Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Basics, Services, Comparisons and Features

The 10 Best Free Proxy Websites for 2025: Mask Your IP Address for Free

Though the best VPN offers top-notch security and privacy, it can be overkill for certain web use cases. For example, if you want to mask your IP address, access geo-blocked websites or compare prices around the world, the best free proxy websites will suffice. However, the market is awash with proxy websites, and picking the...

By Samson Kiarie — 05 Apr'24 Last Updated: 23 Apr'25
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski

PPTP vs OpenVPN: Differences, Advantages & Disadvantages in 2025

A VPN’s main job is to set up an encrypted tunnel for your internet connection and anonymize your online activity. It does this using what’s known as a VPN protocol, which wraps your traffic in encryption protocols to hide it from interlopers. OpenVPN and PPTP are two such protocols. In this article, we’ll pit PPTP...

By Aleksandar Kochovski — 04 Apr'24 Last Updated: 25 Apr'25
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski

VPN Physical vs Virtual Server: Understand the Difference in 2025

If you look through a VPN’s server list, you might find some marked as “V” or “virtual.” Those VPN servers are virtual servers. In this guide to VPN physical vs virtual servers, we’ll explain these two server types, as well as the use cases, drawbacks and safety of virtual servers. We’ll also touch on which...

By Wisdom Sablah — 29 Mar'24 Last Updated: 25 Apr'25
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz

The Best VPN for ESPN Plus in 2025: Stream U.S. Sports From Anywhere 

Installing the best VPN for ESPN Plus means you don’t have to miss your favorite teams in action just because you’re not in the United States. The following VPNs — many of which you’ll also find on our best VPNs roundup — can get you a U.S. IP address in a matter of minutes. Although...

By David Borgogni — 28 Mar'24 Last Updated: 23 Apr'25
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski

Best VPN for Comcast Xfinity 2025: Avoid Bandwidth Throttling on Your Internet Connection

A VPN (virtual private network) helps you access the internet at the speed you pay for, secures your connection so your internet service provider (or the government) can’t spy on you and helps you access geoblocked content. Though our best VPN picks excel at these jobs, we’re interested in a specific use case today: the...

By Arjun Ruparelia — 22 Mar'24 Last Updated: 23 Apr'25
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz

Best VPN With Cloud Storage: Bundling Services in 2025

Using the best VPN with cloud storage is the way to go if you need online protection and secure cloud storage for storing photos, videos and other important files. Though you can buy the two services separately, bundling them together offers significant cost-saving benefits. Sadly, VPNs with cloud storage are few and far between.  We...

By Samson Kiarie — 22 Mar'24 Last Updated: 11 Mar'25
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska

The Best VPN for Routers in 2025: Protect the Whole House

Installing a VPN on your router comes with many benefits, including ensuring everyone connected to your WiFi router has VPN protection, plus it protects your entire home network while counting only once toward your device limit. However, not every VPN can work on a router — but the best VPN for routers will make it...

By David Borgogni — 14 Mar'24 Last Updated: 24 Apr'25
Facts checked by Igor Kurtz

Best Pirate Bay VPN in 2025: Anonymous Downloads and Torrents

If you’re familiar with piracy and torrenting, you probably know about The Pirate Bay – one of the biggest torrent sites in the world. Torrenting can be dangerous for many reasons, including possibly breaking the law. The best Pirate Bay VPN will hide your tracks from authorities and keep you safe from hackers.

By Aleksandar Kochovski — 14 Mar'24 Last Updated: 24 Apr'25
Facts checked by Eugenie Tiu

Worst VPN Warning List: What to Watch Out for in 2025

A bad VPN service could sell your private information to advertisers. Worse still, a bad VPN might infect your device with malware, or you might not even be able to get it to work. Unfortunately, these types of VPNs have swamped the VPN market. We put our detective hats on and dug out examples of...

By Wisdom Sablah — 12 Mar'24 Last Updated: 24 Apr'25
Facts checked by Alison Spedale

The 10 Best VPN Services Tested in 2025: Free & Paid Providers for Speed, Security & Privacy

The Cloudwards cybersecurity team likes to say that picking the best virtual private network (VPN) is less like finding a needle in a haystack and more like searching for honey in a beehive: there are sweet rewards, but most of what you find is trying to sting you. It never pays to go looking for...

By Samuel Chapman — 10 Mar'24 Last Updated: 24 Apr'25
Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski