Free VPN vs. Paid VPN
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 3:39 am
Running a VPN obviously requires a lot of resources. Solid servers, efficient data exchange systems monitored 24/7, infrastructure… and therefore employees to manage all of that. If you go with a free VPN provider, keep in mind that they probably do without many of the elements we mentioned above. In addition, you should ask yourself the following question: if my VPN provider is free… how do they make money to run their business? It's a safe bet that the answer lies in the use and/or resale of your connection data to advertisers, or any other third parties likely to be interested in this data. Paying for a VPN does not represent a huge investment, in fact we strongly encourage you to avoid free solutions, which are not truly anonymous due to the use of your connection data.
Pay attention to the “kill switch”
This is one of the very first things to check when you want to buy a VPN. The "Kill switch" is a key feature of any self-respecting VPN. Its goal is simple: instantly deactivate your internet connection if the encryption of your data via your VPN were to fail, and not reactivate it until all services are working. If this feature does not exist with your VPN provider, you might as well consider that your connection is absolutely not secure. The three VPNs that we recommended at the beginning of the article obviously have a kill switch function.
Protect yourself from “IP leaks”
An IP leak happens when your VPN fails to hide your IP address from the service you are accessing. Let's take a concrete example: If you use a VPN to access a service that you are not supposed to have access to dominican republic whatsapp list from your location, if said service still blocks your access despite using a VPN... it is very likely that this service was able to detect your IP address. Before choosing a VPN provider, find out about the issue of IP leaks: has the service you have chosen suffered this type of flaw? Is this flaw corrected? These are all good questions that will help you make your choice.
It is important to note that VPNs are not the only ones responsible for IP leaks. A leak can originate from an app, a misconfigured computer, sometimes even your browser and its plug-ins… If you want total protection, it may be wise to conduct an audit on all your equipment to ensure that you are well protected against an IP leak.
What about smartphones?
This is also an important question to ask yourself when choosing a VPN provider. Today, the vast majority of web traffic goes through smartphones. While most good VPNs offer solutions that are just as effective on computers as on smartphones, particularly through dedicated applications, it is still worth checking that your VPN protects you just as well on smartphones as on computers.
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Complete VPN comparison
The VPN offer is plentiful, you will find below a non-exhaustive list of the different solutions best known for protecting web browsing:
Pay attention to the “kill switch”
This is one of the very first things to check when you want to buy a VPN. The "Kill switch" is a key feature of any self-respecting VPN. Its goal is simple: instantly deactivate your internet connection if the encryption of your data via your VPN were to fail, and not reactivate it until all services are working. If this feature does not exist with your VPN provider, you might as well consider that your connection is absolutely not secure. The three VPNs that we recommended at the beginning of the article obviously have a kill switch function.
Protect yourself from “IP leaks”
An IP leak happens when your VPN fails to hide your IP address from the service you are accessing. Let's take a concrete example: If you use a VPN to access a service that you are not supposed to have access to dominican republic whatsapp list from your location, if said service still blocks your access despite using a VPN... it is very likely that this service was able to detect your IP address. Before choosing a VPN provider, find out about the issue of IP leaks: has the service you have chosen suffered this type of flaw? Is this flaw corrected? These are all good questions that will help you make your choice.
It is important to note that VPNs are not the only ones responsible for IP leaks. A leak can originate from an app, a misconfigured computer, sometimes even your browser and its plug-ins… If you want total protection, it may be wise to conduct an audit on all your equipment to ensure that you are well protected against an IP leak.
What about smartphones?
This is also an important question to ask yourself when choosing a VPN provider. Today, the vast majority of web traffic goes through smartphones. While most good VPNs offer solutions that are just as effective on computers as on smartphones, particularly through dedicated applications, it is still worth checking that your VPN protects you just as well on smartphones as on computers.
La Fabrique du Net recommends you
logo brevo
The benchmark marketing solution for VSEs/SMEs
I try for free
element
Cat
element
CRM
element
SMS
element
element
Cat
element
CRM
element
SMS
element
CRM
element
Complete VPN comparison
The VPN offer is plentiful, you will find below a non-exhaustive list of the different solutions best known for protecting web browsing: