11 Cool Ways to Use VPN

If you have a VPN, it automatically routes your internet traffic through a remote VPN system, masking your IP address. No one will be able to track what you do on the internet or where you end up, and this includes your internet service provider.

If you’re still thinking twice about it, we’ve rounded up 11 exciting uses of VPN that just may just convince you to get one.

Travel Abroad and Access Your Favorite Websites

When you travel abroad, you typically lose access to your favorite sites because of restrictions. This is especially helpful if you plan to travel to a country that has heavy restrictions on things like social media websites or video streaming sites. Since a VPN hides where you are, you simply get online, find a server in your home country, and connect to it to have instant access to your normal sites.

Avoid Third Party Users

It’s very easy for certain third party services and users to spy on your browsing history or on your connection, especially if you regularly use public connections at restaurants or airports. These connections aren’t usually encrypted, and this is where a VPN comes in. Not only will this route your connection through a private server, but it can also encrypt your data and protect you from potential data leaks or stolen information.

Avoid Paying More When Shopping Online

Say you’re traveling and you go to your favorite cafe. You order the same thing as the person in front of you. However, the person in front of you is local, so he pays less for the same item. This can happen when you shop online with foreign IP addresses. If you’re shopping in Germany and you have a VPN, you can switch your IP to make it seem like you’re local. This can help you get lower prices.

Unlock Geo-Restricted Content

Did you know that Hulu and Netflix have different libraries for different countries, and what’s available in one country could be restricted in yours?

You can unlock this content by using your VPN to switch it. That way, it’ll seems like you’re viewing that content in the specific country, allowing you to unblock Geo-restricted content. Some companies are working to block VPNs, but reading the purevpn review can help you decide if this service will help you work around this.

Play Games Without Getting Slowed Down by Your ISP

Along with Netflix, online game streaming sites are falling victim to forced slowdowns by ISPs, especially if you have a limited data plan in place. Game makers also use BitTorrent to send out fixes or updates for bugs, and this can slow your game down. A VPN can prevent this mandatory slowdown, allowing you to play your online streaming game as much or as little as you want.

Stream Television for Free from Other Countries

Say that you’re based in the United States, but you like watching British television shows. A lot of countries offer free streaming of their country-specific channels to residents of that area.

A VPN lets you switch your location from the United States to the United Kingdom or anywhere you want to stream free television shows. You’ll be able to pick where you’d like your IP address to be located, and different VPN services offer up to 114 different countries.

Covertly Check up on Your Competition

Say you have a business and you want to see what your competition is doing. If you check your competition’s page through normal routes, the webmaster can run everything through Google analytics and follow your digital trail straight back to you. A VPN lets you be virtually anyone. This is because Google will log you as a random user with a random IP address that’s hard to trace back to you.

Avoid Getting Put on “The List”

Did you download things like movies or share them through less than legal means? If you get caught doing this, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), GCHQ (The UK’s Government Communications Headquarters), and the NGA can log your IP address and put it on their watch list. You’ll be able to use your VPN to legally share and download your files without ending up on the watch list.

Save Money on VoIP Calls

Thousands of people use VoIP to make long distance phone calls. VoIP is popular because it’s cheaper than traditional long distance calls, easy to use, and available anywhere you have internet access.

By using your VPN and switching your calling country to the same country that you want to call, you can reduce your costs even further and save money each time you call.

Be Virtually at Home and Hide Your Location

Perhaps you intend to travel, and you don’t necessarily want potential thieves, coworkers, or even family members to know where you are. You can set your VPN to make it look like you’re home on a virtual level, even if you’re traveling abroad or even one or two states over. All you do is pick a server that’s close to your house and route through it.

Save Money on Airline Tickets

You want to search around and compare airline ticket prices before you buy to ensure that you get the lowest rates. However, airlines use cookies to track your data. The more interested you are in a particular date and time for your airline tickets, the more the airlines can inflate the prices. A VPN hides your IP address and thwarts cookies, so you really will get the lowest prices available.

These 11 ways to use VPN can help protect your privacy, enable you to get restricted content, and so much more. If you don’t have one yet, it’s a perfect time to invest in a VPN of your own.