Recent reliance on the internet for communication, entertainment, and commerce has brought with it not just solutions but data breach risks, surveillance, and cyber threats as well. One popular solution for protection in all these is using a Virtual Private Network.
While there are numerous free VPN options available, the old saying “you get what you pay for” holds true in this context. Here, we are going to discuss why you should go for paid VPN providers over free VPNs.
Pitfalls of Free VPNs
1. Compromised Security and Encryption
One of the core reasons for having a VPN is to beef up your security online. Some sources that allow free use of VPN services use weak or out-of-date encryption protocols like PPTP. This is the area where it’s unable to protect you against threats, data theft, and hacking trials. On the other hand, subscribed VPNs typically use solid encryption standards such as AES-256, followed by advanced protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard for keeping your data secure.
2. Data Logging and Concerns about Privacy
Most free VPNs rely heavily on data logging and selling off information about users to third parties to generate revenues. This falls in direct opposition to why one would take up the VPN service for privacy. Paid VPN providers, on the other hand, maintain a no-logging policy with strict rules and, in some cases, even get independently audited to confirm the level of trust in providing a safe service for its users.
3. Slow Speeds and Limited Bandwidth
The slow experience with few data limitations, less server selection, and speed in connection are issues that escalate on free VPNs and frustrate users. Paid VPNs usually do not have any data limits, faster speeds, and extensive server networks to guarantee the quality of connection.
4. Insufficient customer service
Responsive customer support is a must when something goes wrong with a VPN connection. Since most of the free VPNs do not have dedicated customer support, in case of trouble, you’re basically on your own. Most paid VPN services offer around-the-clock customer support through live chat, email, and thorough information bases to ensure that all assorted problems are solved posthaste.
Benefits of Paid VPNs
1. Enhanced Security Features
Built within paid VPNs are greater depths of security measures other than encryption—many of them have kill switches, split tunneling, and protection against DNS/IP leaks. Let’s see how they work to keep your online activities more secure if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly or, in some cases if you have to access local network resources while connected to a VPN.
2. Extensive Server networks and Geo-unblocking
Top-of-the-line VPN services maintain an extensive, global network of servers, empowering their users to reach content or services that generally are geographically blocked in their specific region. This comes in especially handy for streaming geo-blocked content, getting around censorship, or securely connecting to the internet when located in a foreign country.
3. Apps for Multiple Devices
A paid VPN comes complete with an app for all devices: smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs. That means it’s only one subscription to secure activities performed online over any device, making online security consistent and constant.
4. Transparent Privacy Policies and Trustworthy Providers
Good-paid VPN providers clearly explain their policy on privacy and go through the process of independent auditing regularly to give assurance that their assurances regarding user privacy are dependable. Such transparency and accountability can hardly be thought of as existing in free VPN services; hence, they cannot be relied upon with your private data.
Final Words
Although free VPNs sound sweet on the ear, most of those that exist, in this regard, have more demerits and fewer merits. From reasonable but compromised security and privacy, low or little-to-no speeds, and poor features, free VPNs are bound to set you on the line of danger and give you a horrible user experience. Paying for a VPN service is a small price to pay for enhanced assurance, augmented security, and access to the internet free of blockades. Pick a reputable provider of a paid VPN and be sure of your freedom without blockades while being assured of complete privacy, security, and freedom on the internet when browsing, streaming, or communicatin
