Does the VPN connection consume data?

A VPN is an effective tool to secure the Internet while also being able to bypass censorship. Whether you use it on a computer or a mobile device, a VPN still requires an active Internet connection to secure the network.

But, users often wonder, does connecting to a VPN consume data? Does it count towards your data usage quota? In this article, TipsMake will give you a clear answer about this.

VPN connection uses data

When you connect to a VPN server, your data is used to connect and stay connected. So the VPN does use data when you connect to it. You can still connect to the Internet, browse web pages, watch videos, etc. as usual. The only difference is that the VPN adds some privacy.

However, it should be noted that a VPN connection can only prevent your ISP from viewing your browsing details or DNS queries. Internet data usage can still be tracked by your ISP, and the time you spend on a VPN connection counts towards your data quota.

So a VPN can't help you get past your Internet provider's usage quota.

Of course, if you have an unlimited connection, you don't need to worry about this.

Does the VPN connection consume data? Picture 1

Does Internet usage increase with VPN?

Technically yes. Whenever you connect via VPN, network queries are encrypted and transmitted by another DNS server. And, the amount of additional data used can be in the range of 5-15%, according to many online reference tests.

For example, when you download a 3GB file using a VPN, your data usage can go up to 3.3 to 3.5GB.

This is just an example, but real-world data usage will vary, depending on the type of download, the server you choose, and the protocol you use for the VPN connection. You may be using a VPN at your home or to work remotely. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate the exact data usage when considering different use cases.

The more encryption you add to the protocol, the more data is lost. So, to reduce data usage with VPN, you can choose the least secure protocol like PPTP. Or you can choose an OpenVPN connection to balance data usage.

What should be done to get the most benefit?

Ideally, if you have a small data quota and are worried about data usage going up, the article recommends using a VPN only when absolutely necessary.

However, if you don't have a problem with using a few more MB/GB of data, you can use a VPN comfortably.

Lesley Montoya

Update 22 October 2021