Norton isn't just the brand behind one of the best antivirus – it has an excellent VPN in its offering of software that helps to elevate your online security, too. Like most of the best VPN providers, though, it gives you the option of different tiers of its products depending on your needs, from budget to a selection of more comprehensive features.
In Norton VPN's case, it offers its baseline Standard plan that'll be perfect for most everyday users in helping to protect your browsing activity and give you better online anonymity. From a handy kill switch to its ad-blocker, all packages come with a roster of features that boost your security and expand your streaming horizons.
What does Norton VPN Plus include?
Much like Norton VPN's Standard plan, Norton VPN Plus protects up to five devices simultaneously, allowing you to install on your smartphone and laptop, as well as your Apple TV or Google TV, or most other devices that you can connect to the internet.
Stream from your favorite platforms no matter where you are with servers across 65 countries and over 100 locations – during testing for our Norton VPN review we were able to unblock a number of streaming services, including Netflix in a number of countries, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and regional providers like BBC iPlayer in the UK and 9Now in Australia.
Connect to any server and your IP address will be concealed, allowing you to browse with improved online anonymity, with all your information encrypted with the industry standard AES-256-GCM encryption. Norton VPN also offers peace of mind with its extensive and clear no-logs policy.
An essential feature present in most VPNs is a kill switch, preventing your traffic and data from being exposed should your VPN connection drop. Instead a kill switch prevents your device from connecting to your regular unprotected connection, blocking your device's internet access.
Both Standard Plus plans come with Norton VPN's IP Rotation and Double VPN features, which help to prevent tracking as the software sends your traffic not one but two servers for an additional layer of security, as well as its very own ad blocker, cleaning up your browsing experience.
But what does Plus offer that Standard doesn't?
Norton VPN's Plus plan doesn't just block pesky adverts, it protects you against more harmful online threats, too. From malware to ransomware, Norton VPN boasts AI-scam detection as you browse, stopping any harmful online presence in its tracks.
It also comes with its own password manager, allowing you to create unique and secure passwords you won't otherwise have to remember or note down elsewhere, endangering your online security. And if you thought its antivirus prowess was reserved for its specific software package, you'd be wrong. Norton VPN's Plus plan comes with a 100% Virus Protection Promise, too, offering a refund should it be unable to remove a virus from your device.
In a world where our personal data is constantly being stolen and sold to third parties, Plus subscribers get the bonus of being alerted should any of their personal information end up on the dark web.
Lastly, but by no means least, the Norton VPN Plus plan also gets you 10GB of cloud backup for your files.
What does Norton VPN Ultimate include?
Norton VPN's Ultimate plan goes the extra mile with its comprehensive protection against online nasties. Of course, it boasts all of the above listed for the Standard and Plus plans – but there's more.
First things first, you can install Norton VPN Ultimate onto up to 10 devices. This is great if you want to share your subscription with your household, allowing multiple devices to benefit from the security software simultaneously. That makes it ideal for families, with Ultimate offering features particularly for individuals with children wishing to have more control over what they can and can't see online.
Ultimate offers this extra layer of reassurance for worried parents with a couple of features that target screentime, the content they're viewing online, as well as pinpointing their location with its iOS and Android smartphone features.
You can schedule in time they can spend on their devices, as well as reducing access during school hours. Its interface offers an easy-to-use dashboard that gives you an overview of their online activity, allowing parents to monitor what apps they've downloaded and content they've viewed. Parents will also be able to block specific websites, as well as notifying you should your child attempt to access these URLs.
On top of these great features for families, Norton VPN Ultimate bolsters the 10GB storage you'll receive with its Plus plan to 50Gb cloud backup for Ultimate subscribers.
Feature/Plan | Norton VPN Plus & Ultimate | Norton VPN Ultimate only |
|---|---|---|
AES-256-GCM encryption | ✅ | ✅ |
3,200+ servers/100+ server locations in 65 countries | ✅ | ✅ |
Kill switch | ✅ | ✅ |
IP Rotation & Double VPN | ✅ | ✅ |
AI-scam detection | ✅ | ✅ |
Password manager | ✅ | ✅ |
100% Virus Protection Promise | ✅ | ✅ |
Dark web monitoring | ✅ | ✅ |
Protects up to 10 devices | Row 8 - Cell 1 | ✅ |
50GB cloud backup | Row 9 - Cell 1 | ✅ |
Parental controls | Row 10 - Cell 1 | ✅ |
Location tracker | Row 11 - Cell 1 | ✅ |
Plus or Ultimate: which Norton VPN plan should I choose?
Unless you have more than five devices you want to equip with Norton VPN, or you have a family with young ones you wish to monitor the online safety of, Norton VPN's Plus plan is a comprehensive offering for boosted security while browsing online.
It boasts some excellent advanced features, great for detecting harmful online activity through the powers of AI, as well as giving you agency over your data and where it might end up online.
It also comes with its own password manager, as well as the Standard Plan's baseline features including IP Rotation and Double VPN, an ad blocker, and a kill switch.
However, if you want your subscription to cover all your devices and then some, Ultimate is ideal, especially for families.
Packed full of all the Standard and Plus features, parents can enjoy better peace of mind, keeping tabs on exactly what their kids get up to online. What's more, with its smartphone tracking feature across both iOS and Android, you can also ensure you know what they're up to in the real world, too.
