It's almost automatic: you sign up with a VPN, the message "Verify that you accept the terms and conditions" appears, and within a nanosecond, you have checked the box. Because going about your day is so much more appealing than reading 5000 words of confusing legalese.
You're not alone. We also do it regularly. But that could be a mistake. The terms and conditions of a VPN contain all kinds of practical information about who can use the service, refund policies, payment and billing terms, important details that you might not find anywhere else.
You also don't have to read every word of the terms. Look for the key elements that we'll explain in a moment, and you'll be able to skim through everything else. Just 60 seconds to scroll down the page and scan a few words could help you avoid the worst VPNs and identify the best ones.
Then it's your chance to move on to the VPN Privacy Policy...
1. What exactly are you buying?
The first reason you really need to scan your VPN's terms page is that it's probably the only page on the website that fully explains what you're getting for your money.
We are talking about the details. Is this a service for personal use only or can you use it for commercial purposes? How many devices can be connected simultaneously? Does it have to be entirely yours or can you share the credentials with your family members? Are there any restrictions on rare devices? (Astrill VPN says you can only install the service on a router, for example.)
It might not matter much if you're just looking for an iPhone VPN, for example, and you'll never use it anywhere else. But if your needs are a bit complicated, check what you're getting before you buy.
2. Where is the provider located?
Some VPN providers give you no idea who is behind them or where they are. Are they in the United States, China, Russia...? The main site may not offer any clues.
TS&Cs are usually more useful. First look for any information about a company behind the provider. For example, NordVPN's terms mention: "nordvpn sa, a company incorporated in Panama".
Because a provider's terms are designed to comply with the law, many providers also tell you the law of the country they follow. ExpressVPN's "choice of law" section is typical: "This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands."
3. What is the refund policy?
Some services boast about their generous refund policies and free VPN trials, while others don't mention everything. Regardless of what your provider says on the main website, it's worth checking the terms and conditions for the actual details.
What you are looking for is a clear explanation of the rules. ExpressVPN's policy is a great example of this, telling you everything you need to know in one sentence: "You can cancel your account for any reason within 30 days of your original purchase and you'll receive a full refund of the amount you paid." ".
TunnelBear's offer isn't such great news: "All amounts paid are non-refundable." But it's very clear, that's what we're looking for. Open and honest.
Beware of policies where it is up to the provider to get a refund or not. So look for phrases like "at our sole discretion." And be aware of any specific restrictions, like saying you won't get a refund if you've logged in more than a certain number of times or used more than a certain amount of traffic.
And if you read the refund policy and aren't sure if it's fair, here's a hint: It probably isn't. As you can see above, the best providers tell you everything you need in very few words. If your VPN policy is so complicated that you can't immediately understand it, that's a very bad sign in itself.
4. Are there any unusual usage restrictions?
Quickly scroll through any page of VPN terms and stop when you see a bulleted list. It's most likely a "prohibited services" list, anything the provider says you shouldn't do while connected to the service.
Most of them are as you would expect. "Do not send spam", "do not hack into other systems", "do not distribute child pornography", or sometimes "do not use the Service for any other than legal purpose". It works for us.
But others catch activities that you might think are legitimate. NordVPN uses automated tools to identify web scraping and can "limit your access" if it is suspicious, for example. KeepSolid VPN prevents you from using the service in a way "where it could be used by multiple devices at the same time"; so don't turn your laptop into a hotspot. And Ivacy says you are prohibited from "violating moral standards, standards of fair conduct, and decency," which could affect all kinds of websites and online activities.
Of course, many of these rules have probably already been applied. Since almost all VPNs say they don't monitor what you do online, complaining that a user is "violating moral standards" would destroy a provider's reputation, possibly forever. Still, if you're planning something more specific, like using a VPN for web scraping, it's worth checking a provider's policy before you buy.
5. What are the renewal conditions?
Sign up for most VPNs and your plan will be set to renew automatically. That shouldn't come as a surprise, it's usually very clear during the buying process, but it's always worth looking at the fine print to understand the precise details.
Find out exactly when you're billed again. Ideally, the terms will explain that this happens at the end of your subscription, with a phrase like "at the end of the billing period." But we've seen some companies say they're renewing a day or two early, making an excuse about how it avoids any downtime, even though it really just traps people thinking they can cancel at the last minute. Either way, it's important that you know when your money will be withdrawn.
See also how you can cancel. Typically, you can select a checkbox in your web account control panel. But beware of providers that make it more difficult, ask you to fill out a special form or send an email. You want to know that you can cancel immediately, not wait for who knows how long for the provider to do it for you.
If you've already received a refund from this provider, check to see if you can get one again. Hide.me only reimburses a person once, never; NordVPN allows two; Private Internet Access does not have a set limit, although there must be at least 90 days since your last refund request.
Our last piece of advice is to simply skim through the terms and conditions of a VPN and stop to take a look at anything that catches your eye. We found all sorts of interesting snippets in our reviews.
There may be important privacy details, like the provider's no-logs policy, for example. These are usually in the official privacy policy, but some VPNs have more details in the terms as well.
If you see a term similar to "fair use policy", please visit us for details. In theory, this should explain when the provider will say that you are using the service "too much". If the VPN advertises that it supports unlimited connections, for example, what does that really mean? In practice, fair use policies are often so vague that they don't help at all, but it's always a good idea to check them.
Finally, don't assume that terms of service only matter for paid VPNs. They may be even more important for free VPNs, as they will most likely take steps to fund the service.
Hotspot Shield's privacy policy contains a relatively innocent example, stating that if you use the free service, "it may display third-party ads as an overlay on a page or as an interstitial" (something displayed before or after the requested content). Does your favorite free service do anything else? Maybe it's time to check it out.
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