In simple words, a Virtual Private Network (referred as VPN) is an extension of a Public Network to use it as a private Network. It enables users to send data securely across public networks. The best practical use is employees accessing an office intranet from home using internet and VPN. The common use includes connecting two or more offices of a Company.

A VPN is a virtual point-to-point connection through the use of dedicated connections, virtual tunneling protocols, or traffic encryption. A user can access the resources available within the private network remotely. Look for freelance tips on different marketplaces to get a feel of VPNs used by freelancers.

Why do you need a VPN Service?

Privacy: A VPN hides your internet activity from your ISP. It also makes it very effective at preventing a blanket surveillance.

Security: A VPN encrypts your data as it travels between your device and the VPN server. It means that you can use public Wi-Fi networks and hotspots safely because even there are any security issues with this network, your data remains securely encrypted.

Hiding real IP address: When you visit a website, that website will see the IP address of the VPN server you are using and not your real IP address. Helps in preventing someone tracking you or your website visits.

Geo-spoofing: You can access geo-restricted services through VPN. Examples are accessing Netflix and BBC iPlayer simply by connecting to a VPN server in the relevant country.

VPN Protocols:

  • OpenVPN: It is recommended protocol for desktops. Highest performance fast, secure and reliable.
  • PPTP: It is a fast, easy-to-use protocol
  • L2TP/IPsec: It is a good choice for secured data transfer
  • Chameleon: A great choice for users being blocked in countries, or if you are experiencing bandwidth throttling.

We have chosen these five VPNs based on their uniqueness, scope of their services and reviews from customers.

Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN:

PIA is a leading VPN service providers since 2010 with specialisation in providing secure, encrypted VPN tunnels on the internet. It has a backbone of multiple gateways worldwide with global VPN tunnel access. It is 100 % committed to privacy, doesn’t log, and provides the most innovative technology to guarantee its customers’ anonymity.

Key Features:

  • The IP cloak masks your IP address with anonymous IP addresses, effectively keeping websites and internet services from tracking your browsing and location.
  • When you establish a secure connection to the security layer, you get a new U.S. based IP address which will substitute a different location.
  • You can access many readily available software packages that allow spammers and criminals to intercept your data exist, with more emerging daily.
  • The service provides high-grade encryption based on the cryptographically secure Blowfish CBC algorithm used in conjunction with the OpenVPN protocol and can secure your data transmissions.

Buffered VPN:

It is a fastest-growing VPN provider on the market. They have servers around the world; its service enables users to safely and anonymously browse the web. Buffered is very easy to set up and use, it has an online customer support, and it offers a 30-day money back guarantee. Buffered is focussing on internet freedom, privacy, and online security.

Key Features:

  • Content access from anywhere without any restrictions
  • Private surfing while protecting your personal information keeping the secrecy of your location and stop your internet service provider from spying on you.
  • Total security, even on public Wi-Fi connections. Keep your passwords and credit card details safe from spying eyes.
  • Avoid annoying censorship and access any website or app.

NordVPN:

NordVPN is a major VPN player for more than ten years. NordVPN gives you military-grade protection online, and you can access all websites without any restriction. They never log your activity when using their servers, so you can always trust your privacy to NordVPN.

Key Features:

  • NordVPN’s Double VPN technology encrypts data twice. It’s the tightest security in the industry, and it’s only available on NordVPN.
  • NordVPN never logs where you go on the Internet.
  • The NordVPN network is of 744 worldwide server locations in 58 different
  • If your VPN connection drops out, the kill switch technology instantly shuts down any site or software you specify in advance.

ExpressVPN:

The VPN consists of 1000+ servers. If you use the Internet on lots of devices – like desktop, laptop, and mobile – you need a VPN that protects you on all of them. It has easy-to-use app and setup guides and protects your Wi-Fi at the source with ExpressVPN’s app for routers. The VPN service has always excelled at providing a great customer experience.

Key Features:

  • At the forefront of this are 24/7 live chat support and money back
  • Its desktop and mobile software is very easy to use and is fully featured.
  • Desktop as well as Mobile Apps use great encryption and include DNS leak protection and a kill switch.
  • Those wishing to avoid censorship will appreciate ExpressVPN’s Hong Kong-based “stealth” servers and dark web (.onion) address.

Golden Frog / VyprVPN:

Golden Frog VPN provides privacy and security with an open Internet. The Golden Frogs VyprVPN is a famous service with highest speed and security for broadband Internet connections.

Key Features:

  • VyprVPN offers the highest level of speed and security. Their network engineers build and manage global VPN network to provide the fastest speeds for users across the globe.
  • It offers 200,000+ IP addresses, 700+ servers and easy, unlimited server switching.
  • They manage 100% of their hardware, software, and network, so it protects your privacy from end-to-end.
  • They provide fast, easy-to-use apps for all platforms and different devices so that you can secure your devices quickly.
  • VyprVPN’s Chameleon technology defeats VPN blocking and throttling worldwide, offering a free and open Internet experience from restricted locations such as China.

Summary: Though there are multiple providers providing good VPN services, we have tried to list the best 5 based on certain criteria. The key to select the right provider is related to your exact need. It also depends on the size of VPN you need and the cost of using these services per month. It can be done as freelance work also but needs specific skills of setting up and managing the VPNs.

Kitty Gupta
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