What is a VPN?

The internet is a lot like the Wild West. While there are wide-ranging possibilities and potential to be found online, there’s also a risk of compromised anonymity and leaked personal data. Thankfully, that’s where a VPN comes in to help offer peace of mind for browsing.

VPN is short for ‘virtual private network’ which, unlike other technical terms, is thankfully quite descriptive. Let’s break it down. The ‘virtual’ part refers to the reality that a VPN is software, either installed on a computer or as an app on any number of supported devices. That ‘private’ bit is the main function of a VPN: namely, the privacy of whatever device the software is protecting. Finally, ‘network’ is descriptive of the barrier created by a VPN, which adds a level of anonymity and security to an otherwise open internet connection that may be vulnerable to cyberattack.

VPNs have many uses, including the removal of overseas geoblocked streaming restrictions, plus the option to tap into better pricing from other regions. That said, the primary focus of a VPN is very on brand for us: it’s all about safety. The primary function of a VPN is online privacy and security, whether you’re surfing the ’net at home or tapping into insecure public Wi-Fi.

As long as a VPN is connected, it adds an enhanced layer of privacy and security, whether it’s for basic surfing, social media or online banking. VPNs are also handy for accessing geoblocked content around the world or bypassing online sites and services that may be blocked by a workplace, internet provider, or at a national level.

With so many VPNs out there, the best VPN for use in Australia is ultimately up to you, but there are some key features to look out for. Price isn’t the be-all and end-all, but most VPNs let you have cheaper monthly pricing if you’re willing to pay annually or even for two-year or three-year periods. The standard is for a 30-day money-back guarantee, too, so it’s worth paying for a VPN to trial it for a month to see if it’s for you.

The next consideration is all about numbers: servers, countries, locations, and devices. Bigger numbers offer more versatility. For servers, you want this number to be in the thousands, which is a good indication that a VPN provider has a robust network with many connection options. The number of countries may be less important than the number of locations (basically, how many cities have servers in specific countries), and it really depends on what you’re using a VPN for. Australian servers are the best metric for testing as they will offer the best speeds (all VPN connections will slow your connection somewhat).

For devices, the standard starts at five simultaneous connections per account, but this can stretch as high as unlimited devices. Basically, the more simultaneous connections a VPN provider allows for under a single account, the more compatible devices you can protect. In terms of security, it’s best to go with a VPN provider that has a no-logging policy to underscore your privacy and, ideally, they are open to independent third-party security audits.

You can safely expect Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit data encryption (military-grade) as standard across pretty much all popular VPNs, with either 2048-bit (great) or 4096-bit (better) channel encryption. The country where a VPN is based is also important as it may impact overall privacy (based on that country’s laws). It’s a nice plus if a VPN provider also includes some form of active antimalware or antivirus protection, even if there are dedicated apps that tend to do a better job of that. Plus, 24/7 tech support is a great touch if you need help, even at odd hours.

There are okay free VPNs out there, but we’d highly advise sticking with a premium VPN service. Why? Free VPNs tend to have compromises, whether it’s data limits, lower server counts, or even inferior privacy protection. Premium VPNs, on the other hand, tend to have unlimited data, higher server counts, and superior security.

If you do want to try before you buy, we’d highly advise taking advantage of a money-back guarantee on a premium service. Just mark the renewal date in your calendar and cancel beforehand if you don’t like it. Ultimately, the sign of a great VPN is it’s an invisible background protector, which should ideally work so seamlessly that you don’t even notice when it’s on.

Got a question about VPNs? Here are the answers to some of the most popular queries.