Here at ProPrivacy.com, our aim is to make each of our VPN reviews comprehensive and objective. VPN providers do not pay us for our reviews, though we do operate affiliate links and relationships with the services that exceed our expectations. This allows us to fund the site and keep fighting for digital privacy. We have an entire page dedicated to how ProPrivacy makes money.
This page is intended to provide our readers with a high-level overview of the process we follow when reviewing a product or service and the key points we look at – providing our readers with an insight into how we judge the quality of a provider.
What is the purpose of a VPN review?
The main purpose of a provider review is to look at the key elements that can make or break a good VPN and see how we think this specific offering measures up – whether the product is worth using, or whether we think you would get more for your money elsewhere.
What does ProPrivacy look for during a VPN review?
We examine each provider's primary product, its unique features, and any other aspects we think set it apart from its competitors. These are the main points you can expect to be covered in every review, as we consider these to be the most important aspects in choosing a VPN provider:
- What features does the provider offer?
- Is there anything that sets it apart from the competition, like proprietary encryption protocols or ad and malware blocking?
- What sites and streaming services can it unblock?
- How many countries does the provider operate in?
- How many servers does the provider have?
- What platforms does the VPN support, and how straightforward is the sign-up and setup process?
- What performance can you expect in terms of connection, upload and download speeds?
- You can even check for yourself on our VPN speed test page!
- How does the technical security of the VPN look?
- What encryption protocols do they offer and how securely are they implemented?
- What is the provider's Privacy Policy like? Should you trust it?
- What is the customer service like?
- When is it available?
- How knowledgeable are they?
- Are they just trying to convince you to buy, or will they actually answer your questions?
- If they can't answer your questions, how quickly will they pass you to the technical support staff?
- How much does it cost to sign up and what payment options are on offer?
- Are there any free plans/trials available?
- Is there a money-back guarantee?
- Is it worth the money the provider is asking for (based on what's available on the market)?
Our final thoughts
The review will end with a summary of the reviewer's opinions and findings, the "TL;DR" version if you will. This will commonly include the things the reviewer liked, the things they didn't like, and the things that could be a deal breaker.
The one thing we cannot do is state that a single provider is the best option for every user and every situation. Everybody's situation is unique and everyone's needs are different, so to claim that one provider can be everything to everyone would be misleading. Some VPNs are better for streaming, others for torrenting, others are best for people who only care about impenetrable technical security. We will always offer what we think are the best choices for any given situation – equipping our readers with the facts they need to venture into the VPN marketplace and make an informed decision.