By: Hailey | Last updated August 15, 2020 
There is an on-going debate about whether to pick a free or a paid VPN. After all, using paid Virtual Private Networks for a long time may cost a lot of money in the long run. In contrast, using free VPNs may cause some features not to be available.
Free VPNs
Free VPNs like Windscribe and Tunnelbear are all capable of making you anonymous while online. To use it, you simply have to select a server from their end which will be shown as your location of access. Once connected, every website you will connect to will see your country as the server you’re connected in. This makes it easier for you to be anonymous while online. Aside from this, your connection also encrypted to make sure that hackers cannot take access to the data even if the security will be breached.
With Free VPNs, this basic function may sometimes be the only thing that is included in the service. Aside from this, some may also choose to feature dozens of advertisements within the service. Worse, some may even choose to sell the data that they collect from you online activities to the advertiser which means that using their service put you in more danger. Take note that this is not true for all free VPNs, though.
Some of the paid VPNs may already be familiar to you. This is because their advertisements are spread all around the internet. Some of this includes NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhostVPN. They have a better interface, a shinier application, and more features on their side.
Because they are paid, there is more expectation for their services. Paid VPN servers are better than free ones because they have more space and have more server reliability.
VPNs also slow down the internet of its users because it requires the data to be encrypted, jump to their server, and then be sent to the website of your choice. Paid VPNs are expected to lessen the reduction in speed.
They also offer more features. Some of this includes browser integration, antivirus and antimalware, killswitch (instantly terminates your connection to the internet once security is breached), mobile apps, and router support.
Paid VPNs are also good at being effective through geo-filters and restrictions. For example, they are expected to be able to pass through Netflix’s filters for specific countries. This is because the streaming service has specific content licenses for their shows. Being capable of bypassing their restrictions is mostly expected from paid VPNs.
Should you pay for a VPN or use a free VPN?
In the end, the way a user uses the internet will determine the VPN you must use. Free VPNs are best for those that simply want protection on the internet without much on the side. Advertisements and full servers should also be expected. It is also better if you will only be using it for specific activities and times as internet speed is expected to be slowed down whenever using this.
Paid VPNs are best for those who will use the service for a long time. It is also good for those looking for more features. It is also better at connecting to the internet with higher speeds and with better servers.
