The biggest concern for anyone using the internet is protecting the data and preventing attacks. While it seems daunting, tools like VPN, proxy and adblocker have your back.
The biggest challenge for end-users is picking one out of these two, as they both function in a similar fashion. As a Windows OS user, who is seeking unmatched data security, you need to understand their key differences before selecting the best one.
In this post, we tried to unfold every mystery about proxy vs VPN. Hence, it’s worth your time.
Why a VPN vs Proxy Comparison?
No, you cannot use any of them randomly on your PC/system.
If you’re concerned about data security and always research about best possible ways to keep data protected, you must have come across proxies and VPNs. These two are often used as interchangeable terms as both can filter the traffic and make data in transit secure. However, there are significant differences between these two.
Knowing these differences is vital to ensure you have a tool that suits your request best. If you do not understand when to use VPN vs proxy, you will end up having the wrong tool. So, you must understand the difference between a VPN and a proxy.
Proxy vs VPN – The Epic Battle
Proxy is an intermediary server sandwiched between the website server and the end-user. It receives the end-user request before the website server, removes the original IP address details, and forwards the request to the website server. That’s it. You can experience this best security feature with a proxy.
On the other hand, security is endless with the best VPN. Along with changing the IP address, a VPN can encrypt the traffic, add anti-virus protection, eliminate sensitive information, and do many other things.
Proxy vs VPN – 5 Differences to Note
Even though VPN is also a proxy server, sitting between the end-user and a website, it’s not the same as a proxy:
#1 – The Scope
Proxy only works one way, while VPN works two ways. It will encrypt the end-user request and make the response secure.
#2 – The Level of Safety Implementations
Proxy hardly has features like encryption and security protocols, while VPN is jam-packed with them. With the best VPNs, you can enjoy military-grade encryption and multiple security protocols like WireGuard, SOCKS5, IPKv5, etc.
#3 – The IPs available for your use
IP pool and server network are limited even with the best proxy provider. VPN offers IP addresses in abundance. You can even switch IP addresses in the middle of a connection.
#4 – The Variety of available IPs
You can use local IP addresses, global IP addresses, residential IP addresses, and various other kinds of IP addresses with one type of VPN. It isn’t the case with proxies. You need to buy separate proxy services. For instance, if you need to get rotational IP addresses, you must get a rotational proxy server. It’s a major difference when we talk about VPN vs proxy server.
#5 – The Compatibility
Proxy isn’t compatible with most devices. The app support is also limited. On the contrary, VPN comes with matchless compatibility. There are apps or browser extension support for almost every device and OS.
Above was the zest of proxy vs VPN. Read the importance of VPN usage here.
VPN vs Proxy: Which Is Better
Now that we have better clarity on VPN vs proxy, it’s to find out which one is better.
If you’re looking for high-end security and great compatibility, VPN is the right pick. The detailed comparison of proxy server vs VPN made us realize that VPN offers strong security features and advanced device compatibility.
Most VPN providers offer dedicated apps and browser extensions for Windows OS. With this compatibility, it’s no chance of facing difficulties using a VPN on Windows OS devices. So, is a VPN worth it?
If cost is the concern and you can’t invest heavily, you can use a proxy to hide the original IP address. As it has limited functionality, the proxy won’t be too pocket-heavy. Most of them even come at zero cost.
If you’re seeking advanced security features like DNS leak protection, kill switch, IP masking, in-built ad blocker & many more for your Windows OS, VPN is the right choice to make. It offers almost everything advanced and tries its best to keep your device safe and sound.
No More Confusion
As VPN and proxy might look very similar, it’s obvious to get confused and fail to understand the differences between VPN vs proxy. Well, there are significant differences as VPN is an advanced version of proxy offering facilities like encryption, security protocols, advanced security features, and so on, providing you use the best VPN. So, get familiar with the best VPN providers and make a wise choice.
