Both route your traffic through a third-party server, but they work very differently and offer very different levels of protection. Here's what you actually need to know.
Proxies and VPNs both change your apparent IP address. That's roughly where the similarity ends.
A proxy server sits between you and the internet, forwarding your requests and returning responses. The destination website sees the proxy's IP, not yours. But proxies are typically application-specific — a browser proxy only routes browser traffic. Everything else (apps, games, system services) goes out through your real IP.
Critically, most proxies don't encrypt your traffic. Anyone between you and the proxy — your ISP, a network operator, someone on the same Wi-Fi — can still see everything you're sending and receiving.
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for all traffic on your device — every app, every connection. Your ISP sees only encrypted data going to the VPN server. The destination sees the VPN server's IP. Even if someone intercepts your traffic, they see encrypted noise.
| Feature | Proxy | VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Hides your IP | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encrypts traffic | ✗ (usually) | ✓ Always |
| Covers all apps | ✗ Browser only | ✓ System-wide |
| Protects on public Wi-Fi | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bypasses geo-blocks | ✓ (unreliably) | ✓ Reliably |
| Speed overhead | Low–medium | Low |
A proxy is fine when you need to quickly change your apparent location for one browser tab and privacy isn't a concern — e.g., accessing a geo-restricted recipe website. It's not appropriate for banking, public Wi-Fi, anything sensitive, or protection from your ISP.
Whenever security actually matters: public networks, protecting from ISP surveillance, hiding your activity from your network operator, or ensuring your entire device is protected — not just one browser tab.
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CyberCat VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your IP. Try it risk-free with our money-back guarantee.