Individual Remote Worker vs Business VPN
If you work remotely for a company, your employer likely provides a corporate VPN to access internal systems. That is separate from a personal VPN. Most remote workers need both: the corporate VPN for work systems, and a personal VPN for general internet privacy on home or coffee shop networks.
What a Personal VPN Adds for Remote Workers
A personal VPN encrypts traffic on your home network or public Wi-Fi before it reaches the corporate VPN. It prevents your ISP from seeing which company VPN you connect to, and protects non-work traffic that doesn't go through your employer's tunnel. It also helps if your work involves confidential research on public networks.
Small Business Team VPNs
If you run a small business and need your team to access shared resources securely, a business VPN solution is different from consumer products. NordLayer (business arm of NordVPN), Perimeter 81, and Cloudflare Access are purpose-built for teams. They offer centralized user management, per-user access controls, and audit logs.
Cloud-Based Zero Trust vs Traditional VPN
Traditional VPNs route all traffic through a central server. Zero trust solutions like Cloudflare Access verify identity per application without a tunnel. For small teams using mostly cloud tools (Google Workspace, Notion, GitHub), zero trust is often simpler and more secure. For teams needing access to on-premises servers, a traditional VPN makes more sense.
Cost Comparison
Consumer VPNs run 3-8 euros per month per person. Business solutions start around 7-10 euros per user per month but include management features. For teams under five people, a shared consumer plan may be sufficient. Over five people, dedicated business solutions pay for themselves in management time.