You don’t have to be a spy or an international person of mystery to use a proxy or a virtual private network (VPN). There are plenty of reasons why the average person might need to mask their IP address or want a little more privacy when browsing the web.
On the surface, it might seem like a VPN and a proxy are two sides of the same coin. After all, both allow you to browse the internet safely while making it appear as if you’re connecting from a different location. How different can these two tools that provide the same function really be?
However, the similarities between a proxy server and a VPN stop there. How they accomplish the task of hiding your location and the degree to which they provide you with privacy, encryption, and other security features is extremely varied.
IN THIS POST
- VPN vs. proxy: what’s the difference?
- What is a proxy server?
- Types of proxy servers
- Public vs. private proxy servers
- When would you want to use a proxy?
- Benefits of a proxy server
- Drawbacks of a proxy server
- What is a VPN?
- Types of VPNs
- When would you want to use a VPN?
- Benefits of a VPN
- Should you use a VPN or a proxy?