How a proxy server differs from the VPN?

Proxy servers and VPNs are used for the same purpose of hiding your identity from online searches and securing your access to services. Difference lies in how they operate.

Proxy Servers

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between you and the internet. You interact with the site or client via the proxy server which in turn accesses the information from the website and returns it to you. This way the site sees the proxy as the visitor, thereby protecting your identity.

VPN

VPN - Virtual Private Network - helps you connect your PC to a remote network. It can encrypt the data you send and receive so that anyone else cannot see it.

Difference Between Proxy Servers and VPNs

Both these are used to protect your identity and secure your online activity. Basic difference lies in how they do it. A proxy does not offer encryption services. Encryption uses complex algorithms to scramble your data inaccessible to hackers and other threats.

A proxy server is completely based on the browser, and it is not as compatible with certain web pages which uses non-browser technology such as Comedy Central, Zatoo, Fox OD and Sky Player whereas a VPN will work with ALL Internet based services but it will offer less choice where the applications will get run through your ISP as with VPN.

A proxy server is a computer on the network between you and the other computers on the Internet. usually, what happens when you connect to a site, your computer sends a request to the server you're trying to receive data from but when you connect to a proxy, you send the request to the proxy, and the proxy sends the data back to you.