VPNs have quickly become the internet’s hottest property thanks to their ability to bypass website blocks – while simultaneously providing much needed digital privacy. For VPN noobs, however, the task of selecting a VPN provider can be a daunting experience.
There are literally hundreds of different VPN providers on the market, and due to the abundance of technical terminology involved – it can be very hard for the average internet user to figure out exactly what services are good value for money.
Luckily, there are some things consumers can watch out for when shopping around for a VPN. By looking for certain features consumers can out themselves in a much better position to purchase a subscription to a VPN service that performs properly.
1] Check the logs policy
A VPN provider should be based in a country that does not impose mandatory data retention laws on VPN providers. This will allow the VPN to provide a no logs policy (the best kind of policy) – or a policy that only involves non-invasive connection logs – such as bandwidth used.
If a VPN privacy policy admits to storing large amounts of data and logs, that is a bad sign. And, if the VPN provider gives itself permission to share those logs with business partners and third parties – alarm bells must ring at once.
Remember that a VPN is supposed to provide privacy, not sell your data to third parties!
2] Look into the VPN’s features
A VPN should have apps for all platforms, and those apps must provide certain important features that allow the VPN to be secure.
OpenVPN encryption is the gold standard for VPNs, so try to get a service that provides it. However, also bear in mind that OpenVPN encryption must be implemented strongly for it to be effective.
With that in mind, it is always worth checking individual VPN reviews on ProPrivacy – an extremely reputable VPN review site that will help consumers to cut through the chaff and ensure that the encryption is solid.
Professional VPN reviews will also allow consumers to check for vital features such as a killswitch and DNS leak protection. These important features ensure that no data ever gets leaked to your ISP – and that the VPN you are considering a subscription with actually works.
3] Ask yourself: what do I need a VPN for?
Some VPNs provide access to specific online services such as Netflix US or BBC iPlayer. MostVPNs do not provide this kind of access.
For this reason, it is vital to check exactly where a VPN has servers, and what those servers are capable of.
Luckily, the vast majority of reputable VPNs provide a money back guarantee. This means you will be able to check what the VPN is capable, and ask for your money back if you aren’t happy.
4] Check reviews for the VPN’s speeds
Connecting to a VPN can slow your internet connection down. In fact, many VPNs on the market will make your internet connection extremely slow. This doesn’t have to be the case.
For this reason, it is vital to check whether a VPN is fast or slow before you subscribe. If you want to use a VPN for streaming in HD or for downloading content via Bittorrent – then it is important to subscribe to a fast VPN.
5] Double check the VPN’s reputation
Studies have proven that many popular VPNs that pop up at the top of Google Play contain tracking libraries, spyware, and sell consumer data to third parties. Some don’t even provide any encryption despite their website’s claim.
In fact, many VPN websites are designed to hard sell – which means that you mustn’t necessarily believe them if they make wild claims about being the “most secure” or “fastest” VPN in the world.
Wasting your money on a cowboy VPN service is like buying an umbrella that is full of holes. So, always be sure to check ProPrivacy to ensure that the VPN you are thinking about purchasing isn’t a waste of money.
