5 Best VPNs With RAM-Only Servers (2026)

Surfshark – Best Value For Money

Surfshark is my pick among the RAM-only VPNs, and the scale of its commitment is the first reason why: since 2020, its entire network of 4,500+ servers in 100 countries has run on RAM only, so there’s no hard drive anywhere for your data to linger on.

In terms of extra security features, in addition to RAM-only servers, Surfshark offers independently audited secure browser extensions, data breach alerts, a kill switch, obfuscated servers, split tunneling, and the WireGuard protocol.

Privacy and Security

A company called Cure53 audited Surfshark’s browser extensions in 2018 and found them to be secure, and it went over the server infrastructure in 2021, after the switch to RAM-only hardware.

An independent audit like that can give you additional assurance that a VPN service does deliver the security and privacy it promises.

Since then, Deloitte has also verified Surfshark’s no-logs policy, so the RAM-only promise isn’t something you have to take on faith.

Like ExpressVPN, Surfshark offers split tunnelling, which you can activate via the Bypasser feature (formerly Whitelister). It could be useful if, for instance, you need to use your bank that blocks VPNs whilst using a local printer that requires a VPN. Just whitelist the bank’s website, and you’re good to go.

Keep in mind, however that the data about you using “bypassed” URLs won’t have the benefit of being erased from the RAM servers once they’re rebooted!

The WireGuard protocol used by Surfshark is designed to offer better speed and performance. Surfshark offers dynamic IP address when using WireGuard. I tested the speed of the VPN with WireGuard by comparing it with my regular Internet speed.

Speed without VPN:

Speed using Surfshark:

I was pleased to see that the download speed was higher with WireGuard, even though the response time (Ping) measured in milliseconds was higher.

Another feature called Surfshark Alert notifies you in case of a data breach, if your data or credit card details were leaked. If, for instance, your bank card’s details were stolen in a hack, you’d get an alert and be able to cancel your card immediately.

This feature’s privacy policy makes it clear that the VPN collects all info pertaining to your e-mail from other platforms.

It doesn’t, however, keep your card details after it completes the scan, unless you opt for continuous monitoring. You need to enable two-factor (2FA) authentication to use this feature – a password plus a temporary code.

So, even if someone gets hold of your password, they won’t be able to get to the data without the code!

In addition, Surfshark’s camouflage feature (a.k.a obfuscated servers) can help mask from your ISP that you’re using a VPN.

This is useful if you’re in a country that blocks VPN services.

ExpressVPN, my runner-up, builds obfuscation technology into its service too.

Price

All packages offer VPN connection on an unlimited number of devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Surfshark is one of the cheapest providers on this list and offers great deals.

Considering the security features on offer and the unlimited connections, Surfshark is better value for money than ExpressVPN.

And that’s what leads me to conclude that Surfshark is the best RAM-only VPN provider overall!

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ExpressVPN – Best For Security

ExpressVPN is my runner-up, and the one I’d steer you to if security matters more to you than price. Its TrustedServer technology ensures that its servers in 113 countries only ever run on RAM.

Any server you connect to will be completely cleared of any trace of you next time it’s switched off. 

It also allows for simultaneous security updates across the entire server network to make sure each server is equally secure.

Watch a video below to learn more:

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Safety & Speed

ExpressVPN might be for you if you’re looking for a VPN that has RAM-only servers and additional safety features. These features include the Network Lock (a kill switch feature) and the Lightway protocol.

The kill switch stops all traffic in case your VPN connection drops.

Your data is thus prevented from being exposed.

The large number of servers means very decent connection speed, not least due to the custom Lightway protocol.

It’s a brand new, next-generation VPN protocol that will make your connection faster, more reliable, and more secure.

It keeps your VPN connection “always-on”.

Even if you lose signal or switch from Wi-Fi to data, you stay connected to the same ExpressVPN server.

Not only does it save time, as you don’t have to re-activate the ExpressVPN app when you reconnect, but it also enhances your connection speed.

So, ExpressVPN could be a perfect choice for you if you value both speed and security.

Other Features

As you might’ve guessed, ExpressVPN’s RAM servers don’t retain any data, which means they don’t keep any logs.

This no-logging policy has been independently audited more than once, most recently by KPMG.

That, combined with the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands jurisdiction, means that there are no records of your online activities that could be given over to any government.

In addition to strong security features, ExpressVPN also offers split tunnelling. This technology is convenient because it allows you to encrypt some of your traffic whilst leaving the rest unencrypted.

This could be useful if, for instance, you need to access your bank’s website which blocks VPNs, and torrent something at the same time.

Surfshark offers it too.

You can use ExpressVPN on up to 10 devices at the same time on its Basic plan. That’s plenty for me, but if you want no cap at all, Surfshark’s unlimited connections make it the better provider for you.

Price

All ExpressVPN deals have a 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s more expensive than Surfshark, though, and between that price gap and the device cap, Surfshark takes the higher spot here.

I am, however, willing to pay more for the additional security features ExpressVPN provides.

For that reason, I recommend ExpressVPN as a RAM-only service if security is your first priority.

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AzireVPN – Best For Ease of Use

The Swedish provider AzireVPN offers 63 dedicated RAM-only servers to its users.

Security

In addition to not having hard drive-based servers, AzireVPN uses Blind Operator mode on all its servers. This means that a sysadmin won’t be able to run any queries on the content of the endpoint or perform any network monitoring. And this mode is loaded each time an AzireVPN server is booted!

So, even the operators have a very limited insight into your data.

And since it’s wiped from the server every time it’s rebooted, the mode provides your data with an additional layer of security whilst it’s on the server.

However, this hasn’t been independently audited, unlike ExpressVPN’s and Surfshark’s security features.

Neither has AzireVPN admittedly straightforward and legalese-free no-logging policy.

Since it’s based in Sweden which is a 14-eye country, AzireVPN could be obliged to turn over your personal information (email) if pressured by the government. So, whilst they may not keep logs of your activity, there’s always the potential of the alliance’s countries knowing that you use the service.

AzireVPN, like Surfshark, uses WireGuard protocol. However, it’s the only provider on this list that doesn’t have a kill switch. This means that if your connection suddenly drops and, for instance, you’re torrenting, your IP would be exposed. RAM-only servers wouldn’t help you here as the data won’t be routed through them if you’re not connected to VPN.

On the plus side, I really liked that AzireVPN’s website, policies and apps are very easy to use and install. It doesn’t have Live Chat, but the support team answered my query within a few hours.

Read Also: Expert Reviews of the VPN Services

Value For Money

AzireVPN has 63 servers in Europe, North America and Asia. For a provider active since 2012, that’s not a lot. To compare, Surfshark (4,500+ servers) and ExpressVPN (servers in 113 countries) have built far larger networks since launching in 2018 and 2009, respectively. Low number of servers usually means high reduction in speed for a user.

Also, AzireVPN doesn’t offer an iOS app. This is a glaring omission for me, as I use my iPhone for many of my day-to-day operations, and you probably do too! So, if you want to protect data on your iPhone, consider a different RAM-only VPN provider.

The AzireVPN packages come with a 7-day money-back guarantee and a free trial of 24 hours (excluding the 1-month package). You get up to 5 simultaneous connections. The prices are higher than Surfshark’s.

Considering that Surfshark offers you unlimited connections and extra security features, AzireVPN doesn’t seem like good value for money. That, combined with the fact that other providers offer better security features, leads me to conclude that I don’t recommend RAM-only provider AzireVPN.

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OVPN – Best For Privacy

The Swedish OVPN claims to have a proven and verified focus on privacy, thanks to its RAM-only servers that don’t support USB access, no-logs policy and automatic kill switch.

Privacy

OVPN has recently won a court case, in which the claimant tried to force them to disclose which user was allocated an IPv4 address on a specific date, and that user’s info. OVPN reiterated that they don’t keep logs and have no way of knowing which user has been assigned a specific IP.

After that, the court held that the claimant couldn’t prove that OVPN had access to this data.

As I don’t speak Swedish, I ran the transcript through a translator. The translation confirmed OVPN’s statement that their evidence regarding their no log VPN policy hasn’t been disproven.

I was impressed by OVPN’s coverage of the case and both sides’ legal and technical arguments on their website. The fact that OVPN was willing to disclose this means they genuinely value transparency!

It may not be an audit but proving themselves in court means they truly take your privacy seriously. You can therefore be sure that the IP addresses you’re assigned don’t end up in the wrong hands.

To support this commitment, OVPN publish monthly transparency reports about each of their RAM servers’ activity, capacity and amount of data encrypted.

You can learn from them about your preferred server’s interruptions and capacity to make more informed decisions about which servers to use.

OVPN is also the only provider on this list where you’re not required to provide your e-mail when signing up, even though you can. If you have a good memory for passwords and don’t want to give third parties too much info, it might be a good option for you.

On the other hand, this means OVPN won’t ever be able to offer extra security features like Surfshark’s data breach alert.

The provider uses WireGuard protocol. I was pleased to see that OVPN made changes to it to ensure that the customers’ data is deleted after three minutes.

As with Surfshark, I tested my Internet speed before and after connecting to OVPN.

Before:

After I connected to an OVPN server in Sweden:

The latency has increased two-fold, but the download speed was better with OVPN than without. OVPN has only 90 RAM servers, however, so a speed reduction is expected.

Pricing

OVPN is more expensive than Surfshark. All packages come with a 10-day money-back guarantee. You can connect to up to 4 devices at the same time. Grab the exclusive 24-month OVPN deal today and get a free T-shirt!

Considering their proven commitment to privacy and transparency, OVPN is high on my list of RAM-only VPN providers. However, since it’s pricier than Surfshark and only offers 4 simultaneous connections, it’s not an overall winner. It also has much fewer servers, which means slower speed.

I would nonetheless recommend OVPN if you value your privacy over speed and only want to use a couple of devices.

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CyberGhost – Best For the Largest RAM-Only Network

CyberGhost has the biggest published server count on this list – 9,000+ servers in 100 countries – and it says the whole infrastructure is RAM-only, so temporary session data is cleared every time a server reboots.

That scale is the main reason it made my list: more servers mean less crowding, and a better chance of finding a RAM-only server close to home.

Privacy & Security

CyberGhost is headquartered in Romania, an EU country that isn’t part of the 5/9/14 eyes.

Beyond the RAM-only setup, it sorts its network into servers built for streaming, gaming, and P2P, so you don’t have to guess which server suits your torrent client.

If you need a fixed address, you can add a dedicated IP for $5.00 a month ($2.50 a month with the 2-year plan). You get one per account, and it works on up to 7 devices – but only in CyberGhost’s apps, not in manual or router setups.

Linux users should also know there’s no full app: CyberGhost supports Linux through a command-line setup instead.

Price

CyberGhost is one of the cheapest providers here. The 2-year plan (plus 2 extra months) costs $2.19 a month, or $56.94 for the first 26 months, and it has the longest refund window on this list: 45 days (the monthly plan gets 14).

The trade-off is devices. You can only connect 7 at once, while Surfshark doesn’t set a limit at all.

Still, if you want a big RAM-only network at a low price and seven connections are enough, grab CyberGhost’s 2-year deal here.

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