IPMonkey Recommended VPNs
A VPN swaps your IP address for the VPN server’s, so websites see that instead of yours, and it hides your traffic from anyone on the same Wi-Fi. These are the two we would choose, and why.
These are plain links to each provider’s own website. IPMonkey is not paid for them. We may add affiliate links in future, and if we do they will be marked clearly as adverts.
1. Proton VPN IPMonkey Recommended
Our first choice for privacy. Run by the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, with a clear focus on privacy rather than streaming tricks.
Good for: People who care most about privacy, and anyone who wants a trustworthy free option to try first.
- Apps are open source and have been independently audited, with the reports published by the company.
- Has a free plan with no data cap, which makes it easy to try before paying.
- Based in Switzerland, outside the main international surveillance alliances.
Worth knowing: The free plan has fewer server locations and lower priority, so it can be slower at busy times.
2. NordVPN IPMonkey Recommended
A strong all-rounder: fast, with a very large server network and apps for nearly every device.
Good for: People who want speed, lots of locations and extra features such as malware blocking.
- Has published independent audits of its no-logs policy and its apps.
- Large network of servers, which helps if you want to appear in a particular country.
- Works on phones, computers, routers and many TVs.
Worth knowing: No free plan, and the lowest prices are on long contracts that renew at a higher price, so check the renewal cost.
How we choose
We look for:
- Independent audits that anyone can read, not just a claim of “no logs”.
- A company that says clearly who owns it and where it is based.
- Apps that work on the devices you use, with a money-back period so you can test it.
- A plain explanation of what it does not do.
Audit reports and policies change, so read the provider’s own pages before you pay.
What a VPN does not do
A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic. It does not hide you when you sign in to an account, it does not stop cookies or browser fingerprinting, and it does not make illegal activity legal. You are trusting the VPN company with what your internet provider could otherwise see, which is why the choice of provider matters.