know which one to use. Almost every single one of them advertises that they don’t keep logs. Here, we will take a closer look at the “zero-log VPN” claim and show you that there is actually a need to log some things. Let us begin with the basics. However, some VPNs including ExpressVPN and have had their no-log claims successfully audited by third party security companies.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
Even as careful as some want to be, the idea that any VPN company is truly “zero-log” is a bit of a misnomer. To be able to track business and usage, even if it is just from an aggregate standpoint, is vital to the VPN provider. Because you have to enter your credentials, there is actually a connection log kept by the company. On the other hand, there are companies that advertise themselves as no logs but they actually keep a bit more information.
About Zero Log VPNs
There are 3 types of logging policies that VPNs use. Those include activity logs, connection logs, or neither. Even if they keep neither one, the provider actually does keep them but they delete them when they are not required any longer.
Of course, you will want to stay away from the free VPN companies, especially if they advertise themselves as no log. They definitely keep your browsing logs as well as connection logs and sell them to 3rd parties. On top of that, you will typically give away much more than you bargain for. That includes IP address, connection times, and metadata.
Some providers only collect data about your connection, date and time, and IP addess. That is allegedly used to help the provider optimize the network. We suggest you read the company’s whole policy on that. You want to make sure that their use of the term “connection data” is clearly defined.
True no-logs services are almost impossible to implement. However, that does not stop companies from making that claim. Because VPN providers limit the number of simultaneous connections, it can be challenging to implement without logs. Therefore, those companies are actually keeping temporary logs and store limited data that is deleted and not stored for future usage. So, what you need to is check to make sure that you check all of the fine print for the provider and make sure that it is not in one of the major governments. If the company is headquartered in a place like Panama or the Cayman Islands, those are the ones you need to look for.
Let’s take a look at the best zero log VPNs.
1. Best VPN for Zero Log VPNs: ExpressVPN
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A good reason to use ExpressVPN has to do with censorship. Whether you live in a restrictive country or plan to visit one, it is not hard to run into governmental restrictions. From political speech to social media to other types of banned content, ExpressVPN does a great job of protecting your privacy while you navigate the web. Since the company offers so many different server locations, you won’t have to worry about speed losses because you are trying to connect to a server outside your current region.
2. Best VPN for Zero Log VPNs: NordVPN
If you have watched the news and are a gamer, you may already know what kind of an effect a DDoS (Distributive Denial of Service) attack can have on you. Those types of attacks can spell trouble, no matter what game you are playing. The way to avoid them is to connect to a VPN server with NordVPN. Since they can lock you out of your game based on your current IP address, changing it will stop that from happening. Then, you should be able to play like normal.
3. Best VPN for Zero Log VPNs: PIA
If you are a big sports fan, you may find yourself watching sports you would have never thought of watching previously. While that may not be true for all, many have discovered that to be the case. For everyone that has developed a fondness for other sports than the normal, connecting to a VPN server from Private Internet Access is a good idea. By doing so, you don’t have to miss out on some of your new favorite sports and can cheer on the participants.
4. Best VPN for Zero Log VPNs: CyberGhost
Whether you stream a little or a lot of content online, connecting to a CyberGhost VPN server can help you. Streaming online continues to grow in popularity. Unfortunately, so do the numbers of ISPs that want to throttle your internet performance. They can detect streaming by looking for patterns. Even if you do not think it could happen to you, it certainly can. By connecting to a VPN, however, you can prevent that from happening. Simply choose a server, and your ISP will only see your actions as encrypted traffic. Then, you won’t have to worry about your streaming marathon.
5. Best VPN for Zero Log VPNs: IPVanish
One of the significant advantages of using IPVanish when you’re gaming is to help you get around lag. While you may not think about it, using a VPN may make your game faster because of network congestion. Whether you game competitively or just casually, using a VPN could make a difference between in-game life and death. All you have to do is connect to the closest server to you, and you may be able to get around any issues that the lag causes.
