It is estimated that almost a quarter of all internet users have used a VPN service during 2018. Some folks rely on VPN to hide from prying eyes on the web, and some just want to access content that is otherwise unavailable in their country.
In either case, there is a reason why VPN services keep growing, but that doesn’t mean you should sign-up to any offer you see on the web.
A VPN service redirects all the data you send and receive through a VPN server. In the process, all the data is encrypted and you (as a user) get a new IP address — making it much more difficult to track your online whereabouts, steal your passwords, or block you from the content you want to access. As a result, you are safer from internet service providers, government snoopers, pesky advertisers, identity thieves, hackers, and so on — all while being able to access content that may not be available in your country.
It is, however, important to add that not all VPNs are created equal, with some offering better service than others. So before clicking that “download” button, you should ask the following 5 questions and only then determine whether that’s the service worth signing-up for.
1Does it log internet traffic?
A VPN service should be all about privacy and in that sense, you’ll want to sign-up for a reliable service that does NOT log your internet traffic. Otherwise, why bother with VPN? It may sound like common sense but that doesn’t mean it’s a common practice. Which leads us to the next question…
2Is it a free service?
Free is the best price ever, but… with VPN you actually *want* to pay for the service. The reason is simple – a VPN provider is in the business to make some money. If it doesn’t charge you directly, chances are it is selling users (your) data to third parties. And you don’t want that. A free trial is ok, though.
3Is there a mobile app?
Today, most of us access the internet on our phones and it is essential to get a VPN service that has its own mobile app. With such an app, you will be able to use the internet on your phone without any fuss. Just start the app, and browse the web like you regularly do with a VPN service running in the background.
4Does it slow down the internet?
With a VPN service, all the data is routed through a VPN server which may or may not slow down your internet service. This depends on the geographic location of a VPN server, with better VPN service providers having dozens of servers spread throughout the world. In other words, for a better experience – you’ll want to get a VPN with a global footprint.
5Is it easy to use?
With the best VPN apps/services you don’t even know they are there. You simply fire-up some app with a click/tap of the button and let it “do its thing” in the background. Such services tend to work with different platforms, allowing you to keep your data protected even when switching between multiple devices.
Where to start?
We suggest you check out our list of top VPN services. We tested many, many such services so you don’t have to. VPNs on that list tick all the boxes mentioned above and we’re confident you’ll love using them — actually, you only need one, and whichever you choose, you can hardly go wrong. Check it out.