A good VPN service puts the world at your fingertips. Finding the right solution is an involved process that will give you professional cloud-style remote file access. But what are the major pros and cons of going with your favorite VPN provider? Not all providers are created equal, so this list can help narrow down things to look for, and things to avoid.

Pros

Safety, privacy and access to location blocked websites are the pros of a VPN service. Even if you don’t travel, there are certain websites that become impossible to access without a passthrough. Protection for your identity and computer is expected, and enforced when browsing with a VPN service. As a package, a VPN services pairs well with an antivirus suite.

1. Safety

When you use a VPN to access a website, it doesn’t disable normal network security. This means your passwords, identity and other data remain safe while browsing the web. You’ll still get prompts about dangerous websites, and site certification checks will still be performed in the background. A VPN does not sell your data to third party companies, and some feature built in checks to prevent your session information from being saved.

2. Website Access

Hotels, schools and other institutions block access to some websites. This block sometimes comes in the form of a blanket ban that gets rid of websites the company actually wants. To get around this without compromising the integrity of the security, a VPN can be used. It only affects the devices you want to use it on, and leaves everything else untouched.

Cons

Every company has its own prices, and some of those prices are directly tied to tiers of service. Getting the right feature for an amount you agree with may take a lot of research. This is more of an issue with companies that want bulk licenses rather than consumer households. And even if the VPN is top notch, speed may be a concern based on the website accessed, and the location.

1. Speed

Sometimes a websites security will go a little bit ‘extra’ against a user that is on a VPN. This is a good thing since it protects your data, but is a bad thing if you’re primarily using the VPN service for streaming media. On well known free and paid streaming sites, this is not a big issue, and the stream will often optimize itself for the current speed. But on a smaller streaming website you may run into buffering issues if the video is run in full HD.

2. Price

Companies that want a bulk license to VPN services have a ton of great deals at their disposal. Some of these deals don’t come with trials, and are loaded with a long contract that has a no optout clause. To avoid getting locked in with a VPN that you’re unfamiliar with, trials are a great option. If the VPN doesn’t offer a trial, companies can see if they offer home services to consumers. A few workers trialing the home version is better than going in blind with a full contract VPN.  

Wrap Up

To take full advantage of your VPN membership, it is important to know all of the benefits. The disadvantages are minimal when you sign up with a well-regarded provider. Once you find a great VPN service, your internet usage will be private, protected and lightning fast.