Affiliate disclosure

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and then subscribe to a VPN, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. That commission keeps the site running. This disclosure explains exactly how it works and why it does not shape our advice.

How to spot the links

Every affiliate link on ProtocolProof goes through a /go/ redirect and is marked so search engines treat it as sponsored. We name the commercial relationship inline the first time it appears in a page, rather than hiding it. Providers we currently link this way include NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Proton VPN, IPVanish and Private Internet Access.

Why it doesn't change our recommendations

This site is about protocols, not brands, and the facts about a protocol are set by its specification — no commission can make WireGuard slower or OpenVPN better at blocks. When we point to a provider, it is to illustrate a protocol point (NordVPN for NordLynx, ExpressVPN for Lightway), not to crown a "best VPN". We take no payment for rankings or placements.

The providers that pay us nothing

The clearest proof that commissions don't drive our advice is that we regularly recommend Mullvad and Windscribe, neither of which runs an affiliate program we can earn from, and Proton VPN's respected free tier. When one of those is the honest answer, that is what we say. We would rather keep your trust than a click.

Prices and terms

VPN pricing changes constantly and varies by region and billing term, so we avoid quoting exact prices and tell you to check the current price on the provider's own site. For the advice itself, start with our guide to which VPN protocol to use.