Do you need a VPN in 2024?

It’s only natural to want to keep yourself and your devices safe, and with cybercrime getting more complex with every passing minute, it’s more prevalent than ever. In my time reviewing security and privacy services, people often ask me if it’s really necessary to have a VPN.

Luckily, virtual private networks (VPNs) are as expensive as a cup of coffee each month, and they’re a great way to protect yourself online while unblocking the internet around the world. VPNs mask your original IP address and route your traffic through a secure tunnel, encrypting your data and making it unreadable to anyone who tries to take a peek.

Why is that important? Well, everyone has a right to digital privacy and, unfortunately, that right has been under attack in recent years. The best VPNs allow you to go about your day-to-day browsing without worrying about leaving an identifiable trail across the web.

Written by

Written by

River Hart

River supports cybersecurity content on TechRadar—ranging from breaking news pieces, reviews, how-tos, and buying guides. They joined the team in August 2023 and previously wrote VPN content while advocating for digital rights at ProPrivacy.

Do I need a VPN?

You might already know that VPNs improve your digital privacy—but why is that important, and what threats are lurking out there on the web? Here are a handful of everyday risks that you might come across online:

Privacy at home

A VPN masks your IP address and assigns you a shiny new one—which is sort of like assuming a new digital identity. This, in addition to VPN encryption that ensures your traffic remains unreadable, means that your internet service provider (ISP) won’t be able to see what you get up to online, log your information, record it, or pass it on to advertisers who can trace your activity back to you.

Other digital threats could impact your home privacy, too. I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about cybercriminals hacking the cameras on laptops, phones, and tablets, and even listening in via the device’s microphone. It’s a disturbing violation of privacy that happens more often than you might expect—but it’s one that a VPN can help prevent. By encrypting the traffic that passes from your device to the web and back, VPNs thwart these invasive attacks by rendering that data unreadable (and useless).

Public Wi-Fi hotspots

Let’s say you’re in a cafe and you want to connect to the web. There might be dozens of free networks available—but which ones are safe?

Cybercriminals create their own access points in the hopes that you’ll join them—and they’ll often name them something similar to the actual, legitimate, connection. If you do join one of these bogus networks, the cybercriminal could hit you with a man-in-the-middle attack to follow you across the web and collect the login information you input while using the hotspot. Some of these bad actors even redirect you to shady phishing sites designed to harvest your personal information.

With a VPN, you don’t have to worry about these honeytraps. Their encryption prevents anyone, including potential hackers, from watching you over your shoulder and monitoring the sites you visit or what you’re downloading.

The three best VPNs in 2024

Want a quick answer? Here are the three best VPN services right now: 

What else can VPNs do?

While it’s true that privacy-boosting and digital security are a VPN’s calling card, there are plenty of other things you can do with your trusty service. Here are a few of my favorites:

Unblock international streaming content:

If you’re subscribed to Netflix (or another streaming service), you’re probably already aware that folks in different countries get a different selection of content. This can be frustrating—especially if the show or movie you’re dying to watch isn’t available in your location. Sites like Netflix are under contractual obligations to dish out content like this, unfortunately, meaning a lot of us miss out.

Luckily, you can make the most of your subscriptions with a streaming VPN. How? Well, when you join a VPN server in a different country, you’ll be assigned an IP address based in the same place. The sites you visit will think you’re really there, and you’ll get access to that location’s streaming content—which is doubly handy if you’re traveling overseas and want to keep up with shows and sports events from back home.

Access sites and social media platforms

Ever tried to access a particular site only to find that it’s been banned by your workplace, school, or network administrator? It’s undeniably frustrating, particularly for students trying to vet sources for papers, and some governments even enforce internet blocks in an attempt to prevent citizens from accessing popular Western sites. Think Google, YouTube, and Facebook.

This is why China VPNs are in such high demand—and why privacy activists rely on them as the first (and sometimes last) line of defense towards securing a more open internet.

Bag a bargain

Most VPNs charge a modest subscription fee—but they can also help you find the best deals and sales from around the world. The price of goods often varies from location to location, so it’s worth doing a little server-hopping to see if you can save on a big purchase.

Airlines and hotels use dynamic pricing, too, bumping up the cost of tickets and overnight stays each time you return to scope out the price. You can put a stop to this with a VPN—though it’s worth clearing your cache folder and browsing history, too.

Stay safe while gaming

If you’re an avid gamer, you’ll know that some players are seriously sore losers and can resort to DDoS attacks to retaliate. However, because a VPN masks your original IP address, any attempt to hit you with a DDoS attack will be thwarted, seeing as the perpetrator will be targeting the VPN server and not your home network.

Plus, with a gaming VPN, you can check out region-specific deals from overseas and unblock content that’s not available where you are.

Save money on antivirus

While it’s generally a good idea to invest in one of the best antivirus tools around, if you’re looking to save a bit of money, it’s worth checking out VPNs that have built-in antivirus capabilities. They won’t be as fully featured as their antivirus counterparts, but the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark have their own ad-blocking and malware protection features and can put a stop to annoying pop-ups, too. Even better, these tools are included in each VPN’s standard plan.

Some VPNs have even more add-ons, like password managers that can help you generate (and remember) secure logins, and secure cloud storage where you can keep your important digital mementos safe. So, by subscribing to one VPN, you effectively consolidate the cost of multiple security tools by subscribing to one—not half a dozen.

How to choose a VPN

The VPN you go for will depend on your individual use case—and there are a few questions it’s worth pondering before you commit to a long-term subscription. Firstly, what are you going to use your VPN for? Streaming content? Accessing restricted sites and services? Or do you want a service that’ll simply work in the background to secure your data?

Then, there are other important things to add to your VPN wishlist:

• Apps for your devices: most of us are glued to our phones, these days, so it’s important that your VPN can go with you when you’re out and about. If you have a console or smart TV, it’s worth checking whether your VPN is compatible with them, too.
• Servers around the world: if you want to unblock region-specific content, or play games with friends overseas, your VPN will need servers in key locations around the world.
• Reliable speeds: a sluggish service isn’t worth using, so make sure you pick a fast VPN that can keep up with HD streaming and torrenting.
• Security features: while some people are happy to set and forget a VPN, others want to make use of advanced features like split tunneling and a kill switch, and some VPNs even have extras like ad-blocking and malware protection.
• No-logs policy: you’ll want to go with a provider that not only has a no-logs policy, but one that has taken the time and effort to invite independent auditors to comb through it for vulnerabilities and loopholes. This kind of transparency is key when dealing with services designed to safeguard your identifiable info.
• Round-the-clock support: hiccups happen, problems pop up, and sometimes you just need a quick answer to a burning question. The best providers have 24/7 live chat support manned by friendly agents or an email ticketing system, and support articles you can rifle through to troubleshoot your issue.

How much does a VPN cost?

First things first, if you’re working with a budget—stick to it. There are VPNs available at every price range, these days, and you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a stellar service.

Surfshark is my favorite cheap VPN, and one I recommend to newbies all the time thanks to its simple apps and non-intimidating features. You can pick up a 2-year plan for $1.99 a month, which is incredibly good value, and enjoy unlimited simultaneous connections, too.

If you’re willing to push the boat out, ExpressVPN has a 1-year plan available at $6.67 a month. It’s on the pricey side, but ExpressVPN is virtually unbeatable when it comes to ease of use and overall quality.

You might be wondering if there are any viable free VPNs—and there are, but they all come with caveats. Most free services are limited versions of the full experience, designed to tempt you into upgrading to a paid plan. You can expect to be saddled with monthly data caps, reduced speeds, and fewer servers to choose from which, obviously, isn’t ideal. Some free VPNs are poorly disguised scams that just want to gobble up your data and sell it to the highest bidder—so exercise caution if you’re looking for a free option.

If you ask me, the best way to try out a VPN without risking a penny (and without having to deal with a ton of limitations) is to make good use of a premium provider’s money-back guarantee. You’ll have to pay for the VPN up front, sure, but you can claim your money back before the trial period is over—and then check out the next contender on your list the same way.

VPN FAQs

Edited by

Edited by

Andreas Theodorou (MRes, BA)

As a digital privacy advocate and expert, he’s spent the past four years leveraging his master’s degree to research VPNs, cryptography, and other cybersecurity topics.

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