Can My Internet Service Provider See My VPN? [Updated 2023]
No, when you use a VPN, your ISP won’t be able to tell what you download online. In fact, due to strong encryption and tunneling, your internet service provider and anyone other than your VPN provider won’t able to determine your online activities.
Since a VPN handles all of your network requests including routing and DNS resolution, everything you do online remains discrete. Top-tier VPNs offer a variety of encrypted protocols like IKEv2 and OpenVPN to establish secure end-to-end connections.
That said, it is possible for your ISP to know whether or not you’re using a VPN. That’s because ISPs can identify servers that are owned by VPN providers. However, as I mentioned earlier, your ISP wouldn’t be able to determine your browsing activities. Even more amazing is the fact that some providers offer obfuscation technology that can disguise your VPN traffic to appear as ordinary HTTPS traffic.
Which VPNs Do We Recommend?
Here are the best VPNs that we recommend. These VPNs are super secure and also affordable.
- Surfshark – Most Affordable VPN. Starts from just $1.99/mo (Save 86% and get 3 extra months FREE with 24-month plan). Offers 3200+ servers in 65 countries. Offers WireGuard®, IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Shadowsocks. Offers a powerful kill switch. Supports unlimited simultaneous connections, offers a full 30-day money-back guarantee and is one of the most recommended VPNs by Redditors.
- ExpressVPN – Overll Best VPN. Come with 3000+ servers in 94 countries that offer powerful security and supports torrenting. Offers WireGuard®, IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Shadowsocks. Offers an efficient kill switch (Network Lock). Offers Lightway, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, PPTP, WireGuard, SSTP. One of the best VPNs for Nvidia shield, iOS, Xbox one, Android, macOS, Firestick, and more. Costs just $6.67/mo and comes with a 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee. Limited time offer: Get 3 months free subscription with its annual plan.
- NordVPN – Most Secure VPN. Comes with powerful security features such as Nordlynx, AES 256-bit encryption, kill switch, CyberSec, and obfuscated servers. Supports IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, NordLynx. Offers 5200+ servers in 59+ countries. One of the best VPNs for small businesses. Costs just $4.79/mo, supports 6 multi-logins, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
