Top privacy VPN services beyond Proton VPN

When it comes to online privacy tools, VPN services are one of the most common ways people protect their traffic through an encrypted connection in situations like using public Wi Fi. There are hundreds of options on the market including very well known names like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, and of course, Proton VPN, a common favorite thanks to its strong privacy focus with a strict no logs policy, open source apps with independent audits, and Swiss jurisdiction.

Even though Proton VPN is a solid choice, there is still life beyond it, so we have gathered 5 of the best privacy VPN alternatives with equally strong standards in security, transparency, and data protection worth considering:

🇸🇪 Mullvad

Starting with Mullvad VPN, one of the most trusted names in the privacy community thanks to its privacy by design model, assigning random account numbers instead of collecting emails and supporting anonymous payments like cash and Monero. It offers open source audited apps, a solid native Linux VPN client (rare among VPN companies), diskless dedicated servers, and WireGuard VPN with IPv6 support, plus anti censorship features like obfuscation and Shadowsocks. It is also one of the most affordable privacy VPNs, starting at about €5.

🇬🇮 IVPN

IVPN emphasizes strong privacy and transparency, does not require an email to create an account, and allows anonymous crypto payments including Monero. It uses audited open-source clients, supports WireGuard, multi hop routing, and offers AntiTracker network level blocker, and includes obfuscation modes using V2Ray to help bypass censorship. On the downside, its server network is smaller than many mainstream providers (fewer server locations and IPs) which can hurt speeds or availability, and it is not the best choice for streaming services or large scale commercial features.

🇸🇪 OVPN

OVPN is a smaller Swedish provider known for having its no logs policy validated in court, proving it had no user data to surrender, something very few VPNs can claim. It uses dedicated diskless servers under its own control, open source apps, anonymous payments, and supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN, including shared IPs and multihop VPN routing. Minimal interface but highly trustworthy choice!

🇮🇹 AirVPN

AirVPN is a privacy oriented VPN run by digital rights activists who prioritize anti censorship and net neutrality, offering strong control for technical users with features like VPN over Tor, SSL/SSH tunneling, and advanced port forwarding. It accepts several anonymous payment options similar to the other providers and doesn't require personal information. Probably not the most user friendly option, but great for technical users who want more control and customization.

🇨🇦 Windscribe

Windscribe VPN offers a strong mix of privacy and usability with no identifying logs, a built in firewall, and the R.O.B.E.R.T tracker blocker. It works well across platforms and is a practical VPN alternative, though its Canadian jurisdiction and lack of a no logs audit may be a drawback for users with stricter privacy needs.

These are just a few of the alternatives you can find among the 350+ options we have listed here on AlternativeTo under the Virtual Private Network category, so we invite you not only to explore them, but also to share with us your safest go-to-choice and why in the comments!