The Best VPN of 2021
Our experts did the heavy lifting of testing out dozens of VPNs, and these services worked best.
We’ve all thoughtlessly joined a public Wi-Fi network before, whether it’s standing in line for coffee and checking our emails, hopping onto the subway’s public network to see if it was still raining, or logging into the library’s Wi-Fi to catch up on some work. Browsing the web on public Wi-Fi networks, though, is not the safest practice when it comes to digital security. In fact, it makes it much easier for hackers to access your device, which could lead to some of your sensitive information being stolen, like usernames, passwords, bank account information, and so on.
Fortunately, VPNs encrypt your web traffic in a tunnel and replace your IP address, making it safe to join public Wi-Fi networks. We’ve tested out dozens of VPNs for their speed and security, and here are our top recommendations.
We compared ExpressVPN vs. NordVPN if you want to put the top two VPNs head to head; you can also compare VPNs here. Some background information: we test all of our VPNs on multiple devices to see how they perform in terms of both speed and security. We’re also looking at the company behind the VPN; we want the companies to be based in areas outside of the jurisdiction of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes, meaning that they can never be legally forced to hand over customer data. We also read each company’s privacy policy to see what customer data they keep and whether or not it’s shared with third parties. Finally, we test out the VPN’s apps on both iOS and Android, as well as review their customer support system. In a nutshell? We do all the hard work so you can just download a VPN and be protected!
Quick Glance: VPN Testing Statistics
| Number of VPNs tested | 35 |
| How long we test VPNs | 6 months |
| Maximum monthly cost | $12.99 |
| Available contract lengths | 1 month, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years |
A Detailed List of the Best VPNs
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1. ExpressVPN - Best VPN Overall
It’s no big surprise that most of our digital security expert team members have iPhones; after all, we’re young and live in Brooklyn, where we’re constantly joining public Wi-Fi networks. ExpressVPN easily connected us with fast speeds, and with a kill switch, if our connection was lost, we were still protected. Aside from our iPhones, ExpressVPN also worked quite well on our Mac and Windows computers, and best of all, we could be on public and private networks at the same time, which came in handy when we were multi-tasking, which is pretty much all the time.
What We Like
- No data retention laws
- Great app ratings
- Netflix access
- Fast speeds on Windows
What We Don’t Like
- No phone support
- Slow speeds on Mac
- Five simultaneous connections per subscription
- No browser extension for Internet Explorer
ExpressVPN OpenVPN
When it comes to VPN software, OpenVPN is the gold standard, a crowdsourced option that’s being constantly updated to avoid surveillance. ExpressVPN defaults to OpenVPN, which required us to download third-party software. We agree with ExpressVPN when they say it’s the “ideal combo of speed, security, and performance”!
Strict Logging Policy
Of course, ExpressVPN didn’t keep our web traffic or activity, which is the most basic thing we expect from VPNs meant to give us privacy. But they also didn’t keep much more of our information than necessary; they only knew which app and version we used, when we used it, the server we connected to, and the amount of data we transferred in MB. Our traffic, metadata, and DNS queries weren’t logged, thankfully.
Split Tunneling
Sometimes when we were working, we had to be on a private and a public network simultaneously. With most VPNs, that meant switching off the connection when we had to access files on the public network, but that wasn’t the case with ExpressVPN. That’s because they have split tunneling, which let us access both networks simultaneously. Some of our traffic went through ExpressVPN’s encrypted tunnel, while some connected with the Internet directly like usual. We loved the convenience of split tunneling, which prevented us from having to do too much toggling.
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2. NordVPN - Best Encryption
NordVPN has over eight million customers around the world making it one of the most popular VPNs, so we were excited to test it. Overall, it performed swimmingly; we used to it torrent films and watch TV on Netflix with pretty insignificant slowdowns. Plus, we love that NordVPN is based in Panama, a non-member of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes. Legally, the company can never be forced to hand over data, so NordVPN is a great choice for those concerned about privacy.
What We Like
- Non-member to Five Eyes, Nine Eyes and 14 Eyes
- Netflix access
- Strict logging policy
- High app ratings
What We Don’t Like
- Static IP addresses
- Hard to reach customer support
- Kill switch doesn’t shut off all applications with iOS app
- Limited torrenting support
NordVPN Netflix Access
We loved watching Netflix from other countries on NordVPN; did you know that the TV shows and movie options are different depending on where you watch? NordVPN let us watch Netflix on Linux, Mac, or Windows computers. Or, if you want to watch on the go like we did, do so on Android or iOS devices; it also works on smart TVs and TV devices. But note that Netflix only works on servers from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, or Japan, so it may not work for all users.
Double The Encryption
In our full NordVPN review, we go deep into its encryption methods. One of the things we liked most about NordVPN is its use of double-VPN, meaning that our web traffic was encrypted not once but twice through multiple servers. This is ideal for anyone super-concerned about privacy; activists, bloggers, journalists, or anyone working in a place filled with surveillance and censorship, we’re talking to you!
Low Prices
When we were testing out NordVPN, we signed up for a month, which cost us $11.95. However, if we signed up for longer, we could’ve unlocked some amazing discounts. The monthly rates if we signed up for one year or two years would’ve gone down to only $4.92, or $3.33, respectively. That’s discounts of up to 72 percent! It pays to commit long-term, in sum.
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3. IPVanish - Best VPN for Android
IPVanish worked really well on our Android devices, with strong encryption methods, great download speeds, and split tunneling, which really helped us out when we were working from home. Plus, unlike many other VPN companies on the market, IPVanish has really fantastic customer support, available 24/7 over email, phone, or live chat. This is a rarity, as most VPNs offer only email support and respond during only a limited number of hours per week. Best of all, we got all of this for just $3.75 a month when we signed up for a one year subscription.
What We Like
- Fast download speeds
- Torrenting
- Split tunneling
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections
What We Don’t Like
- History of sharing customer logs
- Based in United States
- Not all servers work with Netflix
- Slow speeds on Windows
IPVanish Kill Switch
We used IPVanish at the library one day, and when the connection failed, the VPN closed all of our Web windows automatically, ensuring no one could see our IP address or web traffic. This was a lot better than the alternative, although we had to reopen the windows that IPVanish “killed.” Of course, when we were downloading large files and didn’t want to be interrupted even if the VPN failed, we had the option to turn the kill switch off.
Robust Customer Service
IPVanish wins when it comes to helping customers with problems, as well. Not only does it have 24/7 live chat and a comprehensive FAQ section, but also a phone line, a huge rarity for VPN companies. We got responses within five minutes, and other customers had similar experiences according to reviews on Amazon and Trustpilot, four out of five and 4.6 out of five respectively.
User-Friendly iOS App
We’re constantly on public Wi-Fi networks on our iPhones, so we liked connecting to IPVanish from their iOS app. Connecting was super easy and intuitive, and we didn’t experience any bugs or glitches. Other IPVanish iPhone-users seemed to agree with us, as the app has a 4.5 rating from over 42,000 reviews at the App Store.
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4. Ivacy VPN - Most Affordable VPN
Of course, Ivacy VPN protected us when we were surfing the web. Its strict logging policy ensured no one could gain access to our IP addresses or browsing histories. We expect that kind of service from a top-notch VPN, though. What we didn’t expect was how easy it was to stream Netflix and other content services from Ivacy VPN. Nor did we realize just how affordable Ivacy VPN would be. All in all, we had no complaints.
What We Liked
- Split tunneling
- Strict logging policy
- Affordable long-term subscriptions
- Netflix access
What We Didn’t Like
- Poor Mac app
- Kill switch only for Mac and Windows
- Relatively slow download speeds
- Located in Singapore, a Five Eyes member
Strict Logging Policy
All VPN companies have to keep some information if only to conduct business. Ivacy VPN, though, keeps as little of our information as possible. Yes, it does keep our:
- Names
- Emails
- Payment methods
- Crash event reports
- Performance data
- Failed connection attempts
- Application usage
- Aggregated bandwidth use
It would be hard to operate a successful VPN without this information, though. More important is what Ivacy VPN doesn’t keep:
- IP addresses
- Browsing histories
- Timestamps
As long as it’s not tracking any of this data, we feel pretty safe and secure.
Ivacy VPN Windows Screenshot Netflix and Other Streaming Services
Not everyone understands why a VPN can be so useful for accessing Netflix. Sure, you can hide the fact that you’re a “Bridgerton” fan. More than that, though, a VPN lets you access streaming libraries from all over the world. It turns out Netflix Canada has a few titles we just don’t get here in the States. Just as good, when you’re overseas, you can pull up the U.S. library any time you want to. We were able to access way more streaming services than just Netflix though. In addition, we had access to:
- Prime Video
- Disney +
- Hulu
- Kodi
- BBC
That’s a lot of entertainment, all with one VPN.
Low Prices Plus Discounts
Ivacy VPN offers one of the lowest prices of any VPN on the market. That’s true especially when it comes to long-term subscriptions. For a single month of the service, we paid $9.95, which is quite affordable when compared to other companies. Ivacy VPN also offers a one-year subscription that runs $3.99 and a two-year subscription for $2.25. If you’re willing to make a serious commitment though, you can sign up for five years for just $1.33 a month.
As if those prices weren’t enticing enough, Ivacy VPN offers lots of deals and discounts throughout the year, whether it’s Christmas or Halloween, Boxing Day or the Fourth of July. Last year, it offered 87 percent off for Green Day. That’s a lot of savings options.
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5. PureVPN - Best VPN For Travel
PureVPN is one of the best VPNs for travel, with more than 6,500 servers in over 78 countries including the U.K., Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. This made it easy for us to travel without joining shady Wi-Fi networks and running into internet censorship. PureVPN hid our browsing history and IP address so we could be more anonymous online.
What We Like
- AES-256 encryption
- OpenVPN protocol
- Over 6,500 servers in more than 78 countries
- Based in Hong Kong, a Five Eyes non-member
What We Don’t Like
- Torrenting doesn’t always work
- Static IP addresses
- Latency on Windows and Macs
- No free trial
PureVPN Huge Global Network
PureVPN has one of the largest global networks of servers and is available in more than 78 countries. Specifically, the VPN has servers in:
Country Servers and locations U.K. 147 in Manchester, 18 in Gosport, 399 in London, 3 in Maidenhead Australia 128 in Sydney, 79 in Melbourne, 76 in Perth, 77 in Brisbane France 24 in Paris, 18 in Roubaix Germany 63 in Frankfurt, 54 in Munich, 12 in Nuremberg, 54 in Berlin, 18 in Hessen The Netherlands 316 in Amsterdam Spain 90 in Madrid Japan 110 in Tokyo Korea 14 in Seoul Mexico 20 in Mexico City Singapore 142 in Singapore United Arab Emirates 33 in Dubai No wonder PureVPN is one of the best VPNs for Australia, the best VPNs for France, the best VPNs for Germany, and more.
Strict Logging Policy
While we were jet setting and connecting to international PureVPN servers, PureVPN hid our IP address, along with our browsing history. In fact, the VPN only collected our:
- Names
- Email addresses
- Payment information
- Total bandwidth consumed.
Everything we did online, on the other hand, was ours to keep. And since PureVPN is based in Hong Kong, a Five Eyes non-member, the company can’t be forced, legally, to give any of our information to the government. Add in some AES-256 encryption, the highest standard around, and PureVPN is certainly trustworthy when it comes to privacy.
PureVPN Kill Switch Dedicated IP Address Available
With PureVPN, we got the same IP address every time we connected, shared with thousands of other PureVPN users. That was great for security, since we were lost in the crowd. For some websites that recognize these shared IP addresses, though, that was an issue and we got blocked. That’s why we were happy that, in addition, PureVPN offers dedicated IP addresses for only $2.91 a month with a two-year subscription. Dedicated addresses are just as secure as shared addresses, but we were the only ones using this IP address. That made it easier for websites to remember who we were.
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6. CyberGhost - Best VPN for Mac
CyberGhost has over 7,300 servers in 91 different countries, so although we only tested it out in the United States, wherever in the world you are, you shouldn’t have trouble connecting. The company is based in Romania, not a member of those international surveillance networks we keep mentioning; plus, Romania as a country has almost no data retention laws of its own, making CyberGhost a great pick for privacy.
FYI: CyberGhost doesn’t have split tunneling, so if you’re connected, you’ll only be able to access private and not public networks.
What We Like
- Non-member to Five eyes, Nine Eyes and 14 Eyes
- Great customer support
- Affordable costs
- Thousands of servers around the world
What We Don’t Like
- Logging policy
- No split tunneling
- Static IP addresses
- Slow performance on Windows
CyberGhost Military-Grade Encryption
CyberGhost uses AES-256, which is the current industry standard when it comes to encryption. Whenever we connected, we got an anonymous IP address that we shared with other CyberGhost users on the same server. Combined with the encryption, we felt confident that our identities were hidden when we used CyberGhost to browse the Internet.
Discounts Available
We’re always looking for a great deal, which is why CyberGhost appealed to us so much. While we signed up for a month for $12.99, a pretty standard price compared to other VPNs, we could’ve signed up for six months or two years plus two free months. With these plans, our monthly rates would’ve gone down to $6.39 and $2.25, respectively, which is pretty incredible. Each subscription lets us connect to seven devices with unlimited data. Not too shabby!
Great Customer Support
We’ll be honest with you: most VPN companies seriously skimp when it comes to customer support, with few options available and unresponsive agents. However, CyberGhost doesn’t fit the mold in that respect. With 24/7 live chat, we got answers in just a few seconds, that is, if we couldn’t find what I was looking for in their extensive blog and FAQs.
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7. Hotspot Shield - Best VPN for Netflix
When it came to Netflix-watching parties, Hotspot Shield had us covered with fast speeds on our Mac and Windows computers. We also didn’t experience huge delays or lags on Netflix when we used the app on our Android devices, which came in handy during commutes. Plus, Hotspot Shield has a free option for those that don’t want to spend money on a VPN; however, you’ll be limited to a daily data cap of 500 MB, which may make watching movies and TV shows on Netflix and other streaming services a bit difficult. We went with the monthly plan, which cost us $12.99 a month, although there were cheaper options if we had signed up for one or two years.
Money Saver: To get discounts, sign up for long term-lengths; typically, one or two-year subscriptions are cheaper than monthly plans.
What We Like
- Fast speeds
- Free option
- Netflix access
- Torrenting access
What We Don’t Like
- Five simultaneous connections
- Based in U.S.
- Unresponsive customer support
- Keeps IP address
Hotspot Shield Regular Transparency Reports
Clearly, we don’t love the fact that Hotspot Shield is based in the United States. However, we were impressed that they have annual transparency reports to prove that they don’t hand over customer data, even when asked. In 2019, for example, they were asked to hand over users’ data 56 different times, refusing every time. Clearly, Hotspot Shield is dedicated to protecting users’ privacy, and their transparency reports prove that.
Free VPN for Android
They say that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but with Hotspot Shield, there is a free option that works on Android. It has a bandwidth limit of 500 MB daily, which means it’s not ideal for watching Netflix or torrenting files, but for those quick Internet users searches, this option will work for many users. However, note that there will be ads, but they’re a small price to pay for a free VPN, in our opinion at least.
Super-Fast Speeds
Hotspot Shield was one of the fastest VPNs we tested on our Windows and Mac computers. Download speeds decreased by 30% and 18% while upload speeds decreased by 0.2% and 26% on Mac and Windows, respectively. Although the latency was a bit more than we would’ve liked, Hotspot Shield is a great option for torrenting files or watching Netflix.
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8. ProtonVPN - Best VPN for Zoom
When it came to using Zoom and other meeting software, ProtonVPN had us covered with fast speeds on our Mac and Windows computers. Also, we didn’t experience huge delays or lags on Zoom when we used the app on our Android devices, which came in handy during the pandemic when we were working from home. Plus, ProtonVPN has a free option for those that don’t want to spend money on a VPN. There are no data limits with this free plan, but you can only connect through one device. We went with the monthly plan, which cost us $10 a month, although there were cheaper options if we had signed up for one or two years. One year is just $8.00 a month, while two years is $6.63 a month.
MONEY-SAVER: To get discounts, sign up for long term-lengths; typically, one or two-year subscriptions are cheaper than monthly plans.
What We Like
- Fast speeds
- Free option
- Netflix access
- Torrenting access
What We Don’t Like
- Relatively high prices
- Customer support limited to tickets
- No browser support
- Relatively few servers
ProtonVPN App on iPhone Regular Transparency Reports
We were impressed that ProtonVPN has annual transparency reports to prove that it doesn’t hand over customer data, even when asked. The company is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and isn’t subject to Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes surveillance agreements. Even so, we liked having additional proof that the company collects the bare minimum about us, only our email addresses, payment information, and timestamps. At our last check, the only significant activity on the transparency report was a 2019 data request for information from the Swiss courts. Since ProtonVPN doesn’t collect IP addresses or online activity about any of its users, it had nothing to turn over.
Free VPN for Android
They say that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but with ProtonVPN, there is a free option and it works with Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Linux. There are a couple of downsides to this free version, though. You can connect only through a single device, and there are only servers in three countries: the U.S., Japan, and the Netherlands. Still, the free version has no speed limits and no data limits, so you can Netflix to your heart’s desire.
Fast Upload Speeds
With more of us working from home than ever, we need fast upload speeds and low latency so our meeting software works smoothly. There’s nothing more embarrassing than when you laugh at someone’s joke but they don’t hear it until two minutes later. ProtonVPN was one of the fastest VPNs we tested on our Windows and Mac computers when it came to both upload speeds and latency.
Proton VPN Speeds
Upload speed difference, Macs 11 percent slower Upload speed difference, Windows 4 percent slower Download speed difference, Macs 87 percent slower Download speed difference, Windows 42 percent slower Latency speed difference, Macs 20 percent faster Latency speed difference, Windows 10 percent faster -
9. Surfshark - Best VPN for Torrenting
Surfshark made it easy for us to torrent and download movies and TV shows without fear of retribution. With unlimited devices per subscription, this VPN gave us a different IP address every time we connected, which makes tracing much harder; however, if we wanted to stick with the same IP address, that was an option as well. In addition to that, Surfshark is based in a country that’s a non-member to Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes, and it allows for Netflix in addition to torrenting.
What We Like
- Based in Virgin Islands outside of surveillance alliances
- Unlimited devices per subscription
- Low costs with one or two-year subscriptions
- 30-day trial period
What We Don’t Like
- No phone support
- Have to set up kill switch manually on Windows
- Static IP addresses
- Not the fastest
Surfshark Virgin Islands Location
Based in the Virgin Islands, Surfshark will never be forced to hand over customer data, as these islands aren’t members of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes. Although they’re a territory of the United Kingdom, the Virgin Islands are self-governed and have their own laws. Plus, they have no data retention laws of their own, and surveillance isn’t legal, even when it’s the government. It sounds like the perfect place to start a VPN company, in our humble opinion!
International Servers
While we only connected to Surfshark from the good old U.S of A, they have options in over 60 countries, from Vietnam to Albania. In the U.S, there are servers in over 20 cities, including L.A, Chicago, Dallas, Boston; you get the picture. The closer we were to the server, the better our connection would be, so when it came to server locations from Surfshark, we were more than satisfied.
Streaming Services
It’s no secret that we love streaming, and what was awesome about Surfhsark is that we didn’t have to try out a bunch of different servers to stream on different platforms. Let us give you an example. We were dying to watch National Treasure on Disney+, for obvious and Nick Cage-related reasons. Normally with VPNs, we have to try connecting from a few different servers before we find one that the streaming service hasn’t blocked, but Surfshark actually did that work for us, automatically finding the right server for the right streaming service. Aside from Disney+, we also streamed from Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Spotify, and Youtube, although the VPN works with even more services. Learn more about the best VPNs for Youtube TV. Surfshark also works with Apple TV, making it one of the best VPNs for Apple TV, as well.
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10. Private Internet Access - Best VPN for Windows
If you have a Windows computer, look no further than Private Internet Access. We got really fast speeds when we tested it out on our Vivobook, but it also has great apps for iOS and Android devices. Plus, we were satisfied with their privacy policy, which is super strict. The company has never even been asked to hand over user data, not that they would have any to hand over even if they were. According to the founder, “We don’t log, period”. However, the company is based in Denver, so that’s something to keep in mind, as the United States is a Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes member.
What We Like
- Strict logging policy
- Fast on Windows
- High app reviews
- Netflix access
What We Don’t Like
- Based in United States
- So-so customer support
- Split tunneling unavailable for iPhones
- Slow on Mac
Private Internet Access Encryption Options
Most VPNs didn’t give us many choices when it came to encryption methods, authentication modes, and handshakes, but Private Internet Access actually let us customize how their VPN worked. We had four options: the default, recommended protection, an option that was more focused on speed, an option more focused on security, and an option with no authentication whatsoever. While we went with the recommended option, we could see the other options being useful if we weren’t concerned about speed or security.
Dynamic IP Addresses
We got a new IP address every time we connected to Private Internet Access, which is definitely preferred over static IP addresses. That made us harder to trace, ensuring our anonymity online. Think of it like wearing a mask; if you wore the same mask every time, people would eventually start to catch onto your identity. With Private Internet Access, we got a fresh new mask every time we logged on, which kept any potential hackers guessing.
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11. Norton Secure VPN - Best VPN With Dynamic IP Addresses
Norton, perhaps most famous for its LifeLock identity theft protection (read more in our LifeLock review) and its Norton antivirus software, also has a VPN, and it’s not half bad. Every time we connected to the macOS app, we got a different IP address, which made it difficult to trace us online. Since online anonymity is what we’re after, we were satisfied with this VPN app.
What We Like
- AES-256 encryption
- Different IP addresses every time you connect
- Affordable
- 10 devices maximum
What We Don’t Like
- Based in the U.S., a Five Eyes member
- No split tunneling on iOS devices or Macs
- Netflix isn’t available everywhere
- Kill switch isn’t available on Macs, iOS or PC devices
Norton Secure VPN Affordable Prices
How much does the Norton Secure VPN cost, you ask? Well, if you only sign up for a month on one device, it’s $4.99. However, for 10 devices for a year, the cost is only $59.99, which amounts to only about $0.50 a per device per month. If you need a VPN for the whole family, this plan is incredibly affordable, one of the best VPN deals we’ve seen in a while (and that includes VPN Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, as well!).
Maximum number of devices Contract length Amount billed 1 1 month $4.99 1 1 year $39.99 5 1 month $7.99 5 1 year $39.99 10 1 month $9.99 10 1 year $59.99 Strong Encryption
Norton Secure VPN encrypted our web activity and hid our IP address using AES-256, the same encryption that the U.S. government and military use, so you know it’s secure. Beyond that, in some locations, the VPN encrypted our web activity and changed our IP addresses multiple times, a process called multi-hop or double hop. That made it that much harder to track us online, from our personal emails to the items we bought on Etsy. No one needs to know about our obsession with vintage cookie jars, after all.
Speed Test on Windows Without VPN 
Speed Test on Windows With VPN User-Friendly Mobile Apps
We all know that using a public Wi-Fi network directly is a great way to get hacked, which is why we always connect to a VPN like Norton Secure while we’re checking our phones in line for croissants. Fortunately, Norton does mobile apps well, specifically the Norton Secure VPN— Security & Privacy WiFi Proxy Android app and the Norton Secure VPN & Proxy VPN iOS app. After we downloaded the apps, we connected to nearby servers in seconds without any bugs or glitches. Other Norton customers agree with us, as the Android app has a 4.4 rating and the iOS app has a 4.2.
