Why is VPN a traveler's best friend?

VPNs have become increasingly popular in recent years, and for a good reason. A VPN delivers many benefits for users looking to improve their online security and privacy, but not only.

For travelers, a VPN can be a priceless tool. By encrypting your internet traffic and routing it through a server in another location, a VPN can help to keep your data safe from hackers and offer a degree of protection against government surveillance. VPN can also help to bypass censorship and access websites that may be blocked in your country.

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, a VPN can help to keep you connected and secure and even save money. In this article, you’ll learn what a VPN is and the four most common reasons any traveler should use VPN.

1. VPN will protect you in travel

One must be aware of the security risks of using public Wi-Fi networks when traveling. Unfortunately, these networks are often unsecured, so hackers could compromise your data.

A VPN is a great way to protect yourself when using public Wi-Fi. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it impossible for anyone to snoop on your activities. Additionally, a VPN hides your IP address, ensuring that it will not be possible to determine your actual IP address and, therefore, your real location.

Many people are unaware that internet providers are legally obliged to log their customers' activity. This practice, known as data retention, is required by law in many countries worldwide.

The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act requires all providers to keep records of their customers' communications in the United States. This law was passed in 1994 and updated in 2004 to need providers to log even more information, such as the sender and recipient of emails and text messages.

The European Union has had a data retention directive in place since 2006, requiring all member states to implement laws forcing telecommunications companies to store customer data for a minimum of six months. As a result, all Internet providers in the European Union are required by law to maintain logs of their users' activity.

Your entire web browsing history, email usage, and even online gaming could be stored on your provider's servers.

If you’d like to know more about how exactly VPN works, read this article: How is VPN working?

2. VPN will allow you to access blocked websites

Governments may censor websites for various reasons, including political or religious views that conflict with those of the ruling party. Sometimes, censorship is intended to protect citizens from offensive or disturbing content. However, censorship can also suppress dissent and prevent people from accessing information the government finds inconvenient. As a result, censorship often harms society.

In recent years, there have been several notable examples of censored websites.
In China, for example, the government regularly blocks access to international news websites, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and even search engines like Google. In Iran, the government has blocked access to many websites, including those that provide news or discuss political issues.
In Saudi Arabia, the authorities have made it nearly impossible to access online porn sites.

Other examples include sites that contain sensitive information, such as WikiLeaks, and sites that provide access to pirated content, like The Pirate Bay. While censorship can have some benefits, it also undoubtedly deprives people of their right to freedom of information. Still it is possible to circumvent censorship by using a VPN.

Let’s say you are currently in Turkey; you can’t access WikiLeaks like that because the Turkish government blocks it. That’s why you need a VPN. Technically speaking, with a VPN, you don't visit any websites or apps; the VPN server visits your target location for you.

Click here to read more about censorship. Did you know that France has censorship laws that prohibit Holocaust denial?

Have you ever been in a situation where you tried to use your payment card but were told that your bank had blocked access to the card?
When you use your payment card online, your bank constantly monitors your activity to protect you from fraudsters and hackers. If they see a suspicious IP address trying to access your account, they will block access to the card to protect your money. In case to avoid this situation, you can connect to the VPN server near your home, so the bank will not see that you are on travel and using your card in some unusual place for you. Check out ExpressVPN, it has servers in 94 countries.

3. Dangers of Public Wi-Fi that VPN will eliminate

Public Wi-Fi can be found anywhere, from coffee shops to libraries to airports. While it can be convenient, it can also be dangerous. Cyberattacks are a real threat when using public Wi-Fi, as malicious individuals can exploit vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive information. One such threat is Man-in-the-middle attacks, in which an attacker intercepts communication between two parties and pretends to be one of them. This can lead to theft, as well as the exposure of personal information. Additionally, data sniffing is a concern when using public Wi-Fi. This is where an attacker monitors traffic and looks for unencrypted data, such as login credentials or credit card numbers.

Consequently, it is crucial to be aware of the risks before using public Wi-Fi. Take steps to protect yourself, such as using a VPN or only accessing encrypted sites.

Next time you're out and about, take a moment to consider the risks before logging onto that public Wi-Fi network. Your personal information could be at stake.

4. Better deals on flights or other travel activities

Based on your search history, browsing habits, and location, algorithms are used to deliver personalized results and pricing. But what if you could trick the system? By connecting to a VPN and changing your IP address to another country, you can often find cheaper deals on flights and other travel activities. That's because algorithms are designed to deliver different results based on location.

So if you're trying to book a flight from the United States, you might see higher prices than if you were searching from Europe. You can bypass these algorithms and find better deals by using a VPN to change your location. Of course, not all VPNs are created equal, so it's essential to do your research before choosing one. But if you're looking for a way to save money on travel, using a VPN may be the answer.

5. A VPN can also act as an AdBlock or antivirus

VPN can work like an antivirus because it will inform you when you visit a hacking website. It does this similar way the Adblock blocks ads on websites. It scans your traffic for viruses and alerts you if you might be in danger. This way, you can be sure that your computer is protected from these websites. VPN can also blacklist these websites so that you will not be able to revisit them. This is a great way to protect your device from danger and keep your computer safe.

Of course, not every VPN has this fantastic feature. Check out our list of VPNs that can work as an antivirus or AdBlock. If this feature is important for you, we highly recommend NordVPN. They have mastered this piece.

The downside of using a VPN

Although VPNs are often advertised as a way to browse the web anonymously and protect your privacy, there are several downsides to using a VPN.

Slower connection and disconnections

When you are connected to the VPN, you are not routing directly to the destination place (you <-> website ) but via the VPN server (you <-> VPN <-> website). The data has to travel further and go through more servers, which results in slower page loading. The VPN service provider may also be subject to data transfer limits for various reasons (e.g., an overloaded VPN server).

Disruptions in connections are another problem. That's why the "kill switch" option is so popular; it is a feature that prevents the device from establishing unsecured connections to the Internet after losing connection to the VPN.

Keeping logs

Recent revelations about the activities of some VPN providers have raised questions about the extent to which these services can be trusted. In particular, it has been revealed that some providers keep logs of their users' activities and maintain records of their history. This raises the risk that governments could access these logs and other third parties or use them to target ads. While the exact extent of this problem is difficult to determine, it is clear that there are downsides to using a VPN. How do you know if the VPN provider is not selling/stealing your data? You don’t, and this ignorance may drive VPN providers to increase profits. So if you're planning on using a VPN, do your research to ensure it's a good fit.

If you’d like to know more about VPN's log policy, read this article. You will learn different types of logs that might be kept by VPN providers and how they may be used.

Restrictions for VPN users

More and more websites are blocking access for users who are using a VPN. So if you're planning on using a VPN, do your research to ensure it's a good fit.

VPN can be illegal

VPNs are not always legal. In some countries, using a VPN violates the law and can result in severe punishments, including prison sentences. This is because VPNs can be used to bypass government censorship and access banned websites.

VPNs can also be used to commit crimes by hiding one's identity. As a result, it is important to research the laws in your country before using a VPN. Otherwise, you could find yourself facing serious consequences.

Price

It is tough to find a cheap or free VPN service; if it's free, there’s a question why is it free? There is a saying, „if something is free, you're the product” that’s why you should be doubly careful if you choose a free VPN. We recommend using VPN4Test. A trusted VPN provider since 2014 with a transparent policy and funding rules; however, besides the essential functions, you will not find any fancy features available in the costly versions of VPN.

But in general, you have to pay around 3 to 13 USD per month, so we have prepared a list of The top 10 cheapest VPNs available on the market.

Which VPN provider should you choose?

Choosing the best VPN provider is a difficult task. There are many different providers, each with other features and pricing structures. It can take time to figure out where to start. However, there are some things you can keep in mind that will help you make the best choice for your needs.

1. Consider what you need a VPN for. Are you looking for security, or do you want to access blocked content? Different providers specialize in different areas, so this is an important distinction.
2. Take a look at the pricing options. Some providers charge by the month, while others require a yearly subscription. Compare pricing plans to find the best deal for your needs. The best way to compare is by using a gimmehost.org, a search engine that helps you filter offers that fit you.
3. How many devices do you plan to use simultaneously? Some providers offer family-oriented offers, reducing the cost per user significantly. On the other hand, if you plan to use it alone, it is also worth choosing a plan in which you do not pay extra for functions you will not use.
4. Are you oriented on a specific location? Suppose you want to be visible on the Internet as located, specifically from the USA. In that case, you should find a VPN provider with servers in that country. Use our search engine to check which providers meet your requirements.
5. Let’s say you want to use a VPN with the macOS operating system on your laptop. Make sure the VPN provider has an application available for that operating system. NordVPN's app looks really beautiful.
6. Do you want to pay with a specific payment method? Bitcoin? No problemo! Here is the list of VPN providers that allows cryptocurrency payments.
7. Is access to the TOR network what you are looking for? Take a look here. These VPNs will fulfill your needs with the TOR feature.
8. Finally, check out user reviews to get an idea of what other people think of the various providers. By taking all of these factors into account, you can be sure to select the best VPN provider for your needs.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many reasons why any traveler should use a VPN. It increases your online safety, keeps you from being spied on by governments, saves money, and allows you to visit blocked places on the web.

There are many different VPN providers, and deciding which is right for you can be challenging. When selecting a VPN provider, it's essential to consider your needs and budget. You may not need to spend much money if you need a basic VPN service. However, if you need more advanced features, consider a premium service. It's also important to look at the pricing of different VPN providers. Some providers charge a monthly fee, while others charge a yearly fee. You'll need to decide which option is best for you based on your budget and needs. Ultimately, your best choice will depend on your specific needs and budget.