- PrivadoVPN has updated its terms of use
- The document now includes a new address and legal jurisdiction in Iceland
- The Terms include limits on Privado’s 30-day money-back guarantee
It’s official: PrivadoVPN has completely severed its legal ties with Switzerland.
Following up on promises made earlier this year, the provider has updated its terms of service (ToS) to firmly plant its flag in Iceland, a move intended to protect users from European surveillance laws.
Last January, PrivadoVPN told TechRadar that it was moving its operations to Iceland to find “exactly what a privacy-focused VPN needs.” Now, a brand new iteration of the provider’s terms of service makes this transition a legal reality.
The updated ToS replaces the former Swiss jurisdiction and Privado Networks AG, based in Zug, with Privado Networks ehf., whose official headquarters is in Garðabær, near Reykjavík.
The revised document is significantly longer and more detailed than the August 2023 version it replaces, laying out explicit protections and operational guidelines under Icelandic law.
Importantly, the new terms also explicitly state that Privado’s 30-day money-back guarantee “can only be used once per user.”
Why Iceland is the new privacy paradise
For years, Switzerland has been widely considered a benchmark for digital privacy. However, this reputation began to crumble in March 2025 when the Swiss government proposed controversial amendments to its surveillance laws.
The proposed changes aimed to force “derivative service providers,” a category that groups top VPN services with social media platforms and messaging apps, to adhere to strict monitoring and data collection obligations.
Seeing what was happening, PrivadoVPN began its exit strategy. In Iceland, VPNs are treated strictly as application layer service providers rather than telecommunications companies. This seemingly minor legal distinction makes a huge difference: it means PrivadoVPN is completely exempt from mandatory data retention laws.
“Iceland treats VPNs as application layer service providers and not as telecommunications operators that require data retention and logging,” PrivadoVPN told TechRadar earlier this year.
The new, expanded terms of use also provide a much more in-depth analysis of what is expected of the provider and the user. While the old document was relatively brief, the new Icelandic ToS offers detailed and robust sections that clarify the boundaries of the service, leaving much less room for legal ambiguity.
A Quick Overview of PrivadoVPN
If you’re unfamiliar with PrivadoVPN, the provider has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the most compelling options on the market. It has an incredibly generous free VPN tier that offers 10GB of monthly data, a reliable kill switch, and unlimited speeds – features that most competitors lock firmly behind a paywall.
For paying subscribers, the premium service unlocks unlimited data, up to 10 simultaneous connections, and access to servers in over 60 countries. It also offers excellent unblocking capabilities for popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Hulu.
With the legal transition to Iceland now complete, PrivadoVPN has managed to back up its privacy claims with concrete legal actions. By refusing to compromise on jurisdiction, the provider has ensured that it remains a top choice for security-conscious users who want to fully maintain their digital footprints.
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