“Big Brother Is Watching You.”
Those infamous words from George Orwell’s novel 1984 frighten us when we read them. But what’s more frightening, is that those words have come true.
Do you worry about your internet privacy? Do you worry about your browsing experience?
Do you worry about what you express online? What about your browsing habits and data collection?
You have to take steps to ensure your privacy when using the internet. The best option is to use a VPN.
Here’s how to choose a VPN:
You Get What You Pay for
Let’s get it out of the way: you should always pay for a VPN. There are a few free VPN services. Some of these will get in-built into your web browser. But these will have limited features and won’t have the best security features.
A VPN cannot guarantee privacy but it does the best job in protecting you while you browse the internet. Some VPNs will have many failures, others will have a few, and some will have none at all.
If you choose a premium VPN, you’ll use a service that has had a few failures or none at all.
Make sure you use a website such as vpnnz.com to read reviews on different VPNs. This will help you assess which VPNs do the best job of maintaining your privacy.
Why Do You Need a VPN?
Your first step is to consider all the reasons why you need a VPN. A VPN protects your browsing data from getting stolen by hackers. This is the standard feature of all VPNs.
But there are also VPNs that don’t keep records of any activity. These VPNs prevent your ISP (Internet Service Provider) from collecting your data.
Some VPNs have servers throughout the world in many different countries. The more diversity of VPN jurisdictions you have, the more protection options you have.
A VPN jurisdiction can also help you view restricted content only available in that specific territory.
Want to stream a French film while vacationing in India? You can connect to a VPN server in France and have access to this content — as if you were physically in France!
This feature also gets used by citizens/journalists in repressive societies to access content available in freer societies.
Take your time to write down your desired features for a VPN. List them in order of priority. This will help you in your search for the perfect VPN.
Where Does the VPN Work?
Make sure you check where you can use your VPN beforehand. When you subscribe for a VPN, you’ll create an account as you would for any SaaS. You’ll then download a VPN application to run from your device.
You want to check how many devices your VPN works on. Some VPNs only work on one device at a time.
Others work on more devices for an additional fee. Some VPNs only work on computers, while others also work on mobile devices.
Research if the VPN works on multiple devices at once. It’s always best to choose a VPN that does have this feature.
You want to also find what operating systems your VPN works on. Most of them work on both Windows and Mac.
But there are few that only work on one type of operating system. There are a few that work on other operating systems such as Android, Linux, and GNU.
Does the VPN work on different web browsers? Most VPNs work on mainstream web browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Chrome. But you also want to see if they work on independent browsers such as Brave and Tor.
Payment Options
You want to choose a VPN that offers a variety of payment options. This shows that the VPN provider is also a serious business. They want to provide you with a great product with different ways to pay.
Most VPNs can get bought online using a credit card. You want to see if you can also use privacy-focused options such as PayPal and Bitcoin. Some VPN services also let you buy a CD-ROM from a brick and mortar store.
You want to also see if they offer discounts and other deals. This shows that though they have a premium product, they’re also committed to spreading internet privacy as wide as possible.
Make sure you also research the refund policy. There should be a money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with the product. You also want to consider a VPN that offers a free trial or demo version.
Ask them about any additional fees that you might have to pay. For example, can you ever add an extra device to your account? Can you have multiple users using one VPN service? Inquire about such fees beforehand so that there are no surprises later!
Customer Service
Make sure you assess the VPN company’s customer service before you sign up for the VPN. VPNs are easy to use even for users who aren’t technically savvy.
However, there might be an event where you’ll have an issue with the VPN. As such, you want to make sure you can rely on the customer service department.
The best way is to contact the VPNs’ customer service department. Ask them questions about the VPN and why they would recommend it. This is the time to ask them about any confusion you might have.
Use this initial conversation to assess the quality of customer service. If it’s good, then you can consider the VPN. If it isn’t, then it’s best not to risk using this VPN.
That’s How to Choose a VPN
Now that you know how to choose a VPN, you are ready to find the best VPN available. Take your time to analyze what your VPN priorities are. Once you do this, start researching VPNs and their reviews.
Prepare a shortlist and try free trials of different VPNs. Once you find the one you like, subscribe immediately!
Remember to choose the very best, no matter the cost. Your internet privacy and freedom are worth every penny.
Please share this guide with anyone concerned about their internet privacy. You can find more content on the internet, technology, and security here on our website.

Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.