In the ruthless world of VPN, the reviewer is king. Indeed, choosing a VPN is a difficult task. And the best way to find the right VPN is to try them all. But I know: Ain’t nobody got time for that… Therefore, I take it upon me to review them for you. And I give you my informed opinion on their services. Furthermore, if you don’t even have time to read my reviews, I wrote this article just for you! Because this post is the quintessence of my site. So if there’s only one article to read, it’s this one. In the end, you’ll have the answer to this fundamental question: How to choose a VPN for my needs?
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Choosing the right VPN: What is a VPN?
Let’s start at the beginning. For it’s always necessary to eat the entrée before the main course! TheBestVPN.UK is dedicated to security and privacy in general, and to VPNs in particular. So it sounds pretty good to me to give you first the definition of a VPN:
Codename V.P.N.
I bet you’ve heard of these three letters lately. Because more and more countries trample the freedom of the internet all over the world in the name of their fight against terrorists. As a result, VPN keeps getting more and more popular to access the open internet.
So what’s a VPN connection? It stands for Virtual Private Network. And according to Wikipedia, a VPN extends a private network across a public network, such as the Internet. It enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network.
In other words, a VPN is a network of connected devices. It’s virtual because it establishes a virtual tunnel between your device and a server. And it’s private because you need an account with login credentials to get access.
So you connect to a server and this server connects to the Internet on your behalf. That’s it. See, it’s not rocket science.
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Choosing a VPN: But why?
The interest is twofold: Improve the security of a connection and protect the privacy of a user. Companies were the first to protect their communications. Indeed, employees outside their premises need to connect and access sensitive data. And there are very simple ways to intercept data that travels on a network. So the only way to avoid corporate espionage is to use a VPN. Because it encrypts a connection to safely transfer data between devices.
In addition, a VPN also improves the user’s privacy. Because the user uses the IP address of the VPN server to browse the internet, not his own real IP address. Thus sites can’t track her/his activity and discover her/his identity.
- What is a VPN?
- What are the different VPN protocols?
- VPN vs proxy: What is the difference?
- The best VPN: My ranking
How much does a VPN cost?
Sometimes, the more expensive, the better. But that’s not always the case… So what VPN to choose? The cheapest VPN provider on this site is one of the best I’ve ever reviewed! However if the VPN’s offer is too good to be true, it probably is. So beware of free VPNs! Even though it may sound like a good idea if you’re a novice, the risk is not worth the reward. Indeed, we’re talking about a few pounds for the protection of your privacy…
So you’ll have to spend between £3 and £10 per month to browse safely. The VPN market is very competitive and most providers offer good deals throughout the year. Make sure to visit the official websites to get the latest discounts.
If you can’t afford these monthly costs, pick a VPN with several simultaneous connections. Indeed, you can share your account with your friends and family. And then also share the costs!
How to choose a VPN to protect your online security?
The Internet is a beautiful place, really! You can do so many activities online now: Access information, write a blog, buy stuff or just waste your time. But surfing the web is not without risks. And subscribing to a VPN is the best way to protect yourself.
Browse Anonymously
When you browse the web, you leave traces on every site you visit, like on my site (see what’s my IP). A bit like a snail that leaves its shiny slime wherever it goes. And even if all your traces are anonymous, it’s always possible to crosscheck them to discover your identity. It’s not as complicated as you might think, unfortunately. And using your browser’s incognito mode is definitely not enough.
Choosing the right VPN is the only way to browse privately. Indeed, a VPN server hides your real IP address and replaces it with its own address. So the sites you visit can’t determine that you’re browsing them.
I must confess that it’s quite complicated to reach the ultimate anonymity on the net. Indeed, just one feature you forget to enable/disable and you may be a victim of a DNS leak and exposed. But if you follow my recommendations, everything should go just fine.
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Connect to free WiFi safely
Everybody loves public WiFi! And I can only agree: Free WiFi is great. Indeed, it ‘s so convenient not to hassle with cables anymore. And you can any device to watch Netflix!
75 percent of consumers don’t use a VPN to secure their Wi-Fi connections
Norton WiFi Risk Report
Most stores know how people feel about it. And they now offer free WiFi to their customers.
I bet you connect to unsecured WiFi networks without thinking twice, like almost everybody else. And you read your emails, glance at your bank accounts or even watch porn like in India!
However, security on this kind of network is often completely non-existent. Therefore, you are mostly exposed to hacking by would-be hackers at your local coffee shop.
What are the risks? Man-in-the-middle attack, tracking of your activity, hacking of your sessions, theft of your bank details etc. There are endless possibilities! None of them good for you.
If you don’t fancy any of these outcomes, then you have to choose a VPN. Indeed, a VPN creates a secure tunnel between your device and its server and then encrypts the data inside this tunnel. And the encryption is made with a military grade algorithm AES-256 (the same the NSA uses to protect their TOP SECRET documents…). So it’s hard to do better!
The best VPN for your privacy and security
If you’re wondering what VPN to choose, I have what you need in the list below:
- How to prevent your IP to leak on Internet?
- Should you use private browsing?
- How to really browse anonymously?
How to choose a VPN to watch streaming?
Let’s focus on one of the most popular features of VPNs: Unblocking geo-restricted content. Because everybody wants to access content anywhere at any time. And thanks to the use of VPN servers, this is now possible!
Watch Netflix
Should I still introduce Netflix? The American company conquered the world of streaming video on demand a few years ago. Because their library is huge, with movies and series including homemade creations. However, if you have a Netflix subscription, you can only access the library of the country where you stay. So if you’re in Birmingham, you can only watch British Netflix. And if you fly to Barcelona on vacation, you’ll only have access to Spanish Netflix. Because of copyright, Netflix restricts the access its content, depending on the IP address of your device.
While Netflix is fighting hard to protect copyright holder rights, you’ve found the right site to unblock Netflix. To make it simple, you need a VPN. Indeed, the VPN connection will allow you to pretend to be somewhere else. Netflix determines your position using your IP address. So if you have an American IP, thanks to the server, you can access US Netflix. And it works for all the servers of your VPN provider!
The best VPN to watch American Netflix
How to choose a VPN for US Netflix? I have taken into account whether the VPN works with US Netflix, the speed of the VPN for the video and finally its simplicity. These are the main criteria for me here!
- What’s the best Netflix VPN?
- The best VPN to watch American Netflix!
- How to watch UK Netflix abroad?
- What’s the best VPN for Kodi UK?
Watch UK TV
And it goes the same for all TV channels: It’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to access any content if you leave the Land of Hope and Glory. Because TV channels have licensing agreements with hundreds of content providers. Therefore, they must restrict your access to their channel if you leave the country. So if you go to Brazil to drink Cachaça, you won’t be able to watch BBC, Sky Go UK or any other channel. Period.
But with a VPN, no problem! The server acts as an intermediary between your device and the websites you visit. Therefore, the sites consider that you “are” the server, not your own device. So if the IP of the server is in the whitelist (with a British IP address), the sites will give you full access to their content.
The best VPN to watch British TV
How to choose your VPN to watch our good old UK TV channels? It’s not complicated with my ranking below. Indeed, these all have at least one server in the UK that is fast enough for streaming.
Watch sporting events
Whether you’re in the UK or abroad, it’s sometimes difficult to indulge your passion for sports. Indeed, you have to be in the right place at the right time. For example, impossible to watch the Superbowl or the Tour de France from home. And impossible to watch Formula 1 on BBC iPlayer abroad.
The only solution to solve all your problems is called a VPN. Indeed, a VPN abolishes the online boundaries thanks to its technology. So if your provider has a server in France, you can watch the Tour de France on France Televisions. Also with a server in the UK, you can watch Formula 1 on BBC Sports or Sky Sports. And so on and so forth.
The best VPNs to watch sports streams online
How to choose a VPN for sports fans? Easy, subscribe to one from the list below. Indeed, I made sure they have a large network of premium servers. And they’re quite ergonomic.
- How to watch Formula 1 online?
- How to watch Tour de France online with a VPN
- Don’t miss any Champions League game!
- How to watch the Premier League streaming?
- Get your Bundesliga live stream fix!
- Super Bowl: How to watch it with a VPN?
- Wanna watch the NBA online? Here’s how!
- How to watch 6 nations from abroad?
- Don’t miss any game of the World Cup!
How to choose a VPN to download torrents?
If you think that downloading a movie from Jamaica makes you a pirate from the Caribbean, we’ll get along well. Therefore, I’ll tell you how to download torrents safely. Because when torrenting you’re completely exposed: almost naked! Indeed, your IP address is visible to everyone. So, depending on where you’re located, it could be very risky.
But you can avoid fines and jail sentences! Indeed, with the right VPN, fast, allowing torrents and log-less, you’re almost out of the woods. And then, only a few tweaks to get the ultimate anonymity! Some features to activate, some tests to run and you can really download anonymously. There is currently nothing better than a VPN to download with peace of mind, believe me!
The best VPN to download safely
What VPN to choose to for torrenting, from TPB or other tracker websites? And more importantly which VPN to choose to download legal torrents safely? A piece of cake: Simply select one of this list:
- The best VPNs to secure your privacy while downloading
- How to bypass P2P block?
- My guide to anonymous torrenting
- Try qBittorrent to download anonymously
- KickAss alternative
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How to choose a VPN to surf the deep web/dark web?
When people talk about the deep web on the internet, you have to pick and choose. Because a lot of them don’t know what they’re really talking about… And they confuse deep web and dark web, using one for the other. The dark web is the most famous part of the web for illicit activities. Because of the high level of encryption, sites are not able to track the location and IP address of users. And vice versa: users are not able to get information about the site’s host. This is why it is used for most illegal activities.
However, you should use a VPN to surf the dark web, to protect your privacy at all levels. Although Tor provides some privacy online, there is no traffic encryption between your device and the first node of the Tor network. As a result, almost anyone (your ISP, your government, any hacker) can access the data you exchange.
How to choose a VPN to play online games?
First of all, I’m talking about real video games, not Clash of Clans… Sorry COC fans! Also, I didn’t lose my mind (yet) when I recommend a VPN to play online. Indeed, there are advantages to play with a VPN: It can improve/stabilize your connection and give you access to blocked games or even servers to face friends abroad. In addition, VPN providers are starting to offer really interesting packages, including VyprVPN (I’ll let you decide by yourself).
Furthermore, if you play at a competitive level, you know that your opponents are ready for anything to make you bite the dust, even sometimes cheating. But with a VPN, you’re covered. Indeed, it would repeal all their attacks to slow down your connection. So you can kick their a** in the game!
The best VPN for gamers
How to choose a VPN to play online? How to choose a VPN to protect your connection? It’s easy, pick one on the list below. They’re the fastest you can find right now.
How to choose a VPN to unblock UK gambling sites?
So gambling is your favourite past-time? And you can’t play while you’re abroad? It’s normal. Because most countries have much stricter regulations than ours. As a result, their authorities required the UK gambling websites to restrict the access to their people… Which means that when you go overseas, you’re considered as a foreigner on the sites, even if you already have an account.
But do not despair yet! Because a VPN unblocks all the UK betting sites. Indeed, like with the streaming sites I mentioned above, the restrictions are based on the IP address of your device. So if you connect to a UK server, bingo! On the other hand, betting from abroad is not without risks… And I’m not talking about your addiction there.
How to choose a VPN to travel with?
No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one. Indeed, going abroad is good, it opens one’s mind. However, it’s also the time of the year when we leave our comfort zone… And we see how it goes far away from home: Difficult communications with the family, censorship of social networks, mass surveillance etc. Our devices and data are more exposed than ever.
If you bring your devices (PC, tablet, mobile) with you, I strongly recommend you to prepare BEFORE you leave. Indeed, install a VPN before you connect to free WiFi and their risks. And sometimes it’s impossible, even illegal, to download a VPN on the spot. So you may find yourself at the mercy of government agencies and hackers…
The best VPN for China
China is a very popular destination. But it’s also a country which has very strict surveillance and censorship rules. How to choose a VPN for China? Because choosing the right VPN is the key to make sure it will work in Mainland China. Pick one in the list below to protect your devices when you travel there.
- The best VPNs for China
- How to access facebook in China?
- What’s the best VPN for the US of A?
- My traveler’s guide for your electronic devices
Conclusion: Choosing the right VPN
The inherent features of VPN make them useful in many situations: To fight against surveillance, to access censored sites, to protect your privacy on the Internet or to secure your connection. And depending on your situation, some VPNs may be better than others. Therefore choosing a VPN is a case by case analysis.
Fortunately, this article is to inform you about which VPN to choose for your own use. I put the links to more detailed articles for each use. So you’ll know exactly how to choose a VPN for your needs.
This was my guide: How to choose a VPN? Choosing a VPN for your needs. Stay tuned for more articles coming soon.
