Everyone from bad guys to legal authorities is after our personal data, but by using a virtual private network (VPN) we can safeguard our data from prying eyes.

Most of us when connect to the Internet via public Wi-Fi overlook online security risks. Due to which we fall prey in the hands of attackers. Differentiating between genuine public Wi-Fi and one created by the attacker to access your data isn’t easy, hence we should start thinking about how to protect our personal information. This is when VPN, private networks come in. These virtual networks use software to protect your Internet connection and give you the ability to control how you appear online. this means VPN services are valuable tools that you should understand. So here we bring for you tips to choose VPN.

How to choose VPN?

Virtual Private Network creates a secure, encrypted connection between your computer and server. This means when you connect to a VPN no one including your ISP can see the traffic, VPN services are full proof, and they protect you against mass data collection.

However, choosing VPN has become tricky because in past few years the market of VPN services has exploded. Small and big companies both understand public’s growing concern about cybercrime and data security hence they are offering VPN services. Although figuring out which one is secure is difficult.

Therefore, before you go for a VPN you should keep following things in mind:

1. Reputation
2. Type of encryption used
3. Performance
4. Features
5. Ease of use
6. Support
7. Transparency
8. Price
9. Speed
10. Device Compatibility
11. Money back guarantee
12. Free trial
13. Payment plan

Furthermore, you can try using free trial version of the product to ensure if it works as it says.

Read Also : Free vs. Paid VPNs: Which Is Suitable For You?

Another important set of questions you need to ask yourself before choosing VPN is what will you use VPN for?

1. Do you want to access company’s Intranet remotely or while travelling?
2. Want to access restricted or location specific content?
3. Want to access blocked sites this means you wish to avoid Internet censorship?
4. To get added privacy?
5. Do you want VPN for entire house if yes, go for a router-based VPN – one that allows multiple connections.
6. What services and locations does the VPN provide?

Once you have the answers, next step is to check the level of VPN privacy. If the VPN you select stores traffic logs, then avoid using it because such VPN’s eliminate the purpose of private network. By logging user’s information VPN can do more harm than you can even think. Therefore, read privacy policy of the VPN to know what information it may collect.

All these tips if kept in mind will help you choose best VPN for yourself. Also, don’t think that all VPN’s are same as each one offers different privacy level, features and services. VPN not only creates a tunnel between the server and computer it too secures your data from prying eyes. Therefore, we cannot just start using any VPN. If you think free VPN’s are good then there is nothing wrong in it, but then again you need to check company’s reputation before you get attracted to free VPN. Also, remember there is nothing as free lunch. Without any personal gain no one offers you anything for free.