One factor I have to clarify proper from the beginning: this can be a evaluate of Norton VPN (previously Norton Safe VPN, and briefly Norton Extremely VPN) as a standalone app, not of the VPN characteristic within the Norton 360 package deal. They're related, however Norton VPN has a couple of extra options, together with the flexibility to decide on cities as server places in international locations with multiple choice.
I'll state my opinion up entrance. Norton VPN isn't a nasty service, nevertheless it's not ok to get forward of its direct opponents. ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN and NordVPN are all both sooner, extra feature-rich, safer, extra inexpensive or some mixture of the 4. There's no motive to go along with Norton as your VPN until you're getting it as a part of one other Norton 360 bundle.
For this evaluate, I ran rigorous assessments that highlighted Norton VPN's strengths (well-designed person interfaces, a verified privateness coverage) together with its weaknesses (holes in its safety, renewals that double the worth, weak buyer assist). Norton's historical past of specializing in Home windows signifies that app is by far essentially the most full; in the event you're on another platform, anticipate to overlook out on the perfect VPN protocols and the whole characteristic set.
Editors' word: We're within the technique of rebooting all of our VPN evaluations from scratch. As soon as we do a recent cross on the highest companies, we'll be updating every evaluate with a ranking and extra comparative info.
Desk of contents
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Findings at a look
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Putting in, configuring and utilizing Norton VPN
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Norton VPN velocity check
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Norton VPN safety check
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How a lot does Norton VPN price?
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Norton VPN facet apps and bundles
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Shut-reading Norton VPN's privateness coverage
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Can Norton VPN change your digital location?
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Investigating Norton VPN's server community
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Additional options of Norton VPN
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Norton VPN buyer assist choices
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Norton VPN background test
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Last verdict
Findings at a look
Use this desk as a fast reference for my check outcomes, investigations and ideas about Norton VPN. For extra particulars, soar to the related part utilizing the desk of contents above.
Class |
Notes |
Set up and UI |
All apps set up simply Navigation is intuitive, with clearly labeled tabs and explanations of every characteristic Mac and iOS apps lack a number of choices, together with cut up tunneling Browser extensions are the one means to make use of the advert blocker Good TVs are additionally supported |
Pace |
Comparatively important common velocity drop of 21.1 % Obtain speeds various with distance, which is usually a signal of outdated infrastructure Add speeds dropped a mean of 9.5 % Imply worldwide latency was 322 ms, placing Norton in the course of the pack |
Safety |
Home windows and Android apps have WireGuard, OpenVPN and Mimic; Mac and iOS apps simply have IKEv2 and Mimic Mimic makes use of vetted encryption, however I nonetheless suggest utilizing open-source protocols wherever potential Except kill change is enabled, your actual IP tackle is seen whereas switching server places |
Pricing |
You’ll be able to solely subscribe for one yr at a time After one yr, renewal pricing kicks in, doubling the annual charge The Customary plan, which incorporates all VPN options, prices $39.99 for the primary yr and $79.99 for future years All plans may be refunded for 60 days |
Bundles |
Plus plans add a lot of the performance of Norton Antivirus, however with out handbook scans, disk cleanup or electronic mail monitoring Final provides parental controls and private information elimination Norton VPN can also be out there by way of a number of Norton 360 plans, with diminished options |
Privateness coverage |
Norton's common privateness coverage permits far an excessive amount of information assortment, however Norton VPN's guidelines are stricter An audit in 2024 discovered that Norton VPN posed little or no privateness danger |
Digital location change |
Most servers modified my digital location to entry a unique Netflix library Iceland location was repeatedly blocked |
Server community |
106 server places in 66 international locations Good distribution throughout northern and southern hemispheres No info on digital server places |
Options |
Can block adverts on cell and browsers; browser model can enable sure acceptable adverts Some places join by way of a second server, whereas others frequently rotate your IP tackle Kill change works however is barely out there on iOS by way of Mimic Home windows and Android customers get cut up tunneling by app Can scan wi-fi networks for widespread assaults |
Buyer assist |
Home windows customers have essentially the most in-app debugging choices — all different platforms simply hyperlink to the web site FAQs are onerous to navigate and have little helpful info Tech assist prefers to name relatively than electronic mail |
Background test |
Norton Antivirus was first provided in 1991, however Norton VPN didn't launch till 2019 as a part of the Norton 360 resurrection No critical controversies throughout that point |
Putting in, configuring and utilizing Norton VPN
Right here, I'll do my greatest to convey the way it feels to make use of Norton VPN on numerous platforms. Its apps for Home windows, Mac, Android, iOS and browsers are all related, however there are distinctions in each design and options.
Home windows
When you obtain the Norton VPN app from its web site or the Microsoft Retailer, an set up wizard takes over and makes the remainder of the method straightforward. You'll need to click on to grant a couple of permissions and skip by way of a tutorial, however after that, you're free to maneuver in regards to the interface.
Norton VPN's Home windows UI was a nice shock. There's no wasted element on the entrance web page. Click on the big yellow button to hook up with the VPN, or choose the server identify to go to the placement checklist, which is alphabetized. Clicking the very first entry within the checklist connects you to the quickest location. IP rotator servers and double VPN routes are grouped below tabs under that. There's no muddle and no aggressive popups, and connections occur shortly.
You'll discover 4 tabs on the left-hand facet of the Window. The highest one manages the VPN. Then there's a retailer for different Norton merchandise (IMO the one actual misstep), a set of assist pages and the controls for the VPN's settings and options. This final is subdivided right into a row of simply comprehensible subtabs. I'm impressed by how seamlessly the design works in explanations of what every setting does — it makes the entire thing that rather more accessible.
Mac
Downloading Norton VPN for Mac is a fast and painless course of, with one slight distinction from Home windows: you'll need to fiddle a bit in System Preferences to provide Norton the permissions it wants. Happily, the setup wizard guides you thru the steps with textual content and animations.
The precise interface is simply as freed from muddle because the Home windows app — extra so in some instances, as there's no shilling of the remainder of the Norton household. The draw back is that there's additionally no assist middle entry from the primary window; it’s a must to go to Settings -> Troubleshooting to seek out the hyperlink. There additionally aren't hyperlinks to particular assist articles just like the Home windows app consists of.
Android
One phrase of warning about Norton VPN's cell apps: you want an web connection for the preliminary login and setup. It doesn't look like opening an internet site, however in the event you don't have net entry, you'll get caught in an infinite loading loop.
The entrance pages of Norton VPN's desktop apps don't have many design parts, so the identical common schematic is simple to compress onto cell. The Android consumer has a standing indicator, a big button to start out your connection, tabs alongside the underside and a gear icon for settings within the top-right. It's all intuitive and responsive.
If I had been to vary something, although, I'd take a number of the choices from the upper-right settings menu and swap them with the underside tabs for notifications and accounts settings. VPN preferences must be accessible in a single click on, particularly protocols. Frankly, the messages you get from this app aren't vital sufficient to benefit such delight of place.
iOS
Norton VPN's apps for iPhone and iPad are virtually equivalent to its Android app. The one actual distinction is that the iOS consumer is lacking some options, most notably cut up tunneling; additionally, the kill change is barely out there on the Mimic protocol, about which there's restricted info. Apart from that, it feels good to make use of. Whereas it's not nice that Apple customers lose out on the total characteristic set, I can't deny it alleviates the issue of the VPN preferences menu feeling overstuffed.
Browser extensions
Norton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. The one motive to put in any of those is to entry the advert blocker, which doesn't include both of the desktop apps. Apart from that, it's an underwhelming extension. I like to recommend skipping it and going with a devoted advert blocker as an alternative — you'll get extra customization options that means.
Norton VPN velocity check
Utilizing speedtest.web, I examined Norton VPN to see how a lot it slowed down my shopping speeds. I then calculated the outcomes as percentages. Whereas completely different networks provide you with completely different beginning speeds, the identical server location tends to decelerate all these networks at about the identical charge. You should utilize this desk to estimate how a lot velocity you possibly can anticipate whereas Norton VPN is operating.
As a reference, you usually want obtain velocity for loading net pages and movies, add velocity for sending giant quantities of knowledge and latency for real-time communication. Latency at all times will increase sharply over longer distances, however an excellent VPN can nonetheless preserve the jumps below management. Let's see how Norton VPN did.
Server location |
Latency (ms) |
Improve issue |
Obtain velocity (Mbps) |
Proportion drop |
Add velocity (Mbps) |
Proportion drop |
Portland, OR, USA (unprotected) |
18 |
— |
58.90 |
— |
5.91 |
— |
Portland, OR, USA (protected) |
30 |
1.7x |
55.83 |
5.2 |
5.53 |
6.4 |
McAllen, TX, USA |
164 |
9.1x |
48.96 |
16.9 |
5.70 |
3.6 |
Argentina |
422 |
23.4x |
43.02 |
27.0 |
5.72 |
3.2 |
Croatia |
379 |
21.1x |
46.35 |
21.3 |
5.65 |
4.4 |
Nigeria |
564 |
31.3x |
39.94 |
32.2 |
3.86 |
34.7 |
Indonesia |
375 |
20.8x |
44.88 |
23.8 |
5.64 |
4.6 |
Common |
322 |
17.9x |
46.50 |
21.1 |
5.35 |
9.5 |
Earlier than I interpret the outcomes, I ought to point out that the algorithm Norton VPN makes use of to select the quickest server doesn't appear to be dependable. Each time I clicked it, it gave me the server in Texas, hundreds of miles from my actual location in Portland, Oregon. Furthermore, the Portland server was clearly sooner. This occurred repeatedly over a number of days of testing.
To the purpose: this desk doesn't look good for Norton VPN. Obtain speeds dropped a mean of 21.1 %, the worst displaying of any VPN I've examined to this point. What's worse, the info clearly pattern towards worse speeds at better distances. Though it's true that distance impacts obtain velocity in addition to latency, it's additionally true {that a} well-implemented trendy server OS ought to be capable of render that impact minimal.
Add velocity seems to be higher, with a mean drop of below 10 % — primarily dragged down by the Nigeria server, which reduce speeds sharply throughout each check. Latency can also be not terrible. Controlling for the anticipated variance as a consequence of distance, Norton VPN beat out each Surfshark and NordVPN in common worldwide ping, which means that gaming could also be its consolation zone.
Norton VPN safety check
A VPN's main job is to vary your IP tackle. Whereas doing this, it should additionally encrypt your communications with its servers so no person can comply with your connection residence — that is what separates a VPN from a easy proxy. On this part, I'll run three checks to see whether or not Norton VPN can assure nameless shopping.
VPN protocols
VPNs use protocols to determine steady connections between your gadgets and their servers. Most suppliers decide from the identical pool of field-tested choices, however you do see a shock every so often, like Norton VPN's Mimic.
Norton VPN's protocol choice follows its common pattern of serving very completely different experiences to customers on completely different platforms. Home windows and Android customers get WireGuard, OpenVPN and Mimic, whereas macOS and iOS customers solely get Mimic and IKEv2. Right here's a rundown of every.
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WireGuard is essentially the most trendy open-source VPN protocol at the moment out there. It's virtually at all times the quickest and makes use of a safe stream cipher for cryptography. The one draw back is that it saves your actual IP tackle to maintain the connection open. Norton VPN offers with this by assigning non permanent dynamic IP addresses in the course of the authentication course of.
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OpenVPN is an open supply protocol that's been in use for ages. Its supply code is barely clunky after years of volunteers poking it for weaknesses, however that additionally makes it essentially the most reliable choice. It's quick on common, although often slower than WireGuard or IKEv2.
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IKEv2 is a quick protocol that's good at reconnecting cell gadgets as they transfer between networks. Norton VPN makes use of it together with IPSec encryption. For those who're on an Apple system, it's your solely choice apart from Mimic.
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Mimic is an obfuscation protocol, which makes your VPN connection appear like common HTTPS site visitors. This could get round networks that block all VPN site visitors no matter content material. Mimic is predicated on TLS 1.3, and makes use of the identical normal encryption algorithms as the opposite protocols.
Usually, I counsel letting your VPN select what protocol is greatest. Norton VPN is completely different. There merely isn't sufficient details about Mimic for me to belief it, and also you shouldn't let the VPN change you to it with out your information. All of the others are advantageous, although.
Leak check
Testing a VPN for leaks is simple: simply test your IP tackle earlier than and after connecting, and see if it adjustments. I used IPleak.web to run that check on a number of Norton VPN servers. I first noticed that Norton VPN prevents IPv6 leaks by blocking IPv6 altogether. On each run, the IPv6 check didn’t load, regardless of which server location I selected. That is an efficient option to make leaks not possible, since virtually not one of the web is IPv6-only but.
My second conclusion was that Norton VPN's servers don't leak by way of DNS or WebRTC whereas your connection stays steady. Nevertheless, each time I modified from one location to a different, my actual IP tackle was seen on the check display screen for a number of seconds. Enabling the kill change solved this downside, however the kill change just isn’t lively by default, so be sure you flip it on within the settings.
There may be one different major problem with this: on the iOS app, the kill change can’t be used besides with the Mimic protocol. This forces customers to decide on between leaving a gap of their safety or trusting it to a protocol with restricted transparency. Till this adjustments, I can't suggest putting in Norton VPN on iOS in any respect.
I examined the rotating IP server in america to see if it had the identical downside, and fortunately didn't discover it. A Norton consultant additionally confirmed that each one servers have their very own DNS resolvers that keep away from public servers, chopping off an enormous supply of leaks. Nonetheless, I'd suggest maintaining the kill change engaged. So long as you bear in mind this, Norton VPN is safe.
Encryption check
Lastly, I ran a check with WireShark to see if Norton VPN's protocols managed to encrypt my site visitors. Since I've been unsure about Mimic, I used it for the encryption check. I discovered that Mimic does actually encrypt information packets, even on an unsecured HTTP connection. WireShark additionally confirmed to me that Mimic is utilizing TLS for key trade and encryption.
How a lot does Norton VPN price?
Norton VPN subscriptions are solely out there for one yr at a time — there's no month-to-month choice. There are three completely different subscription tiers, summarized within the desk under. "Variety of gadgets" refers to what number of gadgets you possibly can have put in on a single account, whether or not or not any of them are related to the VPN.
Subscription |
Beginning worth (One yr) |
Renewal worth (One yr) |
Variety of gadgets |
Options |
Customary |
$39.99 |
$79.99 |
5 |
Fundamental VPN service, IP rotation, double VPN, kill change |
Plus |
$49.99 |
$109.99 |
5 |
Antivirus, password supervisor, darkish net alerts, 10GB cloud backup |
Final |
$59.99 |
$129.99 |
10 |
Parental controls, system locator |
The Customary subscription is an affordable worth for what you get, however the superior Proton VPN is barely costlier and Surfshark is definitely cheaper. In different phrases, Norton VPN is an efficient worth, however not nice worth — particularly once you issue within the renewal costs, all of which pressure you to pay double or extra what you paid the primary time. For those who'd wish to determine for your self, all of the plans do include a 60-day money-back assure.
Norton VPN facet apps and bundles
Norton is best often known as an antivirus firm than a VPN supplier, so naturally Norton VPN is packaged with the remainder of the Norton 360 household. Be warned — until you flip the choice off within the Settings -> Privateness tab, Norton will acquire info in your app utilization and use it to focus on you with adverts for its different merchandise.
Norton 360 is an enormous product line encompassing dozens of particular person subscriptions. To maintain this part from bloating, I'll deal with the software program out there as a part of an upgraded Norton VPN subscription, then finish by itemizing the Norton 360 plans that embody Norton VPN.
Options on Norton VPN Plus
A Norton VPN Plus subscription provides a number of options from Norton's antivirus suite, however isn't a whole substitute for Norton or another devoted antivirus software program. Plus customers get a lot of the antivirus options that work in actual time, together with a sensible firewall, anti-ransomware backups, a sandbox for quarantining suspicious packages and a malicious script blocker.
VPN subscribers don’t get entry to the faster Good Scan choice, as an alternative getting a unique scan characteristic that checks for on-line threats (word that the FAQ web page about this erroneously says Norton VPN consists of Good Scan). VPN customers additionally miss out on the LiveUpdate characteristic that installs safety patches autonomously, plus the automated onerous drive cleaner.
Options on Norton VPN Final
Along with elevating the system restrict to 10, Norton VPN Final provides two options on high of Plus: parental controls and Privateness Monitor. The latter is barely out there within the US and Canada.
Parental management is each a time-based website blocker and a monitoring app. It can’t solely observe a toddler's web exercise, but additionally their bodily location, providing you with alerts in the event that they depart set boundaries throughout a sure time (say college property throughout a weekday). Privateness Monitor scans on your info on information brokerage websites so you possibly can ship deletion requests, much like Surfshark Incogni.
Norton 360 plans that embody Norton VPN
As a substitute of subscribing to Norton VPN straight, you too can decide a Norton 360 plan that features VPN service. Norton 360 Customary and Norton 360 For Players every allow you to set up Norton VPN on three gadgets. Norton 360 Deluxe raises that quantity to 5, whereas Norton 360 with Lifelock Choose and Norton 360 with Lifelock Benefit grant you 10 whole VPN installs. Norton 360 with Lifelock Final Plus permits you to set up Norton VPN on a limiteless variety of gadgets.
Shut-reading Norton VPN's privateness coverage
To evaluate Norton VPN's privateness, we have to have a look at two completely different privateness insurance policies. Like I mentioned within the introduction, there are technically two merchandise referred to as Norton VPN — the standalone service I've been reviewing and the VPN options of the Norton 360 bundle. I've been centered on the impartial Norton VPN to this point, however because the Norton 360 VPN add-on is a privateness danger, I wish to point out it right here.
Norton lists the privateness insurance policies for every of its merchandise on one web page of its web site. The VPN characteristic of Norton 360 is ruled by the highest two insurance policies, Norton Safety Merchandise (desktop) and Norton 360 Cellular Apps. The standalone Norton VPN has its personal coverage additional down the web page.
The Norton 360 coverage is a privateness nightmare. Each the desktop and cell apps declare the suitable to save lots of your IP tackle, system fingerprints and net exercise for as much as 36 months, and there's no exception for the VPN characteristic. I strongly advise towards utilizing Norton 360's bundled VPN for any exercise you don't need Norton seeing.
Happily, Norton holds the standalone VPN to a way more acceptable algorithm. It isn't permitted to gather IP addresses, shopping historical past or DNS requests, nor can it share any of the info it does acquire with companions. The companions word is vital as a result of one in every of Norton's sibling corporations, Avast, is understood to have bought info on its customers to firms for advert concentrating on. A Norton consultant acknowledged that Avast is not concerned in harvesting or promoting person information. Extra importantly, he mentioned that no information from VPN merchandise is shared between Gen Digital manufacturers.
Unbiased privateness audits
A latest audit by penetration testing agency VerSprite gives motive to be hopeful about Norton VPN's privateness. In keeping with a report revealed in August 2024, which you’ll be able to obtain from this web page, VerSprite discovered that Norton VPN posed an general "low" privateness danger, judged on a scale of low, medium, excessive and significant dangers.
Throughout their audit, VerSprite knowledgeable Norton that sure circumstances may make VPN customers identifiable. In a second spherical of assessments, Norton seems to have mounted these vulnerabilities. That's definitely reassuring, however I want the report — which solely runs three pages in all — was extra particular about what the issue really was. Regardless, the VerSprite audit is an efficient signal that Norton VPN is taking privateness extra critically than Norton as a complete.
Can Norton VPN change your digital location?
If a VPN can change your digital location, it can’t solely throw ISPs and different interlopers off your actual id, but additionally change what you see on the web — particularly on streaming websites, the place connecting by way of a unique nation can unlock new reveals. Nevertheless, Netflix and its brethren block VPN site visitors for copyright causes, so it's by no means a assure that you just'll get in.
I examined Norton VPN's capacity to unblock Netflix on 5 completely different places, connecting 3 times on three completely different servers in every place. I set the app to mechanically select the protocol. Within the desk under, you'll see what number of assessments every location handed, and whether or not Netflix confirmed new content material every time. If I get into Netflix however the library doesn't change, that signifies the server could be leaky.
Server location |
Unblocked Netflix? |
Modified content material? |
Vancouver, Canada |
3/3 |
3/3 |
Iceland |
0/3 |
0/3 |
Latvia |
3/3 |
3/3 |
Morocco |
3/3 |
3/3 |
Philippines |
3/3 |
3/3 |
I had no issues in 4 out of 5 of the places I examined, however Netflix completely defeated the Iceland servers. Regardless of what number of instances I disconnected and reconnected to get a brand new IP tackle, Netflix acknowledged a VPN server and blocked me. This occurred even after I switched to the Mimic protocol.
That signifies that Netflix has blocklisted most or all of Norton VPN's servers in Iceland, and the corporate hasn't caught up. It's one other troubling indication that Norton isn't committing the extent of consideration that its server community requires.
Investigating Norton VPN's server community
Talking of the server community, now's the time to get deeper into it. The relative shortage of various IP addresses on Norton VPN, together with the obtain velocity drops over lengthy distances, counsel to me that Norton might need relegated sustaining VPN information facilities to an afterthought. So, let's see what its worldwide server choice seems to be like.
Area |
Nations with servers |
Complete server places |
North America |
5 |
32 |
South America |
6 |
6 |
Europe |
36 |
47 |
Africa |
5 |
5 |
Center East |
2 |
2 |
Asia |
10 |
10 |
Oceania |
2 |
4 |
Complete |
66 |
106 |
All of Norton VPN's server places are bodily, with no digital places. This makes its community extra dependable — digital server places can ship surprising velocity swings. Nevertheless, it does restrict the variety of places Norton is able to providing.
The choice within reason good, with many places in often-underserved Africa and South America, and lots of choices in marquee areas just like the US and Europe. Nevertheless, it's a reasonably small community for what Norton is charging. Additionally, as we noticed with the Iceland location getting blocked by Netflix, having a rustic on the menu doesn't essentially imply it’ll do the job.
Additional options of Norton VPN
Norton VPN added a ton of options within the first a number of months of 2025. Most of those primarily introduced it as much as par with different VPNs, like city-level area choice or assist for sensible TVs. Nevertheless, there are one or two you gained't discover in lots of different locations, just like the IP rotator — to my information, no person else has that besides Surfshark. Listed here are an important extras to find out about.
Advert blocker
Norton VPN's advert blocker can be utilized on its browser extension. Its cell apps can block the trackers embedded in adverts, however not the adverts themselves. There's not quite a lot of customization potential; you possibly can flip it on and off, and that's primarily it. The one choice you could have on the extension is to show "acceptable adverts" again on. This can assist you get into websites that usually block customers with adblock on, or use websites the place you wish to see adverts to assist them monetize.
Double VPN and IP rotator
Norton launched these two options in 2025 as "enhanced anonymity" upgrades. Double VPN runs your VPN by way of two server places as an alternative of 1, so that you're nonetheless secure if one server breaks down. You’ll be able to select from eight pre-determined multi-hop paths with endpoints within the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Germany and Taiwan.
IP rotation servers change your IP tackle ceaselessly when you're related, which makes you tougher to trace. In contrast to Surfshark, which helps you to flip this on in all places, Norton VPN limits you to 6 IP rotator places: the USA, the UK, Canada, Japan, Germany and Australia.
Comfort options
The following three options had been additionally added within the final eight months. The server location menu now places your final 5 places on the high for straightforward retrieval. Whereas related to a server, you possibly can pause the VPN for 15, 30 or 60 minutes, after which it turns again on. Lastly, the cell apps have added a house display screen widget so you possibly can function the VPN with out opening the app.
Kill change
A VPN kill change cuts off your web entry in the event you lose your VPN connection, so any delicate info isn't broadcast unprotected. Norton VPN's kill change is significant, because it seems to briefly drop encryption whereas switching server places. Sadly, it's not out there on iOS.
Cut up tunneling
The Home windows and Android apps for Norton VPN enable cut up tunneling, by which solely sure apps undergo the VPN whereas others join straight. Norton makes use of app-based cut up tunneling, however if you wish to defend or take away safety from particular URLs, you should utilize two completely different net browsers.
Wi-Fi safety
This characteristic, which seems on NortonVPN's cell apps solely, prompts everytime you connect with a Wi-Fi community. Norton VPN scans that community for widespread assaults launched over Wi-Fi, like DNS poisoning and SSL stripping, and sends you an alert if it detects any.
P2P optimization
Norton VPN has sure servers in its community configured for torrenting. You’ll be able to't use it for torrenting outdoors these places — in the event you attempt, the VPN will disconnect. To connect with a P2P server, simply choose "P2P-optimized area" from the server menu. You’ll be able to't select a torrenting server in a selected area; the app simply selects the quickest.
Norton VPN buyer assist choices
Following the broad pattern of Norton VPN, the Home windows app will get a lot of the love, having far more in-app assist than another platform. Mac customers get a troubleshooting tab within the settings menu, with three choices: go to the web assist middle, ship a bug report or go to the neighborhood discussion board. iOS and Android simply have a "assist and assist" button on the accounts web page that sends you straight to the web site.
On Home windows, there's a separate assist and assist tab above the settings tab, which provides you direct hyperlinks to a number of the most vital pages on the Norton web site. It's additionally acquired hyperlinks to the discussion board and assist middle. Then there's the identical troubleshooting tab because the Mac app, however with extra choices. Home windows customers can reset the app to default, file an issue to get extra particular assist, ship debug logs and run an automatic "Restore Norton" course of.
For those who acquired to the web site by way of a desktop app, it's surprisingly tough to get to the overall assist web page for Norton VPN — Home windows hyperlinks to a splintered set of FAQ pages, whereas Mac sends you to a Mac-specific web page for your complete Norton Household. I like to recommend simply going to assist.norton.com in your browser, then clicking the Norton VPN button. At the very least the hyperlinks in each cell apps take you straight there.
After you have gotten to the Norton VPN assist web page, you gained't discover a lot of use. Assist articles are restricted and depart some massive holes. For instance, all connectivity issues are restricted to a web page referred to as "Repair downside accessing the web when related to Norton VPN." The one recommendation for Home windows, Mac and Android is to decide on a unique VPN protocol, and there's nothing in any respect for iOS.
Even worse, everytime you use the search bar to look something up, you're compelled to observe an AI reply kind itself out in actual time, so hyperlinks to the precise assist pages are continually leaping round as you attempt to click on on them. It's this characteristic that pushes Norton's assist pages from negligent to hostile.
Dwell assist expertise
There are a couple of different methods to get assist from Norton VPN. You’ll be able to test in on the neighborhood discussion board, chat reside with an agent or name their telephone line. The boards are moderately lively for Home windows, however fairly useless for all different platforms.
I used reside chat to ask about an issue with putting in the iOS app. I managed to achieve a human fairly shortly, however there have been a number of lengthy pauses throughout our dialog. Ultimately, they escalated my case to a better assist workforce.
I assumed that this workforce would ship me an electronic mail, per normal follow. As a substitute, they repeatedly tried to achieve me by telephone. I used to be not warned that they might do that, and every time, the decision was flagged as spam. By the point I spotted Norton was calling me, I'd already solved the issue myself. Pay attention to this in the event you plan to contact Norton with a tough problem.
Norton VPN background test
The Norton software program model has existed in some type or one other because the Norton Utilities package deal was developed for DOS in 1982. The model was acquired in 1990 by Symantec, which had revealed its personal first antivirus program the yr earlier than. Symantec started releasing Norton Antivirus in 1991, and continued distributing it till its merger with Avast in 2022. Since then, the mixed firm has been referred to as Gen Digital.
In comparison with that lengthy historical past, Norton VPN has solely been round for a blip. It launched in 2019 as a part of Symantec's bid to increase the Norton Antivirus line into a collection that would defend towards extra sorts of threats. As such, whereas Norton and Symantec have been concerned of their share of controversies through the years, only a few of them occurred throughout Norton VPN's lifetime.
Regardless of Norton's lengthy and checkered historical past, checking the background of its VPN is fairly easy: nothing has gone critically incorrect but. This VPN has issues, however they're primarily out within the open, stemming from it being a relative afterthought from an organization extra centered on different sorts of safety.
Last verdict
For me to suggest a VPN, it has to face out in a crowded subject. After per week of working with Norton VPN, I’ve to conclude that the one means it distinguishes itself is the Norton identify. For every part else it does, a competitor does it higher. Surfshark scoops it on IP rotation and multihop, ExpressVPN has higher protocols, NordVPN is quicker and Proton VPN's advert blocker works in additional locations.
One factor I’ll say in Norton VPN's favor is that it's working to rectify all this. Within the final yr, it's added quite a lot of options. The issue is that almost all of these are choices I'd have anticipated it to have already, similar to city-level area choice and a kill change on Mac. It's catching up, not innovating.
It's additionally good that you should utilize the bundles to roll extra Norton merchandise into one subscription. Nevertheless, since Norton is far more skilled at growing different kinds of safety software program, I'd advise going the Norton 360 route in the event you're concerned with these different options and treating the VPN as an add-on. Norton VPN is a facet dish, not an entree.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/norton-vpn-review-a-vpn-that-fails-to-meet-nortons-standards-170037086.html?src=rss