The benefits of using a VPN to browse securely and privately on your laptop or PC are well known. But if you spend more time using the internet on your phone, shouldn’t you have a VPN installed on that too? Here are the reasons why you should, as well as some of the downsides that you need to know about.
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NordVPN is one of the fastest VPN options available. It’s also easy to use and compatible with a variety of devices. For Black Friday, you can get the Basic plan for only $2.99/month if you sign up for two years, and you get three extra months for free.
Why you need a VPN on your phone
There are several good reasons to use a VPN on your phone. The first is privacy. A VPN doesn’t make you anonymous online, but it does stop your ISP from tracking the sites and services you use.
In the case of your phone, that means both your broadband provider at home as well as your network carrier when you’re using mobile data. If you use public or work Wi-Fi, a VPN will stop those networks from monitoring your activity, too.
Credit: Justin Duino / How-To Geek
A VPN also hides your IP address from the sites that you visit. That makes it harder—but not impossible—for them to track you.
Of course, the VPN provider itself can still see which sites you’re visiting. You need to make sure you choose one that has a robust no-logging policy. Our guide to the best VPNs will point you in the direction of services that you can trust.
VPNs encrypt your connection to the internet. They enable you to access a work network securely, and also make using public Wi-Fi like that in hotels, coffee shops, and airports safer. It’s generally not recommended to use unencrypted public Wi-Fi hotspots, but if you do use them for any reason, a VPN will at least ensure your data and your connection are more secure.
Credit: Justin Duino / How-To Geek
The other big use of a VPN is that it can make it appear as though you’re browsing from a different location than the one you’re actually in. This means you can often access content that is region-locked. You might want to access your regular Netflix library when you’re overseas, for example, or use a foreign streaming service like BBC iPlayer from somewhere where it isn’t normally available, like the US.
In the same way, you can use a VPN to bypass age restrictions in places where they are in force. Set your VPN to a location or region where age verification is not a thing, and you can continue using services without any obstacles.
What a VPN on your phone does and doesn’t do
So, when is it most useful to run a VPN on your phone? A good VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your connection. If you’re concerned about your privacy and security, then using a VPN on your phone is good for general everyday use. More specifically, it’s handy for people who use public Wi-Fi networks where they cannot absolutely guarantee their security.
Credit: Justin Duino / How-To Geek
A VPN can make you appear as though you’re connecting from a different location. If you travel a lot, you can use the VPN to make it look as though you’re still at home and continue to access your regular services without the risk of interruption. You can also use it to access region-locked content or bypass local censorship rules.
It can also provide consistency in your connection if you’re constantly switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data. The VPN’s IP address will remain the same when you change networks.
The downsides to running a VPN on your phone
But you need to know about the limitations as well. A VPN is not foolproof. While it stops your ISP and certain websites from tracking you, it won’t keep you hidden from Google or any of the other big tech companies that can follow you around the web through other means. Many apps are very good at tracking your activities, whether it’s through the location permission or various forms of fingerprinting. And you can also be tracked merely by being logged into your Google account or having Facebook cookies on your phone.
As I already mentioned, you should choose a reliable and trustworthy VPN. The app stores for both Android and iPhone will typically feature free VPNs at the top of the download charts. As a general rule, these are not recommended. VPNs are businesses, and if you aren’t paying them a monthly subscription, they will often make money off you by selling your data to third parties. This way, they can actually be even more harmful to your privacy.
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The VPN also doesn’t protect you against malware and other online threats. Some VPNs offer a level of content filtering that can help, but that only goes so far.
And finally, keep in mind that running a VPN app could potentially drain your battery faster and make your internet connection slower. Once again, choosing the right VPN service should help avoid that. The best VPN providers will have little or no negative effects on the performance of your phone.
There are lots of good reasons to have a VPN on your phone. I keep one installed, but I don’t have it running all the time. I enable it as and when I need it for certain uses, like when I’m on public Wi-Fi or to bypass regional content blocks. That gives me the security and flexibility that I’m happy with.
Logging policy
No-logs policy
Mobile app
Android and iOS
This article was produced in partnership with NordVPN.
