VPN and proxy servers are the go to tools if you live in one of the many countries which block your favourite websites, such as Pakistan where YouTube is blocked, or in China where BBC news is banned. Millions of people bypass online censorship using a VPN or a proxy server, but do you know the difference between them and which one is better, VPN vs Proxy - let’s find out!
What's the difference?
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
VPNs are used by millions of companies, from large corporations to small businesses, organizations, and individual users to encrypt their data connections across the internet.
A VPN allows users to communicate privately and securely over a remote network, using their PC, Mac, Android or IOS device, VPN router or any connected, configurable device. As soon as you are connected to a VPN, ALL of your network traffic is sent through an encrypted VPN tunnel, keeping all your data secure and out of sight from eavesdroppers who can ‘listen in’ and steal your personal and confidential information. This level of security is becoming more and more desirable in the age of governmental spying on our online activities.
An excellent example of when a VPN is necessary is when accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots. If you think that using a public hotspot is safe, think again. Public Wi-Fi hotspots provide no encryption, and even a 7 year old child can hack into public Wifi! Don’t assume that the hotspot at the airport is safe - it’s not. Using a VPN while connected to public hotspots will encrypt all your data and will stop thieves in their tracks - any attempt by them to steal your data will be thwarted immediately - they will just see a lot of indecipherable code! Ha!
Learn more about how to stay safe on public hotspots.
A proxy server (also known as a web proxy) basically works as a middleman between you and another computer. A proxy works in a similar way to a VPN, in that once you connect to a proxy server your web requests are handled via the proxy and your source IP address is replaced by that of the proxy server. But, and there’s a BIG but – not only is none of your data encrypted, it is only HTTP traffic (web browsing) that is handled by the proxy - this means that any attacker, thief or other third party can easily and quickly steal the usernames and passwords to your Facebook account, your Twitter account, and your online banking credentials!
Not only that, but your location and IP address could be discovered by an attacker listening in to DNS requests, and any other service running, such as Skype or Messenger may not be configured to use the proxy.
Like a VPN, a proxy server may let you view websites you otherwise couldn’t access, by changing your IP address and geolocation, but if you want to stream TV shows or movies, you’ll often find that your viewing is hindered by some seriously annoying buffering or even disconnected entirely. This is because proxy servers can be run by anyone, anywhere on slow machines with poor internet connections and are more designed for web browsing, rather than streaming media. Also, as many of these proxy services are free, the admins don’t have the money to invest in load balancing or multiple servers, and so the service can get very congested.
The fact that proxies can be set up by anyone with an internet connection also poses another issue – do you trust the system you’re connecting to? While a proxy might help you get around certain blocks and filters, would you be happy to log in to your social media accounts, knowing the proxy owner can decrypt your traffic and steal all of your login information? You have absolutely no guarantee that a proxy server operator is an honest one!
VPN vs Proxy
- VPN – more secure than a proxy! All of your traffic, not just web browsing, is encrypted.
- VPN’s IT infrastructure allows for uninterrupted media streaming and gaming.
- Safeguard your data on your phone, iPhone,tablets etc
- Protection from malware and phishing threats.
- Proxy – allows simply bypassing of some internet filters.
- Only HTTP traffic is routed through the proxy.
- No encryption of your data.
- No way to know who you are connecting to.
- Poor quality connections leading to interruptions or disconnects when gaming or streaming media.
So Proxy vs VPN - I think it’s pretty clear who is the overall winner!
If you’re worried about hackers and that everything you do is being tracked you should consider using a VPN to secure your personal and confidential information. A proxy server will NOT fully protect you from attackers and other third parties, and anyone can find out your real physical location with little effort. Of course, if security isn’t a concern for you, then why not use our proxy server!
VPN provides users with maximum security using government-level encryption standards - with HMA! Pro VPN you know who we are and you can be confident that our service is legitimate.