Is VPN that important nowadays? - Pt. 2

This is the second part of our journey into the VPN world and why it is important to have one! In this article we will describe how VPN encrypts data with protocols and bring you the list of the best VPNs up-to-date!

What are the VPN types?

There are two main types:

1. Remote access. It allows you to connect to the corporate network via a private encrypted tunnel. This is useful when working with an unreliable access point like public Wi-Fi;
2. "Host-to-Host". It is mainly used in a corporate environment, in particular, when the company has several offices with different locations. It connects the main office with the branches: this creates a closed internal network where all offices are connected to each other.

VPN encrypts data using protocols:

1. OpenVPN is optimal in terms of a set of characteristics (speed, level of protection and reliability). It is used as the main one by most VPN services. Its advantage is an open source. This allows third-party developers to study it and look for vulnerabilities. If it is found, the owner company is quickly notified of the need to eliminate it;
2. L2TP / IPSec is the main alternative to OpenVPN. However, its reputation is much lower. Recent leaks suggest that the US National Security Agency (NSA) has encryption keys to it;
3. IKEv2 - Suitable for smartphones. The main feature is the ability to automatically reconnect to the network when the connection is broken (for example, in a metro tunnel). Its other advantage is its high data transfer rate. Among the disadvantages are the limited number of compatible operating systems and the complexity of installation;
4. SSTP is an ideal protocol for working with a Windows computer, officially supported by Microsoft and is its own development. Easy to set up, fast to work. Disadvantage is the complexity of installation on other operating systems;
5. PPTP is a popular and at the same time the most unreliable protocol. It has a high connection speed and an extremely low level of protection. The US NSA has been proven to have the encryption keys for this protocol.

Okay, now let's get down to the most interesting part - Which VPN to use?

We will give you our TOP 3 VPNs to use in 2021.

NordVPN - this is the best VPN service of the year 2021. It provides high speed, exceptional versatility and hardshell commitment to privacy which makes it a fantastic choice for everyone. It has its own Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS and Linux apps. It has more than 5,400 servers in more than 60 coutries so far.

NordVPN allows to connect up to six devices at the same time on one account. This is a great opportunity if you want to share it with your family or roommates.

Let's talk about the pricing.

NordVPN’s two-year plan costs $3.30 per month, the one-year plan rises to $4.92 per month, and the 1-month long plan costs $11.95 per month. It is also should be mentioned that NordVPN allows you to get your money back in 30 days so you can try service risk-free and cancel if you are not entirely happy.

Surfshark - second popular VPN worldvide. It keeps you private and secure, saves no logs and offers plenty of security extras. It allows you to unblock a wide variety of region-locked streaming services and also works really good in China. There is no connection limit which is a huge bonus these days.

In contrast with NordVPN, Surfshark allows you to connect unlimited number of devices, also it works on the following devices, operating systems, and platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome, Firefox (as an extension), FireTV, Apple TV, other smart TVs, Xbox, and Playstation.

Surfshark is the fastest VPN we've tested so far. The speed connection has tripled in 2021 so if you have up to 300 mbps, that should fully work on your side, depending which server location you're using. The amount of servers Surfshark gives is above 3,300 covering over 65 countries in total.

Let's talk about the pricing.

Here’s a breakdown of Surfshark’s pricing:

1. One month for $12.95 per month
2. Six months for $6.49 per month
3. One year plus 12 months extra free for an average of $2.49 per month. The one-year option offers great value for money with savings of 81 percent.

• ExpressVPN - this is the third worldwide-popular VPN with a great possibilities. It has slightly better connection speed over previous two services by 15% but costs a little higher, works with most streaming sites from abroad, including US Netflix.

Here are the average speeds for servers in each region:

• North America (nearest): 136 Mbps
• Asia: 136 Mbps
• Europe: 134 Mbps

We strongly recommend using the Lightway protocol if you want to maximize speed. It’s available on all devices that support ExpressVPN apps, including routers. OpenVPN is also available on all ExpressVPN connections, with the option to connect over UDP (faster) or TCP (more stable). IKEv2 and L2TP/IPSec are also available, though these have limited locations, features, and network compatibility.

It has over 3,000 VPN servers covering 94 coutries including the USA, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and Israel.

ExpressVPN is a bit pricier than most.

Here’s what ExpressVPN costs:

• The 1-month plan costs $12.95
• The 6-month plan is $9.99 per month
• The 12-month plan is $6.67

It is also guaranteed to receive money in a 30-day trial period.