Best VPN for Travel | IPVanish

Whether you’re commuting to work on the train, flying around the world, or visiting a new country, you need a VPN for travel. Use IPVanish to help protect your sensitive data and achieve better privacy online while you travel.

Why use a VPN for travel?

Going on a trip? Even if your bags are packed, that doesn’t mean you’re ready for departure. Before you set off, you need to review your travel security checklist. One of the most important items on this checklist is a VPN, like IPVanish. Here’s everything you need to know about why you should use a VPN for travel. 

What, exactly, is a VPN? 

Before we get into why you should use IPVanish VPN for travel, we need to first understand more about VPN technology. So, what is a VPN? Short for virtual private network, a VPN secures the connection from a device to the internet.

How does a VPN achieve these secure connections? It does so via encryption. VPN encryption is a process that recodes data from plaintext into ciphertext. This is crucial because while plaintext is relatively readable, ciphertext is not. In fact, the entire purpose of this process is to make data indecipherable to others.

What’s so special about VPN encryption? 

If all of this sounds a bit too technical to you, fear not. The main idea is that encryption is used to protect data. And the truth is, you’re probably already somewhat familiar with encryption. The technology is commonly used to secure text messages and websites

VPN encryption is unique, however, because it doesn’t just help secure a single application or website. Instead, VPN encryption helps secure all of your internet activity, from communications to web browsing, and app usage

What benefits does a VPN provide?

VPN benefits extend beyond encryption. This is due to the way a VPN works to create encrypted connections. When you use a VPN, you establish a secure connection between your internet-connected device and a remote, private server. Your data is re-routed through this encrypted VPN server before arriving at its final destination. And in the process, your true IP address is replaced with the VPN server’s IP address.

The end of this process results in greater online privacy, security, and freedom. Your digital data will be better protected from potential onlookers, including nosy eavesdroppers, network administrators, and internet service providers. This allows you to safely access shared networks and free hotspots when you’re out and about. 

With a VPN connection, you’ll also be able to mask your true physical location, appearing as though you’re connected to the internet from your VPN server’s location. This aspect of VPN technology is big for personal privacy, but it also provides potential secondary benefits as well, such as combatting wrongfully applied online censorship. In fact, with a VPN, you can connect to online content from anywhere without the risk of blocks; this is especially beneficial while traveling.

How does all of this relate to travel?

So, we’ve established what a VPN is, what it does, and what benefits it provides. But why use a VPN for travel? There are plenty of reasons to use a VPN at home and in everyday life. The fact remains, however, that it is essential to use a VPN while traveling. This is due to the way you’ll be forced to connect to the internet in these circumstances.

Whether you’re jet-setting for business, taking a vacation, or simply using public transit for your daily commute, you’ll almost certainly be dependent upon public Wi-Fi networks you don’t control. This comes with inherent risks. 

When you use public Wi-Fi, you’re sharing network access with strangers. And while you may think these strangers are just amusing themselves and checking their email (like you), when it comes to your data privacy, you cannot afford to be complacent. These types of hotspots are notorious hangouts for snoopers and cybercriminals with malicious intent. Using tactics such as man-in-the-middle attacks and evil twin attacks, these bad actors can steal your data, and in some cases, even steal your identity. 

The financial and emotional consequences of such exploits can be devastating. But when you use a VPN, your data is secured with encryption; this significantly reduces the likelihood you’ll fall victim to such attacks.

Even if you’re not sharing network access with a bunch of strangers, that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. If you don’t control the network you’re using, that means someone else does. And that same someone can spy on your individual internet activity. Additionally, they can also potentially manipulate your traffic and restrict the websites you’re able to visit, the apps you’re able to access, and the amount of bandwidth you’re able to use. 
With a VPN, however, you won’t be as susceptible to these issues either. Instead, you’ll be free to use the internet as you wish, with the added privacy and security you deserve

When to use a VPN for travel

Wondering when you should use a VPN for travel? In short, the answer is essentially always. Here are some of the most common scenarios you’d use a travel VPN:

How to Set IPVanish as your travel VPN

If you’re looking for a travel VPN, look no further than IPVanish. With IPVanish, the VPN setup process is simple. Just follow the steps below to get started

  1. Sign up for the IPVanish plan of your choosing.
  2. Download and install the IPVanish VPN app.
  3. Open the IPVanish app and login.
  4. Configure your VPN protocol and other connection settings according to your preferences.
  5. You’re now ready to travel with added online privacy, security, and freedom. As you travel to, from, and about your destination, simply connect to the server location that best suits your needs. 

What makes IPVanish the best VPN for travel?

There are so many different VPNs to choose from, so what makes IPVanish the best travel VPN? Here’s what sets IPVanish apart from other providers:

No logs policy

While the primary purpose of a VPN is to better protect your privacy online, not all VPNs can deliver that for you. This is because when you use a VPN, you need to be able to trust the way they handle your data. Essentially you’re transferring responsibility to your VPN provider to route your internet traffic on your behalf. So, any reputable VPN provider should have a strict policy against logging within their Privacy Policy. This means the VPN provider is legally obligated to NOT monitor your internet use or keep records of your online traffic when you use their service.

The bad news? Many VPN providers don’t maintain a policy against logs. The good news? IPVanish does. In fact, you don’t just have to take our word for it. Our strict no-traffic-logs practices and Privacy Policy have been vetted and confirmed through an independent cybersecurity audit. This means you can use IPVanish with confidence, safe in the knowledge that we do not monitor, record, or store logs of your VPN traffic.


Extensive server network

With IPVanish, not all travel is physical. When you use our VPN app, you can digitally travel the world with the touch of a button. We maintain and operate an extensive VPN server network to ensure reliable connections are available for all.

That server network spans over 2,400 VPN servers in more than 90 global locations. With IPVanish servers on every habitable continent, high-speed connections are never more than a tap away. And with features like ‘Optimal Location’ and finite filtering tools, you’ll easily be able to find a server that fits your needs (and Favorite it for the future), no matter where you are in the world. From London to Los Angeles, Sao Paulo to Sydney, Tokyo to Toronto, and everywhere in between, IPVanish has you covered on your travels.  


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User-friendly VPN features

On a fundamental level, a VPN connects you to a private, remote server and encrypts your data as it travels through that server. But IPVanish offers a lot more functionality than that. We offer an array of user-friendly features so that you can get the most out of your VPN experience. Some of the most popular VPN features include:

VPN kill switch

When the privacy stakes are high, you can’t afford to let your guard down. Our kill switch will shut down or “kill” all of your internet traffic if your VPN ever drops. This will help prevent outsiders from exploiting any unexpected lapses in your VPN protection.

Auto-connect

Also known as On Demand on iOS, auto-connect is exactly as it sounds. With this setting turned on, IPVanish will activate automatically whenever an internet connection occurs, or other automation rules you decide. Just set it and forget it. 

Unmetered connections

You shouldn’t have to prioritize which devices you want to secure, and when you’re able to secure them. With IPVanish, you won’t have to. We offer an unmetered number of connections with every IPVanish account, so you can connect many devices to our network, simultaneously.

Shared and dynamic IP addresses

We offer over 40,000 IP addresses, and these IP addresses are shared amongst IPVanish users so that no activity can be traced to individuals. Additionally, these IP addresses are dynamic. Unlike static IP addresses, which are assigned to individual users and do not change, our dynamic IP addresses change with each session to provide greater anonymity.

24/7 customer support

We want our VPN service to be easy-to-use, and our customer support team is available to assist you every step of the way to ensure that it is. Should you have any questions or ever need assistance, our experts are here to help 24/7, 365 via live chat, email, and phone. They also have a knowledge database with frequently asked questions and step-by-step guides.


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Multiple VPN Protocols

A good VPN service should be adaptable to various user needs. To ensure that IPVanish is, we provide multiple VPN protocols. So, if you’re curious about the modern speed and security benefits the WireGuard® VPN protocol provides, debating the merits of WireGuard vs OpenVPN, or trying to find the best protocol for your individual use case, we’ve got your back.

Here is a list of all of our VPN protocols, including their compatibility

• WireGuard

Supported by:

• IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange Protocol Version 2)

Supported by:

• OpenVPN

– TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)
– UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

Supported by:Chrome OSRouter

• IPSec (Internet Protocol Security)

Supported by:

Easy-to-use VPN apps

Setting up a VPN should be a simple process. That’s why we’ve developed easy-to-use VPN apps for all major operating systems. Whether you need a Windows VPN, Mac VPN, Android VPN, or iOS VPN, they’re available with IPVanish. 

But that’s not all. We offer a VPN for Chrome OS, and Apple TV VPN and Fire TV VPN. We also have VPN routers available so you can encrypt your entire home network when you’re not traveling. We even have Linux configurations for users who prefer these open-source operating systems. To get started with IPVanish on your device, simply tap or click your operating system below.

Should I use a free VPN as my travel VPN?

Maybe you don’t travel often and are looking for a shortcut when it comes to your travel VPN. But if you find yourself asking “should I just use a free VPN?” the answer is a resounding no.

The appeal of a free VPN is obvious. On the surface, it fills an obvious need at zero monetary cost. But just because you aren’t parting with money doesn’t mean there’s no cost at all. Instead, there are plenty of hidden costs that completely undermine the purpose of using a VPN in the first place. 

Free VPNs have many potential issues. First, it is highly unlikely they can offer anywhere near the privacy protections that a legitimate VPN like IPVanish can. Because free VPNs don’t collect subscription fees, they have a direct incentive to sell user data for profit.

Additionally, it is also highly unlikely they can offer the same level of features, speed, or performance. Their server selection is often limited, and because they’re free to use, there’s no impediment to servers quickly becoming overloaded. All in all, despite the temptation, free VPNs aren’t worth the risk. So while a quality VPN shouldn’t be expensive, it shouldn’t be free either.

VPN for travel: Frequently Asked Questions

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