VPN Advantages and Disadvantages

Before digging into VPN advantages and disadvantages let’s talk about what is a VPN. A VPN, or a Virtual Private Network, is a way to connect your computer or another device to a network via the internet. The encrypted connection makes it harder for people on public networks to spy on your web browsing activities and slows down any hackers trying to access your devices remotely. In practice, a VPN also blocks ad trackers used by websites and some malware that can infect your computer or phone. It sounds simple, but there are hundreds of VPN services out there with varying methods of protecting user data from prying eyes.

How does a VPN work?

A VPN relies on the client-server model to establish a secure connection. You install your device with software allowing it to connect securely through one of many servers available, which creates an encrypted tunnel between you and that specific server when enabled by setting up privacy settings in browsers or installing plugins for various apps. Your device will then use that server’s information to browse the internet rather than its true network information. Any site tracking user data would then see the VPN server’s information rather than your device’s information, and this is just one of the many benefits of using VPN.

What are the advantages of VPN?

The benefits of a VPN are not just limited to your personal life. In fact, you can use them at work as well! For instance, if you want to hide browsing history from employer this is the best tool to go, or torrent safely, or simply browse without any prying eyes. Below we will focus first on the advantages of a vpn as they simply outweigh the disadvantages of a vpn by far. 

1. Bypass Geo-locked Content

Geo-blocks are essentially restrictions imposed by media streaming companies that will force you to a specific content tailored to your location. With the use of a VPN, you can now enjoy your favorite entertainment no matter where in the world it may be. With many popular websites having different content available for users depending on their location and restrictions imposed by Geoblocked Region(s) such as Netflix US vs UK library; this is an excellent way to access all these amazing shows without any hassle. 
This actually works on a location or IP-based model. The content provider can see your IP address and based on it they form the response for your content request. The response will be to either deny you access or provide tailored responses and content based on your location. Since VPN actually hides your IP address and provides a new one with a new geo-location, it will help you bypass these restrictions or help you get the content you are looking for. 

 This is the tool to go when you are abroad or simply traveling for work. 

2. Provides Safety Through Anonymity

When talking about vpn advantages and disadvantages we always want to make sure we get the one advantage it matters most – security.  A VPN can keep your data secure and inaccessible to unwanted parties. With a virtual private network, the user’s location is hidden from those who would want access to it. This makes all of that information more difficult for them to get their hands on! The effectiveness of a VPN depends on its ability to hide the user’s network information, but this feature has been found to be lacking in some free VPNs. The services have been reported as being vulnerable to DNS leaks and other forms of information leakage that can compromise your security as a user, this is why it’s important you test your choice before purchase and make sure your security is air tight before entrusting a service. 

3. Save Money on Region-Based eCommerce

When speaking of vpn pros and cons this one will put money directly in your pocket. You can save a lot of money when shopping online by using VPNs. When shopping online, websites like hotels or airlines track customers’ network information to increase prices. Some eCommerce vendors will even charge different prices for services based on region and the VPN allows you to protect yourself from shady pricing tactics such as those mentioned above by shielding your location with an encrypted connection so that no one can see where are browsing from when making purchases – this could save plenty of money if used often enough!

4. Cost-Effective Security

With the introduction of new “security solutions” every day, it is important to know that these can be expensive. You might end up paying more in licensing fees or monthly charges if you use a firewall with anti-virus protection that scans for viruses and blocks intruders from trying to connect your PC when they think it’s two thousand miles away in Somali! But what about using a VPN? A virtual private network essentially makes users invisible online by creating secure connections between themselves and remote servers across different regions. Not only does this prevent attacks on one’s own system but also protects information flowing throughout the internet – decreasing risk exponentially while still maintaining access at all times.

5. VPN is good for gaming

If you’re looking to get the most out of your gaming experience, turning on a VPN while playing can be beneficial. For starters you are protected against DDoS attacks and angry players wanting access into home networks; plus region free capabilities means that with one click gamers will have access to any game they want no matter where it is available or if it’s restricted country-wide (which may even improve connection speeds). Some titles might only come in specific regions but by using this method anyone could play those too. 

While this may sound strange to some there are many countries that like to ban all sorts of video games for a ton of reasons. Australia alone has accumulated quite a long list of banned games. Just because your government has a problem with the themes of a certain video game doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to play it if want. The simplest way around this type of censorship though would be through using a VPN. 

6. A VPN Can Prevent Bandwidth Throttling

Bandwidth throttling is a term used by ISPs to describe the intentional slowing or speeding of Internet speeds. While bandwidth throttling has never been publicly acknowledged as an official policy, ISPs have made offers to throttle heavy users during peak hours in order for other customers to have more access to bandwidth. This practice has been happening all across Canada without any repercussions since 2010.  As long as your usage is within acceptable limits, you remain free to use your connection as it was meant to be used. But if you go over those limits… watch out! Network congestion is the enemy of an internet service provider. They are constantly looking for new ways to get rid of it so they can provide all their users with quality bandwidth, without any delays or setbacks in communication between them, hence why they go for these non-user-friendly solutions like bandwidth throttling. While using VPN, you effectively hide your activity from your internet service provider, therefore, your ISP can no longer detect what you are doing and cannot enforce this kind of practice upon you. On the list of benefits of using vpn, this is definitely a big one. 

7. VPNs Can Bypass Firewalls

Network firewalls can be a pain in the neck when you’re at work, school, or even just hanging out. They prevent people from accessing certain websites or services. Luckily there is always a solution though: Virtual Private Networks (VPN) disguise your IP address so network admins won’t know who/what website YOU are visiting – which means bypassing any firewall they have set up without having to worry about their strict policies! It would even let you bypass government-enforced firewalls (like the Great Firewall of China, for example), so you won’t have to deal with any government censorship while browsing the Internet. Let’s say you’re in China and want to watch BBC iPlayer, you won’t be able to for two reasons: this website is blocked by the Chinese firewall as such and BBC restricts content to non-UK users. Using VPN you bypass censorship and geo-restrictions with one click – talking about VPN advantages. 

8. VPNs Offer Secure Torrenting

If you want the peace of mind that your data is safe, then using a VPN while torrenting can help guarantee this. All members in a swarm will be able to see what country and city you are from with just one glance at your real IP address which could jeopardize any anonymity online

A lot goes into consideration when deciding whether or not it’s worth downloading copyrighted material without protection. There are many problems that can come with using torrents. The most important thing to remember is the copyright holder’s rights, especially if you’re downloading something copyright protected like movies or music files without permission from them, first in order for this not lead to fines and even worse – prison time! Your ISP monitors all this traffic and can determine them to terminate your contract if torrenting is forbidden by their company policies, this is why it’s important to torrent safely.

What are the disadvantages of VPN?


While analyzing the VPN disadvantages you will see that there aren’t many, but a few still require your attention. 

1. VPN can slow your internet speed

When you use a VPN, your Internet connection speed might slow down. This happens because of various factors such as how far from the server and encryption strength are or depending on VPN protocol used. If this is an issue for some people then there may be no noticeable difference while others will see lower speeds on their end due to less powerful bandwidth or CPUs (computers). The key is to use the closest VPN server to your location so you’ll get the best ping and choose a VPN protocol that will ensure both speed and military-grade encryption. 

 For those of you interested in this topic check this in-depth guide on how VPN affects speed. 

2. VPN dropping connection

When a VPN drops the connection, it’s not just your internet presence that is revealed. If you are using public Wi-Fi and have an unsecured connection to any website or service which has terms of service like torrenting then this information can be seen by anyone around you as well – even if someone else on their own network visits these pages first!

This means anything we do online may end up exposing us; anytime our activity crosses over into something against another person/organization’s rules (even unintentionally) there could be consequences like getting kicked off The Pirate Bay right away because all data goes through their servers now too. On the list of VPN advantages and disadvantages, this is of course not a plus, but VPN providers will help you eliminate this issue via the VPN software by providing options like a kill switch that helps you terminate an app when the VPN connection drops. This way in the event a VPN connection drops, you will be covered and your anonymity protected. 

3. A Good VPN is not cheap

While you learned about the big list of VPN advantages and benefits of using VPN you should know that these do not come cheap. Basically, you want a VPN service that has an incentive to keep providing great speeds and safely handling your data…and the only way to get that is to pay for it. Free VPNs won’t do that as you cannot maintain a service for free, so it’s definitely maintained at the expense of your security by providing un-encrypted servers and exposing your data. 

Yes, a good VPN is not cheap but you can still get a great offer, like this 2 year deal from HideIPVPN. Don’t skim on your security and remember that there isn’t such thing as good free service, especially in the VPN industry. 

4. Not all devices have native VPN built-in

If you’re looking for a VPN service that works with the most popular platforms, then you won’t have trouble finding a good VPN for Windows or VPN for MacOS. However, there are still operating systems and devices out there which don’t really support VPN natively so in these cases you’ll have to manually set it up yourself on whichever device/operating system that’s needed!

In some cases, you may have to set up a VPN connection on your router if the device doesn’t natively support them. This is because routers often act as an intermediary between devices and networks that can be accessed remotely, it usually refers to gaming devices or media streams with closed system possibilities like Roku. 

Bottom Line

Internet security has never been more important. The Internet is a fluid space where people connect to remote devices, applications, and services every day in order to manage their work lives from home or on vacation – but this connection can be risky if you’re not careful! You should protect yourself by using an internet safety net such as VPNs that allow secure connections.

In today’s increasingly connected world cyber-attacks have become so severe they are now considered “normal” which leaves everyone vulnerable unless all necessary measures are taken and a good VPN provider is found. Do your research, choose your option and enjoy freedom and anonymity on the web. 

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