In the past, the browsing habits of people were much different from what it is at present. Nothing exemplifies the fact better than the use of VPNs in recent years.
Whether you need to put a veil on your online activities or get an invaluable streaming experience by surpassing the layer of geo-restrictions, a paid or free VPN download is the best option for it.
While using a VPN is not unusual for most internet users these days, some companies aren’t still able to choose the right VPN service provider. If you can categorize yourself in the latter group, you might want to know about a VPN, its shortcomings, and the tips to choose the right one. Read on further to learn about these aspects in detail.
What Is A VPN?
A VPN, otherwise known as a virtual private network, is an encrypted connection between a device and a network. It plays a vital role in keeping the data and activities of an individual private even when their device is connected to a public network.
It conceals the online activities of an internet user from an internet service provider (ISP) and unauthorized users.
Hackers use the age-old technique of sending bulk emails to break into the computers of users. For their intrusion, they generally target the defenses. This may include firewalls and systems to detect and prevent intrusions. Worse, they even launch denial of service attacks by overwhelming a server with excessive traffic.
Their attack technique also involves the use of skimmers which steal users’ credit card information. So, overall, you can say that the virtual space on the Internet is not safe enough from cybersecurity. So, you need to add an extra layer of protection to prevent your device from intrusion by unauthorized entities. You are more likely to face these intrusion activities and cyber-attacks on non-HTTPS sites as they lack the encryption feature.
A VPN can mask the IP address by transferring the outgoing data from it to another server and then to the intended server. Likewise, the incoming data into the device moves from the intended server to a VPN server and then to the device. This method of rerouting enables a VPN to hide the actual address of the device. Instead of the latter, it displays the IP address of the fits server. Depending on the number of servers a VPN has, it can display that many virtual IP addresses to the trackers of websites.
Free VPN: Challenges & Limitations
A free VPN service lets you enjoy all the services of a VPN without paying anything. But hang on, is a free VPN free? The answer is no because free VPN providers need to generate revenue to continue offering their services. They have alternative ways to generate revenue even as they charge you nothing for their services.
With free VPNs, you are also likely to face certain limitations. To begin with, they have limited servers. The other major drawbacks of free VPNs include low download speeds and throttling of bandwidth. Due to these restrictions, you may not have the best streaming, downloading, or gaming experience. Also, free VPNs come with limited data usage.
The paid version of VPNs has additional features that give you good value for money.
Are Free VPNs Good?
Free VPNs are good only as far as fulfilling the basic requirements. Due to their limitations concerning the number of servers, speed, bandwidth, and data, they are less reliable than the paid versions of VPNs.
So, are free VPNs good? The answer to this particular question depends mainly on what you expect from a free VPN. As long as it addresses all your VPN needs, you can say that it is good as it does not necessitate any upfront charges.
That said, it also compromises your user experience to a large extent. This is because free VPNs use intrusive ads and logging of activities, leading to selling customer’s data to third parties.
Things To Consider While Choosing Free VPN
In general, you need to make several considerations while deciding on a VPN. You need to be even more careful if you intend to identify the best free VPN service. While free VPNs do not necessitate you to pay anything directly, they may have some limitations.
For the best experience with the best VPN, you need to pay attention to the following elements:
- Servers
- Automatic kill switch
- Logging policy
- The supported platforms
- Monthly data limit
Once you choose a VPN with these features, getting a VPN for your personal computer or any other device will be simple and easy.
Conclusion
There are many reasons to choose a VPN. With free VPNs, you get some features of a virtual private network free of cost. But they have their limitations. Choosing a free VPN service based on your priorities plus the considerations above is the sure-fire way to reap the benefits of using it.