Imagine that you are going on a long holiday to a country with those pearly white sand beaches and crystal blue waters after a long year at work, but you are taking your laptop and mobile phone with you to keep in touch with your friends and family, or watch your favourite shows/movies on Netflix. You would have a great time while safely surfing the internet because you use VPN while connected to your hotel’s WiFi. That is why we have chosen the best VPNs for beginners to help you enjoy your time online without a worry in the world.
What is VPN?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a secure tunnel within the internet between your device and the website you are trying to reach which encrypts your data traffic once you are connected to the internet. A VPN encrypts your information by concealing your real IP address (location/identity) and replacing it with a fake IP from another location so it would appear as if you are browsing from an entirely different country. In this way, you would be able to browse the internet in a secure and anonymous way without being tracked by any third party including your own internet service provider.
VPN Benefits
- Allows you to hide & protect your identity online (IP address).
- Allows you to bypass geo-restrictions and firewalls.
- Allows you to unblock web content and online applications (such as: Netflix, Youtube, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Now, Sky Sports, etc.)
- Secure your personal information (contact information, payment details, etc.) from hackers, phishers, fraudsters and identity theft.
- Acts as a shield while using torrent services and P2P file sharing.
- Protects your internet connection and personal data while connected to public Wifi/Hotspot networks (e.g: hotels, cafes, airports, libraries, etc.).
Top 5 VPNs for Beginners
Here are the top 5 VPNs for beginners that would get you started to protect your internet privacy and enable you secure your internet connection, anonymise your identity online and allow you to bypass any geo-restrictions to unblock any web content on the internet.
1- IPVanish
IPVanish has been leading the VPN market for years and has proven to be one of the most reliable and definitely one of the best VPNs for beginners to this day. The US-based provider constantly adds impressive new features to maintain internet privacy and security as well. Though expensive, its value for money is never in question.
– 750+ servers across 60+ major countries
– 40,000+ shared IPs
– Dedicated IPs
– Unlimited bandwidth
– Zero traffic logs
– Encrypted torrenting
– Unlimited P2P sharing
– Unrestricted server switching
– 5 simultaneous connections on multiple devices
– SOCKS5 proxy
– IPv6 protection
– Has its own DNS servers
– Load balancing (chooses the best and fastest server automatically)
– Quick connect feature
– DNS control
– Kill switch
– OpenVPN scramble (acts as an additional layer of encryption to make your IP untraceable)
– LAN blocking (blocks communication from other devices on your local LAN and prevents outbound traffic from going over the LAN)
– Automatic switching of IPs
– 7-day money-back guarantee
– Compatibility with all major platforms
– Accepts Bitcoins
2- ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and leading VPN providers in terms of security, speed and multiple features.
– 700+ servers spread across 94 countries
– Fast speed (excellent for gaming & video streaming)
– Excellent encryption protocols (256-bit AES OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, and PPTP)
– 3 simultaneous connections
– P2P sharing is permitted
– 30-day money-back guarantee
– Unlimited bandwidth
– Stealth servers
– Smart DNS
– Has an Onion Tor web address
– Compatibility with multiple platforms
– 24/7 Live chat support
3- NordVPN
NordVPN was launched in 2012 and is one of the most regularly cited as one the best VPN providers in the market today due to its solid security methods and features.
– 841 servers across 57 countries
– Reliable connection
– Good speed
– User-friendly apps
– Double encryption
– No logging policy
– Kill switch
– DNS leak protection
– 6 simultaneous connections
– P2P is permitted
– Accepts Bitcoin
– Dedicated IP
– Smart Play feature for streaming purposes
– Servers for streaming purposes
– Onion over VPN
– High-level security protocols (IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, etc.)
– Free proxy server list
4- ibVPN
ibVPN is one the best VPNs for beginners that has been vigorously competing in the market for a decade. They are known for taking internet privacy and security very seriously which makes it not only ideal for beginners, but for business as well.
– Zero logging policy
– Cheap
– Smart DNS
– Kill switch
– 100 servers in 47 countries
– Robust security protocols (Open VPN, PPTP, L2TP, SSTP)
– Auto-reconnect
– Blowfish algorithm with 256-bit encryption
– Compatibility with multiple platforms (Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, Linux ) and devices (desktops, laptops, smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles, routers)
5- OverPlay VPN
Comes in the fifth place on our list of the best VPNs for beginners is OverPlay VPN. OverPlay is a UK based provider that provides reliable speed and a lot of excellent features at attractive prices.
– 150 servers in 48 countries
– Smart servers with fast speeds
– P2P sharing is permitted
– Unlimited bandwidth
– No logging policy
– Compatibility with several platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android) & devices (desktops, smartphones, gaming consoles, Smart TVs, routers, etc.)
– Live chat support
– Smart DNS
– Jetswitch
