Best VPN for Working From Home – Our #1 Recommendation

With the ever-increasing popularity of remote work for all sorts of jobs, VPNs are becoming more critical than ever. They are a massive part of the omnipresent cyber-security discussion, and even more so as more workplaces start to require a VPN for their remote workers. But what is the best VPN for working from home? Below, we’ll talk about what VPNs are, why you should be using one, and give you our recommendation for the best VPN for working from home.

What is a VPN?

VPN is short for Virtual Private Network. It is a tool used to protect your identity and data online. But enhanced online privacy and security are far from the only benefit you can gain. From hiding your location to increasing the difficulty of being hacked, the list of benefits of using a high-quality VPN for working from home is long and sometimes surprising. 

A VPN gives you a secure connection, safe from all other hidden onlookers (corporations, government orgs, or hackers). Essentially, this is what it does; Imagine you live in Austin, Texas and you’ve installed a VPN for working from home on your computer. Even though you’re in Austin, to outsiders it will seem as if your IP address is coming from the location of your VPN server.

A good VPN will have multiple locations for you to choose from, allowing you to mask your identity and make it look like you’re browsing from France, Brazil, The UK, or India. Cookies and other tools companies use to spy on you online will not be able to track your internet traffic anymore, allowing you to browse freely and safely. 

But how does this work? 

How Do VPNs Work?

As mentioned above, VPNs disguise your IP address and camouflage it by showing their own server address. But what exactly happens to the record of your browsing history when you have a VPN for working from home installed and running? 

The exact workings of a VPN vary a little depending on which one you’re using. There are a whole host of options available on the internet, and as you might expect different providers offer different services. Some VPNs guarantee total that you’ll be able to browse completely untraced on all kinds of websites, from news sites to Netflix. On the opposite end, a simple ad blocker will only shield you from unwanted advertisements and does not usually include actual privacy protection.

An ideal VPN for working from home provides privacy, blocks ads, and shields your location. To make this happen, as soon as you switch it on the VPN, the program creates something referred to as “the tunnel.” Think of the tunnel as an encrypted, safe gateway for your data over the VPNs protected server. This server also masks the identity and location of your IP Address, making you even more invisible. This ensures that your personal data is safe from spy bot tools like cookies or other tracking devices.

Why a VPN?

There is a whole slew of reasons to use a VPN for working from home to hide your IP address. The increased security and privacy you’ll get from being exposed to fewer tracking mechanisms is just the start. Every aspect of your online life can be impacted by your choice of VPN, so it’s important to choose one that fits you. From your professional life (especially your connection to your company from a home office) to your private internet use, it is important to be informed about what options are available to you. It is in both your and your business’s best interest to keep your browsing data private.

Professional Benefits of VPN for Working From Home

Since the US Congress made it legal to sell data collected from your online browsing (and this has already happened to you whether you were aware of it or not), keeping company secrets is way more important. Most companies will require you to use a VPN before you access any sensitive company info in the office, but unless you have a VPN for working from home, they’re now risking exposure based on your at-home browsing.

The home office brings the same problems and risks that companies face under more normal circumstances, but with the added complication of unpredictable and unreliable networks used for home internet access.

When it comes to having your data tracked and sold online, you’re often not given a lot of choice in the matter. Online services like messaging apps, social media or online document programs (especially free ones) will track your data by default. Generally speaking, if you’re not paying for a service, you’re the product, not the customer. This is actually why we strongly recommend you don’t use a free VPN. Selling your data is how these companies make money. I think we can all agree that being exploited just because you don’t have better options available is not an attractive proposition

A good VPN can allow you to use these services without having your data recorded and sold off. This means any information, whether it be personal or professional, stays secure and away from prying eyes.

Personal Benefits of VPN for Working From Home

For one, a VPN can frequently be used to block all sorts of ads plaguing your browsing experience. Aside from feeling a lot better about not having ads forced on you, this has the bonus benefit of speeding up your browser! Those ads can take up a lot of bandwidth.

One option on any decent VPN is the ability to change the location of your IP address. Some VPNs let you choose the location that you’d like websites to think you’re browsing from. For example, Netflix offers certain shows only in specific countries, and if you want that new episode from Supernatural or a Studio Ghibli film that’s not available in your country, this is the way to go.

The VPN benefits for private users also include protecting you from the safety hazard that free WiFi can. If your “VPN for working from home” experience is actually more of a “working from a cafe” situation, you face a whole new level of risk by sharing public free WiFi. A VPN will make using sketchy networks a lot less dangerous.

Companies Guidelines for VPNs

The company’s guidelines regarding VPNs are also important, so you’ll want to make sure any VPN you use meets your company’s safety criteria. This is so important to a lot of workplaces that, in many cases, the company will pay for your VPN expenses, since it directly benefits them. 

In a lot of cases, this is not even optional. Most tech-savvy firms will require you to have safety measures in place on your laptop.

Requirements For a Good VPN

When you are browsing different VPNs for working-from-home services, there are essential things to keep in mind while making your choice. Most importantly (clearly), your location and other personal data should be protected. Another popular key feature is the ability access to restricted websites and content. If this feature is essential to you, make sure to select a service that allows you to choose from multiple virtual locations. Some VPNs will choose your location for you, but the best will allow you to choose it yourself. 

An ideal VPN for working from home service should provide a fast connection, encrypted data transmission, and customer support that is preferably working 24/7. Remember to check which devices the VPN works on and how many can you use it with at the same time.

Since there are a lot of services that provide an encrypted and safe connection, so if you find multiple VPNs for working-from-home options and are having trouble choosing, you can also compare extra features and prices. We know this sounds like a lot of work, so we’ve done quite a bit of research on our end so that we could offer you our best recommendation.

What is the Best VPN for Working From Home?

IPVanish is a VPN service that has been in the game for a long time. They offer fast and secure encryption, and they have more than 75 virtual locations for you to choose from. IPVanish is an excellent VPN for working from home, or for everyday activities on the internet.

When using IPVanish VPN, your data goes through an encrypted tunnel, which means that your devices’ information and internet traffic will be transmitted securely. Their service allows you to access restricted content, prevents spying, and won’t let ISPs interfere with your connection. Overall, your data and online presence will stay private for the whole time. 

As a subscriber, you have a chance to select where you want to appear online. As we mentioned before, you have more than 75 different locations available. There is also customer support that will answer your inquiries 24/7. You can reach them by email, live chat, and phone if you have problems or questions about the service.

IPVanish has three different plans for you to choose from, and they include one-month, three months, and one-year subscriptions. One of the best features is that you can use the service on all the devices you own as they do not meter the connections.

Since price is certainly a consideration for most people (us included!), you can get a huge discount, 60% off, if you use our site link. This is a deal we’ve worked out exclusively for our readers, and hopefully, it helps you stay safe online without having to break the bank.

Conclusion

A safe and secure internet connection is something that we all need for work, as well as in our everyday online activities. Don’t underestimate the threats of not using a VPN, not to mention the benefit of being able to access content that’s been blocked in your region. Also, your data, including location and payment details, will stay hidden from others. When you browse the internet with a VPN, you can be sure that the encryption will keep you safe.

You should also know that sometimes a VPN can make your internet connection work faster (by blocking adware and tracking cookies), and the best services will improve it. When you are looking for the best VPN for working from home, or for your everyday activity, make sure that you get the features you need.

Oh, and if you need a little help on the technical end of things, we can walk you through how to install a VPN on any device.

Safety is essential for all of us, so we hope you take a moment to protect yourself. Let us know how you use your VPN for working from home in the comments!