Jurisdictions in the comparison file
Sorted by privacy score. The country is the jurisdiction string on the provider record. Audit type is shown because two companies in one country do not share a privacy score.
| Provider | Jurisdiction | Privacy | Audit type | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Switzerland | 98 | independent | 89 |
| ExpressVPN | British Virgin Islands | 96 | independent | 91 |
| Mullvad | Sweden | 95 | independent | 86 |
| NordVPN | Panama | 94 | independent | 91 |
| hide.me | Malaysia | 92 | independent | 82 |
| Surfshark | Netherlands | 89 | independent | 90 |
| VyprVPN | Switzerland | 88 | self-published | 81 |
| TunnelBear | Canada | 85 | independent | 75 |
| Windscribe | Canada | 85 | independent | 83 |
| Private Internet Access | USA | 82 | independent | 85 |
| CyberGhost | Romania | 75 | self-published | 80 |
| PrivateVPN | Sweden | 72 | none | 78 |
| Hotspot Shield | USA | 68 | self-published | 75 |
| IPVanish | USA | 65 | none | 77 |
| Ivacy | Singapore | 65 | none | 75 |
How to use the country
If your threat model is a domestic legal demand on the VPN company, start with the methodology tiers, then refuse any row whose audit_type is none or self-published unless you have a separate reason to accept that evidence. Proton VPN and VyprVPN are the clean illustration: both Switzerland, privacy 98 versus 88.
Sweden and the Netherlands are inside the 14-Eyes band in the methodology table, which is why Mullvad’s 95 and Surfshark’s 89 should be read with the audit column, not as “Sweden is safe” or “the Netherlands is safe.” Panama and the British Virgin Islands are in the no-penalty examples, next to NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Related on this site
- Best VPN for privacy — parent cluster.
- How to read a no-logs audit.
- Logs when a VPN is acquired — ownership can matter as much as the flag.
- Proton VPN and Mullvad profiles.
- Methodology jurisdiction table and comparison JSON.
- Match engine.
FAQ
Which jurisdiction has the highest privacy score in the file?
Switzerland, on the Proton VPN row: privacy 98, independent audit, firm Securitum. ExpressVPN in the British Virgin Islands is 96. The highest score is not a prize for the country in the abstract. VyprVPN is also Switzerland and scores privacy 88 with a self-published audit.
Does a privacy-friendly country guarantee a high privacy score?
No. Methodology removes the Eyes penalty for Switzerland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama, and Romania. The privacy score still depends on the no-logs claim, the audit, and other recorded features. PrivateVPN in Sweden is privacy 72 with audit type none.
How does methodology treat 5-Eyes and 14-Eyes countries?
5-Eyes examples in the methodology table are the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with a penalty of about 10 to 15 privacy points. 14-Eyes examples include the Netherlands and Sweden, with a penalty of up to 5 points. The comparison file then shows the resulting privacy score per provider.