Things to Consider Before Choosing the VPN
If you’ve been thinking about opening up the internet in a way only possible when you have a VPN – accessing content around the world that might have otherwise been blocked out, hidden, or not available – but aren’t quite sure of how to find the best VPNs for your specific needs we’ve put together this quick guide.
By the time you’re done with the inside information below you’ll know exactly how to sift through the VPN options, landing on one perfect for your budget, your needs, and your technical set up.
Let’s dive right in!
Speed
Right out of the gate, the very best VPNs are ALWAYS going to offer you top-end speed – as close to your legitimate speed directly from your ISP as humanly possible.
Anytime you are running your online connection through a VPN there is going to be an inevitable and unavoidable slowdown. That’s just part and parcel with using this technology and routing your connection through a virtual private network.
At the same time, there’s no reason to settle for sluggish connectivity. Different connection options, different VPN solutions, and different settings with a VPN service can guarantee that you get the best possible speed – as close to your ISP speed as you can get – so that you never notice a difference between being on a VPN and running your connection “naked”.
Security
Security is another huge issue you’ll want to take care of with your VPN setup, choosing a blazing fast connection but also one that doesn’t compromise your safety or security online, either.
Top-tier VPN solutions include reliable encryption (at least 128-bit encryption) on both ends of your connection. They should also provide you with guaranteed “no log” security and anonymity as well. You don’t want to use a VPN to get around your ISP tracking you if your VPN is going to be watching every move you make online as well.
Other protection systems (like IP obfuscation solutions and “kill switches”) add to a VPN security system, too.
Accessibility
The best VPN solutions are always going to be those that are the most accessible.
After all, you could have the best technology, the best tools, and the best features available – all at the best price – but if your VPN is impossible to set up, impossible to access, and impossible to use in day-to-day operation isn’t really going to be all that valuable.
Different VPNs are more accessible than others, and you want to find one that’s easy enough to connect to without cutting corners when it comes to overall tools and technology.
Ease of Setup
Ease of setup is another big piece of the puzzle that you’ll want to make sure your new VPN takes care of.
Depending on your technical savvy and know how you may or may not feel comfortable setting up a VPN almost entirely by yourself, but lucky enough the best solutions out there won’t ever make you go through that process alone.
You should never feel like you have to contract out the initialization of your VPN to the “geek squad”. Instead, you should be able to deploy this service on your home network, mobile network, and on all of your devices without having to dive into the administrative panel all that often.
Sure, that extra tech and extra settings can come into play if you are comfortable fooling around with the administration backend of your VPN. But they should never be mandatory, especially during the setup, and you want something that’s as close to “flip a switch and go” as you can get.
Closing Thoughts
If at the end of the day, if you focus on the core details that we highlighted above you shouldn’t ever have to worry about getting the best VPNs for your specific needs ever again.
Think about how you hope to use this technology, how much you are willing to spend on a month-to-month or annual basis, as well as how many bells and whistles you’ll want (or need) before you dive right in and you should be good to go.
Focus on the core fundamentals throughout this quick guide and you’re guaranteed to land VPN technology that will open up the internet to you completely.
