Founded in 2013 in Japan, Mercari is an e-commerce app and website. Since then, users have made the marketplace app the largest community-powered in Japan. Of the Japanese users that use at least one marketplace-style app, more than 90% use Mercari. It is also becoming prevalent in the US. It is currently the second-largest marketplace website behind eBay. If you are going to use the app or the site, however, we suggest you connect to a VPN. We’ll be glad to explain why that matters in a moment. Before we do, though, please look at our list of the best VPNs for Mercari.
| Rank | VPN Service | Rating | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
You’ll find Mercari in two different areas. Those are Japan and the US. In Japan, it was the first company to reach unicorn status (a privately held startup company valued at over one billion dollars.) As we mentioned, this app and site are extremely popular. In the US, the 40 million+ downloads raised the app to a position as high as three in the US app store rankings. That is not bad when you consider all of the other competitors in the marketplace.
The differences between Mercari and competitors
Seller Fees – Mercari has some great benefits over some of its competitors. They make it easy to buy and sell things. If you are a seller, Mercari has a fee of 10% when and if you make a sale. That is a lesser amount you get charged than with competitors. That makes it efficient for those trying to make money on the side or the people who want to part with something they have. To keep your wealth safe, though, you’ll want to connect to a VPN. That will help make sure that your wealth says yours.
Protections – Just like eBay, buyers and sellers can rate each other. However, if you are selling on Mercari and the buyer forgets to rate you, it could be some time before you get your money.
Shipping Fees – Mercari makes it easy to ship. You can ship on your own or use Mercari’s prepaid label. Keep in mind, though, that you can only ship to the US. Even though you can buy things with a VPN, you can still only ship to the US. The question is, which one should you use?
Things to consider when choosing a VPN for Mercari
If you are going to use Mercari, these questions will help you choose the best option.
- Does the provider have solid encryption protocols? – Since you are trying to protect your payments and buying transactions, you’ll want to choose a provider that offers next generation VPN protocols. The ones to look for are IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard (or variations of them). Those will help with speed because no one wants to lose their money.
- Does the VPN have a large network? This is important. If you are dealing with a live auction, timing can be everything. You don’t wan’t to miss out on an item because you are on a slow connection. As long as you make sure you connect to a good US server, you’ll have an easy time winning live auctions.
Those are the most important things to look at when using Mercari. Now, here is a closer look at some of the best VPNs to use with the app and website.
1. Best VPN for Mercari: ExpressVPN
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Because protecting your security and accounts are essential while gaming, connecting to a VPN server with ExpressVPN is crucial. If you are a gamer, you will spend many hours playing. No matter what the game is, there are achievements, money, and account information that you should be able to protect. To do so, all you need to do is connect to the server of your choice. That way, you will create a layer of encryption that will keep all of your personal gaming information and accounts safe.
With servers on every continent except Antarctica, ExpressVPN operates 160 server locations in 94 countries. That means they have one of the largest VPN networks, and they have a presence in almost half the counties in the world. While the service may be more expensive than some of its competitors, you get a premium VPN dedicated to privacy (ExpressVPN keeps no activity logs, so your browsing is kept private) with some of the fastest speeds, apps for every device, and 24/7 customer support to help troubleshoot any issues.
Want to learn more? Read our full ExpressVPN review.
Pros:
- Excellent no-log policy
- Dedicated VPN router app (for unlimited connections)
- Strong encryption and security features
- Large number of server locations
- 24/7 live chat support
- Fast and reliable speeds worldwide
Cons:
- More expensive than other good VPNs
- Limited business usage
2. Best VPN for Mercari: NordVPN
Since many stream sports on mobile phones these days, some wireless companies have given their users the ability to watch on their devices free of charge. Of course, that is offered in several different countries. If you are traveling abroad, though, you may have to miss out on seeing your favorite team in action. The solution is to connect to a VPN server from NordVPN. When you do, you make the blocking software think you are still in the correct region. That way, you won’t have to miss out on the great moments of your sport.
Want to learn more? Read our full NordVPN review.
Pros:
- Unblocks Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Internet and app kill switch
- No DNS leaks
- Based in Panama (privacy-friendly jurisdiction)
- Double VPN feature
- Supports torrenting
Cons:
- Slow to connect in the Windows app
- Discounts only apply to first payment term
3. Best VPN for Mercari: PIA
If you are a fan of mixed martial arts (MMA), you may have noticed that Private Internet Access sponsors some of the fighters. Of course, they sponsor other things as well. They have long been popular in the sports market, giving users the ability to watch sports in various parts of the world. Whether you want to watch new events or are traveling overseas, connecting to a VPN is a good idea. That will help you get around any potential viewing issues you may have.
Want to learn more? Read our full Private Internet Access review.
Pros:
- Kill switch feature in all apps
- No DNS or data leaks
- Supports OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2
- Dedicated IPs in US, CA, UK, DE, and AU
- Connect up to 10 devices simultaneously
- VPN app available in 19 languages
Cons:
- No third-party security audit
- Higher price after first payment term
