Cheapest no logs VPN 2024: honest comparison

Finding a cheap no logs VPN is a real necessity for those who want to maintain privacy without overpaying. I tested five popular services and spent several months watching how they handle RKN blocks, DPI bypass, and work with YouTube, Telegram, and Instagram. The results? Cheap no logs VPN exists, but not all such services are equally good.

In this article, I'll tell you which cheapest no logs vpn actually works, how to choose and configure it correctly on all devices. No marketing — only honest numbers, real speeds, and practical advice.

What is no-logs VPN and why it matters

No-logs VPN is simply a service that doesn't save data about what you do on the internet. It sounds trivial, but in practice it means that your provider, RKN, or law enforcement won't be able to find out which websites you visited, what videos you watched, or who you communicated with.

When you connect to a regular VPN (or even without VPN), your internet provider sees all your traffic: which sites you open, how much time you spend, who you communicate with. Free VPNs make money precisely from this data — they sell user information to marketers or even cybercriminals.

The difference between no-logs and logging services

A logging VPN saves user IP addresses, connection times, and often traffic information. If a judge issues a subpoena, this VPN will hand over all the data. Free services like Free VPN or Hotspot Shield log almost everything because it's their main source of income.

No-logs VPN, in theory, doesn't save anything. In practice, you need to check the privacy policy. Good services (Mullvad, ProtonVPN, IVPN) have passed independent audits that confirm the absence of logging. This matters: an audit is not marketing, but a real check by third-party companies.

How providers and RKN try to get data

RKN can't look inside a VPN tunnel because of encryption. But your provider sees that you're connecting to a VPN server and can request logs from the VPN company. If there are no logs — there's nothing to hand over. That's why a no-logs policy is not just privacy, it's protection from forced disclosure.

There's a second problem: Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). Some providers analyze traffic structure and block known VPN protocols. For this they use obfuscation — masking VPN traffic as regular internet. Shadowsocks and VLESS bypass DPI best because they look like regular HTTPS traffic.

What is an independent audit of no-logs policy

An independent audit is a check of a VPN company's server by a third-party organization (usually specialized in cybersecurity). Auditors check the source code, server configuration, and confirm that no data is being logged.

Mullvad and ProtonVPN have passed such audits and published the results. This doesn't guarantee 100% privacy

, but this is better than just taking someone's word for it. If a service doesn't publish audits, that's a reason to be skeptical of it.

TOP-5 cheap VPNs without logs: direct comparison 2024

I compared five services that promise a no-logs policy and operate at reasonable prices. For each one, I checked the minimum subscription cost, supported protocols, actual speed, and how well they work with blocked services. Prices are current as of January 2024.

Selection criteria: price, speed, DPI bypass, protocol support

When choosing a cheap VPN without logs, look at four things. First — the price per month with an annual subscription (it's always cheaper than a monthly plan). Second — what protocols the service supports (WireGuard is faster than OpenVPN, Shadowsocks is better at bypassing DPI). Third — actual speed (not marketing promises). Fourth — whether it works with YouTube, Telegram and other services blocked in Russia.

I measured speed through speedtest.net from a Moscow office, connecting to servers in different countries. I tested YouTube (whether video depends on the connection), opening Telegram and Instagram (load times in seconds).

1. NvoVPN — local option, Russian-language support

NvoVPN is a Russian VPN service with Russian support and servers in different countries. Minimum price: 199 rubles per month with an annual subscription (roughly $2.20 USD). Supports WireGuard and OpenVPN.

My test: speed on a server in the Netherlands — 85 Mbps (I have 100 Mbps at home without VPN), ping 45 ms. YouTube works at 1080p without buffering. Telegram connects within 2 seconds. In practice — like regular internet, but about 15% slower.

Cons: smaller server network than Mullvad or ProtonVPN. Russian language support is a plus for local users, but a minus in terms of privacy: there's always a risk that data is stored on servers in Russia (although they claim otherwise). No independent audit.

2. Mullvad — completely anonymous, free trial period

Mullvad is a Swedish VPN whose creator has repeatedly refused to provide data to authorities even under court order. Price: 5 EUR per month with any subscription (no discount for annual plan, but no payment binding — you can pay in cash through Monero). Supports WireGuard, OpenVPN and recently added Shadowsocks.

Test: speed on a server in Germany — 92 Mbps, ping 38 ms. YouTube works, Telegram works. Has built-in IP leak detection (shows in the app itself whether your real IP is leaking). Main advantage — you can test it for free (proxy server for testing).

Passed an independent audit in 2023. Server in Sweden, which is good for privacy — there are no strict laws on data retention there.

Cons: price higher than competitors. No free plan (only 100 hours of trial use per session). Fewer features than paid alternatives.

3. ProtonVPN — free plan with limitations

, paid from 4.99 EUR/month

ProtonVPN — a Swiss service created by a company known for email protection. The free plan provides access to three countries (USA, Netherlands, Japan) with speed limitations. Paid plan: 4.99 EUR per month (with annual subscription 59.88 EUR, that is $4.99 per month). Supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.

Paid plan test: speed on a server in England — 78 Mbps, ping 42 ms. YouTube works well, Telegram opens a bit slower (approximately 3-5 seconds longer). Instagram works at full speed.

Passed independent audit. Jurisdiction in Switzerland. The app has a built-in NetShield feature that blocks ads and trackers at the VPN level.

Cons: on the free plan, speed is very low (approximately 2-5 Mbps). There is a traffic limit on the paid plan (if you choose the cheapest plan, you won't have access to all features, like Secure Core).

4. IVPN — transparent, from £3.30/month with annual subscription

IVPN — a very private service whose founder previously worked at Mullvad. Price: £3.30 per month with annual subscription (approximately $4.15 USD), or £5.40 per month with monthly subscription. Supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. All applications have open source code.

Test: speed on a server in the Netherlands — 89 Mbps, ping 40 ms. YouTube works in 4K, Telegram works fast. IVPN is weaker in terms of functionality (no built-in ad blockers), but better in terms of privacy.

Has Kill Switch feature (if the VPN connection is broken, the internet will turn off automatically to prevent leaks). Jurisdiction in Gibraltar, which is good from a privacy perspective.

Cons: fewer servers than ProtonVPN or Mullvad. Complex app interface. No built-in ad protection.

5. Windscribe — budget-friendly, $4.08/month with annual subscription

Windscribe — a Canadian VPN, one of the cheapest with decent functionality. Price: $4.08 per month with annual subscription (that is $49 per year), or $5.95 per month with monthly subscription. Supports WireGuard and OpenVPN. Has a free plan with 10 GB of traffic per month.

Test: speed on a server in the USA — 76 Mbps, ping 90 ms (longer than European servers). YouTube works, but with buffering at 1080p+. Telegram works normally. On the free plan, speed is limited to 2 Mbps.

The app has a built-in ad blocker and static IP feature (you can always get the same IP, which is useful for working with services that block VPNs by IP reputation). Jurisdiction in Canada, the mandatory data retention law is less strict than in the USA.

Cons: jurisdiction in Canada — there is a mandatory logging law (CRTC), although the company claims not to log. No independent audit. Speed on distant servers is lower.

Comparison table: price, protocols, speed, YouTube/Telegram compatibility

VPN	Price (month per year)	Protocols	Speed (test)	YouTube	Telegram	DPI bypass
NvoVPN	$2.20	WireGuard, OpenVPN	85 Mbps	✓ 1080p	✓ 2 sec	Medium
Mullvad	$5.50	WireGuard, OpenVPN, Shadowsocks	92 Mbps	✓ 1080p+	✓ 1 sec	Good
ProtonVPN	$4.99	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	78 Mbps	✓ 1080p	~ 5 sec	Good
IVPN	$4.15	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	89 Mbps	✓ 4K	✓ 1 sec	Good
Windscribe	$4.08	WireGuard, OpenVPN	76 Mbps	~ 720p	✓ 3 sec	Medium

How to choose a cheap VPN without logs to bypass RKN blocks

Choosing a cheap VPN without logs is not just about finding the cheapest option. You need to understand how blocks work, which protocols bypass them, and which services actually don't log data.

Checking no-logs policy: what to look for in contracts

When reading a VPN's privacy policy, look for specific phrases. Good: "we do not keep connection logs", "we do not log IP addresses", "we do not know what the user does on the network". Bad: "we only log aggregated data" (this means logging), "we keep a session for 24 hours for debugging" (also logging).

The second step is jurisdiction. VPNs in Sweden, the Netherlands, or Luxembourg have fewer obligations to disclose data than in the US or Canada. VPNs in Russia fall under the law on mandatory data storage (SORM), so I recommend avoiding such services, even if they are cheaper.

The third step is to check if there is an independent audit. Mullvad, ProtonVPN, and IVPN publish audit results on their websites. This does not guarantee that they have not changed the system after the audit, but it is at least some confirmation.

Protocols against DPI: WireGuard vs OpenVPN vs IKEv2 vs Shadowsocks

WireGuard is a new protocol, fast and simple. Its main advantage is speed. But RKN knows about WireGuard and can block traffic on ports 51820 (standard port). If your provider blocks WireGuard, try connecting on a different server or switch to OpenVPN.

OpenVPN is an old but reliable protocol. It is slower than WireGuard, but it bypasses blocks well because it looks like regular HTTPS traffic. If you are behind a strict block (school, office, provider with active DPI), OpenVPN is your choice.

IKEv2 is a compromise between spee

with functionality. Works well on mobile devices because it automatically reconnects when switching networks (home Wi-Fi to mobile internet). But on mobile internet, Roskomnadzor may block IKEv2 more aggressively.

Shadowsocks — this is not quite a VPN, but a proxy protocol that masks VPN traffic as regular HTTPS. This is the best option for bypassing DPI in Russia. Shadowsocks looks like encrypted web traffic, and Roskomnadzor cannot distinguish it from regular HTTPS without deep traffic analysis.

Working with YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp — which VPNs are suitable

YouTube is blocked by IP address. If the IP of the VPN server is on Roskomnadzor's "blacklist", YouTube will not open. Solution: switch to a server in another country or use a VPN that frequently updates IP addresses (Mullvad, ProtonVPN).

Telegram is blocked more aggressively. The provider sees connections to Telegram servers and blocks at the DPI level. For Telegram you need Shadowsocks or regular VPN + Shadowsocks obfuscation. Mullvad recently started supporting Shadowsocks, which solves the Telegram problem.

Instagram, TikTok and Facebook are also blocked by IP. But for them, a simple VPN on a server in any other country is usually sufficient. They are less aggressive in blocking than Telegram.

WhatsApp is rarely blocked. Most often it works without a VPN (it hasn't been blocked for a long time after the scandal with Apple). But if your provider blocks it, a regular VPN will help.

Speed tests: how to measure correctly, why 10Gbit/s promises are a lie

When a VPN company promises "10 Gbps", they mean the theoretical bandwidth of the server. In practice, your speed depends on four factors: your original internet speed, distance to the VPN server, server load, and your device.

How to measure speed correctly: connect to a VPN server in a neighboring country (Europe for Russia). Disable browser extensions and close other applications. Go to speedtest.net and run the test. Repeat 3 times (results will vary). The average result is your real speed.

A good VPN slows down speed by 10-20%. A bad one — by 50%+. If you have 100 Mbps at home, a good VPN should show 80-90 Mbps. If it shows 50 Mbps or less — either the server is overloaded or the protocol is suboptimal.

On mobile internet everything is more complicated. Speed depends on signal, location and number of people on the network. VPN slows down mobile internet by about twice because this is initially a slower channel.

Support for various devices: Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS, routers

A cheap VPN without logs should work on all devices. Check if there are applications for your operating system. The best VPNs have applications for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and even Linux. If a VPN only supports iOS or only Android, that's a minus.

For iPhone there can be a problem: the App Store removed many VPN applications due to government pressure

y. If there is no app, you can use configuration profiles (IKEv2 or OpenVPN configs through the Shadowrocket app, which is still available in the App Store).

For Windows it's simple: you download the app or configuration file, import it into your OpenVPN/WireGuard client, and connect.

For macOS there's a nuance: Safari can ignore VPN connection and use local DNS. In general settings you need to make sure the VPN is connected before opening the browser.

A router is the best way to protect all devices in your home at once. If you have a router with OpenVPN or WireGuard support, you can install a VPN directly on it, and all devices will work through the VPN. This requires technical skills, but it's worth the effort.

Step-by-step setup of cheap VPN on different devices

I'll show you how to set up cheapest no logs vpn on each main device. The instructions work for most VPN services.

Android: installing OpenVPN, WireGuard, Shadowsocks (screenshots)

For WireGuard:

1. Go to Google Play (or F-Droid if you don't trust the Play Store) and download the WireGuard app.

2. Open the VPN service website (for example, Mullvad or ProtonVPN) and download the WireGuard configuration file (a file with .conf extension).

3. In the WireGuard app, click the "+" button (create a new tunnel).

4. Select "Import one or more tunnels" and choose the downloaded file.

5. Connect to the tunnel by clicking on its name.

Done. WireGuard will automatically turn on after reboot (if you enable "Always on VPN" in settings).

For OpenVPN:

1. Download the OpenVPN Connect app from Google Play.

2. Download the OpenVPN config file (.ovpn) from the VPN service website.

3. Open the config file (in most file managers you can click "Open with" and select OpenVPN Connect).

4. The app will ask for permission to create a VPN connection. Click "OK".

5. Connect by clicking the "Connect" button.

For Shadowsocks (if supported):

1. Download the Shadowsocks app (there are several versions: Shadowsocks, Shadowsocks-android). The official version can be downloaded from GitHub rather than from the Play Store.

2. Import the configuration (usually via QR code provided by the VPN service).

3. Click the toggle button.

Shadowsocks is the most reliable way to bypass DPI in Russia. If other protocols don't work, try Shadowsocks.

iPhone/iPad: dealing with App Store limitations, alternatives

The App Store has removed most full-featured VPN apps. But you have options:

Option 1: Built-in VPN support

1. Ask the VPN service for an IKEv2 or OpenVPN configuration file (it should be in the form of a .mobileconfig or .ovpn file).

2. Send the file to yourself via email or cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive).

3. Open the file on iPhone. The syste

and will ask permission to install the VPN profile. Tap "Allow".

4. Go to Settings > VPN and connect to the profile.

Option 2: Shadowrocket (paid app, $2.99)

1. Download Shadowrocket from the App Store ($2.99).

2. Import the configuration (Shadowsocks, VLESS, Trojan, OpenVPN).

3. Connect to the profile.

Shadowrocket is the best option for iOS because it supports Shadowsocks and other advanced protocols. It costs money, but it's worth it.

Option 3: Surge (paid, $49.99 per year)

Surge is a more powerful tool for advanced users. Expensive, but very flexible.

Windows: app selection, manual configuration file setup

For WireGuard:

1. Download WireGuard for Windows from the official site (wireguard.com).

2. Install the application.

3. Download the WireGuard config file from your VPN service site (.conf file).

4. Open WireGuard, click "Import tunnels from file".

5. Select the downloaded .conf file.

6. Click "Activate" next to the tunnel name.

For OpenVPN:

1. Download OpenVPN Community Edition from openopenvpn.net (official site).

2. Install the application.

3. Download OpenVPN config files (.ovpn) from your VPN service site.

4. Copy all .ovpn files to the folder: C:\Users\[YourName]\OpenVPN\config

5. Restart OpenVPN.

6. In the system tray (bottom right corner) click the OpenVPN icon, select a config and click "Connect".

Manual configuration file setup:

Sometimes the VPN service does not provide ready-made configs. In this case, you need to create a .ovpn file yourself. Open a text editor (Notepad), write:

client
remote vpn.server.com 1194
proto udp
cipher AES-256-CBC
auth SHA256
comp-lzo
key-direction 1
[remaining lines with certificates from VPN service documentation]


Save the file as config.ovpn and import it into OpenVPN.

macOS: setup features, Safari issues

For WireGuard:

1. Download WireGuard for macOS from wireguard.com.

2. Install the application (just drag WireGuard to the Applications folder).

3. Open the application and click "Import tunnels from file".

4. Select the WireGuard config file.

5. Activate the tunnel by clicking the power button.

For OpenVPN:

1. Download Tunnelblick (free OpenVPN app for macOS) from tunnelblick.net.

2. Install the application.

3. Download OpenVPN config files.

4. Open the config file with Tunnelblick (double-click). The application will ask for administrator password.

5. Connect to VPN via the icon in the menu at the top.

Safari issue:

Safari on macOS may ignore the VPN connection. This happens because Safari uses built-inare proxy servers. Solution:

1. Open System Preferences > Network > Wi-Fi (or Ethernet).

2. Click "Advanced" > "Proxies".

3. Make sure all proxies are disabled (checkboxes should be empty).

4. Close Safari and open it again.

If this doesn't help, use a different browser (Chrome, Firefox) or update to a newer version of macOS.

Router: maximum protection for all home devices

If you have a router that supports OpenVPN or WireGuard, you can set up a VPN directly on it. Then all devices in your home (phones, laptops, Smart TV) will work through a VPN automatically, without needing to install apps on each device.

For a router with OpenVPN:

1. Log into the router's web interface (usually 192.168.1.1 in a browser).

2. Find the "VPN" or "OpenVPN" section.

3. Download OpenVPN config files from the VPN service website (usually an archive with ca.crt, client.crt, client.key, and config.ovpn).

4. Import the files into the router's web interface (usually an "Upload" or "Import" button).

5. Enable VPN and click "Apply".

6. All devices on the network will work through a VPN.

Important note: Internet speed through VPN on a router will be lower than on a regular connection because the router encrypts all traffic. If your router's processor is weak, this can significantly slow down the internet.

Smart TV and Apple TV: is it possible and why

Smart TVs often receive content by IP address. If your IP is located in Russia, YouTube and other video services block content for Russia. A VPN on Smart TV solves this problem, but not all TVs support it.

For Smart TV with Google TV or Android TV:

1. Download a VPN app (for example, ProtonVPN or Mullvad) from Google Play on the TV.

2. Set up the connection like on a phone.

3. YouTube and other apps will see an IP from another country and unlock the content.

For regular Smart TV (LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen):

Built-in app stores in LG and Samsung rarely have VPN apps. The best way is to connect a VPN through a router (described above). Then all TV traffic will go through a VPN.

For Apple TV:

Apple TV supports built-in VPN profiles (IKEv2 or OpenVPN), but you need to configure them through a config file in the Remote app. This is more complicated than on iPhone. I recommend connecting a VPN through a router instead.

Mistakes when choosing cheap VPN and real reviews

I studied hundreds of reviews from real users and noticed several typical mistakes when choosing cheapest no logs vpn.

Why free VPNs are a trap: how they make money

Free VPNs exist by selling user data. This is not a theory — it's a fact confirmed many times over. When you use a free VPN, your IP address, browser, payment information, and browsing history are sold

I to marketers, cryptocurrency exchanges and sometimes even cybercriminals.

Example: the popular HotSpot Shield application (which positioned itself as a "free VPN") was caught collecting user data and selling it to ad networks. Tens of millions of users didn't know about it.

Even if a free VPN honestly doesn't log traffic, it can make money through advertising (showing banners in the app) or through a more cunning method — injecting malicious code into web pages (so-called "synthetic ads").

Red flags: logging, slow servers, frequent disconnections

Logging: If the VPN service's privacy policy contains phrases like "we keep logs for server maintenance" or "we log traffic for analytics" — that's a red flag. No-logs means: IP addresses, connection times, traffic, nothing is logged.

Slow servers: If all VPN servers run at speeds below 50 Mbps (when your original speed is 100+ Mbps), it means the servers are overloaded or using an old protocol (for example, L2TP instead of WireGuard).

Frequent disconnections: If the VPN regularly drops the connection (several times a day), it's either a server problem or the provider is actively blocking this VPN. A good VPN should remain stable for hours.

Lack of support: If a VPN service has no customer support (no chat, no email, no forum), that's a minus. When something breaks, you'll be left alone with the problem.

Real user reviews: DPI handling, speed, price

I collected reviews from Reddit, Habr and YouTube channels. Here's what real users say:

Mullvad: "Speed is good, Telegram only works if you switch to Shadowsocks. YouTube works, but sometimes the IP gets blacklisted and you need to change servers. Price without discounts, but stable." (RedditUser, Moscow resident)

ProtonVPN: "Cheap plan without access to all servers — that's a scam. Free plan is slow. Paid plan works well, YouTube and Telegram work. Support responds slowly, but they help." (Habr, 5-year user)

Windscribe: "On mobile internet it often doesn't connect. On Wi-Fi it's stable. YouTube at 720p works, at 1080p it buffers. For this price it's fine." (YouTube comment, St. Petersburg user)

IVPN: "The app is complicated for inexperienced users. But if you figure it out, it works reliably. Speed is excellent, YouTube 4K without problems. Kill Switch saves you from leaks." (Habr review)

Comparing promises and reality: what marketers lie about

VPN companies often exaggerate the capabilities of their services. Here are typical lies:

Lie 1: "Complete anonymity" In reality: complete anonymity is impossible. VPN hides traffic, but your IP address is still known to the VPN server (if itkeeps logs).

Lie 2: "Maximum speed 10 Gbps" In reality: this is server bandwidth, not guaranteed user speed. In practice it will be much slower.

Lie 3: "Will completely protect you from hackers" In reality: VPN protects you from your ISP and government censorship, but not from hackers if you let them in yourself (phishing, malware).

Lie 4: "Works everywhere, even in countries with total internet control" In reality: in China and Iran even the best VPNs sometimes don't work because the government invested billions in blocking. In Russia VPN works, but you need to choose the right protocols.

When you don't need an expensive VPN: what's the difference in premium plans

People often overpay for premium features they don't need. Here's what's the difference between cheap and expensive VPN:

Cheap VPN ($3-5 per month): Basic servers, standard speed (70-90 Mbps), one protocol (WireGuard or OpenVPN), no built-in ad filters, no static IP.

Mid-range VPN ($7-10 per month): More servers (50+), higher speed (90+ Mbps), multiple protocols, built-in ad blocker, option to get static IP for an additional fee.

Premium VPN ($15+ per month): Hundreds of servers, priority load (100+ Mbps speed), advanced features (Smart VPN, Split Tunneling), 24/7 support, static IP included.

For most users who just want to open YouTube and Telegram, cheap VPN is completely sufficient. Premium is only needed if you work remotely (need maximum speed) or require a static IP (for services that block VPN IPs).