When traveling, it is important to take care of your own comfort and safety in advance. This is especially true when traveling to uncommon tourist destinations or choosing a solo trip. A free VPN should be part of your toolkit for a successful trip.
What is a Free VPN?
Free VPN is a secure data transfer technology. It consists of a set of measures, including redirecting traffic through a remote VPN server and encrypting user data. This ensures anonymity, because the final recipient receives information not directly from the user, but from the intermediary’s server, and cannot track where it came from. Encryption allows secure transmission of client data, as it can be decrypted only with a special key, and thus remains inaccessible to anyone trying to intercept it.
In addition to security features, a VPN offers other benefits to users, such as the ability to change third parties’ perceptions of their location by changing their IP address. This allows you to bypass geo-blocking on the Internet and saves money on online purchases.
Why and How to Use a Free VPN While Traveling?
Cost savings.
One of the most important reasons to use a free VPN while traveling is its ability to save your budget. This is especially true for those who choose solo travel and like to plan and organize their trips.
Airline ticketing websites track users’ IP addresses to get information about their location and estimate their interest in a particular flight or location. This information affects pricing. Attempting to maximize revenue, such aggregators strive to show the highest possible price to each user. The assumption is that users from wealthy regions, as well as those who frequently check the availability of seats on a particular flight, are more likely to pay a higher ticket price.
How to use a free VPN to save money?
- Verify the ticket price as usual on your favorite aggregator site to see if the method described above works.
- Clear your browser history and cookies.
- Connect the VPN and select a remote server located in a less wealthy country.
- Visit the website again and check the price for a given flight again.
In most cases, you will see a more attractive price. To get the best deal, try connecting to different VPN servers. This method works with car rentals and travel accommodation bookings as well. When you connect to a remote VPN server, your IP address is replaced with the address of the selected server. This way, you can manipulate third parties’ perceptions of your location and avoid a digital footprint. So you can see not only a more favorable price but also additional cheap options, such as car rental, that you have not been offered before.
Access to your favorite websites and social networks.
When you travel abroad, you may face internet censorship and website blocking.
Countries with the highest level of internet censorship:
- North Korea
- China
- Iran
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Turkmenistan
- Russia
This is only a list of the worst countries for internet censorship, but it is not exclusive. In countries where the level of internet censorship is lower, you may still find that your favorite TV series on a streaming platform is not available in your temporary location. In the countries on the list above, you will not be able to use familiar social networks, or messengers, or visit the majority of independent news sources.
If you are traveling to such a country, be sure to set up a VPN in advance, or better yet, several. The fact is that the authorities of these countries are constantly interfering with the work of VPNs, so it is better to have alternatives. We do not encourage you to violate the laws and regulations of the countries you are traveling to. However, the ability to stay in touch on social networks and messengers is often crucial for work and is undoubtedly important from the point of view of your safety.
Make sure that the chosen VPN has a server located in your home country. By connecting to it, you will be able to visit websites and view content in the usual way.
Check your work email securely using public Wi-Fi.
When traveling, you will inevitably use public Wi-Fi. Maybe in a hotel lobby or a coffee shop, you’ll want to check your email or get in touch with colleagues. Unfortunately, such networks are not safe anywhere in the world and are often used by cybercriminals.
How can a free VPN help you use such Wi-Fi networks safely? First of all, install the free VPN app on your IOS device, or better yet, on all the devices you take with you when traveling. Connect to the VPN every time you use public Wi-Fi networks. It will encrypt your data and ensure its safe transmission to the final recipient.
How to Choose the Right VPN for Travelers?
All the criteria described on the Internet for choosing a VPN are also relevant for travel VPNs. Read more about VPN protocols and data usage policies of different VPN providers. However, when choosing a free VPN for travel, you should focus on 3 factors
- whether there is a VPN server in your home country;
- whether the chosen VPN is compatible with different devices;
- whether the support service is easily accessible.
As we mentioned above, having a VPN server in your home country will allow you to watch your familiar content while you are traveling. Device compatibility is important so that you don’t have to find a separate VPN for each device. It’s important to have an Android VPN available, as well as Mac and Windows VPNs, so you can protect all your devices.
As for the support service, they should be available around the clock. When traveling, you will visit destinations in different time zones, and the time difference with the country of your VPN provider’s registration can be significant. To receive prompt assistance in case of any questions, pay attention to the availability of customer service 24/7.
So, a free VPN is a great tool for both everyday life and travel. It offers advantages starting from the planning stage of your trip. Choose your VPN provider responsibly to ensure that you and your data are safe on every trip.
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