Online privacy is in short supply, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Your data is seriously valuable stuff, and you should be doing everything you can to protect it when navigating the online world. And if you watch porn, you should be even more vigilant.
We’re going to take a wild guess that you’d prefer to be protected from the prying eyes of advertisers, your internet service provider (ISP), and your roommates when you’re visiting porn sites. If that is indeed the case, you should consider investing in a VPN. These cybersecurity services provide everything you need to unblock porn sites and stream anonymously.
What is a VPN?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide powerful protection for your data and identity when you’re online. VPNs offer this online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address, making all of your activity untraceable and secure.
This concept can be difficult to grasp, so it can be helpful to think of VPNs as encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware. It’s all about anonymity and cybersecurity, and that’s particularly important if you’re watching porn.
Do you need a VPN for watching porn?
There are two key reasons to consider a VPN for porn: anonymity and access.
The first reason is perhaps the most important. If you’re concerned about your ISP, housemates, landlord, or someone totally random accessing your data, you could probably benefit from using a VPN. Any sort of activity on an unsecured WiFi network leaves your private information and browsing habits exposed to the world, unless you’re using a VPN. Even porn sites can track your activity if you’re unprotected. Pornhub(Opens in a new tab) tracks IP addresses for example, which means it has the potential to collect information about your site usage. But with a VPN, your IP address will always remain hidden.
Remaining private and anonymous is the most important argument for using a VPN for porn, but there’s another point to consider concerning access to your favourite sites. If you’re in a location that has a firewall up to block access to porn sites, you’ll need to use a VPN to bypass these restrictions. VPNs hide your real IP address and connect you to a server in another location, meaning you can bypass firewalls to stream on your favourite sites.
What features should you consider when selecting a VPN?
There are a number of things you should consider before selecting a VPN for porn. We have highlighted a selection of the most important VPN features to help you make a decision:
Connection speed — VPNs generally produce a drop in your connection speed, but you shouldn’t accept anything significant. Make sure you opt for a VPN that doesn’t negatively impact your connection speed to the point that you can’tstream porn without disruption.
Encryption — There are different levels of encryption, and whilst it’s important to take note of the grade provided by your VPN, the best services will all offer powerful protection for your data. This is obviously vital when navigating porn sites because you need to know that your data is secure.
Number of connections —Leading VPNs let you connect an unlimited number of devices with the same account, whilst others limit you to just a single device. Prioritise services that offer multiple simultaneous connections so you can stay secure on all your devices at the same time. You might stream porn on a number of devices, so it’s best to secure everything with the same account.
Privacy policy — This is something that some users might take for granted, but you need to pay special attention to the data-handling, storage, and usage practices of a VPN. These practices should be clearly laid out in a privacy policy, and if they aren’t, you should not subscribe. Most VPNs require access to your IP address, online transactions, and browsing history, plus your personal details when you sign up. Your favourite VPN should not store these details under any circumstances, as that would make the whole anonymity thing redundant.
Server network — The best VPNs provide access to literally thousands of geographically diverse servers. This is useful because you should always be able to find a stable and speedy connection for streaming porn.
You should also consider other things like price and subscription plans, but these features are a good place to start your selection process.
Should you use free VPNs?
The big question when it comes to watching porn securely is whether you need to pay for a VPN. The bad news is that, just as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with these cybersecurity services.
The good thing is that there are plenty of free versions of popular VPNs, and free trials of VPNs with full access to everything you get with a premium plan. The catch is that free versions usually come with limited data usage, meaning you can’t really do any streaming or downloading. Free trials come with everything you get in a paid plan, but they obviously don’t last very long. Trials are great for testing out a service before committing, but this isn’t a long-term solution.
Considering all of this, the best option for unblocking porn sites and streaming anonymously is with a paid subscription to a VPN. To gain access to advanced security features without limitations on usage, you will need to cough up the cash.
What is the best VPN for porn?
There are a lot of services out there offering similar packages, making it difficult to find the best VPN for you. We have tried to make your life a little bit easier by tracking down everything on offer and lining up a selection of the very best VPNs for porn. We have tried to find something for everyone and every budget, and you can find popular services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost VPN in this list.
Regular readers will not be surprised to see ExpressVPN(Opens in a new tab) at the top of a VPN roundup, because this service delivers where it counts.
Users get the best in online security and streaming, with a wide range of advanced features that should suit beginners and advanced users. ExpressVPN offers strong connection speeds, powerful encryption, and access to a diverse network of servers located all around the world. All of this means secure streaming of porn.
ExpressVPN is not the cheapest service, but you get what you pay for with this streaming-friendly service. It even accepts Bitcoin payments through a wide range of wallets, and offers leak protection (DNS, IP and WebRTC) so your data is protected from being exposed when using porn sites.
Private Internet Access(Opens in a new tab) is an impressive service that offers powerful levels of encryption and a massive server network. Both of these things are pretty crucial when navigating popular porn sites.
Users can connect 10 devices simultaneous with the same account, meaning it’s a great option for large households or anyone who streams porn on multiple devices. Users also get a dedicated IP address feature and plenty of customisation options, making Private Internet Access one of the most versatile options for secure streaming of porn.
All of the above is packaged in an easy-to-use and intuitive interface, which will be appealing to complete VPN beginners.
Online security is something to take seriously if you’re regularly using porn sites. NordVPN(Opens in a new tab) is a service that prioritises security, with a large and diverse network of servers and specialised features that safeguard your data when you’re navigating the online world. If you value security above everything else, you should probably pick NordVPN.
Subscribers get access to over 5,500 servers located all over the world, with the option of connecting six devices at the same time. NordVPN is one of the few VPNs that lets you route your traffic between its own secure VPN servers and the Tor network, which creates another layer of security when you’re visiting adult sites.
NordVPN doesn’t offer the connection speeds of ExpressVPN or the server network of Private Internet Access, but you can rest assured that your data is protected with this secure service.
CyberGhost VPN(Opens in a new tab) is a strong choice for beginners due to its attractive and easy-to-use interface. VPNs can be overwhelming, but CyberGhost VPN keeps things nice and simple.
Some of the most advanced privacy features are lacking, but CyberGhost VPN does not store information on your IP address, DNS queries, browsing history, or session duration, which is particularly reassuring when you’re navigating porn sites. Users also get access to a massive network of servers, split tunnelling, multiple simultaneous connections, and so much more. Connection speeds can be inconsistent, but you can’t have absolutely everything.
ProtonVPN(Opens in a new tab) is a slick service with an impressive collection of advanced features, and it has the best free version out there. What’s not to like?
ProtonVPN is Switzerland-based, meaning your data is shielded by Swiss privacy laws, which are some of the strongest in the world. ProtonVPN also has a strict no logging policy that means none of your data can be revealed to third parties. Users also get a kill-switch, DNS leak prevention, and much more. Privacy is a top priority with ProtonVPN, which is reassuring when navigating porn sites.
The free version is pretty great, but you will need to upgrade if you plan on doing a lot of streaming.
Surfshark’s(Opens in a new tab) ability to connect an unlimited number of devices really sets it apart from the majority of the competition. If you need security for a lot of devices, Surfshark should be your top choice.
Users get a wide range of impressive features including split tunnelling and enterprise-grade infrastructure, with reliable unblocking of top streaming sites like Netflix. Features like a kill switch and DNS leak protection also help to keep your data private when streaming porn.
There are cheaper options out there, but when you consider the unlimited number of connections, strong connection speeds, impressive app, and powerful privacy tools, it makes sense.
Shopping Editor
Joseph joined Mashable as the UK Shopping Editor in 2018. He worked for a number of print publications before making the switch to the glittery world of digital media, and now writes about everything from coffee machines to VPNs.
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