What changes between shared and dedicated

• Shared exit: multiple VPN customers appear to websites and other destinations under the same public source IP. The address can change when you select another server or when the provider changes infrastructure. A provider may offer a regular server that is often consistent, but that is not necessarily a reserved address.
• Dedicated exit: one customer or organization uses the address exclusively for as long as the provider supplies it. For example, Proton documents its dedicated IP offering as a business service with static addresses assigned to an organization; its regular public servers are shared by many users.

The important difference is how consistently the same network address is associated with your account or organization. A dedicated IP can make an organization's traffic easier for a destination to recognize across sessions. A shared address means that the visible source address is also used by other customers, but it does not make those customers' sessions indistinguishable in every other way.

Choose by the task you need to complete

• Access a company system with an IP allowlist: ask the administrator whether it accepts a VPN egress address and whether it requires a fixed address. A dedicated address can provide a stable allowlist entry, but the service should still use individual accounts, authentication, and appropriate access controls. Confirm who can connect to that dedicated VPN endpoint and how access is removed.
• Reduce friction caused by a shared address: if a work site repeatedly challenges or rate-limits a shared VPN address, ask the site or your VPN provider about the specific error. A dedicated address may help with some reputation-related checks, but the destination controls the decision and may still request verification, block the address, or apply other rules.
• Reduce the persistent link between your sessions and one VPN address: a shared exit gives the destination an address used by other VPN customers. A dedicated IP is reserved to you or your organization, so it removes that shared-address crowd. It does not erase account logins, cookies, browser fingerprints, or other identifying information, and the VPN provider still routes the connection.
• Ordinary browsing with no stable-address requirement: a shared exit may be sufficient. Check whether your actual problem is a location mismatch, DNS or IPv6 routing, a site account restriction, or a browser issue before paying for a different IP type.

Do not choose a dedicated IP solely as a way to evade a site's access controls or geographic restrictions. A provider cannot promise that a destination will accept an address, and attempts to bypass a service's rules may violate its terms.

What a dedicated IP does not change

Both address types can route traffic through a VPN tunnel. The IP choice alone does not establish the provider's logging practices, change the VPN protocol or encryption, protect an account from phishing, or stop a website from identifying you through a signed-in account or browser data. Review the VPN provider's privacy and business terms separately.

A dedicated address is less shared at the IP level: the destination can associate requests from that address with the same customer or organization more consistently. That can be useful for access management, and it can also make repeated activity more linkable. It does not automatically reveal a person's name or exact location; what a destination can associate depends on its own records and other information.

CAPTCHAs and blocks are controlled by the destination. Proton's documentation says shared IPs can face reputation problems and presents dedicated business IPs as a way to reduce some access friction. Its separate guidance also notes that VPN use can still lead to verification checks or temporary restrictions. Treat any reduction in challenges as a possibility, not a promise.

Questions to answer before buying

1. Does the destination explicitly require a fixed source IP, or is the current issue a one-off CAPTCHA or login error?
2. Will the provider reserve the IP for your account, household, or organization? Is the offer personal or business-only, and in which countries or plans is it available?
3. Can your intended users connect to the address, and can you revoke access when a device or worker no longer needs it?
4. What happens if the provider retires, relocates, or replaces the address? Check current support terms instead of assuming a chosen server will keep the same IP.
5. Does the destination permit VPN or dedicated-IP access? Ask its administrator before adding an address to an allowlist.
6. Would a support request, another VPN server, or correcting an IP geolocation record address the problem without adding a persistent identifier?

Provider availability, eligibility, locations, and prices change. Verify those details on the provider's current plan and support pages before purchase. This guide does not compare or endorse a provider.

Common questions

Does a dedicated VPN IP stop CAPTCHAs?

No. A dedicated address may avoid reputation problems associated with activity from a shared exit, but a website can still require verification or block an address for other reasons. No IP type guarantees a CAPTCHA-free session.

Is a dedicated IP more private?

It is dedicated to one customer or organization rather than shared across many VPN customers. That can be convenient for access control, but it also makes the same address a more consistent identifier for destinations. The IP type does not by itself determine what the VPN provider logs.

Is a dedicated IP the same as a static IP?

Providers often describe a dedicated address as static or reserved, but terms vary. Confirm whether the address is exclusive, how long it remains assigned, and what changes can cause replacement.

Will a dedicated IP always appear in the intended city?

No. Websites and IP geolocation databases may label an address differently from the provider's location name. An IP location is not GPS. Compare the observed address and provider's documented endpoint, then review the VPN location and IP geolocation guide.