VPN and proxy always come in handy if you’re looking forward to adding an extra layer of privacy while browsing.
The internet is a digital jungle where privacy is always a concern. But these tools allow you to stay anonymous. Most countries restrict people from browsing digital content which they happen to find “sensitive”.
Governments send detailed instructions to your internet operator regarding the same. This makes it completely impossible for you to access those sites.
But VPN and proxy provide a back door through which you can continue to access them. Although they have certain similar features, they are totally different from one another. Let us see how.
Why Should You Have A Proxy?
Proxies are nothing but online servers that act as an intermediary while you browse content on the internet. They connect you with the servers of the website that you are accessing.
Imagine proxy as a middle man. You have to send a request and it would go and fetch the necessary information for you. While doing so, it would protect all your personal information from getting exposed.
There are two main reasons why Proxies are popular. They remove all the geographic barriers from your way. Most subscription plans do not allow you to continue once you cross the region that your plan specifies.
By using a proxy server, you can trick it into believing that you’re still in the region that you promised. The second reason why people use Proxies is to hide their device’s IP while accessing the internet.
This is because proxy handles all your internet traffic and doesn’t store information on your device.
What Does A VPN Do?
If you are reading this, you probably know that VPN expands to Virtual Private Network. To put it in simple words, the working of a VPN is not so different from a Proxy.
VPN hides your IP address from the websites that you browse in the same way that Proxies do. It also allows you to mask your geographic details.
So you can continue to access content that is specific to a region which you do not generally have access to.
The Reasons Why VPN and Proxy Are Different
If both of them serve the same purpose why do they have separate names for it? Let’s find out. Although VPN and Proxy seem to bring the same value to the table, their functionalities are poles apart.
A proxy helps to mask your internet traffic only for the applications that you use. While VPN can mask your entire operating system from the network and help you stay hidden.
While considering their security aspects, using a VPN is always advisable when compared to a proxy. Proxies can help you bypass geographic barriers and there’s no denying it.
But at the end of the day, your information is still getting stored in another server. This is still vulnerable to data theft. VPN will continue to be the best if you prefer complete data security.
Downsides Of Using A VPN
We saw how VPN serves much better than Proxy while considering data encryption. But there is a catch which almost all VPN users would’ve noticed.
Real-time data encryption is a complex task which would take up a major portion of your broadband speed. The location which you opt for might also be a factor that affects your speed.
But upgrading your free VPN to a premium version should solve most of these problems.
When compared to a proxy, a VPN service offers a ton of useful features. This includes DNS leak protection and providing server options from around the world.
Conclusion
If you were stumbling to choose between VPN and Proxy, this post should have helped you come to a decision.
Most proxy services are free but have limited features. If masked web browsing and removal of geo-restrictions are all you need, you can choose proxies.
But if you need a wide spectrum of features to go on top of anonymous browsing, opting for a VPN service is your best choice.