How to Choose a VPN: Everything You Need to Know

VPN flat blue secure

So, you’re searching for a VPN service? That’s a brilliant idea, as these tools offer a plethora of advantages, ranging from IP address masking and bank-grade encryption. Nonetheless, you may have seen that there are tons of VPN services to choose from, making it difficult to find the right one for your specific needs.

The industry has gone through rapid growth in the past several years, and the competition has become fierce with new options popping up almost every day. Yet, you shouldn’t fear even with all these options. We have covered everything you need to know to ensure you enlist in the right VPN service. Continue reading to find out more.

Why Use a VPN? 

A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) consists of a piece of software (or hardware in some cases) that generates a virtual tunnel leading to a remote VPN server. From here, you can connect to the internet.

Although the technology was originally established for larger businesses to provide access to employees (from everywhere they work) and ensure the security of sensitive data, VPNs have become wildly popular for individuals as well. Since using a VPN encrypts your internet connection, no one can see the data you’re transferring.

Your internet traffic can’t be intercepted, which ensures your personal information remains secure. Such data might include your credit card details. This VPN connection tool is especially useful when using open WI-FI, like the ones found in a coffee shop.

When you use a VPN, you can trick third parties (like websites) into thinking you’re located elsewhere. This is because your IP address is masked with another one from a VPN server. Hence, using a VPN allows you to access the internet privately and freely.

Determining What You Need These VPN Services For:

Like most purchases, you aren’t going to buy the first VPN you see. Everyone uses these VPN services for different reasons. So, the best way to pick from the various VPN providers is to determine your needs before choosing.

Are You Looking for a Secure Browsing Experience? 

Even if you aren’t worried about your security and privacy, you should choose a VPN if you’re regularly connecting to public WI-FI like the ones typically found in a coffee shop. This is vital as unsecured networks allow any nearby hackers to interpret the data transmitted from your device and take advantage of this information.

In these instances, you want a VPN service offering military-grade encryption. This safeguards your online activities like conducting transactions and checking emails. The best VPN services secure your information through AES 256-bit encryption, which is used by governments and top agencies in many countries.

Are You Looking for Online Anonymity? 

Do you want to hide your browsing history from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and snooping governments? Although VPN providers can’t offer a complete anonymity solution, these systems can make it almost impossible to trace your online actions back to you.

This is because your traffic appears to be coming from another IP address that’s shared with several users. If you’re searching for this anonymity, you want a VPN service that doesn’t store any logs and is equipped with an extensive customer base. This large customer base ensures it’s more challenging to be singled out, as more people are using these servers.

Are You Looking to Switch Geolocation? 

You require a VPN with thousands of servers in different countries if you want to access content unavailable in your country. For example, US servers are needed if you want to watch US Netflix when based outside of the country.

When choosing a VPN service, ensure you look for a VPN with a number of servers in your required countries. Remember that there’s no point signing up for a VPN if you can’t access an IP address in the country you desire.

Facebook
WhatsApp
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Related Content