Let’s be honest about something before we delve right into this discussion about VPNs. Virtual Private Networks, in 2021, are no longer restricted to one-dimensional corporate usage. Instead, they are now an essential part of our internet surfing hierarchy, catering to both personal and professional requirements.
However, there are numerous VPN clients and services in the market that often flaunt comparable features and resources. How do you know which one to choose? Of course, you should start reading review pages, like the avg vpn service review page, to get a better idea of the service available to you. This is helpful to research whether every VPN is the same, or if there are certain factors that differentiate one from the other?
This is exactly what we are going to talk about in the subsequent sections, whilst helping you make informed decisions when it comes to selecting the perfect VPN for your requirements.
That said, before we start talking about the unexplored aspects of VPN at length, it is still important to understand the main capabilities of this innovative tool that mainly serves as a safe internet tunnel for your web traffic.
While this might seem like a glaring oversimplification owing to the diverse characteristics showcased by VPNs, here are 8 of the most underrated aspects that are hardly valued but hold a lot of weight when it comes to selecting the desired option.
- Still the Best Way to remain Anonymous, online
Regardless of the diverse possibilities, VPNs are still the best resources that you can rely on for lowering the threats associated with open Wi-Fi networks. In an era where your cybersecurity posture is a matter of priority, a good VPN can hinder the traffic sniffing capabilities of the cyber-attackers.
Moreover, VPNs can be extremely useful in countries with strict internet censorship. Not just that, a VPN can also help you remain anonymous across P2P file-sharing sessions. Therefore, with a virtual private network in place, it becomes easier to indulge in unhindered torrenting.
Despite us sharing a verified list of torrent sites, it is always advisable to approach downloads with a VPN in place. As ISPs tend to track you and throttle speeds in case they find you torrenting, a VPN masks your IP and ensures the fastest possible speeds for your P2P endeavors.
- Free VPN is Hardly Free
Never let the free VPN tag fool you as there are absolutely no free lunches in life. Anonymity comes at a cost and VPN clients that claim free services often make revenues via infuriating adverts. Moreover, hardly does a free VPN allow you to access the internet at the highest possible speeds. Plus, the encryption standards and feature sets are quite middling provided you aren’t considering paid and premium services.
Most supposedly Free VPNs put bandwidth restrictions on users, coercing them into getting the premium subscription. Not just that, some unscrupulous services also make money by selling confidential user details and credentials. Therefore, it is necessary to take a look at the reviews before purchasing one.
- Most Reviews are Paid
Now that we just talked about the reviews, it isn’t advisable to believe in whatever you see online. Most reviews are either paid or motivated by certain perks, free subscriptions, and other benefits. Therefore, while this point might sound counterintuitive to some, every review is not worth paying attention to.
Most importantly, we expect you to conduct extensive research to know more about the VPN technology in general, precisely to critique the reviews with a more open mind.
- Every VPN isn’t the same
This is probably the most important consideration that you need to make before getting hold of a VPN. It is necessary to understand that not every VPN is the same and the perfect choice depends on your preferences.
Different VPN technologies yield different results. For instance, if you are looking for a PPTP-powered VPN owing to the higher speeds, you might have to compromise in terms of security. Besides, organizations and corporate houses, which are more reliant on security, especially for work from home employees, OpenVPN and IPSec encryption standards are preferred, owing to the exceptional security standards.
If you are asking for our personal opinion, OpenVPN is one of the better standards to consider while selecting a VPN, owing to the inclusion of exchange protocols, multiple ciphers, and hashing algorithms to rely on. Then again, highly secured VPNs might not be a good torrenting choice, as there are overheads involved and stronger encryption inadvertently results in lower speeds.
Besides, you can also select VPNs based on the resources you seek. For instance, if you are into P2P transfers, a Kill Switch followed by Split Tunneling and Channel Bonding support would be good.
- VPNs can get you through geoblocks
A VPN isn’t only about anonymity but it can also get you through Geoblocks, provided you have a penchant for region-restricted content. Even though content owners put forth restrictions, a VPN with a nice server spread allows you to bypass the same without breaking a sweat. Not just that, country-centric firewalls can also be bypassed if your VPN has a server in the concerned nation.
- Privacy Policy is Important
Have you ever thought of checking the privacy policy of the concerned VPN before proceeding? If not, you should immediately get that out of the way and only opt for something that operates under a ‘No Logs’ policy. However, despite the insistence, several VPNs still keep a tab on the connections. Regardless, you should still try and keep the browsing results private and must opt for a VPN that provides the same.
- For Servers, prefer Quality over Quantity
If you are more of a server monger, this aspect might make you think twice. Not every server that the VPN takes pride in is necessary. Besides, having multiple servers also increases your risk exposure. Therefore, instead of investing in a VPN with a massive server spread, check whether the same has servers in the required countries, precisely for viewing restricted-content.
- Check for the Home Country
In addition to the server quality, it is also necessary to take a closer look at the home country of the concerned VPN client. More or less, the VPN service provider needs to adhere to some of the country-specific guidelines and it is important for you to take note of these, as per the privacy policy.
Overall, these 8 factors hold the key to selecting the perfect VPN. And, most importantly, you need to take each of the mentioned aspects seriously whilst investing money in the VPN.