The difference between a proxy server and a VPN

Sometimes there are situations when the user needs anonymity to access a resource on the Internet. For example, security is required when downloading torrents or you need to go to the site from a country where access to it is limited. So, everyone heard about the recent blocking of the popular Telegram messenger in Russia. Anonymous helpers in these cases will be anonymizers - services that help users hide their IP on the network.

The most common tools are VPN services and proxies. And when choosing a service, the question arises: proxy server and VPN - what`s the difference?

VPN and proxy: what are the differences and what to choose

To understand the difference between VPN and proxies, we will take a look at how both of them work.

Proxy servers are a kind of intermediaries between a computer and the Internet. When the proxy is used, outgoing traffic is passed through a remote computer and assigns its IP to itself. Such a proxy server computer can be located anywhere in the world, and for the provider, your IP will always be hidden.

What is the difference between a VPN? Virtual Private Network is a special network that encrypts all data passing through it. Unlike proxies, using a VPN server, you will not only hide your IP address but also make invisible the history of all outgoing traffic. The provider can only find out that you are using a VPN, but nothing more.

When it is clear how VPN differs from a proxy, it is important to study its advantages and disadvantages to select a service.

Proxy server advantages:

• hide your own IP;
• access to sites with limited geographical location;
• accessibility: there are many free public proxy servers;
• connection speed increases and ping decreases.

Do you know what is better: paid or free proxies?

Proxy server disadvantages:

• traffic encryption is not available;
• public proxy servers can sometimes turn out to be free cheese in a mousetrap: fraudsters can use such services to steal user data. To purchase the individual proxy servers with technical support is the way out.

VPN advantages:

• fully encrypted and confidential connection;
• IP hiding.

VPN disadvantages:

• free VPNs have extremely slow speed channel;
• paid services are usually quite expensive.

And what is better? In the case of VPN, the solution rests on the cost of the service: paying for VPN is higher than the cost of a subscription fee for accessing the Internet, it is irrational, and free ones are too inconvenient. In the case of free proxies, there is no need to talk about stability and reliability, and therefore, buying a proxy server is the best solution in this situation.