It’s not easy to find a suitable VPN app because there are so many options. And most providers tend to advertise their service by showing off the number of servers they offer. That’s why most users tend to focus on this criterion when looking both for a standalone application and a VPN extension. But it is a good place to start the search?
There are other criteria you should consider when choosing a VPN provider. For example, does it offer a good speed? Are there apps for different devices? How reliable the encryption is? And even though these questions have nothing to do with the number of servers, quite a lot of people still tend to think that the more servers a provider has, the better the speed will be, and the safer the VPN app is. But it’s not the case.
Let’s talk about servers
Not every server is the same as the next one. They vary depending on the functions they need to perform. For instance, a server that just hosts a website is very different from a server that belongs to a VPN. The difference lies in the capabilities of a machine — how powerful are processors, how much memory there is, and so on.
Of course, a VPN server should be quite powerful as it needs to handle a lot of connections at once. You’ll never be the only user connecting to a VPN server — you’ll share it with many other people. So here we might stumble upon an issue. The more powerful the server is, the more money it costs, obviously. Moreover, machines tend to age quite fast — even a three-year-old server won’t perform as well as a new one. Over time, the machine starts processing data slower and gets able to handle less load.
Older servers can’t offer the speed and reliability of a new machine. But it’s very expensive for a VPN provider to update all its numerous servers every couple of years. Now, when you see a vendor bragging about hundreds of servers, think, how many of those are barely working because they’re old?
Also, we should consider that sometimes a new server is not better than an older one merely because the latter was more expensive and, therefore, more powerful. And even a couple of years later it can perform better than some new but cheap server.
So, what to consider then?
You should think of your goals when you’re looking for a VPN app. Let’s lay out some of the purposes users have in most cases.
You just need to access geo-restricted content
In this case, you shouldn’t really worry about the number of servers. What you need is a provider that offers a location you require to access the desired content. Also, you’d want a VPN to not cut the speed much, and to be easy to use. It’s better to get a VPN extension for accessing geo-restricted websites because it will be simpler. For example, you can install the iNinja VPN Chrome extension within seconds and start using it. It’s easy to connect to a server in the desired location — just choose the one you need and toggle the button.
An extension will apply a VPN just to the connections that happen within your browser. Therefore, other apps that are connected to the internet will operate as usual.
You need to access the geo-restricted content on streaming services
This goal is different from the previous one because Netflix, HBO, and other streaming services fight VPN providers rather vigorously. These platforms constantly update the list of servers that belong to VPN vendors and don’t allow users with these IP addresses to access the content.
Very few providers can fight back with a constantly changing success rate because it’s a very difficult war. Those VPNs are paid and usually cost as much as a subscription to a streaming service, if not more. If watching, for instance, American Netflix is your goal, you need to find a VPN with servers in the US that are not blocked by this streaming service. In this case, the number of servers doesn’t matter at all.
You want to stay safe
If you want to get a VPN app to protect your connection and traffic, the number of servers also won’t do much. You need the provider to offer reliable encryption and continuous connection to a VPN server. iNinja offers 128-bit SSL encryption that’s reliable enough to protect you from hackers in public places and prying eyes. With the unlimited bandwidth, you won’t face any issues with connectivity and the speed of your connection.
Remember about your location
The farther the VPN server is from your location, the lower will be the speed because the connection must travel a long distance. We might think of the internet as something that doesn’t care about locations, but it really does. So when choosing a VPN provider, take a look at the locations it offers and make sure that those servers are not far away from your country. Of course, if you live in Europe, and you need a VPN in America to watch Netflix or for some other purposes, you should get in terms with possible lags in advance. But if you need a VPN app to just protect your connection or access geo-restricted content that’s blocked just in your country, a server in the location that is the closest to you will do a great job.
As you can see, it doesn’t matter how many servers a provider has. Everything comes down to the quality of the service and your needs. iNinja is perfect for accessing geo-restricted content and keeping your connections safe. You can enjoy the VPN extension, and standalone apps for desktop and mobile devices to keep all your gadgets covered.
