4 VPN Alternatives In 2024

A VPN is a solution designed to reroute user traffic through an encrypted tunnel. Users can install a VPN client on their device and then connect to a remote server or VPN gateway, which will reroute their request, so they can connect to websites while hiding their IP address and personal information.

Many privacy-conscious users choose to use VPNs to prevent internet service providers (ISPs) and other third parties from eavesdropping on their activity, particularly when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Consumers may also use VPNs to get around regional content restrictions implemented by services, such as Netflix, or state infrastructure, such as China’s Great Firewall.

VPNs still present a wide array of benefits to users. Mainly, they provide a simple solution for users to protect their privacy online. A user can connect to a VPN server in seconds and start shielding their IP address and data from ISPs, government agencies and cybercriminals.

This anonymity not only gives them the ability to sidestep geographical content restrictions and to avoid experiencing bandwidth throttling when engaging in particular online activities, but also allows them to protect themselves against DDoS and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks when connecting to public Wi-Fi.

Although VPNs are great at encrypting user traffic, they do have a number of downsides. One of the most notable is that they decrease the user’s connection speeds significantly (by some estimates as much as 50% or more). This drop in speed occurs due to the VPN rerouting each request through a remote server.

Another significant issue is the fact that you have no visibility over what a VPN provider does with your data. This means you have to trust the vendor to disclose that it’s logging your data (even if it claims to operate a no-log policy).

Lastly, most VPNs aren’t ideal for businesses because they aren’t designed to scale to the needs of teams accessing critical resources, applications and data. Thus, in environments where organizations need to implement zero trust access controls, having users connecting via VPNs can increase complexity.

 1. Proxies

One of the best alternatives to a VPN is a proxy server. A proxy server acts as a gateway that sits between a user’s device and the internet. The user can activate the server in their web browser and proceed to reroute their traffic through it. This helps to hide their IP address from any web servers that they visit.

While this sounds similar to a VPN, the key difference is that proxy servers don’t encrypt traffic. As a result, proxies are a good choice for users who want to browse anonymously and hide their IP address from web servers but aren’t concerned about encrypting their traffic.

It’s important to note that using a proxy can put your data at risk of eavesdropping. For instance, a hacker can intercept data transmitted via a proxy. This can be problematic if you’re using a free proxy with an unsecure network that’s vulnerable to compromise.

 2. SSH Tunnels

Another basic alternative to a VPN is to use an SSH tunnel. SSH tunneling, also known as SSH port forwarding, is where the user routes traffic through their device’s application ports to a remote device.

The easiest way to do this is by downloading an SSH client and then connecting to a downstream device with an SSH server. This can be used to create an encryption tunnel where data, files and traffic can be transmitted without being exposed to unauthorized third parties.

SSH tunnels can be used in scenarios where users want to transfer files and other data from one device to another. In contrast, VPNs are best used when users want to browse the internet behind an encrypted connection.

3. Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)

SD-WAN is a cloud-delivered service that provides a high-performance alternative to a VPN. Businesses can use an SD-WAN to route and and encrypt traffic as it travels between SD-WAN-enabled applications across a wide area network (WAN).

Many organizations use SD-WANs to manage user access to applications and data across multiple sites or locations. This includes applications hosted on-premises, or in the public or private cloud.

Not only does this centralized approach offer more visibility over network activity, it also helps to monitor and manage WAN traffic to ensure efficient bandwidth consumption, and to provide a stable experience for end users.

SD-WAN is thus a great alternative to VPNs for businesses that want to optimize performance. That being said, although SD-WAN is good at adapting to real-time traffic conditions, it needs compatible devices in order to function.

 4. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

SASE is a networking framework created by Gartner in 2019, which delivers network and security through SD-WAN, secure web gateway (SWG), cloud-access security broker (CASB), next-generation firewall (NGFW) and zero-trust network access (ZTNA) as part of a single unified cloud solution.

Many businesses use SASE because it enables them to implement zero-trust access controls across a multiple-site environment.

Whereas a VPN would enable a user to connect to a network through an encrypted tunnel, SASE provides IT admins with a solution to manage remote user access to on-premises and cloud-based assets.

Some of the most common reasons to consider a VPN alternative are as follows:

• Increase connection speed: Use a VPN alternative if you want to increase your connection speed, so you don’t have to reroute traffic through a remote VPN server.
• Support high performance: You might want to switch away from VPNs if you’re in an environment where you need to access web apps and real-time media that demand high performance with minimal latency.
• Guaranteeing data privacy: Consider using an alternative solution if you want to guarantee that your personal information isn’t being logged by a VPN provider.
• Bypass website blocks: Some websites will attempt to automatically block connections from VPNs, so changing to an alternative can help sidestep these restrictions.