Some VPN services are better tailored to large organizations, whereas others are better suited for individual entrepreneurs or people with more personal data privacy needs. As there is no single solution that will satisfy all business needs at all levels, it is up to each user or organization to judge which VPN best fits their particular requirements.

In picking out the best VPN for a given user or company, there are several factors to consider that will lead to a more informed decision. Going over these factors should assist any decision-maker with selecting the VPN factors that matter most for them while weeding out the factors that are not as important. After carefully considering each factor, the decision-maker should end up with just a few strong candidates that can fulfill their VPN needs.

1. Location

People typically use VPNs to access content limited to a particular location or bypass restrictions that are placed on their actual, current location. VPNs offer geo-blocking features and the ability for the user to virtually appear in a different location around the world through virtual IP addresses provided by the VPN service.

The user needs to choose a VPN for Android that supports the location(s) that he or she wants to appear to be located at. Another important thing to note is the number of IP addresses and servers that operate at the user’s desired location(s).

2. Protocols

VPN services can use many different VPN protocols that allow a user to connect a secure tunnel to the user’s ISP. Not all protocols provide the same level of security, and some of them are already documented as previously compromised. Other protocols are open source and free-to-use, which allows IT and security professionals to inspect and patch these protocols as necessary. 

As these VPN protocols are open source, users can easily and freely check out how the VPN’s software works. VPNAlert site warns that if a user is searching for a very secure VPN, then it is probably best to steer clear of VPNs that support Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), as this protocol is fairly weak in terms of data privacy.

3. Platform-Specific Features

While some VPN services can reliably function on every available operating system or platform, others may not be so accommodating. Even when a VPN service works on multiple platforms, it is sometimes the case that certain platforms may only support a limited set of VPN services. 

When determining a good VPN to use, a user should consider the platforms and devices that the VPN supports, and also what features does the VPN offer for each of these supported platforms.

4. Expected Speeds

For VPNs to properly protect a user’s internet session, it has to run the connection through sophisticated encryption methods. These methods can slow down a user’s internet connection, which is often cited as one of the costs of using VPN services. To reduce this connection slowdown issue, the user should seek out the VPNs with the fastest servers. This vpnAlert review shows how two specific VPN services like NordVPN and Avast VPN differ in terms of server quantities, speed and other factors. 

Many other reviews will compare the relative speeds of VPN providers, but each reviewer’s speed connection experience will be different from the user who is searching for the best VPN for their needs. Speed connections are impacted by the user’s physical location and the location of the server that the connection is running through. The best course then is for each user to try out the VPNs, either through a free trial or through a money-back guarantee promotion.

5. Price & Payment Considerations

VPN packages can vary wildly in terms of costs. More than a few VPN services will price themselves out of a user’s serious consideration. Selecting a half-year or full-year VPN subscription can reduce the total price for its services down by as much as 70% for some VPNs. 

If the user does not desire a long-term commitment with any given VPN service, then it may be best to search for attractive monthly options or the VPN service with the best refund policy. Many VPNs allow a user to use their product for around 7–30 days and still get their full refund back if the user requests it. Free trial opportunities should also be considered.

As for payment options, VPNs can differ in terms of their accepted payment methods. Each user should ensure that the VPN service they are strongly considering will accept a payment method that is compatible with existing ways of paying for services. There is little point in researching VPN services that the user has no definite way of paying. 

Conclusion

Location, VPN protocols, available platform-specific features, expected speeds, price and payment considerations are all great indicators of whether a given VPN will satisfy the requirements of any inquiring user. 

Checking into each of these factors for all of the VPNs on a user’s shortlist may be time-consuming, but it will assuredly be time well spent. Those who are deciding on the best VPN should look into these and other factors before making a final selection to safeguard their data and online sessions.