Club Benefits
There are so many nifty uses for a VPN, and top of the list is the extra layer of security it provides across all your devices with an internet connection.
With so many providers out there, though, it can be hard to determine which is the best VPN for you, especially in terms of keeping your identity safe.
What is a VPN audit?
A VPN audit is an assessment carried out by a third-party firm, which delves into a VPN provider's software infrastructure or policies (including their logging policy), and verifying its security claims and the effectiveness of its features.
VPN audits can be split out into two types:
Privacy audits look into a provider's no-logs policy, whether or not it is adhering to its terms of service, and exactly how a provider handles your data. This includes exactly what data of yours it collects, both how it collects it, as well as how and if it will store this data.
Fundamentally, a privacy audit checks to make sure a provider isn't passing on your personal data to third parties, which is something to look out for particularly if you're considering a free VPN (the reason that some are free is because they sell your data on).
Then there's security audits, which delve into the software and its clients and apps across devices. These audits check the integrity of the software, if it runs as it should, and whether or not there are any vulnerabilities that could leave users' data exposed.
Once these audits have been carried out — and it's worth noting a VPN provider can ask for a specific aspect of their tool to be audited, it needn't always be a full audit across apps, features, and policies — the independent auditor publishes a full report of its findings.
What VPNs have been independently audited?
The majority of the providers we deem the most private VPNs have all had audits carried out across different aspects of their services.
Surfshark's most recent audit on its network structure was a great success for the provider's reputation. Carried out by external cybersecurity firm SecuRing, it confirmed that the VPN meets "the highest security standards".
Elsewhere, NordVPN's most recent independent audit looked at its no-logs policy for a fifth time back in February 2025. The company commissioned Deloitte Audit Lithuania to audit this and its privacy claims were proven accurate.
ExpressVPN has also received independent audits, its most recent taking place in June 2025 on both its no-logs policy and its TrustServer system, which was carried out by KPMG LLP.
Other key VPN security features to look out for
- Auto-connect: Want a VPN that is one step ahead of even you? That's essentially what a VPN's auto-connect feature does. As soon as your device connects to a network, your VPN will automatically connect to your nearest server, ensuring your connection is protected from the get-go. Most VPNs offer this as a standard.
- Kill switch: In some ways auto-connect's partner in crime, the kill switch protects you at the other end of your connection — specifically, if your VPN connection drops, a kill switch will kill access to the internet altogether to ensure your activity isn't left exposed.
- No-logs policy: As mentioned, many VPN provider's claim to be no-logs. This means they commit to not tracking or logging user activity. It's essential your provider offers this, but make sure there's evidence to back up this claim, ideally with an audit to confirm. Other good signs of this include having an open-source code base.
- Malware/ads/tracker protection: While we always advise using antivirus in tandem with a VPN, it's always great if a VPN offers some its detection tools while you browse. The likes of Surfshark One, ProtonVPN, and others offer malware protection while you browse. This essentially means it'll detect and stop in its tracks any malicious software, phishing attempts, trackers, or ads.
- OpenVPN protocol: You'll often hear OpenVPN, WireGuard, and so on thrown around. These are different types of protocols which determine how your data is transmitted when connecting to a server. They serve different needs, from optimum security to the fastest speeds. OpenVPN is still considered the gold standard of VPN protocols, and luckily most of our top VPNs to recommend have it as a configuration option, including Surfshark.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
