VPN Alternatives: What is the Best Way to Secure Remote Access

There’s no question about it: VPNs are still one of the most reliable ways to enable secure remote access today. In many environments, they continue to work well.

Though organizations now support much larger remote workforces than before, and with that growth come new risks and challenges. Managing who can access what becomes harder, connections may slow down, and monitoring activity isn’t always straightforward. Besides businesses, individuals are often also looking for flexible ways to stay secure online without relying solely on traditional VPN setups.

That’s why VPN alternatives might be worth exploring. Some of the main VPN alternatives are proxy servers, the onion router, self hosted VPN and SSH tunnels. And in this article, we’ll look at what they are, how they work, and when they might make sense to use.

Benefits and limitations of traditional VPNs

A VPN means a Virtual Private Network, which works by routing your connection through another server. VPNs are in no way obsolete, but at the same time not free from limitations. Let’s take a quick look at where VPNs still do well, and where they fall short.

The most important pros you should know:

• Encrypt your data. They encrypt data traveling between your device and the VPN server, making the traffic hard to intercept.
• Replace your IP address. You get a new IP address assigned by the provider. This helps you mask your location.
• Protecting against network-based attacks. VPNs work excellently against threats like man-in-the-middle attacks.
• Shielding from ISP snooping. With a VPN, you prevent internet service providers from easily monitoring your browsing activity.
• Safer browsing on unsecured networks. VPNs allow safe use of public or shared networks in places like airports, cafés, or hotels.
• Ease of use. Compared to some VPN alternatives, the setup is typically straightforward.

That said, here are the cons of a traditional VPN:

• No complete anonymity. A VPN improves online privacy, but it doesn’t make you fully anonymous.
• Doesn’t hide account activity. Once you log into websites or apps, your activity can be seen. Those services can still recognize you through your credentials.
• Cannot disable trackers. Browser tracking methods like cookies can continue to follow your behavior unless you use additional privacy tools.
• Some VPNs may keep logs. Depending on the provider, some VPN services may keep connection or usage logs, which means your activity isn’t always completely untraceable.  
• You don’t become immune to cyberthreats. A VPN also cannot protect you from phishing attacks or scams. These rely on user interaction rather than network exposure.
• Doesn’t wipe your identity. Payment details or location data shared with accounts and services can still reveal your identity. VPNs cannot erase such data.

VPN alternatives for your personal use

A VPN alternative is any tool or method that improves online privacy or security without routing all traffic through a traditional VPN server. While some tools block trackers, others anonymize traffic or prevent websites from collecting detailed user data.

However, these alternatives often require more setup or technical understanding. In some cases, there might even be trade-offs. Tor, for example, can significantly reduce browsing speed. Advanced privacy tools may also limit convenience or break certain websites. Unlike a simple VPN app, these solutions demand more involvement from the user.

Proxy servers

Proxy servers route your traffic through an intermediary server. It essentially is similar to what VPN does — hiding your IP address and possibly helping bypass basic content restrictions. They are often used to access blocked websites or appear as if you’re browsing from another location.

On top of that, many proxies are free or extremely cheap. People sometimes accept weaker security because they only need temporary access. Additionally, tasks like automation and scraping tasks often use rotating proxies, and VPNs are simply not designed for such tasks. However, the difference between proxies and VPNs is that most proxies do not encrypt your traffic, unlike VPNs do. While lightweight, proxies may not offer the same level of privacy.

What’s it best for: If you’re looking to handle simple tasks like bypassing basic website restrictions or changing your visible location while browsing, proxies are great. They work well for casual use but aren’t ideal for protecting sensitive data or securing your full connection.

The Onion Router (Tor)

The Onion Router, commonly known as Tor, is a privacy-focused network that routes your internet traffic through multiple encrypted layers across different servers. This layered approach (hence the “onion”) makes it extremely difficult to trace your activity back to your original IP address.

Tor offers stronger privacy than most standard VPNs, especially for users concerned with surveillance or tracking. However, because traffic passes through several relay points, browsing speeds can be significantly slower. That said, while Tor is legal to use, anything illegal you do on the network would still be against the law. This applies to any other tool that grants some level of anonymity online.

What’s it best for: If you want to prioritize anonymity above speed or convenience, Tor might be a good solution for you. It’s generally great for journalists, researchers, or privacy-focused individuals. You get to avoid tracking and censorship, but trade streaming, gaming, or everyday browsing off.

Self-hosted VPN

A self-hosted VPN allows you to set up and manage your own VPN server. You get full control over your data and its configuration. Instead of relying on a commercial provider, you host the server yourself, often using a cloud platform or dedicated hardware.

Self-hosted VPNs grant you greater transparency and customization, since you decide how logs are handled and how the access is configured. At the same time, it requires technical knowledge to deploy a VPN. You need to know how to maintain it properly to keep it secure. Without the right setup, it will only introduce risks rather than reduce them.

What’s it best for: In case you’re a tech-savvy user who’s confident in their technical skills to deploy a VPN,  it’s a great traditional VPN replacement. Want full control over your privacy and network setup for your small team? It will do the job, though, keep in mind that it will also require ongoing maintenance and security awareness to run safely.

SSH tunnels (Port forwarding)

SSH tunnels, also known as port forwarding, create encrypted connections between devices using the Secure Shell protocol. They are commonly used to securely transfer files or access remote servers and databases without exposing data to the open internet.

This makes them useful when secure command-line access is needed. However, SSH tunnels require technical setup and do not provide full network-wide protection as a VPN does. They are task-specific tools rather than flexible, all-purpose remote access solutions.

What’s it best for: If securely accessing specific services, servers, or databases without exposing data publicly is what matters to you, consider port forwarding. Developers or system administrators commonly use SHH tunnels for targeted tasks, but they aren’t designed for general browsing or full-device protection.

When to consider a VPN alternative

If you’re questioning whether a VPN is worth it — VPNs remain the most practical choice for most users. They encrypt your traffic, are easy to install, as well as require minimal technical effort. For everyday browsing and general privacy, a reputable VPN is often enough of a solution.

That said, there are situations where alternatives to VPN connections may make sense. For remote access, developers or IT professionals may prefer SSH tunnels or self-hosted setups that give them tighter control over specific servers. For streaming content, some users rely on proxy servers or smart DNS tools that focus on bypassing geographic restrictions without having to encrypt all traffic.

However, these VPN alternatives come with various trade-offs that you should keep in mind. They often require technical knowledge, manual configuration, and, not to mention, ongoing maintenance. Additionally, they are not as easy to use as VPNs and may have narrower security coverage.

If you understand these trade-offs and have a specific need, an alternative can work for you. Otherwise, for most users, a well-configured VPN is usually the go-to option.

FAQ

Are VPN alternatives more secure?

Well-established VPN providers offer strong protection and are tough to outperform in terms of practical, everyday security. They combine strong encryption with simple deployment. This reduces the risk of user error and misconfiguration. Furthermore, certain VPN alternatives can achieve comparable security levels if properly configured.

Is there something like a free VPN?

Yes, one of the examples is the Hotspot Shield VPN app. As a free user, you get limited servers in the US, Singapore, and the UK. Free users are also throttled to 2Mbps on mobile and see ads in the app. That said, it’s better not to rely on most free VPNs. It’s because you often pay for the service with your data instead of money. Your data is more expensive than what a premium VPN would cost. 

Why shouldn’t you use a VPN all the time?

Using a VPN can sometimes slow your connection, even if your internet service provider is not deliberately limiting your speed. Additionally, certain apps require your IP address to match your country of residence. This is especially common with banking and financial apps, which may block access or trigger security checks if they detect a foreign IP address.

There’s no question about it: VPNs are still one of the most reliable ways to enable secure remote access today. In many environments, they continue to work well. Though organizations now support much larger remote workforces than before, and with that growth come new risks and challenges. Managing who can access what becomes harder, connections…