uses of VPN

5 Most Significant Benefits of Using a VPN

If you’re an internet user for quite a while now, you must have known the dangers of browsing on the internet and the risks that come with it.

There are websites that are mining your data, hackers who are trying to steal your information, and advertisers who are willing to sell your information to third parties the first chance they get.

The only thing that stops you from them is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). It’s a tool that encrypts your internet traffic through a tunnel and keeps your information private at all times over the internet.

However, that’s not all a VPN can do. A VPN can help you in many other ways, which I will be discussing in this guide.

But, if you haven’t already used a VPN before, you can consult expert VPN reviews to learn about the finer details of the service’s quality. VPNRanks conducted a detailed analysis of PureVPN to determine whether it meets the standards expected of a top-notch provider.

Here are the 5 most significant benefits of using a VPN.

1. Access Better Entertainment Content

Access Better Entertainment Content

According to Statista, the main motivation for using a VPN is to access better entertainment content. This statement holds true because there are hundreds of streaming services available throughout the world that are restricted to a certain region.

HBO, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, 9Now, and other popular streaming services are only available in certain regions. For example, HBO and Hulu are only available in the US, BBC iPlayer is only available in the UK, whereas 9Now can only be viewed in Australia.

Even if you have a subscription to these streaming services, you can’t access them from outside their designation country if you’ve gone abroad for vacation. Having said that, a VPN is the only tool that can help you access these websites from anywhere.

In other cases, some streaming services’ content varies from one region to another. For instance, Netflix is available in 190+ countries, but despite that fact, its American library has the most content than any other country’s library.

To access US Netflix, a VPN can help you watch new titles that weren’t available in your region.

2. Online Privacy and Anonymity

Online Privacy and Anonymity

A VPN enhances your online security and privacy. When you’re using a VPN, all of your internet traffic remains hidden from everyone. It travels through an encrypted tunnel so that nobody is able to intercept the data.

Websites and apps are constantly trying to track your online activity. A VPN prevents a website and your web browser from attaining any kind of information.

It changes your IP address and assigns you with a new IP address, which is being used by thousands of other VPNs users. That way, there’s no chance anyone is able to distinguish between your data and a thousand other users.

It uses 256-bit military-grade encryption, which is impossible to decrypt even for a skilled hacker. It keeps your information secure from the prying eyes of hackers, ISP, and the government.

3. Prevent Bandwidth Throttling

Prevent Bandwidth Throttling

Sometimes, when you’re trying to access a certain website that is geo-restricted or is blocked by the country, your ISP tends to slow down your speed and throttle your bandwidth.

A VPN not only helps you access a particular website from anywhere in the world, but it will also help you hide your internet traffic from your ISP. That way, your internet service provider won’t know if it is you who are accessing that website, so it won’t slow down your internet speed.

Most VPNs have a feature called ‘split tunneling’ or, in some cases, ‘whitelister.’ This feature will help you decide which browsing activity you want to show it to your ISP and which traffic you want to hide it from them.

Once you do that, you will be raising less suspicion towards the ISP. That way, you will be able to access a VPN without any trouble. 

4. Communicate with Friends and Family Abroad

Communicate with Friends and Family Abroad

In countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and the Middle East, some of the popular messaging and email services are blocked. These include WhatsApp, Gmail, LinkedIn, and others.

You can’t talk with your friends and family without spending money on buying calling cards for a few minutes of talk.

In Middle East countries like Dubai, Kuwait, and others, you won’t be able to make a WhatsApp call because the service is blocked. For that, you can use a VPN and connect to its US server to access WhatsApp calling features.

Similarly, Gmail and other social media accounts are blocked in China and North Korea. Using a VPN will lift the ban on these services.

Russia has blocked LinkedIn for quite a while now, and it can only be unlocked using a VPN.

5. Reduced Airline Fares

Reduced Airline Fares

A VPN can also benefit you in reduced airline ticketing costs. You’re the person living in the UK and want to book an airline ticket from the UK to the US. You will see the price difference when you order an online ticket from the UK and the one you order from the US.

The one that you order from the US will be a touch cheaper than the one you order from the UK. Through a VPN, you can change your IP address by connecting to a US server and enjoy price discounts.

Key Takeaways

VPN is not just an online privacy tool, but it is being used for many other purposes, as I have discussed in this guide. From online privacy to anonymity, and from accessing entertainment content to talking to your friends and family abroad, a VPN has it all.

To be honest, it has become a necessity in an online world where every website is hungry in collecting information about you. It prevents them from collecting your information and hides your IP address for good.

It also helps you access streaming services that are otherwise unavailable in your country. There are plenty more to discuss about VPNs, which is why it is worth using it. 

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Lucas is an IT student completing his studies in Networking. He worked at Ycombinator as a research analyst. He loves to write about his technology experiences. He also enjoys traveling and captures the best moments with his Canon 5d lens. He is a review specialist at Reviewsed.