Club Benefits
Antivirus giant Norton has long been known for its all-encompassing cybersecurity expertise — and that now includes the world of virtual private networks, too. Its revamped offering rivals some of the best VPNs, and it outpaces most when it comes to outright fastest VPN rankings.
The service has received a slew of new features and optimizations, rolled out across an expanding number of platforms.
Most people will be well served by Norton VPN's entry-level plan, with its secure, speedy servers, a multitude of privacy tools, and the company’s Mimic protocol, designed to protect against post-quantum threats. But for those considering a belt and braces approach, is upgrading to Norton VPN Plus worth the price bump?
We’ll break down each Norton VPN package below, to help you decide which tier best suits your needs, and — just as important — your budget.
Norton VPN Standard: features, price
No matter the Norton VPN plan, you get the same core functionality and infrastructure.
Norton VPN Standard is as adept at encrypting your web traffic, unblocking global content, and facilitating blazingly-fast connection speeds for streaming, torrenting, and general browsing, as any other of its subscription options.
You get access to a global network of 3,400+ servers in locations across 67 countries (and counting), with a number of optimized P2P and 25GBPS servers available.
Like most VPNs, bank-grade AES-256 encryption is applied and there are multiple protocols available — WireGuard and Mimic (with post-quantum protection), and OpenVPN and IPSec where supported by your OS.
Norton VPN is compatible with all major platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, alongside smart TV brands like Amazon Fire TV, and you can protect 10 devices at any one time to include yours and/or your family’s tech.
So what security-enhancing features can you expect?
The kill switch and auto-connect settings help to mitigate against data leaks, keeping prying eyes off your browsing history. Double VPN adds an additional layer of encryption and privacy, while IP Rotation and Ad Blocker (the latter exclusive to Norton’s desktop browser extension) collectively combat nosy third parties and intrusive ads.
Split tunneling lets you maintain a secure VPN tunnel while routing less critical activities through your ISP for speed and convenience. And, for ease of use, Norton’s VPN widget and browser extensions let you control your VPN without having to open the app.
Exclusive to Tom’s Guide readers are reduced-price subscriptions (at the time of writing). So Norton VPN Standard comes in at roughly $2.50/month for a two-year plan(about $60 upfront), and on par with our best cheap VPNs. But, should you change your mind after purchase, you can claim a full refund with the company’s 60-day money-back guarantee.
Norton VPN Plus: features, price
On top of everything we’ve already mentioned, Norton VPN Plus benefits from the company’s decades of antivirus experience.
AI-powered scam detection takes the guesswork out of identifying fakers and fraudsters: scanning your browser for scams and blocking malicious websites to prevent your confidential data from being compromised.
But if a virus does make it to your device, then Norton’s 100% Virus Protection Promise guarantees that if its experts can’t remove it, they’ll give you your money back.
Dark web monitoring, meanwhile, is an early warning system against data theft and fraud. It checks if your credentials — things like bank details, email address, and social security number — have leaked on this unregulated part of the web, and prompts you to take action if they’re detected.
You also get 10GB of Cloud Backup storage with VPN Plus. That automatically backs up and securely stores your files in the cloud, which you can then access and download to any device: a valuable contingency measure if your laptop is lost or damaged (note, this feature isn’t currently available on MacOS).
And last but not least, there’s Password Manager: a quick way to generate complex passwords and keep them safely locked away in an encrypted vault. It includes 2FA functionality for enhanced security.
At the time of writing, Norton VPN Plus costs just $1/month more than Standard on an equivalent two-year plan. That’s $24 dollars extra for 24 months of additional cybersecurity protection.
What about Norton VPN Ultimate?
Norton VPN Ultimate is a great value proposition for those with big families or tons of tech. You get coverage on 20 devices; a twofold increase on the Standard and Plus plans and the equivalent rate of $1 a month more than Plus.
This integrates a suite of parental controls, too, with a centralized dashboard providing management and oversight for each device you add. You can monitor your kids' search terms, block inappropriate websites, track their current location, and keep tabs of YouTube videos they’re watching that you might want a word about. But it’s not a one-way street, and minors can petition their parents to make access changes as well.
Additionally, Ultimate users get an inflated 50GB cloud storage, five times more than with Plus and sufficient capacity for tens of thousands of photos and documents.
Should you upgrade from Norton VPN Standard to Norton VPN Plus?
Go for Norton VPN Standard if you:
✅ want a VPN purely for its encrypted connections and IP spoofing abilities
✅ feel you have enough malware and antivirus protection already
✅ are looking for a reliable yet low-cost VPN
Go for Norton VPN Plus if you:
➕ can’t afford to lose valuable photos and files on your devices
➕ would like regular alerts to help you avoid data theft and fraud
➕ are looking for a combined VPN and cybersecurity solution for only a little extra cost
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
