VPN vs Proxy: What's the Difference?

A proxy reroutes your traffic through another server, changing your visible IP address — but typically without encrypting the connection.

Encryption

A VPN encrypts all traffic leaving your device. Most proxies don't, leaving your data readable to your ISP or anyone on the network path.

Scope

Proxies are often configured per-app or per-browser. A VPN typically routes all device traffic through the encrypted tunnel by default.

Which one you actually need

For privacy and security, a VPN is almost always the better choice. Proxies remain useful for narrow, low-stakes use cases like simple geo-testing.