How to choose the best VPN service for your need

There is a huge gap between the number of people who know what VPN is and want it, and the number of people who actually get to install it; one of the main reasons for this gap is that choosing the right type of virtual private network can be quite confusing, especially for someone who doesn’t work in tech. If you are in this situation, we at Anta.Net can help you with accurate and in-depth up-to-date VPN reviews and general advice on how to choose the best VPN service. Find out what parameters define virtual private network and, most importantly, what option is right for your needs. Whether you want to watch your favorite TV show or just connect to your local café Wi-Fi without risking a security attack, we have you covered with up-to-date tips and advice.

Why VPN is more important than ever

Investing in VPN is important because it can secure your browsing data, so that your Internet activity remains private. Basically, it encrypts the data and it cannot be accessed by another party. But not all VPN are created equal and choosing the wrong one doesn’t cost you just money, but also your security and freedom. Every feature corresponds to a certain type of user. You will need one thing if you want to access local web content while on holiday and another thing if you are a journalist activating in a war-torn country.

On this page, you will learn about the main parameters of a good VPN and the features you should look for depending on certain needs such as torrenting, watching TV, fast connection and so on. Anta.NET will also give you some insight about logging policies and explain the need for double VPN. The main features of most popular VPN providers you will find in the comparison table:

Which VPN is right for me?

There are many types of Internet users and therefore many reasons why someone might want to install a VPN:

• To access location-restricted content everywhere in the world. For example, if you are on a vacation in Eastern Europe, you can use VPN to watch your favorite TV show even if it is not available in that area.
• To download files with a torrent client
• To access files from your home/work network remotely
• To avoid eavesdroppers and enjoy privacy and security on the web.

Whether you chose or more of the reasons above, Anta tips can help you choose the right virtual private network. Here are some factors to keep in mind.

Features & Parameters

1. Protocols

   When choosing a VPN, your provider might offer you several options in terms of protocols, such as:

   • OpenVPN – this is the newest and most modern security protocol, recommended for those who want to enjoy the highest level of security without compromising on configurability, by the way - it is represented in the table above. It’s the only downside is that you will need to install a 3rd party application to set it up, but that is not complicated at all.
   • L2TP/IPsec – this protocol is easy to configure, but has no encryption and some say it is not as secure as advertised. Also, it is considerably slower than OpenVPN.
   • SSTP – this protocol is made by Microsoft and therefore caters to Windows users only. It is widely considered as the second-best option after OpenVPN.
   • PPTP – this VPN protocol has been around since Windows 95, but it is the most outdated and vulnerable protocol. Don’t let the ease of installation fool you, because PPTP is extremely vulnerable to attacks.
2. Servers

   A modern, best-of-breed VPN should have servers in all regions of the world. This way, you can access the content you want, no matter where you are. However, make sure you ask about the location of the servers as well, because that could influence your security and freedom. For example, if you’re an American travelling to an Asian country and need access to a US-only streaming service, then the VPN servers should be located in the United States. If you’re using a VPN to avoid censorship by your Government, then it would be wise to choose a VPN whose servers are not located in countries with a similar regime. Read Anta.Net reviews here to find out what VPNs have the most secure servers.

3. Connections

   Even though establishing one secure connection at a time might seem enough, it’s best to go for a VPN that allows two or more simultaneous connection, because at one point you could be sharing the VPN with a family member or maybe you would like to connect to the VPN from another device too.

4. Bandwidth

   VPN bandwidth restrictions may have been common about a decade ago, but now, in the age of video streaming, they’re simply not acceptable – unless of course, you will only be using the VPN occasionally and to transfer small volumes of data. Ideally, choose a VPN with unlimited bandwidth or one with a couple of TB limit.

5. Logging

   Logs save a record of user activity and it’s not difficult to understand that they’re not too desirable in a service whose main selling point is security and anonymity. So, if possible, choose a VPN that doesn’t log user activity or one that logs your data only for a limited time. Look for “zero logging” or “no logging” parameter in the chart (like there is in NordVPN or PureVPN).

6. Payment method

   If you don’t want your VPN purchase to be traced back to your personal name/credit card, choose a VPN provider that lets you pay with cryptocurrency. Compare payment methods in the table above.

7. Kill switch

   A kill switch is a safety measure that allows the VPN provider to shut down the connection in case it somehow malfunctions. That way, instead of sending you to the unsecured Internet and exposing you, the connection will simply close and you will stay safe. ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Hide.me are just three examples of VPN providers that offer the skill switch feature.

VPN for torrenting

Although torrent clients are not illegal per se, using them to download files such as copyrighted music and movies is illegal in some regions. Nowadays, torrenting without a VPN can be quite risky and could make you liable in some copyright infringement cases. To prevent other parties from seeing your IP and continue using your torrent client anonymously, invest in a VPN that ticks these boxes:

• Extremely secure end-to-end encryption (preferably OpenVPN)
• Unlimited bandwidth limit
• Kill switch
• No logging policy
• Servers in as many countries as possible
• High download speed

Ideally, start with a VPN that offers a free trial (such as Hide.me and CyberGhost) so you can check that it works exactly the way you want it to.

VPN for fast connections

The link between Internet speed and VPN is often misunderstood, because many people assume that all ISP throttle their users’ browsing speed to make them pay for the larger subscription. From this point of view, a VPN will unlock your computer’s full browsing speed, but it will not make it faster than what you signed up for. In some cases, the VPN can actually slow down your connection. Check the following if you want to have the fastest connection possible:

• Don’t get a VPN that is completely free of charge. Free services have the most users, so VPN servers will be overpopulated and you won’t get enough bandwidth, slowing down your connection.
• You’re too far from the server’s physical location. If you’re located in the United States and the physical server you’re connecting to is somewhere in Asia, you could experience slow speeds, so get a VPN that has servers in multiple locations that are relatively close to you.
• Your computer is outdated. Although this doesn’t happen very often, your PC requirements could be too low for the VPN’s encryption, so it will eat up too much of your CPU.

VPN for watching TV

We live in the golden age of television and, with so many cable networks and streaming services limiting viewers’ access based on their location, a good VPN comes in handy. For unlimited access to your favorite TV shows, choose a VPN that has a server in one of the locations allowed by the provider. Here is just some example of popular streaming platforms that restrict content based on geo location:

• Hulu is available in the US, US territories and Japan
• Netflix is being rolled out in many regions of the world, but the program quality and diversity differ depending on the location, so for Netflix you should get a VPN with servers located in as many countries as possible.
• BBC iPlayer is exclusive to UK residents with a TV license. But you can still get access to BBC iPlayer if you use ExpressVPN or IPVanish.

What is double VPN?

Internet users who just want to stream videos and access location-restricted content will be completely satisfied by a regular VPN, which conceals their activity through one single server. However, in some cases, you might want more than that. For example, politicians, bloggers or journalists activating in countries with extremely strict censorship and limited freedom of expression. For them, double VPN adds even more security, because the browsing data is hidden behind not one, but two servers. The connection is encrypted and then encrypted for a second time, creating an additional layer of security.

Do you need logging?

Although the “no logging” policy is one of the most sought-after things in a VPN provider, the matter of logging is quite unclear because most companies actually keep browsing logs and connection logs. In the worst of cases, they do that because they are forced by national agencies, but logging isn’t always bad because it’s being used to:

• Restrict the number of devices using the VPN. Automatically, this means that a VPN provider with a device limit does log your activity.
• Limit the bandwidth
• Optimize overall VPN performance

To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should read very carefully into your provider’s logging policy and find out exactly if and how they store your logs. Logging itself is a grey area and you’ll often find that it is mentioned in ambiguous terms. They could advertise their no logging policy clearly on their website but when you go deeper in the terms and conditions you’ll read that they do keep browsing data. In general, a pure no logging policy is very hard to implement so most providers do keep some sort of log. That doesn’t mean it is harmful or dangerous, but you have to find out exactly what and for how long it is being stored and why. Don’t be afraid to contact the seller and ask meticulous questions, because your security and privacy may depend on it!