Pros and Cons of Using a VPN for Personal Use

Here are some pros and cons of using a VPN for personal use.

What are VPNs?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a secure connection method between your device and the internet.

Outsiders like hackers have many methods to steal your data, such as private messages, passwords, financial information, and more. But with a VPN, your online activity goes through an encrypted tunnel. Thus, by using a VPN, you can keep your online activity private and safe, and ensure that hackers can’t steal your data.

Websites determine where they are accessed from based on the location of the IP address, and show content based on that determination. This includes language, pricing, and so on. For example, an IP address from access via an internet provider in the US is on the left, and IP address from access via a VPN server in Brazil is on the right.

Using a VPN changes your IP address. Thus, using a VPN allows you to access content as if you were in a different country.

Changing your IP address with a VPN also helps shield your identity from outsiders.

あわせて読みたい

What is a VPN and Why do I Need it? A VPN, also known as a Virtual Private Network, serves as a fortified bridge between your device and the vast world of the internet. It is not just a connect...

Pros of Using a VPN for Individuals

Let’s look at some pros of using a VPN for individuals. Here are five advantages of using a VPN for personal use.

Protect Your Online Activity from Outsiders While Using Free Public Wi-Fi

Using free public wi-fi is very useful for internet browsing or shopping. But there are some problems in terms of privacy and security, such as theft of passwords, financial information, and more. 

By using a VPN, your online activity goes through an encrypted tunnel. This can keep your online activity private and ensure safety.

ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and SurfsharkVPN, our recommended VPN services, keep no activity or connection logs. They do not log traffic data, or anything that could be used to identify you. If you use one of these services, you can maintain high security such that it is difficult to identify you, even for the police.

Use internet Services as if You were still in Your Home Country While Traveling

Sometimes you can’t access internet services available in your home country while traveling. Content on variouse websites is different country by country because of copyright issues and more.

But by using a VPN, you can get access to your favorite content as if you were still in your home country. Furthermore, even if you are in China, where Google, Facebook, and Line are subject to strict censorship, you can access these sites without restriction.

Unblock Websites Which are not Available in Your Country

Similar but opposite to the above, by using a VPN you can get access to content which is not available in your country, such as YouTube, HBO Max, Paramount+, BBC iPlayer (which is restricted to UK residents only), and more.

あわせて読みたい

Unblock the Web with a VPN You may have noticed that some website content is not accessible in your country or when you're abroad. By using a VPN, you can gain access to these websites...

Find Better Deals on Online Purchases

Some online stores, like websites for flight tickets and hotel reservations, are priced differently country by country. This is done to maximize profit by setting prices for each county based on their economic situation. For this reason, prices are high in developed countries and low in developing countries.

By using a VPN, you can make purchases online for a lower price and save money because the website will treat you as if you are accessing it via a developing country.

Get Subscriptions for a Lower Price (YouTube Premium, Netflix, Spotify, etc)

Subscription services that are provided around the world, such as YouTube Premium and Netflix, are priced differently country by country. This is done to maximize profits by setting prices for each country based on the economic conditions there. For this reason, prices are high in developed countries and low in developing countries.

By using a VPN, you can also get subscriptions for a lower price, so we recommend VPNs for people who want to subscribe to these services as cheaply as possible.

あわせて読みたい

Save Money with a VPN – Seven of the Best Subscription Services Subscription services that can become more affordable when using a VPN include YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify. ▼Cheaper Subscription Services with a VPN▼ YouT...

Cons of Using a VPN

Here are two disadvantages of using a VPN for personal use.

Need to Pay a VPN Subscription Fee

There are free VPNs. But we recommend paid services in terms of privacy and security because we don’t know how free VPNs manage our log traffic data. It is also said that free VPNs are more likely to track our data. Finally, unlike paid services, free VPNs don’t have support services to help you 24/7.

Using paid services costs, around  $2.50 – $7.00/month.

VPN service	Monthly price
ExpressVPN	$6.67
NordVPN	$3.99
SurfsharkVPN	$2.39
CyberGhostVPN	$2.11

※.Please check the website of the service you are interested in for the latest prices. This will allow you to see the price for 1 month, 12 month, and 24 month plans, depending on what the various services offer.

Slower Connection

Encrypting and routing your traffic through remote servers has the possibility of slowing down your internet connection. This may cause trouble during web meetings and watching videos.

However, if you use a major paid service, like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, you rarely notice the difference. Based on my trails with these services, I have had no trouble during web meetings and watching videos.

Here is a comparison of the internet test speed tests of ExpressVPN and NordVPN. (The internet speed without VPN connection is 61 Mbps.)

ExpressVPN	Japan: 57Mbps Korea: 53Mbps Hong Kong: 38Mbps United States: 27Mbps India: 21Mbps Turkey: 18Mbps Australia: 20Mbps
NordVPN	Japan: 52Mbps Korea: 19Mbps Hong Kong: 30Mbps United States: 22Mbps India: 21Mbps Turkey: 14Mbps Australia: 23Mbps

As you can see, the internet speed does drop a little bit, but not enough to cause trouble while participating in web meetings or watching videos.

あわせて読みたい

The Six Causes of Slow VPN Connections and How to Fix Them. Here are the six common causes of slow VPN connections and effective tips to improve your VPN speed.  No. Six reasons  Tips to improve your VP...

Why do People Use VPNs? (The results of a survey of 515 people who’ve used VPNs)

Here are the results of a survey of people who’ve used VPNs. The top seven of reasons are listed.

To increase overall online privacy	47%
To increase privacy while surfing the internet	43%
To increase protection when using public Wi-Fi networks （A）	40%
To send secure online communications	32%
To overcome geo-blocking restrictions （B）	31%
To hide internet activity from internet service provider	22%
To avoid location-based price targeting（C）	18%

You can see that (A), (B), and (C) are related to the five advantages discussed above.

1. Protect your online activity from outsiders while using free public Wi-Fi 　⇒ （A）
2. Use internet services as if you we still in your home country while traveling ⇒ （B）
3. Unblock website which are not available in your country ⇒ （B）
4. Find better deals on online purchases ⇒ （C）
5. Get subscriptions for a lower price (YouTube Premium, Netflix, Spotify, etc) ⇒ （C）

People Who We Recommend Use a VPN for Personal Use

We recommend that the following types of people use a VPN.

People Who Use Free Wi-Fi Frequently

As explained above, there are some problems with the use of free public wi-fi in terms of privacy and security, such as stolen passwords, financial information, and more. 

When I use free public wi-fi while I work outside in cafes and restaurants, I always use a VPN to protect my data.

あわせて読みたい

How to Use Free Public Wi-Fi Safely There are four secure methods to use public Wi-Fi safely: using a VPN, install antivirus software, avoid inputting personal or payment information, and ...

People Who Go Overseas Frequently or Stay Overseas Long-term

As explained above, sometimes you can’t access the internet services of your home country from overseas. Thus, we recommend VPNs for people go overseas frequently and stay overseas long-term.

I used to live in China. VPNs were very helpful to allow me to see websites in my home country because I couldn’t understand Chinese.

People Who Want to Unblock Restricted Websites

We recommend VPNs for people who want to watch movies that have not been released in their country.

For example, if you aren’t able to watch Harry Potter on Netflix or Japanese anime on Crunchyroll because of location restrictions, we recommend that you use a VPN.

あわせて読みたい

Unblock the Web with a VPN You may have noticed that some website content is not accessible in your country or when you're abroad. By using a VPN, you can gain access to these websites...

People Who Want to Get Subscriptions for a Lower Price

Subscription services that are provided around the world, such as YouTube Premium and Netflix, are priced differently country by country. This is done to maximize profits by setting prices for each country based on the economic conditions there. For this reason, prices are high in developed countries and low in developing countries.

By using a VPN, you can also get subscriptions for a lower price, so we recommend VPNs for people who want to subscribe to these services as cheaply as possible.

あわせて読みたい

Save Money with a VPN – Seven of the Best Subscription Services Subscription services that can become more affordable when using a VPN include YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify. ▼Cheaper Subscription Services with a VPN▼ YouT...

The Best VPN Services for Personal Use

Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.

Conclusion