Our Rating Methodology

Every VPN on FindMyVPN is evaluated using 19 objective criteria, each scored on a scale from 0 to 5. The average of all scores determines the overall rating. This methodology ensures consistent, unbiased comparisons across all VPN providers.

Scoring Criteria

Jurisdiction

The country where a VPN is legally registered matters significantly for privacy. We evaluate based on data retention laws, surveillance practices, and membership in intelligence alliances (5 Eyes, 14 Eyes).

0 Authoritarian countries with active surveillance and data retention laws

1-2 5/14 Eyes countries with data retention laws

3-4 Countries with reasonable privacy laws or offshore jurisdictions

5 Privacy havens with no data retention laws (Panama, Switzerland, BVI, etc.)

Audited No-Logs Policy

A VPN claiming not to log user data is only as trustworthy as its verification. We prioritize independently audited no-logs policies.

0 Proven to have logged data despite claims

1 No no-logs claim or admits to logging

2-4 Claims no-logs but unverified or partially verified

5 Independently audited by reputable third-party auditors

Speed

Based on independent speed tests and user reviews from multiple sources. Speeds vary by location and connection, so this represents aggregated data.

0-2 Slow speeds, significant performance degradation

3 Moderate speeds, acceptable for browsing

4-5 Fast speeds, minimal impact on performance, suitable for streaming/gaming

Protocols

Modern, secure protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2) are essential. Outdated protocols (PPTP, L2TP) reduce the score.

0 Only outdated or insecure protocols

5 Modern secure protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2) with no insecure options

Encryption

Encryption strength matters. We look for AES-256, ChaCha20, and modern cipher suites.

0-2 Weak or outdated encryption

5 Military-grade AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption

Leak Protection

IP leaks, DNS leaks, and WebRTC leaks can expose your identity. We test for built-in protection mechanisms and leak history.

0 Known data leaks and no protection features

5 Complete protection (IP, DNS, WebRTC) with no leak history

RAM Servers

RAM-only servers (diskless servers) erase all data on reboot, providing enhanced security.

0 No RAM servers

3 Transitioning to RAM servers

5 100% RAM-only server network

Pricing

Value for money, considering plan options, money-back guarantees, and free trials.

0-1 Expensive with no trial or guarantee

5 Affordable pricing, multiple plans, free trial/money-back guarantee

Bypassing Restrictive Networks

Ability to bypass geo-restrictions, censorship, and network blocks (China, Iran, corporate firewalls).

0 Cannot bypass restrictions

5 Excellent bypass capabilities with obfuscation, Shadowsocks, dedicated IPs

Customer Support

Availability and quality of support channels (live chat, email, phone).

0 No functional support

5 24/7 live chat, email, phone support with fast response times

Ad Blocker

Built-in ad and tracker blocking functionality.

0 No ad blocker

5 Effective ad and tracker blocking built-in

Complete List of Criteria

All 19 criteria evaluated for each VPN:

✓ Jurisdiction

✓ Audited No-Logs Policy

✓ Speed

✓ Protocols

✓ Encryption

✓ Leak Protection

✓ Availability

✓ Owned Servers

✓ RAM Servers

✓ Transparency: Ownership

✓ Transparency: Bug Bounty

✓ Payment Options

✓ Pricing

✓ Bypassing Networks

✓ Customer Support

✓ Ethics

✓ Ad Blocker

✓ Additional Features

= Average Score (0-5)

Questions About Our Methodology?

We're committed to transparency in our rating process.