Security features you can trust

The only VPN features that are always on are VPN encryption and changing your IP address. Both of them are fundamental to how VPNs work — rerouting your online traffic through a secure VPN tunnel will encrypt the data and make it appear as though you’re connecting from your VPN server’s location.

However, it is possible to make nearly every NordVPN feature activate automatically when you launch the app, including Threat Protection Pro™ and Kill Switch. All you need to do is toggle these features in the NordVPN app settings.

Yes, it is worth having a VPN — even if you are only a casual internet user. People are more vulnerable to cyber threats than they think. A VPN provides an extra layer of security and privacy that’s indispensable when you’re on public Wi-Fi, browsing websites without HTTPS, or using unsecure apps.

Any NordVPN review acknowledges that having a VPN is a must if you want to protect your digital life.

VPN is a must-have tool for organizations. VPN business solutions protect your remote team, secure your network from cyber threats, and enable your employees to access anything on the web. Learn more about our business VPN.

Yes, using a VPN has several minor disadvantages, such as:

• Slower internet speed. Because VPNs have to encrypt and reroute your online traffic, they can add additional latency to your connection. This slowdown is most pronounced with shady or free VPNs — you’d hardly notice the difference with reputable VPN services.

• Blocked LAN resources. With some VPN setups, the protected device will be shielded from others on your local network — including printers and other LAN resources. Once again, this problem is most prevalent on free VPNs because reputable paid VPN services usually allow for split tunneling.

• Inability to access local content. When you change your virtual location with a VPN, any website you visit will treat your VPN server’s location as your own. This may let you access local versions of foreign websites, but prevent you from seeing your own home content. You can avoid this issue by using split tunneling on different browsers, leaving one VPN-free to always have access to your home services.

In the grand scheme of things, VPN benefits outweigh the possible disadvantages by a mile. Make sure to choose an established VPN brand with a no-logs policy to get all the VPN advantages without suffering any drawbacks.