VPN vs. Proxy: What's the Difference?
VPNs and proxies can both change the public IP address seen by a destination, but they do not necessarily protect the same traffic or provide the same security properties.
What a proxy does
A proxy forwards traffic for an application or protocol through another server. Depending on the proxy and how it is configured, only selected traffic may use it. Encryption is not guaranteed merely because something is called a proxy.
What a VPN does
A consumer VPN application typically creates an encrypted tunnel and routes a broader set of device traffic through the VPN server. The exact coverage still depends on configuration, split tunneling, operating system behavior and the VPN application.
Which one should you use?
The answer depends on the job. A proxy can be useful when you specifically need application-level routing. A VPN is generally designed for broader encrypted network protection. In either case, verify the visible public IP, DNS behavior and browser signals instead of assuming the label guarantees the result.