crackthe.netData · Privacy · Security
VPNs. Measured, not claimed.
Looking for a VPN? Here you can see which countries each provider lists server locations in, what it costs after the initial term, as far as its pricing page says, and which advertising and analytics services its own website loads.
Find a VPNCompare all providers
- Providers
- 13
- Countries
- 177
- Locations
- 1,673
- Networks
- 130
How to choose and use a VPN in three steps
- 1. FindSelect what matters to you: country, price, refund period, and tracking. The finder shows which providers meet your criteria.
- 2. CompareCompare two providers side by side, or see what the data shows for and against each one.
- 3. CheckInstall the provider's app, connect, and then check whether your VPN works and hides your IP address.
VPN guides from beginner to expert
Level 0: BasicsWhat a VPN is, what it does, and whether you need one. 6 guides.
Level 1: First stepsChoose a VPN, set it up, and check that it works. 5 guides.
Level 2: Know your providerWho runs a VPN, what it tracks, and what its figures mean. 5 guides.
Level 3: How it worksProtocols, encryption, leaks, and geoblocking, explained simply. 5 guides.
Level 4: ExpertHow measurements locate servers, and how to read the evidence. 6 guides.VPN providers
| Provider | Countries | Lowest price per month1 | Per month after the initial term | Money back | Website trackers2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 NordVPN | 150 | €3.89 | €11.59 | 30 days | 2 trackers  requested from Germany |
 Proton VPN | 149 | $3.49 | $6.99 | 30 days | none  requested from the United States |
 ExpressVPN | 113 | not collected | not collected | 5 trackers requested from the United States | |
 Private Internet Access | 112 | $2.03 | $2.19 | 30 days | 4 trackers requested from the United States |
 CyberGhost | 100 | not collected | not collected | 7 trackers requested from the United States | |
 Surfshark | 100 | $2.49 | $8.25 | 30 days | 6 trackers requested from the United States |
 Windscribe | 72 | $5.75 | $5.75 | none requested from the United States | |
 hide.me | 57 | $2.69 | $2.69 | 30 days | none requested from the United States |
 Mullvad | 50 | €5.00 | not stated | 14 days | none requested from the United States |
 IVPN | 42 | not collected | not collected | none requested from the United States | |
 AzireVPN | 36 | €3.75 | not stated | 7 days | none requested from the United States |
 AirVPN | 23 | not collected | not collected | The provider's website has not been checked. | |
 OVPN | 20 | $4.22 | not stated | 10 days | 1 tracker requested from the United States |
Locations with servers in another country3
Some locations are listed under one country even though their server is located somewhere else. Providers call this a virtual location: it assigns an address registered for the listed country, while your data passes through another location. The table shows where the measurements place these servers.
| Location in the list | Server location (measured) | Distance to the country | Provider's list |
|---|---|---|---|
Windscribe:  Antarctica | at most 1,228 km from Buffalo, United States | at least 10,425 km | marked as virtual |
Private Internet Access:  Uruguay | at most 1,090 km from Los Angeles, United States | at least 8,373 km | marked as virtual |
NordVPN:  Comoros | at most 1,818 km from London,  United Kingdom | at least 6,223 km | marked as virtual |
Private Internet Access:  Bolivia | at most 1,062 km from Los Angeles, United States | at least 6,010 km | marked as virtual |
Surfshark:  India | at most 69 km from London, United Kingdom | at least 5,855 km | marked as virtual |
Private Internet Access:  Kenya | at most 68 km from Falkenstein, Germany | at least 5,270 km | marked as virtual |
2 of these locations are not marked as virtual in the provider's list. A location like this appears here only after measurements on two different days have shown the same result.
All 131 measured locations of this kindVPN server locations by countryNetworks behind VPN servers: which providers share themChanges
Check your own connection
Extend your privacy beyond the VPN: private email
A VPN hides your IP address, not your inbox. A regular email provider can read every message that is not end-to-end encrypted. These two providers put privacy first, according to their own websites.
- End-to-end and zero-access encryption: “Zero-access encryption means we never see your inbox, on any plan.”
- A free plan: “Proton Mail will always offer a free secure email plan.”
- Run by Proton AG, which says it is incorporated and headquartered in Switzerland; the same company runs Proton VPN.
- Encryption per email: “To encrypt an email, just click the toggle.”
- Encrypted email and e-signable forms, mainly for healthcare, legal, and small-business use; also offered for personal use.
- No free plan listed; its website offers a 14-day free trial of the healthcare plan.
From the providers' own websites, checked on October 17, 2026. Email services are not measured or tested in this archive.
Data, privacy, security
Data
All figures are derived from the providers' own lists. Every page states the date and the method and carries its figures as machine-readable JSON.
Privacy
Where your traffic actually ends up: virtual locations, intelligence alliances, and the networks behind the servers.
Security
Check what your own connection reveals – and test your knowledge.
Common questions about VPNs
What is a VPN, and what does it do?
VPN stands for virtual private network. A VPN app sends your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server of the VPN provider. Websites then see the server's IP address instead of yours, and your internet provider sees only that you use a VPN. This archive tracks 13 VPN services with 1,673 listed server locations.
Is it legal to use a VPN?
Using a VPN is legal in the US, in Germany, and in most other countries. Germany's federal cyber security agency, the BSI, even advises using one on public Wi-Fi. What you do through a VPN still has to be legal. Some countries block VPN services or punish their use: in November 2024, Freedom House named Russia, Iran, Turkey, Belarus, and Myanmar. Streaming services can block VPN addresses under their own terms of use; that is a rule of the service, not a law.
Source: BSI: security tips for public Wi-Fi · Freedom House: VPN restrictions, November 2024
Can the police track you if you use a VPN?
A VPN hides your IP address from the websites you visit, but not from the VPN provider. The provider sees your real address and, depending on what it stores, when you were connected. Authorities can ask a provider for data under the law of the country where it is based. Accounts, cookies, and payment details can also identify you. Providers based outside the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes countries: 2 of the 8 whose company seat this archive records.
Does a VPN make you anonymous?
No. A VPN hides your IP address from websites and your browsing from your internet provider. But the VPN provider can now see what your internet provider saw before. Logins, cookies, and browser fingerprints still work as before. A VPN protects your privacy in some situations, but it does not make you invisible.
Should your VPN be on all the time?
On public or untrusted Wi-Fi, yes. At home, it is your choice: the VPN hides your browsing from your internet provider, but some connections may get slower. Turn it off, or leave single apps out (this is called split tunneling), when a service such as your bank or a streaming app blocks VPN addresses.
How much does a VPN cost per month?
On the pricing pages in this archive, the lowest advertised prices in US dollars range from $2.03 to $5.75 per month for the initial term (6 providers). Long initial terms cost the least per month. After the initial term, the price can rise: by up to 274 % per month for one plan in this archive.
Is there a free VPN?
Yes. 3 of the 9 providers whose pricing page this archive reads name a free plan: Proton VPN, Windscribe, and hide.me. Free plans come with limits that the providers name, such as fewer countries, one device, or lower speed. Most providers have no free plan and offer a money-back period instead. Pricing pages that promise a refund within 30 days or more: 5.
What are the disadvantages of a VPN?
You trust the VPN provider instead of your internet provider. Connections can get slower because your data takes a longer route. Some websites and apps block known VPN addresses. A country in the provider's list does not always mean the server is there: 430 of 1,673 listed locations are marked as virtual by their own provider. And the price can rise after the initial term, by up to 274 % per month in this archive.
How do I check if my VPN is working?
Open the IP check on this site once without the VPN and once with it. With the VPN on, your IP address should change, and the country should match the location you chose in the VPN app. If the address stays the same, the VPN is not active for your browser.