Question 1

What does a VPN do?

Accepted Answer

A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server operated by the VPN provider. All traffic exits to the internet from that server's IP address rather than yours, masking your origin location, encrypting the connection from your ISP's view, and allowing access to geo-restricted content or corporate resources. It does not make you anonymous and does not protect against phishing, malware, or credential theft.

Question 2

How much does a VPN cost?

Accepted Answer

Individual plans run $3–10 per month on annual contracts, often heavily discounted for multi-year terms. Business plans with centralised user management start at $5–10 per user per month. Zero-trust network access solutions for distributed teams replacing legacy VPN architecture run $10–20 per user per month with SSO and directory integration.

Question 3

Is a VPN safe to use for business?

Accepted Answer

Consumer VPN plans are not built for business use — they lack centralised management, access policies, connection logging, and compliance features. Business-grade VPN and ZTNA products provide admin control over who connects, from where, to which resources, with audit logs. Always verify the provider has published independent security audits, not just policy claims.

Question 4

What is the difference between a personal VPN and a business VPN?

Accepted Answer

A personal VPN is a single-user product focused on privacy and geo-unblocking. A business VPN adds centralised provisioning, per-user access policies, connection logging, directory integration, and support SLAs. Some businesses use zero-trust network access instead of a traditional VPN, which grants access per application rather than granting full network access after a single tunnel authentication.

Question 5

Does a VPN slow down internet speed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, to varying degrees. Encryption overhead and routing through an additional server add latency. WireGuard-based connections typically add less than 10–20 percent overhead on a fast connection. Congested server infrastructure adds far more. Test the provider at the times you actually use it, not just during a trial on an empty server.

Question 6

What is a no-logs VPN policy?

Accepted Answer

A no-logs policy means the provider does not record which sites you visited, when you connected, or your originating IP address. The policy only has value if it has been independently audited and tested under a real legal request. Marketing claims of no-logs without audit evidence are unverifiable. Look for published third-party audit reports, not just policy pages.

VPN marketplace

Surfshark

ExpressVPN