With a virtual private network (VPN) we can surf the web safely: our IP address, geographic location and mobile data will remain hidden from the websites we visit and from our internet and data service provider. Certain VPN services can also block ads or alert us to suspicious emails or text messages that put our information at risk..
But how to choose a good VPN for our device? Here we explain it.
Choosing a VPN for Android
Compatibility
Obvious step, but very important. We will review only VPN providers for Android . That is, those compatible with this operating system..
Privacy Policy
The goal of a VPN is to keep our data private. Then it would not make sense to hire a provider that stores unnecessary data of ours. We should look for a provider with a no-logging policy. We will avoid providers that collect or store unnecessary data, and even more so those that do not have a clear privacy policy on their website.
vpn protocol
We have reached the "juice". Within the VPN protocol a (great) part of the quality of the VPN service is hidden. For Android, we will choose providers that offer the Wireguard, OpenVPN, or IKEv2 protocol. These three are the most modern, safe and fast at the code level. For Android especially, experts recommend IKEv2, as it offers speedy connections over a short distance..
encryption scheme
Currently, the tech industry uses AES-256 encryption. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram use it for their end-to-end encryption, as do apps like OneDrive and Google Drive. Good VPN providers also use the AES-256 standard, so we can't accept less.
Number and location of servers
The speed and versatility of the VPN service largely depends on the number and location of servers. We can be ambitious at this point, since there are VPN providers with more than 3,000 or 5,000 servers spread all over the world. Some also have server load strategies in the geographic areas with the highest demand, such as the United States or Canada.
obfuscation strategy
If we need extra protection or a very powerful service, we check that the provider is an obfuscated VPN. Important if we want to enter from countries with strong government restrictions, such as China, or if we believe that we can be spied on. The term "obfuscated" refers to VPN traffic that is hidden ("obscured", hence the term obfuscate) to pose as normal internet traffic. In this way, it goes unnoticed by the Internet provider, governments or specific web pages.
RAM
There are two operating systems of the VPN. In the first, and current industry standard, it uses the RAM of our Android device. The other, not at all recommended, is the operation through the disk. The advantage of a RAM VPN service is that any possible log of activity through the VPN will be deleted as soon as we close the connection. RAM means privacy even from the VPN service provider.
