Using a VPN sounds interesting, isn’t it? But there are many service providers and choosing a suitable one can be difficult.
We at this moment, easing up this task for you by providing a list of the best VPN providers, available in New Zealand.
By the end of this post, you will be able to sort out your choices and start using one soon. Let’s first see what is a VPN and how does it work.
VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a method to get privacy while on a network. It is also one of the security measures taken to keep sensitive data safe. In its initial days, it was only used by the corporate offices to secure their internal networks.
Now with the commercial VPN services, individuals also use them for privacy while on the Internet.
How does a VPN work
VPNs are a group of computers connected by the Internet, with a communication channel encrypted by the VPN server. When you connect to a VPN, the device acts if it is on the same local network as the server.
This way, one can access the resources on that network from a far-off location. The business people use this technique to remain connected to their office while on-the-go. Large corporations with offices all over the world communicate through their own VPNs for security reasons.
The commercial VPN service providers work on the same principle to provide you with security and privacy while you use the Internet.
When you select a server to connect to, the server encrypts the network and gives a local IP address to your device. You still use the Internet with your ISP’s IP address, but the VPN server hides it.
All the communication made over the Internet is secured and routed through that server. The services you access will see the IP address of the VPN. And anyone peeking into you will see the connection to the VPN and not the actual data.
Uses of a VPN
Using a VPN isn’t a complicated procedure. Once set up, you can use your Internet as you do, but with an added security, and privacy from the administrators. Some of the essential facilities you get with a VPN are:
• Access geo-blocked services – The ability to access services not available at your location is the most tempting feature of a VPN. If you connect to a US server, you get to stream the contents of US Netflix in New Zealand. You can stream all the other services available, watch HBO in New Zealand and also get Hulu in New Zealand. All this is available from the comfort of your home. In case you want to watch BBC, all you need is to disconnect from the US and connect to a server in the UK. Then you can watch BBC iPlayer online. Of course, you need to subscribe them, at first.
• Bypass Internet Censorship – With a VPN you have access to the entire Internet. If a website is blocked, you can connect to a location where it isn’t and thus can use it evading the censorship.
• Hide Browsing Activity – This is a requirement when you use a public Wi-Fi network. The traffic is visible to the network administrator and can also be seen by others using the same network. To get some privacy from this monitoring, get connected to a VPN. The traffic will be encrypted, and the administrator (or a hacker) will see the only connection, to a VPN. The VPN service providers, though, may have the details but most of them don’t keep any.
• Download files – It’s a sad truth that torrent files are known to be notorious, and many ISPs thus slow down the traffic which uses the BitTorrent protocol. As the VPN traffic is encrypted, you can connect to one while torrenting to get better speeds. This also comes handy at times, when the ISPs throttle streaming or other data you consume.
Top VPNs in New Zealand
Here goes the list of best VPN you can use in New Zealand:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best VPN New Zealand users can consider if you want a trouble-free service over other things. The download speed it offers is better than others and also is reliable. With the premium service it provides, you also get to use the Internet without any data caps. The user interface is simple and is easy-to-use. With its military-grade encryption, your connection is completely private, and you can access the Internet with full anonymity. Not only this, it keeps minimal activity logs.
They have excellent customer support and also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don’t want their service. (Read our ExpressVPN Review)
2. IPVanish
IPVanish offers good speeds and is reliable too. Although customer support isn’t at-par at times, it is comparable to that of ExpressVPN. They have a good pricing structure and also has a 7-day money-back guarantee.
IPVanish too has a no logs policy, but many users are a bit skeptic when it comes to privacy. The reason is that the company is based in the US.
3. PureVPN
Next in line is PureVPN, the VPN provider based in Hong Kong. It has an impressive network of over 750 servers present in 141 countries. With so many servers around, you can easily find one nearest to you. Closer the server, higher is the speed you will receive. There is no free trial, but it offers a 7-day money-back guarantee. The price is fair too.
4. NordVPN
NordVPN focuses more on privacy. Unlike others, NordVPN offers a Double VPN service. In this mode, the already secured connection is routed through two servers. This feature along with a no-logs policy is an excellent measure to remain anonymous while you are on-the-grid. The service is quite fast and prices a bit premium. But with a long-term subscription, you get a reasonable rate.
5. PIA
Private Internet Access (or PIA, in short) is another one of the best service providers available. It has plenty of servers around the world and also available at affordable prices. PIA also offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.