Adapted from the original research by Paige West, SafePaper.io
[San Francisco, CA, August 26, 2025] Announcement
A new report by SafePaper finds that many “best VPN” lists are shaped by hidden business ties and affiliate deals – not just product quality. SafePaper’s report, authored by Paige West, uncovers a tangled web of relationships among major VPN providers – and even the supposedly independent review sites that rank them.
Key Findings
Same Few VPNs Everywhere
The top spots in “best VPN” lists almost always go to just a handful of names – notably NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN.
Shared Owners Behind the Scenes
Many leading VPN brands are owned by the same parent companies. For example, NordVPN and Surfshark merged under common ownership in 2022, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access are all owned by Kape Technologies.
Media and VPNs Under One Roof
Some VPN companies also own popular “independent” tech review websites. Kape – ExpressVPN’s owner – runs VPNMentor and Wizcase, while Ziff Davis, which owns IPVanish, also runs tech publishers like PCMag and CNET. In other cases, VPN review sites may not be owned outright, but they make money from the very VPNs they recommend.
Affiliate Marketing Influence
Most VPN review articles include affiliate links—earning commissions from subscriptions. This creates a strong incentive to recommend the VPNs that pay the most, not necessarily the best.
Overlooked Independents
Independent VPNs like Mullvad or Windscribe often get ignored—not because they lack quality, but because they don’t run large affiliate programs.
“Many VPN recommendation lists are essentially paid advertisements in disguise,” says Paige West of SafePaper.
VPN Industry Relationships
Nord Security & Tesonet
NordVPN’s parent company (Nord Security) was initially incubated by Tesonet, a Lithuanian tech accelerator that also helped launch Surfshark. NordVPN and Surfshark now share the same owner after a merger, and Nord Security even acquired Atlas VPN (which was shut down in 2024 with its users moved to NordVPN).
Kape’s VPN Empire
Kape Technologies, which acquired ExpressVPN in 2021, also owns CyberGhost, PIA, and ZenMate. Not only that, Kape owns VPN review sites like VPNMentor and Wizcase through a subsidiary. This means one company controls several top VPN brands and some of the major outlets reviewing those brands.
Ziff Davis Connections
Digital media giant Ziff Davis (owner of PCMag, CNET, Mashable, etc.) bought IPVanish in 2019. It even offers a white-label VPN platform used by other brands (for instance, Pornhub’s VPNhub was powered by Ziff Davis’s infrastructure). In short, a company known for tech reviews is also directly in the VPN business.
Point Wild (Pango) Network
The parent company behind lesser-known TotalVPN (recently rebranded under Point Wild) isn’t so small after all. It runs the popular review site Comparitech and provides VPN technology for brands. This kind of integration means a “review” site could be promoting products from its own corporate family.
Security Suite VPNs
Traditional antivirus makers have joined the VPN fray too. When NortonLifeLock (Symantec) merged with Avast, Norton Secure VPN, and HideMyAss! They came under one roof (Gen Digital). These security-suite VPNs share resources and ownership, though under different names.
With so much consolidation behind the scenes, it’s no wonder the same VPNs keep popping up at the top of “best VPN” lists across the web. The competition you see might be an illusion – often, it’s a handful of big players controlling multiple brands.
How to Choose a VPN Wisely
Rather than trusting every “Top 5 VPN” list, consider actual merits before subscribing:
Encryption
Look for strong, industry-standard encryption.
No-Logs Policy
Does it have a strict no-logs policy, verified by independent audits, so your data isn’t stored?
Performance
Is it fast and reliable for the things you want to do (streaming, video calls, gaming)? Does it have plenty of servers worldwide to avoid congestion?
Security Features
What extra protections are offered (kill switch, DNS leak protection) that show the provider is serious about privacy?
Most importantly, know who you’re buying from. If a VPN consistently ranks #1 everywhere, ask why. It might be excellent – or it might be because its parent company spends millions on marketing and affiliate deals. Checking a provider’s background can tell you a lot.
Full report, “VPN Relationship: How Hidden Ties Hype Up VPN Brands,” is available on SafePaper.io for those who want to dive into the detailed findings and ownership maps.
SafePaper prides itself on independent, hands-on testing to help consumers cut through the VPN hype and find services that truly meet their privacy needs.
About SafePaper
SafePaper is an independent content site focused on cybersecurity and online privacy. We’re dedicated to helping you navigate today’s complex digital landscape by offering practical how-to guides, top security tool recommendations, analysis of trending events, and clear explanations of technical concepts.
Connect Person: Paige West
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE: SafePaper