What exactly is a VPN?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) gives you online privacy by creating a private connection from your ISP or free cafe Wi-Fi connection to a secure machine hosted elsewhere.
In essence, once you’ve connected to the VPN server. All communications are sent through this machine. And it seems as though your connection is originating from that computer’s IP address.
Do you need a VPN? I connect through VPNs if I’m travelling and accessing someone else’s Wi-Fi network. You never know how secure their systems are, and I prefer adding my layer of encryption to the connection. After all, I wouldn’t want to leave my banking statements or medical records at a crowded cafe for everyone to see. If you do not secure your connection, you run the risk that hackers, governments, your internet service provider, website, employer or others can store and make use of such information. A VPN shields your data from all these groups, but routing your traffic through the VPN provider inevitably means that the VPN provider (if malicious) could potentially store and extract the very data you are trying to keep private.
Thus you must pick a reliable VPN provider who’s been audited by a 3rd party. You could very well set one up yourself, but you’d have to make sure that the servers are maintained, and security patches kept up to date.
There are numerous reasons why people use VPNs. The top reasons being:
- Privacy
- Browsing without censorship
- Accessing Geo-restricted content.
So which VPN service would we at Webworth recommend?
We recommend NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Both of which have multiple servers globally for accessing geo-restricted content.
Why NordVPN?
NordVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee. They support WireGuard protocols which are proven to be faster than OpenVPN. NordVPN’s CyberSec Suite feature also provides adblocking and extra malware protection.
NordVPN also has a massive network with 5,390 servers in over 55 countries and offers speciality servers for P2P, double encryption and dedicated IPs. If you are looking for a service to get around restrictions on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, you’re in good hands.
NordVPN offers a kill switch feature and the ability to VPN into Tor.
Why ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Their network isn’t as extensive with 3,000+ servers in 160 global locations.
We turned to our researchers in Asia again to test out ExpressVPN’s ability to bypass censorship. We’re happy to report that it consistently bypassed the Great Firewall of China, so it’s a top pick for regions with heavy censorship, too.
ExpressVPN offers a useful kill switch feature, which prevents network data from leaking outside of its secure VPN tunnel in the event the VPN connection fails.
Why Free VPNs are a terrible idea
VPNs cost money to run. They require a computer, a reliable internet connection and electricity. You can either pay for a premium service with money, or you pay for free services with your data.
The next time you feel like using a free VPN, have a closer look at the privacy policy. More often than not, there is a lack of transparency or they are explicitly sharing user data for their own gain.
Not only that, but you are also willingly routing all data through computers owned by a 3rd party. Suppose they aren’t charging you for the use of their systems, or monetizing user data. What’s in it for them to provide access to a resource which costs them money?
Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.