Last updated: July 2026
Who we are
VPNTruthGuide tests VPN services the way people actually use them: does it unblock the streaming library you want, does it hold up for torrenting without leaking your IP, does it survive a hostile network in a country that actively blocks VPN traffic. We’re not a marketing arm for any single provider — we run the same speed tests, leak checks, and streaming-unblock checks across every service we cover, and we say when a heavily advertised VPN underperforms a lesser-known one.
What we cover
- Provider reviews — NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, Surfshark, and others, tested on real speed loss, DNS/IP leak behavior, kill-switch reliability, and logging policy (including whether that policy has ever been tested by a third-party audit or a real-world seizure).
- Use-case buyer guides — best VPN for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and Firestick/smart-TV setups, because “best overall” rarely matches what you’re actually trying to do.
- Self-hosted and advanced setups — Streisand, Outline, and Raspberry Pi VPN guides for readers who’d rather run their own server than trust a commercial provider’s no-logs claim.
- Privacy fundamentals — VPN vs. Tor vs. proxy vs. Smart DNS, the 14-Eyes/Five-Eyes jurisdiction question, and honest looks at free-VPN tradeoffs and built-in options like Apple Private Relay and Google One VPN.
Our review approach
When we test a VPN, we look at:
- Real measured speed loss, not the provider’s own marketing numbers — tested against a no-VPN baseline on the same connection.
- Leak testing — DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak checks, and whether the kill switch actually holds the connection closed when the VPN drops instead of failing open.
- Logging claims versus evidence — whether a no-logs policy has been independently audited or actually tested by a legal request, not just stated in a privacy policy.
- Jurisdiction and legal exposure — where the company is incorporated and what surveillance-alliance obligations that creates, which we cover directly in our 14-Eyes guide.
Why trust us
This site earns affiliate commissions when readers subscribe through some of our links (see our Affiliate Disclosure for the full breakdown), but a commission never decides a verdict — we’ve recommended lower-commission or free/self-hosted options (Outline, Streisand) over paid providers when that was honestly the better fit for the reader’s use case.
Questions?
Reach us at promotion@vpntruthguide.com — see our Contact page for details.