Need for switch from physical to human capital

Human capital refers to stock of ‘skill and expertise’ embodied in humans. Human capital is as important as physical capital for economic development. Human capital formation is the process of adding to stock of human capital over time. Human capital can be developed through creation of skilled, trained and efficient labour force by providing better education, health care facilities, etc. Highly skilled people can create new ideas and methods of production. Thus, expenditure on education, on health and on on-job-training are key instruments of human capital formation. Expenditure on education is one of the most important way of enhancing and enlarging a productive workforce in the country. Expenditure on health can create more efficient and more productive human capital. Further, on-the-job-training helps workers to update skills. Training enhances the productivity and is expected to accelerate the process of human capital formation.

Human Capital and Economic Growth

When we talk about economic growth, human capital is the main reason for the accelerated growth and expansion for many countries that provide investment in human capital. This gives the best advantages to these countries for providing the best situations for work and lifestyles.A significant advantage in generating a stable environment for growth is that the nation has the expanded high-quality human capital in fields like health, science, management, education, and other fields. Here, the main components of human capital are definitely human beings, but presently, the principal component is a creative, educated, and enterprising person with a high level of professionalism.

Human capital in the economy manages the central portion of the national wealth. Hence, all researchers consider that human capital is the most important resource of the community, which is more powerful than nature or wealth. In most countries, human capital determines the rate of development, economic, technological, and scientific progress.

(i) Inventions, innovations, and technological improvement

(ii) Higher productivity of physical capital

(iii) Raises production

(iv) High rate of participation and equality

(v) Improves the quality of life

The difference between human capital and physical capital

Both forms of capital formation are outcomes of conscious investment decisions. Decision regarding investment in physical capital is taken on the basis of one’s knowledge in this regard. The entrepreneur possesses knowledge to calculate the expected rate of return to a range of investments and internationally decide which one of the investments should be made. Physical capital is the outcome of the conscious decision of the owner the physical capital formation is mainly and economic and technical process. A substantial part of human capital formation takes place in one life when she or he is unable to decide whether it will maximize her or his earnings. Children are given different types of school education health care facilities by parents and society. The peers, educators and society influence the decisions regarding human capital investment even at the tertiary level, at the college level. Human capital formation at this stage is dependent upon the already from human capital at the school level. Human capital formation is partly a social process and partly a conscious decision of the possessor of the human capital. The owner of a physical capital, does need not be present in the place where it is used; a bus driver who possesses the knowledge and ability to drive the bus should be present when the bus is used for transportation of people and other materials physical capital is tangible and can be easily sold in the market like any other commodity. Human Capital is intangible it is endogenously built in the body and mind of its owner. Human Capital is not sold in the market; service of human capital is sold and hence there arises the necessity of owner of the human capital to be present in the place of production. Physical capital is variable from its owner where does the human capital is in separable from its owner. The two forms of capital differ in terms of mobility across space. Capital is completely mobile between countries except for some artificial trade restrictions. Human capital is not a perfectly movable between countries as movement is restricted by nationality and culture. Physical Capital formation can be built it even do import, human capital formation is to be done through conscious policy formulations in consensus with nature of society and economy expenditure by the state and the individual.

Both forms of capital depreciate with the time but the nature of depreciation differs between the two continuous use of machine lead to depreciation and change of Technology makes a machine of solute. Human capital, eating but can reduce, for large through continuous investment in education and health on the job training. This investment also facilitates the human capital to cope with change in technology which is not the case with physical capital. Natures of benefits flowing from human capital are different from that of physical capital. Human Capital benefits not only the owner but also the society in general. This is called external benefit. Educated person can effectively take part in a democratic process and contribute to the socio economic progress of a nation. Healthy person, by maintaining personal hygiene and sanitation, stops the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics. Human Capital creates both private and social benefits where as physical capital creates only private benefits. That is, benefits from a capital good flow to those who pay the price for the product and services provided by it.

Importance of Human Capital Formation:

Although the accumulation of physical capital is quite important in the process of economic growth of a country but with the passage of time, it is being increasingly realised that the growth of tangible capital stock depends extensively on the human capital formation must get its due importance.In the absence of adequate investment in human capital, utilisation of physical capital will be at low pace, leading to retardation of development.Prof. Galbraith observed, “We now get the larger part of our industrial growth not from more capital investment but from investment in men and improvements brought about by improved men.” Unless these developed economies spread education, knowledge, know-how and raise the level of skills and physical efficiency of their people, the productivity of physical capital would have been reduced at this moment.

Most of the underdeveloped countries are suffering from low rate of economic growth which is again partially resulted from lack of investment in human capital. These underdeveloped countries are facing mainly two basic problems. They lack critical skills very much needed for the industrial sector and again have a surplus labour force.Thus human capital formation wants to solve these problems by creating necessary skills in man as a productive resource and also providing him gainful employment.In order to remove economic backwardness of the underdeveloped countries as well as to instill the capacities and motivations to progress, it is quite necessary to increase the level of knowledge and skills of the people.Thus in the absence of proper development of the quality of the human factor, the underdeveloped countries will not be able to attain the desired rate of progress.

Takeaway

Economic and social benefits of human capital formation and Human Development are well-known. The spread of education and Health Services across different sectors of the society should be ensured so as to simultaneously attain economic growth and equity. The need of the hour is to better it qualitatively and provide such conditions so that they are utilised in our own country.

Explaining Autism

There are many people around us of different age groups that are either diagnosed or have underlying symptoms of autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with social communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviours. is now considered part of the wider autism spectrum. People with autism have trouble with communication. They have trouble understanding what other people think and feel. This makes it hard for them to express themselves, either with words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch. People with autism might have problems with learning. Their skills might develop unevenly. For example, they could have trouble communicating but be unusually good at art, music, math, or memory. Because of this, they might do especially well on tests of analysis or problem-solving. More children are diagnosed with autism now than ever before. But the latest numbers could be higher because of changes in how it’s diagnosed, not because more children have a disorder.

Autism is known to affect every one in every 60 individuals and boys are said to have more risk of developing it than girls. It can be hard to get a definite diagnosis of autism. Your doctor will focus on behaviour and development.

A developmental screening will tell the doctor whether a child is on track with basic skills like learning, speaking, behavior, and moving. If a child shows signs of a problem on these screenings, they’ll need a more complete evaluation. This might include hearing and vision tests or genetic tests. Your doctor might want to bring in someone who specializes in autism disorders, like a developmental paediatrician or a child psychologist. Some psychologists can also give a test called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).parents can also find some symptoms and unusual behaviour

Common symptoms of autism include:

A lack of eye contact
A narrow range of interests or intense interest in certain topics
Doing something over and over, like repeating words or phrases, rocking back and forth, or flipping a lever
High sensitivity to sounds, touches, smells, or sights that seem ordinary to other people
Not looking at or listening to other people
Not looking at things when another person points at them
Not wanting to be held or cuddled
Problems understanding or using speech, gestures, facial expressions, or tone of voice
Talking in a sing-song, flat, or robotic voice
Trouble adapting to changes in routine

What Are the Types of Autism Spectrum Disorders?

These types were once thought to be separate conditions. Now, they fall under the range of autism spectrum disorders including:

Asperger’s syndrome. These children don’t have a problem with language; in fact, they tend to score in the average or above-average range on intelligence tests. But they have social problems and a narrow scope of interests.

Autistic disorder. This is what most people think of when they hear the word “autism.” It refers to problems with social interactions, communication, and play in children younger than 3 years.

Childhood disintegrative disorder. These children have typical development for at least 2 years and then lose some or most of their communication and social skills.

Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD or atypical autism). Your doctor might use this term if your child has some autistic behavior, like delays in social and communications skills, but doesn’t fit into another category.

What Causes Autism?

Exactly why autism happens isn’t clear. It could stem from problems in parts of your brain that interpret sensory input and process language.. It can happen in people of any race, ethnicity, or social background. Family income, lifestyle, or educational level doesn’t affect a child’s risk of autism. Autism runs in families, so certain combinations of genes may increase a child’s risk. A child with an older parent has a higher risk of autism. Pregnant women who are exposed to certain drugs or chemicals, like alcohol or anti-seizure medications, are more likely to have autistic children. Other risk factors include maternal metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Research has also linked autism to untreated phenylketonuria (also called PKU, a metabolic disorder caused by the absence of an enzyme) and rubella (German measles).There is no evidence that vaccinations cause autism.

How Is Autism Treated?

There’s no cure for autism. But early treatment can make a big difference in development for a child with autism. If you think your child shows symptoms of ASD, tell your doctor as soon as possible.What works for one person might not work for another. Your doctor should tailor treatment for you or your child. The two main types of treatments are:

Behavioral and communication therapy to help with structure and organization. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is one of these treatments; it promotes positive behavior and discourages negative behavior. Occupational therapy can help with life skills like dressing, eating, and relating to people. Sensory integration therapy might help someone who has problems with being touched or with sights or sounds. Speech therapy improves communication skills.

Medications to help with symptoms of ASD, like attention problems, hyperactivity, or anxiety.

Complementary treatments may help boost learning and communication skills in some people with autism. Complementary therapies include music, art, or animal therapy, like horseback riding and even swimming with dolphins.

It is high time that people start to embrace autism and not ostracize such individuals but give more support and kindness. Young children must be taught about it and it’s not a topic to shy away from but accept and cherish that its ok to be different because that way you are special.

What is DIGITAL MARKETING

Digital marketing is used for advertising of your own business, your products, or services using internet and digital technology like social media, mobile phones and other digital mediums. Digital marketing helps you to connect with your customer through social media and helps to promote your services worldwide.
There two types of marketing:-
1. Online marketing: – In online marketing we use social media and other digital mediums to promote your service or sell your products. Digital marketing is also called as online marketing.
2. Traditional marketing:-“Traditional marketing” helps advertising of a product or your business through newspapers, magazines ads or person to person marketing.

There are different types of modules where you can promote your business through digital marketing .
Here are some examples

• Blogging: – Blogging is a place where you can write and promote your business or your customer’s product. It also contains articles and daily style entries.

• [SEO] Search engine optimization: – Search engine optimization (SEO) is process of optimizing the web trafficking and it will help your website visibility which means your website can be shown to relevant searches.

• Email marketing:-email marketing is mostly uses for targeted audience like your customer or the people who are interested in business.so you can send poster or invitation or any event related posts for your targeted audience through email.

• Online advertising:-online advertising can be paid and also unpaid advertising. Online advertising is also called as online marketing. You can create websites and promote your business. You can create an advertisement or short video of your business and post in social media.

• Mobile marketing:-you can also promote your business through mobile marketing, which is creating an app of your business for advertising.

Resource Constraint Model

• Responsive or adaptive website

• Adapts itself to screen size

• user experience is maintained

IJR – International Journal of Research

International Journal of Research (IJR) serves as a forum for academics, policy makers and health care managers and professionals to communicate and discuss issues from the perspective of health economics and policy. This journal publishes rigorous empirical, analytical, and methodological research using advanced economic and policy analysis techniques applied to compelling topics in health research. The current issue of the journal is available at https://ijrjournal.com/index.php/ijr

Send papers for publication in Peer Review journal to editor@pen2print.org

The topics related to this journal include but are not limited to:

•

Medical Economics

•

Behavioral Economics

•

Mental Health Economics

•

Asymmetric Information

•

Barriers To Entry

•

Healthcare Markets

•

Health Administration

•

Health Policy Analysis

•

Philosophy Of Healthcare

•

Health Care Reform

•

Health Crisis

•

Health Insurance

•

Health Promotion

•

Health Law

•

Public Health Law

•

Quaternary Prevention

•

Two-Tier Health Care

•

Universal Health Care

•

Unnecessary Health Care

•

Vaccination Policy

Research Publication in IJR

International Journal of Research (IJR) is an international peer-reviewed journal from eContent. It provides global perspectives on economic behavior and organization of benefit to scholars, educators, students, practitioners, policy-makers and consultants worldwide. IJR publishes articles from across the organization discipline. Original articles which inform organization research and practice from outside the discipline – such as from psychology, education, political science, sociology, statistics and research design – will also be considered. Current issue of the journal is available at https://ijrjournal.com/index.php/ijr

Send papers for publication to editor@pen2print.org

The topics related to this journal include but are not limited to:

•

Economics

•

Demography

•

Banking

•

Accounting

•

Finance

•

Statistics

•

Management Sciences

•

Organizational behavior

•

Organizational theory

•

Organizational culture

•

Organizational psychology

IJR – International Journal of Research

International Journal of Research (IJR) serves as an essential resource and provides practical information for people who apply economics on their jobs. The aim of IJR is to publish research articles on business and economics sciences, and other social sciences that are related to business and economics for contributing to the international social sciences literature. Original studies in accounting, finance, economics, international business, management, and marketing are appropriate for publication consideration in the journal. Although IJR has a preference for academic studies, it also welcomes studies that are written by other researchers and practitioners. Current issue of the journal is available at https://ijrjournal.com/index.php/ijr

Send papers for publication to editor@edupub.org

The topics related to this journal include but are not limited to:

•

Accounting

•

Accounting scholarship

•

Advertising

•

Banking

•

Barter

•

Big business

•

Business

•

Business model design

•

Business plan

•

Business process modeling

•

Business reference model

•

Business rule

•

Capitalism

•

Change management analyst

•

Collective bargaining

•

Commerce

•

Commercial law

•

Companies

•

Company

•

Competition

•

Competitive advantage

•

Core competency

•

Corporate law

•

Corporation

•

Cost overrun

•

Debenture

•

Ebusiness

•

Economic democracy

•

Economics

•

Electronic business

•

Electronic commerce

•

Entrepreneurship

•

Equity investment

•

Finance

•

Financial economics

•

Franchising

•

Government ownership

•

Growth platforms

•

Human Resources

•

Industrial and labour relations

•

Industry

•

Information systems

•

Insurance

•

Intellectual property

•

Interim Management

•

International trade

•

Investment

•

Investment management

•

Job creation program

•

Labour economics

•

Labour history

•

Management

•

Manufacturing

•

Marketing

•

Organizational Behavior

Scholarly Journal – IJR

International Journal of Research (IJR) is a blind-reviewed, open access, both online and print journal, publishes original full-length research articles, review articles, case studies, original brief research articles, literature review, and others. This journal is published quarterly, and it is a global platform for publishing precise basic and applied business, management, marketing, finance, HRM, accounting and its analysis of the rationales. The main focus of the journal is on empirical research which would be helpful in carrying out business research attitude. The journal seeks to prop up communication amongst policy-makers, practitioners and researchers to make out prospective financial decision for the countries. This journal publishes high-quality original research articles and case studies in the areas of international finance, corporate finance, behavioral finance, public finance, stock markets, industrial finance, bank finance, insurance markets, financial management, taxation, accounting standards, auditing standards, etc. The journal is dedicated to improving research openings for the finance and related disciplines in the globe.

To get published in this journal, send your papers to edior@edupub.org

The topics related to this journal include but are not limited to:

•

International finance

•

Corporate finance

•

Behavioral finance

•

Public finance

•

Industrial finance

•

Stock markets

•

Financial management

•

Bank finance

•

Insurance markets

•

Macroeconomics

•

Taxation

•

Accounting standards

•

Auditing standards

•

Management accounting

10 Simple Copywriting Tips

Over the last decade, the demand for good quality and reliable content has increased drastically. People are interested to know the reasons, information, and the background story behind their purchasing choice, be it an escape room/mystery room, a tourism package, any online product, or daily delivery services. Due to this rise in the need for effective and trustworthy source material on the internet, content writing and copywriting have climbed up the ladder of popularity and necessity in the professional market.

Nowadays, more content and copywriting writers are required to fill the ever-growing need for creating persuasive and attractive content to get more customers to a company or brand.

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As a result, many writers dream and aspire to become successful copywriters. Many people practice copywriting but are unable to get the fruits of their hard work. And some authors are too nervous and lack the right direction for beginning their career as content writers. Are you also aiming to become a copywriter and create impressive and high-quality content? Or are you working to hone your skills to produce content that would generate more clicks and traffic? To help you conquer your writer’s block and get better and progressive outcomes in your writing career, we are providing you with the 10 simple copywriting tips:

1. Have a refined heading

Headings determine whether a reader would like to click on your content and go through with the entire post. To make it more appealing and hard to ignore, always start copywriting your articles with a killer heading.

You don’t have to show off your vocabulary glory or classy writing knowledge here, just a clever and memorable title with do. It should reflect what you offer in your post and align with the customer’s search option. Add in some captivating words blended in it, and you’re done.

2. Research a lot in advance

The importance of research in copywriting is unmatched. Some of the best copywriters are also excellent researchers and spend most of their time digging into new topics, researching, and drilling to find a perfect load of information. The more you research, the more chances you have to beat your writer’s block and experiment with new and interesting possibilities in your copywriting content.

3. Back up your statements

Users look for validating and reliable content online that they can use as a reference later. And if you don’t back up your statements and words with references and necessary links, nobody will prefer to engage in your work. If you are providing results or facts from a survey or including any numerical or statement data, add the link to back it up. It will assure the readers that your words aren’t merely hypothetical and you are giving them good, honest, and beneficial content.

4. Make your content interesting

If you ever feel falling short of ideas and stuck in a stagnant place, add interest in your copywriting to maintain the user-friendly touch. Add some fascinating narratives to make it appear more visually likable for everyone. And your unique character and method will do the rest. Interesting copywriting content is known to grab the attention of the audience, direct it towards something and influence their outlook on it. So, instead of being pushy and persuasive, try making your work stimulating.

5. Keep it simple

When it comes to copywriting, sometimes it is better to keep it simple and easy to grasp for the audience. People prefer to micro-read and quickly scan through many articles these days because the symptom of attention deficiency is common in this era of digital dependence. But if your content and words are precise, concise, and simple to understand, the readers will find it easy to go through the whole post and not feel burdened to identify the real message behind it.

6. Focus on satisfying your readers

Customer satisfaction is the pillar holding the marketing and content writing industry. Thus, focus on satisfying your readers. If you’re writing about baking the perfect rich and dark chocolate cake, add all the details and the best images to make the article more appealing and fun to read.

Imagine it like this – somewhere in the world, a user will search for something, and your heading will attract them. To ensure they are happy and content with each of your words, Copywrite it accordingly to deliver the emotion. In the end, your customer will be satisfied and will not have to go back to the homepage of the search engine to look for another title.

7. Be a storyteller

The art of storytelling or narrative helps capture the prospect of the reader. It will give them a reason to stay in and find what happens at the end. A good copywriter focuses on storytelling and giving the readers a hook appealing enough to keep them hungry to know more and stay until the end.

Telling a story works because it helps people relate to the creator. And it forms an emotional link that tremendously helps in good copywriting and attracting more clients for your company or business.

8. Provide benefits

You know the rules – if the audience won’t find benefits for themselves, they will not be appealed or swayed by the offer. Some of the best copywriting headlines focus on providing solutions and benefits to the users and paying attention to their sentiments. Easy to fix and include, this tip is quick to forge and mention in your copy. Thus, keep your work surrounded with advantageous deals and ideas for the clients to make them feel they are gaining something here.

9. Use examples

Using examples helps in copywriting because it appears more credible and engaging. Suitable examples and stories to back up your testimony make your copy memorable and help it leave behind a long-lasting impression on the mind of the readers. It sets your work apart in the ocean of similar content published on the internet, and the specific details give it an upper edge for advertising your enterprise.

10. Emphasize the values and points

Quite often, many writers deviate from the central theme of their posts and end up with messy and hard-to-come-across content. To avoid falling into this trap, focus on emphasizing the key points and values behind your copy and mention them at least three times in the whole article. By stressing the prospectus advantages and worth in your post, you can deliver better content and call your audience to take action in this direction.

Conclusion

Whether an amateur or a professional writer, you can still gain plenty from these easy and efficient copywriting tips. You can also include your formulae and alter them to suit your needs and hobby. But what counts as the soul of any writer’s career is their true purpose. Always remind yourself of the real reason behind being an author and picking up writing in your life.

With your intentions crystal clear, you can easily reflect on your principles and work harder towards your aim. And that is the real way to become a good content creator. Now it’s your turn to make the best of the above ideas and excel in the copywriting industry. Have happy writing ahead!

Top VPN – 'virtual private network' for Use

The best VPN – short for ‘virtual private network’ – is software traditionally used to help keep you anonymous online and virtually change your location. As they’ve become more well-known, though, countless users are discovering there’s much more to VPNs than just staying private online.

From securing your sensitive information and avoiding trackers to circumventing content blocks on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and sports streaming sites, you don’t have to be a hardcore techy to appreciate their potential. Plus, the top providers have apps for just about any device, so even if you’re mobile-first or use your PlayStation for everything, you can stay secure and stream more with ease.

The only difficulty is choosing the best VPN for the job – and we’re here to help you find a balance between speed, streaming, security and, of course, value for money.

What is a VPN?

The primary function of VPNs is to encrypt and anonymize anything and everything you do online by rerouting your traffic through its own secure servers and hiding it from your ISP. Good security credentials and proper logging practice should be at the top of your list.

Many people also use VPNs for unblocking websites on restricted networks like schools and workplaces, while others use them to avoid government censorship in countries like China. For this, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got plenty of servers to choose from, dotted around the globe.

However, one of the most popular uses for the best VPN is to access geo-blocked streaming content on sites like Netflix, and to watch live sports for cheap, or even for free, by changing your location. If you’re a big streamer, you’ll want to ensure your chosen VPN will be able to access every streaming site you need, as well as making sure connection speeds are up to scratch.

What is the best VPN available today?

The competition to be crowned best VPN gets tougher every day, but there’s still a clear winner that’s head and shoulders above the rest – ExpressVPN.

One of ExpressVPN’s main assets is that it’s incredibly easy to use on any platform – be it your phone, PC, or even PlayStation and you can enjoy using Warzone VPN. It also performed well in our streaming tests, easily getting around the geo-restrictions of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video – and, because it provides such swift connections, you’ll be able to watch in HD or 4K just like usual.

To top it off, you’ll also be covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee which means you can effectively test-drive the service and its 3,000+ servers for a whole month before you buy – you can find out all the details in our full independent ExpressVPN review.

1. ExpressVPN – hands-down the best VPN available

In our testing, ExpressVPN came out on top in just about every area. Not only does it provide stellar security features, but it’s unrivalled when it comes to connection speeds and unblocking streaming content. Its 30-day money-back guarantee lets you trial the service risk-free, and Tom’s Guide readers can claim three months free – plus 1 year free of backup software Backblaze.

2. NordVPN – big name offers serious security

Arguably the biggest name in the VPN industry, it’s quite likely you’ll have heard of NordVPN. Thankfully it’s not all hot air, as Nord delivers a premium service that’s hugely secure and great for streaming – and at just $3.30 a month plus three months free, it’s decent value

3. Surfshark – best-value VPN on the market

If you’re after a premium service for as little money as possible, Surfshark is perfect. With top streaming performance and intuitive apps on just about every device, it’s the best VPN on a budget at just $2.49 a month – and its unlimited connections policy will cover all your devices.

The best VPN services today at a glance

ExpressVPN – Excellent privacy, streaming and simplicity make ExpressVPN the best VPN today

NordVPN – Impressive security features that can rival the very best VPN services

Surfshark – The best VPN if you’re looking for premium performance on a budget

Hotspot Shield – If you’re after a superfast, no-frills service, Hotspot Shield is a good choice

CyberGhost – Some of the best VPN features when it comes to streaming, but can’t unblock everything

Private Internet Access – Great features like port forwarding make for one of the best VPNs for P2P

IPVanish – Unlimited connections and cheap short plans make for a very flexible service

VyprVPN – Chameleon protocol makes this one of the best VPN services for using in China

Best VPN FAQ

How do I choose the best VPN service?

Choosing the best VPN for can be a tricky process – that’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide. However, for most people, we’d recommend our #1 VPN ExpressVPN as the best choice.

It works great as a Netflix VPN, a torrenting VPN, and even a China VPN, so whatever you need your VPN to do, it’s got you covered – all the while keeping you protected with its rock-solid encryption.

When testing VPNs, we check every aspect that might be of concern. To begin with, we look at what personal details a service needs, and any essential features like encryption. Then we consider pricing, and whether money-back guarantees are on offer, and whether it works on other operating systems as a Mac VPN or Linux VPN as well as on Windows.

During the physical testing, we test speeds over a number of servers, check for DNS leaks, test kill switch functionality plus any and all other additional features, and measure connection time and if the apps crash.

Finally, we review how easy the apps are to use, and test the services on desktop and mobile devices.

Is it illegal to have a VPN?

Short answer – no.

Using a VPN is not illegal, and it’s perfectly legitimate to want to protect your data and activity. Having one on your computer and using it regularly in pursuit of watertight web security and location spoofing is in no way unlawful.

However, using a VPN to hide illegal activity doesn’t make you above the law, so downloading copyrighted material is still illegal even with a VPN. Similarly, using a VPN goes slap bang against Netflix’s Ts&Cs, and the provider has the right to terminate your subscription if they catch you – although that’s never actually happened.

Countries like China and the UAE have made laws against VPN use, but due to their use in business it’s impossible to outlaw VPNs outright. However, in those cases it’s well worth reading up on what you may or may not be permitted to use a VPN for, and consider if the very small risk is worth taking.

What are the VPN dos and don’ts?

The best VPN can make it look like you’re located somewhere you’re not. It’s a well-worn practice to evade online censorship, as is done in some countries, or to tap into US streaming services while in Europe or Asia. We’ve used VPNs to read the New York morning paper in Beijing, and watch US TV in London.

But there are some caveats. A VPN will give you more privacy, but not more security. If you end up on a website harboring malware, the VPN can’t prevent you from being infected.

If you just want to evade geographical restrictions on streaming content such as BBC iPlayer or Hulu, you don’t necessarily need a VPN to do so. You just need a proxy service that will make it look like you’re in the right country. There are many free proxy services available, but do your homework before choosing one – some are a bit dodgy.

Finally, Netflix and the BBC are cracking down on VPNs and proxy services. There are no guarantees that a particular service will evade geographical restrictions on a particular day.

What makes a great VPN?

The most basic qualities you should look for are speed, privacy and ease of use. These might seem like basic attributes, but in reality few providers have found a happy medium.

Connection speed relies on having a wide range of well-maintained servers. This allows the VPN to provide excellent speed and bandwidth to everyone using its servers.

Having excellent security is a fairly basic requirement, but hard to get right. If you’re concerned about that, make sure your VPN has an airtight privacy policy, and a no-logging policy is even better. Some services like ExpressVPN and NordVPN have also been independently audited to prove their claims.

Finally, although many users might be au fait with tech, more and more newbies are looking to start using VPNs. If that’s you, it’s definitely worth making sure that your provider has well-designed apps on all the devices you expect to use with the service.

Are no-fee VPNs any good?

Naturally, free services are very popular products because everyone likes to save their money. And, they can be handy bits of software if you’re not somebody that’s likely to keep their VPN turned on all the time and just want it for occasional use for staying safe on public Wi-Fi. Oh, and if you don’t mind ads…

For most people, though, free services provide a false economy. They tend to have limited servers in just a handful of locations, often restrict you to a single device and almost always have a limit on the amount data you can use per day or month.

Those data limits rule out using your VPN for streaming or torrenting, and if you want to keep your VPN running 24/7 for a permanent privacy layer, a no-fee VPN just isn’t going to work.

What VPN protocols are there?

There are several different VPN protocols, not all of which are used by all of the VPN services we reviewed. Most operating systems have built-in support for at least one of these protocols, which means you can use that protocol – and a willing VPN service – without client software. The full-fledged VPN services have online instructions for how to do this, as well as how to set up routers to connect directly to the services.

OpenVPN: OpenVPN is very secure, open-source and widely used. Most VPN services support it, but except for Chrome OS and Linux, few operating systems do. This protocol can be used in either TCP (web) or UDP (streaming) mode; the latter is sloppier but faster. You’ll need either the VPN service’s client software or one of the many free alternatives. Either way, you’ll still need to pay for the VPN service.

L2TP/IPsec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security): L2TP is not secure itself, so it’s generally paired with the IPsec secure-networking standard. The combination of the two was once thought to be very secure when properly implemented, but some VPN services suggest that you use OpenVPN instead. L2TP/IPsec has native support in Windows, OS X/macOS, Android, Chrome OS and iOS. Most VPN services support it.

IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange version 2, generally with IPsec): This is a new-ish standard that is very secure when properly implemented. It has native support in Windows, iOS and recent versions of OS X/macOS.

SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol): SSTP is a Microsoft protocol with native support on Windows Vista and later versions. It’s thought to be quite secure, but only Microsoft knows for sure.

PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol): This standard is largely obsolete, with many known security flaws, but it’s fast. It has native support built into Windows, Android and older versions of Mac OS X and iOS; Apple dropped support with macOS Sierra and iOS 10. Use PPTP only for streaming content, as it won’t protect your data.

WireGuard: The newest of these protocols, WireGuard combines reportedly excellent security with great speeds. Developed from the ground up, it uses far less code than its predecessors, meaning a better, simpler user experience. However, it’s not yet supported by many VPN services, although as it gains traction more and more are beginning to implement it. Some, like Mozilla VPN, solely use WireGuard.