The purpose of using proxy or VPN server is to spoof some geo-location or to conceal the identity of the user. Many providers who offer VPN (in Iran: خرید vpn) also provide some type of proxy service. On the other hand, you can use some public proxy servers for free. But, what is the difference between these two and should you opt for VPN or proxy? Let’s find out!
Although VPN and proxy do perform a similar function, the actual processes involved in these two servers are rather different. The things get even more complicated by the fact that there are many different types of proxy servers. In general, a proxy server is a computer acting as an intermediary between the internet and your computer/gadget. So, any traffic that routs through a proxy server appears to come not from your computer’s IP address, but from the proxy servers’. Proxy servers don’t need to devote their resources to encrypt all the traffic passing through them and that enables them to accept simultaneous connections from even tens of thousands of users. Basically, these servers communicate with the internet by using HTTP or SOCKS protocol.
VPN, on the other hand, creates an encrypted tunnel between the host server and your computer/gadget, and the internet traffic goes in and out of the hosting server. Anyone (government or ISP) can only see that you’ve connected to the VPN server and the rest is a mystery – IP addresses you’ve been visiting, your activities etc. But, the VPN server still sees what you are doing online and that’s why it’s vital to choose a good VPN provider that doesn’t keep logs. The major negative sides of the VPN are the price and the fact that an encryption process takes some time and when the server is in a heavy use, an internet access can be noticeably slower.
To sum it all up, VPN servers are better than proxies in almost every way. However, the only real reason why you should choose a proxy over VPN is surely the price (and, no, I won’t judge you!). But, for commonly less than $10 a month, VPN service does represent good value for money.