A Virtual Private Network, most commonly referred to as a VPN, is one of the most popular and effective online privacy tools. VPNs work by sending your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, preventing Internet Service Providers (ISPs), government surveillance networks, hackers, and others from seeing your web activity.
When connecting to a VPN server, your real IP address is hidden and replaced with the servers IP address. Not only is this good for privacy, but it also allows you to change the location of your connection to get around geo-restrictions. If you want to access a website or service only available for Americans, you connect to a VPN server located in the USA.
However, not all VPNs are created equally, and the level of privacy or benefits you attain will vary from one service to the next. The quality of a VPN can be affected by the privacy policy it has, the technology it uses, the cost of the service, its features, jurisdiction, and other factors.
Some VPNs may be better suited for specific use cases, like online gaming, accessing restricted Netflix content, and torrenting. A VPN may also work better on specific devices or operating systems such as Mac, iPhone, Android, Windows, Linux, etc.
Due to the abundance of different VPNs available and specifications, it can be a challenge to find the best service for you. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing you with all the information you’ll need to make the right decision. Our privacy and tech experts have written detailed and impartial reviews on hundreds of different VPN services.
Our helpful guides also explain how VPNs work and cover key related topics like VPN routers, VPN logs, DNS leaks, VPN protocols, the Five Eyes alliance, and more. For those looking for a safe and reliable VPN provider, a great place to start is our Best VPN Services for 2019 guide.
