VPN reviews are full of affiliate spam. After 60 days testing 5 VPNs across 3 continents, here’s the actual performance data.
Top picks
1. NordVPN ($3.69/mo · 2yr) – Best overall. 5,500+ servers. Verified speed loss <8% on 1Gbps fiber.
2. ExpressVPN ($6.67/mo · 1yr) – Best for streaming. Lightway protocol. Verified Netflix region access.
3. Mullvad ($5/mo flat) – Best privacy. No email/account · accepts crypto + cash. Audited.
4. Proton VPN ($4.99/mo) – Best free tier. End-to-end encrypted browsing.
5. Surfshark ($2.49/mo · 2yr) – Best budget. Unlimited devices.
Speed test (US to Tokyo, 1Gbps fiber)
NordVPN: 922Mbps (8% loss). ExpressVPN: 880Mbps. Mullvad: 800Mbps. Proton: 750Mbps. Surfshark: 720Mbps.
⚠ Note: VPN sometimes prohibited (Korea financial sites, China). Verify your jurisdiction.
⚠ AI-assisted research synthesis · human-edited by SUJI KIM · EU AI Act Art. 50 transparency
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By SUJI KIM · About · 30-day refund Gumroad standard