B2B vs B2C: comparing VPN solutions
In the business world, you will often, even as a consumer, run into two main target group classifications: B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer). These TA classifications help specify the features of any given product or service and help narrow down potential client groups.
TA classification is especially noticeable in anything software or app related. Almost all social media handles have the choice of business vs. personal accounts, which cater to the different needs of regular users vs. business account users. Similarities are seen in the B2B SaaS field, and recently in the VPN industry, which I will be talking about in this article.
VPNs, or virtual private networks, in recent years have gained popularity as an individual consumer based piece of software, mainly used as a key to unlock any restricted websites and website content. However, to many people’s surprise, a VPN can be a significant game-changer for enterprises as well, offering not only all-access internet but also network security features and cloud access. However, I have noticed businesses working with regular B2C accounts, which narrow their limits in terms of the VPN possibilities. A private consumer-based service is often built around specific private user needs, while business-specific services often have far more complex features fit for larger groups and better communication.
B2B vs. B2C in the VPN arena:
To prove my point, I have rounded up some of the most popular and used private VPN providers as industry examples that also offer business VPN solutions: NordVPN providing NordVPN Teams, SaferVPN offering Perimeter81 and PureVPN offering PureVPN for Business.
NordVPN Teams vs NordVPN
NordVPN offers private user VPN services, as is considered a market front-runner. About half a year ago, seeing the higher demand for business accounts, it released NordVPN Teams, a business-oriented VPN solution. As mentioned in the chart, it offers features that cannot be compared to the regular single-user accounts. The number of accounts and users can be fully personalized depending on business needs, however, simultaneous connections remain the same as in their B2C solution. NordVPN Teams also provides businesses and smaller teams with a management control panel, centralized billing, a dedicated account manager and license transferbility. As can be seen, these features do not apply to the single-user solution as they don’t serve any benefits for regular VPN users.
Read more about NordVPN Teams here.
Perimeter81 vs SaferVPN
SaferVPN is yet another VPN offering one of the top business VPN services — Perimeter81. Although the names might suggest a difference in providers, they, in fact, operate under one provider and one company. And yet again, there is no surprise in the difference of business-oriented features dedicated to Perimeter81. All added features suit any small to medium-sized business, offering dedicated gateways, shared gateways, activity audits and reports, custom DNS, and two-factor authentication. Proving that choosing the B2B solution is far more advantageous for businesses and teams.
Read more about Perimeter81 here.
PureVPN for Business vs PureVPN
Pure VPN is also among the VPN front-runners offering a business solution called PureVPN for Business. When comparing the two options, I did find some similarities with the single-user account options, like the choice of having dedicated IP add-ons, or a kill switch (most private and business VPNs have this feature). However, again we have more features dedicated towards the business solution, with more personalization possibilities and account set-up.
Read more about PureVPN for Business here.
Choosing the correct small business tools:
As obvious as it may seem, I still see businesses use software that is not suited for their model-of-use. When it comes to VPNs, there are some perfect choices for any small or medium-sized business to choose from. And selecting a single-user VPN can narrow down your possibility as a business.
I would recommend getting your money’s worth and picking a solution specifically built to fit your needs, and this goes without saying: B2C services are meant for private users and do not appeal to the main pain-points a business might have, whereas B2B software services know what a business needs and provide added features for a better software experience. So in the debate on B2C vs B2B, SaaS services for businesses should be of a B2B approach.
