Talking tech since 2003

Tablets are handy for travel. Unfortunately, connecting to free Wi-fi hotspots makes tablet owners vulnerable to hackers. They can easily log into a fake free network, risking personal data such user names, passwords and credit card details. Even logging into a genuine free wi-fi places personal data at risk because hotspots normally don’t have a password protection or if they do, the passwords are too easy to guess. Hackers can easily intrude, spy on people or steal their personal information. This is why it is necessary to us a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A good example of such a VPN can be seen here.

Benefits of a VPN

1. It secures personal information by providing an alternate IP address for users so that hackers cannot discover their true location. A user in the UK can appear to be thousands of miles away.

2. It creates an encrypted tunnel between the tablet and the internet so that hackers cannot read the data coming out the other end. Paid VPNs offer stronger encryption.

3. It enables a user to by-pass geo-restriction on streaming content while traveling by using the IP address from his own country.

4. Paid VPNs can overcome censorship even in very strict countries like China by providing an alternate IP address and the encrypted tunnel.

Best free VPNs for iPad and Android

There are many free VPNs but users have to choose carefully because features from free services can never compete with features from paid services. Here are the best free VPNs for people who don’t want a paid plan.

Windscribe for iPad and Android

The best free VPN iPad and Android is Windscribe because its free plan offers more than other free providers. It offers 10GB of bandwidth which is great for downloading. It has a wider choice of servers than other free service providers, which makes it a good choice for overcoming censorship and geo-restrictions, but it won’t enable access to Netflix. It protects data with military-grade encryption.

Windscribe’s limitations include slow speeds in some areas and lack of 24/7 support.

ProtonVPN for iPad

ProtonVPN offers a secure and private service for iPad. Security includes built-in DNS leak protection and AES-256-bit encryption. Risk of malware is reduced since this service won’t force ads on free users and won’t sell user data. The best feature is the unlimited bandwidth and no data caps.

The limitation with this free plan is that only 3 server locations are available so it’s not easy to overcome censorship or geo-restrictions. Also, there is no live chat and free users come last in customer support.

NordVPN for Android

NordVPN offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee which makes it ideal for travelling or for testing a premium VPN. It is lightning-fast, has more than 5,600 servers in more than 60 countries, some of which are streaming-optimized. It can unblock international apps in Play Store and most popular streaming services including HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. It covers up to 6 devices simultaneously. For security it uses 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection and a kill switch. It easily blocks malware, suspicious websites and ads.

Best paid VPNs for iPads and Android

People who prefer higher levels of security, and don’t want any limitations can get a paid VPN. Here are the best paid VPNs for iPads and Android tablets.

ExpressVPN for iPads and Android

ExpressVPN offers great savings on yearly plans, is the fastest provider, has thousands of servers located all over the world, and offers state-of-the-art security. Security includes AES-256-bit military grade encryption so no one can read users’ data. Thousands of servers make it the perfect choice for overcoming censorship and geo-restriction. It works in Russia and breaks through the great firewall of China. The app is easy to use and help is available 24/7 including live chat.

2. VyprVPN for Android

VyprVPN offers a good mix of security and speed. It has more than 700 servers in more than 70 locations, 200,000 IP addresses and supports up to 5 devices simultaneously. Users can choose from multiple protocols. The app offers a clear interface, a kill switch, DNS options, auto-connect for entrusted networks, protocol switching and URL filtering. All things considered, VyprVPN is an A-class app.

3. CyberGhost for iPad

CyberGhost offers over 6,000 servers in many countries, strong AES-256-bit encryption, special VPN servers optimized for unblocking streaming services and optimized servers for torrenting. Its strict no-logs policy, unlimited bandwidth and speed and an automatic kill switch make it a great VPN. Unfortunately, there is no support for OpenVPN and it won’t work in China.

Choose free or paid

VPN is crucial for security and freedom when travelling. People who rarely travel may be ok with a goo free service, but frequent travelers should consider the paid service.

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