BuySecureVPN earns revenue through affiliate partnerships with VPN providers. When you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This page explains exactly how our affiliate relationships work.
Our Affiliate Partners
We currently participate in direct affiliate programs with the following providers:
- NordVPN — Direct affiliate program via NordVPN's partner network
- Surfshark — Direct affiliate program via Surfshark's partner network
- Proton VPN — Direct affiliate program via Proton's partner network
- FastestVPN — Direct affiliate program via FastestVPN's partner network
We also review providers with no affiliate relationship, including ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. These reviews earn us zero revenue — they exist because our readers deserve comprehensive comparisons.
How Commissions Work
Affiliate commissions are paid by the VPN provider, not by you. When you purchase a subscription through one of our links, the provider pays us a percentage of the sale. You pay the same price as you would buying directly from the provider's website.
Editorial Independence
Our editorial process is completely separate from our affiliate relationships:
- Ratings are determined by our 47-point testing rubric before any commercial considerations.
- Providers cannot pay for higher ratings or favorable placement.
- Commission rates do not influence which product ranks #1.
- Our team purchases every VPN at retail price for independent testing.
- Non-monetized providers (ExpressVPN, CyberGhost) receive the same rigorous testing as paying partners.
How to Identify Affiliate Links
Affiliate links on our site are marked with a disclosure banner near the first commercial link on every page. Links that include "sponsored" in the rel attribute are affiliate links. Our editorial and informational links (to NIST, EFF, or other references) are never affiliate links.
Revenue Use
Affiliate revenue directly funds our operations: purchasing VPN subscriptions at retail, maintaining multi-continent speed-testing infrastructure, and compensating our CISSP/CEH-certified editorial team. This model allows us to provide free, independent security guidance without paywalls or sponsored content.