Summary: Making payments online is a fast, easy way to handle purchases and pay bills, but it’s not always very secure. Even with an encrypted server, your information still has to make it there safe. A VPN is a simple way to protect your payment information from hackers.

By encrypting your data, a VPN ensures that even on public networks, you data can’t be stolen as you enter it on a website.

For the fastest, most secure VPN to protect your money and your transactions online, get ExpressVPN now.

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Why Is My Information at Risk?

Ah, e-payments. Forget mailing in your check with the electric bill, or spending your life on hold and blurting out your credit card number. Online payments make life way more convenient these days.

Paying with your credit card for online transactions has never been easier, and some browsers like Chrome are even allowing you to store that information for immediate and future use.

The problem is, all of that convenience also makes it incredibly easy for criminals to swipe your credit card number. On public networks, this data can be easily intercepted, wreaking havoc on your financial life.

Even websites and services with security measures in place can’t keep your information safe en-route to its destination – that’s up to you.

The easiest way to make sure your money never winds up in the wrong hands online is by using a VPN.

What is a VPN?

VPNs are an easy, effective way to protect your personal information online. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, but basically it’s just an encrypted tunnel on a secure network of servers.

When you sign up for a VPN, you get access to a worldwide network of servers. Once you choose a location and connect, your data is fully encrypted.

What this means is that even if a hacker were to intercept your data to try to steal your credit card number, your information would still be safe and totally secure.

Not only this, but VPNs have the handy effect of giving you access to blocked content as well. By blocking your IP address and routing your traffic through a remote server, you get access to anything available in that country.

Top 3 VPNs for Online Payments

Not sure where to start? Here are a few of the best VPNs on the web, and how their features compare for protecting your payment information.

#1 Choice:  ExpressVPN – 9/10 – The strongest encryption on any device

ExpressVPN is the best choice for most circumstances, but especially when it comes to security concerns. This VPN uses military-grade encryption to protect your data, so you can make payments on open networks safely and securely.

What’s really handy is ExpressVPN is compatible with any device, and comes fully loaded with two connections per account. Use it to secure a mobile device, and open up your access on a home computer, as well.

This is also a VPN that doesn’t sacrifice speed for security. With ExpressVPN, you always get a fast, reliable connection, so payments process fast.

What’s really great though is how easy it is to use – the software is so well designed and easy to navigate, and with great customer support to back it up.

ExpressVPN’s customer service team is available any time, day or night via live chat and email. You can get help right away, and it doesn’t matter what time zone you’re in. I’ve always has quick and helpful service from their live chat, and with the email, I’ve never waited more than 20 minutes.

Additionally, they back their service with a full 30 day money back guarantee, so you’ve got plenty of time to try them out and see what’s what. If you change your mind, you’ll get a full refund, no questions asked.

You get unlimited bandwidth and the company never logs their user’s activities, so you’re doings online are always kept anonymous.

With the fastest customer support, the most secure connection, and the most user-friendly software, the best way to secure your payment information online is to get ExpressVPN right away.

#2:  IPVanish – 8/10 – Secure, but not compatible with all devices

An alternative to ExpressVPN is IPVanish. Their connection is fast and secure, sporting the same 256 bit encryption as ExpressVPN, and with multiple protocols to choose from.

IPVanish, just like with ExpressVPN, gives their customers unlimited bandwidth and two simultaneous connections. You can connect and protect a mobile and home device on one account for no extra charge.

However, there are some limitations with this VPN. For one thing, their software is only compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and Linux – it won’t work with iOS.

Also worth noting is that there is no instant support option with IPVanish. Whereas you can always get live help with ExpressVPN’s chat feature, with IPVanish, you have to wait for a response to an e-mail inquiry, which can take several hours.

Additionally, they only offer a one week guarantee, which is really not much time, especially when compared to ExpressVPN’s 30 day money back guarantee.

You can check out IPVanish here.

#3: HideMyAss– 6/10 – Unstable connection poses security concern

HideMyAss would seem like a great option, really just because of how huge their network is. With so many servers to choose from, I expected their connection to be fast and reliable. Unfortunately, that’s not what I experienced.

Connections with HideMyAss are nowhere near as fast as with ExpressVPN. You’re constantly getting disconnected too, leaving your data wide open and exposed when you least expect it.

They may rock ExpressVPN’s military grade encryption, but with such an unstable connection, it hardly matters. This alone makes me hesitant to use them for anything more than reading a blog.

Then of course, there’s their customer support. Like ExpressVPN, they’re 24/7, and even have multiple live options for getting in touch with them. The problem you run into is that they’re very slow.

My experiences with HideMyAss’s support have never been good. It takes days to get an e-mail response, and even their live options have you on hold for at least 20 minutes at a time. Ugh.

All in all, I just can’t recommend this VPN for security purposes – it’s too unreliable, especially when compared with more viable options like ExpressVPN.

HideMyAss is here.

Conclusion: Use ExpressVPN for Fast, Unlimited Access

Paying online is convenient for so many things – online purchases, personal transactions, bill paying – the list goes on. Most people have stashed away their checkbooks in favor of using their credit card online.

Of course, if there’s one thing we know here at Secure Thoughts, it’s that convenience often comes at a cost. With online payments, that cost becomes real when you information gets stolen.

If you’re using an unsecured connection, it’s incredibly easy for a hacker to swipe your information and steal your credit card number or PayPal login.

You can protect your money online easily though by using ExpressVPN. When you use ExpressVPN, you get:

• an encrypted tunnel for your web traffic
• access to a secure network of servers
• access to any blocked content
• privacy and anonymity online
• 30 day money back guarantee
• excellent customer service

To protect your money and your information using a a VPN that’s fast, reliable, and secure, get ExpressVPN today.