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A VPN provides peace of mind and convenience for a price. For most users, we think the price is worth it. But a VPN isn't a magic bullet, and it doesn't provide 100% protection. There are drawbacks like increased latency and potential slowdowns, plus you may encounter some hassle when using a VPN on mobile.

A virtual private network, or VPN for short, allows you to protect your browsing activity by encrypting internet traffic. Unfortunately, VPNs aren't free nor are they foolproof. So is it worth paying for one?

VPNs Protect Your Privacy

If you're a privacy-minded individual, you should absolutely consider using a VPN. By encrypting traffic between your computer (or another device) and the broader internet, you're effectively hiding whatever you're doing from any unwelcome third parties along the way. You also hide your IP address since you're connecting to the internet using a remote connection.

In the US, internet service providers (ISPs) are legally allowed to sell your browsing data. Even if they don't sell the data, they may be collecting it. Even if an ISP's policy states that they do not sell your data, this may change at any time. The best way to combat it is to prevent them from having access to it in the first place, which is where a VPN comes in.

End-to-end encryption works by encrypting data between two points. With a VPN, the start point is your computer, and the endpoint is your VPN provider's internet gateway. Some VPN companies keep logs, but these are usually destroyed after a very short period. Some providers promise not to log anything.

ExpressVPN for macOS

In addition to preventing your ISP from seeing your browsing data, a VPN can help keep your browsing data secure from other snoopers too. If you ever use public Wi-Fi, you should be aware that others may be able to spy on your browsing activity. If they do this while you're connected to a VPN, the encrypted data will be useless to them.

Other privacy-related reasons to use a VPN are to hide browsing activity from employers or educational establishments. If your living arrangements include internet access, be aware that your landlord or property agent may be able to intercept your browsing data.

All of your internet activity is hidden with a VPN, and that includes file sharing. A VPN will prevent your ISP from seeing this activity, while your IP address is recorded as that of your VPN provider.

Use a VPN to Hop Borders

To get the best performance, you should use the closest VPN server to your current location, but you'll also get access to other servers located all around the world. By connecting to other servers, you'll appear to be in a different country. Your internet browsing experience will shift to reflect this.

In addition to seeing adverts that are specific to the location you've chosen, you should be able to access geo-restricted content too. This allows you to access streaming services only available in certain countries (like on-demand TV and movie services) as well as accessing international streaming catalogs. Like gaming, some VPNs are better for Netflix than others.

If you're traveling, you can enjoy the same content you're used to at home by connecting to the relevant server. On top of this, dynamic pricing means that booking flights or hotels can be cheaper in certain countries. Hopping around the world by switching VPN servers can help you get a better deal.

If the amount you save is more than the month's VPN cost, the service has paid for itself. On top of this, sometimes it's nice to know what a service costs overseas. Some websites make it difficult to see this information, but a VPN can solve the issue.

VPNs Aren't Foolproof

While a VPN is a solid way of hiding your IP address and browsing data from interested third parties, it's far from foolproof. There are many ways that advertisers can identify and track you across the web, like fingerprinting. Head to Am I Unique? to see if you can be identified purely by your browsing setup.

Tracking cookies are also used to follow you around the internet. While some web browsers (like Firefox) block these by default, the world's most popular browser does not.

Chrome results for the EFF's Cover Your Tracks test
Chrome results for CoverYourTracks

On top of this, services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer are better than ever at figuring out when you're using a VPN. You might make it halfway through a movie or episode of Match of the Day before being stonewalled by the VPN warning. You might find yourself switching VPN servers or locations to overcome issues like this.

You can help mitigate potential frustrations by trialing a VPN provider with your services of choice before you stump up the money for a year's subscription, or picking a provider with lots of servers so that you can bounce around whenever you need to.

A VPN May Slow Down Your Connection

The use of a VPN means that your browsing data effectively has to travel further. When you send a request it is encrypted locally and sent to your VPN provider before reaching the internet. Return traffic reachers you via your VPN provider's server before being decrypted locally.

This means that a VPN can slow down your internet connection. The effect might not be that noticeable if you have a fast internet connection and a nearby server, but if you're on a slow connection or a long way from the nearest server, your speed can suffer.

VPNs also introduce latency, which can increase response times. This can make them a poor choice for gaming, streaming, and other activities that rely on a responsive connection. Some VPN services are better for gaming than others. You can always disable your VPN while playing online, so this isn't a huge dealbreaker.

It Can Be a Hassle to Use a VPN on Mobile

Most VPN providers provide access for a limited number of simultaneous devices, which means you can usually protect your smartphone traffic on top of computers, tablets (or your whole network if you use a VPN router). Unfortunately, the mobile experience can be frustrating at times.

This largely depends on where you live and what mobile reception is like in your area. It's especially relevant if you're in a rural area where you lose connection often, or if you drive long distances and often find yourself without reception. Reconnecting to a VPN server after losing mobile internet can take a while.

ExpressVPN Connected Android notification on a Google Pixel 6A
Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Much of the frustration comes from the killswitch functionality offered by most providers. This is designed to protect your browsing data by killing access to the network whenever the VPN service drops. This means you need to re-establish (and maintain) a connection to your VPN provider for the internet to work.

Sometimes, this can result in your smartphone simply giving up on connecting. This leaves you without internet, which can be especially frustrating when you're driving, working out, or otherwise engaged.

A Good VPN Isn't Free

You might be tempted to offset the cost of a VPN by using a free service instead, but this is a bad idea. Free VPN services can rarely be trusted, since you're placing your trust in the operator to not intrude on your privacy. You're better off giving money to a company that has an established reputation than taking a chance on a free provider.

One exception is Apple's iCloud Private Relay service. While Private Relay isn't a VPN, it still protects your Safari browsing data by anonymizing your web requests. iCloud+ subscribers should try using iCloud Private Relay if a VPN seems too expensive.

iCloud Private Relay on macOS

If you're serious about using a VPN you can save some money by buying a full year's subscription in advance. In the case of an established provider like ExpressVPN, this will set you back $100. Month-to-month subscriptions are fine for trying a service out, but they are poor value in the long run.

We think that the cost of a VPN can be measured in convenience and peace of mind. If you're not too worried about what your ISP is doing with your browsing data (maybe you're not in the US), don't use public Wi-Fi, have a slow or patchy connection, and have no need to appear like you're connected from overseas; you might want to forego the expense.

But to know your browsing data is encrypted, want to access geo-restricted content, travel frequently, and have a fast connection with VPN servers nearby; it's a lot easier to justify the expense. If you use a VPN for work you may be able to claim tax back, or better still ask your employer to pay for it. In either case, check out our list of the best VPNs before you buy.