Should I use a VPN, proxy or Tor?

With data merchants and advertisers following your every move, it’s more important than ever to protect your privacy when you’re surfing the web. But between a VPN, a proxy, or Tor, which solution will do the job better? They can all help you maintain your privacy online, but what makes them different?

 

What is a proxy?

A proxy server is an intermediary between the browser and the Internet. The browser connects to the proxy, which connects the browser to the Internet. When it comes to all the websites and Internet services you use, the proxy is your online identity. Your real IP address is hidden behind the proxy. You can set up a proxy on your device or you can connect to one of the many proxies available online. If your device is mobile you can use a 4G proxy. The 4G mobile proxy has the same use as the proxies you install on your laptop or desktop computer.

 

By hiding your IP address, a proxy can help anonymize you on the Internet; however, some proxies communicate your IP address to the destination site. You can also use a proxy to appear connected from a different location than your real-world location; perhaps because you want to access geographically blocked content.

 

What most proxies cannot do is encrypt Internet traffic. If you use an unsecured Wi-Fi network, for example, anyone connecting to the same network can snoop around your online activity. Proxies also work on an application-by-application basis, and you can’t simply configure one to cover the entire device. Lack of encryption is one of the main differences between a proxy, a VPN, and Tor.

 

Speaking of VPNs…

 

What is a VPN?

Like a proxy, a VPN is a remote server that connects the user to the Internet. VPN stands for “virtual private network”, and its privacy aspect is the one that has a great weight in the debate between VPN or proxy.

 

When you connect to a VPN, it encrypts all Internet traffic between your device and the VPN server. A VPN covers 100% of Internet traffic, which includes not only the browser, but also games, social applications, etc.; if something connects to the Internet, it will pass through the VPN. Proxies do not usually provide such a complete level of protection, even if one is configured on your device.

 

VPNs cover much the same ground as proxies, but with the addition of encryption of all traffic (although some proxies offer HTTPS encryption). A VPN can hide the user’s IP address from the web services they use and allows them to change their location in the real world. A VPN can be set up in Windows and MacOS as easily as it can be added to your Android or iOS device.

 

VPN is an ideal solution for protecting your online privacy, and is available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Get military-grade encryption and protection against hackers and anyone trying to spy on you.

 

What is Tor?

Tor is a free open source tool run by The Tor Project that anonymizes Internet traffic under numerous layers of encryption. When you use Tor, it sends your traffic through a series of three relay points called “nodes,” to obscure its point of origin before delivering it to the website you’re trying to visit. Tor relies on volunteers who maintain its network of relays, which covers thousands of nodes, and most people access its network through the Tor browser.

 

Each node removes an encryption layer to reveal the next relay point for its traffic. When all the layers have been decrypted, the final relay sends your traffic to your destination website. It’s the nature of Tor’s multilayer encryption method that gives Tor its name: “Tor” comes from “The Onion Router. Of course, the actual process is somewhat more complicated than peeling an onion, but it’s a good way to get an idea of how Tor works.

 

When it comes to comparing a VPN with Tor, it’s the layered encryption method and the traffic replay system that sets Tor apart. But if you use Tor to browse the Internet, it won’t cover everything you’re doing with other applications (which a VPN does).

 

Proxy, VPN, or Tor: which solution is best?

You have three options for online privacy, but between a proxy, a VPN, and Tor, which one is best for your needs? Is Tor better than a VPN? Is a VPN faster than a proxy? Is a proxy easier to use than Tor?

 

We’ve evaluated the differences between proxies, VPNs, and Tor based on seven different criteria. 

 

Speed

Icon_01In the era of streaming and high-definition video content, speed is essential. Since both proxies, VPNs and Tor add additional steps between the user and the web, all three solutions could cause a decrease in Internet speed, albeit to varying degrees.

 

Proxies are suitable for simple tasks, but be careful not to reveal confidential personal information while using them; especially free ones. This includes logging in to your email and shopping online. A free proxy may not be your best option if your priority is speed, although you should be able to use streaming on many paid proxies. But like any intermediary, they are also prone to disconnections.

 

Many VPNs are fast enough for video transmission, although there is no guarantee. If you can, try to select a VPN server located near you, as connecting to distant servers can affect your speed. Some VPNs automatically connect you to servers with less traffic to improve your speed, even if they are not the closest ones. If your VPN includes an automatic connection feature like this, use it.

 

Because Tor bounces its traffic through its relays before delivering it, it’s usually the slowest of the three options. This is the price you pay for the way Tor hides its source through its repeater network.

 

Winner: VPN

 

Privacy

Anonymous proxies hide their IP address, but transparent proxies do not, and both reveal themselves as proxies to the destination server. While some anonymous proxies only obscure your IP address, others go further.

 

HMA’s free Web Proxy applies HTTPS encryption to any site you visit, and will also encrypt URLs visited locally on your computer. This way, anyone who tries to look at your browser history will only see strange symbols.

 

While you are connected to a VPN, web sites and services will only see the IP address that the VPN server has assigned to you. But cookies and other trackers on your device will still be visible with a VPN. Unless you block them by other means, it will allow online retailers to create a unique digital profile of your preferences and behavior through a process known as “fingerprinting.

 

Although some services can detect VPN traffic, they are not able to look inside. There is only one party that can access your identity when you use a VPN: the VPN provider. For this reason, many VPN providers boast that they do not keep records of their users’ activity. If you purchase a VPN plan, be sure to choose a provider that will preserve your privacy.

 

Privacy is Tor’s priority: its replay encryption is designed to obscure your IP address. Each relay node knows only the IP address of the previous and next node in the chain. Tor is the preferred choice of insiders and political dissidents and anyone who cares about their anonymity; including cybercriminals and those pursuing other illegal purposes.

 

Be careful with Tor. If you don’t set it up correctly – and many people don’t – you could end up revealing your IP address or other personally identifying information. Your ISP may know if you use Tor, which can draw unwanted attention to you. In addition, maintenance of Tor is carried out by volunteers, and the user cannot check who is managing each relay module. You might be vulnerable to governments and hacker groups that create nodes to monitor Tor activity. If you use Tor, connect through a VPN that hides your IP address.

 

Winner: Tor (over a VPN)

 

Security

When it comes to the integrity of your connection, proxies don’t even compete. The two most common proxy server protocols – HTTP and SOCKS – do not encrypt traffic at all.

 

HTTPS proxies provide the same degree of encryption as HTTPS websites. If you are going to use a free web proxy, make sure that it supports HTTPS and use it only for HTTPS websites.

 

VPNs encrypt your traffic from your device to your server, then pass it on to your destination website or service. If a hacker uses a “sniffer” to intercept your connection, the only thing they will get is your encrypted (and unreadable) information. This is how a VPN can protect the user on public Wi-Fi networks, for example. But in any case, you are running an additional risk if you entrust your data to third parties.

 

While Tor is directing its traffic through its relay nodes, the traffic is encrypted and safe from prying eyes. And because the relay path changes each time you use Tor, it’s not possible to predict where your traffic will go. There is one obvious vulnerability in Tor security: the exit node. If the website you want to visit does not use HTTPS security, someone can intercept your traffic as it leaves the Tor network; even HTTPS is not secure at all.

 

Winner: VPN

 

Mobile Compatibility

As mentioned above, proxies work by application. On mobiles, some applications may completely ignore their proxy.

 

Most major VPNs are available for all standard operating systems: both Windows and MacOS as well as Android and iOS. The VPN application should only require some minor manual adjustments to your device, if any. As soon as you activate it, your Internet connection is protected.

 

Tor’s only mobile solution is an Android app; iOS users can only access Tor through middleware applications. If you’re using the Tor browser, anything you do with other applications won’t be safe, unless you set them up to access the Tor network.

 

Winner: VPN and 4G mobile proxy

 

Simplicity

If you just want to surf the web a little bit, proxies are a quick and easy solution. Never use a web proxy to perform any activity that could disclose private personal information, such as your login credentials or credit card numbers.

 

When security is more important, a VPN is not much more complicated than a proxy. You have to go through the process of creating an account and downloading one, but once you’ve installed a VPN, you should be able to activate it with a single click or tap.

 

Installing and using the Tor browser is as simple as any other browser. Download it, install it, and follow the setup process, then enter the URL you want to visit. Your anonymity may be jeopardized if you change some of Tor’s default settings, such as whether or not to save your browser’s history.

 

Winner: Proxy

 

Streaming

Proxies and VPNs can support streaming content if the user is connected to a fast and stable server. If you want to access content from your country when you are abroad, all three options can allow you access, although with different degrees of usefulness.

 

Typically, a VPN provides the fastest and most stable speed, making it the best choice for streaming. However, some content providers block connections to major VPNs as a measure against those trying to avoid content restrictions.

 

Winner: VPN

 

Legality

Many countries have banned, restricted, or censored the use of VPNs and Tor, and you may have problems using these services there. In other countries, Internet privacy tools may not be explicitly illegal, but because of Internet censorship laws, you may be crossing a red line if you view or post certain types of content.

 

Even if Tor is allowed, it may arouse government suspicion because of its association with political dissidents, activists, informants, and the dark Internet.

 

Some countries have also banned proxies, but generally this is the least restrictive of the three options. Always investigate the laws of the country where you are before using Internet security tools.

 

Winner: Proxy

 

The right choice for you

As you can see, among proxies, VPNs, and Tor, there is no objectively better option for all situations. Think about why you want to use one of these tools. Each of these options offers optimal uses and situations where they are not as useful.

 

When to use a proxy

You want to avoid content restrictions from time to time.

 

You do not have to perform activities involving the disclosure of your private personal information.

 

You want basic IP protection with an anonymous proxy, but do not need to encrypt your data.

 

When to use a VPN

You want to encrypt all incoming and outgoing traffic to your device.

 

You want to hide your IP address and real-world location from anyone but your VPN provider.

 

You want to avoid content restrictions on a regular basis (which, depending on who is restricting you, may be illegal).

 

You want to log into a personal account from a public Wi-Fi network.

 

When to use Tor

You want to protect your anonymity above all else and avoid tracking (and you plan to access only HTTPS websites).

 

You want to post confidential material as a confidant, political dissident, or other activist.

 

You have the expertise to set up your Tor network device, or you want to use the Tor browser to protect your online activity.

 

Can you use VPN, proxies, and Tor together?

You can combine a VPN with Tor or a web proxy. If you connect to a VPN and route your traffic to a web proxy, you should be able to use both services simultaneously. If you have both a device proxy and a VPN on your device, you can only choose one of the two options.

 

When you pair a VPN with Tor, you can also decide how: you can use Tor to access your VPN, or use a VPN to access Tor. The former allows you to access websites that often block traffic from Tor nodes, while the latter hides it from your ISP that is using Tor.

 

Tor over VPN: You can connect to your VPN and then access the Internet through Tor. This method is often used by those who have blocked access to the Tor network.

 

VPN over Tor: You connect to a VPN after your traffic leaves the Tor exit node. This prevents the websites you use from identifying you as a Tor user.

 

HOW TO SAVE MONEY STEP BY STEP

Saving money is not easy, but you know it is a must. You have already taken the most important step to save money month by month, and that is to look for information on how to do it.

There are no magic tricks to get you to save, and discipline is important, yet saving is possible if you put your mind to it.

With these tips strictly applied, you will be able to increase your saving capacity and be prepared for all kinds of unforeseen events. You will see how small savings that seem insignificant can change your life.

Having a plan to save money is fundamental, but that is not the only important thing to see your bank account grow and improve your home economy.

5 tips to save money that you shouldn’t miss

CONTROL YOUR EXPENSES

Earning money costs a lot, but when you have it in your account the money flies, doesn’t it?

 

The first step to start saving is to control your expenses in detail. If you don’t know exactly how much you spend and on what, it’s impossible to optimize your savings. That’s why you need to spend at least 2 or 3 months writing down absolutely all your expenses in an excel spreadsheet. The apps for the more technological ones and the paper and pen for the analog ones are also valid, the important thing is to write down EVERYTHING, even tips or if you buy a pack of gum.

 

Once you have all your expenses for a month, you can group them in categories to have an overview and order them by priority.

 

The best way to save is to eliminate unnecessary expenses, those that do not bring you much. Fixed expenses, food and necessities are things that are difficult to save on, since, in spite of being able to eat cheaper or not go to the gym, it is important to live well and enjoy the day to day.

 

The category that makes the difference between saving and not saving and therefore the first one to control is whims.

 

Things like traveling or eating out are things you can perhaps afford without problems, but which prevent you from saving. You can also see how some fixed expenses can be reduced in some way, by better projecting weekly or monthly purchases, establishing a good closet fund so that you do not have to buy clothes continuously or investing in the home to save energy.

 

ESTABLISH YOUR SAVINGS PRIORITIES

It’s all about priorities. EVERYTHING.

 

For someone going out to dinner once a week may be a must, and for others it may be silly, but going to a gym is a must.

 

All postures are equally respectable, what is not possible is that everything is a priority. If all expenses are considered a priority it will be impossible to save and get out of the rat race for many years to come, so we all have to have expenses in the whims section and be willing to cut them down if necessary.

 

If you were to lose your job right now and have to live on less money per month, you could surely cut back here and there and get it, so you can also do it without losing your job.

 

Start little by little, eliminate some of the expenses of those who do not contribute anything and you will see how at the end of the month you have an extra saved and you have not missed that expense at all.

 

Personally, I used to ask for take-out food several times a week, which ended up meaning quite a lot of money at the end of the month. Nowadays I control myself (it costs me, like everyone else) and I ask for a maximum of once a week, saving a good amount of money at the end of the month.

 

This control applied to different expenses can be the difference between spending more than you earn month to month or saving hundreds of euros. It is not a question of eliminating all the small pleasures, but to moderate with the expenses and not to live like a rich person without being it.

 

 

DON’T BUY ON CREDIT. PLAN YOUR SAVINGS

Living on loans and getting into more and more debt is very common, but you should avoid it at all costs.

 

Twenty years ago people took out a loan to buy a house, which they used to pay back in about 10 years, which is quite reasonable.

 

In order to buy televisions, computers or to go on vacation, what you did was to save until you had the money to do so, something that is not done many times nowadays. In the past, people who didn’t have money to go on vacation would not go, saving that expense and perhaps being able to go the following year.

 

Now someone who can’t go on vacation has no problem asking for a loan to get it, which not only means spending money that you don’t have, but also entails huge expenses in interest. Things bought on credit cost a lot more money.

 

A very good way to save more money is to draw up a household budget, a budget that takes into account all your expenses and how much money you can devote to each category.

 

My advice is not to draw up the budget now, as it will be too theoretical. If you don’t know how much you spend on average, you will not be able to make a realistic estimate of how much you would like to spend. First, control your expenses, and once you know that, get on with the budgeting later.

 

Making a household budget is not difficult, you just have to decide how much money you want to spend per month or per year on each thing.

 

PAY YOURSELF FIRST – TREAT SAVINGS AS AN EXPENSE

I think this is one of the best money saving tips anyone can give you. Treat savings as an expense, like a bill that you are charged on the first of the month. Money flies, and if you charge 1,500 euros at the end of the month you have 0 left, but surely if you charged 1,300 euros the same thing would happen and you would live just as well.

 

That’s the key, in paying you first, in saving before spending. You’ll live just as well, and you’ll also save money, so your personal finances will be much better. Decide how much money you want to save, and from now on make that money automatically disappear at the beginning of the month from your account, as if you had spent it.

 

Without realizing it, months will go by and your savings will grow, without seeing your quality of life diminish. You can put that money in a savings account or in a savings plan, but I think the best option is to invest those savings.

 

SMALL SAVINGS MEAN THOUSANDS OF EUROS

Many people despise small expenses and still wonder how to save if I earn little. That, no doubt, is the fault. We would all like to save a lot of money, but we have to start little by little. Take care of small expenses: A small hole sinks a boat. – Benjamin Franklin

 

Here are two examples that will show you the importance of small savings, since in the long term these involve thousands of euros.

 

SAVING ON COFFEE

 Do you drink coffee?

Imagine someone who drinks two coffees a day, without exception. You have several options to do so:

Imagine 3 different scenarios.

 

SCENARIO 1. LET’S GO TO THE BAR

We all like to have our coffee at the bar.

 

There’s nothing to prepare or clean and it’s a great time to unwind, but how much does it really cost?

 

Let’s imagine that a coffee costs us 1.2 euros. By drinking 2 coffees a day, we’ll spend 2.4 euros a day, 72 euros a month, 864 euros a year (YES, 864 euros a year for coffee!)

 

If you are a mileurist like many, drinking coffee at the bar means spending a month’s salary every year on coffee.

 

Seen like this, it seems crazy to drink two coffees a day at the bar.

 

SCENARIO 2. CAPSULES, MODERN STYLE

Since the bar seems expensive to us, we have switched to the capsules that are worn now because they are much more “chic” than using a traditional coffee maker and we have to be fashionable.

 

How much does it cost us to drink coffee with the Nespresso or similar? Each Nespresso capsule costs about 0.4 euros. We will spend 0.8 euros per day, 24 euros per month, 288 euros per year.

 

The bill is very low compared to the first scenario, but 288 euros per year on coffee is still a lot of money.

SCENARIO 3. LIFETIME COFFEE MAKER

Seeing the expense in the other scenarios we decided to try the traditional coffee maker to save a little. How much will we spend?

 

Assuming that a cup contains about 8 grams of coffee and that 1 kg costs 10 euros, we can make about 125 cups for 10 euros, resulting in 0.08 euros per cup.

 

We will therefore spend 0.16 euros per day, 4.8 euros per month and 57.6 euros per year.

 

Although it may seem a small saving, the first case represents 864 euros per year in coffee, the second 288 euros and the third 57.6 euros.

 

The difference is 800 euros between the first case and the third, a figure that in some cases can mean a whole month’s salary.

 

If we think about the long term, in 10 years someone who stops going to the bar to start drinking coffee at home can save more than 8,000 Euros, a real barbarity for something as insignificant as coffee.

 

Examples like this show the potential of small expenses and make it clear that it is absolutely worth saving even if it is an extra 1 euro a day.

 

Even micro expenses that look like misery, in the long run will be a lot of money.

SAVE ON INTERNET AND PHONE

Internet and telephone are a luxury that we all have nowadays, although not all of us pay the same for it.

 

How much do you pay per month for your internet and phone? People who don’t make ends meet but who have internet and phone plans with television and everything the company offers is unfortunately much more common than it seems.

 

Let’s see with a few quick numbers the difference between having a complete plan with one of the typical companies or a basic plan with one of the cheap companies we have at our disposal today.

 

The complete pack (fiber optics, television and some mobile) costs about 100 euros per month, assuming 1200 euros per year, while the basic pack of a cheap company costs, including internet and mobile, about 30 euros, representing 360 euros at the end of the year.

 

There will be people who will say that it is not the same internet, that TV channels are essential, etc., but in the end they are all excuses.

 

And look, the difference is similar to the case of coffee.

 

The difference at the end of the year between having a cheap company or an expensive one is 840 euros, which means 8400 euros after 10 years. Save on the little things, and you will see your current account rise like the foam.

TRICKS TO SAVE MONEY DAY BY DAY

MONEY DOESN’T EXIST, YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING IN TIME

You will discover that money really doesn’t exist, and that everything you buy is with your time. This concept, although it may sound strange, will make it much easier for you to save day by day.

 

SAVE MONEY ON ELECTRICITY

When someone wonders how to save at home, saving on electricity is usually one of their first searches. Reducing electricity consumption, as well as water consumption, can allow you to save a lot of money month by month.

But it’s no use saving on electricity and not applying everything else, because the key is 

SAVE MONEY ON GASOLINE

Saving on gas is easy if you’re careful and we try and you may already have control over where you put your gas. Spending on gas is practically inevitable since almost everyone needs the car to move from one place to another, but depending on where you put the price varies substantially.

 

Apart from looking at the price when we drive, there are websites that allow us to compare the price of gas in all gas stations in the area, making it very easy to save money that way.

 

We can also consider using public transport more often and even go on foot or by bicycle to some places… And we save that in the gym.

SAVE ON HEALTH CARE

Because even though free health care exists in your country, it probably doesn’t cover all options. And even if you have good health insurance, you may have to consider how to save on health care.

Unfortunately, skimping on health is not good, but skimping is not the same as saving. Have you ever considered health tourism? It consists of going to a country where the treatment you need is provided by highly specialized doctors but at much more reasonable prices than those you can find in your own country, and with all the guarantees.

For example, it is quite common for residents in the U.S. and Canada to travel to Mexico to be visited by Los Algodones dentist. Los Algodones Dental has become a reference place for dental tourism, due to the high competence of its professionals at much more affordable prices than its northern neighboring countries.

Finding specialized clinics in developing countries, where you can also take advantage of tourism, is a good way to save money. Similarly, and without having to leave your country, possibly any private doctor in a town will charge less for his consultation than a doctor of the same specialty in the city. You only have to look.

And never, ever wait for your health to get worse. Visit the specialist as soon as you notice the discomfort, or the treatment will be even more complicated, and therefore, more expensive.

SAVE BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OFFERS

You probably buy online, don’t you?

 

And it’s great, because there are many ways to save money by taking advantage of offers and discounts. But watch out for this, because it’s a double-edged sword. Buy only what you really need, don’t buy just because it’s on sale. Be proactive and get ahead of the birthday, Christmas, anniversary gifts… That’s why it’s good to take advantage of offers, but control your spending and always keep in mind that the objective is to save, not to end up spending more than you want.