Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Evergreens

What does a VPN do? Here’s what they are and how Surfshark can help

Add as a preferred source on Google
Surfshark and Windscribe prices appear in a split-screen on a PC monitor.
Alan Truly / Digital Trends

Between statewide site bans, some streaming services not playing all content in all areas, and the increasing worry that the US may block outside content, you may have an increasing interest in getting one of the best VPNs. Here, we’re going to look at these problems and what a VPN does to help. We’ll also consider how every VPN service offers different extras, creating a unique package.

It can be intense to go through each and every feature, so we’ll be looking at Surfshark as a case study. One advantage of this is that Surfshark has a free trial, which is fairly unusual in the world of paid VPN services. Go ahead and tap the button below to try Surfshark on your own (again, it has a free trial) and see if it solves your problems, or keep reading to learn what a VPN does and how complimentary features (such as the ones from Surfshark) really pull the whole service together into something you can get a whole lot of mileage out of.

GET A VPN

Recommended Videos

What does a VPN do at the most basic level?

A basic VPN essentially runs your data connection to a target site via a third party IP address. You can think of it like having a P.O. box, or rather a network of P.O. boxes across the country and world. And target websites are none the wiser. If you live in Tennessee but use a VPN’s Italian server, suddenly you’ll be browsing the web as if you’re in Italy.

But what does a VPN do to protect your privacy? First of all, your ISP can no longer see what sites you visit (though they will know that you are surfing via a VPN, which is totally fine). Next, many VPN services encrypt your data so it is difficult for even them to get your information. In other words, a VPN increases your privacy by leaving less of a digital trail behind when you surf the net.

GET A VPN

What does a VPN do when it comes as a full service?

As it so turns out, a VPN rarely exists in a vacuum. When you pay for a service, you typically get more out of it. Let’s take a look at Surfshark as an example service.

If you go through our Surfshark review, you’ll see that a fast-working VPN service that covers multiple devices is just one part of the whole. The VPN includes ad blocking services, and (depending on your payment tier) a private email generator, antivirus protection, credit card and ID alerts, malware protection, and personal information removal from data broker sites. As it is, many people interested in a VPN are like you — they’re interested in privacy across the board, not just a simple VPN service.

Additionally, one of the best parts of services like these is just how affordable they are. Surfshark, even at the highest subscription level, runs for just a few dollars a month from you. So be sure to check it out if you want to see what a VPN does for you.

GET A VPN

John Alexander
Former Digital Trends Contributor
John Alexander is a former ESL teacher, current writer and internet addict, and lacks the wisdom to know what the future…
Gemini Notebook’s new Collections arrive just as Google turns it into a bigger workspace
Google is cleaning up notebook organization as the former NotebookLM expands across Gemini and Search
Gemini Notebook branding on a MacBook

Google has barely finished renaming NotebookLM, and it’s already addressing one of the headaches that comes with building a large research library.

Collections are rolling out to all Gemini Notebook users, giving them a way to group related notebooks while keeping everything visible under My Notebooks. The dashboard gets some structure without asking users to rearrange the library they’ve already built.

Read more
Samsung’s humanoid robot ambitions are real, but factories come first
Samsung’s new robotics division has humanoids in its sights, although its immediate business is far more practical factory automation
Robot Touch Human Finger

Samsung wants a place in the humanoid race, but its new robotics push begins with machines built for factories rather than homes.

The CEO-led RX robotics division will initially focus on manufacturing robots. Samsung has separately identified humanoids as a priority, although it hasn’t announced a commercial model or explained where one fits into the division’s immediate plans.

Read more
WhatsApp’s Liquid Glass redesign is finally coming to Mac after months of waiting
WhatsApp's Mac app is getting Apple's Liquid Glass-inspired makeover
WhatsApp

WhatsApp has been steadily adopting Apple's new design language across its apps, but Mac users have largely been left watching from the sidelines. That is finally beginning to change.

The messaging platform has started rolling out its Liquid Glass redesign for the WhatsApp Mac app, bringing the desktop experience much closer to what iPhone and iPad users have been seeing over the past few months. The update introduces a refreshed interface with redesigned navigation elements, updated menus, and a cleaner layout that aligns with Apple's latest software aesthetic. According to WABetaInfo, the rollout has begun through the latest Mac App Store update and is currently reaching a limited number of users.

Read more