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Is PureVPN safe? The answer has two halves. In 2017, logs from PureVPN helped the FBI in a cyberstalking case, even though its privacy policy at the time promised no logs, TechRepublic reports. Since then, PureVPN has rebuilt its infrastructure, moved from Hong Kong to the British Virgin Islands, and signed an always-on audit arrangement first run by KPMG. A fourth audit by 2024 confirmed it does not log users’ original or assigned VPN IP addresses.
One question remains open. Cloudwards reports that PureVPN no longer names the firm currently running the always-on audit. This page sets out the record so you can judge whether PureVPN is safe enough for you.
What Happened in 2017
TechRepublic describes how the FBI used logs from PureVPN to track down a suspected cyberstalker. vpn.com adds that PureVPN kept connection logs at the time and says its architecture had not been built for true no-logs operation.
Sources differ on the policy wording. TechRepublic says the policy then promised no logs. iGeeksBlog says it allowed some activity to be stored. Cloudwards concludes that before 2018 PureVPN was not a no-logs provider. Either way, the service kept data that identified a user.
What Changed Afterwards
vpn.com reports that PureVPN rebuilt its infrastructure, moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to the British Virgin Islands and established its audit relationship. Our ownership table notes it is run from Pakistan by Gaditek, which absorbed the Ivacy brand in 2024.
iGeeksBlog names Altius IT as the first auditor and KPMG as the next. Our audit table counts four audits by KPMG.
Is PureVPN Safe Under the Always-On Audit?
PureVPN’s always-on arrangement lets the auditor inspect its systems without notice, TechRepublic explains, rather than on a fixed annual date. vpn.com calls it a direct response to the 2017 case. The fourth audit, by 2024, confirmed that PureVPN does not log users’ original IP addresses or the VPN addresses PureVPN assigns them.
Unannounced checks are harder to prepare for than scheduled ones. That makes the arrangement stronger in principle than a once-a-year review.
The Open Question
Cloudwards asked PureVPN which firm runs the always-on audit today. PureVPN said KPMG ran it initially but that it can no longer state publicly who conducts it now, describing it only as a well-known audit firm. That makes the current audit harder to verify independently.
Read PureVPN’s latest audit statement yourself and check its date and scope. Our VPN audit tracker explains what to look for in any audit report.
Security Features
PureVPN supports WireGuard on most apps, as our PureVPN WireGuard guide explains, and offers a kill switch in its desktop apps. Its browser extension adds WebRTC leak protection, covered in our PureVPN Chrome guide. Those features protect the connection; the logging record decides what PureVPN could ever hand over.
Unite.AI notes PureVPN rolling out what it calls Quantum Encryption in selected countries, which aims to protect today’s traffic against future decryption.
Jurisdiction
PureVPN operates under British Virgin Islands law. Jurisdiction matters less than what a provider stores. A service that keeps no identifying logs has nothing to hand over, wherever it sits. Our no-logs guide explains the difference.
Is PureVPN Safe for Torrenting and Streaming?
For torrenting, the audit findings matter most: no original or assigned IPs logged means nothing ties a VPN address back to you. Our PureVPN torrenting guide covers the kill switch and the paid port forwarding add-on. For streaming, safety is less about logs and more about leaks; our IPv6 leak guide shows a quick test.
Turn on the kill switch in the desktop apps, as our kill switch guide explains. A dropped tunnel without one can expose your address for a moment, whatever the logging policy.
How PureVPN Compares
Our audit table counts six audits for NordVPN, more than ten for Mullvad and five for Proton VPN, against four for PureVPN. Mullvad and Proton also publish their auditors’ names. If an unnamed current auditor bothers you, those providers offer a clearer trail. Our NordVPN safety guide covers one comparison in depth.
What PureVPN Costs
On 5 October 2026, PureVPN’s order page listed the Standard 2-year plan at $58.20 for the first 27 months, renewing at $47.95 a year. A separate deals page showed $58.05 for the same term with a $54.95 renewal. The page you buy from changes the renewal by seven dollars a year, so check the renewal line at checkout.
One plan covers 10 devices. PureVPN offers a 31-day money-back guarantee, as our PureVPN refund guide explains, which gives time to test streaming on your own devices.
| Provider | Renewal price | Per month | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | $139.08/yr | ~$11.59 | Basic |
| Surfshark | ~$79/yr | ~$6.58 | Starter |
| ExpressVPN | $99.95/yr | ~$8.33 | Basic |
| CyberGhost | $56.94/yr | ~$4.75 | 2-year |
| PureVPN | $47.95/yr | ~$4.00 | Standard, 2-year (1-year renews $57.95) |
| IPVanish | $89.99/yr | ~$7.50 | Essential |
| Windscribe | ~$69/yr | ~$5.75 | Pro |
| Proton VPN | ~$83.88/yr | ~$6.99 | VPN Plus |
| Mullvad | ~$65/yr | ~$5.40 | flat, no tiers |
| Norton VPN | $79.99/yr | ~$6.67 | Standard |
| Hotspot Shield | ~$95.99/yr | ~$8.00 | Premium annual |
| Astrill | $300 every 2 yrs | ~$12.50 | 2-year, same at renewal |
Is PureVPN Safe Enough for You?
The answer depends on your threat model. For public Wi-Fi, streaming and everyday privacy, the audited no-logs record and the kill switch cover the main risks. For activists, journalists or anyone facing a capable adversary, the 2017 case and the unnamed current auditor are reasons to prefer providers with a longer, fully named audit trail. So is PureVPN safe for them? Safe enough for many, but not the strongest choice. Our page on PureVPN alternatives covers seven providers matched to the usual reasons for leaving.
Our privacy VPN guide lists providers with the longest named audit trails. Whatever you choose, test it during the refund window, and read the latest audit summary before you commit to a long plan.
What Safe Does Not Mean
No VPN makes you anonymous while you are signed in to accounts, and none stops malware you install yourself. Our guide to what a VPN hides sets realistic expectations. Our VPN ownership guide covers who stands behind each provider. PureVPN belongs to Gaditek, which absorbed Ivacy in 2024.
How We Research
This page draws on PureVPN reviews and reporting from TechRepublic, vpn.com, Cloudwards, iGeeksBlog and Unite.AI, plus our own audit and ownership tables. We cross-checked these sources against each other, and where they conflict or something can’t be verified, we say so in the text rather than guessing. We checked time-sensitive figures, including prices in US dollars, on 6 October 2026. PureVPN showed two price grids on different pages on 5 October 2026. The main source we relied on is TechRepublic’s PureVPN review. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Is PureVPN Safe? FAQ
Its audits since 2017 confirm it does not log original or assigned IPs, but PureVPN no longer names the current auditor.
Yes. In 2017, its logs helped the FBI in a cyberstalking case, TechRepublic and vpn.com report.
An arrangement that lets the auditor inspect PureVPN without notice. KPMG ran it initially.
PureVPN told Cloudwards it can no longer name the current firm publicly.
The British Virgin Islands, run from Pakistan by Gaditek, according to our ownership table.
The Verdict
Is PureVPN safe today? Its audits since 2017 point to a real change, and the always-on arrangement is stronger than a yearly review. The unnamed current auditor is a fair reason for caution. Read the latest report and decide.