You might have heard that a VPN service is necessary for your business, and that is correct. Finding the best VPN for business in 2023, however, is not as simple as you may expect.
But that’s not an issue because we’re here to help you find the best VPN for business that will suit your needs.
Dedicated business VPNs allow you to create secure remote access to your network and company servers. You can manage multiple user identities, control user access to specific types of information, and keep your data safe from prying eyes.
Without further ado, let’s dive in and see what features make up the best VPN for business.
How does a VPN work?
A VPN app or software must be installed on the internet-enabled device you are using (computer, laptop, smartphone, etc). The VPN software connects your device to the VPN server, which encrypts your internet connection and prevents your data from being accessed while it is in transit.
Once connected, all of your online business activity, such as emails, CRM, billing, invoicing, and more is routed through the VPN connection. The internet service provider sees your data as originating from the VPN’s IP address rather than from your computer and location.
However, your data and location are potentially exposed if you do not use a VPN.
Why do you need a VPN for your business?
When you have many remote employees, having a reliable VPN in place is critical.
Importantly, it means that these remote workers can access company servers as if they’re on the local network. In fact, it’s the main, and usually only, reason most top businesses will actually get them.
The best VPN for business will have hundreds of servers in numerous locations. For businesses with multiple office locations, the best VPN for business creates a single shared encrypted network between these different locations.
Using a VPN also allows employees safe access to web-based apps, databases, SaaS software, and other services. In addition, a VPN allows secure authentication of any user attempting to access the network remotely.
Furthermore, by giving your employees geo-independence, a VPN can boost their productivity. Providing geo-independence is pertinent to globally operating businesses, especially if they are working in a regulated market.
By providing a VPN for staff working in a regulated market, but not physically located there, businesses are able to bypass any geo-restrictions. Thus, a VPN provides the means for staff to work in all areas of the company regardless of their location.
With current work from home policies in place, the same issue applies to businesses too.
What to look for in VPN for business
First and foremost, we recommend that you choose a VPN made specifically for business use. This ensures that it has the essential functionality and security, as well as complying with regulatory compliance criteria.
However, the vast majority of the VPNs on our best VPN for business recommended list are appropriate. As a result, simply choose the one that is best for your business.
However, when considering which one of the different VPN services to choose, there are a few things to take into consideration. These include the following factors:
- Is the VPN cloud or self-hosted
- Does it offer site-to-site encryption
- What security protocols does it support
- Is it easy to get help from the customer support team
- Does it have an intuitive easy-to-use dashboard
- If your business grows, is the VPN scalable
- Is there a pricing plan that fits your business budget
- Does it work in a wide range of countries
This is not an exhaustive list but is a great starting point. Of course, the VPN that suits you best will depend on the type of business that you run.
The best VPN for large multinational enterprises, will not necessarily be the best VPN for small businesses.
Top three VPN’s for business
Large multinational enterprises likely have their own IT infrastructure and technical help team. This will include their own internal VPN system complete with servers on-site.
However, small to medium businesses are unlikely to have a sufficient security budget to set up their own VPN. Instead, they should install the best VPN for small businesses that they can find.
Such VPN services are critical tools for business. They are a simple and inexpensive solution to providing secure access to company servers for remote workers as well as ensuring staff can bypass geo-restrictions.
Personal and business VPN services used to exist in completely distinct worlds. However, many of the most popular VPN services now provide both types of service.
Here are our top three choices for the best VPN for business available today:
1. NordVPN
There are hundreds of VPNs out there, but NordVPN stands out as one of the best VPNs.
It has an abundance of advanced features and comes in at a lower price than many competitors.
NordVPN’s unmatched range of server locations will keep you active, even with the most persistent geo-blocking restrictions.
So, if you want to become more secure online, keep your browsing activity hidden from your ISP or unlock region specific streaming content, NordVPN is definitely a fantastic choice.
2. Private Access Network (PIA)
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a trustworthy, modern VPN service provider with a long history. It has excellent add-ons that provide additional online protection.
The cost is slightly higher than average, but given that this option promises access to over 30,000 servers with excellent speeds, we think it’s worth considering. PIA has all the standard and several unique features for a hassle-free VPN experience.
All in all, we can recommend PIA to all our readers regardless of their preferences.
3. Proton VPN
For business purposes, where privacy and security matters, ProtonVPN is one of the best options available on the market, with options to suit any budget.
There are more features that you can shake a stick at, with even more advanced features available for those of you that are more security focused, such as the multi-hop connections.
The largest drawback is that you have to upgrade to the most expensive plans to be able to really get the full potential out of ProtonVPN, but it’s well worth the extra cost.
How to set up a VPN for your medium or small business
First, choose the best VPN for business that suits your needs. Once you have made your choice it’s time to install and run it.
The best VPN for business will be easy to set up. All employees must install the VPN service provider’s app on their laptops or smartphones.
They can then connect to the VPN server using the app. This will now enable this device to connect to the company’s local network from anywhere.
You can store data or host applications on your own private VPN server, which employees can only access while connected. Alternatively, choose the best VPN for small businesses that offers secure Cloud-based storage or a hybrid model.
You’ll need a method to manage user credentials, such as passwords or some other type of key. Fortunately, the best VPN for small businesses will handle most of this for you.
Can you use a free business VPN?
A free VPN service seems to be an attractive option, especially for small businesses trying to minimize costs and avoid unnecessary overheads. However, we must caution you that this process is fraught with risk and a free solution is unlikely to be the best VPN for small businesses.
Free VPNs lack the massive server networks distributed throughout the world, strong encryption requirements, and fast connections seen in the best VPN for business paid options. Depending on where the business worked, this might prevent staff from accessing information in geo-restricted areas.
Slower speeds also mean lengthier wait times for file transfers or connections to remote enterprise systems. In some situations, free VPN services have also forcibly implanted tracking cookies, mined user data, and profitably sold it to advertising.
We’re sure you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your employees or customers, which is why we believe skipping free VPNs is in your best interests. A premium VPN will benefit your business and provide proper access to company servers remotely.
Therefore, we strongly advise you to choose from our list of the best VPN for business.
The benefits of a VPN for business
Using the best VPN for business has numerous benefits, which is why both small and large enterprises should use one. But, what are these benefits for businesses?
Bypassing internet censorship
VPNs let you access the internet from anywhere in the globe without revealing your true location. This can be useful if you’re working from a remote place where access to particular websites is restricted, or if your company’s website doesn’t allow access from a specific location or region.
Geographic independence
VPNs are frequently used by businesses to secure access to network resources while employees are not physically present in the office. The benefit is that your employees may access your network through a secure encrypted connection, increasing productivity and safety.
Do you have employees who travel to places where internet access is restricted? Remote employees can connect to your business network using a VPN from any location with an internet connection. This way, they’ll have access to the resources they need to conduct their work while still keeping your company’s data safe.
Additionally, companies often operate globally in regulated markets meaning staff will need a VPN to bypass restrictions if they are not physically located there. Using a VPN, therefore, improves productivity throughout the workforce, enabling staff to work in all areas equally.
Prevents ISP bandwidth throttling
It is nothing new for ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to monitor their subscribers’ online activity. They must do so in order to improve the efficiency of their Internet traffic management.
However, it also implies that your Internet speed may be throttled (the pace of your internet service is slowed) by your ISP. It’s usually done to keep their network clear during peak times, especially if your business site has a lot of data-heavy content such as videos.
VPNs can be useful for providing fast internet speeds and improving business efficiency. However, one thing to keep in mind is that VPN encryption can create a slight delay in response time because it regularly encrypts and decrypts the data.
However, this is not a huge issue if you choose the best VPN for business. Select a dependable paid VPN service that is specifically created for corporate users.
Granular policy enforcement
Using the best VPN for business also allows you to manage which websites are viewed and which applications are used through the private tunnel.
Indeed, policy management by technologies such as NetMotion in conjunction with a VPN can provide incredibly granular control over things such as:
- Access to applications, hosts, networks, and subnets
- Applications used over designated networks
- Types of traffic allowed over faster or slower networks
- Bandwidth usage
- Types of traffic traversing a specific network
- Traffic based on the application name, port, or IP address
- Permission to use various WLAN networks
Conclusion
If you want to ensure that your company is as secure as possible, you should utilize the best VPN for business. There are many VPNs for business available, but choosing the right one is crucial if you want the best experience and security.
Some VPNs may have more functionality than you require, while others may be simpler. Take the time to carefully read our reviews to determine which of the best VPN for business options best meets your wants and needs.