VPS vs VPN (2022): Which One Is Right for You?

What is the difference between VPS and VPN, Virtual Private Service and Virtual Private Network? Aside from the word Virtual in their names, and the fact they are both being sold as a service across the web, there is not much in common between the two.

On the one hand, you have a dedicated operating system hosted offline and offered as a service, on the other you have a network of dedicated servers that facilitate anonymous and secure use of the Internet. They are both incredibly useful when it comes to Internet safety but perform different tasks.

For more details, keep reading.

Table of Contents

VPS vs VPN – What Are They? VPS vs VPN – Why Are They Used for? VPS vs VPN – How Do They Work? Conclusion

VPS vs VPN – What Are They?  

What is VPS?

A virtual private server is, in effect, a virtual machine. It is a server, hosted online, that runs a dedicated operating system accessible through subscription. The server is able to install and run any types of software, applications, or programs a real computer can with the exception it isn’t your computer.

If the application causes a crash, contains malware or viruses, the “computer” on the virtual private server is the one that is damaged. Your machine remains safe.

What is a VPN?

A virtual private network is a network of dedicated servers which run the VPN service.

The VPN service facilitates anonymous, secure connections to the Internet so users can maintain network integrity, keep their connections safe from hacking, and in most cases, encrypted so if there is a breach whomever or whatever hijacks your data won’t be able to read it.

Based on ECC encryption, OpenVPN protocol, and zero-log policy, PandaVPN is a great choice. With PandaVPN, you can change your IP address, surf the web anonymously, and protect your online privacy.

VPS vs VPN – Why Are They Used for?  

What is a VPS used for?

Unlike VPN, a VPS has limited users for a normal web surfer does not create and host websites. Instead, he visits all those created by web developers. Here are some of the benefits of using a VPS to organizations and web developers:

Manages Traffic

If you have websites that get a lot of traffic, then using a shared server might be cheaper but it will not be able to manage the traffic efficiently resulting in server crashes. Hence using a VPS would prove cheaper than using a dedicated server and cater to many clients at one time.

Advanced Applications

A VPS might be able to run advanced web applications that cannot normally function under shared servers.

eCommerce Platforms

Most eCommerce platforms use VPS as it facilitates multiple customers and their transactions securely and with privacy.

Better Control

VPS can be easily customized and adjusted to specific needs and requirements which means they provide full control to the user.

Creates Virtual Machines

The virtual private servers create Virtual Machines that help users to run remotely operated software from afar.

What is a VPN used for?

Using a VPN has a lot of benefits as this service can be used by an individual and large business organizations at the same time. Here are the features of VPN that can be considered as its major benefits:

Secure Your Internet Activities

When talking about securing your internet activities you must know that all your daily activities like work, schooling, shopping, etc., have now been miraculously transformed digitally and are being done online on the internet. When you carry out any activity online, you leave a digital footprint and your information can be compromised. This can be avoided if you use a VPN.

Related Reading: Is Online Shopping Safe? 10 Tips to Shop Online Safely >

Restricted Content

Netflix and other streaming sites have a unique policy of maintaining different content for different regions. This geographical barrier can be avoided by using a VPN and masking your IP address with the server of the country you want to watch the content from.

Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is not safe as thousands are accessing them. However, with a VPN service, your connection to public Wi-Fi becomes safe as the data is encrypted before it leaves your computer.

ISP Throttling

ISPs have certain restrictions of allotting limiting bandwidth for specific online activities and P2P connections. A VPN will not let your ISP identify the website, you want to access and hence access with the regular bandwidth speed.

Access Censored Websites and Network Blocks

Certain websites might have been censored by your ISP due to Government regulations, and there are network blocks in offices and libraries that can be bypassed by using a VPN.

VPS vs VPN – How Do They Work?  

How does VPS work?

Let’s dig into what happens behind the scenes that allow VPS hosting to work. At the core, it operates similarly to software like VMware. This style of software enables you to run multiple virtualized operating systems from a single machine. So, if you currently have a MacBook running MacOS, you can quickly switch over to Windows 10 without having to restart your computer.

A VPS server uses similar technology to run a virtual server environment. Let’s say you have a standard dedicated server. On top of that dedicated server, you can create several virtual servers that act as their own dedicated server environments.

Typically, a VPS server will pull from multiple different dedicated servers as well. That way if one goes offline, or is undergoing routine maintenance it won’t affect the performance of your site.

Each VPS server is completely isolated and private from any other virtual server that’s using the same physical server.

How does VPN work?

How does a VPN work? When you’re using a VPN any data that you transmit over the internet goes directly from your ISP to the VPN server, then the VPN connects to the internet for you. This helps to diminish or completely reduce a lot of the most common security risks you’ll run into online.

For example, when you’re using a VPN it’s very difficult to connect your computer back to any data that you’re transmitting. Plus, all of your data will be encrypted, so if your information is intercepted no one will be able to interpret your data.

Conclusion  

I hope that this guide helps you to understand the difference between VPS and VPS and clears all confusion. The best thing is that you know what is what and what you want. You can now guide others around you about VPS vs VPN.

It is the VPN that most of us are looking for but some of us get confused and opt for a VPS only to realize that it is a different type of service altogether. For VPN, PandaVPN is a nice try, offering fast, private, and secure online connections. Get it to start a trial >