There are countless stories of people’s identities being stolen, sensitive documents being compromised and private conversations becoming public all because of hackers. Fortunately, there is a simple way to protect your personal information and remain anonymous while using the internet. Whether you simply want to pay your bills while sitting in a coffee shop or need to conduct a meeting via Skype while you are traveling, a VPN will allow you to do so without worry. Choosing a VPN provider can be a little overwhelming if you aren’t sure what to look for. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best VPN service.
Evaluate The Performance
There are a number of different factors that determine the overall performance of any VPN provider. Take the time to evaluate your own needs and compare them against the performance promised by the providers you are considering. There are three primary things to look for when evaluating each provider.
1. Speed
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice speed for safety. A good VPN provider will should offer unlimited bandwidth and speed. If you will be downloading a large number of files, look for a provider that offers unlimited torrent VPN services so that you don’t have to worry about your existing internet service provider throttling your bandwidth.
2. Capacity
The capacity of a VPN refers to the number of IP addresses that it can support. That best servers will be able to support more IPs and be able to provide IP addresses in a variety of different countries. The greater the capacity, the faster the network will be and the more reliable it will be.
3. Protocol
The purpose of using a VPN is to protect everything you send and receive. Make sure that the service provider you choose uses the most secure protocols and encryption techniques. For instance, a provider with an Open VPN uses 256-bit encryption and will be more secure than a provider that offers Point to Point Tunneling Protocol with only a 128-bit encryption.
Check The Platform
Most people have multiple computers and devices that they use. When shopping around for a VPN provider, look for a provider that will allow you to utilize their services on more than one device without paying an extra fee or purchasing a VPN router. You want to be able to switch from your laptop to your cell phone without missing a beat. Therefore, the provider you choose should be able to operate on multiple platforms and support both Android and iPhone VPN as well as VPN on different operating systems such as Windows and iOS.
Compare Prices
One of the primary benefits of using a VPN service is that you are taking advantage of a free public network—the internet—rather than investing in an expensive wide area network. You should be able to find an affordable online privacy protection service that meets your performance criteria for around $10 per month. Certain providers may also offer a discount for an annual subscription rather than a month to month contract. Be sure to check if options such as these are available when comparing prices as well.
