How to Read a VPN Privacy Policy Without Getting Lost
Most VPN privacy policies are written like nobody is supposed to finish them. Long paragraphs, broad promises, legal phrases, and one giant claim in bold somewhere near the top: no logs.
That phrase is useful, but it is not enough. A VPN sits between your device and the internet, so the real question is not whether the homepage sounds private. It is whether the policy says exactly what the company keeps, what it does not keep, and for how long.
Here is the quick version. You can learn a lot about a VPN in about a minute if you know which words to look for.
Start with the word “logs”
A good VPN privacy policy separates activity logs from connection logs. Those are not the same thing.
- Activity logs are the scary ones: websites visited, apps used, DNS requests, files downloaded, and searches.
- Connection logs are metadata: your real IP address, the VPN IP you used, timestamps, session length, and bandwidth.
A provider can honestly say “we do not log browsing activity” while still keeping connection timestamps and IP addresses. That matters because timestamps plus IP addresses can sometimes identify a person, even without a list of websites.
So do not stop at “no browsing logs.” Look for specific language like “we do not store source IP addresses,” “we do not store DNS queries,” and “we do not keep connection timestamps tied to accounts.” Specific beats confident every time.
Check retention and sharing
The next word to search for is retention. If a VPN collects something temporarily for abuse prevention, support, or billing, the policy should say how long it keeps that data.
“We may collect technical data to improve the service” is vague. “We retain payment records for tax compliance” is normal. “We retain connection metadata for 30 days” is a much bigger privacy tradeoff, even if the company still markets itself as no-log.
Also check the sharing section. The FTC has told consumers to look at what VPN apps say about information sharing, because privacy claims can be deceptive if the company says one thing in ads and another thing in the policy. If the policy mentions advertising partners, analytics SDKs, affiliates, or “business partners,” slow down and read that paragraph twice.
Look for proof, not vibes
Independent audits are not magic, but they are better than trust-me language. A real audit should name the auditor, describe what was reviewed, and be recent enough to matter. “Audited” with no report, no date, and no scope is mostly decoration.
Server design can help too. Some VPNs use RAM-only servers, which makes persistent local storage harder. That does not automatically prove a provider keeps no logs everywhere, but it is a useful technical signal when paired with a clear policy and an audit.
The practical rule is simple: if a VPN is cheap, expensive, famous, or tiny, read it the same way. What data is collected? Can it identify you? How long is it kept? Who can receive it? Has anyone checked?
At 99¢ VPN, we try to keep the promise boring: WireGuard, one device, simple setup, and a price that does not need a maze of upsells. If you want a basic VPN without the usual subscription circus, you can get started here: 99¢ VPN basic plan.
A privacy policy should not require a law degree. If it cannot explain logging in plain English, I would not trust it with my traffic.
Written by the person who runs 99¢ VPN. Not a lawyer. Just someone who thinks privacy promises should be readable before you pay.