VPN Logging: No Logs vs Metadata Logs vs Browsing Logs

Let’s first consider the following comparison of various types of logs:

No Logs VPN

No Privacy Issues



- Data N/A














Metadata Logs

No Privacy Issues


Real IP address 1.1.1.1 

Connected to US server Jan 3, 2015, 1:13 PM

Assigned IP address 2.2.2.2




Data N/A








Disconnected from US server Jan 3, 2015, 10:45 PM 

Total bandwidth: 10GB

Full Traffic Logs

Invasion of Privacy


Real IP address 1.1.1.1 

Connected to US server Jan 3, 2015, 1:13 PM

Assigned IP address 2.2.2.2


⁃Google

⁃pornsite.com/big-smth

⁃pornsite.com/asian-smth

⁃thepiratebay.se/file-name-adult

⁃Facebook.com/my-personal-profile

⁃Facebook.com/gentleman-club

⁃Facebook.com/profile1

Youtube.com/video1

etc etc etc....


Disconnected from US server Jan 3, 2015, 10:45 PM 

Total bandwidth: 10GB

 

Essentially, the above means that the most secure VPN provider is a No Logs company that keeps absolutely no personally identifiable information about their users. No Logs VPN providers cannot match an assigned IP address with the real IP address and do not monitor users’ browsing habits. A list of the best no logs VPN providers is provided in the Most Secure VPN guide.

VPN providers that keep Metadata Logs (Server Connection Logs), related to the date and time when the connection to the server was established and an IP address that was used, also do not monitor their users’ online activity. This is the reason they tend to call themselves “No Logs” VPN providers. But since these providers know your real IP address and which VPN IP address you were assigned, they can decide to cooperate with the authorities when you break the law. So once you get the attention of the authorities, a specific law enforcement agency uses an IP address involved in a specific illegal activity and subpoenas a VPN provider to reveal the real IP address. This is different from logging the websites that you visit and spying, though, because a VPN provider doesn’t know what you do online when you use their network.

Let’s say John with a real IP 1.1.1.1 was assigned an IP address 2.2.2.2. When John accesses various websites, these websites store certain information about this user, including an IP address, OS, browser and screen resolution. When 2.2.2.2 is tagged by the authorities for, lets say, selling guns on the darknet, they reach out to a VPN provider with a court order to disclose the real info about this user, which in the case of Metadata Logging is an IP address. The provider can then match 2.2.2.2 to a real user 1.1.1.1. and this is how John gets caught.

However, when a Shared IP was used, there were multiple users who were connected to the same server. So law enforcement needs to employ additional techniques to determine an exact individual.

While we do not feel that criminal activity should be endorsed and enabled by the means of encryption tools, it’s important to note that metadata logging is not suitable for whistleblowers, certain journalists or other illegal activities. Keeping server connection logs, however, in no way invades user privacy and is, therefore, an excellent choice to protect yourself from mass surveillance. When you’re using encryption tools, nobody can intercept and steal your data, and ISPs no longer have access to your browsing history.

Full Traffic Logging (Browsing Activities), on the other hand, is unacceptable and critically invades our right to privacy! As evident from the table provided, full traffic logs contain highly personal sensitive information about browsing habits of the users and can be used to build personal profiles. Mandatory Data Retention laws in the UK, Europe and Australia force ISPs and telecom companies to store full browsing logs. Based on the privacy policies of the VPN providers we reviewed, none of them practice full logging. However, we’d like to note that some reserve the right to temporarily turn on logging for investigation purposes when they determine their network is being abused. Since they do not clarify exactly what constitutes abuse and do not specify what information they start logging in such cases, we feel that such companies should fall under the Full Traffic Logging VPN category and should be used with caution.

The following are the best no logging VPN providers.

NordVPN Logo

FINAL SALE: 70% off NordVPN  

ANNUAL PRICE: 3.49 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 11.95 USD

Panama based NordVPN is one of the best security oriented VPN companies with amazingly fast infrastructure. NordVPN offers over 5,000 servers in 62 countries, dedicated & shared IP types, and 6 simultaneous logins. NordVPN has a Smart Play technology offering an encrypted connection to access geo-restricted content on Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, BBC iPlayer and similar services. NordVPN implemented a strict no logs privacy policy, offers double data encryption, obfuscation tools and other advanced security features. Their custom apps run on system startup include Kill Switch feature and DNS leak resolver to protect the user from unexpected data leaks. To read a full NordVPN review and get an annual discount click HERE.

 

ExpressVPN Logo

Get 49% off ExpressVPN  

ANNUAL PRICE: 6.67 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 12.95 USD

ExpressVPN has one of the largest and fastest infrastructures with over 2,000 servers in 94 countries. Ultra fast ExpressVPN network supports gigabit Internet connection which makes it a perfect choice for ultra high speed streaming and torrenting. Besides, ExpressVPN aligns itself as one of the Internet’s leading advocates for net neutrality, for a democratic and open internet. Considering they have a no logs policy, accept Bitcoin and are located on the Caribbean Island, they are a great choice for privacy oriented customers who want to protect their data from surveillance, bypass censorship and access restricted materials. To read a full ExpressVPN review click HERE.

 

CyberGhost VPN Logo

Get 80% off CyberGhost VPN  

ANNUAL PRICE: 2.45 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 12.99 USD

Romania based CyberGhost is a no logs VPN provider with over 3,500 high speed VPN servers. CyberGhost offers streaming servers to unblock Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer as well as secure torrenting servers. For faster streaming and torrenting CyberGhost VPN allows switching between TCP/UDP protocols. VPN provider offers desktop and mobile apps with built-in advanced security features such as automatic kill switch, DNS & IP leaks, anti-fingerprinting and tracking protection, an ad-blocker and anti-malware. To read a full CyberGhost review click HERE.

 

PrivateInternetAccess VPN Logo

Get 81% off PIA VPN  

ANNUAL PRICE: 2.19 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 11.95 USD

PIA is a leading no logs VPN provider with a massive amount of servers (over 3,000) that deliver excellent speeds and a very reliable service. PIA VPN does a great job protecting users’ privacy from surveillance, cyber attacks and other online threats. PIA offers an easy to install VPN app for all devices with advanced features that secure VPN connection from unexpected data leaks. For faster streaming and torrenting PIA software offers switching between different connection types and ports. To read a full PIA review click HERE.

 

Perfect Privacy VPN Logo

Go to Perfect Privacy Website  

ANNUAL PRICE: 8.99 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 12.99 USD

Perfect Privacy is an ultra fast (gigabit servers) VPN provider with a heavy focus on advanced online security. Perfect Privacy integrated firewall enforces all traffic to be sent through secure tunnels thereby protecting their users from all known IP leaks when the app is running, it even prevents unencrypted online access after OS reboot. In addition, Perfect Privacy offers a unique Multi-Hop VPN feature that allows cascading over up to 4 OpenVPN servers at the same time along with SOCKS5 and Squid proxies. Perfect Privacy can bypass strict firewalls by obfuscating OpenVPN to look like normal HTTPS traffic with OpenVPN over SSH feature. For additional firewall penetration Perfect Privacy allows 5 custom port forwardings or 3 default random ports. What really separates them, though, is their ability to resolve .onion (TOR) addresses without the need for the Tor Browser. To read a full Perfect Privacy review click HERE.

 

Hide.me VPN Logo

Go to Hide.Me Website  

ANNUAL PRICE: 4.99 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 9.95 USD

Based in Malaysia, Hide.me is one the most secure and fastest VPN providers offering ultra fast VPN servers that provide gigabit Internet connection. Hide.Me VPN is extremely reliable and very fast which makes it a perfect choice for security oriented users who would like to enjoy uninterrupted streaming and browsing experience. Hide.Me offers incredibly convenient custom apps for all devices with a number of advanced security features for maximum protection. Hide.me is a no logs company that has custom software with a built-in protection against IP and data leaks, obfuscation tools to bypass strict firewalls, dynamic TCP/UDP port-forwarding (UPnP) and SOCKS5 proxy that is especially useful for torrenting. To read a full Hide.me review click HERE.

 

TorGuard VPN Logo

Get 10% off TorGuard VPN Lifetime Deal  

ANNUAL PRICE: 4.49 USD/mo [promocode]
MONTHLY PRICE: 8.99 USD

Offering over 3,000 servers in 50 countries, all mainstream protocols and 5 simultaneous connections, TorGuard rightfully earned its place as a top VPN provider. No logs TorGuard offers a reliable, fast and secure VPN connection. Their SOCKS5 proxy is an excellent feature for high speed multimedia streaming and torrenting as it integrates with the main BitTorrent applications. TorGuard native apps offer advanced security features like Kill Switch to ensure no data leaks, even when the connection drops, and port forwarding to custom TCP/UDP ports. TorGuard’s StealthVPN protocol is an effective tool to bypass strict firewalls and VPN blocking. To read a full TorGuard review click HERE.

 

ZenMate VPN logo

Start 7 day FREE Trial  

ANNUAL PRICE: 1.75 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 11.99 USD

ZenMate is a no logs privacy oriented VPN provider with a number of built-in security features for advanced protection from cybercrime and various IP leaks. ZenMate has over 1,000 ultra fast VPN servers that are great for streaming (including Netflix), torrenting and gaming since the infrastructure is optimized for low ping times and virtually eliminates lag. ZenMate Premium software for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android is lightweight, efficient and reliable – it takes about 2 seconds to disconnect from one VPN server and connect to another. ZenMate simply never disconnects! To read a full ZenMate review click HERE.

 

Get 73% off IPVanish VPN  

ANNUAL PRICE: 3.25 USD/mo
MONTHLY PRICE: 10 USD

IPVanish is a no logs VPN provider with a global servers infrastructure secured behind NAT Firewall. IPVanish offers native apps for desktop and mobile clients and allows 10 simultaneous connections. IPVanish servers are specifically optimized for streaming and gaming which ensures excellent download speeds and low ping times. IPvanish software protects users from unexpected data leaks and offers a number of advanced features especially useful for torrenting. To read a full IPVanish review click HERE.

 

3 Comments

  1. NathanAugust 23, 2018

    I purchased CyberGhost last week with the intention of loading for my streaming on fire tv I need to have an easy way to protect my movie streaming on Kodi sub without having to buy more apps. Please advise

    Reply
    1. CRYPTMODEAugust 23, 2018

      Nathan, you can setup your VPN connection directly on your router. Try contacting CyberGhost support as they likely have setup instructions for your router.

      Reply
  2. dianApril 19, 2016

    Good information. Thanks

    Reply

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