Frequently Asked Questions

A VPN (which stands for Virtual Private Network) can be many different things depending on how you use the internet but at it basic level, a VPN is an extra layer of protection for you when you use the internet, including through a browser, apps and more.

It is great at stopping people, governments, scammers, ISP’s, thieves, bots and more from seeing what you do on the internet and perhaps most importantly, they help stop all of the above from accessing your personal information.

For a more thorough answer, please read our What is a VPN guide here.

Using a VPN service encrypts your online activity and changes your IP address so it makes it very difficult for your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to track your usage of the internet although they will more than likely still be able to see that you have connected to the net and that you have used a VPN.

Read our Stop ISP Tracking guide here

The simple answer is yes! VPN’s are an ever increasingly important part of staying safe on the internet but for a full answer check out our Why do I need a VPN guide here.

There are a number of stand out VPN’s that can be deemed to be the most trusted with ExpressVPN, SurfShark and NordVPN consistently viewed as the most popular and most secure, which makes them trusted by millions of users.

For our full thoughts on the best VPN’s, check out our top 10 ranked VPN’s here.

Whilst the positives of using a VPN far outweigh the negatives, there are a few small common disadvantages of using VPN services including a slower connection, services blocking VPNS (such as iPlayer and Netflix) and connection breaks while other problems such as loggings and illegal use of services can be avoided by using a good quality VPN service.

Whilst we have covered some disadvantages to using a VPN, the main reason why you shouldn’t use a VPN is if you are using or looking to use a free VPN service as you need to trust any service that you use and by giving away their product for free, they have to make their money somehow and that is normally by selling on your information/date/internet usage logs.

Using a VPN, or at least a trusted and professional one, will stop your ISP from seeing the contents of your internet usage. Whilst they can still see that you have accessed the internet and also that data has been used, a VPN encrypts the information your upload and download form the web so your usage of the internet cannot be tracked.

To keep yourself safe when using the intent, you should keep your VPN turned on all of the time you are using the net but we would recommend leaving it on all of the time especially if using phones, tablets, laptops or any other device to access wi-fi as you never know when your device will connect to a bad wi-fi service.

Yes of course! Whilst VPN’s will protect you whilst on the move, they also protect you whilst using your home internet service as they help to protect your privacy and keep you safe online.

A VPN needs an internet connection to work so yes it can work without a wi-fi connection but you will still need access via another method such as an Ethernet cable connected to a phone socket or via a mobile data plan.

Using a VPN service is almost a must nowadays when using your phone as more and more people connect to more and more wi-fi connections- all of which could be used to collect your personal information.

Always use a Virtual Private Network when connecting to wi-fi providers that are not your own, such as in a café on a train or in a hotel.

Every VPN service chargers a different price and you normally get a discount for paying an annual fee over a monthly fee but you can easily get a quality VPN services for between £5-10 ($5-10).

Whilst it is certainly possible for a VPN to steal your passwords, if you use a trusted VPN service, you should be safe.

Free VPN’s will leave you susceptible to malware and don’t forget, never ever put your passwords into a website that is not on a secure https connection.

Whilst nothing can ever be 100% in preventing you from hackers, one way to get as close as possible is by using a VPN that create a tunnel to prevent hackers and others from seeing what you input into the internet including instant messages, browsing history, credit / debit card details and banking info.

Check out our prevent hacking guide here.

Unsurprisingly, if a company is giving you that for free, they will have to make there money somehow and that can be in some extremely dangerous ways including infecting you with malware or even selling your information without your knowledge and consent.

If you look at a VPN as an extra expense to use the internet, you may think that it is a waste of money but if you look at the money you will save by not having your banking and credit / debit card details stolen, your accounts for websites such as Amazon, Netflix etc hacked and the loss of your personal information, having a VPN is far from a waste of money and in many ways in a necessity in modern times.

A VPN dies make banking even safer as your information has an extra layer of encryption but a number of banking websites cannot function if you are using a VPN.

Most VPN’s offer a wide range of payment methods and allow you to pay monthly, quarterly, and yearly. There are normally savings to be made if you pay annually but the choice is yours.

Read our guide to preventing getting infect by using a VPN here

Both a VPN and an antivirus do different jobs, so it is hard to say which is better but the best way to keep safe is to use both.