As of 2023, there are 1.5 billion VPN users in the world. Till 2023, one-third of 5.07 billion people are using a VPN worldwide. But why do people use a VPN?
VPNs use encryption, dedicated connections, and tunneling technologies to provide online privacy and security. Which VPN is best for you? It depends on several factors, like privacy, better bandwidth, and cost.
Do you know how to pick a reliable VPN and avoid some common mistakes while choosing a VPN? If not, then this blog is for you.
Let’s start!
7 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid While Choosing a VPN
When choosing a VPN provider among hundreds of available choices, keep the following factors in mind:
- Using a Free VPN
It may seem nice to have a free VPN, but it is essential to understand the drawbacks of using one. Some free VPNs profit from the user’s data, selling it to advertisers or third parties.
They may also have poor speed and expose your personal information in case of any security breach.
- Experiencing Slow Speeds
Since data packets must be rerouted and encrypted through a VPN server, slow speeds are typical while using a VPN. The distance between high-speed connections and users causes the need for free VPN programs to prioritize them.
What Should I Do?
Consider using a free trial to check the speed of your VPN to guarantee top performance.
Examine your home network configuration before accusing your ISP, such as Xfinity or Spectrum for packet loss. Packet loss may occasionally result from problems with your Ethernet connections or WiFi router.
- Not Using a No-Log VPN
It’s reasonable to assume that if you’re using a VPN, you want to keep your internet behavior hidden. However, some VPN servers record everything you do online, which you need to know. Using a no-log VPN is crucial for this reason.
Several VPNs offer a no-log policy, preventing the service providers from logging your data, time stamps, and other personal information.
This can also protect your browsing history and stop hackers from using stored data against you. It is essential to use a third-party assessor to confirm that a VPN service is no-log.
- Ignoring Server Locations
VPNs protect data and hide IP addresses, but your internet experience may be affected by the location of their servers. Poor performance and connection speeds may result when connecting to a remote server.
Prioritize VPNs with nearby servers for faster and more effective data transfer to optimize the benefits. For the best surfing experience, give preference to VPNs with servers that are close to you.
- Having No Advanced Security Features
To help protect the data of your business, while selecting a VPN, choose a provider that offers advanced safety features. While many VPNs provide the bare minimum of privacy protection, certain providers go further than usual to ensure your online safety.
What to Look for?
There are many top features like split tunneling, kill switch, and DNS leak prevention that should be taken into account while choosing a VPN.
Protecting requests for DNS not only boosts privacy but also stops man-in-the-middle attacks. Avoid allowing your internet provider to track the online activities of your business.
A kill switch and split tunneling, on the other hand, ensure safety and dedicated VPN connections for your activities.
- Facing Issues Related to Limited Bandwidth
Your internet speed will often decrease when you connect to a VPN, but the way the best providers handle this is what makes them stand out.
Your VPN’s bandwidth use will also affect how fast your connection is. Select a VPN service that has no limits on bandwidth.
- Paying Every Month
While this will differ from person to person, we strongly advise committing to longer-term contracts to receive a significant cost break. Though most of the time, it’s advisable to save for a minimum of a year, many people like the flexibility of a monthly VPN.
In case you’re still unsure, all of the companies provide a minimum of a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means that even if you have to pay upfront, you may use the VPN for free for a month. It’s typically easy to get your money back if you don’t like it.
How to Pick the Best VPN
Choosing the best VPN carefully considers your unique requirements, including content access, privacy, and remote work. Here are the following features you should check before getting a premium VPN service:
- A no-logs policy
- Plenty of servers in multiple countries
- No downtime and lagging issues
- High-grade encryption protocols
- Dedicated IP VPN
- High connection speeds
- Good customer support
Testing Your VPN Security is Crucial
The goal of using a VPN is to act as a secure entry point to a remote network. Your privacy and the VPN’s value might be seriously impacted if it isn’t safe. Data hacking, in particular, might expose you to dangers and assaults from the internet.
Given this, you must take the time to assess the operation of various networks and be aware of the faults that might result in a less secure browsing experience if you’re trying to use a VPN.
