What is a no-logs policy?
A no-logs policy means the VPN provider does not record which sites you visit, what you download, or when you are connected. What matters is whether that policy has been independently verified: a promise on a website is worthless without an external audit.
When you use a VPN, your trust shifts from your internet provider to the VPN company: in theory, it can see all your traffic. A no-logs policy is the promise that the provider stores nothing that can be traced back to you. No browsing history, no timestamps, no linked IP addresses.
The difference is in the evidence. Serious providers have their policies tested by external auditors: NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN have been audited multiple times, and PureVPN even has a standing arrangement allowing KPMG to audit unannounced. Private Internet Access has had its policy confirmed in US court cases: there was simply nothing to hand over.
Jurisdiction is the second layer. A provider in Switzerland (Proton) or Sweden (Mullvad) operates under different laws than one in the United States. For most people, an audited no-logs policy is enough; purists weigh the country of incorporation too.