Norton Secure VPN Review

“A basic VPN service from a cybersecurity company with some good features (multiple devices, split tunnelling, kill switch, etc.). The user data logging policy is questionable and the servers are not RAM-only.”

Norton is a prominent name in the field of cybersecurity and digital protection. The company has a long-standing reputation for providing a wide range of security solutions designed to keep individuals and their digital assets safe from online threats. From antivirus software to identity theft protection, Norton offers comprehensive solutions to safeguard users’ digital lives.

One of the recent products in Norton’s cybersecurity portfolio is Norton Secure VPN. Norton Secure VPN is a virtual private network (VPN) service designed to offer users enhanced online privacy and security. It does so by encrypting internet connections and masking IP addresses, making it more challenging for advertisers, websites, cybercriminals, and even internet service providers to monitor or intercept online activities.

This VPN service also comes with several valuable features, such as the ability to bypass geo-restrictions, anonymous browsing, a strict no-log policy, split tunneling (available on Windows and Android), robust 256-bit AES encryption, and advanced security measures for public Wi-Fi networks. Norton Secure VPN ensures that users can browse the internet with confidence, knowing that their data and online activities are shielded from prying eyes and potential cyber threats.

	What We Like 2000+ Servers (Not an Accurate Number) in 30 Countries Uses OpenVPN, and IKEv2 VPN Protocols Strong Encryption (AES-256) Connect up to 10 Devices (depends on plan) Ad Tracker Blocker Split Tunnelling (Windows and Android) Kill Switch (Windows and Android) What We Don’t Like Not RAM-only Servers Not so strict No-Log Policy Not so great speeds
Check on Norton Secure VPN	Bottom Line Norton Secure VPN is an average VPN service is the sea of VPN services that prioritize user privacy. Its cost is decent (for the 1st year and nothing special from 2nd year onwards). VPN speeds are decent and unblocking streaming services can be a hit or a miss. Windows and Android Apps get most of the available features while Mac and iOS miss out on some.

IN THIS ARTICLE

• Initial Setup
• Safety and Privacy
• Other Features
• Servers and Speed
• Apps
• Specifications
• Price
• Final Verdict

Initial Setup

Setting up Norton Secure VPN is a straightforward process, and it begins with ensuring that you have an active subscription to the service. Once your subscription is in order, you can proceed to download and install the Norton Secure VPN app on your device. The specific steps vary slightly depending on your device’s operating system:

For Windows and Mac computers:

• Visit the Norton website or your Norton account.
• Download the Norton Secure VPN application compatible with your operating system.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install the application.

For Android and iOS mobile devices:

• Access your device’s app store (Google Play Store for Android or Apple App Store for iOS).
• Search for “Norton Secure VPN” and download the app.
• Complete the installation by following the on-screen prompts and granting necessary permissions.

Once the app is successfully installed, launch it and sign in using your Norton account credentials. If you don’t have a Norton account, you can create one during the sign-in process. Within the app, you will typically find a button to connect to a VPN server. Here, you can choose a specific server location or let the app automatically select the best one for you. Click or tap the “Connect” button, and the app will establish a secure VPN connection. A notification or visual indicator will confirm your successful connection. If desired, you can further configure settings like enabling a Kill Switch, selecting specific server locations, or using split tunneling. With these settings adjusted to your preferences, you can safely browse the internet, use apps, and access online content, knowing your online activities are enhanced with privacy and security through Norton Secure VPN.

Safety and Privacy

Norton Secure VPN offers a range of features and benefits that aim to enhance both safety and privacy while you’re using the internet. It shields your online privacy by encrypting your internet data and concealing your location from advertisers, websites, and cybercriminals. This encryption ensures that your online activities remain confidential and secure while also blocking ad tracking technologies, reducing the number of targeted ads you encounter. Moreover, Norton Secure VPN allows you to access online content as if you were in a different location. By connecting to VPN servers in various countries, you can bypass geo-restrictions and access content that might otherwise be unavailable in your actual location, such as streaming services, websites, or apps restricted to specific regions.

Norton Secure VPN offers users the flexibility of two distinct VPN protocols. OpenVPN, available for Android and Windows, is celebrated for its robust security features, adaptability across different network environments, and open-source nature. On the other hand, iOS and Mac users benefit from the reliability and network-change adaptability of IKEv2/IPSec, making it a preferred choice for mobile devices. Both protocols employ strong encryption, ensuring data security, but their specific characteristics cater to the unique requirements of different operating systems. But we feel Norton VPN is missing out on the much faster WireGuard, which is becoming a popular choice in several VPN services.

The service provides anonymous browsing by creating an encrypted tunnel that masks your online activities, rendering your IP address invisible and safeguarding your data from potential eavesdroppers, including hackers, mobile carriers, and internet service providers (ISPs). A crucial aspect of Norton Secure VPN is its strict no-log policy, which means it doesn’t track, log, or store your browsing activities. This commitment to user privacy ensures that your online activities remain entirely private and secure. However, we found that Norton does log some basic user data (device, OS, diagnostics, etc.) and even critical data (IP address, license, device, etc.) in the event of any suspicious behavior detection (it retains the data for some time before deleting).

For additional control over your online security, Norton Secure VPN offers split tunneling (available on Windows and Android), allowing you to choose which internet traffic to encrypt. This is especially valuable when you want to secure sensitive activities like online banking or accessing healthcare data while still allowing other apps and services to access the internet directly. The service employs 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered a bank-grade level of security, to ensure that the information you send and receive over the internet is kept safe and private.

Lastly, Norton Secure VPN is particularly useful when using public Wi-Fi networks. When you connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots, the VPN secures your data, making it challenging for cybercriminals to intercept the information you send and receive. This additional layer of security is vital for tasks like checking email, engaging in social media interactions, and making online payments while connected to shared networks. Overall, Norton Secure VPN is designed to provide a robust solution for online privacy and security, ensuring that your online activities are shielded from prying eyes and potential threats.

Other Features

Norton Secure VPN offers a variety of additional features that further enhance your online security and privacy. Norton Secure VPN automatically detects and secures your connection when you connect to suspicious or insecure Wi-Fi networks. This feature is crucial when you’re using public Wi-Fi, as it helps safeguard your data from potential threats on untrusted networks. It ensures that your online activities are shielded from prying eyes, even in less secure environments.

The “On-the-Go Access” feature allows you to safely connect to your favorite websites, videos, or apps whether you’re at home or on the move. Norton Secure VPN offers the convenience of secure internet access regardless of your location, ensuring that your online activities remain protected and your data is kept confidential. The Kill Switch is a critical security feature that automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection is lost. This is especially important in situations where the VPN connection becomes unstable or disconnected for any reason. By cutting off your internet access, the Kill Switch helps ensure your privacy by preventing accidental exposure of your IP address, location, or identity. This feature is available on Windows and Android devices.

Norton Secure VPN actively safeguards your data from potential hackers by alerting you when you connect to a Wi-Fi network that could expose your personal information. This proactive warning system helps you secure your connection, making sure that your sensitive data is protected from unauthorized access.

These features collectively provide a robust and user-friendly VPN service that not only encrypts your internet connection but also actively monitors and secures your online activities. Whether you’re on the go or connected to public Wi-Fi, Norton Secure VPN aims to ensure that your data and identity are shielded from cyber threats and that your privacy remains intact.

Servers and Speed

While Norton says it has a wide network of servers worldwide, the exact number of servers isn’t clear. From the app, we can say that Norton Servers are in 30 different countries although most of them are in Europe and America (some in Oceania). We ran some speed tests with and without VPN and here are the results. First, we tested our 300Mbps ISP Plan without connecting to VPN and directly testing with our ISP server. We got around 292Mbps download and 289Mbps upload speeds.

Now, we connected to the VPN to a local server in our city and performed another speed test trying to connect to the same ISP server. With VPN and the server in the same city we got 235Mbps download and 190Mbps upload. This is roughly 20% and 35% drop in download and upload speeds.

While you can use Norton VPN for streaming, the results are somewhat confusing. For services such as Netflix and Prime, we were able to access the US versions but not Disney+.

Apps

The Windows app for Norton VPN can be as basic as it can get. Even if you are new to VPN, you can easily navigate through the minimalist layout (and features to speak) of the app. The app either connects to a fastest server (or nearest) automatically or you can manually choose the server from the list. There are settings for Ad tracker blocker and split tunnelling.

Norton VPNs app for Mac is much more refined in our opinion (at least in terms of UI). But note that the Mac version lacks some important features that the Windows version has (Split Tunnelling and Kill Switch).

Both the Android and iOS apps follow the same minimalistic approach from the desktop counterparts. Similar to Mac, even the iOS app doesn’t have Split Tunnelling and Kill Switch but both Android and iOS apps have Wi-Fi Security and Ad Tracker Blocker.

Specifications

Price

Pricing of Norton Secure VPN is weird. Let us see in detail about the pricing. First, you have to choose the number of devices you would like to secure. The choices are 1 device, 5 devices, and 10 devices. Next, you have to yearly or monthly plan. This is valid only for the first. From the second year onwards, these prices will not be applicable. There are separate renewal charges.

Check on Norton Secure VPN

Final Verdict

Norton maybe a big name in cybersecurity but in terms of VPN service, we feel it is still an entry or mid-level entity. When the competition is offering so many features with privacy as highest priority, Norton VPN offers only essential features with some questionable privacy, especially in terms of user logs.

The price is okay but the low price we saw the table before is applicable only for the first year. Connectivity speeds after connecting to a local VPN sever are decent. The apps for all the platforms (Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS) are very minimalistic, which can help beginners to VPN. Windows and Android versions have couple of more features than the Mac an iOS counterparts (although this is a platform issue rather than the provider issue).

Overall, Norton Secure VPN is a decent VPN Service by a reputable cybersecurity company. But the lack of strict no-log policy and sub-par infrastructure, VPN seekers are better off with another VPN service that prioritizes user privacy.