VPN Vs Proxy 

Proxies and VPNs may work in a similar way, but they’re very different from being the same. So, proxy versus VPN, which is better? What’s going on, guys? It’s Cameron here. Let’s dig in. So, the main difference, when discussing VPN versus proxy, lies not in what the tools do, that is change your IP address, but how they do it. Now, we have plenty of articles that explains VPNs, but just in case, here’s a brief recap.  

VPN explained 

A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between you and your destination through a remote server. Well, if your data gets into the wrong hands, it can do heavy damage. Compromised records, hijacked accounts, identity theft, only the tip of the iceberg. With encryption, even if someone were to access that data, a random concoction of letters and numbers would be all they see. Can’t do much with that.  

What is a proxy?  

Now, what is a proxy? To have a proxy explained in simple words, it also routes your traffic through a server and assigns a new IP address to it. However, the level of anonymity here is very scarce, your data isn’t encrypted. Well, most of the time. If you have a private proxy server and you are tech savvy enough, you can actually configure it and add a layer of encryption. In comparison with a VPN, once you’re connected to a VPN server, your data is already automatically encrypted. A lot of the best VPN providers use industry standard encryption that is near impossible to crack.  

Is a proxy better for torrenting? 

Now, we should be clear on what is a proxy server questions, but what about specialized proxies? Are they any better? Well, torrenting enthusiasts might be interested in a SOCKS5 proxy, which is optimized for traffic-intensive tasks. Can a VPN handle the same task? Well, a lot of the VPNs have specialized torrenting servers. Personally, instead of getting a proxy, VPN torrenting is my choice, simply because of encryption and increased privacy. I also get SOCKS5 proxy with some providers. 

The risks of free proxies and VPNs  

Now, what else is different in a proxy versus VPN comparison? Well, lucky for you, I’ve got a list of pros and cons for each. For example, proxies can be found entirely for free, but they often collect, and might even sell your data. Yeah, it’s a big oof. But that’s how they make money. On the other hand, there are some shady VPNs out there as well. The point is, before committing to a service, do you research. Does that VPN have an (indistinct) no-logs policy? How about its reputation? Don’t use some random proxy server either, and never, let me emphasize that, never put in your login details when using some proxy, you found on the internet. As I said, encrypted traffic makes your data a super easy target.  

Accessing geo-blocked content  

Furthermore, while proxies can help you access geo-blocked content, that’s often limited to websites, and some services deny proxy access. Yeah, you won’t be able to access foreign Netflix libraries, or any streaming service for that matter. When it comes to VPNs, since they have servers all over the world, as of right now, l can access about 28 foreign Netflix libraries with Surf Shark, 15 of them with Nord VPN, and 11 with atlas VPN. Now, there are more VPNs that you can do this sort of thing with, of course, these are just some of my picks from best VPN 2022 choices.  

Differences in proxy vs VPN configuration 

Now, there’s one more crucial difference between a proxy server and a VPN. If you look up how to use proxy, you’ll notice it only works on the app level. You have to configure it for each separate application. VPNs, however, work on a system level, meaning the entire traffic from your system goes through a VPN server and is protected by encryption. Only fair thought that sometimes, I don’t want that to be the case.  For that, l can use a split tunnelling. NordVPN and Surfshark both have a from of this feature that allows me to disable or enable the VPN connection for specific apps. Pretty sweet, right? If you’re interested in getting a VPN, but before you go blindly buying a VPN, let’s cover what else it can do?  

Additional VPN features 

VPN services go beyond simple encryption. I already mentioned streaming and torrenting capabilities, but there are many more additional functionalities as well. Since my main interest lies in enhanced cybersecurity, I often use specialty servers, like Double VPN, which creates a VPN-to-VPN connection. For an even higher level of security, some services have a Tor over VPN functionality. Now, that may not be useful every day, but for specific extremely privacy-sensitive situations, like journalists having to protect their sources, for example, it’s an essential tool.

Personally, l also makes use of ad-blocking features, which take care of malicious websites as well. Most top providers have this sort of thing these days. From Atlas VPN Tracker Blocker to Surfshark’s CleanWeb.  Yes, I could write a book on why VPNs are useful. One thing’s for sure though, if you’re looking from a security perspective, you might not get the best protection with a proxy. VPN is a lot safer. One question remains thought, is it worth it? Reliable VPNs require spending some money, but it’s not likely to break the bank. Usually, they cost a few bucks a month, at least with long-term plans. Still, I recommend doing your research before committing. 

Conclusion 

Anyway, what’s the conclusion of this proxy versus VPN comparison? Is VPN better than proxy? Not really, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve. For a simple IP change, both will do the job, for data protection, a VPN is your ally. Web scraping for marketing purposes is definitely a job for proxies. Streaming or torrenting, again, opt for a VPN. That said, what do you need these tools for, and what’s you pick, VPN or proxy.