The VPN industry is built on fear. Here’s an honest threat model.
VPN companies spend enormous amounts on marketing that implies you’ll be hacked without one. The reality: VPNs solve specific, real problems — but not the ones most people think.
What a VPN Actually Does
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic between your device and the VPN server, then routes it to the destination. The effect: your ISP (Comcast, Verizon, AT&T) cannot see which sites you visit or what you download. Websites see the VPN’s IP address instead of yours.
That’s it. A VPN does not make you anonymous, protect against malware, secure your accounts, or prevent data brokers from collecting your information through other means (device fingerprinting, tracking pixels, logged-in accounts).
When a VPN Is Genuinely Useful
Public WiFi: Connecting to hotel, airport, or coffee shop networks exposes your traffic to anyone on the same network. A VPN on public WiFi provides real protection against passive eavesdropping.
Bypassing geographic restrictions: Accessing content libraries, avoiding regional price discrimination, or circumventing censorship (relevant for travelers to restrictive countries).
ISP snooping: Some ISPs sell browsing data to advertisers. A VPN prevents this — though so does using DNS-over-HTTPS, which is free and built into modern browsers.
Torrenting: Hiding your IP from copyright enforcement agencies. Not endorsing piracy, just stating a fact about why people use them.
The Best VPNs That Don’t Log Your Data
Mullvad ($5/month, accepts cash and cryptocurrency, no email required) is the gold standard for privacy. No accounts, no logs, audited independently. ProtonVPN ($4–10/month) is strong for privacy-conscious users who want a company they can audit — Proton is a Swiss nonprofit with a track record.
NordVPN and ExpressVPN are fine for streaming and basic privacy, but their ownership (Tesonet and Kape Technologies respectively) gives serious privacy advocates pause. Avoid free VPNs — they monetize your data.
What a VPN Won’t Save You From
Phishing attacks, malware downloads, Google tracking you through your Gmail account, Facebook tracking you across the web, or data breaches at companies that have your information. These threats require different solutions: password managers, 2FA, and being careful what you click.
- Best for privacy: Mullvad ($5/month)
- Best balance of privacy + features: ProtonVPN
- Best for streaming: NordVPN, ExpressVPN
- Free alternative for ISP snooping: DNS-over-HTTPS in Firefox
- Skip: Any free VPN
