Latest news with #internetsecurity
Entrepreneur
18-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Take Your Time Back With This Multi-Tasking Ad Blocker, Now $15 for Life
This AdGuard Family Plan lets you protect up to nine devices. Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. TL;DR: The AdGuard Family Plan helps you browse online with no distractions, and now it's only $15.97 (reg. $169.99) with code FAMPLAN through June 1. The average person sees around 10,000 ads a day, according to data from Think of how much time you could free up by blocking them all? Entrepreneurs need every spare second they can get, and AdGuard is here to save the day and prevent all those ads from distracting you every day. Get all those seconds back with a lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan, now just $15.97 (reg. $169.99) with code FAMPLAN through June 1. Ditch the ad distractions for good with this lifetime subscription to AdGuard You don't have time for distractions. Let AdGuard's ad-blocking module provide peaceful internet browsing, without any pop-ups, banners, or video ads, so you can get your work done. Entrepreneurs often work with sensitive data, so you can also appreciate that AdGuard doubles as a security guard. It can protect your data privacy, keeping your personal info hidden from trackers and activity analyzers. It also defends you against malware and phishing websites, which could be disastrous for your business. If you have children in the house, you can also take advantage of AdGuard's parental control features. It helps ensure your children avoid inappropriate content on the internet. This lifetime subscription to AdGuard's Family Plan provides ad blocking, security, and parental controls for up to nine devices. It's compatible with Android and iOS operating systems so that you can safeguard tablets, laptops, and smartphones. Protect nine devices with this AdGuard Family Plan, now just $15.97 (reg. $169.99) with code FAMPLAN through June 1. StackSocial prices subject to change.
Gizmodo
16-05-2025
- Gizmodo
The Best Mobile VPN of 2025: Our Experts' Verdict
Let's face it—we live on our phones. From doomscrolling Twitter (X) to banking, dating, and streaming The Bear on sketchy café Wi-Fi, our smartphones handle it all. And yet, most of us don't think twice about the invisible risks that tag along every time we connect. In fact, over 62% of global internet traffic now comes from mobile devices—and that number's only climbing. That means more data, more exposure, and way more reasons to care about what's shielding your connection when you're on the move. So, we rolled up our sleeves and tested the top VPNs built for mobile—not just desktop-first apps squeezed onto a smaller screen. We're talking smooth, secure, battery-friendly apps that don't kill your speed or leave you buffering in the middle of a Reel. Let's get into the best mobile VPNs available in 2025. Best Mobile VPN: Our Detailed List Not all mobile VPN services are created equal. Some look sleek but lag on 5G. Others are fast, but leave your data exposed the second your signal drops. We tested everything from real-world speeds to battery impact to app smoothness, and these are the top mobile VPNs that nailed the balance. 1. NordVPN — Best VPN for Mobile Overall If we could only keep one VPN on our phones, NordVPN would be the one. It nails the balance between slick design, serious protection, and actual performance that matters when you're not tethered to a desk. Whether you're streaming on a train, tethering from your phone, or jumping Wi-Fi networks at a conference, it just holds up, every time. Mobile UI That Actually Makes Sense NordVPN's mobile app doesn't feel like an afterthought. It's clean, minimal, and fast, making it the best iPhone VPN app. The server map view is swipeable and responsive, a small thing that makes a big difference when you're trying to tap a tiny country one-handed. Quick Connect lives right on the homepage, and the settings menu is built for thumbs, not mice. Even better? You can log in with Face ID or a fingerprint, making reconnections a breeze. Built to Run in the Background We ran NordVPN all day while bouncing between mobile data, 5G, and sketchy coffee shop Wi-Fi. It auto-reconnected instantly, never stalled apps, and the battery usage was impressively light, less drainig than a food delivery app. The auto-connect rules let us pick which Wi-Fi networks we trusted, so we didn't waste battery when we didn't need to. Visit NordVPN Speed That Doesn't Stall More than just about raw numbers, VPN speed is about consistency. Thanks to NordLynx, NordVPN stayed over 85–90% of our normal speeds during testing across LTE, 5G, and even slower hotel networks. We streamed HD video, downloaded updates, and FaceTimed internationally without even thinking about the VPN in the background. It's also a great ally if you're looking for a VPN that lets you gamble online. Serious Security, Still Lightweight Mobile isn't immune to sketchy networks or data leaks. NordVPN locks things down with AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption, plus Threat Protection Lite that quietly filters out shady sites and ads in the background, especially handy when browsing on mobile Chrome or Safari. The kill switch is always-on by default, and we stress-tested it with no DNS leaks or IP leaks, even when switching networks. Mobile-Friendly Pricing You can try NordVPN free for 7 days on Android, and their long-term plans start at just over $3/month, which is a no-brainer if you're using it daily. Plus, the 30-day money-back guarantee applies to all devices, not just mobile, so there's no risk in testing it across your whole setup. Pros Ultra-clean and responsive mobile UI Detailed server map optimized for touch Minimal battery usage with auto-connect rules Fast, stable speeds The best for unblocking streaming services 7-day free trial for Android phones Cons Threat Protection Pro isn't on mobile (yet) 2. ExpressVPN — Best Mobile VPN for Speed & Simplicity If NordVPN is the power user's pick, ExpressVPN is the premium ride that just glides with a fast, polished, and intuitive. What stood out immediately during testing was how it made staying protected on mobile feel effortless. No fussing with settings or awkward load times, no 'wait, is it even on?' feeling. A UI That Feels Native, Not Clunky From the jump, ExpressVPN's app just feels…finished. The big connect button, the smart location suggestions, the clean layout — it all feels like it was made for phones first. Whether we were on Android or iOS, it launched quickly, responded instantly, and made switching locations dead simple, even one-handed. There's also a built-in password-less login via verification link, which makes re-installing or switching devices ridiculously smooth, so no digging up passwords on mobile ever again. Speed When It Matters Most ExpressVPN consistently delivered near-peak mobile speeds, especially when streaming or gaming on 5G. We connected to servers in the US, UK, and Singapore, and still pulled down HD streams without lag, even on public transit. For example, switching country on Prime Video was incredibly easy. And since it runs on Lightway, their custom-built protocol, battery consumption was lower than expected for a high-security app. Visit ExpressVPN Trusted Security, Tuned for Mobile We didn't experience any IP or DNS leaks during testing, even when switching networks mid-call or while the phone was locked. The Network Lock (their mobile kill switch) did its job without fail, and split tunneling let us whitelist trusted apps, like banking or ride-hailing. ExpressVPN also passed independent audits, and it operates on RAM-only servers, which wipe your data every time they're rebooted. That's the kind of peace of mind we want when logging in from hotel Wi-Fi in a country where we don't speak the language. Pricing & Trial ExpressVPN isn't the cheapest, with long-term plans are closer to $5/month. But you get what you pay for: top-tier polish, performance, and one of the most seamless mobile apps around. A 30-day money-back guarantee lets you test the waters fully risk-free. Pros Beautiful and intuitive mobile app Fast speeds on 5G and public Wi-Fi One-click login (no password hassle) Reliable kill switch + split tunneling on mobile Lightway protocol = less battery drain Cons More expensive than others on this list Lacks the flavor of advanced options 3. Private Internet Access — Best Mobile VPN for Customization and Control Private Internet Access is a power user's dream in a mobile package. It's not trying to win any design awards, but if you like tweaking, tuning, and having total control over your VPN experience (even on a phone), this is where PIA hits it out of the park. Deep Customization, Right on Your Phone Most mobile VPNs give you the basics. PIA gives you the dashboard. Encryption strength? Adjustable. Protocol? Your choice of OpenVPN or WireGuard. Port selection? Yep. DNS settings? Go wild. Surprisingly, the app doesn't feel overwhelming and gives you the room to set things up exactly how you like, which advanced users will appreciate. And yes, it supports split tunneling on Android, which we used to keep Spotify or Google Maps outside the VPN tunnel for smoother local access. If needed, you can check out our review of PIA VPN for a complete overview. Stable and Responsive App While the UI isn't flashy, it's snappy and dependable. Connect/disconnect is one tap, and it supports biometric unlocking and widget shortcuts on Android. We noticed PIA reconnected quickly when switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data with no freezes or unexpected disconnects. The connection stats dashboard even shows real-time data on your mobile VPN session, which is helpful if you're chasing performance or monitoring battery usage while traveling. Visit Private Internet Access Security You Can Trust PIA's MACE feature blocks ads, trackers, and known malware domains, and it works well on mobile browsers. This top mobile VPN uses strong encryption and a strict no-logs policy (audited in court cases and by third parties), and it gives you control over handshake types, cipher strengths, and more if you want to dive deep. Their kill switch is airtight, and when we deliberately killed connections mid-session, Private Internet Access instantly stopped traffic until it was safely reconnected. Pricing That's Hard to Beat Private Internet Access has some of the most affordable long-term plans, which is just a little over $2/month when you go long. There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you time to test all the bells and whistles on both Android and iOS. Want to know how to take advantage of it? Read our article on Private Internet Access's free trial to find out. Pros Highly customizable mobile app MACE blocks ads and trackers Low-cost long-term plans Real-time connection stats Cons UI is more functional than sleek Slightly longer load times on first launch How We Picked the Best Mobile VPN Services Choosing a VPN for your phone isn't just about ticking boxes, it's about making sure that the app in your pocket actually keeps up with you. Mobile-first doesn't mean stripped-down. In fact, over 70% of VPN users worldwide use them on mobile. So yeah, your VPN better be as flexible, fast, and secure as your phone demands. We tested each app across iOS and Android, swapped between LTE, 5G, and public Wi-Fi, and focused on the things that actually matter when you're not tethered to a desk. Mobile-Optimized Performance Speed is non-negotiable when you're switching between networks or streaming on the go. We ran repeated speed tests across city Wi-Fi, train station 4G, and even airport public hotspots to see which VPNs stayed smooth under pressure. NordVPN blew us away with its NordLynx protocol, which consistently delivered 90%+ of our baseline speeds. Whether streaming live football or video calling over 5G, it never dropped the ball. We also appreciated that it handled network handoffs (like jumping from Wi-Fi to mobile data) better than most. Real Security, Not Just Marketing A good VPN for mobile protects you everywhere, even when your phone goes to sleep or apps run in the background. We stress-tested kill switches, leak protection, and auto-connect features under real conditions. Private Internet Access (PIA) stood out here for its customizable settings and built-in kill switch that stayed active even during device hibernation. Power users will love the advanced toggles, but it also runs quietly for anyone who just wants plug-and-play privacy. App Design and Usability No one wants to pinch and zoom or deal with clunky desktop-first menus. So we scored high on apps that felt like they were made for mobile with clean UIs, swipeable menus, and settings that make sense on a small screen. ExpressVPN nails this with a sleek, consistent app that mirrors across platforms. It's dead simple to use, connects in seconds, and doesn't nag you with cluttered settings or upgrade popups. Server Coverage That Works for Travel When you're abroad, you need a VPN that's got your back…literally. We looked for wide server coverage, but more importantly, reliable performance in places where free Wi-Fi is slow and surveillance is high. NordVPN once again delivered here. With 7,400+ servers in 150+ locations, we were always a tap away from an optimized connection, whether browsing from Paris or booking a ride in Mumbai. In short, we tested how these top mobile VPNs felt in our pockets. From subway commutes to café Wi-Fi to switching SIMs abroad, these picks had to prove they were truly built for mobile life. Why Most Free Mobile VPNs Aren't Worth the Risk Search for 'free VPN' in the Google Play Store or App Store, and you'll see hundreds of glowing results. But behind the stars and downloads are apps that often do more harm than good. Most free VPNs lack essential protections, bombard you with ads, or worse, sell your data to the very trackers you're trying to avoid. Real Problems We Found in Testing We downloaded and tested a dozen of the most popular free VPN apps on Android and iOS. Here's what we uncovered: Excessive app permissions , including access to contacts, messages, and even GPS. , including access to contacts, messages, and even GPS. Frequent DNS and IP leaks , meaning your activity wasn't hidden at all. , meaning your activity wasn't hidden at all. Unstable connections , including fake 'connected' statuses with zero encryption. , including fake 'connected' statuses with zero encryption. Rerouted traffic through questionable server locations. through questionable server locations. Ad overload, with constant interruptions that made the apps borderline unusable. Some apps also buried dangerous policies in the fine print, including clauses allowing them to 'share anonymized data with partners,' which basically means selling your activity to advertisers. Is There a Safe Free Option? Proton VPN is the only free mobile VPN we'd cautiously recommend. It's backed by a solid reputation, developed by the same folks behind ProtonMail, and is one of the few free VPNs that's both open-source and independently audited. Even better, it offers unlimited bandwidth with no hidden caps, which already puts it above most competitors in the free tier. That said, the free version comes with a fair number of limitations. You only get access to servers in five countries (the US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland), and there's no ability to choose specific cities or regions. If you're trying to spoof a particular location or work around regional content filters, this can be a dealbreaker. Streaming and torrenting are also off the table. Free users don't get access to Proton VPN's streaming-optimized servers or P2P-friendly locations, so services like Netflix or BBC iPlayer typically won't work. If that's something you're interested in, we recommend reading our comparison of the best free VPNs for accessing BBC iPlayer. Add to that the lack of features like split tunneling, and you're left with a VPN that's more functional than flexible. Proton VPN's free tier is great for basic browsing, messaging, or quick privacy protection on public Wi-Fi, especially when you just need a secure tunnel on the go. But if you're after smooth streaming, low-latency gaming, or reliable geo-unblocking, it's not going to cut it. Why a Paid Mobile VPN Is Worth It A premium VPN like NordVPN changes the game. You get: Full access to thousands of servers (including mobile-optimized ones). High-speed connections with NordLynx , which works flawlessly on mobile data. , which works flawlessly on mobile data. Threat Protection and auto-connect to protect you on the go. Zero sketchy permissions and a real no-logs policy, audited and verified. For just a few bucks a month, it's the difference between browsing with confidence…or gambling with your data. Try NordVPN risk-free today Frequently Asked Questions Before we wrap up, here are a few questions we kept getting during testing mobile VPN services, ones that go beyond the usual basics. Can a VPN drain the battery of my mobile phone? Yes, but it depends on the VPN. Some poorly optimized apps can eat up battery fast, especially if they constantly drop and reconnect. The good ones, like NordVPN (with NordLynx) and ExpressVPN (with Lightway), are built for mobile efficiency. In our tests, the battery hit was minimal, and auto-connect features helped avoid unnecessary background activity. Is it safe to leave a VPN on all the time on my phone? Absolutely. In fact, it's recommended, especially if you hop between mobile data and public Wi-Fi. Just make sure your VPN has a kill switch or 'auto-reconnect' feature to prevent exposure during network changes. NordVPN and PIA both support this, and they kick in fast when needed. What's the difference between a VPN app and a VPN built into Android or iOS? Built-in VPN settings on Android/iOS let you connect manually using protocols like IKEv2 or OpenVPN, but they lack features. A dedicated app like NordVPN or ExpressVPN handles everything for you: auto-updates, kill switches, server switching, and encryption tweaks. Unless you love tinkering with configs, apps are the way to go. Feel free to check out our ranking of the most effective VPNs on Android if needed. Can I use a mobile VPN for gaming? Yes, but expect some trade-offs. A mobile VPN can help you access region-locked games or early app launches, but latency may increase slightly. That said, with protocols like NordLynx or Lightway, the difference was barely noticeable in casual multiplayer games. Do mobile VPNs protect against app tracking? Partially. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic, but apps can still track you via other methods, like device IDs or app permissions. For more complete protection, pair your mobile VPN with privacy-friendly app settings and use tracker blockers like DuckDuckGo App Protection or NordVPN's Threat Protection.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
NordVPN review 2025: The best VPN on the market
Price NordVPN isn't the cheapest VPN out there, but it's far from the most expensive. It's about £1 more per month than Surfshark, but cheaper than ExpressVPN – and for what you're getting, we'd say it's worth it. The features, security and the fact you can now connect up to 10 devices make it one of the best VPNs. Plus, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if it's not for you, you can cancel within a month for a full refund. No strings attached. A word of advice: if you go for a two-year plan, set a reminder to cancel it before it renews. Once the initial two years are up, you'll be charged a steep fee for another two years. Prices do fluctuate due to various promotions. NordVPN offers three subscription tiers – basic, plus and ultimate – so you can pick the plan that suits your needs (and budget). The company also offers a dedicated IP address – a service that's ideal for corporate users. It costs an additional £3.19 per month, but like the subscriptions – the price fluctuates. Here's a quick breakdown of the subscription prices: NordVPN basic This is the most affordable option and gives you access to the core VPN features. At the time of writing, the cheapest plan is the two-year subscription, which costs £62.16 upfront (about £2.59 per month). If you sign up for the one-year basic plan, you'll pay £45.48. That works out to around £3.79 a month. If you just want to pay on a monthly basis, it will cost you £10.09 a month. NordVPN plus If you want a bit more than the basics, the plus tier adds handy extras, such as threat protection pro (which blocks malware, trackers and ads) and a password manager. Right now, a one-month plan will set you back £10.79 per month; a one-year plan costs £55.08 (which works out to £4.59 per month), and a two-year plan costs £81.36 (which works out to £3.39 per month). NordVPN ultimate NordVPN ultimate is the full VPN and cybersecurity suite. As well as the VPN, threat protection pro and password manager, you also get 1TB of secure cloud storage, as well as cyber insurance. That means if you get scammed online or defrauded while doing some online shopping, you could be covered up to £5,000. At the time of writing, a one-month subscription costs £12.79 per month, a one-year subscription costs £77.87, which works out to £6.49 per month, and a two-year subscription costs £126.96, which works out to be £5.29 per month. Privacy and features NordVPN has all the security features you'd expect from a good VPN provider. It uses RAM-based servers, meaning that data isn't stored on hard drives, and information is wiped with every server reboot, giving us confidence that data can't be saved or recovered. It also uses AES-256-bit encryption, a gold-standard encryption method used by militaries and banks. It also supports connections over NordLynx – the company's own WireGuard-based protocol – as well as OpenVPN. These are essentially two high-security protocols for establishing a secure, encrypted tunnel between the NordVPN client and the server of your choice. By default, NordVPN uses its NordLynx protocol, but you can change this in the settings – it's lightning fast, so we didn't really need to go swapping protocols. You can also install the VPN on your router. In January 2025, NordVPN introduced a new protocol called NordWhisper, NordWhisper, specifically designed to help users bypass internet censorship and VPN blocks. It works by disguising VPN traffic to look like regular HTTPS web traffic, something good for those in countries like China or Iran. On top of that, there's a nifty in-built kill switch that is turned on by default. This blocks your device from accessing the internet if your connection drops, acting as the final line of defence so that your data is never exposed. The split tunnelling feature is also there, letting you exclude certain websites from being routed through the VPN – good for banking. But while those features are pretty standard nowadays, NordVPN is packed with a whole bunch of more advanced features that give it an edge over its competitors. We really like the double VPN feature, which essentially passes your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one. It adds an extra layer of security and privacy by encrypting your data twice, making it even harder for anyone to trace your online activity. It's particularly useful for people handling sensitive information or those in countries with strict internet censorship because you get an added safeguard against surveillance or data interception. And if you want to increase security further, NordVPN also lets you route your internet activity through a VPN server and then through the Onion network. With this feature, you're able to access the Onion network without having to use The Onion Router (Tor). If you don't know what Onion is, you've most likely heard of it in the context of the dark web, facilitating illegal activity. But the Tor browser was also what Edward Snowdon used to leak NSA documents, and he recommended everyone use the Tor browser to maintain their anonymity. There are dedicated servers for P2P torrenting – something that many VPN providers don't include in their subscription packages. When we tried it out, we got the exact same download speeds as other non-dedicated servers. One really underrated feature which ExpressVPN and others haven't added is a pause function. If you're as forgetful as us, chances are you've left your VPN on at some point and then got confused when you started seeing different Google Search results, finding yourself on Amazon's German site. But with NordVPN's feature, we were able to pause the VPN for up to an hour and then have it turn back on once we'd finished doing some online shopping. NordVPN also introduced a really neat Meshnet feature in 2023, letting us create our own private network over the internet, particularly useful if you want to share files with a select number of people remotely, or for gamers looking to play online together in a private network. Those are the features of the basic NordVPN service, but if you opt for the plus or ultimate plan, you'll get a bunch of cybersecurity features. They're not all useful, as you can get a lot of it from free plug-ins and browser extensions, but it's nice to have the option. The threat protection pro feature blocks malicious websites and trackers but also scans downloaded files for malware and checks your apps for security weaknesses. Again, a lot of free antivirus services can do this job, but it's nice having it all in one single place. You also get a dark web monitor, which constantly scans the shady underbelly of the internet to see if your email address, username or password has been leaked. If there's a match, it'll warn you to change your credentials. Very handy. The password manager is also nice to have, especially if you don't want to pay for a VPN and another service like 1Password. The ultimate tier is really only good for business users – the added benefit is cyber insurance and 1TB of cloud storage. Logging If you're concerned about how private your internet traffic is, we wouldn't worry too much. NordVPN was the first major provider to put itself under the microscope with an independent no-logs audit. Its first audit took place in 2018, and it's conducted four more audits since. In 2018, PricewaterhouseCoopers found that NordVPN took no logs of your connection data or your usage data. Incoming and outgoing IP addresses, connection data, choice of VPN server, as well as the websites customers visited and files downloaded, were all kept private. In 2020, the firm conducted a second audit, reaffirming NordVPN's no-logs claims and confirming that no user activity or connection data was being stored. NordVPN switched to Deloitte for its subsequent audits of its no-logs claims. In 2022, Deloitte interviewed NordVPN employees and inspected the VPN's server configurations and technical logs, confirming that NordVPN did not store any user activity data. In late 2023, Deloitte conducted another independent audit of NordVPN's IT systems and supporting infrastructure, including its obfuscated servers, double VPN service, Tor and P2P servers. Again, the auditing firm found no evidence of it logging any user data. The most recent audit in late 2024 looked at NordVPN's latest infrastructure, including features added since the previous review. Again, it found no evidence of any user tracking or logging. Performance and speed The desktop application isn't the most visually appealing thing we've seen, nor the most straightforward. The map on the right can get a bit confusing to navigate and takes up a huge amount of screen real estate compared to the country list on the left. We found ExpressVPN's user interface far simpler to navigate, especially for beginner users. That said, there are some features and interface choices that we really liked. The pause button is really easy to get to, you can easily search for servers in the menu bar (just searching double VPN brings it up), and things like the kill switch are already set up, so you don't need to fuss. We also really like the sidebar – it's easy to navigate to the threat protection feature, set up email addresses to be monitored on the Dark Web, and view our usage statistics. You don't have to get stuck in the weeds with the advanced settings unless you really want to – it's all tucked away in the settings. The main interface is straightforward and user-friendly, making it ideal for everyday use. Mac users get handy server presets for things like speed, downloads and browsing. You can even create your own custom presets tailored to specific needs, choosing settings like your preferred protocol, server and more. That said, split tunnelling is only available on Windows, leaving macOS users out of luck. Even on Windows, it's not flawless – we ran into a few issues while streaming, where certain services still thought we were connected to the VPN despite white-listing them in NordVPN's settings. It's a bit of a letdown for an otherwise polished experience. Speaking of speed, how fast is NordVPN? Lightning fast, and the speediest out of all the VPNs we've tested. We ran the 'quick connect' UK server through a speed test and found that on our 67 Mbps broadband connection, our download speed only dropped by four per cent. Connecting to the US server was only about nine per cent slower. That's still pretty darn snappy. iOS and Android apps As with many VPNs, the Android app is more feature-rich than the iOS app, even though they look nearly identical. Both feature the same map-based interface, with a server list at the bottom for easier navigation. While the design feels more suited to desktop devices than mobile, it still works well enough and offers most of the same features alongside the same fast speeds. That said, the Android app has a couple of key advantages. It supports split tunnelling, letting you choose which apps use the VPN and which bypass it – something iOS doesn't offer, mainly due to Apple's restrictions. The Android app also provides more granular control, such as the ability to set custom DNS servers and access obfuscated servers, features that aren't available on iOS. That said, they both deliver a really good level of performance, speed and reliability, on both Android and iOS. NordVPN for streaming If you're travelling abroad and want to stream your favourite shows or catch up on sports from back home in the UK, a VPN can make that possible. While it isn't technically illegal to use a VPN to stream geo-restricted content on platforms like Netflix or BBC iPlayer, it does violate most streaming services' terms of service, so proceed with caution. That said, if you're struggling to access content on BBC iPlayer, Sky Sports, or even Netflix, NordVPN is a fantastic choice. Thanks to its obfuscated servers, NordVPN effectively masks your VPN usage, making it appear as though you're browsing normally. In our tests, streaming platforms never detected that we were using a VPN, and we could watch all our favourite shows and live sports while connected to UK servers without interruption. We tried NordVPN on a few different devices and with various different streaming services and it performed admirably. We were able to watch ITVX, Channel 4, Sky Go and Prime Video without any issues on our iPhone, Mac and Windows laptop. Speeds were still fast, without any annoying buffering. Overall, streaming worked like a charm, and we didn't have to jump servers trying to find one that would work with our streaming service of choice. Speeds were decent too – we didn't experience any issues with buffering on our various devices. Support NordVPN has 24-hour live chat support, which can be accessed through the provider's website. There was no live chat in the mobile app, but we were able to send a message through the contact us button located inside the app settings. NordVPN's support staff were extremely responsive. It took us just 10 seconds to be connected to a human agent, and you can ask to speak to a person at any point during your conversation with the chatbot. That said, we probably didn't even need the agent's help – the chatbot is surprisingly thorough, answering almost every question we threw at it. Chances are, you'll figure out what you need just by talking to the bot.
