With the surge in popularity of VPN services, it’s no secret that many individuals and businesses are jumping on the bandwagon. In fact, the number of users of VPN services doubled in 2019 according to Statista. What is a VPN service? Think of it as a secure and private version of the internet that allows you to access websites and apps that may not be available in your local country.
While there are many benefits to using a VPN service, there are also several drawbacks. One of the major concerns is privacy. Because all data passes through a VPN server before reaching its intended destination, companies that provide these services can gather and analyze information about their customers’ browsing habits. And because they have complete control over your data, you may not always be aware that this information is being collected. This is why as a customer, you need to be particularly careful about what you do on the internet through an unencrypted connection.
Why Offshore Web Hosting?
To put it simply, we want to host our websites and blogs off-shore to avoid any connection to our physical location. By incorporating geo-blocking, we often times inadvertently prevent users in one country from accessing content hosted in another. For example, YouTube’s country flags limit content to users in select countries. In these cases, having our content hosted off-shore is the most practical solution.
Off-shore web hosting is especially beneficial for individuals whose personal data may be viewed as intrusive by large corporations. If you’re considering a VPN service as a way to access the content you want on YouTube, for example, you’ll want to host your content with a company with reliable servers in a country with favorable data privacy laws. If your personal data is viewed as untrustworthy by certain companies, you may not want to put all of your eggs in one basket by hosting all of your content with them. For this reason, off-shore web hosting is a viable alternative for those with sensitive information to protect.
The Pros And Cons Of Offshore Web Hosting
While off-shore web hosting has several advantages, there are also some significant cons that you should be aware of before signing up with a particular service. First, the location of the data center generally has an impact on the performance of your website. If you’re going to host your site on a company’s server in Ireland, for example, your site may suffer from slow performance or even become unusable during peak hours due to the increased load. This is because Ireland is a popular location for data centers and many companies host their websites there. Furthermore, if the company you’re dealing with is based in a country with less than favorable data privacy laws, you may not be able to trust that they won’t abuse your personal data.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a company that offers fast and stable service with a high degree of privacy, then consider a VPN service that is privately owned and operated by experts in data security. In this case, you’re putting your trust in a company that is based in a relatively safe location and is committed to protecting your privacy. Finally, make sure you’re aware of the costs that come with offshore web hosting before committing to a particular plan. Most companies that offer this service will require you to pay in advance for the hosting you’re buying.
In summary, off-shore web hosting has several upsides, mostly associated with increased privacy and security. On the other hand, it has several downsides that you need to be aware of before committing to a particular plan. The best solution for this situation is to try out a few different companies and compare their offerings. Doing this will help you find the best plan for your needs. Just remember, no matter which plan you choose, your personal data will be subject to the laws of the country where the data center is based. So, if you’re not comfortable with that, then it’s best to avoid offshore hosting altogether.