I currently use ExpressVPN and find it ok. In the past I’ve used Mullvad and AirVPN and tbh I think they were all fine.
However, I would probably trust a provider more if there has been an actual case where police tried getting the logs and the VPN provider gave them nothing.
For me I really distrust NordVPN because this provider is just so overshilled everywhere - like even on national TV NordVPN have ads, which for me is just a red flag.
Curious here to know what the consensus here is about the different VPN providers.
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Been using proton vpn for a few years now, works great. They made a better Linux client recently too, so it’s just been smooth sailing from the get go for me.
Their new Linux client was a massive upgrade
+1
does the new Linux client support forwarding? I’d love to use that via CLI for my little seedbox
Mullvad.
Shit you can pay for the service by anonymously mailing them cash.
You don’t even create an account with them either.
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so what’s the benefit here? just to not broadcast to your credit card/crypto chain that you purchased it? i assume they still have logs with the ip address you’re connecting from
They also support payment in Monero so you don’t even need your crypto chain
I think in Sweden it’s called Kronero (sorry)
They don’t keep logs, and are audited to prove that. When you sign up, you get an ID number, they don’t ask for your name or email or anything. There’s no password either.
i’ll have to read their audit. thanks for the pointer
Their servers are also RAM only, with no permanent storage at all. They load the OS and software from a network every time they need to reboot a server.
It’s physically impossible for them to keep logs.
interesting. thanks for the info
this
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Which is what I did, unlike you.
That.
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Could you give some pointers on how you can mail them cash anonymously?
You put cash in an envelope, write their address on it, apply sufficient postage and don’t include a return address. Or if the postal services in your home country require one, put any random address on the envelope.
Together with the physical cash, you include a payment token that’s randomly generated on their website to link it with the correct account. Done.
Thanks!
AirVPN said they had a server raided in Canada back in 2015, a few weeks later Italian police contacted them to ask for help since the Toronto Police wasn’t able to find any logs.
But that’s only what AirVPN said, I’ve not seen any proof or docs or anything. And the way they disclosed it and then went silent on the matter is more than a bit odd… https://airvpn.org/forums/topic/56817-court-order-seizing-the-server/
IVPN, Mullvad, or Proton VPN.
Upvoted for IVPN. I use them and I have no complaints so far, though I route traffic to my VPS then to IVPN so I can do some DNS caching among other things (mainly routing between private subnets).
Mullvad gets my vote as the goat. I’ve tried Proton and I get half the speed. No port forwarding is the only issue.
I’ve tried Proton and I get half the speed
I’m jealous
To clarify, Protons’ free tier is already enough to get the most out of my bandwidth.
Windscribe made an interactive VPN Relationship Map if you’re interested, besides listing all the connections between companies if you click on a provider it should list any publicly available cases where the logs handed over.
AirVPN if you need port forwarding. Mullvad if you don’t.
if you need port forwarding i would just buy a seedbox
Gotta wait for the seedbox to dl the file THEN dl it again to your local net. Saves time and work to just run at home.
fair
I run openvpn on my seedbox
AirVPN user here - would also recommend but would note they have not been audited and it does not seem likely they will be as staff does not seem interested.
They did though disclose a 2015 incident where servers were seized and no info was found. So there is some evidence their no log policy is more then just words although your still only getting their version of the event.
PIA have better track record and offer port forwarding
Not really. Both offer port forwarding and have real world tests of their no log policy but PIA is chaulk full of controversies. Including being owned by Kape, running a smear campaign against Proton, and hiring known scammers.
Isn’t PIA also owned by the guy who bought Freenode?
It was owned by his company (London Trust Media) until Kape bought it in 2019. PIA was $30M in debt, which was probably a big reason for the sale.
https://www.techradar.com/news/cyberghost-owner-buys-pia-for-dollar955m-to-create-vpn-giant
I haven’t seen any real world tests for air, only what air have claimed, no external sources
The server seizure is still a real world test. If you chose not to believe it due to no outside confirmation that’s totally fair.
Even so, I would argue there is no evidence of anything deceptive going on at AirVPN or any reason not to trust them whereas PIA has an objectively sketchy past and known awful ownership.
I’m an AirVPN user so obviously my opinion on this is not exactly objective.
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Mullvad got raided in sweden not sure if recently but they have a post about it.
They complied with the law and provided nothing as they don’t store logs is my understanding but after a quick circle jerk Swedish pigs fucked right off. I think they posted the docs
Proton is pretty good
I’ve had great success with proton
I am currently writing my master thesis on this topic. The three beat choices out there are, Mullvad, ProtonVPN, IVPN. Plus Windscribe for an honorable mention (they have by far the funniest marketing team).
Can i have access to your thesis? Is be very interested to give it a read
Appreciate it, but I am sadly still just in the planning and researching stage. I will start writing it in January and will be finished in June. If I can publish it without my name, then I will do so here on Lemmy 👍
You could give read access to the final draft and redact your name from the paper. Thanks for considering!
Care to give a deeper explanation and explain why not airvpn, or expressvpn?
Not done with my thesis yet… But, ExpressVPN is owned by Kape Technologies, who also own PIA and Cyberghost. To me that’s already sketchy as I wouldn’t trust a company that owns three of the same services, feels like they are all the same but layered with different UIs, although I cannot prove that.
Furthermore, Kape Technologies used to be Crossrider, a company that were connected to malware distribution.
Although not a peer reviewed source, I hope to dive deeper into this:
Neither one of them works in China, so I hope your thesis explains as to why they are “best” if a malevolent government can simply instruct local ISPs to block the client-server handshake nationwide and thus expose all customers relying on encrypted communication to crackdowns by local authorities.
I was not aware, but thanks!
My vote goes to Mullvad. Possibly Proton VPN as a second contender.
I use Mullvad and I like it but I’m not too advanced with my usage.
Are there any comments or thoughts on how effective vpn’s are these days aside from curcumventing region restrictions? With fingerprinting and pixel tracking and more, are vpn’s losing their standing as a modern day online security centric option?
I’m using Mullvad through Tailscale now. Works OK. I think Proton has a free plan
So partly proprietary, lol ;D
Which part?
Tailscale, isnt it?
I believe, if you use Headscale (https://github.com/juanfont/headscale) as your server, and just the CLI, it’s all open source.
Thanks!
Nice!
Proton does have a free plan but it’s very limited
