The internet does have everything you need. Be it recipes for your next great dish or even gym equipment for your workout sessions at home this pandemic – everything is available online. What many don’t know is that the internet is more vast than they think. There are ways to unlock your browsing experience’s full potential.
You might have heard of the term, VPN before. VPN or virtual private network lets you browse the internet safely by sending your web traffic through an encrypted tunnel directly to a VPN provider’s server.
There are many merits that come with using VPNs. This is why more and more people are starting to use the software, whether for their private browsing experience or for their business. Some of the benefits include:
- Safety and security against cyber criminals for VPNs when browsing masks not only your web traffic, but also your location.
- VPN lets you access content you wouldn’t normally access in your region. A good example of this would be getting region-locked content on video streaming platforms like Netflix.
- From a business perspective, VPNs let you expand your network effectively. The cost of expanding traditionally can be expensive. With a VPN though, businesses can connect their various employees through a central network for lower prices.
- VPN can also prevent data throttling. This is when your ISP lowers you internet speed when they’ve detected that you’ve been consuming too much from your data plan.
These are just some of the immediate benefits of a VPN but there are many more to consider. When choosing a VPN, you need to be careful so that you get your money’s worth at all costs. With so many VPN providers to choose from though, it’s a big tough trying to find one that fits your needs. Here are a few considerations when getting one.
Why Buy A VPN?
Before you pick a VPN, you first need to answer one question: why do you need a VPN? There are many reasons why you’d want to choose a VPN.
If you are hoping to access region-locked content like streaming services and the content of these services, then you should look for a VPN service that cuts back on the speed reduction you can get while connected to a server. Of course, it’s also ideal to get a VPN that allows you to gain access to many servers worldwide.
Now, if you are looking for a VPN that’s going to be used by an entire household or even your small business, go for one that’s router based. Some ISPs offer routers with built-in VPN capabilities. As for connecting to the server itself, the ISP will do the work for you.
Check For Device Compatibility
When getting a VPN service, some providers allow you to use several devices on one account. This means the VPN you avail, can be used on PCs, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Before you buy a VPN make sure to check for its device compatibility first.
Ideally, you’d want a VPN with a ton of compatible devices. You never know when you’ll be forced to buy a new phone or a new computer.
Consider The Price
The price of VPN services vary from provider to provider but usually, you are looking to spend $100-$120 per year. You can choose to pay monthly or you can pay a bulk price upfront. While paying for the full year upfront is costly, it’s the more practical choice as the overall price of paying monthly is significantly larger.
What’s great is that you can easily snag discounts and coupons online if you want too. For instance, if you click here, you’ll come across big coupons for NordVPN. Always be on the look for your these as VPN providers usually partner with selling platforms to hold special sales.
Customer Service Is A Priority
Always read through reviews about the customer service of a VPN provider. It’s important that a provider is readily accessible to help 24/7 because in some cases, they’ll need to help you out with VPN problems.
For starters, the VPN provider must be reachable through various platforms such as email, live chat and telephone. Ideally, you’d want them to have live chat as this lets them respond to you as fast as possible. A fast responding provider can make a difference with regards to your security online.
Intuitiveness
VPNs should be an express service that you can access with just a few clicks or taps. As such, you should look for services that have a layout that’s easy to understand and an operator’s guide that can be understood by anyone. Not everyone is techy enough to make a VPN work in one go.
You should be able to use the VPN without the help of others. In most cases, VPNs are actually very easy to use. Developers have made them as such to make it more accessible to people from all corners.
Downsides To Browsing?
The biggest downside to a VPN service is that it can reduce the speed at which you browse the internet. It’s a fair trade off considering the new content you’ll access, plus the security that you get along the way. However, as VPN providers continue to improve their services, the reduced speed becomes less and less impactful.
Some VPNs have very minimal impact on your browsing experience while still still have noticeable effects on the speed. Look for VPNs that promise to deliver fast upload and download speeds regardless of what type of service you are looking for.
Other than reduced browsing speeds, you should also check for reviews that expose the cons of the VPN you are eyeing. What you should look out for include poor customer service, consistent downtimes, and constant bugs and glitches.
Getting a VPN is a good way to supplement your browsing habit but you need to be smart about it. With so many options to choose from, it’s only a must that you take the time to find which VPN is right for you.