Typically, large businesses maintain their own VPN services. However, small and medium-sized enterprises often lack the IT resources necessary to establish and operate a secure and private VPN.
Fortunately, a few consumer-oriented VPN providers have expanded into the corporate industry to service this neglected market. While a normal consumer VPN may be enough in certain circumstances, companies often want secure access to a server where they may store documents, applications, and other office resources for remote access by personnel.
A VPN is the most secure method of encrypting data in transit. A VPN, which is an acronym for Virtual Private Network, encrypts and protects all internet communication between a laptop or smartphone and the VPN server. This makes it very difficult for curious hackers to dig into sensitive data. Given that the average cost of a corporate data breach is $3.8 million and that one-fifth of small firms had a hack, virus, or data breach in 2019, security is critical.
While there are several providers, not all VPN services are equal. Our top selection for the best business VPN is based on the following criteria:
- Provides business-specific services.
- Rapidity and stability.
- Secure environment.
- Number of concurrent connections.
- Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS applications.
Our process for identifying the best VPN for enterprises
While there are several VPNs available, many are simply not suited for small and medium-sized organizations. To identify the best VPN for your business, we looked for those that offered the following:
- Business-oriented: Most VPNs on the market are geared at people, not companies. We sought out those who specialize in business-related services. For instance, we recognize that businesses may want to host resources that employees may safely access remotely.
- Speed: Time is money, which emphasizes the importance of a VPN’s speed. By doing our own tests, we can determine the performance of each business VPN. We’re looking for the fastest VPNs available, and they should all provide unlimited bandwidth. This enables speedier file transfers and connectivity to corporate servers located in other locations.
- Unblocking: Regrettably, the web is replete with geographical limitations. This category includes well-known news sites and online financial services. If you want your whole team to have access to the same data, you’ll need a VPN with robust unblocking capabilities to circumvent these limitations.
- Security: Hacking, malware, and data breaches are just a few of the everyday security dangers that your organization confronts. We check for any VPN and suggest having, at the very least, high-end encryption and leak prevention. However, many of the best VPNs for companies provide far more.
- Privacy: The VPN service provider you choose should have a no-logs policy. This implies that it does not maintain any user-identifying records, safeguarding the privacy of not just your company, but also the whole crew that uses it. However, not every VPN is trustworthy. That is why we examined over 100 VPN logging policies to determine the best.
- Ease of use: From the initial configuration of the VPN to adding or deleting users, the experience should be simple. Top corporate VPNs provide user-friendly software and round-the-clock help through live chat and email. Additionally, there are several setup and troubleshooting manuals available.
- Value for money: The good news is that the top VPN companies provide a range of pricing choices to suit all budgets. Your company may save even more money by using the VPN coupon code included on this page. Even better, you can test each VPN risk-free since they all come with a money-back guarantee.
FAQs about business VPNs
What is the purpose of a corporate VPN?
Businesses may use a VPN for two primary purposes: safe internet access and connecting to a business server from which workers can securely access company data, applications, and other resources.
A VPN establishes an encrypted connection between two devices, often a smartphone or laptop and a server, via the internet. Due to encryption, third parties like hackers, governments, and internet service providers are unable to eavesdrop on data passing between these two devices. This is especially advantageous for distant personnel who want secure internet access from unsecured networks such as those found in hotels, airports, and cafés.
Additionally, a VPN enables personnel to securely access files, documents, applications, printers, and other VPN server resources as if they were on a local network. For example, an employee may use a VPN server-based software to create and modify documents without ever downloading them to their own device.
How can I set up a virtual private network (VPN) for my business?
Setting up a VPN is rather straightforward. Employees must install the VPN provider’s client software on their laptop and/or smartphone. They may then connect to the VPN server via the program, which will encrypt all data before it leaves the device.
If you operate your own VPN server, you may use it to store data or run applications that workers can access only when connected. You’ll need to handle user credentials in some way—either via passwords or some other kind of key. Fortunately, the business-oriented VPN we’ve recommended above will take care of most of this.
Is it necessary to utilize a free business VPN?
A free VPN service seems appealing to organizations trying to minimize costs and avoid unneeded overhead. However, we must caution you that this technique is not without danger.
Free VPNs will lack the massive server networks scattered throughout the globe, strong encryption requirements, and lightning-fast connections seen in commercial solutions. Due to insufficient encryption, your organization may be vulnerable to hacking efforts and the resulting risk of data loss. Slow speeds mean that file transfers and connections to distant enterprise systems may take longer.
Free VPN providers have also been accused of forcibly inserting, tracking, and mining user data and selling it to advertisers for a profit. We’re very certain you wouldn’t want that to happen to your staff, which is why we believe skipping them is in your best interest.
How can virtual private networks (VPNs) secure remote employees?
The internet has aided in the dismantling of communication barriers, bringing people together and democratizing access to knowledge. Businesses are no longer limited to the talent available in their city or town; they may now scan the world for staff and grow their operations via the usage of remote workers.
Such practices are gaining traction. According to estimates, around 2.8 percent of the worldwide workforce currently works from home. The statistic reflects a 105 percent increase over 2005. And the need for remote employment is quite likely to grow in the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic.
It is critical that firms recruit remote workers to safeguard and encrypt their data. This protects it safely from any hostile party trying to eavesdrop. A VPN may significantly reduce these hazards.
Simultaneously, workers go for off-site meetings, sales visits, and other business-related activities. They might be connected to free public wifi at coffee shops, shopping malls, hotels, or cafés. These networks are not regarded as very secure. At any one moment, hundreds of individuals are linked, posing a security risk.
Another consideration is the growing danger of cybercrime, particularly business espionage. Email and credit card fraud are the most popular methods of doing this, with hackers eager to attack the weakest links in the chain. These are mostly workers who use their personal phones and other insecure devices linked to the network for business purposes.
According to Alcatel-Motive Lucent’s Security Labs, over 16 million mobile devices were infected with malware in 2014. In the same year, businesses lost almost US$400 billion to cybercrime. Hackers often attempt to gain access to the system by targeting smartphones. They may then break firewalls and launch denial-of-service attacks in order to steal data.
It’s not just major corporations that are under assault; small enterprises are also feeling the pinch. According to Malwarebytes ransomware research, 22% of small firms affected by ransomware attacks were forced to immediately suspend operations.
In this case, it makes perfect sense to invest a few dollars each month to safeguard your company. You may sleep easily at night as long as your staff have VPN applications installed on their PCs and smartphones.
What should I look for in a company virtual private network (VPN)?
To begin, we suggest that you utilize a VPN designed exclusively for business purposes. This will guarantee that it has essential functionality and security, as well as compliance with regulatory requirements.
Businesses should consider the following aspects while evaluating various VPN options:
- Cloud-based or on-premises? The VPN we proposed above is cloud-based. This significantly simplifies their setup, management, and scaling. You may store data and applications on the cloud VPN server, which workers can access remotely using VPN applications. Alternatively, you may operate your own VPN server on-premises or in the cloud, but this will require additional IT resources and knowledge.
- A decent dashboard. While it may seem cosmetic, a well-designed dashboard for managing VPN accounts and access credentials throughout your organization can go a long way toward ensuring workers are connected and safe.
- Site-to-site: A VPN is not only for employees. A VPN may also be used to establish a secure tunnel between the two networks. This is called a site-to-site VPN, and it is advantageous for enterprises with many locations, for example.
- Scalability: If you want to expand your workforce, make sure that your VPN can keep up. Adding and deleting VPN server access and accounts should be simple. Additionally, keep an eye on the pricing.
- Security: This should go without saying, but select a VPN that is secure. This involves using robust encryption, leak protection, authentication, and a VPN provider with a no-logs policy. Consider two-factor authentication, completely forward secrecy, and current, open-source VPN technologies.
- Segmentation: By splitting your network into smaller segments, you may better safeguard sensitive data while maintaining access to other files and applications.
- Support: If you’re using the VPN we suggest, you’re probably not network administrator certified. This implies that you may run into difficulties for which you may want assistance. Choose a VPN provider that offers competent and responsive customer support, ideally live. Certain types of help are only accessible during the business hours of the nation in which the VPN is situated, so be careful to verify the availability of support.
Alternatives to business VPNs
VPNs may not be the best choice for corporate situations. There are various more current solutions for site-to-site connections between geographically distant offices and data centers in particular:
- MPLS, or multi-protocol label switching, is a routing technology that uses labels rather than public IP addresses to route traffic. It enables traffic prioritization, is less susceptible to insecure IP lookups, and has a lower latency profile than a site-to-site VPN.
- ZTNA. Zero Trust Network Access solutions operate at the application layer and, in contrast to VPNs, are network-independent. Instead, users are immediately linked to apps depending on their authentication and device posture. Because applications are concealed from the internet, the attack surface is reduced. Twingate employs this strategy.
- VPN on the cloud. Cloud VPNs may be quicker, more secure, and require less maintenance than conventional VPNs when configured using SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network). SD-WAN cloud VPNs operate best when combined with SASE, or secure access service edge, which provides a centralized view of the organization’s complete network.
- Leased circuits, sometimes called leased lines, are private, permanent connections between two or more sites. Leased circuits are prohibitively costly and are only suitable for very big organizations.
Certain VPNs to avoid
When you choose a business VPN, you’ll want to believe that the provider will take every precaution to secure your data and your business from external dangers. VPN providers have a moral obligation to keep their end of the contract. However, not all businesses adhere to this philosophy, and we believe you should avoid them.
HolaVPN
Israel-based Hola, which once boasted a user base of around 50 million, offered a free peer-to-peer VPN add-on for Chrome. Regrettably, it used the PCs on which it was installed as puppets in a vast botnet army.
Much of the bandwidth allocated to individual Hola customers was used to conduct Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, promote illegal content, and distribute pornography. This is without the user’s permission in any way.
Betternet
Betternet is an excellent example of why you should avoid free VPNs. It was discovered to include malware, violate its own privacy policies, and lead visitors to profit-generating web domains. It collects information about users to give them advertisements from third parties.
Additionally, speeds are sluggish and servers are unstable. Betternet is a service that offers very little to consumers and much less to companies.
PureVPN
According to media sources, well-known premium VPN service PureVPN helped the FBI identify Ryan Lin, a Massachusetts resident suspected of stalking an unidentified 24-year-old lady.
Ryan reportedly utilized PureVPN to conceal his activities while blackmailing the lady. PureVPN was contacted by the FBI after a complaint.
PureVPN, for its part, maintains that it did not record the content of Ryan’s interactions while connected to its servers, yet the firm previously touted a ‘no-logs’ policy.