Outline VPN

VPN solutions seek to bring about a freer, privacy-focused internet, and if usage statistics are anything to go by, this message has resonated with a lot of users. Looking to offer greater control over one's online anonymity, Outline is an offering that that has users create their own virtual private network, allowing them to share access with anyone on their network.

The solution comes with two programs, which are interdependent. Client is where you'll be able to connect and share access to your VPN, while Manager is the place to set up and manage your very own VPN server.

Connection is handled on an access key basis, so users will require to either have one on hand from a prior server setup, or start anew through a cloud service. DigitalOcean, Google Cloud Platform, and Amazon Lightsail are the available options. Though these options aim to make the process more straightforward, you can set up a custom server anytime through the Manager.

What Outline seeks to offer is a more transparent VPN offering. As you don't really know who has access to your data on the other side — even through a VPN — being able to create and manage a server of your own, over which only you have complete access, really emphasizes the "private" part in virtual private network.