European VPN Services

A no-log policy means that the VPN provider does not record information about your online activities. However, the term "no-log" has been used loosely by some providers, so understanding what should and should not be logged is essential for evaluating these claims.

A truly no-log VPN does not record your browsing history, DNS queries, traffic destinations, data content, IP addresses, connection timestamps, session duration, or bandwidth usage. Some providers claim "no-log" while still recording connection timestamps or bandwidth data, which can be problematic depending on your threat model.

The gold standard for verifying no-log claims is independent security audits. Companies like Mullvad, IVPN, and Proton VPN have engaged reputable security firms to audit their systems and verify that they operate as claimed. These audits examine server configurations, data handling practices, and internal policies to confirm that no meaningful logs are being collected.

Real-world tests have also validated some providers' no-log claims. Mullvad's servers were seized by Swedish authorities in 2023, and the company confirmed that no user data could be provided because none existed. IVPN and Proton VPN have similarly been tested through legal demands that they could not comply with due to having no relevant data.

When evaluating a VPN's logging policy, read the full privacy policy rather than relying on marketing summaries. Look for specific statements about what is and is not collected, how long any data is retained, and under what circumstances data might be shared. Vague language or excessive qualifications should raise concerns.

The technical architecture of how a VPN operates also matters for logging. Providers running RAM-only servers (diskless servers that lose all data when powered off) provide additional assurance that logs cannot persist even accidentally. Mullvad and IVPN both use this approach for their server infrastructure.

VPN protocols determine how your data is encrypted and transmitted between your device and the VPN server. The two dominant protocols in modern VPNs are WireGuard and OpenVPN, each with distinct characteristics that make them suitable for different situations.

WireGuard is the newer protocol, designed from the ground up to be simpler, faster, and more secure than its predecessors. Its codebase is approximately 4,000 lines compared to OpenVPN's 100,000+ lines, making it easier to audit and less likely to contain security vulnerabilities. WireGuard uses modern cryptographic primitives including ChaCha20 for encryption, Poly1305 for authentication, and Curve25519 for key exchange.

The performance benefits of WireGuard are substantial. Users typically see significantly higher speeds and lower latency compared to OpenVPN connections. WireGuard also handles network changes more gracefully, reconnecting almost instantly when switching between WiFi and mobile data, which makes it particularly well-suited for mobile devices.

OpenVPN remains widely used and trusted after two decades of deployment and security review. It offers more configuration flexibility and can operate over both TCP and UDP, with TCP mode being particularly useful for evading network restrictions that might block VPN traffic. OpenVPN's maturity means it has been thoroughly tested in diverse environments and edge cases.

One consideration with WireGuard is that its original design required storing client public keys on the server, which created potential privacy concerns. Leading VPN providers have addressed this through implementations that generate temporary keys or use double NAT systems to prevent any correlation between users and their traffic. Mullvad's implementation and Proton VPN's implementation both solve this privacy consideration elegantly.

Most European VPN providers now support both protocols, allowing users to choose based on their priorities. For most users, WireGuard provides the best combination of speed, security, and reliability. OpenVPN remains valuable for specific situations where its flexibility or TCP mode is needed.

A VPN kill switch is a critical security feature that blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops. Without a kill switch, your device would automatically revert to your regular internet connection, potentially exposing your real IP address and unencrypted traffic before you realize the VPN has disconnected.

Kill switches work at different levels depending on implementation. Application-level kill switches only block traffic from specific applications when the VPN disconnects, while system-level kill switches block all network traffic from the entire device. For maximum security, system-level kill switches are preferable because they prevent any traffic leakage regardless of which applications are running.

European VPN providers generally implement robust kill switch functionality across all their applications. Mullvad's applications include an always-on system-wide kill switch that can be configured to block traffic even before the VPN connects, ensuring no unprotected traffic ever leaves your device. IVPN and Proton VPN offer similar capabilities with configurable options.

Some advanced implementations go beyond basic kill switches. Mullvad offers a "Lockdown Mode" that prevents any traffic outside the VPN tunnel, even for local network access. This is useful when using untrusted networks where you want absolute certainty that all traffic goes through the VPN.

Testing your VPN's kill switch is important. Reputable providers document how to verify kill switch functionality, and you can test it yourself by deliberately disconnecting from the VPN server while monitoring your network traffic. Any leakage during the disconnection indicates a kill switch that is not working properly.

Mobile devices present particular kill switch challenges because operating systems handle network connections differently. iOS and Android have traditionally made it difficult to implement truly reliable kill switches, though both platforms have improved their VPN APIs. The native WireGuard apps and well-implemented VPN applications now offer reliable kill switch functionality on mobile devices.

The legal jurisdiction under which a VPN operates fundamentally affects what privacy protections users can expect. VPN providers are subject to the laws of their headquarters location, which determines what data they might be legally compelled to collect or hand over to authorities.

The United States presents significant concerns for VPN users due to its extensive surveillance apparatus and legal mechanisms like National Security Letters, which can compel companies to provide data while simultaneously prohibiting them from disclosing the request. US companies operating abroad remain subject to US law through mechanisms like the CLOUD Act, which extends US jurisdiction to data stored overseas.

The Five Eyes alliance (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) and its extended partners (Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes) share intelligence and can potentially request data from providers in partner countries. VPN providers based in these jurisdictions face potential pressure to cooperate with surveillance efforts, even if their public policies suggest otherwise.

European jurisdictions outside these intelligence alliances offer stronger privacy foundations. Switzerland is particularly notable for its strong privacy laws, political neutrality, and location outside the EU (meaning it is not subject to data retention directives that affect some EU countries). Swiss law requires specific legal process to compel data disclosure and provides robust appeal mechanisms.

Sweden, where Mullvad is headquartered, has strong privacy protections despite being an EU member. Swedish law does not require VPN providers to log user data, and the country has a strong tradition of press freedom and privacy rights. The Swedish Privacy Protection Authority has been active in enforcing GDPR and protecting individual privacy.

Gibraltar, where IVPN is based, offers a combination of British common law tradition with independence from UK intelligence obligations. As a British Overseas Territory, it has its own legal system and is not directly subject to UK surveillance laws.

When evaluating jurisdiction, consider both the headquarters location and where servers are physically located. A VPN provider headquartered in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction but running servers in problematic locations could face legal demands regarding those specific servers. The best European providers are transparent about their server locations and the legal implications.

While privacy is the primary purpose of a VPN, many users also want to access streaming content that is geographically restricted. European VPN providers take varying approaches to this use case, from explicitly supporting it to focusing purely on privacy without making streaming claims.

Streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video use increasingly sophisticated methods to detect and block VPN connections. They maintain databases of known VPN IP addresses, analyze connection patterns, and may block entire IP ranges associated with data centers. Successfully accessing geo-restricted content requires VPN providers to actively maintain working server configurations.

Proton VPN has invested significantly in streaming access, maintaining dedicated servers optimized for specific streaming services. Their Plus plan includes servers marked for Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and other services, with the company actively working to maintain access as streaming services update their blocking methods.

Mullvad takes a different approach, explicitly declining to optimize for streaming access. Their position is that providing reliable streaming access would require traffic analysis and server configuration that could compromise privacy. Users can still attempt to access streaming services through Mullvad, but the company does not promise or support this use case.

For users who prioritize both privacy and streaming access, understanding these different approaches helps in selecting the right provider. You might maintain subscriptions to multiple VPNs - one optimized for streaming and another for maximum privacy - or choose a provider that balances both needs acceptably.

It is worth noting that using a VPN to circumvent geo-restrictions may violate the terms of service of streaming platforms. While this is generally a civil matter rather than a criminal one, users should understand the potential consequences of this usage.

Business VPN requirements differ from personal use in several important ways. Organizations need to consider not just individual privacy but also secure remote access to corporate resources, compliance with industry regulations, centralized management capabilities, and scalability across potentially thousands of employees.

European VPN providers offer various business-focused solutions. Proton VPN for Business provides team management features, dedicated servers, priority support, and compliance documentation suitable for regulated industries. The service integrates with Proton's broader business suite including encrypted email and file storage.

For organizations requiring self-hosted VPN infrastructure, WireGuard's simplicity makes it increasingly attractive. Many businesses are deploying WireGuard-based VPN servers on their own infrastructure, often using European cloud providers like Hetzner or OVH to maintain data sovereignty. This approach provides maximum control but requires technical expertise to implement and maintain.

Compliance considerations for business VPN use include GDPR requirements for protecting employee and customer data, industry-specific regulations like HIPAA for healthcare or PCI DSS for payment processing, and contractual obligations to clients regarding data handling. European VPN providers are generally well-positioned to support these compliance needs through their existing privacy-focused practices.

Split tunneling features, which allow some traffic to bypass the VPN while other traffic is protected, are particularly important for business use. This allows employees to access local network resources and bandwidth-intensive services directly while ensuring sensitive business traffic is always encrypted through the VPN.

Multi-factor authentication, single sign-on integration, and detailed access logging (of authentication events, not traffic content) are additional features that businesses often require. The best enterprise VPN solutions balance these administrative needs with the core privacy principles that make VPNs valuable in the first place.

Mobile devices present unique challenges and opportunities for VPN protection. Smartphones constantly connect to various networks - home WiFi, office networks, coffee shop hotspots, cellular data - each with different security characteristics. A reliable mobile VPN protects your traffic regardless of which network you happen to be connected to.

Public WiFi networks are particularly risky for unprotected mobile devices. These networks are often unencrypted, allowing anyone nearby to potentially intercept your traffic. Even networks that require passwords may not encrypt traffic between devices and the access point. A VPN ensures your data is encrypted regardless of the underlying network security.

European VPN providers have developed native mobile applications for iOS and Android that make VPN protection straightforward. These apps typically offer one-tap connection, automatic connection when joining untrusted networks, and WireGuard support for fast, efficient protection that minimizes battery impact.

Battery consumption has historically been a concern with mobile VPNs, but WireGuard's efficient design has largely addressed this. The protocol's ability to maintain dormant connections without keeping the radio active means that battery impact is minimal during normal use. Users report negligible battery difference when running WireGuard-based VPNs continuously.

Kill switch implementation on mobile devices has improved significantly. Both iOS and Android now provide APIs that allow VPN applications to ensure traffic only flows through the VPN tunnel. Mullvad, IVPN, and Proton VPN all implement reliable kill switches in their mobile applications.

For iOS users, there are additional considerations due to Apple's restrictions on VPN functionality. The operating system may occasionally send some traffic outside the VPN tunnel, particularly for Apple services. Privacy-focused providers document these limitations and provide guidance on minimizing exposure.

VPN pricing varies significantly across providers, from free tiers with limitations to premium services costing upward of fifteen dollars monthly. Understanding what you get at different price points helps in making an informed decision that balances cost with privacy and feature requirements.

Free VPN services should generally be approached with caution. The operational costs of running a VPN infrastructure are substantial, and providers need revenue from somewhere. Many free VPNs monetize through advertising, selling user data, or injecting content into web pages - practices fundamentally at odds with privacy. However, Proton VPN's free tier is a notable exception, subsidized by paying customers and offered as part of Proton's mission to provide privacy tools to everyone regardless of ability to pay.

Mullvad uses a unique flat-rate pricing model of five euros per month with no discounts for longer commitments. This approach reflects their philosophy that privacy should not be a luxury and their belief that longer commitments lock users in and reduce accountability. The flat rate also simplifies anonymous payment, as users can send exactly five euros in cash or cryptocurrency without worrying about subscription periods.

Other providers offer tiered pricing based on subscription length. IVPN's Standard plan costs six dollars monthly or sixty dollars annually, with a Pro plan offering additional features at higher pricing. Proton VPN's paid plans range from approximately five to ten euros monthly depending on features and commitment length.

When comparing prices, consider what is included. Some providers limit the number of simultaneous device connections, while others allow unlimited devices. Server network size, speed guarantees, and feature availability vary. The cheapest option may not provide adequate performance or may lack important features like a kill switch or WireGuard support.

Anonymous payment options are worth considering if privacy is your primary concern. Mullvad famously accepts cash sent through the mail, as well as various cryptocurrencies. IVPN and Proton VPN also accept cryptocurrency payments. These options allow you to pay for VPN service without creating a link to your identity.

For businesses, per-seat pricing models are common, with volume discounts for larger deployments. Enterprise features like dedicated servers, custom configurations, and priority support typically come at premium pricing but provide value for organizations with specific requirements.

Beyond basic VPN functionality, advanced features provide additional layers of privacy and security for users with heightened requirements. European VPN providers have been leaders in implementing and refining these capabilities.

Multi-hop (or double VPN) routes your traffic through two or more VPN servers in different locations before reaching the internet. This adds an additional layer of encryption and makes traffic analysis more difficult, as compromising a single server would not reveal your complete traffic pattern. IVPN and Proton VPN both offer multi-hop configurations through their applications. Perfect Privacy takes this even further with cascading through up to four servers.

Tor over VPN combines the anonymity of the Tor network with VPN protection. Your traffic first goes through the VPN server, then enters the Tor network, providing protection from your ISP seeing that you use Tor while maintaining Tor's anonymity properties. Proton VPN offers Tor over VPN servers that make this configuration automatic.

Obfuscation features disguise VPN traffic to look like regular HTTPS connections, helping to evade network restrictions that block VPN protocols. This is valuable in countries with internet censorship or on networks that actively block VPN usage. Various obfuscation techniques exist, including Shadowsocks, obfs4, and custom implementations.

Port forwarding allows incoming connections to reach your device through the VPN, which is useful for peer-to-peer applications, hosting servers, or other scenarios where you need to accept connections. Not all providers offer this feature, and it does have privacy implications as a consistent port can be used to identify your traffic.

Split tunneling, mentioned earlier in the business context, is also valuable for individual users. You might configure your browser to use the VPN while allowing streaming apps to connect directly, or protect sensitive applications while maintaining local network access for printing and file sharing.

DNS leak protection ensures that DNS queries (which translate domain names to IP addresses) go through the VPN rather than to your ISP's DNS servers. Leaking DNS queries can reveal your browsing activity even when your main traffic is encrypted. Reputable VPN providers include DNS leak protection by default and operate their own DNS servers.