A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is designed to keep your online activities private and secure. It works by creating an encrypted link between your device and the internet, which hides your IP address and makes it difficult for anyone to track your online activities. This also lets you access content that might be restricted in your region and protects your data from potential threats when using public Wi-Fi.
Now, all these great features might make you want to download a VPN immediately but hold on a second. While it might seem like all VPNs are pretty similar since they serve the same primary purpose, the truth is that some are more reliable than others. So, how do you find a VPN that’s truly the best fit for you?
This article outlines five crucial factors you must consider when choosing a VPN. Let’s dive right in!
Security and Encryption
Using a VPN that’s not secure defeats the point of having one in the first place. A VPN is meant to protect your data while you’re browsing. However, if it’s not secure, it could put your information at greater risk than if you weren’t using one at all. So, how can you tell whether a VPN is secure?
To determine if a VPN is genuinely secure, check out its encryption method. Encryption is what keeps your data safe when you’re connected to the VPN. The gold standard is the AES 256-bit encryption because it’s incredibly difficult to crack, even for sophisticated attacks. That’s why it’s the encryption protocol for governments and military agencies worldwide. The AES 128-bit comes closely behind this encryption method and is also quite secure.
To check a VPN’s encryption, you can use online tools like GlassWire or WireShark. These tools analyze your VPN, confirm if your data is encrypted, and show the encryption algorithm. They can also tell you if your VPN has other essential security features like split tunneling, leak prevention, and a kill switch.
Privacy
One key feature that shows if a VPN strongly ensures privacy is the no-logs policy. This means the VPN doesn’t record your online activity or data. If it does, there’s a possibility that the VPN provider can monitor, share, or even sell your information, which you’re trying to avoid in the first place.
Even if a VPN claims to have a no-logs policy, it still needs to store some basic information, like your email address, for account management and billing. Some providers might use this as an excuse to collect more data than they admit.
So, to truly understand a VPN’s stance on logging, you should carefully read their terms of service and privacy policy. This will help you see what data they collect, how it’s used, and whether it matches their no-logs claims.
Connection Speed
Another important factor to consider is the VPN’s internet connection speed. Generally, because you’re using a VPN, your Internet speed will slow down a little as it takes time to reroute and encrypt. However, top-tier VPNs are designed to minimize this slowdown, so you might not even notice any difference in your internet speed.
To see how much a VPN affects your browsing speed, you’ll need to measure your average connection speed first. Start by checking your speed without the VPN. You can do that by visiting a site like speedtest.net or fast.com that can analyze and show your upload and download speeds. Next, connect to your VPN and revisit those same sites. Compare the new speed metrics with the ones you recorded earlier to see how much the VPN slows things down.
The speed of a VPN can also depend on its protocol. For example, VPNs that use modern, efficient protocols like WireGuard or OpenVPN tend to offer better speeds. Some VPNs also include features like split tunneling, which lets you choose which apps use the VPN when it’s on. You should look out for these features when checking a VPN to see if it meets your speed requirements.
Server Network
A VPN server network is like a web of servers set up in different locations by your VPN provider. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is channelled through these servers. This process helps hide your IP address, encrypt your data, and get around geographic restrictions. The more servers a VPN has in different locations, the more choices you have for connecting.
A wide server network improves performance in terms of connection speed and better load distribution. It also allows you to access content or online activities that are restricted to specific regions. For example, some licensed iGaming platforms like this website offer their services to offshore players. If you are restricted by location in such cases, a VPN with an extensive server network can come in handy.
To find out how many servers a VPN has, you can check the VPN provider’s website, as most VPN providers list the number of servers in their network on their official website. Another way to get this information is by checking online reviews. User and critic reviews can offer a lot of insights into a VPN’s features.
Prices
At the end of the day, you’d have to pay if you want a good VPN. Well, this is not to say there aren’t good free ones that you can use, but they usually can’t match the level of protection and reliability provided by paid options.
So, since you’re paying for a VPN, it’s important to find one with a payment plan that fits your budget and offers good value for your money. Also, be sure to check what payment methods the VPN provider supports to ensure you can easily make transactions. Most top VPNs offer various payment options to accommodate different preferences.
Conclusion
There are several things to consider when choosing a VPN. However, security and encryption, privacy policies, connection speed, server networks, and pricing are non-negotiables. These factors directly impact how well the VPN program performs its primary job of keeping your online activity safe and private.
So, ensure you take the time to research and compare different options to find the best VPN that aligns with your requirements and budget.