Best VPN Reviews 2026 | CleanVPNs — Independently Tested
100% independent — we purchase every VPN ourselves. See how we make money →
Updated March 2026

The Best VPN Reviews Based on Real Testing

We purchase every VPN subscription, test it for weeks, and publish exactly what we find. No VPN company owns us. No free test accounts. Just data.

20+VPNs Tested
10k+Testing Hours
100%Independent
$5k+Subscriptions Bought
Why CleanVPNs

Built different from every other VPN review site

We buy every subscription

Every VPN we review is purchased with our own money at retail price. No free press accounts, no sponsored access. If we can’t buy it, we don’t review it.

No VPN company owns us

Unlike vpnMentor (owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and PIA), we are 100% independently owned. Our rankings can never be bought.

Scores backed by real data

Every score is calculated from actual speed tests, leak tests, streaming tests and security audits. We publish the raw data so you can verify it yourself.

Jean Borg, founder of CleanVPNs.com
Founder
A note from the founder

Hi, I’m Jean Borg

I built CleanVPNs because I got tired of VPN review sites that are secretly owned by the same companies they rank. I’m not a cybersecurity researcher with a lab full of servers, I’m someone who researches obsessively, buys every subscription out of my own pocket, and tells you exactly what I find. No corporate backing, no VPN company writing my cheques. Just honest research from someone who actually cares about getting this right.

Independent since day one Every subscription self-funded No VPN company owns this site
Read more about CleanVPNs →
No-logs verified
We audit every privacy policy
Speed tested weekly
Real connections, real results
Self-funded reviews
Every subscription paid for
100% editorially independent
No VPN company owns us
FAQ

Common questions about VPNs

Based on our independent testing, NordVPN is the best all-round VPN in 2026 with a score of 9.6/10. It combines fast WireGuard-based NordLynx speeds, an independently audited no-logs policy, and strong value at $3.39/mo on a 2-year plan. For the fastest raw speeds, ExpressVPN edges ahead. For the best price, Surfshark at $1.99/mo is hard to beat.
We purchase every VPN subscription at retail price with our own money — no free press accounts. We run hundreds of speed tests, perform DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 leak tests, test streaming unblocking across Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+, audit privacy policies, and use each VPN daily for at least 30 days before publishing. See our full methodology →
Most free VPNs are not safe. Many monetize by logging and selling your browsing data to advertisers. The only free VPN we recommend is ProtonVPN Free — it has a genuine no-logs policy, is open-source, and is funded by its paid tier rather than your data. Avoid unknown free VPN browser extensions entirely.
Yes, but minimally with top providers. Modern VPNs using WireGuard or Lightway protocols reduce speeds by only 5–15% on fast connections. On a 500 Mbps line you’ll still see 420–475 Mbps with NordVPN or ExpressVPN. We publish exact speed test results in every review.