If you were to look for a VPN service, you might stumble upon free virtual private networks and be compelled to use them. However, free VPNs are a liability. Since a reliable virtual private network service costs a couple of dollars per month, it should not be a problem to pay for one, given how much it provides.
Those who are on the fence about investing in a VPN should change their mind after reading what the service has to offer.
Security
The first thing that stands out about VPNs is the security, particularly if you plan to use public Wi-Fi. The internet at cafes or libraries is convenient to use because it is free and sometimes does not even require a password to join.
However, this convenience comes at the expense of security. When you are surfing the internet or chatting with your friends on social media, someone might be tracking your activities because public Wi-Fi lacks security protocols and makes it easy for potential hackers to access your banking information, passwords, browsing history, and other information.
VPNs eliminate the threat by encrypting your data and changing your IP address. Ill-intentioned internet strangers will struggle to take advantage of security holes in public Wi-Fi if you rely on a virtual private network.
Data Privacy
Data privacy is another significant element, and it is not just about exposing your device via the public internet.
Overall, the internet network at your home is more secure than public Wi-Fi, but there are still some threats. For example, if you have a MacBook and use Wi-Fi instead of an ethernet cable, the wireless connection still gives your ISP the opportunity to see your browsing history.
Using Mac VPN software or VPN for other devices when you connect to home internet will leave internet providers without opportunities to breach your data. Since a VPN changes your IP address, it limits how much information your ISP can collect.
It is also worth mentioning applications and services that we rely on. Some of them collect user data and sell it to advertisers.
A company that works with a lot of confidential information would benefit from a VPN as well. An advantage of a VPN is data security. Data encryption obscures the meaning because of a coded format. If someone were to gain access to encrypted files, they would not make sense of it and would likely abandon their attempts to breach sensitive data.
Some governments also have policies to spy on their citizens. In fact, even if a government claims that they respect people’s privacy, it is too difficult to determine whether they are telling the truth or not. Those who do not trust authorities in their country should invest in VPNs to protect personal data.
Saving Money
Spending money on a virtual private network might actually save you money in the long run. If you were to take a bit of time researching available VPN services and testing them, you would find that location spoofing could lead to cheaper purchases, particularly when it comes to various services.
Many online businesses offer different prices depending on customer location. Steam is a great example of this. If you live in the United States, Canada, or Australia, switching your location to India or Russia would lead to Steam showing lower game prices.
Subscription services, hotel bookings, and plane tickets might turn out cheaper as well since these businesses try to attract international customers and adjust prices according to their location.
Adaptability
Adaptability might not seem like that big of a deal, but most VPN providers offer a service that works on multiple devices. If you want to use virtual private networks not just on your computer but also on your smartphone or tablet, you can expect to find virtual private networks that function on different devices.
Sure, you might need to pay extra or spend money on a package plan that includes support for multiple devices, but the overall costs are more than fair for the most part. Keep adaptability in mind when choosing a service for yourself.
Blocked Content Access
Blocked content access comes in handy on different occasions. You might want to watch a movie or TV series on Netflix, but it is not available in your country. If you do not wish to pirate the media, enabling a virtual private network and giving yourself a different IP address and location would allow you to watch restricted media.
Virtual private networks also unblock websites you cannot visit because of their location. For instance, if you live in Europe, your internet browser is unlikely to load certain pages that are hosted in China or the United States.