About PrivacyFocus
PrivacyFocus is an independent review site for VPNs, password managers, and privacy tools. We test everything hands-on so you can make informed decisions about your digital security without relying on marketing copy or paid placements.
Who We Are
PrivacyFocus is built by a small team of security-conscious technologists who believe that online privacy is a fundamental right, not a luxury. We use these tools ourselves every day — VPNs, password managers, encrypted email, secure messaging — and we built this site to be the resource we wished existed when we first started taking our own privacy seriously.
We are not affiliated with any VPN company, password manager vendor, or privacy tool provider. Our editorial decisions are made independently, and our scores reflect genuine hands-on testing rather than regurgitated press releases or feature lists copied from marketing pages.
How We Review
Every tool on this site is evaluated using a consistent, transparent methodology:
- Hands-on testing: We install, configure, and use every tool we review. VPNs are tested for speed, DNS leaks, and kill switch reliability. Password managers are tested across devices and browsers. We do not review anything we have not personally used.
- Structured scoring: Tools are scored across multiple dimensions with transparent weights. VPNs are scored on privacy, speed, security, features, value, and usability. Password managers on security, usability, features, cross-platform support, and value. See our methodology page for the full breakdown.
- Regular updates: Privacy tools evolve. We revisit reviews when providers ship major updates, change pricing, get acquired, or when independent audits are published. Every review shows its last update date.
- Written verdicts: Every review includes a written analysis, not just numbers. We explain who each tool is best for, where it falls short, and what the realistic trade-offs are.
Editorial Independence
Our ratings are determined independently. Here is how we maintain that:
- Affiliate links do not influence scores. Some tools on this site have affiliate partnerships with us. Others do not. The scoring is identical regardless. A tool with no affiliate programme can and does outscore one that pays us commissions.
- No paid placements. You cannot pay to be featured, ranked higher, or receive a better score. The order on our listing pages is determined entirely by our scoring methodology.
- Transparent disclosure. Where affiliate links exist, they are clearly identified. See our terms of use for the full affiliate disclosure.
Why Privacy Matters
In a world of mass data collection, targeted advertising, and increasing surveillance, taking control of your digital privacy is more important than ever. Your ISP can see every website you visit. Your email provider may scan your messages. Data brokers compile profiles on you from hundreds of sources. Even if you have "nothing to hide", you have everything to protect.
The good news is that effective privacy tools exist and are more accessible than ever. A VPN takes minutes to set up. A password manager can be running in an afternoon. End-to-end encrypted messaging is free. The barrier is not cost or complexity — it is knowing which tools are trustworthy and which are not. That is where we come in.
Why Trust Us
We are not a faceless review farm. We are a small team who use privacy tools ourselves, daily, across multiple devices and operating systems. When we say a VPN leaks DNS queries under certain conditions, it is because we tested it. When we say a password manager has a clunky browser extension, it is because we struggled with it ourselves.
We do not accept free products or early access in exchange for favourable reviews. We pay for our own subscriptions, test on our own devices, and publish what we find — good and bad.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or suggestions? We want to hear from you.
Email: [email protected]
We read every email. If we have got something wrong in a review, tell us — we will investigate and update it.