Our VPN proxy service gives you flexibility to decide which technology is more suitable for you. You can either configure your web browser to use our HTTP proxy service with SSL support or, alternatively, you can configure your operating system or networked appliance to connect to our servers via VPN.
Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. Please see the table below with the list of features.
| Feature | VPN | HTTP(s) proxy | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption |  |
SSL connections: all data is encrypted end-to-end. Non-SSL connections: Only data to/from the VPN server is encrypted. |
 |
SSL connections: all data is encrypted end-to-end. Non-SSL connections: No data is encrypted. |
| Flexibility | |
You can not select which applications go through the VPN. All the data is transmitted through the VPN. | |
You can decide which applications go through the proxy and which applicationss use your direct internet connection. |
| Compatibility | |
If content (such as video) does not work with HTTP(s) proxies, it will definitely work with the VPN since the VPN is invisible to content/applications. |  |
Some content providers use special media protocols that can not be properly handled by HTTP(s) proxies; for example, HULU, BBC iPlayer live streams, etc. |
| Restrictions | |
VPN firewall is configured to block outgoing emails, torrents and few other applications. This is done to prevent the abuse of the VPN network. | |
HTTP proxy does not block any requests. While your web browser is configured to use the proxy other applications can work as usual. |
| Support | |
All modern operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac and broad range of network appliances including routers, tablets, smartphones support VPN. | |
While all major web browsers like FireFox, Chrome, Opera, Safari and IE support HTTP(s) proxy other applications might not work with it. |
| Availability | |
Only available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Italy at the moment. Other countries will be added in future. | |
Available in dozens of locations throughout the world. New countries are added regularly. |
| Speed | |
Since all the data has to be encrypted before the transmission and has to pass through additional network hop VPN is 1-3% slower. | |
Due to the use of server-side caching your connection through the HTTP(s) proxy can sometimes be even faster than the direct connection. |