Nowadays, many of us spend the bulk of our time in front of our computers or smartphones. Sometimes that’s at home, accessing the internet via secure, private networks. Other days, it’s on a park bench or at a cafe connected to public Wi-Fi. With cybercriminals launching new attacks every day, it’s hard to know how safe those open networks are.
Enter the virtual private network (VPN). Perhaps best known for letting you stream movies licensed outside the U.S. and find better shopping deals online, VPNs can also be used to safeguard your personal data while scrolling. But it can be a tricky service to shop for.
Read on to find out why you might need a VPN and how to choose the right one.
What is a VPN?
What you do online isn’t private. Your internet service provider (ISP) can see your browsing activity, what you download, where you’re located and more. Through encryption, a VPN keeps all this information private.
Say you want to watch a video on YouTube at the mall. When you type “youtube.com” into your browser, you’re beaming out data like your IP address and location to a public server, some of which are fairly easy to hack into before you even reach the site.
A VPN acts as a sort of invisibility cloak during that in-between by encrypting your data and rerouting your traffic through its servers, blocking everyone but you from seeing it. This may not seem too important for a site like YouTube, but if you think about all the times you’ve checked your bank account or other private information on public Wi-Fi, it’s easier to imagine how quickly things can go wrong if you’re not careful.
How does a VPN work?
VPNs use a tunneling protocol — a system of rules that allows information to be transferred between two networks — to establish a connection between your device and its specially-configured remote servers. After you connect to a VPN service, it will forward all the outgoing data from your device to one of these servers through this encrypted tunnel.
Doing this prevents others from snooping for its contents. It also changes your IP address and Domain Name System (DNS) to that of the VPN server, which is what allows users to access content exclusive to other regions of the world and confuses some kinds of targeted advertisement.
Why do you need a VPN?
Originally, VPNs were almost exclusively used by employees of big companies, organizations and governments to ensure remote workers had a secure connection to their servers. Today, with so many more people connecting to the internet, VPNs have become popular among everyday consumers as well. This is due to the many benefits of a VPN, including:
- Protecting your connection on public Wi-Fi. One of the biggest reasons VPNs are so widespread now is because they protect sensitive data, such as authentication credentials, when you access the internet on public networks. Because VPNs scramble information in transit, others in your network will be unable to see any of your data.
- Gaining access to geo-blocked content. By connecting to servers in another country, you can view or stream content that is geographically restricted to that particular location. The same principle applies to searching for lower prices: connect to a country where the item you want is sold for less, and you’ll be able to buy it at that lower price.
- Preventing your ISP from tracking you. Normally, your web traffic can be seen and scrutinized by your ISP at any given time. Based on what you’re doing — streaming 4k video or torrenting, for example — they may slow down your connection, a practice that is known as bandwidth throttling. VPNs prevent this by making it so your ISP is unable to know exactly what you’re doing online.
- Bypassing censorship and surveillance. Some countries — like China and Iran — censor specific content online. By rerouting your internet traffic through their servers, VPNs allow users to bypass these blockades and access otherwise restricted content.
- Reducing targeted advertisements. Because VPNs change your IP address, certain types of targeted advertisement are unable to function as intended. They can’t stop every type of ad, however, which is why many VPN subscriptions also include dedicated ad blockers.
What is a VPN used for?
Whether you’re a business traveler sending sensitive data to colleagues or a gamer who needs to access foreign servers, VPNs can be used for a variety of activities. Each VPN use case may have slightly different requirements, but one thing is universal: A quality VPN service should provide a secure connection, robust encryption and enhanced online privacy.
Internet Browsing VPNs
Using a VPN to browse the internet is one of the most common uses for this technology. This is mostly relevant for those using public Wi-Fi networks, as connection to them entails a greater cybersecurity risk, but this also applies to those who just want greater online privacy while surfing the web through their home network.
Although VPNs can safeguard your data online, they don’t provide blanket protection against cyberthreats. Unless your VPN provider offers additional cybersecurity software, you’ll still be exposed to certain types of malware and trackers. Fortunately, many popular VPNs today offer ad blockers, antivirus and other tools to keep you safe online.
Streaming VPNs
Another common use for VPNs is streaming. With the widespread availability of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Max, more people are using VPNs to unblock restrictions — allowing them to watch content from anywhere in the world.
In some cases, these restrictions are distribution-related, meaning the content can’t be accessed if you’re in a different region. In other cases, streaming may be blocked due to censorship laws and government restrictions from the country you’re in.
People are even using VPNs to skirt the recent password-sharing crackdown implemented by some streaming services — a practice that breaches these platforms’ terms of service and can get your account banned.
You can also use VPNs to stream sports, as many regional broadcasts are limited to certain countries or regions. By using a VPN, you can unblock these regional restrictions and watch your favorite teams regardless of where you are.
Gaming VPNs
Similar to streaming, utilizing VPNs for gaming allows you to access any content that’s restricted to a certain region. They can also help you to access foreign servers, allowing you to play with friends from around the world.
In addition to increased access, some gamers use VPNs to hide their IP address to protect themselves from DDOS attacks (distributed denial-of-service). These may be used by competitors to slow down — or even crash — others’ network connections.
Business VPNs
VPNs are also used by employees who need to access their organization’s internal networks remotely. By using a business VPN, corporate IT administrators can ensure that their employees’ online activities are encrypted and secure, even when using public Wi-Fi networks.
Traditionally, businesses have utilized perimeter-based network security, meaning their data and networks can only be accessed from within a physical corporate firewall. However, as more and more employees need to access data and networks remotely, businesses have increasingly turned to VPN web hosting to allow secure access from any device and any location.
Are VPNs safe?
Although VPNs are generally safe to use, they’re not all equally secure. A number of free VPNs have been found to contain security flaws or vulnerabilities that could put your data at risk. Make sure to research your preferred VPNs thoroughly: Skimming through VPN app store reviews isn’t the best way to find one, because some security concerns may not be visible to the average user.
In many cases, it’s worth paying for a VPN rather than going with a free one. Plans for paid VPNs tend to cost around $12 a month, with prices as low as $3 or $4 per month if you commit to a year or more. Moreover, paid options like Surfshark and NordVPN tend to be the most secure and reliable VPNs on the market.
Try to find a VPN company that employs strong encryption and other security measures, preferably one that shows independent audits of their security infrastructure. In addition, look for a service that has a “no logs” policy, meaning it vows not to track user activities. Lastly, make sure to learn how to set up a VPN properly to avoid any configuration issues down the line.
Should you leave your VPN on all the time?
If you’re mainly using your VPN for privacy and security, leaving it on all the time is generally a good idea. This ensures that all of your online activity (including any downloads and uploads) is encrypted and hidden from your ISP and other prying eyes. It also blocks anyone from seeing your IP address or location.
If you’re only using your VPN for specific tasks, such as gaming, streaming or accessing your business network remotely, you might want to to turn it off once you’re done. VPNs tend to slow down your connection speed, and some websites and web services outright do not let VPN connections through.
When to turn off your VPN
There are a couple of scenarios where you might want to disable your VPN, if just for a moment. These include if you are:
- Experiencing a slow internet connection. Even the best VPNs will slow your internet speed slightly, which can be an issue if you need the full potential of your connection.
- Troubleshooting network issues. VPNs can interfere with your network settings, so you may have to disconnect from your VPN in order to properly fix any issues with your network.
- Setting up an internet connection for the first time. To avoid network issues down the road, you should set up new internet connections while your VPN is off, then turn it back on once you are online.
- Traveling to countries where VPNs are prohibited. Some countries, such as China, Russia, Belarus, Iraq and North Korea, prohibit or tightly regulate the use of VPNs.
Do you need a VPN on your phone?
Whether you need a VPN on your phone or not depends on how you use your mobile device.
If you mostly use your phone’s data plan for internet access and avoid connecting to networks outside of your home Wi-Fi, you may not need a VPN. However, you might still benefit from keeping your online activity private from your wireless carrier and your ISP.
If you regularly connect to Wi-Fi hotspots, such as those in retail stores and coffee shops, you should get a VPN to protect your internet traffic and safeguard any outdated software or firmware on your device. This is true even for iPhones and other Apple devices, which boast strong protection for the online privacy of their users.
What is the best VPN?
Assuming you want a VPN for everyday use, the best VPN services feature apps or extensions for a wide variety of operating systems — iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and so on. They also have air-tight security, boast no-log policies and come with additional cybersecurity tools to protect you online. Lastly, they are affordable relative to the number of features they offer.
NordVPN is an example of such a VPN. It’s a trustworthy, established name in the industry that lets users protect up to six devices, including phones, computers, routers, browsers and smart TVs, and charges the equivalent of just $3.29 per month for a standard two-year plan.
ExpressVPN is another example of a great VPN. Its users can choose between servers located in 94 countries and enjoy some of the fastest speeds on a VPN in the world. Moreover, the service has a number of guides and customer service options that make it easy to use.
Do I need a VPN? FAQs
VPNs protect your privacy online and make it safer to access the internet through unsecured networks. They do this by routing your internet traffic through their servers, which changes your IP address and encrypts your data in transit. The result is that neither your ISP nor malicious third parties can scrutinize your information, and users can even access otherwise unavailable content by taking on a different IP address.
VPNs are worth it if you need a way to safely access the internet on public or shared Wi-Fi networks. They can also be worth it if you want to avoid targeted advertising or if there’s regional content you can’t access from your current location.
One thing a VPN can’t do is give you online anonymity; for that, you’ll need to download the Tor Browser. Moreover, if you’re looking for a way to protect yourself from malware, consider getting antivirus software.
Do VPNs change your IP address?
VPNs replace your actual IP address with that of its servers. The result is that, when your online traffic is linked back to you, it’ll lead to the address of the given server you are connected to and not to your actual location. This is what allows VPN users to bypass geo-blocked content and avoid certain types of targeted ads.
The average cost of a VPN varies based on its subscription tier and length. For monthly plans, the cost hovers around $10 per month. For longer plans, you may see prices as low as $4 or even $3 per month on yearly and two-year plans (though these are paid for upfront for the subscription length).
Summary of Money’s Do I Need a VPN?
Not everyone needs a VPN, but most people can benefit from at least some of this technology’s features. VPNs are a useful tool for keeping your privacy online and provide an added layer of protection for your devices, making them a worthwhile investment for students, remote workers, frequent flyers and anyone else that uses public or shared Wi-Fi regularly. They are also worth considering for lovers of international content, or who just want to access their favorite show while abroad.