How to choose a VPN for travel and remote work.
You don’t need to be a security expert to pick a VPN. If you mostly work from hotels, airports, coffee shops, or rentals, here’s how to choose something that quietly protects you without getting in your way.
What a VPN actually does for travelers
In simple terms: a VPN hides your real connection details and encrypts your traffic, especially on risky networks like public WiFi.
When you connect to hotel or airport WiFi, you’re sharing the network with strangers. A VPN creates a private “tunnel” so others on that network can’t easily see what you’re doing.
Key things to look for (without jargon)
Make sure the VPN has easy apps for your laptop and phone (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android). You shouldn’t need to touch complicated settings.
This is a safety switch that stops your internet if the VPN drops. It prevents you from accidentally browsing on an open connection while you think you’re protected.
All VPNs slow you down a little. For travel and remote work, you mostly want one that feels “normal” for video calls, browsing, and basic streaming.
Match your VPN to how you travel
Different people care about different things. Focus on the part that matters most for you, and ignore the rest.
Look for a VPN known for ease of use and reliability. You want something that turns on, stays on, and doesn’t require constant tinkering.
You may want a VPN known for working across more countries and dealing better with blocked networks. Stability matters more than small price differences here.
Look for a provider with a strong privacy reputation and clear security features. You don’t need to know every term — just that they take audits and policies seriously.
What to ignore on VPN sales pages
VPN websites are full of big numbers and complex terms. Some of them matter, but many don’t change your day-to-day experience.
Hundreds of locations might sound impressive, but most travelers only need a few reliable countries that match where they work or visit.
Terms like “OpenVPN”, “WireGuard”, or “IKEv2” sound intense. For most people, using the default recommended option in the app is perfectly fine.
Charts that show one VPN is 5–10% faster than another rarely matter for normal use. Stability and ease of use are usually more important.
Next step: get a short list and try one
You don’t have to be perfect on the first try. Many VPNs offer refunds or low-cost long-term plans.
Use the Travel & remote work VPN advisor to get a few suggestions based on how you use the internet. Then test one for a couple of weeks and see if it quietly does its job.