As VPNs become more common, more questions about them arise. Are VPNs safe? Will a VPN slow down my internet? And simply what is a VPN? We’ve got the answer, plus 6 ways to use a VPN in your everyday life.
What is a VPN and how is it used?
VPN stands for virtual private network. It protects your online activity by creating a secure “tunnel” for your data to pass through, masking your IP address and encrypting your data.
Using a VPN is as simple as logging into Facebook. Just install the app on your device and choose a location. Your online activity will be hidden from prying eyes and you’ll be “located” wherever your VPN’s server is.
There are many VPNs to choose from, but we recommend sticking to those with good reputations. Big names like NordVPN, ExpressVPN and IPVanish are all safe choices, differing slightly in what they offer.
Top 6 Ways to Use a VPN
VPNs strengthen your online security
Free public Wi-Fi is found everywhere from schools to airports to coffee shops. But they usually offer little to no security – and cyber criminals know this.
Your browsing history, bank info and passwords are there for the taking. Using a VPN hides all of this, adding security to an otherwise unsecure network.
With the number of people working remotely also increased, common resources like shared drives and remote applications create openings for criminals to exploit. Using a VPN slams the door, allowing remote workers to safely connect to company resources.
VPNs increase your privacy
The moment you connect to the internet, your privacy is under threat. And not just from criminals. Those long-winded Terms of Service that nobody reads often have a few words about surrendering your privacy.
Without a VPN, your internet service provider (ISP) can see nearly everything you do online. It knows where you go and when you do it, which is valuable data to sell to advertisers.
The same goes for apps and websites. From Facebook to Tinder to Strava, whether you’re chatting with grandma, chatting up a stranger or boasting about how far you jog, they’re watching you all the way.
You don’t need to be a conspiracy nut to keep things private from your government. Privacy my be a right in 80 countries, but it’s a growing concern for many people.
Using a VPN gives you privacy from all of the above. And if you’re concerned about government overreach, choose a VPN headquartered outside the the 14 Eyes intelligence alliance, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, VyprVPN or PureVPN.
VPNs can unlock streaming content
VPNs unlock content both locally and globally.
With local broadcasting rights typically held by teams or sports networks, regional blackouts have long been a standard feature of professional sports on TV. The NFL, NHL and NBA all impose local blackouts on their live games. So do MLB and MLS. And fans are stuck needing a pricey regional sports network (RSN) to watch their team.
Similarly, the vast majority of streaming services impose geographic restrictions on their content. However, these are typically country-based, and many popular streaming services – such as Philo, Sling TV and Peacock – are not available overseas. So if you’re on vacation and get the urge for some Law & Order: SVU, you’re out of luck without a VPN.
Fortunately, you can be “located” wherever your VPN’s servers are. This not only let’s you appear within the streaming region, but outside it as well, free from blackouts. With a trusted VPN, you can watch your favorite sports, movies or TV shows on your terms.
When choosing a VPN, check out their network map to make sure it has servers in the countries or cities you want to be watching “in”. With servers in 94 countries and 160 cities, ExpressVPN has the greatest reach, while PIA has the most servers overall – 35,000 in 84 countries.
For more on streaming with a VPN, check out our Ultimate Guide to VPNs for Streaming.
VPNs can access blocked and banned content
The same way a VPN can get you the 49ers game in the Dogpatch without an RSN, it can help you access content that’s banned or blocked for other reasons.
China and a handful of other countries ban social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and even Spotify. These services are also usually blocked at schools and workplaces. But with a VPN, you can unblock Spotify, Facebook and whatever else you want to stream or browse.
VPNs offer a safer, faster gaming experience
Nobody likes cheaters. Unfortunately there’s no shortage of them in the wold of online gaming. And even though a VPN can’t boot glitchers or ban aimbots, it protects you against more nefarious opponents in a couple of ways.
First, it keeps your online activity and personal data private and secure. Second, it defends against DDoS attacks, which bombard your IP address with junk traffic to disrupt your access to the internet.
A good VPN can also help you battle that other (non-human) enemy of the online gamer – lag. Using a VPN to log into a server closer to the game server can reduce your ping (how long a signal takes to go from your device to a server and back).
Using a VPN for gaming also opens up access to geo-blocked gaming servers and bypasses any throttling efforts your ISP might impose on high-bandwidth activities like online gaming. Check out our look at the best gaming VPN and some other suggestions for certain situations.
VPNs can uncover savings around the world
You probably don’t need to be told that prices aren’t the same around the world. While this doesn’t matter much if you’re shopping for groceries or a car, it can make a big difference when shopping for a service. You can take advantage of huge savings on airlines, streaming services, and more.
For example, Spotify Premium costs around $1/month in Turkey, $9.99/month in the US and almost $14/month in Andorra. Netflix’s standard plan costs $3.45/month in Pakistan, $15.49/month in the US and $19.33/month in Liechtenstein.
Which prices would you rather pay?
Are VPNs legal around the world?
Using a VPN is legal in the United States and most other countries in the world. In fact, the FBI recommends using a VPN. However, you need to know the laws when traveling overseas.
VPNs are banned outright in some countries, while in others they’re “tightly regulated”. But the difference is meaningless, because they don’t offer the privacy you expect from a VPN.
You can probably guess which countries have a problem with people using VPNs, but here’s a list to confirm those suspicions. Avoid using a VPN in these countries:
Belarus
China
Iraq
North Korea
Oman
Russia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Are VPNs safe to use?
Yes. VPNs are safe to use.
But we’re talking about trusted, reliable VPNs with proven track records, not free VPNs – which we recommend you avoid. (If you insist on free, you can check out these best free VPNs.)
A VPN offers an additional layer of security, but it’s just one thing you should be doing to protect yourself online. Other best practices include, but are not limited to, using a firewall and up-to-date antivirus software, multi-factor identification, and unique passwords – ideally with a password manager.
Our pick for the best VPN in 2022: NordVPN
Why NordVPN?
NordVPN is our top choice for the best overall VPN. Headquartered in Panama, it is a great choice for the privacy-minded. It accepts a wide variety of payment options, including crypto.
It’s not in the most countries, but it’s got servers in the countries most people want. And its 5,600 servers are the third-largest network.
In an industry that can’t do enough speed tests, NordVPN consistently ranks among the fastest VPNs. It topped nearly ever category in an independent test by AV-TEST.
NordVPN also offers some of the best device support (second only to ExpressVPN), and is one of the lowest-priced VPNs around when you sign up for a 2-year term.
Top features of NordVPN
In addition to split tunnelling, a no-logs policy and a kill switch, NordVPN has features you won’t find everywhere. These include double VPN, Onion Over VPN for the Tor network, and P2P servers for transferring large amounts of data. It even has obfuscated servers to mask that you’re using a VPN.
Our Takeaway: Use a trusted VPN for everything you do
With every aspect of our lives online, security is important and a VPN is one of the best ways to protect your privacy online. Stick with the big names like NordVPN and ExpressVPN and use your VPN for everything you do.
Douglas Wright
Douglas Wright is a freelance writer based in Japan. A former web designer and technical writer, he left beautiful Vancouver for bustling Tokyo, where he spent a decade recruiting for software and high-tech firms. No longer commuting through the world’s busiest train station, he writes fiction and a wide range of formats for clients around the world. When he gets AFK, he’s either outdoors with his two boys, streaming a show with his wife, or reading a book over a French-pressed, hand-ground coffee.