What should you look for in a VPN provider? (2024)

Last updated on Feb 1, 2024

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Speed and reliability

2

Privacy and security

3

Server network and location

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4

Compatibility and ease of use

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5

Price and value

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6

Here’s what else to consider

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a service that encrypts and routes your internet traffic through a remote server, hiding your online identity and location from prying eyes. A VPN can help you protect your privacy, bypass censorship, access geo-restricted content, and secure your data on public Wi-Fi. But not all VPNs are created equal, and some may even compromise your security or privacy. So, what should you look for in a VPN provider? Here are some key factors to consider.

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  • Arash Talebi Senior Network Engineer

    What should you look for in a VPN provider? (3) 5

  • Mark G. Sr Infosec + engineer / pentester

    What should you look for in a VPN provider? (5) 3

  • Jasbir Singh Senior Software Developer @ Defense Station | Certified Scrum Master PSM 1

    What should you look for in a VPN provider? (7) 2

What should you look for in a VPN provider? (8) What should you look for in a VPN provider? (9) What should you look for in a VPN provider? (10)

1 Speed and reliability

One of the main drawbacks of using a VPN is that it can slow down your internet connection, depending on the server location, encryption level, and protocol used. A good VPN provider should offer fast and consistent speeds across a wide range of servers, as well as unlimited bandwidth and no throttling. You can test the speed and reliability of a VPN by using online tools or by downloading and uploading files while connected to different servers.

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  • Mark G. Sr Infosec + engineer / pentester

    Number one thing that can't be stated enough is to know your provider you have to trust that endpoint because they're going to have transparent view of your traffic

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  • Jasbir Singh Senior Software Developer @ Defense Station | Certified Scrum Master PSM 1

    Look for VPN providers that offer speed tests or trial periods. This helps you assess how the VPN affects your internet speed and overall performance. Additionally, Check the provider’s historical server uptime. A reliable VPN should have minimal downtime to ensure consistent access to their servers.

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  • Ganesh Kesarkar Associate Manager Information Security | Senior Professional Security Compliance | Information Security | Cyber Security

    Location Anonymity is one of the factor for use of VPN and Provider should have wide range of servers located on multiple locations. one of major concern observed with VPN is slow speed/delay and connectivity depends on server location and concurrent users. Prefer VPN with wide and redundant server location and reliable. We should always look for strong reputation in market and we need to check privacy policies by provider regarding how data is handled thru VPN. Many VPN provider has no-logs policy and do not store any logs. Also recently some countries government asked provider to collect and store user data. For optimal security and safety, use a VPN with obfuscated servers, a strict no-logs policy, a kill switch and leak protection.

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  • Jair Santos de Oliveira 💻Analista de TI /🆘 Suporte a Clientes /📶 Redes / 🔧Manutenção em Geral Notebooks e Desktops / Manutenção em Impressoras Laser/ 📹 CFTV Instalação de Cameras de Segurança

    Para escolher um bom provedor de VPN, você deve considerar alguns fatores, como:A política de registro: os melhores provedores de VPN não guardam nenhum registro das suas atividadesA velocidade e a estabilidade: os melhores provedores de VPN oferecem uma conexão rápida e estável, sem reduzir muito a sua velocidade de internet original. E o Principal A segurança e a criptografia: os melhores provedores de VPN usam protocolos e algoritmos de criptografia avançados, como OpenVPN, IKEv2, AES-256, etc. Isso garante que os seus dados estejam protegidos contra ataques,

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  • Danyal R. Creative Writer | Security Analyst And Research

    Where they're headquartered. Another thing is trust, windscribe despite being headquartered in Canada are extremely transparent with their policies to the point the do state they will share your info with governments if you're a high a value target.

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2 Privacy and security

The main purpose of a VPN is to enhance your privacy and security online, so you should look for a VPN provider that has a strong reputation and a transparent policy on how they handle your data. A good VPN provider should have a no-logs policy, meaning that they do not collect, store, or share any information about your online activity or identity. They should also use strong encryption, such as AES-256, and secure protocols, such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, to protect your data from hackers, ISPs, and government agencies. Additionally, they should offer features like a kill switch, which cuts off your internet connection if the VPN drops, and DNS leak protection, which prevents your DNS queries from being exposed to third parties.

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  • André Vasques Senior Cybersecurity Analyst @ Localiza, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Detection Engineer and Use Cases, Incidente Response, B2 English

    As the name said VPN means Virtual Private Network. If in your company your employees works from home, VPN is important to private from internet the dataset of your company that are travelling on internet. Using VPN you are using cryptography and turning your company’s data unreadable from everyone on internet. VPN is not the safest method to protect your data’s, but clearly, is a good method to build your security with layers.

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  • Essential factors in choosing a VPN include:⋅ 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: Opt for AES-256 or ChaCha20-IETF-Poly1305, known for their strong encryption capabilities.⋅ 𝗡𝗼-𝗟𝗼𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀: Prefer VPNs with no-log policies and read-only filesystems on servers, preventing any accidental data storage.⋅ 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘀: Seek providers offering reliable protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, or VMess for secure and stable connections.⋅ 𝗜𝗣/𝗗𝗡𝗦 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Ensure the VPN has features to prevent leaks, and verify its effectiveness using readily available online tools.These security features offer enhanced protection for your online activities.

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  • Kenneth Napier Technology Management and Support

    The advantage of using a VPN goes beyond the obvious privacy and security. There is additionally portability with location anonymity. For example, you can be traveling pit of town and appear local.

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  • Pedro Henrique B.

    A principal função do VPN é fornecer segurança e privacidade da sua rede de onde é que esteja a controlar a mesma. Se atente nas configurações da mesma, no uso de certificados confiaveis, acessos remotos. Do mesmo jeito que é uma boa solução pode se tornar uma grande dor de cabeça caso seja configurada errado ou tenha brechas de segurança.

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3 Server network and location

Another factor to look for in a VPN provider is the size and diversity of their server network and location. A large and varied server network means that you have more options to connect to different countries and regions, which can help you access geo-restricted content, avoid congestion, and improve performance. A good VPN provider should have servers in multiple continents and countries, especially in regions where internet freedom and privacy are under threat. You should also check the jurisdiction of the VPN provider, as some countries may have strict data retention laws or cooperate with surveillance alliances, such as the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes.

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4 Compatibility and ease of use

A VPN is only useful if you can use it on all your devices and platforms, so you should look for a VPN provider that supports multiple operating systems, such as Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, as well as browsers, routers, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. A good VPN provider should offer user-friendly apps and interfaces that are easy to install, configure, and navigate. They should also provide clear instructions, tutorials, and customer support to help you troubleshoot any issues or questions.

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5 Price and value

The last factor to look for in a VPN provider is the price and value of their service. A VPN is an investment in your online security and privacy, so you should look for a VPN provider that offers a reasonable and competitive price for their features and quality. A good VPN provider should have flexible and transparent pricing plans, such as monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscriptions, as well as free trials, money-back guarantees, and discounts. You should also compare the value of different VPN providers by looking at their reviews, ratings, and testimonials from other users and experts.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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  • Arash Talebi Senior Network Engineer

    The VPN application exposes a RESTful API that clients use to access, create, and modify application data for Service Broker VPN.The API provides operations for adding subscribers, configuring access rules, and adding users. In general, any configuration or provisioning task related to how the VPN application delivers services is performed with the VPN Provisioning API.For most deployments, the primary clients for the API will be the VPN self-management web interface. Administrators in the subscribing organization use the interface to perform the day-to-day provisioning and configuration tasks for that organization's VPN service instance.

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  • In selecting a VPN provider, consider their community engagement:⋅ 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲: Providers with open-source software demonstrate transparency and allow for community-driven improvements.⋅ 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Involvement in events like "Devcon" or "Chaos Communication Congress" shows a commitment to staying updated with security advancements.⋅ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Contributions to organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) indicate a strong commitment to internet privacy and user freedom.These aspects often reflect a provider's dedication to quality, transparency, and user privacy.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

A VPN, or virtual private network, is a service that encrypts and routes your internet traffic through a remote server, hiding your online identity and location from prying eyes. It offers several benefits, such as protecting your privacy, bypassing censorship, accessing geo-restricted content, and securing your data on public Wi-Fi. However, not all VPNs are created equal, and it's important to consider certain factors when choosing a VPN provider. Let's explore the concepts mentioned in the article:

1. Speed and reliability:

  • A good VPN provider should offer fast and consistent speeds across a wide range of servers, as well as unlimited bandwidth and no throttling [[1]].
  • You can test the speed and reliability of a VPN by using online tools or by downloading and uploading files while connected to different servers [[1]].

2. Privacy and security:

  • Look for a VPN provider with a strong reputation and a transparent policy on how they handle your data [[2]].
  • A good VPN provider should have a no-logs policy, meaning they do not collect, store, or share any information about your online activity or identity [[2]].
  • They should use strong encryption, such as AES-256, and secure protocols, such as OpenVPN or WireGuard, to protect your data from hackers, ISPs, and government agencies [[2]].
  • Features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection add an extra layer of security [[2]].

3. Server network and location:

  • A large and varied server network allows you to connect to different countries and regions, helping you access geo-restricted content and improve performance [[3]].
  • Check the jurisdiction of the VPN provider, as some countries may have strict data retention laws or cooperate with surveillance alliances [[3]].

4. Compatibility and ease of use:

  • Look for a VPN provider that supports multiple operating systems, browsers, routers, smart TVs, and gaming consoles [[4]].
  • User-friendly apps and interfaces, along with clear instructions and customer support, make installation, configuration, and navigation easier [[4]].

5. Price and value:

  • Consider the price and value of the VPN service. Look for reasonable and competitive pricing plans, free trials, money-back guarantees, and discounts [[5]].
  • Compare reviews, ratings, and testimonials from other users and experts to assess the value of different VPN providers [[5]].

These factors should help you make an informed decision when choosing a VPN provider. Remember to prioritize your specific needs and preferences when evaluating different options.

What should you look for in a VPN provider? (2024)

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