It is fun and rewarding to run a business online. However, I am concerned about security and privacy online. It is not in my interest to leave anything up to chance or allow scammers, spammers, or hackers to ruin my online experience. This is why I started using a reliable VPN. If you don’t already, I recommend it.
You can manage a blog or online business from almost anywhere in the world, which is one of the greatest perks.
These days, WiFi and internet hotspots are available almost everywhere.
Let me ask you a question, do you feel safe using any of these public hotspots? Of course, you should feel safe, but you should be extra cautious.
Have You Heard About VPNs?
My goal in this post is to share with you my reasons for believing every smart blogger should be using a reliable VPN and some of the best VPNs available for bloggers today.
We’ll get right to it.
My favorite place to blog is anywhere that suits my fancy and is comfortable for me. If I’m not at my desk in my home office, I’m either at a local coffee shop, library, or in a hotel if I’m traveling.
I’ve noticed many folks working from coffee shops, so naturally, I became worried about security and privacy. It seems to be a big issue these days.
What is VPN?
Let me explain briefly what a VPN is and what it’s used for if you’re new to all of this.
Virtual Private Network is what VPN stands for.
A VPN allows you to protect your identity by hiding your IP and location from third parties, but most importantly from hackers and cybercriminals.
You should always use a private secured network when in a public place when you are dealing with things like important documents, sensitive data, or logging into financial accounts of any kind, for instance, when your business is online.
Luckily, there are quite a few good VPN service providers available right now; however, choosing the right one can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you’re not entirely sure what to look for.
So, the first thing you need to do is some good old research.
How VPN works
It is possible to monitor all aspects of your online activity, including the websites you visit, the data you enter or download, and even your location, and so forth.
You can become a victim of cybercrime without even knowing it if a public WiFi becomes compromised in a public place.
A VPN simply adds a multi-layer of security and encryption, using a tunnel system whenever you send or receive data from your computer to a website.
When Buying a VPN Plan
There are a variety of things to look for; however, the main things to keep in mind when searching for the best VPN service for your needs are –
- Speed of connection.
- Geographical accessibility.
- Encryption reliability.
- IP and location masking.
- P2P support.
- Good technical support.
- Value for money.
OK, so below, I’ve outlined, what I believe to be, four of the best VPN providers for bloggers and online business owners for 2021.
Take a look at each one before deciding which to use.
Private Internet Access
There are a lot of VPN providers out there, but one of the most popular is Private Internet Access. In 2018, I used them before trying NordVPN. With over 15 million users, PIA has been in the VPN business for over ten years.
- PIA provides blazing fast VPN solutions with a host of useful features, including –
- Multiple VPN tunnel gateways.
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- P2P support.
- Privacy and identity protection.
- Compatibility with all mobile and desktop operating systems.
- Unblock censorship filters
- Ads and Malware blocking.
- 24/7 live support and more.
With more than 3,000 servers located around the world, PIA offers good accessibility. Setup takes just a few minutes. I was surprised at how quickly PIA could be set up on my MacBook Pro. It wasn’t long before I was able to get going.
Prices
The packages offered by PIA are among the most affordable available.
As of the writing of this post, the yearly plan costs just $2.19 per month ($56.99 for two years), usually $210.34 for two years.
Alternatively, you can pay $8.09 per month by signing up.
Nord VPN
NordVPN is the biggest name in the VPN industry. The company boasts more than 5,000 servers located in 56 different countries worldwide. I’ve been a user of NordVPN for the past year, and I can honestly say the service is amazing. I can connect to my VPN for my location in seconds if I’m working in a public place on my laptop or smartphone.
Like Private Internet Access, you get a host of great features with all plans, including –
- Next-gen encryption for internet users.
- Multiple-device VPN security.
- Zero data tracking or sharing.
- Easy-to-use with a single click.
- Worldwide access.
- It won’t slow down your connection.
Pricing
You can either pay £8.84 per month or save money by purchasing a two-year plan at £65 plus VAT. This is correct at the time of updating this post and can change at any time.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has over 1700 fast servers across 148 cities in 94 countries, making it another popular VPN provider. The service is available on many devices, including iOS and Android.
Their list of features include –
- Instant setup.
- Fast connection.
- Unlimited bandwidth with zero throttling.
- Simple setup on both Windows and Mac.
- Offshore privacy protection and more…
- Email support and help articles.
Pricing
ExpressVPN’s plans are not the cheapest in the business.
They have three plans to choose from. $12.95 per month, paid monthly. $9.99 per month paid every six months.
IPVanish
Another popular and reputable top-tier VPN service provider is IPVanish. The company’s website even claims that they are the best in the business.
The list of features provided by IPVanish includes
- User-friendly apps for all devices.
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- Zero traffic logs.
- P2P support.
- AES encryption.
- 24/7 customer support center and more…
Pricing
Their pricing structure is plain and simple. You can pay for 1 year at $6.49 per month (Billed at $77.99 per year). Or, you can pay monthly at $11.99 per month. Or, you can pay for three months at $8.99 per month (Billed at $26.99 every three months).
Final words
However you decide to use a VPN, the main thing is that you consider using one in the first place.
Regardless of whether or not you need one right now, I’m sure you will consider getting one at some point in the future.
A person who is smart enough to know how to use the web can take advantage of an incredible amount of opportunities.
As a result, many people are concerned about privacy, security, identity theft, spam, and other issues.
I recommend that anyone who runs a blog or online business start using a reliable VPN as soon as possible.
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