[Amezarak]

> But how does it help you stay anonymous? You are still paying for that server using your CC and they'd have your address and all other info. Unless I can rent the server anonymously, I can't see any point to run my own VPN server. That's why I'm paying a third party, PIA for example, to rent and run that server for me.

I don't see the purpose of VPNs as anonymity, and I think many people are making a mistake to see them that way. If anyone really wanted to know who you are, they could file a suit and subpoena PIA. Now you're trusting that PIA really doesn't keep any logs. You have no way of verifying this. Or, if someone has some suspicions about who (and where) you are, they could subpoena their billing information. If someone (particularly a government) really wants to find you, a VPN does little to stop them. You've just introduced a single middleman.

On top of that, you can only take PIA's assurances that they themselves are not tracking you.

I run my own VPN server, hosted in a DO droplet, to get around networks that filter certain ports and websites. That's it. I have considered adding a VM with read-only access to my NAS to the VPN but that's all.