#5 Quick Tips to Choose a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for Your Startup

Startup owners and their employees often visit hundreds of websites daily. All of these websites are not safe and secure.

So cybercriminals and hackers can steal the data of startups if startup owners don’t follow cybersecurity best practices.

If you think startups are not on the radar of hackers, you are wrong. Hackers are increasingly targeting startups and small businesses because they have more data than individuals and less security than big companies. 

In fact, 43% of data breaches involved small businesses, according to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report 2019.

A virtual private network (VPN) can improve your online security and make you anonymous. But many times, startups are not sure about which VPN provider they should choose. 

If you are facing the same problem, the help is here. In today’s post, I’m going to discuss #5 quick tips that will help you choose the right VPN for your startup. 

Without further ado, let’s dive in: 

1- Know Why You Need a VPN

Every user has different needs in the mind when he/she is going to purchase a VPN. So you need to assess your needs before you go shopping for a VPN. 

People use VPN for multiple purposes, which include but not limited to:

• Secure browsing      
• Geo-shift location
• Anonymity
• Plausible deniability

Most startups use VPNs to hide from snooping Internet service providers (ISPs). 

Also, many a time, internet service provider limit the connection speed based on content. A VPN can solve this problem by not letting your ISP what content your reading or watching. 

2- Read Logging Policy

Without a VPN, your Internet service provider can see and collect data on your online activity. But when you use a VPN, your ISP cannot see what you are doing online.

However, your VPN provider can see your online activity. So you should check what kind of details about you or your online activity the VPN provider keeps. 

Most reputed VPNs keep no logs, but some collect VPN data in the name of monitoring the use of their networks for technical purposes.

So you should make sure that you read logging policy carefully and choose the VPN that comes with zero log policy. 

Also, don’t forget to check whether the zero-log policy of the VPN provider has been verified by a third-party independent auditor or not. 

3- Check VPN Speed

VPNs tend to slow down the Internet speed. It is the price you pay to stay safe and anonymous online. 

Not all VPNs are the same when it comes to affecting the speed of the Internet. Some VPNs slow down the Internet speed more than others. 

So it is imperative that you should know the speed of your VPN before making the final decision. 

There are many independent online resources such as TechRadar, PCWorld, and PCMag that compare the speed of different VPNs, making it easier for users to buy the fastest VPN provider. 

You should always check more than one resource to find the fastest VPN.  

4- Customer Service 

You will never know when you are hit with a snag. So it is critical that you choose a VPN that offers top-class customer support. 

Needless to say, email and tickets can take hours sometimes. Therefore, you should try to purchase a VPN that offers 24/7 chat/phone support. 

Also, you may not like the VPN service because it is making your Internet too slow or it is not serving your objective.

So buying a VPN that offers easy money back guaranty is a smart decision. It will keep you protected from any false promise made by the VPN provider. 

5- Compare Different VPNs

The best way to pick the right VPN is to review different VPNs and figure out which one will meet your objective. 

You should look at the following pointers when you are comparing different VPNs:

• Speed 
• Safety
• Number of servers and locations 
• User-friendliness
• Extra features (If any) 
• Logs policy and jurisdiction

Also, a VPN should not make a hole in your pocket. So you should always check prices when comparing different VPN providers.  

Final thoughts,

Choosing a good VPN for a startup can be a tiresome job for a non-technical person. 

However, understanding your need, reading the logging policy of a VPN, checking VPN speed, ensuring to buy a VPN with 24/7 customer support, and comparing different VPNs will help you make an informed decision.  

What about you? Do you want to share any other tips to buy a VPN? Please leave it in the comment section. I’d love to know about it.