Net Readout

Guide ยท Updated 27 October 2026

Do you need a VPN?

A VPN changes the address that websites see and hides your browsing from your local network. It does not make you anonymous. Here is when one is worth having, and how to check that yours works.

Short answer

Worth it if you use public Wi-Fi, want to keep your browsing from your internet provider, or need to appear in another country. Not much help against tracking by websites. Whatever you choose, test it for leaks.

Some links to VPN providers on this page may be affiliate links. They do not change the price you pay or what our tests show. How we handle this.

What a VPN does

A VPN app sends your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server run by the VPN company. From there it goes on to the websites you visit. That changes who can see what:

Without a VPN

YouYour real address
Wi-Fi and internet providerSees every site you visit
WebsiteSees your address and rough location

With a VPN

YouYour real address
Wi-Fi and internet providerSees only that you use a VPN
VPN serverSees the sites you visit
WebsiteSees the VPN's address
With a VPN, your network sees only an encrypted tunnel, and websites see the VPN server's address. The VPN company takes over what your internet provider could see.

The encryption runs from your device to the VPN server. It is not end-to-end: after the VPN server, your traffic travels on as normal. Most websites use HTTPS, which encrypts what you send to the site itself. See the address websites see now.

What a VPN does not hide

A VPN hides
  • Your IP address and rough location, from the websites you visit.
  • Which sites you visit, from your Wi-Fi network and internet provider.
A VPN does not hide
  • Your device. Browser, screen, system and settings still show to every site. See what sites can read.
  • Who you are on sites you sign in to. If you log in, the site knows it is you.
  • Your browsing from the VPN company. It sees what your internet provider used to see, so choose one that publishes an independent audit of its no-logs policy.
  • Malware or phishing. A VPN does not stop these on its own, though some VPN apps add a blocker.

When a VPN is worth having

  • You use public or shared Wi-Fi and do not want that network to see which sites you visit.
  • You do not want your internet provider to see your browsing.
  • You want sites to see a different country, for example to check how a site looks or works from abroad.
  • You want to hide your home address from the sites and services you connect to.

When you can probably skip it

  • You browse mostly at home on sites that use HTTPS, and you are not worried about your internet provider.
  • Your main worry is tracking by websites. A VPN does little against that: a privacy-focused browser and a tracker blocker do more.

Leaks: check that your VPN works

A VPN can be on and still let your real address show. The most common cause is WebRTC, a browser feature for calls and video that can reveal your address. Another is IPv6: some VPNs carry only IPv4 traffic, so your IPv6 address can bypass the tunnel.

Normal traffic

Your browserYour real address
VPN serverSwaps in its own address
WebsiteSees the VPN's address

A leak

Your browserYour real address
Any website or scriptAsks WebRTC, or reaches you over IPv6, and sees your real address
A leak is a path around the tunnel. The VPN is on, but one request still carries your real address.

Test your VPN runs once with the VPN off and once with it on, then shows whether your address changed and whether your real address still shows through WebRTC. If it leaks, turn on your VPN app's leak protection or kill switch, and check its IPv6 setting.

Using a VPN is legal in most countries, including the UK and the US. Some countries restrict or ban VPNs, so check before you travel. Streaming services often limit what you can watch from other countries in their terms, and some block known VPN addresses.

How to choose a VPN

  • An independent audit of the no-logs policy, published or available to read.
  • Leak protection and a kill switch, which cut traffic if the tunnel drops.
  • Enough devices on one plan for your household.
  • A money-back period, so you can test it with Net Readout before you commit.
  • Where the company is based, if you prefer a provider outside a particular country.

Four providers compared

Facts from each provider's own pricing and home pages, read on 27 and 28 October 2026. Plans change, so check the provider's page before you buy.

ProviderDevices at onceMoney-back periodWorth knowing
Proton VPN10 (VPN Plus). 1 on the free plan.30 daysBased in Switzerland. Open-source apps. A free plan to start with.
SurfsharkUnlimited30 daysOne plan covers every device in a household, however many there are.
NordVPN1030 daysA large network: more than 7,200 servers in over 225 locations, by NordVPN's count. The app also blocks known scam, phishing and malware sites, and ads.
Private Internet AccessUnlimited30 days (new subscribers)Unlimited devices with open-source apps, from a provider running for over 10 years. App-store purchases follow the store's refund rules.
  • Choose Proton VPN if you want a provider based in Switzerland rather than the US, or want to start free.
  • Choose Surfshark if your household has more devices than a 10-device plan covers.
  • Choose NordVPN if you want a very large choice of server locations, with scam and malware blocking in the same app.
  • Choose Private Internet Access if you want unlimited devices and open-source apps you can inspect.

Whichever you choose, run Test your VPN inside the money-back period.

Speed testDownload, upload, latency and jitter. Health checkBrowser updates, encryption, proxies, VPN leaks, injected content. What sites seeEverything a website can read about your device. Test your VPNRun once with your VPN off and once on, and see what changed.
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