VPN vs Proxy: What Are They and Which Is Better?

When it comes to online security, there are a lot of options to choose from. In this blog post, we’ll compare VPNs and proxies and discuss which is the better option for you. We’ll also explain the benefits of both technologies and how they can help keep your data safe online. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better understanding of what VPNs and proxies are and which one is best for you.

Table of Contents

What is a VPN?

The first question that you might have if you are trying to understand the difference between a VPN and a proxy is, “What is a VPN?” In simple terms, a VPN is a virtual private network that is a secure encrypted server that you would connect to. You can think of a VPN as a middleman since you won’t be making a direct connection with the website or app that you are using.

How this process works is that when you connect to the server of a VPN, any information that is being sent to or from your device is encrypted. Furthermore, when you visit a website and load a page or download an image, the VPN will make the request for you, which means the site or app itself won’t have access to any of your information.

What Is a Proxy?

Now that you have a better idea of what a VPN is, it is time to understand what a proxy is. A proxy is quite similar to a VPN, except that the main difference is in how the process works. Much like a VPN, a proxy acts as a middleman between your device and the Internet, depending on the type of proxy that you are using.

The key difference between a VPN and a proxy is the fact that a VPN will allow you to connect to any website or app, whereas a proxy is mainly used for individual websites or apps, and when you change the app or website, you will need to change the information within the proxy. Having said that, it depends on the proxy server that you are using.

A transparent proxy server gives you the ability to block certain websites, which is helpful for employers or public libraries. An HTTP proxy is mainly used for accessing geo-restricted websites or if you live in a country that has quite a lot of censorship. Finally, a SOCKS5 proxy is used for online gaming, video streaming, file sharing, and more; however, it is quite slow.

Benefits of a VPN

Now that you know the key differences between a VPN and a proxy, you are most likely wondering what other benefits a VPN offers. The primary benefit that a VPN offers over a proxy is the fact that the encryption that a VPN uses is much stronger. VPNs also offer you the ability to hide your IP address, giving you a new IP address, just like this perfect VPN for Alberta does, and also hide your web activity. More importantly, when you use a VPN, your IP address is completely hidden, whereas when you use a proxy, the proxy owner might still be able to see it.

Benefits of a Proxy

As you might be able to guess, VPNs offer quite a few more benefits than proxies do, but that doesn’t mean that proxies don’t have their benefits. One of the biggest differences in terms of benefits between a VPN and a proxy is the fact that proxies are mostly free, whereas many VPNs are paid services. In addition to this, proxies are great for use at a large scale, especially for data gathering, whereas VPNs mostly benefit single clients, or in other words, personal use.

Which Is Better?

To answer the question of which is better, that would highly depend on your purpose for using either a VPN or a proxy. If, as mentioned, you are planning on using it for large-scale data gathering, then a proxy is the clear winner. However, if you are looking to browse the Internet with complete anonymity, then a VPN is a clear choice since your IP address is completely hidden. In terms of security, VPNs win in this regard since they have high levels of encryption compared to proxies, which can either have no encryption or a very medium level.