8 Tips to Choose the Right VPN

We previously spoke about the five factors to consider while buying a VPN and the tips and tricks that power users can employ to optimize utilization. Such guides are usually enough to ascertain what type of virtual private network you need and how to use it the best way. But what if we told you there are a few more things that you can do to ensure that you get the best deal from the best VPN company?

These are some actionable tips that you can use while you hunt for the perfect VPN for your needs. Let’s take a look.

Always Opt for the Free Trial Period First

Most VPN providers will have a trial period (usually 7 days or 15 days) that you can use to decide if the service meets your needs. While some of them disclose this out front on their website, others make it less conspicuous. 

In our experience, all VPNs should (and do) offer such free trial periods. Signing up for such an offer before you buy a subscription is a great way to gauge the VPN’s efficacy and other parameters. Sure, all the features may not be available in the trial version, but you will still get a good idea about the service as a whole.

If you stumble upon a VPN provider that does not offer a trial period, walk away.

Or Use the Web Extension

Some VPN providers also have a free browser extension along with an OS-based application client. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of submitting your credit card details while opting for a trial period, go and install the extension if it’s available.

While an extension will only support encryption to communication that you make via the browser, it will also give you a fair idea about the service. Check the speed of your connection, anti-blocking capabilities, and usability. 

For example, tuxler VPN has a Google Chrome extension that is used by millions of users around the world. People who are satisfied with our residential IP service then opt for the premium plans. You can explore them here.

Check the VPN Protocol Being Used

This is one of the most critical factors. But just checking the protocols isn’t enough; you should understand the basic differences between them. Dzone has a short article explaining the four main VPN protocols in simple language. For instance, WireGuard protocol is making a lot of waves in the online security circles these days.

Look for VPN Reviews in Uncommon Places

Blame it on the state of the web, but it’s difficult to believe everything that you read online these days. This includes user reviews of VPN services on platforms such as Google and even on professional review sites. You can never know if those are genuine opinions made by genuine customers or just an extension of the company’s marketing ploy.

Therefore, instead of looking at reviews presented by the VPN company itself, look for opinions on uncommon places such as online forums and groups. Reddit, Metafilter, and Stack Overflow are great places to start.

Read the Negative Reviews

“All positive reviews talk about the same thing. Negative reviews are often distinct from each other.”

This is true in most cases when it comes to online products and services. Check the negative reviews and see what users are complaining about. This will give you an idea about gaps in the VPN service, and thereby, help you make a better decision.

Look for Hidden Costs

VPNs are generally used as a way to remain anonymous online and to avoid online delinquency. Ironically, there are some VPN providers (or companies masquerading as one) who engage in poor marketing tactics where they sell a premium plan to users and then pester them to upgrade to a higher plan.

Such practices reek of fraud. And the best way to avoid them is to read the plan structure and its terms carefully before subscribing.

How many plans does the company sell? What are the differences between them? Which one will be the most economical in the long run? 

Look for answers to these questions and select wisely.

Gauge the Customer Servicing Element

You may never want to get in touch with a VPN company’s customer care, but you can never know when a need arises. So, it’s better to have an idea about how responsive and efficient the company’s customer support is before buying its product. 

Try the chatbots or the chat service to see how good the response is. If you have time, try raising a simple request and see how it is handled. In most cases, you will be able to gauge the quality of the service in less than two days. If you don’t hear back from them by that time, you know what to do.

If it can’t respond to a potential customer in two days, don’t expect it to care for you later when you become a customer and face a problem.

Read the Literature

Another great way to gauge a VPN company’s activeness about its product is to read its literature (manuals, how-to guides, blog). Are they regularly updated? Are they of high quality? Does the manual look like someone without any knowledge about VPN wrote it?

Answers to these questions will say a lot about the company. Moreover, see if the company is active on at least one social channel (Twitter or Facebook, for instance) where it responds to customers’ queries. Inactive social presence may not be a red flag but it is still something you should keep in mind, say while comparing two VPN providers.

Another thing this tip satisfies is that you can check if the company is consistently servicing and updating its tool. The worst thing that can happen to a VPN product is a lack of maintenance. Especially in a world where frauds and phishing attacks happen by the hour.

Use these tips while you evaluate your top VPN choices. The key is to keep your eyes and ears open as you also talk to your friends offline and look up information online to find a security solution. After all, buying and installing a VPN can be considered a basic necessity these days.Keep following the tuxler VPN blog for more tips and tricks as you navigate the world wide web.

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