A VPN routes your whole device through a tunnel and needs an app installed. A web proxy routes one browser tab and needs nothing installed.
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A VPN is an installed service that captures every network request from every application on your device and routes it through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server. A web proxy is a website — you visit it in your browser and paste a URL. That difference in scope drives everything else. VPN: installs required, works on mobile apps, supports DRM streaming (Netflix, Disney+), always-on background service, needs periodic updates. Web proxy: no install, browser tab only, does not support DRM streaming (DRM refuses proxied streams), zero footprint after closing the tab. For one blocked page on a school Chromebook where installs are locked, use a web proxy. For whole-device coverage or Netflix, use a VPN. Different tools, different scopes — neither replaces the other.
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