Whether you are hoping to increase online security, browse the internet anonymously, or bypass censorship and content restrictions, you will need a good quality VPN service. The market currently counts over a thousand VPN service providers.
As great as it is to have multiple options available, such a high number of services makes it far more difficult to settle for one option. If you need help choosing the right VPN provider, here are a few tips that will keep you on the right track.
Know the Difference Between a Paid and Free VPN
Before we dive into all the factors you need to consider before choosing a VPN for your mobile phone, we must make it clear that there is a considerable distinction between free and paid VPN services. There are tons of free VPN options you can choose and, as much as we all like free things, nothing comes without a price.
Even though you might not have to pay for the free VPN services, you will be making up for them with your data, since free VPN providers tend to collect your personal information and sell it for advertising purposes. The best-paid VPNs, on the other hand, don’t keep any logs, which means that your data remains protected at all times.
Besides, paid VPN services offer a lot more benefits, as well as higher quality features, including connection speed and better server locations. In other words, if you are planning to use a VPN on a regular basis, it is highly recommended to opt for a reliable paid version rather than trust the free ones.
Things to Look For in a VPN Service
Now that we got the free VPN vs. paid VPN discussion out of the way let’s take a look at the top five things to look for when searching for the right VPN service for your Android phone.
#1 Reputation
First and foremost, only trust providers that have a good reputation in the industry. Look for reliable reviews and testimonials to check what other users had to say about the service. After all, it’s always good to know what you’re paying for. We also recommend looking at the company’s social media pages to check whether they have established a good online presence. Companies with a strong focus on social media tend to be more trustworthy than those that neglect this kind of exposure.
#2 Customer Service
Even if you have tons of experience with VPNs, you might get in a situation where you will need some help from a professional, preferably from the inside of the company. For this reason, make sure to check whether the VPN service you’re interested in offers active customer support. Live chat customer support is always a better choice than email support.
#3 Protocols
Looking at the technical side of things is another mandatory step in the process of finding the right VPN provider. Before you pay for the service, check what protocols the company supports, as this is important for both speed and security. Avoid PPTP, as it is a dated and weak protocol. If you are looking for stronger encryption, L2TP/IPsec is a good choice.
#4 Servers
Even though they say that quality is more important than quantity, when it comes to VPNs, both factors play a significant role. For best results, look for virtual private network services that offer a large number of servers in different locations. The more servers they have, the easier it will be for you to bypass geo-restrictions and browse anonymously.
#5 Concurrent Connections
Last but not least, check whether the service offers concurrent connections. Even if you’re not planning to share the service with anyone, you never know when a colleague or a family member wants to borrow access to your VPN. The more concurrent connections the company provides, the more devices you will be able to connect at the same time.
Choose Best VPN for Your Mobile Phone
The market is flooded with hundreds of free and paid VPN providers competing to gain your attention. If you don’t make a checklist when scanning through the options, you will most likely end up choosing an average or even low-quality service. To make sure you know what you’re looking for, remember the factors we discussed above or make a list that you can go through the next time you start searching for a VPN service provider.
