Alex T. | January 15, 2020

With your online actions being recorded or even sold to 3rd parties it’s clear–using a VPN has become an everyday necessity. But, how to choose the best VPN that fits your needs? In this article, you’ll find all the guidelines for deciding which VPN is the best for you.

First things first, you have to consider your needs. You can use a Virtual Private Network for various purposes, plus, the features different services offer may vary. Are you planning on binging the new season of your favorite TV show the entire weekend? Or, you’re looking for a solution to protect your traffic from others? Once you’ve set your goal, it will be easier to decide if a particular app is the best fit for you. To see if a VPN offers features you’re looking for, head to their help desk or contact their support.

Next, to pick the best VPN, you should be able to test it for free. Say you need the fastest VPN for streaming. What if you commit to a long-term plan and end up paying over a hundred dollars but it doesn’t as expected? Of course, you don’t want to be stuck with a product you won’t be using. To prevent this, you can go for free service. Or, choose one that offers a free trial and provides an easy process to opt-out.

After that, you should look into the quality of a VPN service. Now, there are a couple of things that define the quality of a VPN. You may already know that using a Virtual Private Network can slightly reduce your connection speed. Although your speed depends on multiple factors, you shouldn’t experience a drastic loss from enabling one. The best service shouldn’t take more than 30% of your original speed. Besides that, you should avoid services that use only L2TP and PPTP protocols on their servers. Experts say, these protocols are obsolete. The best apps run on IKEv2 or OpenVPN protocols.

You should also decide on your budget. Most VPNs are quite pricey, yet they might offer the same features as free ones do. For instance, some VPN providers charge up to $100 per year. If you don’t like the idea of paying to both your internet provider and a VPN service, find yourself the best free VPN service. After all, shouldn’t everyone be able to go online in private without having to pay more?

Even if your VPN seems to be running smoothly, it’s wise to pick a service with 24/7 customer support in case of an emergency. Even the top-rated VPNs run into issues from time to time. What if you’re no longer able to access your local news website on your trip due to geo-restrictions and you need an urgent consultation? The best VPN providers ensure peace of mind knowing you can contact their support over live chat anytime.

And last but not least, best providers offer applications for different platforms. If you’re looking for the best VPN for iPhone, it doesn’t mean you have to get a separate plan for your Android. Best VPN services offer multiple simultaneous connections for mobile and desktop apps.

So, if a VPN service has got it all–from fast servers to a friendly support, you’re likely to end up with a reliable product. To understand all of the nuances in detail, you need to find out the meaning of vpn.