• Retailers are using more aggressive means of marketing
• Late night marketing and emails loaded with trackers are now the norm
• Tracking pixels and links monitor online activity without user knowledge

During the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, the top 50 retailers in the US sent close to 42 billion marketing emails to customers.

These stats come from Proton, one of the best secure email providers. The 'Spam Watch: The U.S. Inbox Overload + Hidden Tracker Report' examined emails sent from Tuesday, November 4, through Monday, December 1.

The report found that during this window, almost 80% of brands included a secretive tracking pixel or link in every single email during this period, and the Black Friday & Cyber Monday weekend saw 10 billion emails delivered into inboxes across the US.

Brands battling for attention

When it comes to the awards for the spammiest senders, home decor brand CB2 averaged 2.11 emails per day with 13 trackers in each email, Macy's managed to send seven emails in a single 24 hour period, and J. Crew sent three emails that each included a whopping 40 trackers.

Brands also disregarded the non-invasive marketing strategies and began sending emails late at night and even in the early morning. Banana Republic sent an email at 12:39 AM on Black Friday morning, and Macy’s sent seven emails between 10:58 PM and 12:16 AM on Saturday.

As for the trackers themselves, retailers often include a tiny invisible image within the email that can automatically capture the user’s location and device type. These trackers are used to build a user profile which retailers can use to bombard potential customers with aggressively targeted marketing campaigns.

"The Spam Watch findings confirm a harsh reality: the inbox has become a high‑volume, high‑noise channel where brands battle for attention while silently gathering data on every open. This is not accidental – it is an engineered assault on your attention and your privacy," said Anant Vijay Singh, Head of Product at Proton Mail.

"At Proton, we believe you shouldn't have to sacrifice your data just to shop online. We built Proton Mail to break this cycle, giving users the power to reclaim their digital freedom and block the silent stalkers that have taken over their lives."

Wix has returned with an impressive new discount for new customers. Right now, you can save 50% on the Core, Business, and Business Elite plans — but it won’t be available for long.

With Wix rarely offering discounts of this size, now is a great time to lock in savings on our top-rated website builder.

Wix offers a full AI website builder, drag-and-drop editor, built in marketing features, and a bunch of business tools, including ecommerce and bookings functionality — making it an excellent choice for small businesses looking to launch a new website in 2026.

Wix previously offered a similar discount before the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, only to drop the deal once Black Friday finally arrived. Now it is back, but will only be live until Thursday at 07:00 GMT.

Existing customers can save too

Wix isn’t just targeting new customers. When I logged into my Wix account this morning, I noticed another offer that is open to existing customers as well — but not for long.

Right now you can also lock in 50% off by extending your subscription to a 2- or 3-year plan. This is a great opportunity for those who already have a website built on Wix to save some extra cash on their subscription.

But hurry, Wix is advertising this deal as only available until 11th December at 08:00GMT.

Want to learn more about Wix? Read our full Wix review.

• Australia's under-16s social media ban starts today (December 10)
• Ten social media platforms fall under the scope of the law
• Using a VPN is unlikely to help children bypass the restrictions

Australian teens are being locked out of popular social media apps. Starting today (December 10, 2025), the country has officially launched its long-awaited under-16s social media ban.

Platforms including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are required to take "reasonable steps" to prevent people under the age of 16 from using their services. Fines for non-compliance can reach $49.5 million AUD (approximately $32 million USD).

The move has been praised by child advocates and enjoys broad public support, but it has divided technologists and privacy experts who fear for citizens' privacy and security.

As seen in other countries with age verification measures, Australian officials are aware that some users will try to circumvent the ban using VPN, but it's unclear if the best VPNs could help people bypass the rules in any case.

That doesn't mean that people won't try. Google Trends data already shows a slight uptick in the search volume for the term "VPN" in the hours leading up to the ban.

How social media providers are complying with the new rules

As per the eSafety Commissioner directive, ten platforms are currently required to implement the ban for under-16s ban: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube.

Teens can currently continue to use apps deemed lower risk, including WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox, and Pinterest. However, the regulator notes it "may assess new services that emerge or reassess existing ones if they evolve to the extent that their purpose changes."

Regulated platforms are required to close existing accounts held by teens and prevent under-16s from creating new ones.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, began implementing the new requirements on December 4, although Messenger is not impacted. The company is notifying accounts suspected of belonging to under-16s and offering users the chance to verify their age if they have been mistakenly impacted.

Similarly, YouTube said all users under 16 will be automatically logged out.

Reddit has also begun notifying Australian users via email with an email saying: "we disagree with the Government's assessment of Reddit as being within the scope of the law," according to the message shared by this Reddit user.

What's next?

With Australia's world-first teen social media ban now in effect, we anticipate that citizens will increasingly take matters into their own hands.

Young users are already reportedly moving towards alternative apps, with lesser-known platforms such as Coverstar, Lemon8, and Rednote becoming popular, according to the Guardian.

VPN searches are likely to increase further as the day progresses, providing a better idea of whether the technology and other circumvention tools can actually bypass the restrictions.

Details regarding platform-specific age verification methods will also become clearer in the coming hours as the 10 platforms within the scope of the law implement changes to comply.

TechRadar will continue to monitor events as they unfold. And we certainly won't be alone – politicians from around the world are watching closely, with the likes of Malaysia and the EU already considering similar laws/

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• NordVPN launched a tool to scan email links for threats in real time
• It expands on the Threat Protection Pro suite on macOS and Windows
• It visually warns users of phishing, malware, and scams

NordVPN is bolstering its security offering with the launch of a new email protection feature, designed to shield users from the ever-growing threat of phishing attacks and malware delivered straight to their inboxes. The tool, which expands on the company's existing Threat Protection Pro suite, proactively scans and flags dangerous links within emails before a user has a chance to click on them.

This new layer of defense aims to combat scams that rely on tricking people into clicking malicious URLs. NordVPN, which TechRadar's reviewers rated as the best VPN on the market, targets the methods cybercriminals use to create a sense of urgency or curiosity, which can prompt users to bypass their usual caution. "A single click may direct users to fraudulent websites that steal credentials or install malware," said Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN.

The feature is a welcome addition for anyone using the provider’s advanced security package on macOS and Windows. It works directly within your web browser, integrating seamlessly into your existing workflow to provide real-time protection without requiring any extra steps from the user. According to the company, this proactive approach is key to staying ahead of cyber threats.

How NordVPN's email protection works

NordVPN's email protection activates the moment an email is opened in a supported web browser. It immediately scans every visible link and checks its destination against a constantly updated database of known malicious websites.

If a link is determined to be unsafe, whether it leads to a phishing page, malware-hosting site, or another type of scam, the feature provides an immediate visual warning. A red shield icon appears next to the suspicious link, and hovering over it reveals a short message explaining the potential threat. A banner will also appear at the top of the email, summarizing all detected threats within the message.

"Email protection activates before malicious link threats can strike and cause damage," explained Virbickas. "It’s a proactive layer of defense that helps reduce the success rate of phishing campaigns and other online threats targeting users through email." This functionality adds to NordVPN’s already robust security toolkit, which has previously earned certifications for its effectiveness in blocking phishing.

A focus on user privacy

Despite its deep-scanning capabilities, NordVPN emphasizes that the feature was built with privacy at its core. The tool is designed to analyze only the links themselves, not the email content, ensuring that users' private conversations remain confidential. It does not require full access to a user’s email account; instead, it protects the fly as emails are opened.

Whenever possible, the scanning process is handled locally on the user's device. For reputation checks that require server-side analysis, only minimal metadata, the link itself, is sent to NordVPN’s systems. This privacy-first approach ensures that risk assessment is both fast and secure.

Furthermore, users remain in complete control. The email protection feature can be enabled or disabled at any time through the Threat Protection Pro settings menu.

This release follows other recent security enhancements to the company's Threat Protection Pro suite, including tools to block spam calls and protect against session hijacking vulnerabilities.

• UK hardware sales data is in for the Black Friday period
• PS5 consoles surged, accounting for 62% of the market share
• Switch 2 was also successful, though Xbox consoles lagged behind

There was much appetite for games console sales over last month's Black Friday sales event. And we now have some data from UK consumers to check out.

Hardware sales data from market research firm NielsenIQ (as reported by The Game Business) console sales in the UK were up 7% in units, and 14% in total revenue.

The PlayStation 5 family of consoles unsurprisingly drove the lion's share of console sales over the Black Friday period, accounting for a staggering 62% share. This is in no small part due to the shockingly large discounts Sony applied to its consoles, with an average £340 sale price.

On average, Sony shaved around 21% off PS5 Slim consoles with the disc drive included, and around 34% off the PS5 Slim Digital Edition. The PS5 Pro also dropped to a new low of £586 - over £100 cheaper than its retail price of £699.99.

Nintendo had a decent showing, too, with the Switch 2 console. It accounted for around 23% of hardware unit sales. Discounts on Nintendo's system were nowhere near as aggressive as Sony's, but shoppers still managed to save on consoles and bundles with an average £405 selling price.

Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles lagged behind the competition, accounting for around 10% of hardware sales over the Black Friday period. A lack of appetite for Microsoft's consoles after such harsh price rises is likely the main offender, but there were savings to be had; shoppers spent £385 on Xbox consoles on average, showing that the cheaper Series S was likely more popular over the sales period.

Upgrading your Wix website just got more affordable with up to 50% off some of the platform’s top apps.

From advanced SEO tools to apps for improved security, Wix’s App Market offers over 800 apps that can help you increase the functionality of your website. If what you need isn’t built into the website builder, chances are there is an app that can help.

So, now is a great time to invest in your website, helping you get ready for a successful 2026.

Why upgrade now?

With the festive shopping season far from over and the new year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to make some much-needed upgrades to your website.

For example, you could turn visits into follows with the Instagram Follow Us widget, double down on security with Blockify, or increase your average order value with the Upsell.com app.

This is exactly why I decided to buy today.

I’ve been using the free version of the Wix Google Reviews Pro widget on my site for over a year. It’s a great way to highlight other customers’ experiences and quickly build trust. But I’ve also had a bunch of reviews that don’t show on my current plan, so I decided to take the opportunity.

Want to learn more about Wix? Read our full Wix review.

Unlike many other website builders, Squarespace isn’t known for offering year-round deals. But right now, you can save a generous 20% on its website builder plans.

I first used Squarespace back in 2019, and still use it today. Although it offers great value for money, it is rare to find a discount as large as 20% off.

When you pick Squarespace, you aren’t just getting a basic website builder. You get an all-in-one platform that will help you create a perfectly designed site and offer you some helpful business and marketing tools for running and growing your business - and right now you can get all of that for 20% less.

So, if you’ve been considering Squarespace, now is a great time to buy.

Squarespace savings

Squarespace ranks in our list of the best website builders as ‘best for design’. This is thanks to its stunning templates, design-focused AI website builder, and a host of advanced design tools.

However, Squarespace also stands up to the likes of Wix when it comes to tools and features. With Squarespace, you get access to ecommerce features, email, SEO, and social media tools, an appointment scheduling platform, advanced analytics, and more.

Not sure if Squarespace is for you? Check out our Squarespace review to learn more.

There isn’t a lot you can get for $1 in today’s economy. But, right now, you can subscribe to IONOS' ‘Plus’ website builder plan for just $1/mo - for a limited time.

That’s just $1/mo to finally launch that new business idea or drop your old, outdated website platform for one of the top website builders.

Other discounts are available on IONOS’ other plans including the Starter plan for just $16/mo $6/mo and the Pro plan for $30/mo $17/mo - although neither stand up to the impressive discount on the Plus plan.

More for less

The Plus plan is IONOS' mid-level website builder plan that comes with a bunch of helpful extras when compared to the entry level plan.

This includes a range of AI-powered tools, including a page generator, text tools, image generator, SEO tool, and image recognition.

You also get Site Analytics and an integrated online booking tool, making it ideal for small businesses that want to promote and manage their business from one platform.

Cyber Monday, the biggest tech deals day of the year is here, - and pCloud is just one of the best cloud storage providers out offering a great sale this Black Friday.

There are a few pCloud offerings, but the one we're most excited about is the 3in1 bundle - which gives you 5TB of storage, as well as Encryption, and Pass Premium - all for 62% off.

These plans are for a lifetime of storage with a one-time payment, which could be helpful with anyone who's sick of subscriptions (so. probably most of us).

In our review of pCloud's storage plan, we particularly enjoyed the extensive features, particularly around security - with a TLS/SSL encrypted channel for file transfer and two-factor authentication. That being said, it doesn't feature end-to-end encryption, so if you hold particularly sensitive data, we'd recommend a different service.

There are other plans on offer at the moment too - with the 1TB storage plan down 54% to just $199, the 2TB down 53% to $279, and best of all, the 10TB lifetime plan is down 68% from $1890 to just $799.

Today's top Cloud Storage deals

Also consider: More Cloud Storage

• Missouri's age verification rules affect more than adult-only sites
• Mandatory age verification landed on November 30, 2025
• Experts have been criticizing the law for its "vague" terms

Mandatory age verification landed in Missouri on Sunday, November 30, and some reports suggest that more websites may be impacted than previously thought.

Missouri's age verification law requires websites and apps to verify that users are at least 18 years old if 33% or more of their content is deemed "harmful" to minors. The law defines "harmful" content as sexually explicit material that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors

Experts speaking to TechRadar warn that these definitions are still too vague, creating a real risk of "mission creep." And, according to some Reddit users, these concerns are not merely theoretical – they are already playing out.

One person cited an online lingerie store requiring age checks for certain photos as proof of the problem, saying: "Looks like it’s chilling speech to me."

As of Monday, December 1, online sports betting is also legal in Missouri, requiring websites to verify that gamblers are at least 21. However, the state’s new age verification law makes no reference to age-gating this type of content, which could create confusion among providers.

Here at TechRadar, we have tried to verify which websites have already been impacted by the new rules by connecting to a virtual private network (VPN), but obtained mixed results so far. This suggests that the new requirements may still be rolling out.

"A sweeping surveillance and censorship regime"

"Missouri’s age-verification mandate imposes a sweeping surveillance and censorship regime that will lock millions of adults and young people out of vibrant and lawful online spaces," activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Molly Buckley, told TechRadar.

Buckley is especially critical of the law's "vague standard" and "harsh penalties," noting that providers can face fines of up to $10,000 a day for non-compliance. She explains that these risks could "push platforms to over-censor important content, flee the state entirely, or ban young people outright in order to avoid risk of liability."

Her concerns appear well-founded. Beyond the user reports surfacing on Reddit, Aylo – the parent company of many of the biggest adult sites – has officially blocked access to everyone in Missouri. The company stated it has taken this step in Missouri and several other states that have implemented similar laws to avoid jeopardizing user data privacy and security.

To access adult-only content, users must prove their age and identity. They can do this by scanning a government-issued ID, providing other transactional data, or using a digital ID.

Yet, according to Buckley and other experts who talked to TechRadar, forcing everyone to hand over their most valuable and sensitive identity data could lead to privacy abuse or data leaks.

"Lawmakers should focus on real solutions for all, like strong privacy protections and limits on data brokers, not broad censorship and surveillance mandates like this one," said Buckley.

How a VPN can help

If you are concerned about sharing sensitive details or want to bypass website blocks, you might consider a VPN. This tool encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, allowing you to sidestep geo-restrictions.

Many Missourians are already taking action: searches for VPNs have quadrupled since the new rules took effect. However, be cautious – shady companies are exploiting this surge. A search for "Missouri VPN" already reveals top results from providers our expert reviewers have never heard of.

And, while there are a handful of free VPNs that are secure and reliable, they all come with limitations. If you can, now it's the perfect time to get one of the best VPN services on the market, as they have all slashed their prices during Black Friday and are still discounted thanks to some great Cyber Monday VPN deals.

This includes TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN, which is now offering an even better exclusive Cyber Monday discount for TechRadar readers only. Here are all the details:

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

In July 2025, I decided to move one of my personal websites from Wix to Hostinger, calculating that it would save me over $160/year for the first four years, and around $60/year after that.

With over 85% off with its Cyber Monday website builder deal, if I moved now, I’d have saved even more.

Hostinger is well known for its generous Cyber Monday offers - and right now, you can get up to 85% off your subscription. But if you’re willing to commit to a 4-year plan, I’ve found a way to save you even more.

Exclusive deal: What you need to know

This deal stack will only be available during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period. Our exclusive 15% discount can only be applied to 4-year plans, meaning you can lock in the deal price for that time period.

If you’re looking for a shorter-term subscription, you can save 10% with code TECHRADAR.

Bear in mind that your monthly cost will take a fair jump once the promotional period is over, but still offers good value for money.

Why pick Hostinger?

I switched my simple, personal website from Wix to Hostinger five months ago, and I’m glad I did.

Although I still use Wix for some more complex websites, it just didn’t make sense to pay Wix’s premium price tag without taking advantage of all its advanced features. But I wouldn’t have moved my site just anywhere - I trust Hostinger to offer a premium service with a reasonable price tag.

Except, right now, the price tag isn’t reasonable - it’s unbelievably low.

For a lot of folks, the holiday season means deals, shopping, and psyching yourself up to wrap a mountain of presents. For me, it also means settling in to all of my favorite wintery movies and shows on Netflix – and it's why a VPN is so useful for any Netflix subscriber.

If, like me, you find yourself traveling a lot over the holidays, you might already know that the shows, movies, and sports you'd usually enjoy back home can become inaccessible as soon as you leave the country. It's a major frustration, but VPN geo-spoofing can help. Just connect to a VPN server in your home city and continue your Peaky Blinders marathon like you never left.

That being said, not all Netflix VPNs are equally effective – some are better at accessing the site than others. Pair that with some seriously awesome Cyber Monday VPN deals, and there are clear winners. Keep reading to see which VPNs I recommend combining with your Netflix subscription.

What makes a good Netflix VPN?

As with most things in life, not all Netflix VPNs are made equal – and even our top-rated picks will have trouble accessing the service, or specific libraries, from time to time.

You get what you pay for, however, which is why we recommend sticking to premium providers with the resources to invest in maintaining regular access to Netflix. This is also why free VPNs tend to be pretty poor picks for streaming (not to mention the monthly data caps and limited server selection).

If you’re weighing up your options, there are two key factors to keep in mind: speed and servers.

Speed is a big one. Nobody wants a slow VPN that’s going to turn an otherwise crystal-clear HD binging sesh into a pixellated mess. Luckily, Netflix has shared guidelines on the minimum speeds needed to achieve a quality experience.

The site recommends 10 Mbps for HD streaming and 25 Mbps for 4k and Ultra HD. Our three Cyber Monday VPN deals blow these speeds out of the water.

VPN speeds

(Mbps)

NordLynx/WireGuard protocol speed

NordVPN

1256

Surfshark

1615

ExpressVPN (WireGuard)

694

05001,0001,5002,000

Mbps

NordLynx/WireGuard protocol speed Data

Product	Value (Mbps)
NordVPN	1256
Surfshark	1615
ExpressVPN (WireGuard)	694

In terms of pure performance, Surfshark is the clear winner – though NordVPN isn't far behind.

While NordVPN and Surfshark both outpace ExpressVPN, all three VPNs are more than capable of keeping up with Netflix marathons without impacting the picture quality – even if you’re in a multi-user household and are all streaming different stuff.

Servers are another big deal, because a VPN needs servers in a specific country in order to unblock its regional content. It’s why VPNs come in handy for travelers looking to tune into the same shows and movies they have access to back home.

Before picking up a plan, you’ll need to make sure that the VPN you’re considering has servers in places you’ll want to spoof your location to, as well as your home country.

In our testing, we pit VPNs against the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan Netflix libraries, seeing as they’re the most well-stocked. NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN had no trouble with any of these locations – which isn’t a surprise, seeing as they all boast global server networks.

We’re confident that any of our recommendations will be solid options for Netflix throughout the festive season and beyond. However, the Cyber Monday sales are rapidly coming to a close, so you’ll want to bag a bargain while they’re still active.

If you've been waiting for the perfect moment to secure a VPN, this is it – but you need to act fast. ExpressVPN's headline Black Friday deal ends tomorrow, December 2, meaning you have less than 24 hours to lock in its lowest-ever price.

The provider has added an extra 30% off its 2-year and 1-year plans, bringing the ExpressVPN Basic tier down to just $2.44 per month for 28 months. That's 81% less than the standard renewal rate. It's a historic low for the service and makes it cheaper than even NordVPN's Black Friday deal.

ExpressVPN’s Basic plan is the real standout. It delivers a complete security package that includes 10 simultaneous connections and integrated threat protection against ads and malware. Best of all, it unlocks the entire server network – 188 locations in total – which is the highest number we've seen in our testing.

When it comes to raw performance, ExpressVPN’s Basic plan is anything but basic. In our recent tests, it delivered some of the fastest speeds we've ever recorded. Using their proprietary Windows-only Lightway Turbo protocol, we clocked speeds of 1479 Mbps on local servers and an incredible 1374 Mbps over long distance. However, this protocol is only available on Windows, unlike the fastest protocols used by the likes of Proton VPN and Surfshark.

ExpressVPN's impressive speed performance is supported by the industry's largest server location list, with 188 different server locations. This huge variety means that you should never be stuck fighting for bandwidth on an overcrowded server.

While other services like NordVPN may offer more peripheral perks, ExpressVPN is a streamlined, high-speed engine designed for performance. If you want to see just how it performs on your own network, you can take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out completely risk-free.

You thought I was done with seasonal streaming deals? Never. Cyber Monday is here, and it's your last chance to get a Paramount+ subscription for less than a cup of coffee.

It's December, the weather is awful, and you're really not missing out by saving money on a little sweet treat. In fact, you're getting much more bang for your buck.

• See all Cyber Monday streaming deals

I'm talking the Mission: Impossible movies, Scream, Gladiator, and kid-friendly classics like the Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy. Then there's the Taylor Sheridan-verse, which is expanding by the second.

There's Yellowstone and spinoffs 1883 and 1923, but there's another Sheridan show I'd recommend over anything else: Landman. Thankfully, Landman season 2 is currently airing on the streamer, so what better time to grab this deal?

Today's best Paramount+ Cyber Monday deal

Why you need to stream Landman season 2 this Cyber Monday

Where do I even begin with this one? For fans who couldn't get on board with Yellowstone but desperately want to dip their toe in the Sheridan-verse, Landman is the perfect choice. Despite being set in West Texas, cattle ranches are swapped out for oil rigs... and from the top to the bottom of the food chain, there's drama.

This ramps up in season 2, with Cami (Demi Moore) taking over the M-Tex corporation after husband Monty (Jon Hamm) died at the end of season 1. Tommy's (Billy Bob Thornton) set to reach breaking point, largely thanks to partner Angela (Ali Larter) and kids Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) and Cooper (Jacob Lofland).

But three episodes in, and we're only just warming up. I'll honestly be surprised if Tommy doesn't completely snap at some point in the next seven episodes, given he's barely hanging on by a thread as it is. I've never been so interested in the oil business, and I doubt I ever will be in other circumstances, but you can't help but be swept up in the chaos.

Whisper it, but I think Landman season 3 could be a given, thanks to how well seasons 1-2 have (so far) performed on the streamer. Trouble is, can Tommy hold on for that long?

Shop more Cyber Monday deals in the US

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe's: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
• Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
• T-Mobile: up to $1,100 off latest iPhone 17
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor

Shop more of today's best Cyber Monday sales in the UK

• Amazon: up to 66% off tech & essentials
• AO: up to £500 off Dyson, Bosch & Hisense
• Argos: up to 50% off appliances, tech & toys
• Boots: save on 1,000s of beauty products
• Currys: deals on Ninja, Shark & Lenovo
• Dell: laptops from £279
• Dyson: up to £550 off vacuums
• EE: Switch 2 bundles from £20/month
• John Lewis: up to 50% off tech & fashion
• Lego: sets & accessories from £2.99
• Samsung: deals on appliances & phones
• Very: up to 40% off tech, toys & fashion

Black Friday is behind us but luckily there is still Cyber Monday - the top tech deals day of the year. One of the deals we've seen pop up is BackBlaze Business Backup - perfect for a team that values its data.

At TechRadar, our experts have spent thousands of hours trying out all the best cloud storage plans out there - so we're pretty confident when we say BackBlaze is the best cloud storage out there for backups.

Now, bear that in mind when you read this deal, it isn't the highest percentage saving around - but that doesn't mean it's not worth it.

The Business Backup plan will get your data covered by backup, with no restrictions on file size, type, or the number of work stations included. You also get administrative control and full restores - for anyone who has accidentally deleted anything important.

The Business plan is 13% for a two-year plan, or 8% for a one-year plan. Now, yes. It's not the biggest, flashiest discount around - but BackBlaze is a really solid cloud provider, and backup is important to a lot of users - so we'd be remiss if we didn't at least point it out as an option.

That being said, there are some big, flashy discounts going around, so check out our Black Friday cloud storage deal hub if you want something more exciting.

Today's top BackBlaze deals

Also consider: Lifetime deals

I've spent years building and hosting websites - and I've review and test the best web hosting providers. If I wanted to build a site today this is exactly what I would buy and how I would do it - including how to get the best website possible for the lowest price.

Your options

Term length

I'd go all-in and get the biggest discount on the longest plan. The difference between the 24 month plan and the 48 month plan is $50 in total. If you decided to get the shorter plan the additional two years would cost you around $250 if you wanted to renew. So, I'd just absorb the $50 now. Businesses take a lot of work to get off the ground in the first few years too. I wouldn't want to spend that time managing renewal or migration. I'd want to be focusing on my business.

Also, with our exclusive promo code TRBF15 you can save an additional 15% off at checkout on 48 month plans.

Page building

I'd use the AI website builder for WordPress, like I have before, because it makes building a beautiful and unique site super easy.

You could use the Hostinger Website Builder, that is easier to use than WordPress (I think), but you cannot move a site built on this platform to other hosts without exporting the content, which adds extra work. So, while also a good option, I would persevere with WordPress for the long term.

Domains

This plan comes with a free domain for one year but you also have the option to use your own. You don't need to be very technical to use your own - but it could be a hassle, especially when it comes to syncing it with your email. However, it does have some benefits:

• You can find a better deal buying a longer plan with one of the best domain registrars
• You can usually find a cheaper renewal price after the first year
• All your eggs are not in one basket. In a scenario where you cannot access your Hostinger account you will still have access to your website address (having access to your domain means you can recreate your site and host it elsewhere under the same name). It's unlikely, but worth a thought.

I can see the best of both worlds here. It's very, very easy just to buy the domain with Hostinger. Personally, I'd look elsewhere but I do have the experience of knowing how to do it. The savings are not that significant. So, if this makes you nervous, just get it with Hostinger.

Add-ons at checkout

Hostinger has automatically included some free add-ons:

• 2 mail boxes
• Email marketing

There is no option to remove the email boxes or email marketing at checkout but you do have the choice to use Hostinger Reach: Hostinger's AI email marketing tool. I've never used this tool and I don't do marketing for businesses, so I wouldn't want to recommend either way here. The choice is yours.

This is everything you need to start a website

You may also want to check out the best Cyber Monday web hosting deals

The Cyber Monday sales are up and running - and some of the best cloud storage plans are putting on some superb deals. Of those deals, a few stand out - and one of those - the IONOS Business plan is our top pick.

For Cyber Monday, IONOS is slashing it's Business Plan to just $1 per month for the first year. That's not all though, because the contract continues at just $7 per month - which is a 30% discount.

The plan comes with a huge 1TB of storage, with automatic cloud backup, two factor authentication, and can sync across all devices - all for up to 5 users.

If you choose HiDrive Office, you also get collaboration tools to help you work with your team in real time across docs, spreadsheets, and presentations - perfect for small teams who work closely with one another.

Cyber Monday is the perfect time for tech deals, so if you're looking for bargains, or just fancy a browse, then check out our Cyber Monday deals hub for all the latest.

Today's top IONOS deals

• Proton VPN usage keeps soaring in Spain during the weekend
• The trend coincides with anti-piracy blocks impacting Cloudflare
• Proton VPN is now discounted by 75% for Black Friday

Cloudflare's IP blocking keeps ruining weekend internet use in Spain – and LaLiga football is to blame.

This comes as internet service providers (ISPs) are increasingly under pressure to block illegal streaming of televised football games, at the request of Spanish sports streaming giants, LaLiga and Telefónica. Local ISPs have been blocking domains hosting pirated sports streams since February.

Yet, the fight against illegal football streaming has also led to many false positives with incidents of legitimate domains becoming inaccessible – a frustrating trend that the leading CDN and DNS provider, Cloudflare, hopes to fix in Court.

In the meantime, Spaniards have taken matters into their own hands. In October, Proton VPN registered a dramatic surge of 2,500% new sign-ups from the Iberian Peninsula.

"This has happened nearly every weekend in 2025, like clockwork, always starting around the same time, whenever Spanish football is televised," the VPN firm confirmed in a tweet.

That's because Proton offers one of the most secure and reliable free VPN services on the market right now, which people in Spain can use as a quick fix. Proton VPN Free does comes with limitations, though, including the lack of streaming support and server choice.

This means users need to upgrade to get the full product and be sure to bypass the restrictions they're facing.

The good news is that Proton is among the best VPN currently offering Black Friday VPN deals. Customers still have a few days left to subscribe to Proton VPN's premium plans by saving up to 75% from its usual pricing.

How a VPN can help you during internet blocks

A virtual private network (VPN) is a security software mostly known for encrypting user internet connections and boosting their online privacy and security.

There is another important component of how VPNs work, though, which is exactly what's needed to bypass these and other types of geo-restrictions online: IP-spoofing.

Every time a user connects to the VPN, their internet traffic gets rerouted via one of its international VPN servers, instantly granting them a new IP address from outside of Spain. The ISP is then tricked into thinking that the traffic comes from a completely different country or location.

As VPNs are increasingly used as a tool to bypass anti-piracy blocks, they are also becoming a target of copyright holders in Europe.

In France, for example, after a successful legal action against DNS services last year, Canal+ managed to score a legal-first victory against VPNs back in May, when the Paris Judicial Court ordered five popular VPN providers to block access to over 200 illegal sports sites.

Italy has begun going after VPNs, too, with Portugal and Belgium also exploring similar anti-piracy tactics at the time of writing.

While Spain hasn't yet extended the fight against pirated content to VPN providers, it may change in the future.

For now, at least, Proton VPN (and any other trusted VPN service for that matter) remains a crucial piece of tech to have in the bag to avoid having your weekend browsing ruined by new restrictions yet again.

A Missouri VPN will encrypt the details of your personal data, and any other internet traffic information you send and receive, while verifying your age and ID with any adult-only sites and services you use.

That means, if your information does get intercepted on the way, then it would be unreadable to third parties who had managed to get hold of it.

With age verification laws landing in Missouri on November 30, 2025, there's been an unsurprising surge in search for VPNs has followed, and that brings with it the possibility of large number of people picking up a dangerous or ineffective VPN product.

Fortunately, it's a great time to buy with plenty of Cyber Monday VPN deals still up for grabs. These are the ones we recommend for Missouri, based on availability of fast local server access and high levels of privacy.

All come with audited no-logs policies, so you can rest assured that none of them will record any of your browsing data.

Best Missouri VPN deals

Your other option is to try one of the best free VPNs for Missouri but bear in mind that you don't get it all with a free VPN. Very often it won't quite deliver all the features you need or it will limit your monthly usage.

Whatever you do, make sure you read the review of any free VPN on a trusted website before you download it. There are many fake and fraudulent VPNs on the app stores with inflated 5-star ratings to match. Stay safe, now.

• Search for 'VPN' in Missouri soars as age verification law comes into effect
• On November 30, age checks became mandatory to access adult content
• All websites containing 33% of "material harmful to minors" need to comply

The number of Missouri residents searching for VPNs has quadrupled since the introduction of state-wide age verification laws on November 30, 2025.

Trends data from the past 30 days indicates a four times increase in traffic for the search term 'VPN' from within the Show-me State.

The search initially doubled on the first day that the law was introduced. It settled at twice that on December 1 as Missourians kept scrambling to protect their personal data, with the search volume remaining at high levels on Tuesday (December 2).

The trend follows similar spikes in VPN usage recorded elsewhere in the US, and abroad, as other states implemented some form of mandatory age verification.

With so much sudden interest in VPNs, the concern now is for the increase in state-wide incidents of phishing and online fraud. Mandatory age checks can push many towards dangerous free VPN solutions, which by far and away outnumber the safe, trusted best free VPNs found on app stores.

There are even some recently published VPN solutions popping up that directly target those searching for a Missouri VPN.

In the lead-up to Sunday, a quick search for "Missouri VPN" turned up many names our team of expert VPN reviewers and lab testers had never even heard of at the top results.

If you are in the hunt for a trusted solution, there are good free VPNs that will help out. However, it's a perfect time to try out a paid product too, with many of the very best VPNs on the market still offering great Cyber Monday VPN deals for a few more days.

This includes TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN, which is still at its lowest 2025 price thanks to this exclusive Cyber Monday discount for TechRadar readers only.

Missouri age verification and privacy – all you need to know

Missouri's age verification rules are pretty similar to those enacted in other US regions. Therefore, the same set of issues for users' privacy and security remains.

Under the new rules, all websites or applications containing more than one-third "material harmful to minors" are required to verify that their users are adults before granting them access. This is a provision that experts talking to TechRadar have criticized for its "vague" terms.

There are a few age verification methods that users and providers can opt for. These include the use of digital ID, the scanning of government-issued identification documents, or other transactional data.

The law requires website and app providers to use all reasonable methods to secure user data. Providers are also forbidden from retaining any identifying information unless otherwise required by law enforcement.

Nonetheless, these are guarantees that have so far failed to convince experts that data abuse and leaks will remain at bay.

"By forcing everyone to hand over their most valuable and sensitive identity data, the law builds out a dangerous new surveillance infrastructure instead of actually keeping young people safe," activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Molly Buckley, told TechRadar.

Clearly, people in Missouri share the same concerns and are not willing to hand over their most sensitive details as easily. Virtual private network (VPN) tools seem to be the best chance they now have to keep control over their data.

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Blink and you'll miss it: Cyber Monday is drawing to a close, marking the end of another frantic Black Friday weekend. That means there are only a few hours left to pick up a Cyber Monday VPN deal.

The good news is that there's still time to bag a bargain – and shore up your digital privacy in the process!

I've been writing about VPNs for the best part of two years, and the deals we've seen this year have been record-breakers. We saw a major price drop from ExpressVPN, bonus features and tools included in plans, and plenty of opportunities to bag a few extra months of coverage, too. Suffice it to say – we were spoiled for choice.

So, which deals are my favorites, and which ones are worth grabbing before they vanish for another year?

Cyber Monday VPN deals: my expert recommendations

VPNs now do far more than just encrypt your online traffic. Surfshark's Alternative ID tool, however, takes added security functionalities to a level unseen among all the best VPNs out there.

It gives you everything: a new name, address, email address, and, for an added fee, phone number – though the latter only works properly in the US right now. You can then use this new persona to sign up for newsletters or create new accounts without risking any of your real, identifiable data. Plus, seeing as we're coming to the tail end of Cyber Monday and the big Christmas sales are fast approaching, it's a timely tool.

To get to grips with the tool, I spent a week using an alternative identity, becoming 64-year-old Brendan Lloyd Lewis, to see if it'd help me stay secure day-to-day, and frankly, I was impressed.

Creating my pension-collecting alter ego took only a few clicks, and, once complete, I could copy and paste any details I needed straight from the app. It's also been built into Surfshark's web extension too, so it can auto-fill sign-up forms for you without needing to manually copy and paste.

I took it for a spin with a few of my favorite online clothes stores, which are often known for their excessive promotional emails, and, to my shock, it worked faultlessly.

Any emails were securely forwarded to an email address of my choosing, leaving me only having to set up an automation moving anything received by my Alternative ID to a folder away from my inbox. Once done, voila, a clean inbox, all the discounts a shopaholic could dream of, and no risks of a data breach, in one fell swoop!

Annoyingly, since I'm based in the UK, I couldn't test Alternative Number during my time as Brendan. In short, any phone call to your alternative number is handled within the Surfshark app, from which you can do anything you'd normally expect you could on a standard phone call.

Alternative ID is something you'll find on no other VPN; it's that simple. While NordVPN might offer better performance overall, and Proton VPN might be a more privacy-focused alternative (which also has a killer Cyber Monday VPN deal), Surfshark offers Alternative ID on even its most basic plan. That means, right now, you can create an entirely new, secure, alternative identity for yourself for only $1.99 per month.

Surfshark Basic is 87% off for Cyber Monday, giving you 27 months of coverage for under $54 – since the $1.99 per month is paid upfront. It's the lowest price Surfshark has reached in 2025, and the perfect deal if you're after your own Alternative ID.

It's easy to get caught up in the big prices from the top names in the field but don't forget that there are some Cyber Monday VPN gems in the bargain basement too. Take a look at these $30 deals – so good, I'd recommend them to my mother.

It's hard to choose the better deal out of Norton VPN Plus and PrivadoVPN. PrivadoVPN is fast, great for streaming and lasts 27 months when you pay your $30. You also get full access to its antivirus product as part of this Black Friday VPN deal.

Norton VPN, though, well, that's a burgeoning household name in the VPN space and it brings with it its heritage of computer security. While PrivadoVPN's no-logs policy has never been audited by a third-party, of the two, I'd have to choose Norton VPN for security if my life depended on it.

$30 Cyber Monday VPN deals

The downsides of Norton VPN, though, are that you only get 12 months of VPN service for you $30, and it's not quite as good for streaming.

And then there's the wild card – FastestVPN. It has the lowest review score of the three at 3.5 stars but it's very, very hard to argue with a Black Friday VPN deal that lasts a lifetime. Yes, that $30 is a one-time payment, and then that's it. Forever. FastestVPN is yours.

Lastly, don't forget about the ever-popular Windscribe Pro which is actually a dollar cheaper at $29 for the year. It's a fun and feature-packed product and it comes with the comfort of knowing that it will renew at the same amazing price each year.

Of course, if you're happy to compromise on price over performance, then you can always take a look at the best VPNs instead. There are deals on Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark and NordVPN too – all at least double the price but, then, you do get what you pay for.

Black Friday 2025 has come and gone, but it's time for Cyber Monday instead, and with the holiday season just around the corner, plenty of shoppers are picking up techy presents (for the family or for themselves) like Amazon Fire Sticks, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. If you've recently added a Fire TV Stick to your setup, you're probably looking forward to streaming your favorite shows and live sports in 4K.

But what happens if you're traveling over the holidays, visiting family, or working abroad, and suddenly you can't access your usual streaming apps or local content?

That's where a VPN can help. By spoofing your location, a VPN lets you access geo-restricted services as if you were still at home. Even better, most of the best VPNs are offering big Cyber Monday VPN discounts, making it a great time to bag a bargain. And while VPNs might sound technical, getting one up and running on your Fire TV Stick is surprisingly easy. We'll show you how.

How to set up a VPN on Amazon Fire Stick

There are plenty of good reasons to use a VPN with your Fire TV Stick. Firstly, a VPN improves your overall digital privacy, encrypting your traffic to make it much harder for nosy third-parties to snoop on you.

Secondly, thanks to VPN geo-spoofing power, they allow you to bypass geo-restrictions when travelling, so you can stream the same content that you'd enjoy back home.

Here's how to get started with your Fire Stick VPN:

1. Create a VPN account. Start by picking a VPN provider and signing up for an account via its home page. We recommend Surfshark for Fire Stick: it's fast, has a wide server network, and is especially affordable thanks to a generous Black Friday deal.
2. Download the app on Fire Stick. Turn on your Fire Stick and open the Amazon Appstore. Search for your chosen VPN (e.g. "Surfshark") and download the app.
3. Log in to the app. Open the app once installation is complete. Enter your login credentials when prompted.
4. Connect to a VPN server. Next, you'll need to choose and connect to one of the VPNs servers – and most VPNs have options all over the world. To access your usual shows while abroad, pick a server in your home country. Surfshark also offers a "Fastest server" option for general use.
5. Start streaming. You're ready to go. Your data is now protected, and you can enjoy location-specific content no matter where you are. Let the binging begin!

Want more streaming options?

While not every VPN on the market is a viable option for streaming (especially free VPNs, seeing as they come with a whole heap of limitations), our top picks are compatible with today's most popular content platforms. Think Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hulu, and more.

Head on over to our guide to the best streaming VPNs for the full rundown, and check out the VPNs that'll ensure that your festive season isn't spoiled by pesky geo-restrictions.

• Amazon has released a Vega OS update that adds VPN support
• Users can now use a VPN on Amazon's new Fire TV Stick 4K Select
• Only NordVPN and IPVanish have already launched a Vega OS app

Amazon has finally released VPN support for its new Fire TV Stick 4K Select, more than a month after its launch.

Unlike previous Amazon streaming devices, the next-generation Fire TV Stick operates with the Linux-based Vega OS, which did not support VPN apps at launch. Until Friday (November 28), at least, when Amazon enabled it through an update.

This will certainly come as a relief for all streamers looking to boost their experience with one of the best VPN services on the market.

Not all VPN providers are ready yet, though. Since the October launch, only two services have built a new app that can run on Vega OS – NordVPN and IPVanish.

The good news doesn't end here, either. Both NordVPN and IPVanish have slashed their pricing with some great Cyber Monday VPN deals.

Why use a VPN with Amazon Fire TV Stick?

A VPN is a security tool that encrypts your internet connection and masks your real IP address, which can significantly upgrade your streaming experience.

The likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and similar platforms all apply geo-restrictions to their libraries. Yet, with a VPN, you're able to unlock foreign catalogs and keep watching all your favorite shows while traveling abroad.

Not only that, though. The VPN encryption ensures that snoopers cannot spy on your streaming habits. Plus, services like NordVPN and IPVanish both come with advanced tools to block intrusive ads and web trackers that can put your privacy at risk, while ruining your streaming marathons.

While we do rate Surfshark as the best Fire TV Stick VPN app, the company has yet to release an application compatible with Vega OS. That said, NordVPN is TechRadar's top-rated VPN overall, thanks to great performance and security.

Even better, after slashing its pricing for the Black Friday weekend, NordVPN is now offering an exclusive Cyber Monday deal reserved for TechRadar readers only. Here are all the details:

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

It's time to grab the best Cyber Monday VPN deals! The Black Friday weekend may be over, but the best deals of the season have stuck around for a few extra days to give you a final chance to pick up a bargain to secure yourself online.

We'll be here throughout the day to give you our thoughts on the best VPN deals and the features VPN shoppers should be looking for over Cyber Monday 2025.

All of the products we rate as the best VPNs are on sale right now. While NordVPN's new, exclusive deal is #1, two other compelling Black Friday VPN deals are from its biggest rivals – ExpressVPN (30% off normal pricing) and Proton VPN (30% off too).

Don't forget about Surfshark, though, which has brought its feature-heavy middle price tier, Surfshark One, down to a hard-to-ignore $2.19 per month.

And then there's the super-cheap offers from PrivadoVPN ($30 total), Windscribe ($29 total), and FastestVPN ($30 for life).

Take a look at our official Editors' Picks for the team favorites and why we rate them.

(Please note: While we're listing prices in US$, these offers are global. Your local currency will appear on the VPN provider's site.)

Do you have some news you think we should cover? Get in touch with me here.

The best Black Friday VPN deals

• NordVPN Basic: $3.09 $2.99/month + 3 months extra
• Proton VPN: $3.59 $2.49/month
• Surfshark One: $2.49 $2.19/month + 3 months extra
• ExpressVPN Basic: $3.49 $2.44/month + 4 months extra
• PrivadoVPN: $1.11/month + FREE antivirus
• FastestVPN: $30 lifetime plan + password manager
• Hide.me: $2.69 $2.07/month + 3 months extra
• CyberGhost: $2.19 $2.03/month + 4 months extra
• PIA: $2.03/month + 4 months extra
• Windscribe: $69 $29 per year
• Hotspot Shield 1-year: $7.99 $3.99/month – save 50%
• PureVPN: $2.16 $1.49/month
• Norton VPN: $6.66 $2.08/month

Editor's Choice

Our top 5 Black Friday VPN deals of 2025

Live updates

Welcome to our coverage of the best Black Friday VPN deals

I'm Sam Woodhams, TechRadar's VPN Managing Editor. I'll be working to bring you the best discounts, latest deals and advice for anyone looking to buy a VPN over the Black Friday weekend with my colleague, Rob Dunne.

Stick around and we'll bring you some of best deals that we've seen years and advice on what to look for when deciding which VPN to go with. Let's dive in...

What's the most important thing to consider when choosing a VPN deal?

You might be struggling to keep up with all the VPN deals storming the web at the moment or finding it hard to know where to start. We get that. We've spent weeks looking into all the VPN deals available this year and sometimes it can definitely be hard to work out which are genuine and which are just marketing spiel.

We also wanted to find out what our readers were really looking for when it comes to Black Friday VPN deals. So, we decided to run a survey on some of our most popular pages to find out what you care most about.

And surprise, surprise – the vast majority of you said that "a huge discount" was the most important factor. Not extra security features, or free vouchers. Just cold hard savings.

We've written up the results from the survey and highlighted the three VPN Black Friday deals with the biggest savings here.

VPN support lands on new Amazon Fire TV Stick

Amazon clearly knows how to make people buy its products, and picked Black Friday out of all days to finally release the long-awaited Vega OS update.

This means that the next-gen Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select can now support VPN apps, too. All privacy-conscious streamers out there can now heave a sigh of relief.

Be mindful when choosing your VPN pick, as only two VPN providers currently offer Vega OS VPN apps – NordVPN and IPVanish. The good news? They are both on sale right now, with NordVPN being at its lowest price in 2025. Despite not changing its pricing, IPVanish still gets you even more value this Black Friday.

We've written all you need to know about Amazon's Vega OS update and why you may want to get a Fire TV Stick VPN here.

Protecting your iPhone...like a Bond villain?

“Its iOS app gives the feel of something used by a Bond villain's secret weapon, yet it delivers over 150 locations, loads of classic VPN features, and reliable VPN protocols.”

Black Friday iPhone deals have seen even the iPhone 17 series see discounts, but that doesn’t mean that’s all you’ll need. I tested a bunch of iPhone VPNs and found the best discounts out there right now – for Bond villain wannabes and regular folk alike.

These VPNs accumulated over 1 million user reviews, which confirmed it's not just us that love them – and that's before the discounts!

You can find out more by reading about how I scoured 1 million App Store reviews to find iPhone VPNs you'll love.

Pssst! Android users, these VPNs are all superb on your phones too. Plus, most’ll give you more features than you’d get on iPhone – so make sure to check them out!

Which NordVPN deal is the best of the best this Black Friday?

“With Black Friday sales in full swing, it's no surprise that many of the best VPNs are living up to the holiday spirit, offering some of the lowest prices we've seen all year. However, some VPNs are feeling extra generous and discounting multiple plans. Chief among them is our #1 VPN overall, NordVPN.”

It’s no secret that we love NordVPN. It’s constantly ranking top in our testing, and our hands-on experiences paint a similar picture. That said, choosing a plan isn’t quite as simple. Every plan offers the same top performance, but do you need the features?

We’ve compared the two cheapest Black Friday NordVPN deals, Basic and Plus, to determine which is the better choice this year while NordVPN is at its lowest cost of 2025.

You can discover our verdict for Black Friday 2025 by reading about how I compared NordVPN Basic and Plus plans

Upgrade your next binge-watch for less

“Your new smart TV will work just fine without a VPN, but after making the investment, we think it's worth enhancing it with a VPN.”

Smart TVs are yet again among the most popular purchases this Black Friday, so why not take your viewing experience up a notch? We’ve tested your favorite VPNs with smart TVs to find the very best, and some are on sale for Black Friday.

These VPN deals all dropped just in time for the arrival of Stranger Things season 5 on Netflix, and every VPN we've recommended works perfectly with the streaming service, ensuring you're always secure.

So, if you've picked up a new Smart TV this Black Friday, these are the Black Friday VPN deals to pair it with.

FYI: If you’re thinking of, or have picked up a Samsung or LG TV, just know you won’t be able to download a VPN straight onto your TV (annoying, I know!), but you can set up your router to use the VPN instead, so you retain the same security benefits by being connected.

Until tomorrow...

We're going to continue sharing the best Black Friday VPN deals for every device, use, and need you might have over the Black Friday weekend, but for now, it's goodnight from Sam and me.

To see our full coverage of VPN deals for Black Friday, check out TechRadar's VPN coverage section. Here you'll find all the latest news, features, and, of course, deals, from your favorite providers – plus some you might not've heard of!

'til the morning, folks!

Welcome back to Black Friday weekend VPN action!

We're back for more Black Friday weekend VPN action! It might be Saturday but the deals roll on!

You're with me, Dan Sung, for the next few hours. I'll be highlighting my favorite VPN deals and the products I think you should be choose if you're looking for particular VPN features and functionality.

I'm going to start with the obvious which is the Proton Unlimited half-price deal. It's one of the biggest savings you'll find in the Black Friday VPN deals and is an excellent way to cast off the shackles of Big Tech and bring privacy to all your online software – mail, docs, calendar and, of course, the VPN too.

I've written something of a love letter to why it's the only feel-good deal on Black Friday. Have a read of that or the Proton VPN review if you need convincing – or just cut to the chase and go grab it while it lasts.

Get Proton Unlimited for $6.49 per month instead of $12.99.

VPN luxury line-up – Proton vs Prime

Speaking of Proton Unlimited, it's not the only luxury VPN package available on the market. NordVPN Prime is our best VPN's top product tier. It's less about wresting control of your docs and drives back from Big Tech but it does have some pretty fancy features all of its own.

It has a password manager (NordPass), 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage (NordLocker) and up to $1m of cyber-insurance (NordProtect) for any mishaps including identity theft, online fraud or any exposure of your personal data on the dark web. All very handy at this time of year.

Sadly NordVPN Prime is only available in the States for the time being but do take a look at our NordVPN Prime vs Proton Unlimited article if that's a decision on your desk right now.

The Black Friday $1 VPN deals

It's not all about the big players and packages, though. A VPN doesn't have to cost $6 per month and come with online security vaults and alternative IDs. If all you need is the VPN software itself, then do consider the likes of FastestVPN and PrivadoVPN both of which are flying the flag for the Black Friday VPN $1 deal.

These VPNs work out as about $1 per month over two years and they work perfectly well for protecting your online traffic, keeping your torrenting activity private and unblocking streaming services worldwide.

The PrivadoVPN Black Friday deal totals $30 for 27 months of usage with free antivirus thrown in for that whole term. In the case of FastestVPN, it's $30 for a lifetime's usage of its product.

The other $30 bargain to mention is Windscribe which is offering its Pro (paid) plan for $29 for the 12 months. Obviously the term of service isn't as long as either of the above but the company has included a clause whereby it will auto-renew at the same bargain price each time.

Go take a look.

Fake shops are a Black Friday problem – these VPN deals will help

Call it pessimism, or just a side effect of being part of the cybersecurity industry, but, to me, Black Friday is synonymous with scams.

I get excited about the deals too, don't get me wrong, but I know there are plenty of bad actors out there who get just as excited about the sheer number of people shopping online. Or should I say, the sheer number of potential targets.

We regularly see spikes in scams, fake websites, and malicious ads this time of year. They tempt people into hasty purchases and pilfer their personal and/or financial details, which the bad actor behind the scam uses for their own nefarious ends.

There's no cure-all solution for it, unfortunately, but some VPNs help. Take a look at NordVPN which has a specific fake shop detection feature as part of its Threat Protection Pro suite (available with Nord Plus, Ultimate, Complete and Prime plans).

Surfshark One is good too. Its Alerts system lets you know if any of your personal information, contact details or credit card numbers have been posted on the dark web, allowing you to take swift action if so.

Both have good Black Friday VPN deals going on right now. You'll find the details at the top of the page.

And that reminds me, I'm only halfway done with my Christmas shopping...

The feature I loved so much that I forgot I was using it!

Evening folks, or good afternoon to our US readers! Rob Dunne, TechRadar VPN Editor, here to take you through the next few hours of Black Friday VPN deals.

Kicking off, I thought I'd circle back to our top VPN overall, NordVPN, specifically NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro.

Not only did Threat Protection Pro perform the best among any VPN protection systems in our most recent ad, malware, and phishing blocking tests, but it also did such a good job during my own time with it that I simply forgot I'd even turned it on.

For over a year, my full suite of gadgets was protected by whichever variant of Threat Protection or Threat Protection Pro it could access, and not once did I find myself turning it off to troubleshoot issues.

That's why for me, a NordVPN Plus plan is one of the only Black Friday VPN deals I'll recommend. It balances great value with some of NordVPN's best features, and it's at its lowest price of 2025 right now!

If you've picked up a Fire TV Stick over Black Friday this is a must read!

"But what happens if you're traveling over the holidays, visiting family or working abroad, and suddenly you can't access your usual streaming apps or local content?"

Fire TV Sticks are always among the most bought items over the Black Friday weekend, but if you're looking to upgrade your streaming experience with a VPN, you might not know where to start.

Lucky for you, we've prepped a setup guide for anyone who picked up a Fire TV Stick in the Black Friday sales.

Fortunately, getting a VPN working with a Fire TV Stick is pretty easy, even if you've never used a VPN before, and the benefits are twofold: improved security and access to content from more places. We reckon Surfshark is the best VPN for the job – and a One plan comes in at just $2.19 a month if you pick up its Black Friday pricing.

Here's everything you need to know about how to set up a VPN on an Amazon Fire TV Stick

We pitted the two best-value Black Friday VPN deals against each other so you don't have to

“These plans aren't just the best VPNs for entry-level users. They both offer world-class VPN functionality with essential security extras, including antivirus protection and password managers.”

Our top two VPNs overall, both at their lowest price of the year – but which of our favorite plans is the better value choice right now?

We rate NordVPN’s Plus plan and Surfshark One as each provider’s best-value offering, balancing value and features so that you’re not massively overspending on things you, realistically, may never use.

So, which comes out on top with a Black Friday deal added? We’ve compared everything you get from each to establish exactly that. But, with both prices unlikely to be beaten this year, it’s a great time to buy no matter your preference.

I became a pensioner for a week by using a VPN

"Given the possibilities this feature offers, I spent a week using an alternative identity, becoming 64-year-old Brendan Lloyd Lewis, to see if it'd help me stay secure day-to-day, and frankly, I was impressed."

Ever wondered what happens when a VPN offers you the chance to create an entirely new identity in the name of your online security? Well, I've found out!

Surfshark's Alternative ID tool is a serious piece of kit and, being included in every Surfshark plan available, isn't something you need to fork out extra for to benefit from. I used Surfshark to create an alternative ID of my own, and I was shocked by the results.

No VPN offers anything remotely similar to this, especially not on the most basic plan offered. If you're interested, be quick about it! We're deep into the Black Friday weekend now, and these deals won't last forever!

The end of Black Friday VPN deals?!

It's time to wrap up another day of Black Friday VPN deals coverage from us on TechRadar. However, with Black Friday over, and the Black Friday weekend nearing its end, it's time to look at the best deals you can still get your hands on – for now!

I've found the 3 Black Friday VPN deals you need to pick up while you still can. Included are some all-time low prices, exclusive offers, and simply great deals! We can't guarantee how long you have left to pick these deals up, so if you're interested, now is the time.

Psst! If it helps, all these deals have money-back guarantees, so you needn't worry if you end up not liking the VPN you choose!

On that note, folks, it's ciao for now from me! We'll be back tomorrow with more coverage of the best VPN deals available over the Black Friday weekend.

Welcome back

Good morning all, it's Sam. I'm back to track the Black Friday VPN deals that are still available. With the weekend nearing its end, you'll need to hurry to grab a discount. The good news? There are plenty of great deals left, including heavy price reductions on our top picks.

But first, an update from Missouri. The state is officially rolling out its age verification laws today, joining a growing list of regions requiring ID checks for certain websites. We're already seeing increased search interest around VPNs in the state, and we'll continue to monitor developments throughout the day.

Be sure to read my colleague Chiara Castro's reporting on the news.

Age verification laws & Black Friday VPN deals

Missouri is far from the only state in the US that has implemented age checks online over the past few months, and this has become something we've spent a long time looking into here at TechRadar. Unsurprisingly, people are pretty concerned about handing over sensitive data to anyone online – let alone to access restricted content. So lots of people have looked to VPNs as a way of keeping their data secure.

The good news? Black Friday deals have landed right as these laws are rolling out. We have specific advice for people living in Florida and Arizona, but if you just want a great price, check out this guide for using the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to secure your data against age checks for less than $2 a month.

Daily savings

Speaking of low costs, it's worth checking out this TunnelBear Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal, too. My colleague has run the numbers and found gives you a year of access to a solid VPN for just 13 cents a day – or $47.99 upfront and pre-tax.

Here's their verdict:

"While TunnelBear doesn't rank in our top five VPNs overall, it's still a solid option if you're looking for a beginner-friendly provider that prioritizes privacy. The service is independently audited, keeps an impressively transparent privacy policy, and offers a simple, no-fuss user experience"

At such a low price, it's definitely one to check out. Read full details of the deal.

Lifetime savings

We often talk about one-year deals, but what if you want to lock in a discount for life? That's essentially what Windscribe is offering. You can get a year's protection for $29, and that price locks in for future renewals. So no nasty price hikes at the end of the term.

Here is what I wrote about the service last week:

"When we last tested Windscribe, we found that it's a great VPN for unblocking streaming services and for keeping you private online. However, we did note that its user interface can feel a little clunky compared to its rivals, and there is no 24/7 live chat support if you run into any issues."

Check out the full details of Windscribe's Black Friday VPN deal.

What about the best?

With so many deals on offer, it's tempting to choose a product solely based on price. There's no shame in that, provided it works well and keeps you protected – which all of those included here will. However, if you want the best product rather than just the biggest saving, we always recommend NordVPN. It is the best VPN app on the market, and it's heavily discounted right now.

And remember, NordVPN isn't just a VPN anymore.

NordVPN's 'Plus' plan now includes 'Threat Protection Pro.' This isn't just a marketing gimmick; it actively blocks malware, trackers, and invasive ads at the network level. When you factor in that you're getting a VPN + Antivirus + Ad-blocker in one package for less than $4 a month, it doesn't seem so much at all.

I wrote about all NordVPNs Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals last week – so take a look and find out which plan is best for you.

The search for VPNs in Missouri skyrockets

Missourians haven’t lost any time and have already begun looking for ways to protect their personal data on the first day that mandatory age checks came into effect.

Today, November 30, the deadline to comply with the Missouri age verification law is up, and all internet users must now prove they are at least 18 to access adult-only content online. Citizens seem to share privacy experts’ concerns and are turning to VPN apps in a bid to avoid handing off their most sensitive details to view content deemed harmful for minors.

With Black Friday VPN deals still live for a few more days, it’s now the best time of the year to get one of the best VPN services on the market for a fraction of the price. So, make sure not to miss the chance of big savings.

We have written all you need to know about the Missouri age verification debate and VPNs here – and our top pick of Missouri VPN deals too.

Why the Spanish love Proton VPN – but only at the weekends

For yet another weekend, Spaniards have turned to Proton VPN to keep using the internet as usual, without restrictions.

This comes as Spanish ISPs continue to block Cloudflare IPs at the request of sports streaming giants, LaLiga and Telefónica. The blocks started in February as a way to halt illegal football streaming, but have so far led to many, many overblocking incidents of legitimate domains.

While Cloudflare hopes to fix this issue in Court, people in Spain are taking matters into their hands – something that has seen Proton VPN’s new sign-ups skyrocket across the Iberian Peninsula.

While Proton offers a secure free VPN, this does have some limitations. The good news is that people in Spain (or anywhere else) are still in time to subscribe to Proton VPN’s premium plan and save up to 75% from its usual pricing. We explain everything you need to know about these events here.

EXCLUSIVE: NordVPN's lowest price of 2025, only for TechRadar readers!

Morning folks! TechRadar VPN Editor, Rob Dunne, here to kick off the Cyber Monday VPN deals train, and we're starting with a bang!

NordVPN, the best VPN we've tested, just dropped a new, exclusive deal for TechRadar readers. They've added an extra month's coverage so the effective price drops to as low as $2.88 per month for a total of 28 months of service.

We can't guarantee how long the offer will last for, so make sure to pick up a deal while you can if you're interested.

Remember, if you end up disliking NordVPN, you can always make use of its 30-day money-back guarantee!

For all the details and pricing, no matter the plan you're after, read all about our new exclusive NordVPN deal.

Make your new smart TV smarter

Are you one of the thousands of people who picked up a new smart TV over Black Friday weekend? If so, you need to consider these VPN options. They'll help you unlock global content and secure your data at the same time.

A VPN encrypts your TV's internet traffic to protect against ISP snooping, while also helping you bypass geo-blocks to watch shows and sports not currently available in your region. NordVPN is a top contender, but for a cheaper alternative, Surfshark One is our favorite budget pick.

Read River Hart's full breakdown of the best VPNs for your new smart TV.

Amazon Fire Stick VPN setup

If you've picked up an Amazon Fire Stick during the recent sales, installing a VPN is a smart move to unlock its full potential.

Setting one up is incredibly simple: just sign up for a service like Surfshark, download its dedicated app from the Amazon Appstore, and log in. Once connected to a server in your desired location, you can stream your favorite shows and sports without boundaries.

Check out our full guide for step-by-step instructions and the best VPN deals available right now.

Last chance for serious savings

Black Friday is over, and Cyber Monday is drawing to a close – so check out this ExpressVPN deal before you miss out. The sale ends strictly on December 2 at 23:59 UTC, giving you less than 24 hours to lock in the price.

ExpressVPN has slashed prices by an extra 30%, dropping the Basic tier to just $2.44 per month for 28 months. That is a massive 81% saving off the standard autorenewal rate.

We rank ExpressVPN as one of the best thanks to its robust encryption and high-speed performance. Plus, with 188 server locations, it offers wider global access than most competitors. Check out the full details before the timer runs out

Need a Netflix VPN? Grab a Cyber Monday bargain, too!

"If, like me, you find yourself traveling a lot over the holidays, you might already know that the shows, movies, and sports you'd usually enjoy back home can become inaccessible as soon as you leave the country. It's a major frustration, but VPN geo-spoofing can help."\

Evening all! River Hart, here, settling in for the final stretch of the Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday. Of course, that means the festive season is about to hit its full stride, and for me, that means making time to watch my favorite Christmas flicks on Netflix (as well as a few series I need to catch up on).

Luckily, some of our top-rated Netflix VPNs have big Cyber Monday deals that are still live – including NordVPN's TechRadar exclusive.For the full list of my picks, check out my guide to the best discounted Netflix VPNs this Cyber Monday – and rest assured that we've tested each one ourselves, in-house

Missouri's mandatory age checks impacting way more websites than expected

A day after the Missouri age verification came into force, reports are already suggesting that adult-only platforms are far from the only online services to be impacted, as an online lingerie shop is already asking users to verify their age.

This may be because, under the new rules, all websites and apps displaying at least 33% sexually explicit content must verify their users are 18 or older before granting them access.

Experts talking with TechRadar have criticized these provisions for their vague terms that, together with harsh penalties (up to $10,000 a day for non-compliance), could push online service providers to over-censor their content or flee the country altogether. The latter option is the path taken by Aylo, the company behind PornHub and other major adult-only sites.

Besides these restrictions, data privacy and security concerns still remain, with many Missourians already looking for a VPN in a bid to protect their most sensitive personal information.

If you’re among those looking to download a VPN, you should definitely look into the great Cyber Monday VPN deals to get a secure and reliable solution, for a fraction of the price – still for a few days, at least. We explain everything you need to know about the Missouri law, the risks, and how a VPN can help here.

Cyber Monday has been and gone (but the VPN deals roll on...)

So, there you have it – the end of another Cyber Monday! In terms of sheer value, 2025's sales season was pretty spectacular, with surprise price drops from the likes of ExpressVPN, an exclusive from NordVPN for TechRadar readers, and a $1-wonder from PrivadoVPN.

The good news is that, while Cyber Monday is over, most of these deals are still active – for now. If you've waited until the last minute to pick up a VPN discount, you'll be glad to learn that you can still save on some of today's best VPNs.

That brings our Black Friday and Cyber Monday to a close! Thanks for coming along with us, and be sure to keep an eye on our VPN deals hub as we head into December, because we'll be keeping a close eye on the VPN scene throughout the run-up to Christmas and New Year!

People in Missouri now need to prove they are 18 or older to access content deemed "harmful for minors" online.

Missouri's age verification law officially took effect on Sunday, November 30, 2025, and requires all websites or applications containing at least 33% "harmful" material to verify their users' age before granting them access. Failing to comply with the new rules could cost companies up to $10,000 a day in fines.

The Show-Me State is just the latest in the US to implement some form of mandatory age verification. And while some experts have described it as "a copy-paste version" of other laws in the country, Missouri is the first to include a provision on digital ID.

Under the new rules, any mobile operating systems with at least 10 million users in the country – think Apple and Google – must provide a digital identification system that websites or applications can use to check their users' age.

Both Google and Apple made some improvements to their digital ID systems in the lead-up to the November 30 deadline. Yet, this work wasn't enough to convince major websites of smooth compliance, pushing Aylo, the company behind PornHub and other popular adult-only websites, to block access to all users browsing from Missouri – no matter their age.

This means that one of the best VPN apps may remain the only way to keep accessing their sites for people in Missouri at the time of writing.

Digital ID and age verification – all you need to know

As the name suggests, a digital ID stores personal identity documents and can be used to prove who you are without sharing any physical documents.

As we've previously reported, ID management experts believe that these technologies have the potential to be a secure solution to age verification. But only if they are well-implemented.

That's because, if properly built, digital ID wallets would enable users to prove they are adults without revealing any of their identifiable information. As the Co-Founder of Privado ID, Evin McMullen, told TechRadar: it's like "a thumbs up or a green light that is cryptographically signed and verifiable."

The potential for enhanced security, privacy, and convenience has pushed governments and Big Tech giants alike to invest in the first iterations of such ID wallets.

Apple recently unveiled its new Digital ID tool, which sparked a huge privacy backlash. Although it's a US-only feature for now, it mostly came as a way to let users present their digital passports at about 250 airports across the country. That said, on Apple's support page, the Big Tech Giant explains that Apple's digital ID can also be used for identity verification.

Similarly, Google expanded its ID Wallet to more US states and the UK back in April, and, as per Google's support page, "some apps and websites accept a digital ID Pass in Google Wallet for identity and age verification."

While Apple and Google have both made some progress with their Digital ID systems, the likes of PornHub still opt to block access to Missourians altogether rather than risk their users' privacy and security.

"More of these laws are coming, and the safety of our users is one of our biggest concerns," wrote PornHub, arguing that the best and most effective solution would be to identify users by their device or account on the device.

"This means users would only get verified once, through their operating system, not on each age-restricted site. This dramatically reduces privacy risks and creates a very simple process for regulators to enforce," the provider added.

These concerns echo those of privacy experts, who believe that many of the privacy and security issues linked with age verification may remain even when using a digital ID.

"These digital IDs have a lot of important privacy and security protections, but more in theory than practice," Senior Policy and Advocacy Expert at the Internet Society, John Perrino, told TechRadar. That's mainly because zero-knowledge proof systems are still being developed, he said.

There's also a problem of trust. How many people, for example, will be happy to trust Big Tech giants with their most sensitive data?

"Even if this is the most secure thing on your phone, will people feel comfortable storing and sharing their driver's license or passport to access restricted apps and websites? Even the mere perception of a privacy intrusion drives people to less safe corners of the Internet," said Perrino.

How a VPN can help protect your privacy

If you are scared off from the prospect of compromising your ID confidentiality, you may want to look into a way to take back some agency over your data.

You probably have already looked online for a solution, and the word VPN would've probably come up. Be mindful of the app you download, though. From a quick search on "Missouri VPN," we found many apps we've never heard of in the top results. While these may not be all necessarily harmful, keep in mind that official app stores are filled with dodgy VPN apps – especially freebies.

While there are only a handful of free VPN we recommend using, all of them come with some limitations. The good news is that some of the best VPN providers on the market are currently offering Cyber Monday VPN deals, meaning you can get premium protection starting for as little as $1 a month.

These bargains even include TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN, which can now be yours at the equivalent of $2.88 per month, thanks to its Cyber Monday deal, which is exclusive for TechRadar's readers. Here are all the details:

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Revolut finds only 17% of us feel ‘very confident’ in identifying fake websites
• Around two-thirds use trusted websites and avoid unknown links
• 4% admit they do nothing at all to protect themselves online

One in 10 millennials are expected to do most of their Black Friday shopping on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, and yet two in 10 have already been scammed while shopping online.

Most scammed millennials lost £100-£250, with 7% losing over £1,000, and this is the most confident age group at spotting scams.

New Revolut data has revealed only 17% of Brits feel ‘very confident’ in identifying fake websites or scam offers, but it’s combatting this with some top tips to iron out malicious activities.

Revolut explains how to avoid scams this Black Friday

Revolut says it is worried that social commerce growth (like TikTok Shop) has made scams harder to spot, with fraudsters often mimicking genuine brands and using fast-moving platforms to disappear quickly.

“As shopping increasingly moves to social media platforms, fraudsters are getting smarter at mimicking trusted brands,” Revolut Head of Financial Crime Woody Malouf shared.

British consumers say they use trusted websites or apps (66%), avoid unknown links in emails and ads (60%) and double-check website URLs (39%) to protect themselves, and while all of these steps are valid preventative measures, not enough consumers are actually taking them.

Checking URLs is one of Revolut’s main messages, highlighting that scammers often clone retail sites to steal money and personal data. But it might not always be so clear – keeping an eye on new social media shops with suspiciously positive reviews, or being wary of ‘too good to be true’ prices, are also effective for identifying scams.

“The best defence is caution, if it’s too good to be true, it often is and always shop from reliable websites with good reviews,” Malouf concluded.

With 4% of Brits taking no precautions at all and many more failing to do enough to protect themselves, the messaging is clear. Despite awareness of preventative steps, consumers are failing to use them.

You're skeptical of Black Friday VPN deals. I know. I am too, and you're right to be. As someone who's been writing about them for 6 years, it's easy to become quite cynical about the whole thing.

The tools I find most effective when figuring this out the real value of any Black Friday VPN deal are PriceRunner and a little school mathematics. Sites like PriceRunner track the history of the price of any particular product. That way you can tell if the Black Friday discount you're looking at really is the lowest ever price or not.

And then there's the maths. Don't believe every percentage you read. Do your calculations and make sure total prices stack up with claims of discounts.

Work out the absolute value of what you're being asked to pay right now and see how that compares to the price it used to be. And remember that, even though most prices are quoted as per month, you'll need to pay for the whole terms of service upfront.

So, work out the total, and don't forget that some VPN providers add on your local tax at checkout. Be sure to make your price comparisons once you've put the products into your shopping basket

That's my 'expert' advice (though let's face it, we're all experts at shopping). That said, this is the best deal I've seen anywhere this Black Friday – VPN or otherwise.

It's half-price, it's a great product, it's something anyone can use and, you know what, I'd even say it's important – for you, and maybe even society as a whole.

It's Proton Unlimited.

It's a 1-year subscription service. It's normally $12.99 per month but, right now, it's down 50% to $6.49 per month. So, instead of paying $155.88 for the year, you'll only have to give over $77.88.

In 6 years of writing about it I've rarely seen it on sale. So, to find it available at half-price makes it a genuine Black Friday 2025 bargain.

So, what is Proton Unlimited? Well, I'll try to keep it brief. Follow the linked text below for a deeper dive on it, but the broad strokes are that it's a software suite for your phone, your laptop, and many of your other devices too (tablets, Fire Sticks, TVs, routers, all sorts).

It's made up of Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, Proton Wallet, and Proton Docs. So, that's your email, calendar, cloud storage, password manager, Bitcoin wallet, and online documents all covered, plus full access to Proton VPN.

Now, you might be wondering why you should pay for all of that when you get it for free already from Google, Microsoft, Apple of another Big Tech company – and fair enough. The difference is that Proton cares about privacy.

Proton isn't going to take information from your emails and sell it to advertisers. It's not going to use the writing in your docs to train it's AI products. And you're not going to wake up one morning to find that your passwords have been leaked in a data breach.

Like the most private messaging services, Proton uses end-to-end encryption with all of its products so that you're the only one that can access your data. Proton won't track you and it certainly won't serve you ads.

I'm a Proton Unlimited user and I think it's great.

I suspect that it's not easy to get people to switch from a free to a paid product when there's little difference to the features on offer. I suspect it's also very difficult to get people to move from a household name in this space, to a relative unknown.

Based on that, I would imagine that this is something of a loss leader for Proton – especially as the lowest price I've ever seen it advertised is $9.99 – but the company is confident that the more people it can get using its products, the more the good word will spread. And, if Proton can get companies to switch to its office products, then, well, it's gravy from there on in.

So, this really is a question of taking advantage of a good deal while it's available. And how is this a good deal for maybe even society as a whole? Yes, I did say that, didn't I.

Now, the other thing you should be thinking is, "If this is so good, why is it half-price," and I don't claim to know for a fact but I can certainly have an educated guess.

Well, as the VPN world goes, Proton is one of the good guys. Proton opens up its VPN servers to citizens in countries in crisis. So, whether that's during times of political turmoil, authoritarian oppression or natural disasters, the company paves the way for free and open access to the internet.

Proton has said that its 2025 Black Friday profits will directly pay for expanding its server network across the world. It already has more servers across the developing world than any other VPN company and, if you give its deal a try, you'll be actively contributing to the company spreading its free access to those that need it even further.

How's that for a feeling of fuzzy warmth on a day that can otherwise feel pretty hollow?

I'll admit, the transition from Google to Proton isn't the easiest. I'm still caught between both password managers a bit. I think Proton needs to improve it's migration. But try Proton Mail and you won't look back.

Probably the best piece of value in it all is that you get access to Proton VPN included, and you might not be using a VPN already.

Like Proton's other products, a VPN uses end-to-end encryption, only, this time, it's end-to-end-encrypting your internet traffic. In other words, it keeps all the information you send back and forth between your devices and the internet super-private. Only you and the service you're accessing can see it.

So it's a good idea to use a VPN when you're doing your online banking, for example, because it means that even if someone could intercept your internet traffic, it would be encrypted and utterly unreadable.

For the same reason, VPNs are useful for doing your Black Friday shopping. Again, when you hand over your name, address, email and card details, only you and the shop involved could possibly be privy to that sensitive information.

Lastly, VPNs are handy for changing your apparent location. So, if you're on holiday and want to pretend to be back home so that you can access your news website or streaming streaming service like a local, then that becomes possible too.

And that's it. That's Proton Unlimited – what I think is a genuinely good Black Friday deal.

If you're not sure whether it's something you'd use or not, it's worth noting that it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee that really works. We've tried it to make sure. If you're not happy within that time, mail the Proton support team and request a refund.

It's definitely worth a try. Like all the best Black Friday deals, I doubt it's going to stick around for that long. I keep getting emails from Proton telling me that it won't. I'd guess you've got until the end of Cyber Monday at the latest.

Take a look at the details below and, go on, click through and see what you think.

We’re fast approaching the tail-end of another Black Friday here in the UK, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still major savings to be had. This is especially true for savvy shoppers who recently picked up a new TV and want to pair it with a trustworthy VPN.

Today’s best VPNs have unveiled a bumper crop of Black Friday VPN deals, and we’ve highlighted three of the best streaming-friendly picks. Not only does a VPN ensure that your new device is more secure, thanks to encryption, but a VPN’s geo-spoofing power means that you can tune in to content from anywhere, without worrying about geo-restrictions.

Given that some of the discounts are time-limited, you’ll want to act quickly to claim them before they go back into hibernation for another year.

Why does your smart TV need a VPN?

Your new smart TV will work just fine without a VPN, but after making the investment, we think it's worth enhancing it with a VPN..

The benefits of a smart TV VPN fall into two categories: security and unblocking power.

Security is a VPN's main priority. When a device, like a smart TV, is connected to a VPN server, any traffic leaving that device is encrypted as it passes through the server and on to its final destination. This makes it way harder for third parties (like your ISP) to keep tabs on your browsing, and means that you don't have to worry about leaving an identifiable trail across the internet whenever you watch TV.

Of course, these benefits will have more of an impact on your laptop, PC, tablet, and mobile phone - especially if you regularly rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots that can be hotbeds of cybercriminal activity (especially around the scam-filled Black Friday sales season).

Then, there's the unblocking aspect. All of the VPNs we've highlighted have servers dotted around the globe. Connect to one of them, and the VPN will assign your device a new IP address based in that same country, so all the sites and streaming platforms you visit will think you're there, physically.

That means you can have your pick of content from around the world. If you've travelled a long way to be with family over the holidays, a VPN will let you tune in to your favorite shows from back home, and watch live sporting events that aren't broadcast in your current region.

If you're wondering which VPN you need to protect your new iPhone, you're in the right place. It's not just iPhone's you can save on at the moment, the best Black Friday VPN deals will help protect you and your shiny new device for less.

We've tested a bunch of VPNs for iPhones, both through intense lab testing by VPN Technical Editor, Mike Williams, and day-to-day functionality checks, so we know which VPNs are best. But there's no need to just trust us – these services have earned over a million combined reviews on the App Store.

These VPNs are super-secure, offer unique features to help you stay secure online, and, most importantly, they're on sale right now for Black Friday.

As TechRadar Pro's resident eSIM editor, I am tracking all the top Black Friday eSIM deals, and ByteSim is giving away an exclusive discount code for TechRadar readers.

If you've been meaning to buy an eSIM for your next trip, then there is no better time than Black Friday weekend.

Many travelers assume purchasing an eSIM means they have to use it immediately, but that's not the case. Most eSIM providers for international travel allow you to buy a plan now and activate it later, right when you travel. It's the perfect way to lock in a great deal without any pressure.

Looking for more deals like this? Check out my roundup of the best Black Friday travel tech deals available now.

Today's best Black Friday eSIM deal

Why pick ByteSim?

What I really like about ByteSim is that it offers something most eSIM providers don’t- local phone numbers. Only a tiny handful of competitors provide this, so it definitely gives ByteSim an edge.

The data plans are also reasonably priced. For instance, the global plan covers 114 countries and starts at $4.90 for 1 day, with the option to choose exactly how many days you need, which can be up to 30 days.

And as we stated in our ByteSim review, the app is easy to navigate. The clean interface makes installing and activating your eSIM pretty straightforward. And if anything does go wrong, ByteSim has 24/7 live-chat support, plus a detailed FAQ page that answers most questions.

Top ByteSim plans quick links

• Japan: 2GB for $10.90 for 7 days
• South America: Unlimited data for $82.90 for 10 days
• Europe: 26GB +100 UK & EU calls for $31.90 for 27 days
• Australia: 20GB for $25.50 for 30 days
• Global: Unlimited data for $19.90 for 7 days

Black Friday is here, at last, and many VPN providers have dropped their prices for the end of the year. Hotspot Shield is among them, offering its best rate of 2025 so far. The one-year plan is now reduced by 50%, bringing the monthly cost down to $3.99 ($47.99 total).

Hotspot Shield isn’t among our best VPNs overall, but its unblocking power matches what we see from the likes of NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Its wide server spread can be a lifesaver during the holidays if you want access to region-specific libraries on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, or other geo-restricted content, too.

Hotspot Shield's discount is only available until December 1st, so make sure you snap it up if you're interested.

Hotspot Shield is a solid choice for anyone who wants reliable VPN coverage without having to dive into complicated settings.

This is especially important during the holiday season, when bad actors typically take advantage of the amount of online shopping taking place, hoping to tempt folks with bogus sites and malicious ads. Hotspot Shield's encryption ensures that your data is kept safe from interception and fraud, so you can get back to ticking off your Christmas list.

Even if online shopping isn’t a priority, Hotspot Shield can still come in handy. The end of the year often means travelling to visit family, staying in hotels, and relying on airport and public Wi-Fi along the way. These unprotected networks remain easy targets for anyone monitoring traffic. Luckily, with servers in over 80 countries, Hotspot Shield has coverage where you need it.

There are a couple of pitfalls to be aware of, though. The lack of an independent audit is notable, especially as many leading VPNs treat third-party verification as standard practice. Hotspot Shield also doesn’t bundle tools like tracker blocking or malware scanning into its plans, and instead keeps its focus on core VPN functionality.

If you're looking for a more robust, feature-packed VPN, NordVPN is a stand-out alternative. In addition to being faster, and having servers in more countries (127 in total), NordVPN's Threat Protection suite blocks ads and malicious sites, and upgrading to a Plus plan gets you access to a password manager, too.

• CloudSEK warns of 2,000+ fake Black Friday ecommerce sites stealing money and data
• Scam clusters impersonate Amazon, major brands, using urgency timers and phishing checkout kits
• Campaign could net $24M, showing industrialized, automated holiday fraud at massive scale

This Black Friday, there are thousands of fake online stores designed only to steal your money, and your sensitive data.

This is the warning given out by cybersecurity experts CloudSEK, who are sounding the alarm on two major scam clusters active right now.

One of the best ways to spot a phishing or scam attack is its sense of urgency - scams are usually an offer that’s about to expire, or a threat of an account being suspended if immediate action isn’t taken. But Black Friday is timed as well, helping criminals hide their intentions even better.

Spoofing retailers and major brands

CloudSEK found more than 2,000 fraudulent holiday-themed ecommerce sites, designed to exploit customer trust by impersonating popular retailers. These websites were part of two huge clusters - one comprising roughly 750 sites, and one with more than 1,000 domains.

The first cluster mostly impersonates Amazon and other retailers. The sites look almost identical, with similar templates, fliplock-style urgency timers, fake trust badges, and pop-ups apparently displaying recent purchases.

The second cluster is all under the .shop Top Level Domain, and impersonates major brands rather than retailers. Samsung, Ray-Ban, Xiaomi, Jo Malone, and others, are being mentioned.

“These sites replicate the same Black Friday/Cyber Monday template and fraudulent checkout process for financial fraud, indicating the use of a standardized phishing kit,” the researchers said, adding that the payments are redirected to attacker-controlled shell checkout sites.

It is unclear how people land on these sites, but CloudSEK speculates it’s most likely through social media ads, SEO poisoning, and direct advertising through instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The researchers believe that each site could rake in up to $12,000, meaning that the entire campaign could bring more than $24 million in stolen money.

For Ibrahim Saify, Security Researcher, CloudSEK, this is a demonstration of the “industrialization of holiday scams.”

“The scale of this ecosystem, spanning more than 2,000 coordinated fake domains, shows how rapidly cybercriminals are automating fraud. If left unchecked, these scams could cause significant financial losses for consumers and erode trust in global e-commerce during its busiest season,” Saify stressed.

• All leading countries in digital security are based in Europe
• The UK has lost ground in cybersecurity
• Surfshark says developments in AI are essential

Do you think your data is just as safe, no matter your country? Then you may want a rethink, with Europe now definitively at the forefront of digital security, and the UK losing ground.

The data comes from Surshark, which recently released its Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) 2025. The creator of one of the best VPNs examined 121 countries, using sources including open-source data from the United Nations and the World Bank to assess five pillars: internet quality, internet affordability, digital security, digital infrastructure, and AI.

While it's good to see European countries leading in digital security, the findings show the UK lagging behind as these nations have improved even more significantly – and the gap could deepen even further in the next year. If you're looking to strengthen your level of protection, then Surfshark's Black Friday VPN deal can help you get ready for the fallout.

Where are you safer online?

In the Index, digital security is defined as the level of security that people experience online, reflecting a country's preparedness to combat cybercrime and its commitment to protecting online privacy. The findings reveal that all of the countries at the top of the digital security ranking are located in Europe.

Even better, Estonia, Germany, France, and Finland also feature in the top 10 countries leading the rankings in terms of digital sovereignty, with Finland in first place for maintaining the best digital quality of life in the world.

"Finland, like many other European countries, uses GDPR, which offers the highest standard of data protection," Emilija Kucinskaite, Senior Researcher at Surfshark, tells TechRadar.

However, the UK has a whole different story. While it also scored highly on data protection, its cybersecurity pillar ranked 39th globally, suggesting significant gaps and revealing signs of a sharp decline since 2024, when its cybersecurity capabilities ranked 6th.

The UK has also lost ground in the global DQL index, now ranking 18th, behind countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and South Korea.

Although the sharp shift may sound alarming, Kucinskaite reassures that the data must be put into context and that the UK is improving in all areas, but not at the same pace as other countries that have progressed more significantly.

However, Kucinskaite warns that if the UK's rate of improvement lags behind that of other nations, its scores could fall further in the following year.

From a global perspective, it’s interesting to note that Europe exhibits the least disparity in digital security scores, with the top-ranked country, Czechia, achieving a score 2.5 times greater than Belarus, which is at the bottom of the regional ranking.

Meanwhile, Asia experiences the largest disparity in digital security, with the top country's (South Korea) score being 23 times higher than that of the bottom country (Yemen).

The AI factor

While the UK may struggle to keep pace with the faster digital progress of other countries, the data shows that the UK is advancing rapidly in the field of AI, ranking 4th in the league table.

As a leader in AI, the UK is an attractive destination for investment in the sector and is demonstrating a readiness to integrate AI into public services, which also means further strengthening its cybersecurity capabilities.

Additionally, Kucinskaite notes that the UK offers a particularly advantageous combination in digital security, being at the forefront of AI while also offering the highest level of data protection, which suggests good resilience against possible cyber threats.

"However, as many nations are now increasing their investment in AI, the UK must maintain its current competitive position," stresses Kucinskaite.

Unsurprisingly, the US positions itself as the global leader in digital infrastructure and AI development, followed by Singapore and South Korea. Here, AI is where Europe lags alarmingly behind.

The Black Friday weekend might be over, but the Cyber Monday savings continue to roll in – and NordVPN, today's best VPN overall, has stolen the show with a TechRadar exclusive offer.

NordVPN is offering massive discounts on both its Basic and Plus plans. The Basic plan is now available for just $288/month (+4 months), whereas the Plus plan costs just a little bit more at $3.75 a month (+4 months).

If you're wondering which plan will give you the best value for your money, you're in the right place. We'll explore everything these NordVPN plans have to offer, as well as two other excellent Cyber Monday VPN deals that are worth considering.

What's the difference between NordVPN Basic and Plus?

NordVPN's Basic plan, at under $3 per month, is easily one of the best VPN deals going around right now. Despite its name, this plan includes everything that makes NordVPN our #1 VPN pick.

It gives you access to servers in a whopping 126 countries. Combine this with NordVPN's unblocking power and fast VPN speeds of over 1,256 Mbps, and you get the best streaming VPN in our tests – it unblocked virtually every platform we threw at it in smooth HD.

Users on the Basic plan also benefit from its strict and independently audited no-logs policy, which ensures that user data is never logged or sold on for profit, as well as Threat Protection Lite (which blocks ads and malicious domains).

NordVPN's Plus plan is only a fraction more expensive than its Basic plan – less than $1/month. In exchange, though, you unlock a lot of important extras.

This includes NordVPN’s full-blown Threat Protection Pro suite, which blocks intrusive ads and trackers, stops you from visiting fraudulent sites, and checks your downloads for malicious files. Even better? The tool blocked 90% of phishing sites in testing by AV-Comparatives, and achieved an above-par 52% malware blocking score during our own in-house tests.

Additionally, Plus plan users also receive access to NordPass, Nord's own cross-platform password manager, and a data breach scanner that instantly alerts you if it finds your sensitive info, like passwords, credit card details, and email addresses, in a data breach.

So which of the two NordVPN plans offers better value? Well, if you're only after core VPN features, then it's worth sticking to the Basic plan, as it offers the same number of simultaneous connections, speed, and unblocking performance as the Plus plan.

However, if you're after a fully fledged internet security suite (which is worth considering given that Black Friday shopping scams are on the rise), then consider the Plus plan. It’ll also mean you get all kinds of security tools in one place, so you won’t have to buy them individually.

What are the alternatives?

While NordVPN is the one we recommend to most users, it's important to note that there are other Cyber Monday VPN deals worth considering.

Surfshark is offering massive discounts on both its Starter and Surfshark One plans. While both plans come with rock-solid privacy and security, unlimited simultaneous connections, and the Alternative ID tool, Surfshark One (at just $2.19/month) gives you the best bang for your buck, as it also includes a full-blown antivirus, secure search, and data breach alerts.

▶ Check out Surfshark's Black Friday deal

IPVanish has taken a different approach to most VPNs this Black Friday. Instead of slashing its prices, it has added several extra features to make its Advanced plan one of the most tempting VPN packages right now. Where previously you essentially just got the VPN, the Advanced plan – at $2.19 per month for 2 years – now gets you up to 10 GB of eSIM data that you can use in 200+ countries, 2TB of encrypted storage, and ad, tracker, and malware protection.

▶ Check out IPVanish's Black Friday deal

• 88% of expats say accessing home content helps with homesickness
• A VPN unlocks geo-blocked content and secures public Wi-Fi connections
• Black Friday sale cuts Proton VPN by 75%

A new Proton VPN survey shows that the majority of expats in the UK believe accessing content from back home can help ease the strain of living abroad.

The best VPN can help an expat missing home by unblocking familiar online content from their country. This includes anything from geo-restricted TV shows and movies to live sports and news.

Below, we unpack the key findings from Proton’s research, explore why a VPN has become a staple for the modern expat, and explain how you can take advantage of one of the best Black Friday VPN deals of the year – a 75% discount on Proton VPN.

88% of UK expats curb homesickness by accessing content from home

Expats and international students in the UK report missing everyday comforts of home, including family gatherings, familiar food, and even the local weather. All of which can contribute to feelings of homesickness.

According to Proton's findings, 88% of UK-based expats find accessing home-country content eases homesickness, while a quarter say it wipes the feeling entirely. For foreign students, the impact is even stronger, with 90% reporting a significant reduction in homesickness.

Nearly half of expats who are regular VPN users (48%) stream video or TV from their home country, while 41% engage with social media platforms. Moreover, 73% consider staying connected to home-country news, events, and culture important.

Among respondents who are aware of what a VPN does, 47% of expats and 55% of foreign students use a VPN at least once a week, showing just how integral VPNs have become to expats’ everyday lives.

How a VPN solves the problem

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, helps bridge the gap between UK expats and region-locked content. It hides their original IP address and location, instead providing a new, temporary IP address matching the desired country. This lets users bypass geo-blocking and stream TV shows, movies, sports, and news without restriction.

Another reason for expats to use a VPN is the security it provides. By encrypting a user’s internet traffic, a VPN protects sensitive data such as banking credentials and personal messages from being intercepted – especially important when using unsecure public wifi in cafes, airports, and on university campuses.

In practice, an expat can launch a VPN, select a server in their home country, and instantly access their preferred content. Meanwhile, their connection remains encrypted and private, making a VPN an essential tool for navigating life far from home.

Proton VPN’s Black Friday Sale

Proton VPN is responding to the need for secure, unrestricted connectivity with massive Black Friday discounts of up to 75%. From the usual $3.59 fee, prices get slashed to the equivalent of $2.49 a month for its 2-year plan (billed at $59.76 for the first 24 months).

Proton Unlimited, which adds all premium Proton products, including Proton Mail, the Proton Pass password manager, and Proton Drive encrypted cloud storage, is also discounted by a whopping 50%. This means you'll get Proton's full security suite at only what works out to be $6.49 a month ($77.88 for the first 12 months).

All Proton plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, making the upgrade risk-free. If you do want to lock in those savings, just be sure to take advantage before Black Friday ends.

Black Friday has officially kicked off, and you're probably struggling to keep up with all the VPN deals storming the web. We feel you. Here at TechRadar, we've been busy over the past week scouring the web on the hunt for the very best offers and it's fair to say there's a lot on offer!

We wanted to find out what our readers were really looking for when it comes to Black Friday VPN deals. So, we decided to run a poll on some of our most popular pages to find out what you care most about. And surprise, surprise – the vast majority of readers said: "just a huge discount." Not extra security or free vouchers as we've seen in previous years. Just cold hard savings.

You asked, so we went out and found the VPNs offering the biggest discounts this Black Friday season. Here are our top three picks.

Best cheap Black Friday VPN deals:

Which one to choose?

No matter which of the three Black Friday VPN deals you choose, you can be reassured of getting a private, secure, and reliable experience – whether that's for streaming unblocking, general browsing, online gaming, or torrenting.

Choosing one above the other will then be up to your needs and preferences.

Looking for a VPN based in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction? Then Privado VPN is the one for you, granting the reassurance of Swiss strong privacy laws. It should also be your pick if you value the antivirus addition.

While neither of all the three picks have the hugest server network, Windscribe is definitely the best, with servers in over 69 countries. And if you're into customization, Windscribe’s recent update is definitely worth checking out.

If you are after an even wider server coverage, you should definitely check out TechRadar's top-rated services, as they are also on sale now.

For example, NordVPN has servers in 118 countries, alongside some pretty unique features like Meshnet and Threat protection – and it's currently at its lowest price of the year. Meanwhile, Proton VPN offers protection across 126 countries, advanced security features like Secure Core, and a discount of 75%.

That said, if you just want to subscribe to a reliable VPN service and don't worry about renewal price hikes, or getting mad finding the best VPN deal for you (again), FastestVPN is just the perfect solution for you. Even better so now that you'll get a 2-year password manager protection at no extra cost.

It's the most wonderful time of the year if you're looking to pick up one of the best VPNs out there.

Cyber Monday VPN deals are still alive and kicking, with some great last-minute bargains to be had, but which ones are really worth the investment?

To answer this very question, I asked TechRadar's top VPN experts, Samuel Woodhams, Chiara Castro, and River Hart, for their top pick – and, as TechRadar VPN Editor, it's only right I throw my hat in the ring too! Combined, we have over 15 years of experience in the VPN industry, so we know a thing or two about VPNs and how to spot a good deal.

All these deals are equivalent to under $2.50 per month, some are all-time-low prices, some include must-have features, and others are simply too secure to miss out on for the price.

Our experts' favorite Black Friday VPN deals for 2025

"I need to know the company I'm using genuinely cares about my right to privacy, and the team behind Proton has built their entire business around it with audited, open-source applications.

For anyone relatively new to the world of VPNs, I'd recommend the Proton VPN Plus plan. It's a great starting point and offers everything you need to effectively secure your internet browsing traffic. It's also now less than $3 a month.

If you're like me and want to lock down your entire digital footprint – think email, cloud, and passwords – you should check out the Proton Unlimited bundle. It’s more money, but I'd say it's definitely worth it."

River's choice

"This means more people can check out the full spectrum of what Surfshark has to offer. There's tons included, so great value for money, and the extra tools work really well for the holiday season, too, like the secure search that gets rid of (potentially malicious) ads.

Once you add unlimited simultaneous connections to the mix, plus super-quick speeds over WireGuard and apps that pack all this into a super-minimalistic shell, the value never stops adding up, which, given it's already the best cheap VPN, is impressive!

Even if you choose to only grab a Basic plan, it's great that Alternative ID is thrown in, which gives you the ability to create secure, alternate personas to help you securely access all the Christmas and Cyber Monday discounts you want that are locked behind newsletters and sign-up forms."

Chiara's choice

"A tiny price, with some serious savings from its usual fees, for a service that keeps investing in making its VPN more secure and reliable.

The deal dropped about a week after Windscribe's entire VPN network got a complete overhaul that promises to make the VPN even faster than it is now (we already got impressive peaks of 840 Mbps last time we checked).

If you’re looking for privacy and security, you can be reassured that Windscribe has your back. A strict no-log policy – which Windscribe’s CEO is ready to fight for in Court – comes alongside advanced security features, like its ROBERT DNS filter.

Plus, for folks into customization, Windscribe’s recent update will blow your mind away, with quirky app backgrounds, weird sounds, and more."

Rob's choice

"The Basic plan still gives you access to more locations than any other VPN, top-notch encryption methods (including post-quantum encryption), and speeds that can comfortably handle anything. Plus, you get a basic amount of ad and malicious site blocking as standard.

It’s easy to set up and forget about. The ad-blocking is very good for this, especially when it blocked around 90% of ads we threw at it during our latest lab tests and is turned on by a single toggle. The VPN itself also gives you a bunch of ways to auto-connect (or automatically shut off) your connection to keep you secure.

Fancy some more features? The Advanced and Pro plans are also massively discounted, but there’s not as many features as you might like there to be for the price. That’s why I’m recommending Basic over anything else, super-cheap, super-secure, it’s as simple as that."

Dan's choice

"Anyone who's ever bought a VPN knows that the marketing around these products is a bit of a cheat. The prices might be quoted as just a few dollar per month but these aren't subscription services that take a little bit at a time – it's payment, in full, the moment you sign up. That means it's worth doing the math.

My colleagues above seem to think you've plenty to spend. Most of their deals – and they are good deals – are going to work out at about $60 for two years. My favorite deal, though, is half that – $30 for 27 months, and you get free antivirus with that too.

Sure PrivadoVPN isn't as fancy as ExpressVPN, it's not as rigorously audited as Proton and it's not as feature-packed as either Surfshark or Windscribe.

But. Do you really need all that extra fluff? Or do you just want a VPN that's fast enough gaming, skilled at unblocked streaming services and secure enough to protect you while torrenting? Because that's all I really need, and that's what PrivadoVPN is good at.

In our last speed test, we clocked PrivadoVPN in at 1049 Mbps over a local connection and an-almost-as speedy 900 Mbps through a long distance server. That's comparable with the fastest VPNs.

I've used it for unblocking access to free streaming services like BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, 7plus, 9Now, 10Play and TVNZ+ while abroad and it works perfectly. My only caveat is that it's not so hot on Amazon Prime Video or US YouTube.

But that's it. Otherwise, it's a cracking product. Go give it a go."

Now it's your turn

Which of these offers was your favorite? Alternatively, have you picked up a VPN deal this Cyber Monday that we haven't mentioned? Leave your top VPN picks in the comments below ▼

I never thought I'd become the type of person who would just set it and forget it when it came to technology, but my recent experience updating our NordVPN review proved me very wrong indeed.

NordVPN Threat Protection Pro is a system within NordVPN that helps protect your device from ads, trackers, malware, and malicious websites or downloads. It can do several other protective tricks – such as warn you of scams and fraud, block adult sites, and indicate the safety of search results – but it's Threat Protection Pro's protective abilities that really set it apart.

When we put it through our rigorous testing, Threat Protection Pro outperformed most other VPNs. It blocked 86% of malware links, 91% of phishing links, and 54% of ads – the latter of which was beaten only by Surfshark and Proton.

In my time using it, however, I've found little cause for concern about its ad-blocking capabilities, and have been pleasantly impressed by the malicious site blocking function – even if, somewhat humorously, it occasionally thought other VPN companies were threats!

It's been so good that only a couple of days ago I realized I'd had it running on almost every device I have for essentially a year without breaks: that's a year of protecting my iPad, S24 Ultra, work laptop, and home desktop, all without hitting my device limit or needing to turn it off and on again to troubleshoot issues or fix missed sites/ads.

What's more, it's even cheaper now than it was when I picked it up. A NordVPN Plus plan – the cheapest way to access NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro – is currently only $3.75/month (billed $105.03 upfront) with four months free thrown in too, thanks to our new, exclusive NordVPN deal.

I should mention that, annoyingly, mobile devices only get Threat Protection, the product's base version. It offers a more limited version of the protection you'd expect from Threat Protection Pro, but it's still effective enough to be handy.

If you're really eager to have full-scale protection on your phone, Surfshark is the better choice thanks to its full antivirus capacity. That said, it performed worse than Threat Protection Pro on computers, so it's a bit of a sacrifice either way.

There are, of course, several Black Friday Antivirus deals you could look at instead if you wanted stronger guarantees, which we'd recommend alongside any VPN antivirus product. But if you're asking me, you won't find better than NordVPN if you want one thrown in. It's also worth remembering that NordVPN Plus includes additional features such as NordPass, data breach detection, and more, for the discounted price.

• Mandatory age verification lands in Missouri on November 30, 2025
• All websites containing 33% of "material harmful to minors" need to comply
• Missouri is the latest US state to enforce age verification rules

As of November 30, 2025, people in Missouri now need to prove they are over 18 years old to access adult-only content online.

Missouri is the latest of the US states to enact its form of age verification law. It's set to further fuel discussion around data privacy and security risks linked to age assurance methods, and has already provoked yet another surge in usage of the best VPN apps.

The search for VPNs has already jumped by 4 times the previous average, with internet searches for both the terms 'VPN' and 'free VPN' soaring since November 29, according to Google Trends data.

Yet, as the Centre for Democracy and Technology's Travis Hall said to St. Louis Public Radio's news site, "Not everybody knows how to use VPN systems that usually cost money to access."

Under the new rules, all websites or applications containing more than one-third "material harmful to minors" are required to verify their users are adults before granting them access. A provision that experts talking with TechRadar have criticized for its "vague" terms, which could push the platform to over-censor their content.

Experts' concerns appear well-founded. A day after the rules came into force, there have already been reports that the new rules are age-gating way more than adult sites. Plus, Aylo – the parent company of many of the biggest adult sites – has decided to outrightly block access to everyone in Missouri instead of jeopardizing their users' privacy.

Violations of the rule are considered "an unfair, deceptive, fraudulent, or otherwise unlawful practice" under Missouri law, with online services facing up to $10,000 a day for non-compliance.

Instead, these adult online sites and services can perform age verification checks using digital ID, other government-issued identification documents, or other transactional data.

Crucially, mobile operating systems with at least 10 million devices in the US must provide digital age-verification "that a website or application can use to comply with" the rules.

How Missouri age verification could impact on your privacy

The Missouri law requires website and app providers to use all reasonable methods to secure user data, alongside an obligation not to retain any identifying information unless otherwise required by law enforcement. Yet, experts do not believe that these safeguards can be a real guarantee against data abuse or leaks.

"By forcing everyone to hand over their most valuable and sensitive identity data, the law builds out a dangerous new surveillance infrastructure instead of actually keeping young people safe," activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Molly Buckley, told TechRadar.

After all, in the UK, we saw first-hand how easy it was for sensitive age verification information to get compromised when Discord's third-party service got hacked, leaking over 70,000 government ID photos used for verifying user age.

According to Senior Policy and Advocacy Expert at the Internet Society, John Perrino, the Missouri law is mostly a "copy-paste version" of the main provisions included in similar legislation elsewhere in the country. This means that the same risks for greater surveillance, censorship, and accessibility apply.

The novelty here is that the likes of Google and Apple will need to provide a secure digital ID tool that websites could use for age verification. The problem? Big Tech giants are not exactly ready for that, with these Digital ID functions still confined to driver's licenses and airport passport checks.

"Even if this is the most secure thing on your phone, will people feel comfortable storing and sharing their driver's license or passport to access restricted apps and websites? Even the mere perception of a privacy intrusion drives people to less safe corners of the Internet," Perrino told TechRadar.

If you are among the people worried about the prospect of compromising your ID confidentiality, you may want to look into getting a VPN yourself. If you are new to this world, though, be careful not to download insecure applications that could put your data even more at risk.

From a quick search on "Missouri VPN," we could find many names we have never heard of in the top results. While these may not be all necessarily harmful, keep in mind that official app stores are filled with dodgy VPN apps – especially freebies.

While there are only a handful of free VPNs we recommend using, all of them come with some limitations. The good news is that now is the best time to secure your digital life with a reliable solution. Most VPN providers have already dropped their pricing with Black Friday VPN deals, including TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN. Here's all you need to know:

• Shop today's best Cyber Monday deals from Amazon, Walmart & Hulu

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This Black Friday, a few of the best cloud storage are giving us some great deals, and Ionos is providing a huge 90% discount on its Business Plan this sale season - bringing the price down to just $1 a month for the first year.

What's great about this plan is that the plan doesn't go back up to full price after the first year, but instead it goes to $7 a month - a 30% discount.

The plan can be applied to up to 5 users, with 1TB of storage, automatic cloud backup, and two-factor authentication - perfect for a small business or creative team.

It doesn't come with end-to-end encryption, you'll have to upgrade to the Pro plan for that, but luckily, there's a 50% sale on that too.

If you need more storage, or perhaps you want to pay a lump sum for lifetime storage, then check out our full list of the best Black Friday cloud storage deals around.

Today's top Ionos deals

Also consider: More Cloud Storage

ExpressVPN may have dropped its Black Friday VPN deal later than some of the other major players but trust us: it was worth the wait.

ExpressVPN's 1-year and 2-year plans are currently heavily discounted, with 2-year Basic subscriptions starting from just $2.44 a month (less than $70 in total). Both plans get extra months of coverage included: 3 months for 1-year plans and 4 months for 2-year plans. It's a seriously sweet offer, especially when you consider that a NordVPN Basic plan comes in at $2.99 per month for 27 months, totaling $80 upfront.

Still, with offers like PrivadoVPN's $1.11 per month deal on the table, you might wonder why it's worth paying more for ExpressVPN. I spent a week using the VPN as part of our latest round of reviews, and have three good reasons why its worth the investment.

1. ExpressVPN isn’t afraid of an audit

VPNs will entice you ith alwl sorts of marketing ploys, but at the end of the day, trust is everything. If you can't trust your VPN to handle your sensitive data, you might as well not use one at all.

Like most of our top-rated VPNs, ExpressVPN has previously invited third-party auditors to comb through its logging policy. The most recent audit happened in June 2025, when KPMG confirmed that the VPN doesn't log or store identifiable user data.

However, ExpressVPN takes things a step further than most of the competition. It doesn't just commission the odd audit of its policies every year or so, it opens up its entire product to scrutiny and now has 23 audits under its belt, so far. Everything from its server infrastructure and apps, to its dedicated IPs and password manager has been scrutinized. Even Lightway, ExpressVPN's proprietary protocol, has undergone four separate audits.

2. There are servers in all 50 US states

ExpressVPN boasts an impressive global footprint, with servers spanning 105 countries. While its rival NordVPN technically has a wider reach at 118 countries, ExpressVPN holds a rare advantage, offering servers in all 50 US states.

This is a massive win for stateside users. In fact, US users now have 62 server locations to choose from – a huge expansion from the 24 that were available earlier in the year.

In addition to giving folks in the States nearby server access, this expansive server network has become even more important following the rollout of age verification laws across the country

In states like Arizona and Ohio, users are now required to hand over identifiable data to prove their age and access restricted content. The laws have prompted a deluge of concern from privacy advocates, who question whether we can trust these data handlers with our most sensitive documents.

The good news is that VPNs like ExpressVPN can help. Connecting to a US server (or a server anywhere else, for that matter), encrypts your traffic as it leaves your device and passes through the VPN server. This makes it much harder for that data to be intercepted and used by bad actors, and because ExpressVPN conceals your original IP address and location, too, sites and services can’t build up a comprehensive profile of your activity.

3. ExpressVPN has add-ons you’ll actually use

Admittedly, ExpressVPN isn't as replete with add-ons as NordVPN (which boasts a full cybersecurity suite) or Surfshark (with its Alternative ID and secure search tools). They're great packages, and cram a ton of value into tidy price tags.

ExpressVPN's offering is definitely leaner. A Basic plan comes with access to the "Lite" version of Advanced Protection – ExpressVPN's ad and malicious site blocker – and little else other than the core VPN functionality.

Upgrade to a Pro or Advanced plan, and you'll get the full-fat version of Advanced Protection, which also blocks trackers. You'll also get access to ExpressVPN Keys, a password manager, and a free eSIM – though it's only compatible with iPhones.

So, not exactly a wealth of tools, but they're all effective. For someone taking their first steps with a VPN, or buyers who want something solid and simple, that might not be a bad thing.

Picking up a VPN subscription laden with extras always runs a certain risk – what if you don’t end up using them? ExpressVPN’s features are straightforward. The ad and tracker blocker does its job quietly in the background, and the password manager integrates seamlessly across all of your devices.

Since I tested ExpressVPN Keys as part of our ExpressVPN review process, I've been using it every day to keep my credentials secure and organized. Plus, seeing them auto-fill as I hop from site to site is a nice quality-of-life improvement that helps stave off the holiday season stress.

• Marvel Rivals is getting a Black Friday sale from November 28 to December 2
• The sale will offer a 20% discount on select items in the in-game store
• Every purchase comes with a free discount coupon, which can be used on another purchase for a bigger discount

Marvel Rivals is celebrating its first anniversary, and to add to the festivities, NetEase Games has announced the game's first-ever Black Friday sale.

The hero shooter's anniversary update is officially live ahead of Rivals Day on December 6, adding new character costumes, a limited-time 18 VS. 18 Annihilation mode, and additional login Unit rewards that players can claim across seven days.

What's more, starting November 28 through to December 2, players will be able to save money and Units thanks to the game's Black Friday Blowout, which offers an initial 20% discount on select items in the in-game store, including costumes, accessories, and special items.

"Our first Black Friday sale is here! Score an initial 20% off select items. Every eligible purchase earns you a discount coupon. Use your coupon and get another that offers a bigger discount than the last. Stack those savings like Infinity Stones!" NetEase Games explained.

"Eligible Items: All Season 3 and earlier items that are available to purchase."

The discount and subsequent coupon codes on additional items also apply to the game's gifting system, which means players will be able to treat their Marvel Rivals buddies this holiday season, too.

We can't be sure which costumes will be on sale just yet, but from the teaser image NetEase Games shared, we know the Scarlet Witch - Phoenix Chaos, Doctor Strange - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Jeff the Land-Shark - Sunshine Land Shark bundles will be on offer.

We also know that no costumes or accessories from Season 4 and Season 5 will be discounted.

For more, check out our Marvel Rivals season guide for everything you need to know, from roadmap details, release times for Season 5.5, and upcoming heroes, like Rogue.

How secure is your VPN? Is it: server hosted inside a former military base in Iceland, secure? Didn't think so. Switch to the Proton VPN's Cyber Monday deal and it will be.

Proton VPN is a security-first service and a big advocate for digital privacy. So, alongside heavy AES-256 network traffic encryption and exchange keys with 4096-bit RSA, a Proton VPN subscription also includes access to its Secure Core system.

Secure Core routes traffic through Proton-owned hardened entry servers in high-security environments before it reaches its final destination.

One of those hardened server sites is hosted in a former military based in Iceland. It's believed to be at Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF) – a former United States Navy air station at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland.

Proton is said to use similar facilities in Switzerland and Sweden but the locations are more closely kept secrets. Are the servers there guarded with razor wire and a team of attack dogs and handlers? We'd certainly like to think so.

Proton has chosen these Secure Core sites in places with dependable privacy laws and what we do know is that they are all intentionally hard to reach. For example, Switzerland uses biometric locks, Sweden uses underground hosting, and Iceland relies on the repurposed military site.

These physical securities reduces the chance that a server can be tampered with, seized, or quietly monitored.

That means Proton can offer security guarantees at these tightly control Secure Core facilities, as opposed to servers located in high-risk regions such as Turkey or the UAE, where infrastructure may be inspected or monitored by local authorities.

Secure Core isn't necessary for everyday use, nor is it meant for every user. However, it's relevant when connecting to regions with aggressive monitoring or content restrictions.

Take a look at Proton VPN's Cyber Monday deal with 75% discounts on its 2-year plans still available. That slashes the price to just $2.49 a month ($59.76 total), making it one of the most affordable ways to shore up your digital privacy over the holidays.

If you're looking for a more lightweight, but still impactful, way to shore up your digital security, it's well worth checking out Surfshark's Alternative ID tool. It spins up an entirely new online persona (complete with name and email address) that you can use in place of your real details. It's included in all Surfshark plans, but we think Surfshark One offers the most value at $2.19 per month (roughly $60 in total).

The Black Friday VPN sales season is in full swing, and that means discounts galore. Many of today's best VPNs are offering their lowest prices of the year, and TunnelBear has joined in with a rare deal on its 1-year plan.

Right now, you can get 60% off TunnelBear's 1-year plan, bringing the cost down to just $3.99 per month (or $47.99 upfront). That's the lowest price we've seen on the service all year.

While TunnelBear doesn't rank in our top five VPNs overall, it's still a solid option if you're looking for a beginner-friendly provider that prioritizes privacy. The service is independently audited, keeps an impressively transparent privacy policy, and offers a simple, no-fuss user experience.

This Black Friday deal runs until December 1, so if you've had your eye on TunnelBear, now's the time to take the plunge.

TunnelBear might not be a top-tier pick for every user, but it remains a reliable option for anyone prioritizing privacy and simplicity. During the Black Friday sales rush, when cyber threats and scams tend to spike, a trustworthy VPN with solid privacy credentials can offer an added layer of protection.

One of TunnelBear's biggest strengths is its commitment to transparency. It's one of the few VPNs that undergoes regular, independent security audits, and its privacy policy is clearly written and upfront about what's collected (very little) and how it's handled. That makes it a smart pick for anyone who doesn't want to overthink their online safety.

That said, it's not a perfect all-rounder. TunnelBear doesn't offer a traditional money-back guarantee, which means you won't be able to trial the service risk-free like you can with many other providers. While refunds are possible, they're handled on a case-by-case basis.

TunnelBear also falls short when it comes to streaming performance. In our most recent hands-on testing, it wasn't able to access key platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, or BBC iPlayer. If streaming is a priority for you, especially over the festive season, we recommend checking out Surfshark instead.

Surfshark is currently our #2 overall VPN, offering a much broader feature set, excellent unblocking capabilities, and stronger performance across the board. It's also one of the most affordable options this Black Friday, with a stacked deal that includes bonus months and full access to its advanced privacy tools.

Amazon's shiny new Fire TV Stick surely landed in more than a few shopping baskets over the Black Friday weekend. However, buyers should beware that the new operating system, Vega OS, has made waves in the cybersecurity community because it is not natively compatible with most VPN apps – but NordVPN is an exception, and it just unveiled a massive Cyber Monday discount.

The Fire TV Stick's VPN incompatibility can present a significant hurdle. Users who rely on a VPN to tune into content from back home while traveling, or those who simply want to keep their viewing habits private, may find themselves without protection or access on the new devices.

Luckily, NordVPN has become the first provider to launch a fully compatible app for the new Fire TV Stick version (followed closely by IPVanish), and there's still plenty of time to pick up a Cyber Monday VPN deal.

Even better now that Amazon has finally released VPN support to its Vega OS devices perfectly in time with the Cyber Monday shopping frenzy.

A NordVPN Basic plan is now 75% off thanks to an exclusive TechRadar deal. For those looking for the best VPN to expand their streaming horizons on the latest hardware, there is no better time to test the service.

NordVPN's Cyber Monday Deal

Why do we recommend NordVPN for Fire Stick?

While NordVPN currently sits at #2 in our specific Fire TV Stick VPN rankings, the current Cyber Monday deal, combined with its unique compatibility with the new Vega OS devices, makes it the smartest choice for anyone buying the latest Amazon hardware right now.

When it comes to streaming, speed is the most critical metric. In our most recent tests, NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx protocol delivered top-end peak speeds of 1256Mbps – more than enough for handling 4K UHD streaming without buffering, even in households where multiple users are connected to the internet simultaneously.

Server network scale is another good measure for a Fire Stick VPN. NordVPN has servers in more than 118 different countries around the world. That means you'll have a nearby server for maximum download speeds in most places. It's also particularly useful for anyone who want to stay up to date with local sports or TV shows while traveling abroad.

We do rate Surfshark as the best Fire Stick VPN but, even though there is a good Surfshark Cyber Monday deal, it doesn't have an app that's compatible with Vega OS right now.

For that reason, NordVPN's Cyber Monday offer is going to be the one to choose for new Fire Stick owners in 2025. Take a look at everything we think about NordVPN in our review.

• The EU is considering a social media ban for under-16s
• Australia's social ban set to kick in on December 10, 2025
• Expansion of the debate around privacy and age verification in the EU

The European Parliament is looking into the possibility of banning children under 16 from accessing social media platforms.

This is what has emerged from Wednesday's discussion, when 483 members voted in favor of a resolution on how to better protect minors online, as reported by Politico Europe. Only 92 voted against, with 86 abstaining to express their preferences.

The European Commission is taking note of Australia's world-first under-16 social media ban, which is expected to come into force from December 10, 2025.

Led by Danish social-democrat Christel Schaldemose, the EU resolution is now calling on the European Commission to cope with Europe's "fragmented approach to age assurance" to ensure consistency across the bloc.

Age verification has begun to roll out in the EU, in fact, but only a few countries have already implemented the new rules as per the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Age verification and the risk for privacy

While the goal behind age verification laws of shielding minors from online harm is crucial, privacy and security experts alike have expressed their concerns about current age assurance methods, deeming these rules as "a privacy tradeoff."

All internet users, or anyone with a social media at least, would be required to verify their age – not only under-16s.

Yet, sharing a picture of your face or government ID with a third-party age verification provider can leave your data more vulnerable to leak or abuse, experts warn. This is a scenario that became reality after 70,000 government ID photos were leaked in the UK when the third-party provider used by Discord was hacked.

These data privacy and security concerns are exactly the reason why citizens worldwide have turned to the best VPN services in the face of new mandatory age checks.

If you also want to protect your most sensitive information, now is the best time to get ready to do so. Many VPN providers have already slashed their pricing with an early Black Friday VPN deal. These include TechRadar's top-rated service, NordVPN, which is currently at its lowest price of the year. Here are all the details:

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The rollout of age verification has been a massive story in the digital privacy sphere throughout 2025. Beyond the general frustration of constant checks, everyday users and privacy advocates have expressed deep concerns regarding the security implications.

The primary worry centers on the de-anonymization of the internet, requiring individuals to hand over sensitive identification data to unknown third-party handlers just to access information.

It appears highly unlikely that age verification mandates will vanish as we head into 2026. Missouri is implementing mandatory age checks starting from November 30, in fact, and is already causing a stir in the debate around privacy and security. Australia will be the next on December 10, with more regions following suit in the next year.

So, no matter where you are, you may want to start taking measures to protect your ID and data now. Fortunately, the current Black Friday VPN deals provide a strategic opportunity to do so. VPN providers usually unveil massive price cuts this time of year, and we have seen some of the most security-focused services drop their prices significantly.

If you are looking for the best VPN to secure your digital footprint, the current market offers several strong contenders. We have rounded up our favorite privacy-protecting deals now costing you only about $2 a month. Keep reading to know why they are a sound investment for the coming year.

Best $2/month Black Friday VPN deals

1. Surfshark Black Friday deal

2. Private Internet Access (PIA) Black Friday deal

3. CyberGhost Black friday deal

How does age verification pose a risk to your ID/data?

The primary threat age verification poses is to online anonymity. Increasingly, people's browsing habits and history are being linked directly to their real-world identity. Privacy advocates argue this could lead to increased or normalized surveillance, where private online activity is no longer private.

There are also significant concerns regarding how the identifiable data used to prove age is handled and processed. For instance, over 70,000 government ID photos were leaked when the third-party provider used by Discord got hacked.

Users must question whether the third-party services collecting this data take appropriate measures to protect it from interception that could lead to identity theft. Questions remain regarding how soon data is deleted after verification and how robust the privacy policies of these third-party handlers actually are.

Furthermore, there is ambiguity regarding who decides what content falls under the umbrella of "adult" or "dangerous." There is a risk that legitimate, useful resources could be made harder to reach for politicized reasons or due to overly broad definitions.

Using a VPN can help readers reclaim aspects of their privacy. Through encryption and location spoofing, a VPN makes it significantly more difficult for third parties to track activity or link specific browsing sessions to a physical location.

Unfortunately, this utility is also why VPN usage is currently under attack. Some US states (Michigan and Wisconsin) are looking to ban VPN traffic specifically to prevent people from circumventing age restrictions, a situation the TechRadar team is keeping tabs on, along with the significant backlash it is causing.

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 using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

We're in a bit of a limbo here. Back Friday has come and gone - but Cyber Monday is right around the corner. Luckily, cloud storage has been pretty stable for the last week - with sale prices remaining steady for the best cloud storage providers around.

But, luckily for us, this exclusive IDrive 10TB saving for TechRadar readers is still running - with double the amount of storage on offer - and for 95% off for the first year.

We love IDrive. It's our number one ranking for overall best cloud storage provider - and our experts have spent thousands of hours testing these out, so we don't say this lightly.

This isn't a small deal, either. 10TB is enough for a lifetime for most people, even if you like to dabble in creative projects. This plan comes with a wide choice of backup method and end-to-end encryption - the gold standard for security.

If it's not the kind thing you're looking for, or you just want to browse - head over to our Black Friday cloud storage deal hub.

Today's top IDrive cloud storage deals

Also consider: More Black Friday cloud storage deals