VPN benefits are numerous if you want to anonymize your digital footprint. These services are recognized as powerful privacy tools that can also sidestep geo-blocks. Furthermore, they’re easy to use, and above all, cheap, costing merely a few monthly dollars. Now, as we like to say, there’s no black without white.
In reality, the truth is somewhere in between, and while VPNs are truly extraordinary, they don’t come without flaws. So, what are the pros and cons of VPNs? Do the pros outweigh the cons? In short, yes. Today’s guide will explore both sides of the medal. We’ll discuss why you should use a VPN and give you a few reasons against it.
This article will also contain a few VPN recommendations and a few more interesting bits you don’t want to miss. Let’s immediately dive in with VPN pros and cons.
VPN Pros and Cons: A Quick Recap
Pros
- Digital Security
- Online Privacy
- Bypassing Geo-Restrictions
- Safety on Public WiFi Networks
- Overcoming Censorship
- Avoiding Price Discrepancies
- Private Torrenting Sessions
- Malware & Virus Protection
Cons
- Potential Negative Impact on Connection Speed
- The Best VPN’s Aren’t Free
- Some Countries Ban VPNs
- They aren’t 100% Anonymous
- Potential Logging
VPN Benefits (VPN Pros and Cons): All You Need to Know
We always like to start with the good stuff. In this case, it makes sense because the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Bear in mind that the VPN benefits detailed below apply to quality VPNs, not those insecure and untrustworthy. If you’re not sure which providers to pick, reading further will lead you to our tried-and-tested picks.
Alternatively, peek at our top VPN list and get yourself a nice one.
✅ Digital Security
The most notable VPN benefit is digital security. You’re familiar with 256-bit encryption and its military-grade status. The same encryption is packed into all VPNs that use it to conceal your traffic from the ISP and snoopers. To put it simply, it makes your connection a mess of numbers, letters, and characters to anyone watching.
Let’s say a hacker tries to track your digital footprint. All the hacker will see will be this string of infinite characters that they wouldn’t be able to break. Apart from encryption, VPNs use security features like a kill switch, IP leak protection, and even Double VPN connections. All of these ensure your security is uncrackable.
No one can track your activities as soon as you connect to a server. Bear in mind your ISP can still see you’re using a VPN, but more about that later.
✅ Online Privacy
We can’t discuss VPN pros and cons without mentioning privacy; obviously, a pro. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and others are known for this. It implies how a provider handles your data, and in this case of these, they do it according to a no-log policy, which guarantees no storage of sensitive data.
No-log VPNs do not store your IP address, DNS requests, visited websites, download history, location, etc. They don’t know a single thing about you, except for basic things, including an email address and payment method for subscription. When talking about the benefits of VPNs, we can’t dispute other privacy features.
For example, most providers use RAM servers nowadays, which can’t be compromised because they can be wiped clean with each restart – click, and they’re off. This aids a no-log policy, thereby making your privacy the #1 priority.
Protect Your Privacy With NordVPN
✅ Bypassing Geo-Restrictions
By far the most popular VPN benefit is bypassing geo-blocks. Geo-blocks are when the website you’re trying to visit is restricted based on your location. Below is an example of Pluto TV, which you can watch abroad thanks to this guide. It works only in the USA. Another example is Netflix, with geo-restricted content.
We can mention HBO Max, Hotstar, ESPN+, and hundreds of other platforms that don’t operate worldwide. There’s no better way to unblock them than with a VPN. VPNs route your traffic through an intermediary server located elsewhere. This hides your original IP and replaces it with the IP from the server.
Your traffic looks like it originates from that server (which it does), and your IP is displayed as the server’s. If you connect to a US server, guess what? You can unblock all US-based streaming services, no matter where you are. Connect to a UK server and watch BBC iPlayer abroad (just an example of what you can do).
However, this VPN benefit isn’t limited to streaming. You can access gambling sites abroad if you love this activity. Heck, even unblocking porn is possible if your country restricts it. Just abide by your country’s laws; don’t let yourself get in trouble.
Unblock Restricted Sites With NordVPN
✅ Safety on Public WiFi Networks
Public WiFi networks aren’t our cup of tea. We skip those and use our mobile data with a VPN. If we must, we use public WiFi networks, but again, we enable a VPN. Public networks are often unencrypted and suffer from a lack of security and privacy. They’re public, so they must be open and accessible to tourists or people in need.
Well, that invites hackers to the party, and you know these people. They’re party-breakers. Hackers can easily breach your device connected to this network and steal your data. There’s another paradox. Some cybercriminals deploy their hotspots to lure people. Once they connect to a hotspot, a cybercriminal exploits their data.
A VPN solves this with encryption, which prevents bad people from inflicting any harm. If you think this is a minor occurrence, read this report from Statista. It shows that 51% of people worldwide have used a VPN for privacy protection on public WiFi hotspots. We have no reason to think this percentage won’t go up.
✅ Dodging Censorship
Censorship is the killer of free speech, among many other things. Censored regions (China, Russia, Turkey, the UAE, etc.) have the internet that Westerners are afraid of. Imagine not being able to watch YouTube videos in China. Imagine being able to use VoIP apps in the UAE to communicate with your family abroad.
Such situations made many use a VPN in the UAE and other countries. VPN benefits for censorship are non-negotiable. Thanks to its ability to alter your IP location to another country, you can rid yourself of the censorship chains. NordVPN and ExpressVPN obfuscate your VPN traffic to DPI, especially useful in China.
With your traffic encrypted by the VPN, the ISP and authorities no longer have a grip on you. In fact, it promotes internet freedom and access to any website or app. As a result, you can download VoIP services, watch YouTube, stream on Netflix, and send emails in privacy. Beware that not all providers can overcome censorship.
We’d rely on top-tier options. NordVPN and its obfuscated servers are surely your #1 choice, but ExpressVPN’s built-in obfuscation is no less effective.
Use NordVPN to Bypass Censorship
✅ Avoiding Price Discrepancies
We live in an era of discrimination, yet no one mentions price differences that many find discriminatory. Why is a particular thing more expensive in some countries? Shouldn’t we all pay the same? Not exactly. Iceland, which is one of the most expensive countries, won’t be the same as Bulgaria or Croatia.
These countries have lower costs, which translates to cheaper flight tickets, among many other things. Some countries, like Turkey, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and Argentina, are also famous for this. People change their PSN region to these countries to save money and buy games at a way lower price.
Conversely, some take advantage of a VPN’s IP-changing to buy cheaper flight tickets and hotel rentals by pretending they’re in another country. We also noticed that Netflix is priced differently in some regions. The same goes for other subscriptions and physical goods you’ll find on Temu and other online stores.
A huge VPN benefit is the option to switch from hundreds of online locations and experiment. You can make massive savings, especially on traveling abroad or vacationing a few times a year.
✅ Private Torrenting Sessions
Torrenting is associated with piracy and is something frowned upon. This is why it’s targeted by ISPs and authorities who will gladly punish you for breaking the law. Well, torrenting doesn’t have to be connected to piracy. You can still download royalty-free torrents. But even in that case, P2P file sharing isn’t safe.
P2P puts you in a network with other peers (peer-to-peer is the same as P2P) who can see your IP address and location. Also, torrent sites will store your IP address and downloads related to it. They’ll submit this information to your ISP if needed, and if you’ve downloaded a copyrighted torrent, you’ll be in trouble.
The best way to combat this is to anonymize yourself with a VPN. Apparently, this VPN pro is what many value. Imagine using a VPN and torrenting. If the torrent site collects download history, it’ll be associated with a VPN-given IP, preventing any harm. In the same fashion, your ISP can’t track you because of encryption.
✅ Malware & Virus Protection
We know that a VPN and antivirus aren’t the same, or are they? No, they’re not. However, some providers started to blur the line between the two. Modern VPNs like NordVPN, Surfshark, and Private Internet Access offer advanced features. They can block ads, trackers, malware, viruses, and malicious sites.
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro removes malware from all devices, which you could only do with dedicated anti-malware tools years ago. Surfshark and Private Internet Access offer optional virus protection. These are full-fledged antivirus tools to keep your computer and other devices free of any threats.
Enjoy Virus Protection With Surfshark
Some providers, including NordVPN and Surfshark, also include a dark web monitor and other privacy and security-oriented non-VPN features, making them quite versatile. When discussing VPN pros and cons, it’s hard not to mention that they’re often cybersecurity suites and not ordinary, run-of-the-mill VPNs.
VPN Drawbacks: What Are the VPN Cons?
The title of this article refers to the VPN pros and cons, so let’s explore the latter and discover the darker side of the medal. Don’t fret; there aren’t many cons.
❌ Negative Impact on Connection Speed
Connecting to a VPN routes your traffic through another server and encrypts it. Neither is speed-friendly. Logically, if you use a distant server, a slower speed and higher latency are mandatory. This happens with every VPN, but to a different extent. Faster VPNs won’t slow your speed much, but the reduction will still exist.
In this VPN con, we mentioned encryption. It’s good for security, but not for performance because it slows your connection. However, this impact isn’t too noticeable. The most impactful thing is the server distance. You can remove this drawback of a VPN by using a server in your vicinity, especially when downloading.
But if you need to unblock an Australian TV channel and you’re abroad, you’ll have to deal with the consequences of weaker performance. Again, it’s not critical if you choose a fast and reliable VPN, such as NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
Maximize Your Connection Speed With NordVPN
❌ The Best VPNs aren’t Free
If you spend your money reluctantly, you’ll hate this. The best VPNs with all the benefits we presented are premium. Free providers give you privacy and security and do it well. Proton VPN and Hide.me are great examples. This is as far as they go. Paid VPNs include streaming, P2P-friendly servers, unlimited data, and so on.
Some find the obligation to pay for a big con of a VPN. But let’s think about the price of these services. They usually range from $1.99 to $8.99 per month, though the upper limit is generous. In the worst case, you’ll spend about $7 for a high-end plan. This price is affordable for everyone with a home and a computer.
Factor in cheap VPNs like NordVPN, PIA, Surfshark, and Proton VPN with flagship features. Now, you see that getting some of the best ones won’t cost a fortune.
❌ Some Countries Ban VPNs
If you can visit Gizmodo, chances are you’re not in a censored country or, God forbid, the one that bans VPNs. However, banning them isn’t as atypical as you think. Some countries restrict VPNs, such as China or Russia, but still deem them legal. On the other hand, North Korea, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, and more completely ban them.
This is a big problem if you want to boost your privacy and security. There’s no way around it unless you purposefully break the law. We don’t recommend that because fines can be eye-watering, and sometimes, you can face jail time. To ensure VPNs are legal in your country, get to know your country’s laws better.
Before that, you can read our VPN legality guide for more information.
❌ They aren’t 100% Anonymous
When it comes to VPN pros and cons, very few experts discuss the false expectations of using a VPN for anonymity. No, VPNs will not magically make you 100% anonymous. They promise privacy, anonymity, security, and all else. And, truth be told, they add to security and privacy via encryption and a no-log policy.
However, a big however is how you use the internet. If you voluntarily provide your data to Instagram, Google, X, Facebook, or Twitter, a VPN can’t help. Logging in to your social media account with an email and password is also unsafe. Whenever you provide your personal information, using a VPN cannot help.
Besides, it’s up to you to have a sense of how to use the internet safely. You can’t behave irresponsibly, hoping to be backed by a VPN. That’s not how it works.
❌ Potential Logging
We said that most providers don’t keep logs. This applies to the highest quality ones. Some providers go the opposite route, which can be detected by reading the privacy policy. Most people take VPNs for granted and see the magical “We keep no logs!” claim. Under the hood, they can find traces of widespread rot.
We tested hundreds of VPNs, and roughly 20% were trustworthy. Others who openly stated they don’t keep logs mostly kept connection logs and/or timestamps, IP addresses, and so forth. This means you must be careful navigating the minefield. If you’re a beginner, you can get a VPN that stores logs and trumps your privacy.
Paying for it is even worse because you’re giving money to a company that handles your data poorly and fails to secure your online presence.
Some VPN Providers We Recommend
Being careful ties into the next section, where we’ll recommend our favorite picks. If you want a provider that has more pros and very few, if any, cons, you’ll have to pick a premium one. Not all premium options are equal, so here are a few that we love the most, based on our experience and testing:
- NordVPN. Our all-time favorite. NordVPN is better than all competitors, having 9,000+ servers, no data limits, and unbreakable encryption. It also offers a no-log policy, servers based on RAM, Double VPN servers, and malware protection. The good news is that it’s very affordable at around $3 per month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 3-day free trial.
- ExpressVPN. Another pick with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and modern protocols. ExpressVPN is fast, streaming-ready, and optimized for torrenting. It also sports over 20 audits on its no-log policy and has easy-to-use apps. Biennial plans are its cheapest offers, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Private Internet Access. You can enjoy all the VPN benefits for two quid. PIA offers unlimited concurrent connections to keep you safe. Advanced security features, optional antivirus, and servers for streaming spice it up even more. Finally, a no-log policy proven in court makes it among the most trusted VPNs in 2026.
9200 servers
167 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.1 /10
27000 servers
91 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
Unlimited connections
9 /10
⚠️ BONUS: VPN Providers to Avoid
Knowing good from bad is always a great thing. But to achieve this, you must know what is bad and should be avoided. Here are a few providers we don’t like, usually because of security and privacy issues. They offer way more cons than pros:
- Hola VPN – Excessive logging and poor privacy
- Betternet – Heavy data collection with weak security
- Urban VPN – Logging of your browsing history and personal data
- Turbo VPN – A Hong Kong-based provider with questionable privacy
- Mobile-only free providers – Notorious for storing tons of user information
- Kaspersky VPN – Based in Russia, with very few security features
- Norton VPN – Vague logging policy and underwhelming privacy
VPN Pros & Cons: Our Final Verdict
The end leaves us with a digression on VPN benefits and shortcomings. In our book, the former are more numerous, and we haven’t even discussed all. Some VPN pros that we haven’t mentioned are lag-free gaming, DDoS protection, and safe crypto trading. When it comes to cons, it’s how you look at things.
VPNs being premium isn’t a con for everyone, for us, specifically. It’s better to pay for a service and have a great one. You’ll pay with your privacy otherwise. The only palpable con is speed reduction. Unfortunately, this is always the case, but way less so with more reliable and renowned VPN providers.
This, finally, brings us to NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. Using these will yield far more VPN benefits and fewer shortcomings for the best possible experience at a low price. So, are you convinced yet? If so, you have three excellent options to start on a positive note.