Norton VPN combines that big name from the world of antivirus software with a fast-growing security tool in the VPN (Virtual Private Network) space.
With more and more VPNs popping up, each claiming to be your silver bullet for online security, it can be difficult to narrow down your ideal pick and understand what marks out the best VPNs from the rest. Why should you pick Norton VPN over any other?
To help you choose, we’ve laid out out some important answers to the most common questions asked online about Norton VPN – from its owners, to some of its key security features.
1. Is Norton VPN any good?
Cutting right to the chase, eh? Thankfully, we’ve recently retested the service and updated our in-depth Norton VPN review.
It achieved a very strong four-star rating, with a a few stand-out points worth considering. For starters, it’s fast (“Its performance has risen to a point where it can rival top VPNs like Surfshark and NordVPN”, said our expert tester), easy to use and has lots of useful features for online security and anonymity. The inclusion of a kill switch keeps you safe from data leaks, while IP Rotation keeps you changing identity every 30-seconds. Add in the Double VPN setting to add yet another layer of encryption internet activity, and this is a super secure setup.
You have to bear in mind that this is a US-based service, meaning a ‘Five Eyes‘ location that can be a red flag for some users. And we’d also like to see more server locations added and an increase on its five-device limit.
But this is a rapidly improving VPN that is quickly becoming “a high-value, high-security VPN from a name renowned for its security capabilities”.
2. Should I leave Norton VPN turned on?
As with any VPN, the best protection you can hope to get comes from using it. That might sound silly but it’s simply true. So, yes, leaving the VPN on is the best way to keep your digital identity, location and sensitive information secure. In fact this uses features like a kill switch to secure your data from leaking if the internet connection drops, plus an auto-connect feature that’ll keep you secure when jumping between Wi-Fi connections.
You might want to turn off some VPNs, if you need an app to appear to be running directly, perhaps for banking. Norton VPN offers split tunnelling though, so you can change permissions for certain apps meaning this can stay on, keeping you safe, and still allowing certain apps stay outside the VPN tunnel as needed. The best of both worlds then.
3. Who owns Norton VPN?
Norton VPN is owned by a global cybersecurity company called Gen Digital Inc., which is headquartered in the US and was formed following the merger of NortonLifeLock and Avast in 2022. With activity also in the Czech Republic, the dual location is a result of that merger between the Arizona-based NortonLifeLock and the Prague-based Avast.
Gen Digital runs a host of cybersecurity brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, AVG, Avira and CCleaner. This is why you are able to get such a wide selection of tools when you sign up to certain Norton packages. While Norton VPN is third-party audited as a no-logs setup, the wider company does collect various types of data for account management, service improvement and marketing.
The US part of this company means that Norton VPN is subject to US law and comes under the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence alliance jurisdiction.
4. Can I be tracked with Norton VPN?
The whole point of Norton VPN is to keep your identity and location private and hidden so that you can’t be tracked. Using its Double VPN feature to send your signal through multiple locations, IP Rotation to change your appearance every 30-seconds, and securing your data with an AES-256 encryption all help with this.
That’s all well and good but if the company keeps data on you there’s still a chance you can be tracked. That’s why Norton VPN has a no-logs policy which has been audited by an independent third-party. The company says that it won’t keep your browsing history, originating IP address or DNS requests but it will collect connection events, applications events and user-generated crash reports – all of which are ‘non-identifying data’.
The third-party audit was carried out by independent cybersecurity solutions consultant VerSprite, which confirmed Norton’s small amount of logging has a “low overall impact on privacy” and does not keep sensitive user information.
5. How much does Norton VPN cost?
Norton VPN comes in a choice of three tiers at varying prices: Standard, Plus and Ultimate.
At the time of writing, the standalone Norton VPN Standard plan is priced, per year, at $39.99/£19.99/AU$29.99. The US gets five devices for that price, while the UK and Australia get one.
Norton VPN Plus is priced at $49.99/£24.99/AU$69.99 a year, adding extra features like AI-powered cybersecurity protection, password manager and 10GB of cloud backup. While the $59.99/£29.99/AU$89.99 per year Ultimate plan also gives parental controls, location supervision and ups the backup to 50GB.
However, we have an exclusive discount from Norton VPN for readers in the US, Canada and Australia, letting you get the Plus or Ultimate plan for an even lower price.
– Click here for exclusive US pricing
VPN Plus: $49.99 $29.99 / VPN Ultimate: $59.99 $39.99
– Click here for exclusive Canada pricing
VPN Plus: CA$49.99 CA$29.99 / VPN Ultimate: CA$59.99 CA$39.99
– Click here for exclusive Australia pricing
VPN Plus: AU$69.99 AU$59.99 / VPN Ultimate: AU$89.99 AU$79.99
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