Opting for a Virtual Private Network is a must-have for anyone who weighs their privacy and security seriously. While that might be the broad consensus about VPN, choosing one that might be best suited to your needs is never an easy thing to do. Each service has its own pros and cons and you got to choose one that fits your requirement the best, be it pricing, the level of security on offer along with other features that the service comes bundled with.
We discuss here all the things that one should be wary of before zeroing in on the VPN service that is just right for you.
- Server strength
This happens to be one of the biggest considerations when determining the right VPN. That is because the greater the number of servers, there is going to be more bandwidth at your disposal. More servers will mean there is more space for the creation of an encrypted data channel between the users and the service provider’s server. Since there are several users also vying for space, having more servers naturally helps. The general rule of thumb is that the VPN service provider with the largest number of servers will offer the best internet experience.
- Server location
The location of the server is of as much importance as the number of servers. The internet experience is always far better when the server is located nearby as that can provide for an almost zero-lag connection. On the other hand, there is always a drop in internet performance when the server is somewhere far away.
Having said that, the placement of the VPN server in a distant location, or preferably in another country altogether does have its advantages as this helps in bypassing local internet restrictions or other embargoes. The reason for that is the local ISP will detect a user to be residing in the same place where the VPN server is located and are hence exempted from geo-tracking restrictions.
- Limitation on connected devices
There is almost always a cap on the number of devices that can be connected to the VPN. So, this makes for another important consideration to make when choosing a VPN service. Make a list of the devices that you intend to connect to the VPN and check which among the shortlisted VPNs will allow that many connections. Also, the number of connections might depend on the plan you have chosen.
Also, if the shortlisting process is already taking a toll on you, hop over to VPNSurfers who can do the hard work for you. Here, you can search for the best VPN depending on several parameters. Also, VPN Servers can help choose the right service for different scenarios, like if you intend to use the connection for gaming, for streaming media, and so on.
- Data limitations
Just as ISP offers different data plans depending on the price structure, which includes unlimited plans as well, the same applies to VPNs too. Most use a free plan or a paid plan. With the free plan offer, the free offer is generally used as bait to lure in users with the expectation that they will enroll for the service from the next month onwards. Also, there usually are speed or data restrictions in place depending on the data plan one has opted for.
Again, all of this makes for a truly mind-numbing experience and if these start to get the better of you, you can always turn to VPNSurfers for expert guidance on the same.
- Privacy policies
While most will turn to a VPN to uphold privacy, not all VPN has the same commitment to it. In fact, some VPN providers might have varying limits on the level of privacy they offer depending on the plan they have chosen. Also, while they promise to keep things secure and safe, some are committed to complying with government requests to reveal usage records with them if the law of the land so demands.
However, while that might be okay, some authoritarian regimes like in South Korea or China might make it mandatory for VPN to reveal it all to the state authorities, belying the very purpose one would opt for a VPN service in the first place. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative for you to do your homework and read the fine print. Go through their policies and the framework within which they operate. If you feel those don’t suit your fine, you need to look for an alternative.
