Many VPNs claim to be a truly “no-log VPN”, but in reality, most VPNs tend to store some sort of information about their users, such as their online activities, IP address, and billing information. Some VPNs will ask for your information while signing up and while most of the information won’t be personally identifiable, it’s still a matter of concern.
A no-log VPN is a VPN that keeps little to no information about your online activity. There are too many VPNs on the market that claim to be no-log, and to save you time, we tested some of them and found the best 5 VPNs that store zero logs.
Top 5 best VPNs that don’t keep logs
Here are the 5 best VPNs that are known for not keeping any logs:
- NordVPN – Best no-log VPN in 2024
- ExpressVPN – No-log VPN with fast speeds and robust security
- Surfshark – Best privacy-focused no-log VPN
- Private Internet Access (PIA) – Best zero logs VPN
- IPVanish – Best VPN focusing on keeping you anonymous
The abundance of no-log VPNs has made it difficult for people to decide which one to download. We’ve narrowed down the list and chosen some of the best no-log VPNs that you can use to keep your data secure. Here are the things we considered while testing the VPNs on this list:
- Trustworthiness – How trustworthy a VPN is based on customer reviews.
- Privacy policy – How transparent a VPN’s privacy policy is.
- Location – Where the VPN company is based and whether it’s required by law to comply with legal authorities or not.
- Audits – Whether the VPN company has had external/independent audits done of its no-log policy.
- Security features – Whether or not the VPN has advanced security features to keep your data safe.
The best anonymous VPNs in 2024
Here are the 5 best no-log VPNs in 2024 that will keep your online data safe and private:
1. NordVPN
- Has been independently audited twice
- Over 5,000 RAM-only servers
- Based in privacy-centered region of Panama
- Accepts cryptocurrency transactions
- May have to provide email address and credit card details
- No free trial version on the iOS app
NordVPN is undoubtedly the best no-log VPN in 2024. The company is transparent about what data it collects and you’ll get great speeds with tons of advanced security features. NordVPN only logs the data it needs during the sign-up process. This includes things like your email address and your credit card number, but it also gives you the option to pay using cryptocurrency, so you don’t have to hand over anything at all. The company has been independently audited twice.
NordVPN is located in Panama which is outside the jurisdiction of the Five Eyes alliance, so it’s not required to share any data with third parties and legal authorities. It doesn’t store your IP address, your online behavior, and connection timestamps.
It has over 5,000 servers in 59 countries. All NordVPN servers are RAM-only, which means as soon as you turn the VPN off, all the information is erased.
You’ll get access to advanced security features such as MultiHop routing, split tunneling, kill switch functionality, and built-in Onion over VPN connectivity. You can get NordVPN for $11.99 per month. The VPN service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. ExpressVPN
- Located in the British Virgin Islands
- Has had two independent audits
- Only records data that is absolutely necessary
- RAM-only servers
- More expensive than other VPN services
- No Multi Hop routing
ExpressVPN is one of the fastest no-log VPNs on this list and it’s also a personal favorite of ours because of the simplicity and ease-of-use of the app. It’s located in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), which isn’t associated with the Five Eyes alliance.
Since it’s located in the BVI, no one can force ExpressVPN to give up any data to legal authorities if asked. The VPN service logs very little data, mostly things like the amount of data transmitted in a network session and the app version you use. No personally identifiable information is retained by ExpressVPN. It has been audited by two different companies.
ExpressVPN’s privacy policy states that the company collects “only the minimal data required.” It doesn’t store information like your IP address, the websites you visit, your online activities, and other online traffic. All servers are run on RAM so no information is stored after a session is over.
ExpressVPN has a free trial version on both the Android and the iOS app and it also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s available for $12.95 per month.
3. Surfshark
- RAM-only servers
- Doesn’t log any personally identifiable information
- Has had two independent audits
- Have customer support delete any information
- Located in the Netherlands, a 14 Eyes member
Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, a member of the Fourteen Eyes alliance. It’s one of the best privacy-focused no-log VPNs. Just like NordVPN, Surfshark doesn’t log any personal information when you’re surfing the web. Things such as your IP address, bandwidth consumed, and the websites you visit aren’t stored. Surfshark does log your connection timestamps and your user ID, though, but because it has RAM-only servers, all information is erased 15 minutes after you turn off the VPN.
Surfshark is very clear about what data it collects in its privacy policy and if you’re not happy about anything the VPN service collects, you can actually contact its customer service and ask them to delete it for you. Surfshark has had two independent audits done by the same firm.
The Netherlands being a part of the Fourteen Eyes means that it regularly shares intelligence data with other members of the alliance, but Surfshark itself doesn’t log any user data, so the company won’t have anything to show if it’s asked to comply with legal authorities.
You can get Surfshark for $12.95 per month. Surfshark comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Private Internet Access (PIA)
- Audited by one of the Big Four accounting firms Deloitte
- Cryptocurrency transactions
- A free 7-day trial version
- Asks for email address and credit card details
- Located in the USA, a Five Eyes member
Private Internet Access (PIA) is headquartered in Colorado, USA, a Five Eyes member country. Fortunately, it has an excellent no-log policy so it won’t have much to show if asked by legal authorities.
According to the privacy policy of the VPN company, it only collects billing information while signing up like your email address and credit card details. As an alternative, you can make the payment through cryptocurrency to stay completely anonymous. The VPN service has had an audit done by one of the Big Four consultancy firms Deloitte, which confirmed that it doesn’t keep any logs.
The privacy policy clearly states that any activity done inside the Private Internet Access VPN is not recorded or stored. PIA has tons of features that make it ideal for users who want to protect their online traffic. Its OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols will give you extra security and you can get a dedicated IP address, albeit with an additional fee.
Private Internet Access (PIA) offers a 7-day free trial version and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can get it for $11.95 per month.
5. IPVanish
- Has had an independent audit
- Only stores email ID and billing information
- Advanced security features
- Cheaper than most VPN services
- No RAM-only servers
- Based in USA
- Doesn’t support cryptocurrency
IPVanish might not be as big as NordVPN or ExpressVPN, but it is nevertheless a great option for those who want a no-log VPN that’s been independently audited. It’s based in USA, so it could be asked to give up information by legal authorities, but its no-log policy has been confirmed by the independent audit.
IPVanish only collects your email address and your billing information. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support cryptocurrency transactions, so there’s no way to hide your email address or credit card details. Another disadvantage of using IPVanish is that it doesn't have RAM-only servers.
IPVanish has over 2,000 servers in 75 countries. It’s a great VPN tool for beginners and casual users who want to keep their data private, but don’t have to deal with sensitive information regularly. It has unlimited simultaneous connections.
It’s one of the more affordable VPN services on this list, costing about $10.99 per month. IPVanish offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Comparison of no-log VPNs
Here’s a table that will help you understand the differences between the no-log VPNs we mentioned above:
| NordVPN | ExpressVPN | Surfshark | PIA | IPVanish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Panama | British Virgin Islands | The Netherlands | Colorado, USA | Florida, USA |
| 5/9/14 Eyes member | No | No | Yes (14 Eyes) | Yes (5 Eyes) | Yes (5 Eyes) |
| Audits | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RAM-only servers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency as a payment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Additional security features | Kill switch, ad and tracker blocker, and more | Network Lock, split tunneling, and more | Camouflage Mode, kill switch, Multi Hop routing, and more | Ad and tracker blocker, split tunneling, kill switch, and more | DNS and WebRTC leak protection, WireGuard tunneling, and more |
| Price | $11.99/month | $12.95/month | $12.95/month | $11.95/month | $10.99/month |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 30 days |
| Website | nordvpn.com | expressvpn.com | surfshark.com | privateinternetaccess.com | ipvanish.com |
Methodology: how we tested no-log VPNs
Here are some of the things we considered when testing our selected no-log VPNs:
- Trustworthiness – No VPN can claim to have zero logs if it’s not considered trustworthy. We read reviews from different sources to decide if the VPNs on this list were trustworthy enough.
- Privacy policy – A VPN company’s privacy policy outlines what data it collects and why. If a VPN claims to have no logs but doesn’t mention anything in its privacy policy, then it’s difficult to trust it. We read the privacy policies of the VPNs on this list to confirm the veracity of their claims.
- Location – A VPN company’s location might not have much effect on its no-log policy because even if it’s asked to give user data, a true no-log VPN wouldn’t have any information in the first place. Nevertheless, some locations are more privacy-focused than others.
- Audits – A VPN company can claim to be no-log, but if it hasn’t had any independent audits done, then you have no choice but to put blind trust in the company’s words. Knowing whether a VPN service has had external audits will tell you how transparent it is.
- Security features – A good no-log VPN should provide additional security features like leak protection, kill switch, Multi Hop routing, and RAM-only servers. These extra features make sure that you get the highest degree of security possible.
What is a zero log VPN?
A zero-log VPN is a VPN that doesn’t collect personally identifiable information about its users. These VPNs don’t retain any information about your online behavior, your IP address, the files you download, the websites you visit, the things you search for, and your social media activities.
Many VPNs (mostly free ones) tend to store user data so they can share it with third parties such as marketers or legal authorities. A no-log VPN either doesn’t ask for any information that third parties can use to identify you or doesn’t store any information that it records while you’re using its services.
No-log VPNs often use cryptocurrency as a payment method because of the anonymity it provides. Ones that don’t will record your email address and credit card details for billing purposes. It’s usually mentioned in the privacy policy of no-log VPNs whether they collect your billing information or not.
Many no-log VPNs use “RAM-only servers.” When you connect to these servers, all the information about everything you do while you’re on those servers is completely wiped out as soon as you disconnect from the VPN.
No-log VPNs typically have external audits to make them appear more transparent and to prove to their users that they can be trusted.
Why should I use a no-log VPN?
Here are some reasons why you should use a no-log VPN:
- Increased online privacy – The purpose of a no-log VPN is to make you completely anonymous. If none of your data is collected and it’s not shared with anyone in the world, then there’s no way for a third party to know who you are online. You don’t have to share your data with the VPN service you’re using. You can pay using cryptocurrency and you won’t even have to share your email address.
- Less chances of getting hacked – If the no-log VPN service you’re using gets hacked or they have to give up information to legal authorities, they won’t have any of your data, so you’ll be safe. Even if the VPN is in a country where it’s legally required to hand over user data to authorities, it won’t have anything to share since it doesn’t log any data.
- No ads – A no-log VPN will allow you to avoid getting targeted by ads. In many regions, it’s legal for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to sell your data to advertisers, which is why you often see ads of things you search for on the Internet. Zero log VPNs will completely hide your data, preventing your ISP from selling it to advertisers. As a result, you’ll stop seeing targeted ads.
- Prevent your ISP from tracking you – ISPs in many locations are legally allowed to collect your data, track your online activities, and share all that information with legal authorities. With the help of a no-log VPN, your ISP won’t be able to see any of your online traffic. No one will collect your data and you’ll remain anonymous on the Internet.
What kind of VPN logging is acceptable?
It’s important to note that no VPN is completely “no-log.” There is some data all VPNs have to retain in order to make the app function for you. This data should be considered an exception to the no-log rule. Here are some things that VPNs log and are considered acceptable:
- Billing information like your email address and credit card details, though these things can be bypassed if the VPN service accepts cryptocurrency as a payment method.
- The app version you use. ExpressVPN is one VPN service that logs the version of the app you use. It’s not personally identifiable information, so there’s no harm in the app version getting recorded.
- The location of the VPN server. The VPN server you’re connected to doesn’t give away your actual location and there’s no way to track your IP address from it. If it does get logged by the VPN, it won’t affect your privacy.
- The fake IP address. The IP address you’re assigned by the VPN server is there to add an additional layer of security to your online traffic. If the VPN service logs it, then it should be okay because your data will still be safe.
Are there free no-log VPNs?
Yes, free versions of no-log VPNs do exist, but we don’t recommend using them. Most free VPNs are only able to provide their services for free by selling their customers’ data to advertisers and other third parties.
Free VPNs aren’t completely zero-log because they have to retain tons of user data that they can sell to advertisers. They’re also more susceptible to attacks, which means your data can easily be hacked or stolen.
Most free VPNs tend to have a limited number of servers you can connect to and they also have reduced speeds. You won’t get the fast speeds you’d get with a premium VPN like NordVPN. You also wouldn’t be able to choose a specific server, so you’ll be limited in the number of regions you can connect to.
A premium VPN, on the other hand, is much safer and is less likely to keep logs of personally identifiable information of its users. You’ll get the freedom to connect to wherever you want and as many devices as you want. NordVPN is a great premium no-log VPN that doesn’t store any sensitive information and gives you great speeds with tons of advanced security features. It doesn’t have a free version, but it does come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
The best VPN for privacy is NordVPN. It provides many advanced security features like kill switch, built-in Onion over VPN connectivity, split tunneling, Multi Hop routing, and an ad blocker.
Yes, NordVPN is the best no-log VPN in 2024. It records only the minimal amount of information that’s required and you can pay through cryptocurrency to avoid giving any billing information, either. It has RAM-based servers so if any information is recorded during a session, it’s automatically erased after you disconnect from the VPN.
No, police can’t track encrypted no-log VPN traffic. Not even your ISP can track you as long as you’re connected to a VPN. Even if the police have a court order against you, they still can’t get any of your data if you’ve been using a no-log VPN.