Why You Need a VPN and How to Choose the Right One 

VPN, or Virtual Private Network technology, is gaining popularity each day. It allows you to keep your Internet searches anonymous and receive access to some websites that are blocked in your country, and even mask your IP. In the modern digital world, security is a top priority, and if you want to be invisible, it is possible with this tool. The question here is how to choose a good VPN?

Study the Basics of VPN Technology

Let’s find out how a VPN download can simplify your life with the right choice. First, we have to understand how this technology works. It creates a secure connection for you, within which all data from your device, such as a smartphone or a PC, is transferred. Theoretically, the technology allows you to encrypt the traffic from your provider to pick servers in different countries.

Thus, external users in the chosen country may see your device as being local. For example, with a premium VPN, it is possible to select dozens of countries and disguise yourself as a user from any of them, whereas free services offer only several non-chargeable options.

Today we can see a vast range of VPN services, all different in price and features. It makes the market more diverse and accessible for the average user. To choose the best suited to you, it is vital to pay attention to several factors.

Premium vs. Free

It is hard to say that all free VPNs offer adequate security. If you do not pay the service for hiding your location, it will likely trade it for something else. In your case, it can be your data that you tried to hide from the servers in your country but exposed to servers in another one. That is why deciding whether you should pay for a premium service or download a free one is essential.

There are several reasons why to use VPN technology. Paid ones have the following perks:

• High levels of data protection;
• Fast speed;
• Non-stop support.

And the only benefit of free VPNs is their 0 cost. Besides that, you would receive:

• Less privacy;
• An unstable connection;
• Lower download speeds;
• The possibility of your personal information being traded with third parties.

Another drawback is that some non-chargeable VPNs can steal your money by charging small sums to your account without providing quality service. A great example is StringVPN, which made users angry after charging them 10 dollars per week without assistance. Profound users advise looking through reviews of a specific VPN before purchasing a subscription.

Malware Protection

In pursuit of anonymity, users forget that a VPN can only hide your traces on the Internet, allowing you to download torrent files, visit blocked resources and watch streams. However, it may not protect you from viruses, which you may obtain by visiting the wrong website or clicking on an unknown link.

Thus, it is vital to understand what’s included with the service you purchase. Some premium versions have inbuilt protection from contagious files, but it is better to buy special software to avoid such encounters beforehand.

Is it Possible to Hide the Location?

Your IP address is one of the indicators of the location of your device. So here comes a VPN application that can obscure and relocate you to a neighboring country. But remember that there are other ways to determine your location other than tracing an IP address.

Besides, some serious organizations like banks apply for additional protection and can detect behavioral changes by a user. So, if you would like to open your banking application while the VPN is on and try to make a transaction, the bank may block it until they verify it was you and not a scammer.

What Makes the VPN Great?

In the past, we transferred information, including documents, via an HTTP connection, which made it less secure. Today, though we apply HTTPS, it does not cover our security and technology needs. A VPN anonymizer relocates our server IP to another place and lets us enjoy the freedom of Internet surfing.

However, do not be too naive. Free versions are not that reliable, and their quality would hardly beat what premium VPNs offer.

To Sum Up

It is important to understand how a VPN works to avoid unpleasant situations. It is better to read a detailed description of the service and reviews by others to get the complete picture of what to expect, especially if it is a paid version of a premium service.

In the end, it turns out that a free VPN service is ok if you turn it on occasionally. For example, you open a site once a week, a month, or just check your mail. In any case, it is advisable to choose a paid and more secure VPN service.