The Best VPN Services of 2022

A VPN is a type of software that creates a private network from a public internet connection. It hides a user's IP address so their online activity can't be traced. The connection is encrypted, which means that even if hackers get hold of your data, they won't be able to read it. It's the latter attribute that small business owners should care most about. Cyberattacks are on the rise, and hackers see small businesses as easy targets. A VPN provides an extra layer of protection against those attacks.

VPNs are also growing in popularity because of the new remote work environment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees are logging on to company networks from remote locations, which increases the security risks. A VPN provides a secure and encrypted way for employees to access a small business's network.

VPNs come in consumer and business models, both of which offer paid and free versions. The key difference between consumer and business VPNs is the IP address. With a business VPN, you get a dedicated IP address and server. With a consumer version, the IP address is shared and changes every time you connect to the internet. Businesses tend to use VPNs to protect the privacy and security of the entire business; consumers often use a VPN to access a certain website or to surf the internet privately.

Bottom Line: Small business owners can no longer afford to ignore network security. With hackers waiting for their next prey on open Wi-Fi networks, a VPN can provide an extra layer of protection.

VPNs are becoming necessary as businesses embrace remote work and hackers adopt more sophisticated methods of infiltrating networks. But those aren't the only reasons a small business should consider using a VPN. Here's a look at all the benefits.

1. It boosts online security.

A big benefit of using a VPN in the workplace is enhanced internet security. A main way companies get hacked is through malware installed on websites. Employees unwittingly stumble upon it, click on the wrong thing, and boom, the network is infected. With a VPN, you can block and limit your employees' access to certain websites. This reduces the risk of a cyberattack, but it's important to review the pros and cons of a VPN before making a decision that impacts your entire business's security.

2. Your team can securely access data remotely.

A VPN enables your employees to securely access the network whether they are at home or in a coffee shop connected to public Wi-Fi. The VPN encrypts the data, adding another level of protection for remote workers. With an increasing number of employees working remotely, a VPN is an important level in the security stack.

3. You can browse international content.

Depending on your business, you and your employees may need access to websites outside of the U.S., some of which may be blocked by your internet service provider (ISP). With a VPN, your IP address is hidden, so you can access these international websites.

4. You can surf the web anonymously.

For business owners who care about privacy, a VPN is a great way to achieve it on the internet. VPNs mask your IP address, so your online activity can't be tracked. That makes it harder for hackers to infiltrate your company's network.

When selecting a VPN for your small business, you'll need to consider several factors, from the type of VPN to its security.

Step 1: Determine the type of VPN.

Within the types mentioned above (remote access, site-to-site and client-based VPNs), there are fixed, specialized and cloud VPNs. With a fixed VPN, you can connect an office to your main network. This type is popular among small business owners.

A specialized VPN requires you to have a server or router with a built-in VPN server feature. This type is typically used by larger businesses.

Cloud VPN services offer business owners a secure tunnel between the internet, device and server. They are cheap and easy to use but designed with consumers in mind. This type of VPN may be adequate if you are a solo entrepreneur, but for businesses with employees, VPN services in the cloud may lack all the features you need.

Step 2: See if it provides secure access.

The VPN you choose needs to provide top-notch security, enabling your staff to access your network securely wherever they may be. The level of security you require depends on your business size. If you have a lot of remote workers connecting to the network, it will require more protection than a VPN for a single user. Many VPNs offer malware protection as well. When comparing VPNs, inquire about the type of security each vendor uses.

Step 3: Decide the level of management you want.

Some VPN vendors will manage your encryption keys, while others leave it up to your company. Before selecting a service, you'll need to decide how hands-on you want to be. You'll also need to determine how much control you want over employees. Some VPNs offer more extensive management features than others.

Step 4: Determine the number of connections.

For businesses that need several connections simultaneously, it's important to choose a vendor that won't limit your business. Most VPN vendors cap the number of connections you can have at the same time, which can get expensive if you have a lot of employees. Some vendors – such as IPVanish, our best pick for value – offer unlimited connections.

Step 5: Gauge the customer support.

Access to support is important with any service, but especially when you rely on it to protect your business data from prying eyes. Support should be available by email and phone. Live chat support is also helpful, since it quickly connects you to customer representatives.

Also make sure you're dealing with a reputable vendor. Ask how long it has been in business and who its clients are. It should have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau and more positive online customer reviews than negative ones.

Bottom Line: The best VPN providers give you top-notch security, multiple simultaneous connections, and control over user access. They also tend to have great customer service and are easy to use.

Business VPN services are enormously flexible. Some VPNs are designed to link a handful of users to a shared network, while others are optimized to connect multiple networks across the globe. No single configuration is suitable for every VPN, which is why each one must be evaluated in relation to the intended use of the network. In general, enterprise VPN services are judged on three criteria: who will be connected, how they will connect, and the level of intervention required to manage their connection. With that in mind, here's a look at some key features of business VPNs.

Unlimited Bandwidth

Your bandwidth determines how quickly signals transfer from your computer to the VPN server and then to the website you're accessing. If the VPN offers unlimited bandwidth, pages load quickly and attachments, even large documents, send without lag time. Unlimited bandwidth also allows you to download content quickly, without slowing down your day-to-day business activities. VPNs across the board offer it, so don't choose one based on unlimited bandwidth alone – just expect it to be there.

Strong Encryption

Hackers want to steal your data and will go to great lengths to do that. But if it's encrypted, there's not much they can do with it. That's why it's important for your VPN to have solid encryption. Look for vendors that employ the OpenVPN, IKEv2 and/or WireGuard protocol.

OpenVPN is widely used in the industry because of its flexibility and security. It is an open-source protocol, so it is updated all the time. It hides data as it flows across the web. Mobile and Windows users should make sure their VPN relies on the IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2) protocol, which keeps your VPN secure in the event you lose your Wi-Fi connection. The WireGuard protocol improves the connection speeds and includes advanced security.

Dedicated Static IP Address

Unless you are a solo entrepreneur or freelancer, you'll want to consider a VPN that offers you a dedicated static IP address and server. A static VPN is designed to protect the entire network for businesses with multiple employees. The VPN makes it easy for you as the employer to monitor your team's activity and manage access to your business's network from one centralized location.

Authentication

The protocols a VPN incorporates determine the network's security level and ease of use. Remote access VPNs usually authenticate users through usernames and passwords, which makes it simple for anyone with login information to access the network from any location, while site-to-site VPNs use certificates preloaded onto the hardware.

Management Level

Another factor to consider is the level of control an internet VPN offers you and other administrators. Access levels on small networks are often configured for each person, though this becomes unwieldy as the network grows. Large networks use global management, in which a single administrator sets up the VPN service by assigning permission levels to groups of people without having to separately reconfigure each machine.

No-Logging Policy

Privacy is at the heart of VPNs, which is why many boast zero logging. That means they won't track and log your business's activity over the VPN. Other VPN providers do keep records and sell their users' data to third parties. Before selecting a VPN service that doesn't have a no-logging policy, find out what it logs and what it does with the information.

Kill Switch

Most VPNs offer a kill switch that protects your data in the event of a breach. This emergency function automatically kills your connection to the VPN, which prevents data from being transferred. If the vendor doesn't offer a kill switch, it should raise a red flag for you.

Tip: Even though VPNs prevent third parties from snooping, some service providers do the snooping themselves. They will log your activity and, in some cases, sell it to third parties. If that matters to you, read the VPN's logging policy to find out what data it tracks and logs before you sign up.

VPNs may seem complicated, but once you peel back all the jargon, they are easy to understand. A VPN routes your internet activity through its own servers, which improves security and disguises you online. VPNs use encryption technology to protect the data when it is being sent across a Wi-Fi network. Hackers know they can easily infiltrate a company's network if an employee is using a public Wi-Fi hotspot. When the data is encrypted, though, it is unreadable even if it falls into a hacker's hands.

VPN software also blocks your IP address so your online activity can't be traced. VPN providers typically have servers located across the globe, making it hard for anyone to determine where your business is located even if they access your web activity.

Tunneling

VPNs use tunneling to package and transfer information. Tunneling is when a secure internet connection is established between a server and a computer, smartphone or tablet. The information sent through the tunnel is first encrypted, then sent via the secure connection across the internet and unpacked on the other side. While this whole process occurs in the blink of an eye, it is a multistep procedure designed to protect your security.

The different methods VPNs use to tunnel and transfer your data are called protocols. Two of the most popular are PPTP and OpenVPN.

PPTP Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, or PPTP, is the most popular and widely used protocol. One of the advantages of PPTP is that it's cost-effective. However, its connections are not as stable as other tunnel protocols, so there is a slight chance your connection could be dropped or penetrated, making you less secure.

OpenVPN Another frequently used tunneling protocol is OpenVPN, which is open-source software used by companies like ExpressVPN. It mixes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) keys that connect you directly to the website you want to access and keep your data encrypted so hackers can't swipe it. OpenVPN also relies on advanced security features, such as user authentication via usernames, passwords, key codes and certificates. It is one of the most secure VPN protocols on the market; however, it is relatively expensive to run.

Bottom Line: VPNs protect your business data as it travels across the internet. Thanks to encryption, even if it falls into hackers' hands, there's nothing they can do with it.

These are some popular types of VPNs for business owners. The size of your business and the location of your employees will dictate which one makes the most sense for you.

Remote Access VPN

This type is best suited for small business owners who want employees to connect to the company network remotely, as it lets users access the network through a secure and encrypted connection. Remote access VPNs tend to be cheap, which is why they are the most popular choice among small business owners. These VPNs are designed with a single user in mind and may not be enough for larger businesses that have employees in multiple locations using the network at the same time.

Site-to-Site VPN

Otherwise known as router-to-router VPNs, site-to-site VPNs enable several networks to connect to each other securely. This VPN type is ideal for business owners who have multiple offices or a lot of employees connecting to the network remotely.

Client-Based VPN

Another popular option for single business users and remote workers is a client-based VPN. With this VPN, users can access the company network through an application installed on a computer or smartphone.

Does a small business need a VPN?

A small business does not need a VPN to operate, but it is helpful to prevent cyberattacks and enable employees to safely access business data online. That is particularly important in the current environment, where millions of workers are connecting to company networks remotely. With a VPN, a company can set employee access to the internet, which limits the risks of employees visiting malicious websites.

How do you set up a VPN for your small business?

A VPN is easy to implement. All you have to do is download the software onto the devices that connect to your business's network. The software is necessary to encrypt your data. During the initial installation, you'll have to configure your administrator settings, which the software walks you through.

Before you roll out the VPN companywide, test it on a handful of devices. Make sure the VPN software won't impact other software on the network.  Once you've implemented it, you can tweak the VPN settings if need be and manage employees' access.

How much does a small business VPN cost?

VPNs are very cheap. Some services are free, while paid options cost about $10 a month if you pay annually. Month-to-month payments are higher, around $6 to $12 a month.

What should I look for in a business VPN?

When you're shopping for a VPN, your budget and needs dictate which one you should select. For small business owners who have only one or two employees connecting to the network, a free service may suffice. For small business owners who have a lot of remote workers or want to control employees' online access, a paid service may be better. Look for ones that have top-notch security, allow several (or even unlimited) simultaneous connections, and don't log your activity. If you need a reliable internet connection to operate, 24/7 customer support is also extremely important.

Should I use a free business VPN?

It depends. To keep their services free, many of these VPN providers sell the data they collect on customers to third parties. That means they are tracking and recording your activities when you use the VPN. That may not matter to individual consumers, but it could be problematic for businesses. Free services may not have the same encryption and account management capabilities you get with the paid vendors either. You have to weigh your need for privacy against the cost when deciding between a free and paid VPN.