What is a VPN?

How does a VPN work?

Normally, when you connect to the internet the data leaving your device goes straight to your internet service provider (ISP), which forwards it to the destination site. Along the way:

• Your ISP sees which sites you visit.
• Other users on public Wi-Fi can monitor your traffic.
• The destination site sees your real IP address.

With a VPN active, this flow changes:

1. Through the VPN app, your device builds an encrypted tunnel to the VPN server.
2. All of your internet traffic passes through this tunnel. Your ISP only sees “encrypted data going to a VPN server” — it cannot see the contents.
3. The VPN server decrypts the traffic and forwards it to the destination site. The site sees the VPN server's IP, not your real one.
4. The response comes back to you along the same path, encrypted.

What does a VPN protect you from?

What a VPN cannot protect you from

A VPN is not a magic wand. It does not protect against:

• Browser fingerprinting: Combined signals like your browser, screen resolution and typography can still identify you.
• Cookies: If you're signed in to Google, Google still recognizes you over a VPN.
• Information you knowingly share: If you type your name into a form, a VPN can't stop that.
• Malware: A VPN doesn't stop malware from infecting your computer (antivirus is a different tool).
• Phishing: If you enter your details on a fake site, a VPN can't save you from that mistake.

When should you use a VPN?

• On public Wi-Fi (hotel, café, airport) — protection against passive eavesdropping.
• When abroad — to reach content from home (BluTV, Exxen, Netflix TR, banking).
• When privacy matters — so your ISP can't see your browsing history.
• On restrictive networks — to reach sites blocked on some workplace or university networks.
• To bypass geo-restrictions — such as accessing the US Netflix library.

When don't you need a VPN?

• Just spending time on social media over your secure home Wi-Fi.
• Doing transactions in a banking app (some banks may end the session if they detect a VPN).

What are VPN protocols?

A protocol is the technical standard that defines how the VPN tunnel is established. The most common ones are:

• WireGuard: Modern, fast, small code base. The gold standard in 2026.
• OpenVPN: Older and slower, but very widely supported.
• Lightway (ExpressVPN's proprietary protocol): competitive with WireGuard, fast connection setup.
• NordLynx (NordVPN's proprietary protocol): WireGuard-based and optimized.

Choosing your first VPN

Three core criteria:

1. Independent audit history: Has the provider's no-logs claim been verified by a third party?
2. Jurisdiction: Which country's laws is the provider subject to? Outside the 14 Eyes alliance (Panama, Switzerland, Romania) is preferable.
3. Fit for your use case: Streaming, privacy or many devices?

For the picks that best meet these three criteria, check out our best VPNs of 2026 ranking.

Frequently asked questions