No-Log VPNs: What Is Actually Not Being Saved
"No logs" sounds simple. A VPN says it does not keep logs, you feel safer, and everyone moves on.
The real version is a little more boring, which is usually where the truth lives. A no-log VPN policy is not supposed to mean the company knows nothing about you at all. If you pay by card, there may be billing records. If you create an account, there may be an email address. If you open a support ticket, that message exists.
The important question is narrower: does the VPN keep records of what you do while connected?
Activity logs are the big red line
When people talk about a no-log VPN, they usually mean no activity logs. That means the VPN should not store your browsing history, DNS requests, downloaded files, apps used, or the websites you visit.
That matters because a VPN sits in a powerful spot. Your internet provider can see the first hop when you are not using a VPN. When you do use one, the VPN becomes that first hop instead. So the whole trust question moves from "what can my ISP see?" to "what does my VPN save?"
A privacy policy that says "we do not monitor your activity" is a start. A better one says exactly what it does not collect: browsing history, traffic contents, DNS queries, original IP addresses tied to sessions, and connection timestamps that could identify a person later.
Connection logs are where people get tripped up
Some VPNs do not keep browsing history, but they do keep connection logs. That can mean timestamps, bandwidth used, server location, device identifiers, or your original IP address.
Not all connection data is equally scary. A service may need short-term operational data to prevent abuse, troubleshoot outages, or enforce a one-device limit. The difference is whether that data is temporary, minimal, and disconnected from what you do online.
The risky version is when a provider stores enough session data to reconstruct behavior later. Court cases involving VPN providers have shown the problem clearly: even without page-by-page browsing logs, IP addresses plus timestamps can identify someone when matched with records from an ISP or another service.
So the phrase "we only keep connection logs" is not automatically harmless. Ask what kind, for how long, and whether the data can tie your home IP to a VPN session.
What a useful no-log policy says
A good VPN privacy policy is specific. It does not hide behind soft words like "may collect" and "service improvement" without explaining the limits.
Look for plain answers to these:
- Does it store browsing activity? The answer should be no.
- Does it store DNS requests? Ideally no, because DNS is basically a map of the sites you look up.
- Does it store your original IP address? If yes, when and for how long?
- Does it store connection timestamps? If yes, are they tied to your account?
- How long is any operational data kept? Hours is different from months.
Audits can help, but they are not magic either. An audit is stronger when it reviews real infrastructure, not just a policy document. RAM-only servers can help too, because they reduce what survives a reboot. But the clearest signal is still boring: specific language, minimal retention, and no activity tracking.
WireGuard itself does not require a VPN company to keep activity logs. The protocol can be run in a privacy-friendly way. The business operating it still has to choose not to save more than it needs.
That is the whole point behind 99¢ VPN's basic plan: simple WireGuard access, one device, no giant bundle, and no need to turn a privacy tool into a data business.
The bottom line: do not trust the phrase "no logs" by itself. Trust the details under it. If a VPN cannot explain what it saves in plain English, that is your answer.
Written by the person who runs 99¢ VPN. Not a lawyer. Just someone who thinks privacy policies should say the quiet part clearly.