
Olivia Powell
Olivia joined Tom's Guide in October 2023 as part of the core Future Tech Software team, and is the Commissioning Editor at Tom's Guide. With a background in cybersecurity, Olivia is interested in how VPNs protect users' privacy, and how they improve online safety. She also regularly uses VPNs to make sure they deliver what they promise, and specializes in testing VPNs with streaming sites.
After graduating with a degree in English Literature from the University of Exeter, Olivia got her official start in journalism writing magazines for the events industry, writing for Exhibition News, Conference News, All Access, Exhibition World and Conference and Meeting World both in print and online. After this, she delved into the world of customer experience at CX Network, then the cybersecurity sector when she became Editor in Chief for Cyber Security Hub. This saw her create content from webinars to blogs to research reports on all things cybersecurity before finally ending up at Tom's Guide.
Olivia was also shortlisted for Security Serious' Unsung Heroes award in the Cyber Writer category in 2023.
When not writing about the latest in tech software, Olivia can be found reading mystery novels, watching the X-Files or doing valuable research in her quest to find the best Italian restaurant in London.
Latest articles by Olivia Powell

Best iPhone VPN for iOS in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs on iPhone to bring you a definitive ranking of the top 5 best streaming VPNs, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN and Surfshark

Best Warzone VPN: how to get easy lobbies by avoiding SBMM
By Krishi Chowdhary last updated
VPN A VPN for Warzone is the perfect tool for bagging more kills and avoiding SBMM. Here the top 5 Warzone VPNs on the market today.

The US TikTok ban – a full timeline
By Olivia Powell last updated
Every time TikTok has clashed with the US government, from COPPA violations to the potential ban

PrivadoVPN Free review
By Kristin Hassel last updated
PrivadoVPN Free gives you more servers to choose from than most free VPNs, but you may be a bit disappointed that not all of its advanced features are available for every OS.

Windscribe VPN Free review
By Michael Simon last updated
Windscribe’s free plan is one of the best on the market, and it’s a strong option for streaming, torrenting, and private browsing, but it still has some areas for improvement

The best China VPN: working services right now
By Mo Harber-Lamond last updated
VPN A China VPN is essential for anyone traveling to the country – but not every provider works. Here are the very best VPNs for China on the market.

The best BBC iPlayer VPN
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN From catching up on sporting events, to Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC has it all. A BBC iPlayer VPN is your ticket to entry

The best Iran VPN
By Krishi Chowdhary last updated
VPN Avoid widespread censorship facing citizens and travelers in Iran by using our top 5 Iran VPN choices.

The best US VPN in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs to determine which are the best VPNs for the United States in terms of speed, security and streaming support

Best VPN free trial in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN free trials can help you get an idea for what a VPN service is like without committing, but which is the best one?

The best cheap VPN in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs and evaluated how much they cost to bring you a definitive ranking of the top 5 best cheap VPNs, including Surfshark, NordVPN, and Private Internet Access

Best TikTok VPN: evade bans and access anywhere
By Mo Harber-Lamond last updated
VPN Despite the TikTok ban being delayed, demand for the best TikTok VPN is still high. Here are the ones we trust the most.

Hotspot Shield Basic VPN Review
By Esat Dedezade last updated
Hotspot Shield Basic offers a generous unlimited data plan, but it's hampered by a lack of server locations and features, and the presence of ads.

We asked 4 VPN experts which VPNs they use – and the results surprised us
By George Phillips published
Here at Tom's Guide, the VPN team spend all day writing about VPNs. But which providers do we actually use? The team shares their favourite VPNs and why they like them.

The best Canada VPN
By Olivia Powell last updated
We've used our in-depth testing to determine the best Canada VPNs for streaming, security, speed and more

The best streaming VPN in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs with streaming sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer to bring you a definitive ranking of the top 5 best streaming VPNs, including NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN

Is it really worth upgrading from Windscribe Free?
By Olivia Powell published
With a generous data limit, excellent privacy features and decent speeds, Windscribe Free is a great option for those who want a VPN without the price tag. Is there any reason to upgrade?

Best Windows VPN for PC in 2025
By Krishi Chowdhary last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs and evaluated their ease of use, speed, streaming support and privacy and security to determine the top 5 best Windows VPNs.

The best Netflix VPN in 2025
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN We've tested dozens of VPNs for Netflix, and here we round up the likes of NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN to find the very best Netflix VPN.

The best Indonesia VPN
By Krishi Chowdhary last updated
vpn The best Indonesia VPN is the perfect tool for avoiding censorship and streaming more content wherever you are. Here's our top 5.

The best UK VPN
By Olivia Powell last updated
VPN Discover the best UK VPNs for privacy, streaming and speed – I've tested the best services out there and these are my 5 favorites right now.

Best free iPhone VPN app in 2025
By Mo Harber-Lamond last updated
VPN There are tons of free iPhone VPNs on the App Store – but only a handful are safe to use. Here are the very best free VPNs for iPhone that I've tested.

Surfshark VPN Review
By Shaun Rockwood last updated
VPN In my hands-on Surfshark review, I test every aspect of the service to find out whether it's a bargain alternative to the biggest names.
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