This article has been just updated:
Your relationship with your VPN service provider is based on trust. You trust the provider to protect your privacy and not keep logs of your online activity. In August 2018, Panama-based VPN provider NordVPN was accused of breaking its no logs policy after it was linked to Lithuanian tech company Tesonet.
Naturally, many NordVPN customers got worried that they’re paying for a service that doesn’t actually deliver the privacy it promises to deliver. Are the allegations true? Should you really avoid NordVPN and use some alternative VPN service instead? We know the answer!
NordVPN Has Passed an Independent Audit
“We realized that remaining silent is no longer an option and we must respond for the sake of our reputation,” wrote NordVPN in a blog post.
“Therefore, we are hiring one of the largest professional service firms in the world to run an independent audit and verify our ‘no logs’ claim. The audit is expected to be completed within two months and will independently verify that the accusations are false.”
Well, the audit is now completed, and we know its results. The goal of the audit was to verify whether NordVPN lives up to its claims of providing a no-logs VPN service, and NordVPN’s Daniel Markuson believes the company has passed the test.
TorrentFreak, a blog dedicated to reporting the latest news and trends on the BitTorrent protocol and file sharing, has seen a copy of the report, confirming that NordVPN doesn’t store IP addresses of its users and doesn’t keep track of their online activity.
NordVPN works on Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android TV, Linux, Chrome, and Firefox.
Unsurprisingly, NordVPN does keep some information about its users to make it possible for the company to know from how many devices a user is connected simultaneously and so on, but virtually all VPN service providers do the same, and it’s not something you should worry about.
The audit has confirmed what long-term NordVPN customer knew for a very long time: that NordVPN is one of the most trustworthy VPN services today.
To get started with NordVPN:
- Go to: https://best-vpn-deals.com/
- Choose a plan that’s right for you.
- Create an account.
- Select a payment method.
- Complete your order and download the NordVPN client.
Top 7 Best Alternative VPN Services that Don’t Keep Logs
Even though NordVPN has successfully protected its reputation with an industry-first audit of its no-logs policy, it still doesn’t hurt to know what other VPN services don’t keep logs of your activity.
1. IPVanish
IPVanish is an excellent VPN service for file sharing enthusiasts. It’s priced fairly and keeps a strict no-logs policy to keep your identity under wraps. The company owns over 1,100 anonymous servers, which are located in many different countries around the world, helping you circumvent geographic restrictions and enjoy the internet the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
All traffic is securely protected with 256-bit AES encryption, and you can connect from up to 10 devices with a single user account. Should you run into any problems, there’s 24/7 customer support line that you can turn to for help.
2. ExpressVPN
Thanks to its effective marketing and great product offering, ExpressVPN has established itself as a trusted VPN service provider with a large global network of anonymous servers. The company is located in nearly 100 countries, and it doesn’t shackle its customers with any restrictions. You can download content from file sharing websites, play online games, stream audio and video, and more.
ExpressVPN apps are available on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, routers, Apple TV, Fire TV, Smart TV, PlayStation, Android TV box, and many more devices.
3. Hotspot Shield
Developed by AnchorFree, Hotspot Shield is an easy-to-use VPN service with nearly 650 million users around the world. Hotspot Shield relies on a patented VPN protocol to provide its customers with unprecedented speeds and security. The Hotspot Shield app has so far been downloaded over 650 million times, and it’s number one in the Productivity and Tools category on both iOS and Android.
4. PureVPN
PureVPN describes itself as the world’s fastest, and we have no reason to doubt its claim. Enjoyed by more than 2 million users, PureVPN gives you the security and anonymity you need to watch movies on online streaming sites, play games with your friends, and download anything you want from the internet without any worries.
The service is based in Hong Kong, so it’s not required to store any data about its customers. You can connect from up to 5 devices simultaneously and choose which data to send through your ISP and which through the VPN connection thanks to support for split tunneling.
5. CyberGhost
Launched in 2004, CyberGhost is a rising star among VPN services. In 2018, its server network grew by 150 percent, which means that CyberGhost users can now choose from more than 3,000 servers located in many different countries around the world.
CyberGhost starts at $3.5 per month, and you can enjoy a 45-day money-back guarantee on your purchase. Just like NordVPN, CyberGhost doesn’t keep any logs, and it uses 256-bit AES encryption to make it impossible for unauthorized third parties to monitor your online activity.
6. Private Internet Access<
Private Internet Access is a trusted VPN service with a worldwide presence and very attractive pricing. PIA, as this VPN service is commonly referred to, allows you to browse the web anonymously with a hidden IP address.
You can connect from up to 5 devices simultaneously and rest assured knowing that PIA doesn’t connect any logs whatsoever. The service is exceptionally easy to use: you just download the official client and connect with a single click.
7. Windscribe
Windscribe is a VPN service that encrypts your browsing activity, blocks ads, and unblocks entertainment content so you can enjoy the web without any restrictions. For those who are on a tight budget, Windscribe offers attractive free plans, and its most popular paid plan costs just $4.08 per year. Multiple payment options are available, including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Bitcoin, and others.
Conclusion
A few months ago, NordVPN promised a major independent audit to back up the claims the company makes about its product. Recently, NordVPN has delivered on its promise, convincing even the biggest skeptics of its trustworthiness. But even though NordVPN has proved itself to be the excellent VPN service most of its long-term users consider it to be, there are many just as reputable alternatives that you should know about, and we’ve listed 7 of them in this article for your convenience.
