Norton VPN may seem appealing at first glance; its limited server options and security issues raise serious doubts.
Norton VPN boasts an intuitive user experience at a competitive price point, with features including kill switch, split tunneling and built-in ad/tracker blocking for Windows and iOS apps.
Security
Norton VPN service provides users with various security features designed to keep them safe online, including using 256-bit AES encryption, not logging any activity on its servers, and offering an auto kill switch feature when connection drops out. In addition to these basic features, it also features automatic server selection based on location – selecting the fastest server based on where you currently are located.
This service is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android and iOS devices and features intuitive apps with simple user interfaces that make using VPN easy for newcomers. There are 28 server locations to ensure all can find a suitable server location – supporting popular streaming services in addition to P2P downloads (though P2P downloading is currently not permitted).
Norton VPN stands out from other top-rated services by not maintaining a logging policy for its VPN service. While personal information is collected when signing up and creating an account, no identifiable data is stored when using the VPN, making Norton one of the more privacy-oriented VPN providers on the market.
Norton takes measures to safeguard user privacy by only collecting certain types of information about subscription information for communication purposes, device and aggregate bandwidth usage and any metadata related to applications running while using VPN services. While this is certainly an improvement over previous VPN services, ideally it would also include a statement saying they do not keep logs of connections or users.
Another drawback of Norton VPN is that it operates out of the United States, which is well known as an increasingly surveillance state and part of the Five Eyes alliance. Although this will not impact directly upon its effectiveness, those concerned about their privacy might find this concerning.
Norton provides customer support 24/7 via phone and live chat, but we found that it takes at least 30 minutes for someone to pick up. Their website contains an extensive FAQ section which answers many common inquiries; in addition, there’s also an active community for customers and employees which offers assistance when issues arise.
Speed
VPN services tend to reduce internet speeds as they channel data through secure tunnels, but the best VPN services have minimal effects on speeds and only slightly increase latency. Norton VPN was among the fastest we tested, maintaining steady download and upload rates without noticeable fluctuations when we used Speedtest by Ookla to monitor its performance.
At its core is an AES 256-bit encryption standard used to safeguard all its data – the industry benchmark and an effective solution for most use cases, including privacy in business settings. A no-logs policy and kill switch provide additional layers of protection.
Norton didn’t reveal exactly how many servers it hosts, but its wide variety of locations provides users with an opportunity to locate servers close by that will minimize any negative effects a VPN service might have on their connection speeds.
In our tests, we discovered that Norton’s US servers performed optimally while its other servers were inconsistent; we noticed an increasing improvement when connecting to servers closer to us – this trend can often be found with VPN services but Norton could further boost speed results by making more information publicly available about their server locations and offering users the ability to select specific cities when selecting servers.
As speed becomes an ever-more-critical factor, another vital aspect is which protocol a VPN utilizes for its connections. Unfortunately, Norton VPN was one of the few services we tested that did not let users select their protocol of choice, which would give more options for customization similar to services like Private Internet Access or Mullvad that allows tweaking protocol settings for tweaking purposes. Furthermore, this limited its potential for improving average speed retention rates; we noticed a decline when switching our tests to faster but less widely-used protocols for testing purposes.
Norton claims it works with Netflix, yet fails to unlock its global catalog and P2P file sharing; two essential features needed when using a VPN for torrenting or to bypass geo-blocking from Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
Apps
Norton VPN offers desktop applications for Windows, macOS and iOS that you can download directly from their website or get through subscription to one of their antivirus products – with both Norton Deluxe and LifeLock Select plans offering support for up to five simultaneous installs of software simultaneously!
Norton Secure VPN features an intuitive user experience. An on/off button controls whether or not to turn on VPN service, while its Settings tab enables you to select from 29 countries for server locations and ad tracker protection – although these advanced features found with top-tier VPN providers might be missing here.
Norton’s VPN software stands out from competitors by supporting both OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, using AES-256 cipher to encrypt data to provide maximum privacy and security when connecting to its servers. In case the connection breaks for some reason, Norton also features a kill switch feature which shuts off internet service to protect you in case any damage occurs to it.
Another handy feature is the ability to create a list of applications you would like excluded from Norton VPN traffic. This way, you can keep important apps such as your web browser and email client connected while still permitting other applications access to the internet. Unfortunately, however, its implementation was flawed; we experienced various issues while testing it; for instance, the app repeatedly returned an 809 network error when communicating with other IPsec devices.
Norton VPN stands out among competitors by providing users with its Torrent-Optimized Region feature, which connects them directly to a server location that’s optimized for torrent downloads while still protecting privacy and security. This makes for an ideal option when downloading torrent files without compromising security or privacy.
Norton VPN also features a split tunneling feature that enables you to connect to the internet using just one application at a time – an essential tool for anyone using public Wi-Fi networks or unsecure wireless connections. Unfortunately, however, this feature doesn’t work with some key apps, including PayPal and banking applications.
Pricing
Norton is one of the premier names in cybersecurity, yet their attempt at entering the VPN market was met with mixed reviews due to a lack of security features and an inventory worthy of premium service. Furthermore, Norton does not support P2P torrenting which may prove decisive to many customers.
Norton Secure VPN’s pricing is very fair and offers both monthly and annual subscription options, with plans starting from as little as $3 a month per device for just one device – making it much less than most standalone VPN services! You’re also covered by an extended 60-day money-back guarantee when purchased alongside Norton 360 products.
Norton VPN allows up to three devices at the same time to be securely connected at once, which can be helpful for families needing to protect all their computers, smartphones, and tablets at the same time. In addition, new customers are offered a seven-day free trial in order to test out this service without incurring charges for doing so.
One major shortcoming of Norton VPN is that its servers don’t cover a wide array of countries; there are only 28 available servers compared to other top-rated VPN services. Furthermore, Norton does not indicate whether their servers are located physically in each region or leased from another provider.
Norton stands out from its competition due to being based in the US, which should raise red flags among privacy-minded customers. As part of Five Eyes alliance, government agencies may access personal data shared between VPN companies operating within US jurisdiction and VPN users within that jurisdiction. Therefore, selecting an international service with multiple encryption standards and servers located in countries with strong privacy laws such as NordVPN is recommended.
