VPN is a service that hides your IP address and maintains your privacy on the internet. It stands for ‘Virtual Private Network’ and hides your internet activity from unauthorized traffic through a virtual encrypted tunnel.
Your internet activity is visible to third parties when you are using a public network, and this makes it possible for hackers or cybercriminals to steal your data and information.
VPN protects your information from those hackers and prevents them from eavesdropping on online activity.
How a VPN works?
VPNs, nowadays, are relatively easy to use. You just need to download the application on your smartphones, tablets or computers and connect to the server you want, and the application will do the rest itself.
When connected to a VPN, it encrypts and sends your requested data to the VPN server through a safe connection.
Since the data is encrypted between your device and the server, it remains safe as it travels, which helps you stay anonymous on the internet and keep your surfing hidden from prying eyes.
What is a Proxy?
A proxy can help you stay anonymous while web browsing, but it doesn’t guarantee any kind of security. Proxy basically hides your IP address to keep your identity hidden.
It allows users to bypass the region-blocked content and websites. However, the proxy only reroutes the traffic from a single app that you set it up with. It doesn’t encrypt your data like a VPN.
Normally when visiting a website, your internet device requests data from the web server for it to download and then show it to you. However, if you use a proxy, it will act as a middleman.
Your internet device will send your web traffic to the proxy servers. The proxy then sends your requested data to the web servers, downloads it and passes it back to you.
The website then sees the IP address of the proxy servers you used, not your actual one, making your browsing anonymous.
Top VPNs in Canada
While Canada is not known for having many restrictions online, a VPN in Canada could be an essential piece of software to have onboard your device.
Part of the Great White North plan is to take up arms against terrorism, and Canada has introduced many laws to curtail this. And because of that, it could lead to people living in Canada feel like their privacy is at risk.
That’s why a VPN in Canada is a great tool to use, giving you reassurance with an additional layer of privacy concealing your internet activity.
Here are our top VPNs for Canada that we handpicked for you
EXPRESS VPN
Express VPN is known globally for its services, offering you more than 3000 servers. While it may be a little more expensive than a few other VPNs we picked for you, its 256-bit data encryption and unlimited access to websites and social media platforms make it one of the best, if not the best, VPNs in Canada.
Express Vpn doesn’t save your browsing history on its servers and has been a top-performing VPN all over the globe for many years.
The best thing about Express VPN is that it’s super easy to use, whether that be on your cell phone device, your computer or any other service. Despite not being the fattest VPN, its servers are super reliable and offer you a variety of options.
It can easily help you to access region-locked content. Express VPN offers its user split tunnelling and its very own WireGuard-based Lightway protocol with a number of security features.
Easy and simple as it is to use, if you are still struggling with any problems, Express VPN 24/7 live chat and email can help you with almost anything.
NORD VPN
Nord VPN is definitely one of the best VPNs out in the market, providing its user with over 5000 servers to connect to. From supporting split tunnelling, multi-hop connections, and access to Tor to having one of the best security systems, Nord VPN offers everything you’d want to see in a good VPN.
This VPN is known worldwide and used for numerous purposes. It doesn’t keep track of your surfing on the internet, nor does it keep your browsing data history. Nord VPN provides its user with an extra layer of security by offering people the option where their encrypted data goes through two servers, making it more secure.
It has more than 480 servers in Canada and provides people with incredible speed so they can access streaming services like Hulu and Netflix without any hassle.
Nord VPN is available on Android, IOS, Mac, Windows and almost every platform. It offers almost everything you can ask from a VPN, but its services do not come free of cost, and they are most certainly not cheap.
However, Nord VPN offers a 30-day free trial to newcomers so that you can get a full refund for any NordVPN plan within 30 days of your purchase.
SURFSHARK VPN
Let’s talk about one of the least expensive VPNs on our list. Surfshark VPN has made its name in the VPN world in a very small period of time and is known worldwide for its low-priced yet outstanding services.
This VPN is quite new in the market, but the reputation it has built in the past couple of years is very impressive.
Surfshark has every feature you’d want in a good VPN, including IPv6 protocol that makes it incredibly easy for you to access Amazon Prime, Netflix and many other streaming services.
It supports 256-bit data encryption, multi-hop connections and split tunnelling just like other VPNs and ensures the safety of your online activity since it has already been audited twice.
It’s very easy to download and install, giving you access to over 3200 servers, with over 100 servers being in Canada itself.
Surfshark is mentioned among the top VPNs in terms of speed. If you want a VPN that is fast and reliable and you don’t want to experience any kind of lag, Surfshark VPN is the one you’d like to go with.
ATLAS VPN
If you are more of a cell phone guy than a PC or Mac guy, or simply put, if you use your smartphone more than your PC or Mac, then this VPN is made for you. While it’s available on all platforms, it doesn’t run as smoothly as it does on smartphone devices. You might experience lags using it on your laptop or PC.
Atlas VPN is a mobile-focused VPN, offering almost every feature that every other VPN does that we’ve previously talked about. It has great data security, an amazing speed, and it also comes in a free version with over 750 servers in 44 different locations worldwide.
While it may not have many servers, it’s still super reliable with great features like a no-log policy, AES encryption, a reliable kill switch and WireGuard protocol.
It’s only been in the market for three years, and Atlas VPN already has more than 6 million users worldwide.
PROTON VPN
When it comes to the top free VPN in Canada, Proton VPN takes the bet. The reason why we picked Proton VPN for you is that it comes in with absolutely no bandwidth limitations. But obviously, like other VPNs, you will encounter other limitations like server limitations.
You’ll only have access to three countries, and most of the servers will be quite a bit congested since they’re free servers, so you can’t really expect the best speed.
Now, if you are looking for unique features in a VPN, you will obviously have to pay for the premium version. Proton VPN doesn’t give access to any streaming services. You won’t certainly be able to do any kind of torrenting.
However, Proton VPN doesn’t collect or save any kind of your information to sell it to some third party, and that’s what makes it the best option to go with. And since it has no bandwidth limitations, you can basically use it as much as you want.
Conclusion
Now you know the pros and cons of each and every VPN we have discussed before. Some are superior to others in terms of speed, the others in terms of security. If you are a smartphone user, you can go with Atlas VPN. If you want more servers in your VPN, you can go with Nord and so on. The better one for you is the one that suits your needs best.
And there you have it! The list of our “Top VPNs to use in Canada”.