Pros and cons of VPNs


VPNs have a lot to offer, but they're not perfect. We have prepared a list to help you better understand the advantages and disadvantages of a VPN:

Pros

- You can overcome geographical blockages on any website with ip locations org.
- As long as you have the right VPN, you can watch your favorite shows and read your favorite forums without any geographic restrictions. Geoblocked sites will think you're connecting from your VPN server region while you're relaxing at home, thousands of miles away.
- You can safely access your home or business network.
- The main advantage of a strong VPN is encryption, which provides an additional layer of security. Whether you're on the road or at home, using a VPN allows you to access your remote desktop and home network with minimal risk.
- You can use public wi-fi points in a secure manner.
- We've already mentioned the risks of using public wi-fi without protection; with a VPN you won't have to worry about someone getting your credentials when you drink your morning coffee or catch up on work at your favorite coffee shop.
- You can stand up to censorship.
- It doesn't matter if your university blocks Facebook or your government blocks all Western media; the principle of censorship is the same, and VPNs are a reliable solution to combat it. If you want to express your opinion without fear of legal repercussions, with a VPN you can do so with privacy.
- You can limit your ISP's control over your traffic and the speed of your connection.
- By using a VPN, you can prevent your Internet service provider from knowing what you are doing; however, your browsing activity or what you download is not the concern of your ISP or anyone else. You can also avoid throttling (intentional slowdown) of your bandwidth and enjoy your Internet connection at full speed, as it should
- Your correspondence will be private.
- If you want to make sure your messages and emails only reach those you have written to, using a VPN is a good idea. Your important information will be private and snoops won't be able to get their noses into it.
- You can protect yourself from DDoS attacks.
- If you are a hardcore gamer, you will know that DDoS attacks are primitive but effective, and they can ruin your fun in an instant, especially if you play competitive multiplayer games where there are many people who don't know. Using a VPN, you can quickly change servers and get a new IP address, avoiding any malicious attacks intended for you.

Cons

- Your connection speed will be somewhat affected.
- A VPN redirects your Internet connection through its own servers, which slows down your connection. However, if you choose a service that has an optimized network and fast servers (such as ExpressVPN), you'll hardly notice any difference. Also, remember that the faster your connection is, the less it will be affected by this.
- Your VPN provider has access to your Internet activity.
- There's really no way to be sure that a VPN provider will ever look at your records.
- In some cases, the provider may be forced to release user information due to data retention laws; in other cases, the service may request that you enable information logging on your client to help you with a problem you may be having.
- For that reason, it is important to know in which jurisdiction your VPN service operates and what users say about your privacy claims. The most transparent VPN providers have a very detailed privacy policy that explains the technical measures in place to ensure that you know as little as possible about yourself and your online activity.

There are also some subjective disadvantages that should not be considered cons, but should be mentioned:

You may come across sites that block VPNs.
Nowadays, many geoblocks pay a lot of attention to unblocking software. These sites have strict detection mechanisms in place that block access to users who are using a VPN service - if they discover they are using one, of course. It's a game of cat and mouse, although fortunately there is always a solution. For more information on this topic, you can read our guide on how to overcome VPN blockages with ease.