The Benefits of a VPN (And Some Drawbacks)
Using a VPN is a smart way to protect your privacy – but its benefits go far beyond just cybersecurity. Still, there are limitations you should be aware of before using one.
This guide breaks down all the advantages and disadvantages of a VPN, so you can see where a VPN fits and how to use one effectively to protect your privacy and stay in control.
Benefits of a VPN
A VPN is an effective and easy-to-use tool for reclaiming your online privacy. It shields your traffic, masks your location, and makes it harder for others to track, throttle, or profile you based on what you do online. Here’s how those benefits show up in real life.
Encrypts Your Internet Traffic for Safer Browsing
Most of the time, your internet traffic is easy to intercept. It’s like sending postcards instead of sealed letters – anyone monitoring your connection, such as your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or cybercrooks, can read them. A VPN fixes that by wrapping your data in strong encryption before it leaves your device. So even if someone’s snooping on your connection, all they see is gibberish.
PIA VPN secures your data with military-strength encryption – and a whole lot more besides. You can use it for privacy, streaming, gaming, file-sharing, and more. Try it risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Hides Your IP Address to Reduce Tracking
When you connect to the internet, your ISP assigns you an IP address. When you connect to a website, it uses your IP address to direct information back to you. Websites can also use your IP to detect your approximate location and ISP – information they can use to track you online.
A VPN routes your connection through a server in another location, which masks your IP address with one of its own. When you hide your IP address, it’s much harder for advertisers, apps, or AI tracking tools to build a profile around you.
Unblocks Websites and Apps on Restricted Wi-Fi at Work or School
If you’ve ever tried to watch an episode of a show during your break at work, you may have found yourself blocked. Schools, workplaces, and some other public networks may block streaming, gaming, and social media apps – usually to save bandwidth or reduce distractions.
By encrypting your connection, a VPN stops the network from seeing the specific service you’re using, allowing you to unblock websites and apps with ease.
Improves Gaming Experience and Protects Against Attacks
Misconfigured servers and inefficient routing on your ISP’s network can slow your connection, causing higher ping and annoying lag spikes. Using a VPN for gaming can fix these issues. When you connect to a VPN server close to the gaming server, it can reduce the distance your data has to travel. This means less latency and smoother gameplay.
A VPN also hides your IP, so no one can hit you with a DDoS attack or try to swat you. Want to play a game that’s not available in your country? A VPN helps with that too. Just connect to a server in a region where the game is available.
Avoids Location-Based Price Discrimination
Prices can change based on where you are, particularly when it comes to flights, hotels, and car rentals. The same site might show different prices because your IP address is revealing your location. A VPN gives you a way around that. It hides your IP address, letting you check prices from other regions – without tipping off the site – allowing you to find the best deals.
Bypasses Surveillance
Overreaching surveillance can be bad news for journalists, whistleblowers, and political dissidents. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, which stops your ISP or other snoopers from being able to monitor your connection and see what you’re doing online. It also changes your virtual location, which can help you access websites and services in other countries – all without attracting attention.
If you’re worried about the simple fact that using a VPN draws attention, use one that offers multi-hop obfuscation. This feature disguises your VPN traffic to make it look like regular encrypted web traffic, keeping your VPN use under the radar.
Helps You Access Your Shows While Traveling
You’re abroad, you fire up your favorite streaming app, and discover half your watchlist is missing. That’s because some platforms show different content in different countries. Streaming with a VPN can help you keep watching as normal. When you connect to a server in your home country, you’ll retain access to your usual content – even if you’re halfway across the world.
Stops ISP Throttling
Sometimes, your internet speed isn’t just about your plan; it’s about what you’re doing. Your ISP may slow down certain types of traffic (like streaming or file sharing) to balance network load or push you toward pricier plans.
A VPN hides what kind of traffic you’re sending. Without that visibility, your ISP can’t selectively throttle your connection.
Protects You on Public Wi-Fi Networks
Public Wi-Fi is convenient, but it can be risky. Many networks at cafés, airports, and hotels don’t use encryption. That means bad actors on your network can intercept your traffic and steal your data using freely available tools.
A VPN encrypts your data before it even touches the Wi-Fi network, keeping your personal information out of the hands of cyber-crooks and other snoops.
Disadvantages of a VPN
A VPN can protect your privacy and unlock a more open internet, but like any tool, it comes with a few tradeoffs. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Can Slow Down Your Internet
Encrypting your data and routing your traffic through a remote VPN server means extra work for your connection. This can cause it to slow down, especially if the server is far away or your base speed is already slow.
Pro tip: If you choose a high-quality VPN with a fast network, you probably won’t even notice the drop in speed. PIA VPN deploys 10-Gbps servers throughout its network, ensuring your speeds stay smooth, even when streaming, gaming, or downloading large files.
Unsupported on Some Devices
Most computers and mobile devices work fine with VPNs, but some others don’t. Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and many IoT gadgets (like cameras, thermostats, or doorbells) often don’t support VPN apps directly.
Pro tip: A VPN-enabled router allows you to protect every device on your network at once with no per-device setup needed. If you don’t fancy messing with your router settings, you can also create a virtual router or VPN hotspot using another device.
Doesn’t Make You Invisible Online
A VPN makes it harder for websites to track you online because it masks your IP address, but once you log into a service, such as Google or Instagram, those services can use your login cookie to track you, even when you use a VPN. It’s also important to know that a VPN can’t protect information you voluntarily share with websites, such as your contact details or credit card info.
Some sites also use browser fingerprinting to track you – something a basic VPN can’t protect you against.
Pro tip: You can use PIA’s VPN extension for Firefox to stay more anonymous online. It includes extra privacy features that protect against various tracking methods, including browser fingerprinting, link auditing, and UTM codes in URLs.
May Not Be Trustworthy
Most VPNs feature a no-logs policy, but you don’t have to look far to find instances where VPNs have collected data and handed it over to the authorities.
Pro tip: If you want real privacy, it’s best to use an independently audited VPN that publishes regular transparency reports.
May Be Banned or Restricted in Some Countries
Most countries allow VPNs, but in some places, using one can get you into legal trouble.
Government-approved alternatives may be available in certain countries, but they probably won’t do much to protect you from surveillance. Such countries usually have laws requiring VPN providers to make data available to the authorities on request.
Before you travel, it’s worth checking the rules. What’s fine in one country could be a problem in another.
Benefits of Using a VPN on Your Phone
Your phone is your most personal device and often the most exposed. You use it to message friends, pay bills, find healthcare, and connect to public Wi-Fi without thinking twice. It goes everywhere with you. So does your data.
In addition to the ones listed above, using a VPN on your phone offers other useful benefits:
- More privacy for internet calls: VPN encryption hides internet call metadata, so nobody on your network can monitor who you’re calling or which app you’re using.
- Social media protection: A VPN makes it harder for cybercriminals lurking on public Wi-Fi networks to intercept your traffic and infiltrate your account.
- Reduced risk of camera hacking: Hiding your IP makes it harder for attackers to find and target your device remotely, reducing the risk of certain types of camera exploits.
- Extra protection for your photos: Encryption secures your photo data when it’s being synced to the cloud over an unsecured network.
- Access to your apps abroad: You can continue using your usual apps, even if they’re not available in your current location.
Note that a VPN doesn’t stop apps from tracking you when you’re logged in, though – especially the ones that trade data behind the scenes, like Facebook and Instagram.
Benefits of a VPN for Business
Work doesn’t just happen in offices anymore. Teams are remote and employees may connect from home, client offices, and hotels, where they may inadvertently expose sensitive business information without proper network security.
A VPN helps close the gaps. It shields data as it travels between employee devices and company systems, protecting sensitive business information. For businesses governed by HIPAA, GDPR, or other compliance frameworks, that kind of protection isn’t optional – it’s table stakes.
Here’s a more complete list of the benefits of using a VPN for business:
- Secure remote access: Employees can securely access company systems from anywhere.
- Data privacy: VPN encryption keeps business data secure in transit, even on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
- Access control: A VPN can help prevent unauthorized access to corporate networks and resources.
- Protection against cyberattacks: Reduced visibility of data and networks means reduced exposure to bad actors online.
- Regulatory compliance: A VPN can form part of a strategy to protect customer data
- Employee privacy protection: IP address masking protects employees from exposing their home network IP and location.
- Cost savings: Smaller businesses may find a VPN a more affordable alternative to expensive networking solutions, such as leased lines.
- Legacy system support: VPNs work well with older systems, offering more flexibility around planning and budgeting for software upgrades.
For larger companies with multiple offices or remote infrastructure, site-to-site VPNs offer an even broader solution. They connect entire networks securely (not just individual devices), making it easier to share resources between teams, branches, or cloud systems without exposing sensitive data.
Why Choose Private Internet Access?
Private Internet Access is built for real-world privacy and performance. PIA follows a strict no-logs policy, backed by independent audits and open-source apps, making it one of the most transparent VPNs available. It also gives you:
✅ Servers in 90+ countries
✅ Fast connection speeds
✅ Support for major streaming platforms
✅ Apps for major devices
✅ Unlimited simultaneous device connections
✅ 24/7 customer support
You can try it risk-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ
Yes, a bit. A VPN constantly encrypts and reroutes your traffic, which causes your device to work a little harder in the background. That might shorten battery life slightly, but the difference is usually small unless you’re streaming or tethering for long periods.
Yes. A VPN secures your internet data, shielding it from online snooping – which is particularly important on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks which are often targets for cybercrooks. It also hides your IP address, making it harder for websites, trackers, and ISPs to follow what you do online.
Yes. Keeping your VPN on means your connection stays encrypted, your IP stays hidden, and your activity is less exposed to trackers, ISPs, or data harvesters. Turning it off, even briefly, can open the door to unwanted surveillance or location-based tracking. For consistent protection, it’s best to keep it running in the background.
Not usually. You might see a slight drop in speed due to encryption, but with a good-quality VPN, you probably won’t even notice. That said, if your ISP is throttling certain kinds of traffic, a VPN can help you regain your usual speeds by hiding your activity.
VPNs are generally safe, but using lower-quality VPNs may expose you to certain risks. Some log your activity, sell your data, or leak your data or IP address. Your best bet is to use a VPN with a proven track record. PIA is a reputable VPN with a strict no-logs policy that’s been proven in court on multiple occasions.
That depends. A small number of free VPNs offer reliable protection and are honest about their limits; others quietly track you, push ads, or leak your data. If privacy matters to you, it’s worth using a service with real transparency and a solid no-logs policy.
A VPN hides your IP and encrypts your traffic – but that doesn’t make you invisible. Sites can still track you through cookies, logins, or browser fingerprinting. A VPN reduces exposure, but it’s not a magic cloak.
No. A VPN doesn’t come with its own internet connection. It secures what you already have (whether that’s Wi-Fi or mobile data), but it won’t bypass data caps or unlock extra gigs.
Yes. As long as you have an internet connection (like mobile data or an Ethernet connection), your VPN will still work. It doesn’t care if you’re on fiber, 5G, or a hotspot; it just needs an active internet connection.