NordVPN vs. free VPNs – which should you choose?

If you want to access all streaming services, be able to buy video games early, and save a few euros while shopping, chances are, you’ve considered getting a VPN. A lot of internet users turn to free VPNs first, hoping to get the same service for free. The price (or lack of it) is tempting, but let’s see how they compare with paid services, like NordVPN, on other fronts.

Speed

Whenever you use a VPN, you lose some speed, because all your traffic has to go through a remote server before connecting to the internet.

Unfortunately, free VPNs make it even worse. They tend to have a tiny number of servers compared to paid providers, so they are often overcrowded. The servers can't manage the load, slow down, and even crash. And as if this slow and unstable connection wasn't enough, free VPN providers also limit how much data you can send and receive and how fast it travels. So it doesn't matter how fast your internet connection is, it will slow to a crawl whenever you connect to these VPNs.

Paid VPN providers work tirelessly to ensure a fast and stable connection to their users. With NordVPN, you can send an unlimited amount of data. They don't apply any speed or bandwidth limits, and with their new NordLynx technology, you will barely notice that you’re connected to a VPN server. Combine it with more than 5500 servers in 59 countries to choose from, and you are sure to enjoy the best speeds the VPN industry currently has to offer.

Reliability

Free VPNs are unreliable. You will have to connect and disconnect from multiple servers before you find one that works. And even then, there’s no guarantee that your connection will stay up. The servers crash constantly, terminating your connection, so you have to reconnect and reload often. The developers don’t put too much effort into their apps either. They might crash, bombard you with unskippable ads, or have hidden backdoors. What’s even worse, some free VPN apps are malware in disguise. They infect your device and use it for botnet attacks, or collect your data and sell it online. 

NordVPN has dedicated apps for all your devices that receive new functionalities and security patches regularly. You can also install it on your router, so you won’t have to set it up on multiple devices. And if you ever run into any kind of issue regarding any aspect of the service, NordVPN’s award-winning customer support is there for you 24/7 via email or direct chat. You would never get that level of customer service with a free VPN.

Price

The main reason why people turn to free VPNs is the price. NordVPN offers plans that start from €3.10 per month if you choose the three-year plan. And free VPNs are just that – free. But as it usually is with things that are too good to be true, there’s a catch. Whenever you opt for free VPN services, you’re using your privacy to pay for it.

Running a VPN service is costly. Even if the provider doesn’t care about privacy and speed too much, they still need servers in a bunch of different countries to be usable. And maintaining servers does not come cheap. If they are not charging their clients, how do they pay for it all and make a profit at the same time? By collecting your data and selling it to the highest bidder. 

Free VPN providers store all users’ logs: their real IP address, browsing history, what content they interacted with the most, etc. They sell this data to advertisers who use it to create tailored content for you. It makes your digital footprint larger, and there’s no way for you to take this personal information back. 

Security

People use VPNs not only for easier content access. It’s  an essential tool for everyone who wants to stay safe online. 

However, free VPNs won’t protect your internet connection. You won’t be able to choose between different security protocols, and a lot of providers won’t encrypt your traffic at all. This means that everything you do online could be visible to third parties.

NordVPN offers three security protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, and its own NordLynx, which is based on WireGuard. You can choose which one you prefer speed and security-wise. No matter which one you pick, any data you send or receive over the internet will travel through a secure VPN tunnel, hidden from prying eyes. 

Bottom line

Free VPNs offer limited speeds and data caps, they are unreliable, and there’s no guarantee they will work when you need it the most. Their only attractive feature is that they are free. However, these VPNs are only free because you are the product.

If you choose a trusted VPN service like NordVPN that has been around for a while, you can hardly go wrong. It offers everything that you could want from a VPN: bulletproof encryption, reliable connection, and amazing speeds, all for a fair price. They won’t sell your data or infect your devices with malware, and they will be there for you should any issues come up.

Therefore, if you want to stay safe online, choose a safe service first.

EU Backs Controversial Article 13 Copyright Law

“The European Parliament has backed controversial copyright laws critics say could change the nature of the net. The new rules include holding technology companies responsible for material posted without proper copyright permission. Many musicians and creators say the new rules will compensate artists fairly - but others say they will destroy user-generated content. The Copyright Directive was backed by 348 MEPs, with 278 against. [source BBC News]”.

Article 13 detailed in the EU Copyright Directive states that services such as YouTube could be held responsible if their users upload copyright-protected movies and music. As a YouTuber myself, this is very concerning. Over the years I have had claims made against my own generated content by others and had to appeal the process. Under the old rules (governed by YouTube) I would have the opportunity to appeal such claims. My understanding of Article 13 is that if such a claim were made, it would be YouTube (or the platform you are posting to) responsibility to stop the content at the source to avoid liability. So, for repeat offenders their only recourse of action could be to stop that person uploading in the first place.

Article 13 is a lot more complicated than what I have detailed above, but I do strongly feel that the finer details have been put together and will be pushed through by MEP’s that do not fully understand the repercussions for many content creators, spread across many different platforms. Whilst it might benefit some more traditional artists, who may see less copying and slight increases in royalties, it does not address fair use and how easy it would be for false claims to potentially arise. I do also think that how content is treated, will be determined by which country it is posted from. I also envisage that we will see restricted access to content depending upon your location.

Although not directly related to Article 13, nor a solution, I have been using a VPN for many years to give me some extra online security and recently switched to NordVPN. Here’s where a VPN comes into play. It redirects your internet traffic through a specially configured VPN server, hiding your IP address and encrypting all the data that is sent or received. The encrypted data is essentially gibberish to anyone who intercepts it, making it impossible to read.

“Various countries around the world restrict access to one type of online content or another. Social networks, games, chat apps – even Google itself is not beyond the reach of censorship. In addition, many academic institutions and workplaces enable firewalls to limit access to websites for various reasons. These range from seeking to increase productivity to restricting inappropriate content.

Websites and services are blocked by denying users’ access based on their IP address. When you connect to the internet, your IP shows the country you are currently in, which means that any restrictions valid there are applied to you as well.

Using a VPN allows you to connect to remote VPN servers, making your IP address look like you are physically located somewhere else. This IP swap helps you access restricted websites and keeps your private information safe at the same time."

It is a sad day for the internet and I hope that we are able to ride the storm.

* Some links are affiliate links. Views expressed in this article are solely an opinion of the author.

Get Tough with Tougher Passwords

Over my years online and also advising people on their computer setups, I have seen some very concerning things. People writing down their passwords in books, on little slips of paper in their purses and wallets or even in their notepad on their computer.

Using a strong password will make your online accounts a lot tougher for strangers to hack. It is essential you protect your online accounts, things like email, social media and online banking for example. Never fall into the trap of using the same password for everything either. Check out the tips below to get on the right path.

If you want some added protection when browsing online, consider using a VPN such as NordVPN.

*Links are affiliate links and earn Geekanoids a small commission, they don’t cost you any extra.