11 Essential Points to Choosing the Right VPN
Are you still not sure how to choose the right VPN services? There are plenty of VPN providers claiming a lot of advantages of using their services overlooking the problems their services are dealing with. All this and mixed reviews are confusing for any customer to make a decision about a product. If you feel like you need more information before committing to a VPN service, we’ve got you covered with a comprehensive list of the 11 essential points to choosing the right VPN.
VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a software technology that is created to create a secure and encrypted connection between your device and the internet. With a VPN enabled on your device, your internet traffic is routed through an encrypted VPN tunnel via a VPN server. A VPN server can be located anywhere in the world. This makes it super challenging for any online trespasser to get into your online activity or gain access to your data.
Benefits Of Using A VPN
In today’s technologically advanced environment, where cyber threats and data breaches are increasing, using a VPN can help protect your data and internet traffic. Without a VPN, your internet data can be exposed to fraudsters, hackers, and data harvesters.
There are multiple benefits of using a VPN that can facilitate your everyday life:
- Enhanced Security:
A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it difficult for hackers, ISPs, and government surveillance to intercept and read your data. This can help prevent theft or unauthorized access to sensitive information. - Secure Browsing:
A VPN helps to protect your online activities by concealing your IP address and location, making it difficult for third parties, such as advertisers, to track your internet usage. This can prevent targeted advertising and enhance your online privacy. - Bypass Internet Censorship and Geo-restrictions:
A VPN can help you access websites and content that may not be available in your area, such as social media sites, streaming services, and news sites. - Safe and Secure Remote Working:
A VPN can help protect your sensitive information while working remotely from home or while traveling by allowing you to securely access your company’s network or remote server from anywhere in the world. - Saving Money:
Using a VPN can be useful for services like hotel reservations, airline tickets, and online shopping, which often have pricing that differs based on location.
What to Look For When Choosing the Right VPN:
When it comes to choosing a VPN, there are a few important factors to consider in order to make an informed decision. Here are some key things to look for when selecting a VPN:
1. Speed
Firstly, let’s discuss the essential features that distinguish excellent VPNs from average ones, with speed being a significant factor. You can observe a change in speed after connecting to a VPN on your device. You might face slow speed and that is due to the encryption process. Look for VPN providers that offer fast and stable connections, and offer a free trial or money-back guarantee so you can test the speed before going for a premium plan.
2. Security
Although fast connectivity is crucial, it shouldn’t be the only factor to consider when selecting a VPN. One of the main reasons to use a VPN is for online security and privacy. Make sure the VPN you select has a strict no-log policy and uses strong encryption methods such as AES-256. If you like extra extra security layer then look for additional security features in a VPN such as a kill switch, which will automatically disconnect your internet connection if the VPN connection drops and keeps your online activity secure and anonymous.
3. Device Compatibility:
Check if the VPN provider supports the devices you wish to use or not, such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Routers, and Linux. If the VPN is compatible with more devices and routers then you should prefer the one. If your purpose is to use the VPN on multiple devices then look for providers that allow multiple simultaneous connections.
4. Ease of use
Look for a VPN company that offers user-friendly apps making it easy for users to achieve their desired objectives without difficulty. The more the app is user-friendly and easy to use the more the user experience is smooth and hassle-free.
A VPN is not worth the effort if it cannot satisfy your needs within a few minutes. Instead, there are various other VPN products available that can provide the necessary features with a user-friendly and easy-to-use app interface and customer journey.
5. Device Compatibility:
Check if the VPN provider supports the devices you wish to use or not, such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Routers, and Linux. If the VPN is compatible with more devices and routers then you should prefer the one. If your purpose is to use the VPN on multiple devices then look for providers that allow multiple simultaneous connections.
6. Offers Dedicated IP
The importance of having a dedicated IP address while using a VPN cannot be emphasized enough, and it deserves a separate mention on our list. It is crucial to be the only user of an assigned address for optimal accessibility and security, especially in specific cases where a static IP is required. While you may not need a dedicated IP all the time, having the option to obtain one can significantly contribute to your peace of mind and enhance your overall VPN experience.
7. Supports P2P Functionality
Sharing files through peer-to-peer (P2P) is not always approved by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and VPN providers. Nevertheless, P2P is quite useful in some cases. It is important to select a VPN service that doesn’t constrain P2P usage, as it may lead to bandwidth throttling. The best VPNs won’t limit P2P sharing, but instead, offer unlimited bandwidth and excellent file-sharing capabilities.
8. Server Locations
Both for the customer and VPN provider, the locations of the VPN server are extremely important. The server locations play an important role in the connection speed and the ability to access the websites you want to access. Before committing to any VPN provider make sure they provide the location of the websites you wish to access. For example, if you want to access BBC iplayer then you need to check if your VPN is providing a UK location or not. Also, do not ignore the number of servers they offer, as this can impact the overall speed and reliability of the VPN.
9. Provide Efficient Customer Support
To deal with any kind of issue or in case you have queries, it’s important to have access to efficient customer support. Look for VPN providers that provide the facility of 24/7 customer support, and multiple ways to get in touch such as live chat, email, or phone.
10. The Price and Payment Options
You can find different types of price and plan options, so consider your budget and the features you need in a VPN. Look for providers that offer flexible payment options such as monthly or yearly subscriptions, and accept a variety of payment methods.
11. Reviews and Reputation
Before making a purchase, do some research on the VPN provider you are considering. In this way, you will learn about the reputation of that brand. This research is possible by reading customer reviews and review articles on VPN providers. Select the providers with an excellent history of offering dependable and secure VPNs.
Some Common VPN Providers
There are numerous VPN service providers all over the world with each other specialties and capabilities. There are paid and free VPN service providers. Some of the major VPN service providers are listed below and you can choose anyone that suits your needs:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the major VPN service providers in the VPN industry and is recommended the most. ExpressVPN is a bit more expensive than the other VPN provider but it possesses certain features and connection quality that is unmatchable
Features:
- It contains more than 3000+ servers in 94 countries.
- High-Speed Lightway Protocol- an expression customized protocol- proves to be the one providing fast speed while streaming.
- Privacy with AES256 Encryption
- 30 days Money back guarantee
- P2P and Split Tunneling Feature
- 5 simultaneous connections at a time
- Kill Switch
- MediaStreamer – a streaming-specific feature for non-vpn supported devices.
- 24/ Support
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is also considered one of the most popular VPN providers in the VPN industry. It’s a bit cheaper than ExpressVPN and provides good quality connection and speed. Some of the features of NordVPN are mentioned below:
Features:
- It contains more than 5300+ servers in 60 countries.
- High Speed NordLynx Protocol- a Nordvpn customized Wireguard protocol- proves to be the one providing fast speed while streaming.
- Privacy with AES256 Encryption
- Automatic Kill Switch, P2P sharing, dedicated IP, and DNS leak protection
- 6 simultaneous connections at a time
- Zero log policy
- 30 days Money back guarantee
- 24/7 Support
- Built-in Malware blocker
- Privacy with AES256 Encryption
3. PureVPN
PureVPN is a VPN service provider that provides some amazing deals and a set of features. It has long been in the industry and delivering services at well as possible.
Features:
- It contains more than 6,500+ servers in 88+ countries.
- Supports protocols like WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN, etc.
- Internet Kill Switch, IPv6 leak protection, P2P for torrenting, and DNS leak protection
- Split tunneling
- Zero log Policy
- 10 simultaneous connections at a time
- 30 days Money back guarantee
- Shortcut feature- this feature can allow you to access popular websites/channels (Netflix, Hulu, BBC, Amazon and etc)directly with just one click.
- Supports dedicated IP and Port Forwarding
- 24/7 Live Chat
FAQs
There are plenty o free VPN service providers but these free VPN providers do not keep you secure and private. These free VPNs do not provide advanced feature sets to enhance the security and privacy of your sensitive data. On the contrary, paid VPN providers are designed to keep the privacy and security of your sensitive data. It also possesses a good set of advanced features to enhance your security and privacy.
a) Free VPN services, as they lack reliability and may compromise your security and privacy.
b) VPN providers that log user data; choose ones with a strict no-logging policy.
c) Providers located in countries with strict data retention laws, which can jeopardize your privacy.
d) Providers with few servers, leading to slower speeds and limited access to geo-restricted content.
e) Providers with subpar customer support; reliable support is essential for technical issues and assistance.
VPN servers are remote servers that are set up specifically to handle VPN connections. They act as a middleman between the user and the internet, encrypting and decrypting data to protect privacy and security.
Conclusion
To determine if you’ve made the correct decision, it’s important to conduct research and evaluate your specific needs. Although our list provides the essential qualities of an excellent VPN, the final decision ultimately rests with you. To ensure you’ve made the best choice, it’s helpful to consider reputation and feedback, and these two VPN providers meet all the criteria for an outstanding VPN experience.
