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Takeaways:
- ISP stands for Internet Service Provider and is the company that provides internet access to your home or work network. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) establishes a secure, private connection between your device and a remote server owned by the VPN company, offering security and encrypting your information.
- An ISP can only see that you’re online and using a VPN. They can tell you’re doing something, but they won’t know the specifics of what it is.
- Without the use of a VPN, an ISP can see your browsing history and activity (including the websites you visit), your location (IP address), the time you spend on each site, and more. With the use of a VPN, all of that information is protected.
VPNs are well known for the privacy, security, and anonymity they provide you with online. But hackers and cybercriminals aren’t the only ones who can have eyes on your browsing activity. ISPs can also monitor and record what you’re doing online.
It’s important to know what they can see so you know what information you’re giving up and can fully understand the benefits and restrictions of VPNs. If you’ve ever asked the question: What can my ISP see when I use a VPN? You’re in the right place.
What Is an ISP?
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. Your ISP is the company that provides internet access to your home or work network. They connect you to the internet either wirelessly, through a cable, or with a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). Most companies will offer all of these options.
Companies that are considered to be ISPs include:
- T-Mobile
- Verizon
- AT&T
- Spectrum
- Comcast/Xfinity
- Google Fiber
- Cox Communications
These companies provide you with access to everything on the internet: online searching, shopping, talking with friends, emailing, all of it. Cable companies are also considered ISPs. All of these ISPs offer tiered paid plans, so you can pick what you need for your home.
ISPs work by connecting your online request (such as looking up a fact online) with the proper server that can provide your answer, which then directs you to the website you seek. Think of the internet like a vast map of countries. When you want to visit a country to access the information stored there, the ISP acts as your airplane, helping you reach your destination.
What Is a VPN?
All devices connect to servers to access online information, allowing you to carry out searches and interact with websites. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) establishes a secure, private connection between your device and a remote server owned by the VPN company.
With this comes the significant benefit of hiding your location by masking your true IP address (which is linked to your location) and instead showing the VPN server’s address. VPNs work by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and the remote server.
Your online traffic flows between your device and server, where it is unencrypted on both ends, so each side can receive the information it needs. With a VPN, your online activity is significantly more secure and difficult for hackers and ISPs alike to monitor.
This makes it a popular choice for those who are aware of their cybersecurity and aim to boost it as much as possible. Some VPNs are paid, while others are free, making it a fairly accessible option.
What Are the Best VPNs?
As always, when choosing a company to aid in your digital security, it’s important to pick the right one. Whether your priority is security, location-bypassing, or firewall avoidance may influence your decision when picking the VPN company that’s right for you.
Here are a few commonly used and highly rated VPN app options:
Burner VPN
Burner VPN is the best VPN option available. It comes as an added feature of Burner phone’s second number app, providing you with a two-in-one deal. Burner VPN has fast connection speeds, thousands of servers across 70 countries, and uses trusted protocols like Wireguard and IKEv2 to provide optimal security.
Burner also has a strict no-logging policy, meaning your online activity is as private and untrackable as possible. Try Burner today to experience a top-rated VPN.
NordVPN
NordVPN is widely known as one of the fastest VPNs, meaning your internet speed will be as quick as possible (sometimes VPNs suffer lag times due to the far distances to servers or high traffic). NordVPN is best for activities that require a strong connection and high bandwidth, like streaming high-quality videos, sharing/viewing large files, or gaming. NordVPN is one of the more expensive options, but they may have discounts available.
Express VPN
ExpressVPN is best known for its user-friendly setup, quick speeds, and high-quality streaming capabilities. The company is committed to ensuring privacy for its users and continually innovates and adds new improvements. Like NordVPN, it is one of the most expensive options, making it less desirable for the everyday user.
Surfshark
Surfshark is the more budget-friendly but still high-quality VPN option. You will receive a similar level of privacy, security, and speeds as you do with the top options but for a more reasonable price. They are also known for continually improving their features, though prices have gone up recently.
The ISP and VPN Relationship
To use a VPN, your device will have to be connected to some sort of ISP. VPNs use the internet to allow you to surf privately and securely online. While the VPN routes your traffic to a remote server, it does not supply the actual internet connection. That still comes from using an ISP.
Since you can’t use a VPN or the internet at all without an ISP, it’s important to understand what an ISP can see when you use a VPN so you’re aware of how much information it can track.
What Can an ISP See When You Use a VPN?
Now that you know the basics of ISPs and VPNs, it’s time to get into how the two work with each other. Most notably, how a VPN influences what your ISP can and can’t see regarding your internet activity.
Long story short, an ISP can essentially only see the fact that you’re online and using a VPN. They can tell you’re doing something, but they won’t know the specifics of what it is. Without a VPN, that information can be fair game.
Read on to see a more detailed breakdown of what ISPs can and can’t see:
What a VPN Hides From an ISP
VPNs don’t erase your online activity, especially if you’re interacting on a public site or actively posting things. But they can greatly diminish the amount of detailed information ISPs are able to extract about your online activity.
- IP Address: While using a VPN, your true IP address (the one that identifies your location) will not be visible to an ISP. They will only see the IP address of the VPN server.
- Websites: ISPs will be able to tell that you’re browsing online, but they won’t be able to see what websites you’re visiting.
- Downloads: ISPs will be able to guess the general category of what you’re downloading based on bandwidth usage, but they won’t be able to see any content.
- Searches: Again, ISPs will be able to tell you’re looking something up, but won’t be able to see the content of your search
- Typing: ISPs will be able to tell you’re typing something but won’t be able to read what it is.
What a VPN Doesn’t Hide From an ISP
Using a VPN doesn’t make you a digital ghost. There are still aspects of your online activity that are visible to your ISP. However, these bits and pieces that an ISP will have access to are substantially less valuable and unique to you than what they could see without the use of a VPN.
Here’s what an ISP can still see:
- The VPN Connection: An ISP will be able to tell that you’re using a VPN on your device by seeing your connection to the VPN server. They won’t be able to tell what you’re doing online.
- VPN IP Address and Protocol: Since the ISP can tell you’re connected to a VPN server, they will also be able to see the IP address of that VPN server. Again, this information is fairly harmless as the VPN server you’re using has nothing to do with your actual location. In the same vein, the ISP will be able to see what VPN protocol you’re using to establish the connection.
- Bandwidth: An ISP will be able to determine your bandwidth usage on your devices, most notably when you use a lot of it (like when downloading a large file). Sometimes, this information can hint at your activity (since a simple Google search won’t require a lot of bandwidth but file downloads might), but again, the ISP won’t know any details.
- Connection Timestamps: Your ISP will be able to see when you’re online and when you’re offline. Therefore, it will know how long your browsing session was. Again, this information has minimal impact on your overall security/privacy as it gives little away about what you were doing.
Why Should I Hide My Online Activity From an ISP?
It might seem like the ISP companies listed at the top of the page are well-known, renowned, and trusted companies. Surely, there’s no harm in supplying them with basic information about your online activity. Especially if you’re not dealing with sensitive materials, but you’d be surprised about the risks involved with anyone, reputable company or not, tracking your data.
Data Throttling
One way an ISP can abuse its knowledge of your online activity is by intentionally slowing down your internet speeds in a practice known as data or bandwidth throttling. They do this when your network is congested and they notice you’re using up a large chunk of bandwidth for your online activity (most often if you’re gaming or streaming).
By hiding your data from an ISP by using a VPN, you help prevent them from unjustly slowing down your speeds to free up space for others. Yes, they can still see your bandwidth usage, but without knowing exactly what you’re doing, they may be less likely to slow you down.
Data Sales
In the US and some other countries, companies can legally sell your personal data and online activity to advertisers. This is how you get personalized ads based on your interests or recent search history. By hiding your activity with a VPN, you minimize the information ISPs can give to advertisers and may even save yourself a few unwanted ads.
Many ISPs promise not to sell consumer data, but then allow it to be used, sent to other companies, and profited from. The Federal Trade Commission reported in 2021 that a number of well-known ISPs have combined consumer data across platforms, divided people into categories based on their demographics, and given location information to third parties.
ISPs often claim to provide users with choices regarding how their information is shared, but actually choosing to protect your data is more difficult than it should be. All in all, the value of using a VPN should be perfectly apparent.
FAQs
What does a VPN not hide?
Your VPN won't hide cookies and trackers already existing on your devices, your account activity on websites you log into, or any information that you choose to share with a website, app, or platform.
Can anyone see my search history if I use VPN?
Though using a VPN hides your search history from your ISP, it doesn't hide it from the websites you visit. Search engines like Google or Bing can still see, track, and log your search queries if you're logged in.
Can browser history be traced after deleted?
Yes, deleted browser history can be traced through methods like cache, system files, backups, and network logs. Even after deletion from your browser, traces may remain in your hard drive or account.
So, What Can an ISP See?
Without the use of a VPN, an ISP can see your browsing history and activity (including the websites you visit), your location (IP address), the time you spend on each site, and more. With the use of a VPN, all of that information is protected. ISPs will be able to see you’re active online, but they will have virtually no idea what you’re doing.
Just make sure you use a trusted VPN app company like Burner VPN to ensure you’re receiving the security benefits you signed up for. Even if you think your online activity is fairly basic, never underestimate the power of keeping your personal data to yourself. In an age where privacy is a hot commodity, it’s definitely worth looking into a VPN to keep your online activity safe and secure.
Sources:
Internet Service Provider (ISP): What They Do and Examples
What Is an Internet Service Provider?
What is a VPN? Why Should I Use a VPN? | Microsoft Azure
Best VPN Service for 2025: Our Top Pick in a Tight Race - CNET
