About us

Independent VPN testing, in plain English

RedVPN exists because most VPN "reviews" are affiliate pages wearing a lab coat. We publish our method, show our data, and tell you which provider loses — even when it pays us a commission.

What we do

We buy every VPN we review with our own money, run the same battery of tests across all of them, and score the results with a published, weighted model. When a provider changes its pricing, servers or app, we re-test and update the ranking rather than let old scores linger.

Our audience is global — you'll find us writing for readers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and beyond. Questions, corrections and press enquiries all go to hello@redvpn.com.

Our testing methodology

Each VPN is scored out of 10 across five weighted criteria. The weights reflect what actually affects day-to-day use:

  • Speed & stability (30%) — median and peak download/upload throughput on 1 Gbps lines, across short- and long-distance routes, plus connection reliability and reconnect time.
  • Privacy & security (25%) — jurisdiction, audit history, RAM-only infrastructure, encryption and protocol quality, kill switch, leak protection and transparency reporting.
  • Price & value (20%) — long-term and renewal pricing, simultaneous device allowance, bundled tools and refund terms.
  • Streaming & unblocking (15%) — success rate across Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and regional sports/catch-up services.
  • Ease of use & support (10%) — app quality across platforms, setup friction, and the speed and helpfulness of customer support.

How we run speed tests

Speed figures on this site are averages of independent 2026 lab tests rather than vendor claims. Where our own numbers differ, we say so. We test with the provider's recommended fast protocol (for example NordLynx or Lightway) on the same hardware and connection, then repeat each measurement twice and drop obvious anomalies.

How we check privacy claims

A "no-logs policy" is only worth what an audit proves. We weight providers that have had their infrastructure and logging independently audited (by the likes of Deloitte, Cure53 or KPMG), that run RAM-only servers, and that publish transparency reports on government data requests. We also note jurisdiction, because where a company is based determines what it can legally be compelled to do.

Data currencyAll pricing and specifications on RedVPN are current as of 3 October 2026. VPN pricing changes frequently — always confirm the final figure on the provider's own checkout page before you buy.

Affiliate disclosure

RedVPN is reader-supported. Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy a subscription through them — at absolutely no extra cost to you, and often with a better discount than you'd get direct.

Here's the part that matters: commissions never influence our scores or the order of our rankings. Our ranking is produced by the scoring model above before anyone looks at affiliate rates. Several providers we rank in the top three pay us less than ones we rank lower, and we have recommended against buying services that pay well.

Editorial independence

We accept no payment for placement, no sponsored rankings and no "pay-to-win" positions. Advertising and affiliate relationships are kept entirely separate from editorial decisions. If we ever publish a clearly labelled sponsored placement, it will be marked as such and excluded from our rankings.

Corrections

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Email hello@redvpn.com with the page and the correction. We review every report and update the site when we agree.

Contact

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