A no-logs policy is a VPN provider’s commitment that it does not retain records of users’ activity: which sites were visited, when, or from which IP.
The phrase alone is not sufficient. What matters: independent audit, and real-world testing under legal pressure.
Proton VPN’s no-logs policy was verified under actual Swiss court proceedings. When authorities requested connection logs, Proton demonstrated the data does not exist, because they do not collect it. Mullvad faced a Swedish police warrant in 2023. Officers left without data.
What it means in practice
A no-logs policy only matters if it has been tested under legal pressure. Mullvad and Proton have both faced law enforcement requests and had nothing to hand over — because the data was never created. Many providers claim no-logs policies that have never been challenged. The jurisdiction of the provider matters: US-based providers are subject to compelled disclosure and non-disclosure orders that prevent them from notifying users.
Related articles
Proton VPN review 2026. — Mullvad VPN review 2026. — Free VPNs sell your data. — Tools we refuse to affiliate with.