The VPN Scorecard
We rate VPNs the way we rate everything, on specific, checkable facts. We scored 8 major VPNs on speed, privacy, streaming, device support, and price. The most private one finished last.
The most private VPN finished last
Mullvad — no email, no username, just a random account number, and you can pay by mailing cash in an envelope — scored a perfect 10.0 on privacy, the best in the group. It still finished last overall at 6.2. Purism cost it the rest: 3.0 on streaming and 4.0 on device support.
The mainstream names actually earned it
Not every story is "popular, so overhyped." NordVPN and Surfshark tied for first at 8.8. Nord posted a perfect 10.0 on speed; Surfshark a perfect 10.0 on devices, with unlimited simultaneous connections.
The most-advertised VPN isn't the best
ExpressVPN — the one from a thousand YouTube sponsor reads — landed mid-pack at 7.6. It unblocks streaming better than anyone (10.0), but it's the priciest of the 8 (5.0 on price), and that's what holds it back.
The takeaway
Pick for the job you actually have: maximum anonymity → Mullvad, best all-around → NordVPN or Surfshark, streaming → ExpressVPN. Neither the loudest ad budget nor the purest privacy wins outright — the best VPN depends on what you’re optimizing for.
Each score is the average of independent dimension ratings — speed, privacy, streaming, device support, and price — tied to specific facts and not influenced by affiliate relationships. See how scores work →