Understand VPNs, choose one on evidence, or build your own
Fast VPN Services is an independent knowledge base about virtual private networks and everyday online privacy. Providers are bought at retail with our own money, tested on our own hardware, and written up with the method and the raw numbers attached. Nothing here is sponsored and nothing is for sale.
Start here
- VPN basics — what a tunnel actually does, which protocol to use, and the claims that should make you close the tab.
- Choosing a provider — a twenty-minute evidence check covering ownership, audits, logging and jurisdiction.
- Test what you already have — DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leak testing, because a connected VPN can still leak every domain you visit.
- Run your own — a complete WireGuard build on a five-dollar VPS, including the parts other tutorials skip.
The one thing worth knowing first
A VPN does not remove trust from the equation. It moves it from your internet provider to a company you have never met. Everything on this site is about deciding who deserves that trust — or replacing them with a server you control.
Latest guides
- VPN vs Tor: Privacy, Speed and Different Use Cases
VPNs provide privacy and speed while Tor offers anonymity with performance trade-offs. Understanding the architectural differences and choosing based on your threat model determines which tool actually protects you. - VPN vs Proxy: Understanding the Key Differences for Online Privacy
VPNs and proxies both mask your IP address, but they differ fundamentally in architecture, encryption, and scope. This technical comparison explains when each tool is appropriate for your privacy needs. - What Does a VPN Hide and What Does It Not Hide?
VPNs hide your IP address and encrypt traffic from your ISP, but they can’t protect against account tracking, browser fingerprinting, or provider trust issues. Understanding these boundaries is essential for realistic privacy. - How VPN Encryption Works: A Plain-English Guide
VPN encryption uses three components—ciphers, keys, and protocols—to create a protective tunnel around your internet traffic. Here’s how it actually works. - What Is a VPN and How Does It Actually Work?
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel that masks your IP address and hides traffic from your ISP, but understanding how the technology actually works—and what it can’t do—is essential for realistic privacy protection. - DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC Leaks: How to Test Your VPN Properly
A connected VPN can still leak every domain you visit. How to test DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC on each platform, how to fix what you find, and how to test a kill switch honestly.
The knowledge base
- VPN Basics — protocols, encryption, routing, and VPN versus proxy versus Tor.
- Choosing a VPN — audits, logging policies, jurisdiction, speed and payment privacy.
- Self-Hosted VPN — WireGuard and OpenVPN builds, VPS choice, routers and key maintenance.
- Staying Private — threat modelling, passwords and passkeys, browser hardening, device security.
- Leaks & Breaches — DNS and WebRTC leaks, fingerprinting, metadata, and what to do after a breach.
- Tools & Testing — our testing method and the tools you can run to verify any claim here.
New to all of this and not sure what you are defending against? Start with threat modelling — it is the step that decides whether you need any of the rest.