smartpicklab

I spent two weeks testing seven major VPN services from my apartment in Chicago, running speed tests at different times of day, checking for DNS leaks, verifying kill switch functionality, and reading through each provider's privacy policy and audit reports. Most VPN review sites are thinly disguised affiliate marketing pages that rank providers by commission payout rather than actual performance. This guide is based on real testing with real numbers. What a VPN Actually Does (and Does Not Do) A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server operated by the VPN provider, masking your real IP address. This prevents your ISP from seeing which websites you visit, makes it harder for advertisers and websites to track your location, and secures your connection on public Wi-Fi networks. What a VPN does not do: make you anonymous on the internet, protect you from malware or phishing, prevent all forms of tracking (cookies, browser fingerprinting, and logged-in a...