5 ways VPNs have surprised us this year

Demand for today's best VPNs is bigger than ever, and it’s not surprising when you consider how the internet’s changing. Age verification requirements are rolling out across the UK, and the EU isn’t far behind, digital surveillance is an ever-present fact of life, even trying to watch your favourite shows will lead you into a battle with geo-blocks sooner or later.

We’re keeping a close eye on these developments and the corresponding uptick in VPN usage, but it’s not all bad news.

We’ve also seen the VPN industry evolve to keep up with the threats to your privacy, and along the way we’ve encountered a few pleasant surprises (as well as one not-so-pleasant surprise). From forward-thinking security upgrades to a concerning trend in how malicious free VPNs are flooding app stores, here are five VPN developments that have caught our attention in 2025.

1. Quick adoption of PQE

The threat of “Q-Day” has been looming over the VPN industry for the last few years. It’s the point at which quantum computing becomes powerful enough to break current encryption methods.

While that day hasn’t arrived yet, the threat of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks means that any data encrypted using current standards is vulnerable to future quantum-based decryption. So, even if Q-Day isn’t here yet, preparing for it is essential.

That’s why we’re pleased to see that some of the best VPNs have already become early adopters of post-quantum encryption. NordVPN launched its own quantum-resistant upgrade for the NordLynx protocol in May 2025, which works across all of its apps, including Android TV and Apple’s tvOS.

ExpressVPN has also accelerated its post-quantum encryption implementation, switching from the Kyber algorithm to ML-KEM in January 2025. ML-KEM is backed by the National Institute for Science and Technology, so it’s good to see that ExpressVPN is keeping up with the best practices for post-quantum encryption.

While ExpressVPN’s work has focused primarily on upgrading the proprietary Lightway protocol, it also updated its WireGuard implementation with post-quantum encryption in August 2025.

2. ExpressVPN prioritizes affordability

ExpressVPN hasn’t just been busy upgrading its protocols. It also announced a restructured pricing strategy in September 2025. We welcome this move, given that ExpressVPN had previously made a name for itself as a luxe, but pricey, option.

ExpressVPN now offers a tiered pricing structure. Select from a Basic, Advanced, or Pro package, and choose the plan duration: a month, a year, or two years.

The Basic plan protects ten devices simultaneously, while the Advanced plan offers an extra password manager and more advanced ad-blocking options alongside phishing protection. The Pro plan bumps the number of devices you can protect simultaneously to fourteen and also adds a dedicated IP.

If you buy the ExpressVPN plan for two years on Basic coverage, you’ll only pay $3.49 a month. While that’s still a little more than you’d pay for Surfshark or Private Internet Access during the same period, it’s nice to see that ExpressVPN is giving users a cheaper option. As usual, all of ExpressVPN’s plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

3. Norton VPN steps up to the plate

Norton is well known for its antivirus software, but this year the company’s been investing heavily in its VPN product. After several significant upgrades, Norton VPN is edging steadily closer towards taking on the top players in the VPN industry.

First up, Norton VPN now offers 25 Gbps servers in key international locations, including New York, Chicago, London, and Tokyo. There are also five new P2P-optimized cities to choose from, alongside new virtual locations in India and a new server in Berlin.

As far as protocols go, Norton now offers OpenVPN in both UDP and TCP. The Windows implementation of OpenVPN has also received a speed upgrade by integrating Data Channel Offload, which it claims can double connection speeds and reduce latency by 15%.

Norton VPN also commissioned an audit of its proprietary, quantum-resistant Mimic protocol from VerSprite alongside a no-logs audit. While the no-logs audit shows that Norton’s service doesn’t collect logs, we’re yet to see the results of the Mimic audit, but we’re keenly waiting to see VerSprite’s verdict.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on Norton VPN going into 2026, as we suspect Norton’s nowhere near finished with improving its VPN product.

4. Non-stop innovations

If you’ve ever used a top-tier VPN, you’ll be aware that VPN subscriptions come with more features than just data encryption and location spoofing. They’re built to enhance your privacy and security across the board with anti-virus tools, password managers, and ad-blockers all bundled into a single package.

We’ve seen that some providers have gone a step further this year and delivered on unique features that turn VPN clients into full-on privacy solutions.

For example, NordVPN has made it easier to use its VPN in countries where ISPs block VPN usage by releasing NordWhisper this year. It’s a new protocol designed to bypass VPN blocking by disguising VPN traffic as a regular HTTPS connection.

As for ExpressVPN, it has launched Lightway Turbo, an optimized protocol variant that further improves connection speeds. It’s aimed at power users who need the fastest possible VPN connections without sacrificing security.

Surfshark also upgraded its Multi-IP and rotation IP features, which it's calling “Nexus”, giving you more control over how you appear to websites and online services. The rotating IP feature periodically changes your IP address without disconnecting you from the VPN, making it harder to track your activity between websites.

Meanwhile, Proton VPN expanded split tunneling support to Linux users, which has been long-requested by the privacy-conscious open-source community.

5. Fake VPNs in app store

However, it's not all good news. We’ve seen a troubling surge in the number of fake and malicious VPN apps appearing in major app stores throughout 2025. These apps masquerade as an alternative to paid VPNs, but they can put your data at serious risk. At worst, some have been found to have undisclosed ties to authoritarian countries like Russia and China.

We’ve previously reported on academic research that revealed hidden connections between over 20 seemingly independent VPN apps, revealing that they share codebases, infrastructure, and security vulnerabilities. With a combined download count of over 700 million, these apps are giving the average consumer a false sense of choice.

While you think you’re downloading an app that can improve your privacy, the reality is that you’re handing over your data to bad actors who are looking to exploit it in any way possible.

We recommend sticking to premium VPs with proven track records where possible. If you’re still looking for a free VPN, check out our free VPN rankings to find a free service that won’t put your data at risk.