Can You Be Tracked When Using a VPN?

In this day and age, where most people are using the Internet for everything from work, banking, entertainment, and everything in between, online privacy has become a major concern for many Internet users, including yours truly. The last thing you want to be worried about while online is having your activities tracked or feeling like you’re being spied on, but unfortunately, this has become the reality of today’s online landscape.

However, with a virtual private network, also known as a VPN, you can prevent tracking and enhance your online security and privacy. A premium VPN provider can make all the difference, but there is a lot to know about what kinds of tracking there are and if you can be tracked with a VPN.

Keep reading to learn more about how VPNs can protect your privacy and everything you need to know about tracking.

Key takeaways

1. Various parties will try to track your online activity.
2. A premium VPN can help keep your online actions private.
3. There are some ways to be tracked with a VPN if it’s of low quality or doesn’t have robust security features. So, it’s important to choose a premium, high-quality VPN.

Who’s tracking your digital footprint?

As you browse online and do various activities, it’s important that you’re aware your digital footprint may be tracked by several entities.

• Government agencies. It’s not uncommon for government agencies to obtain data from Internet service providers and sometimes even from VPNs. This can be for a variety of reasons, depending on your country, ranging from national security to strict government censorship.
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Your ISP is aware of everything you do online and can even affect your Internet traffic.
• Cybercriminals. Hackers and other cyber criminals are known to monitor Internet traffic, especially on public Wi-Fi, and use it to access your private information, such as your passwords, credit card information, and more.

How a VPN keeps your online actions private

Using a premium VPN can help keep your online activities private in several ways.

Encrypts data

A VPN will make it so you have encrypted data that makes it impossible for any prying eyes to read. It does this by creating an encrypted channel between your device and your VPN server, creating secured VPN traffic.

Replace your IP address

If you’ve ever wondered how websites seem to know which country you’re in, it’s because of your IP address. Your IP address can reveal your location and other information about you. By using a VPN, you can replace your real IP address with one of the VPN IP addresses they provide through a VPN server. This can help minimize your digital footprint.

Zero logs policy

There is a risk that some cheaper VPNs or free VPN companies will keep logs of your online activities and personal data and can then give the data to government agencies or sell it to third parties. But if you have a VPN with a strict no-logs policy, then you won’t have to worry, as there will be no data for these entities to find.

Can you be tracked with a VPN?

While a VPN can protect you, there are still some ways you can be tracked depending on your VPN service.

Tracking cookies

Cookies are small pieces of code that become stored on your device or web browser when you visit a website, which allows the website to keep track of your requests and preferences. They can also be used by third parties to track you across different platforms and for advertising purposes.

Data-collecting websites and services

Many sites track your online behaviors and data online. Social media sites or search engines like Google track what you’re doing and use it for their own algorithm.

Malware or spyware

If you accidentally download malware or someone installed spyware, it could mean that monitoring software installed on your device is tracking your activity. But a VPN with anti-malware tech could solve this issue.

The level of anonymity with a VPN

Can a VPN be tracked?

If you use a premium, trustworthy VPN, your web traffic and IP address can’t be tracked. But if you use a poor-quality VPN that doesn’t have a secure VPN tunnel and exposes your actual IP address, you can be tracked.

Can a VPN stop your ISP from tracking you?

You’re ISP will be able to see your VPN server’s IP address but won’t be able to see anything else. So, while they’ll know you’re using a VPN, they should not be able to see or track any of your activity beyond that.

Can my employer still track me with a VPN?

There are two types of VPNs your employer might use: a commercial VPN and a business VPN. If you’re using a commercial VPN, your employer will not be able to track you. However, if you are using a business VPN provided by your employer, which is usually used to access workplace information, your employer will be able to track and monitor your activities. So, generally, you’re safer with a commercial VPN.

Can the government track my VPN?

This will depend on the VPN you use. If you’re using a reliable VPN that has strong security measures and a no-logs policy, chances are the government will not track you. However, the government tracks if you are using a VPN, and some VPN providers, do leave backdoors for governments to access and monitor VPN traffic, particularly in countries with restrictive Internet usage.

Can Google monitor my online activities with a VPN?

Yes, Google can track you with or without a VPN. If you’re logged into your Google account on your browser or website, then Google tracks things like your browsing history, apps you’ve used, and other activities. It can also track you through your cookies and browser fingerprinting.

3 best VPNs for privacy and security

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is my number one pick and what I consider the best all-around VPN service with strong performance and excellent privacy and security features. It comes with over 3,000 VPN servers based in 105 countries.

Features: ExpressVPN comes with unlimited bandwidth, as well as 8 simultaneous device connections. It includes a split tunneling feature, a password manager, private DNS, and an option for dedicated IP.

Speed: This VPN has lightning-fast speeds thanks to its Lightway tunneling protocol, so you’ll know you’ll have a strong VPN connection that won’t slow down your ISP.

Security: ExpressVPN has all of the best privacy and security features, including AES-256 encryption, a kill switch in case your VPN disconnects, an ad-blocker, RAM-only servers, obfuscated servers, DNS leak protection, Private DNS, and a strict no-logs policy that won’t keep connection logs. These features will help prevent tracking.

Streaming: ExpressVPN is great at bypassing blocks on many sites and streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, HBO Max, Hulu, Vudu, BBC iPlayer, and more.

Compatibility: This VPN is compatible with most devices and operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers.

Pricing: This is one of the more expensive VPN services, with prices starting at $6.67 per month, but it does come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN does offer a 7-day free trial for mobile devices only.

2. NordVPN

VPN users like myself appreciate NordVPN for being a well-rounded and reliable VPN that is rich in features. It has over 7,000 VPN servers in 118 countries

Features: NordVPN offers VPN users up to 10 simultaneous connections for their devices, as well as unlimited bandwidth. It also comes with split tunneling, obfuscated servers, double VPN, dedicated IP, and a SmartPlay feature.

Speed: This VPN has super-fast speeds using the NordLynx protocol, which will help provide a smooth VPN connection.

Security: NordVPN has excellent privacy and security features, which include military-grade encryption, a Dark Web monitor, DNS leak protection, malware protection, a kill switch, and a strict zero-logs policy.

Streaming: NordVPN is great when it comes to bypassing restrictions on streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and more.

Compatibility: This VPN is compatible with most devices and operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers.

Pricing: Prices for NordVPN start at $3.39 per month and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also offers a 7-day free trial on all devices.

3. Surfshark

Surfshark is the VPN service I recommend as the best budget VPN that still includes top-of-the-line security and privacy features. It comes with over 3,200 servers in 100 countries.

Features: Surfshark comes with unlimited simultaneous device connections, as well as unlimited bandwidth. It also offers split tunneling, a double VPN feature, obfuscated servers, and a dedicated IP address.

Speed: While it might not be as fast as Express or NordVPN, Surfshark still has very fast speeds using the WireGuard protocol for smooth VPN connections.

Security: Surfshark comes with many of the top security and privacy features, including AES-256 encryption, an ad-blocker, a cookie pop-up blocker, obfuscated servers, a kill switch, and a strict zero-logs policy.

Streaming: Surfshark works well at unblocking streaming sites, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and Disney+.

Compatibility: Surfshark is compatible with many devices, including Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers.

Pricing: Prices for Surfshark start at the low price of just $1.99 per month and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also has a 7-day free trial available.

Can a free VPN protect me from tracking?

While it may be tempting to use a free VPN to save money, it is generally not something I recommend.

One of the biggest risks with a free VPN is that it often lacks many of the privacy and security features you would want to protect you from being tracked online, and it could leave you vulnerable. Free services may not be able to help you with encrypted data and could reveal your real IP address.

Some free VPN services have a reputation for selling their user’s VPN data to third parties, which means your online privacy could definitely be at risk when using one. This is in addition to these services also having subpar speeds and not being very adept at unblocking restricted sites.

This is why I recommend using a VPN provider with premium services like ExpressVPN. The VPN encrypts your VPN traffic and includes secured VPN protocols and DNS leak prevention that sends all DNS queries through a secure tunnel to keep them private at all times.

FAQ

Can I be tracked if I use a VPN?

This will depend on which kind of VPN you use. Premium-quality VPNs will generally make your online behavior difficult to track, but low-quality VPNs may lead to tracking.

Also, be aware that if you use a business VPN, your employer will be able to monitor your activities.

Does a VPN make you untraceable?

It’s almost impossible to be completely untraceable online, but a VPN will help you stay more anonymous by hiding your actual IP address and encrypting your traffic and online communications.

What does a VPN not hide?

A VPN hides quite a bit of your online activities, but it can’t hide everything. It can’t hide your VPN IP addresses or any cookies that might be in your cache. And if you use a business VPN, your employer will be able to access your VPN data.

Can websites tell if you are using a VPN?

Some websites have technology to detect if users are using a VPN server, particularly if they are trying to prevent users from accessing sites that have geographical restrictions. For example, sites like Netflix, gambling sites, or news sites are frequently trying to detect VPN servers and block them.

However, a premium VPN service will generally be able to remain undetected by these sites.

Can an email be traced if I use a VPN?

A VPN service can prevent some email tracking because the VPN IP addresses help make it difficult to pinpoint your location and where the email may have come from since your VPN hides your real location.

Conclusion

There are lots of reasons to be concerned these days about online privacy and your online activities being tracked. But a virtual private network is the perfect tool to help prevent tracking online. By using a VPN, you can encrypt your web traffic, change your IP address, and prevent your activities and browsing history from being tracked. While using a VPN, you can use online services safely and securely without having to worry about prying eyes looking in on your activities.