NordVPN announces post-quantum encryption support for all applications
NordVPN has announced that post-quantum encryption (PQE) is now available on all its platforms.
From our testing, we rate NordVPN as the best VPN available, and it has overseen a staggered approach to its PQE protection. Its implementation is made possible thanks to the NordLynx protocol.
Widespread adoption of quantum computers isn't far off. They will soon be able to crack the current AES-256 encryption with ease – an event known as Q-Day – so adopting PQE is a must for VPN providers.
There's a debate over whether rolling out PQE is necessary now or a premature move. But regardless of when, PQE is needed – and here's how NordVPN is handling it.
NordVPN: the best VPN availableNordVPN is our #1 VPN. It's super fast, packed full of features, and great for streaming. You can protect up to 10 devices on one plan – with full support for post-quantum encryption. The 2-year plan starts at $3.39 per month ($81.36 up front plus tax). Plus, the plan comes with a free 1 GB Saily eSIM and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
September 2024 saw NordVPN first launch PQE, rolling it out on its Linux VPN app. The VPN provider set a target of early 2025 for all other platforms to receive PQE.
PQE is now available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, along with protection for tvOS and Android TV.
There are some limitations to NordVPN's PQE support. It only works with the NordLynx protocol, so won't activate when you use Dedicated IP, OpenVPN, obfuscated servers, or NordWhisper.
Enabling PQE will also turn off Meshnet because the features are not compatible.
PQE is enabled via a toggle switch. Head to "Settings" and then "Connections" on your NordVPN app and turn PQE on. Once done, PQE will automatically be activated whenever you connect to a server via the NordLynx protocol.
NordLynx is NordVPN's custom VPN protocol. It's based on WireGuard, and is known for its speed and security.
NordVPN has implemented PQE in accordance with standards set by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST has spent years researching and testing PQE methods and finalized three standards in August 2024.
"As quantum computing advances, the traditional encryption methods used by most VPN protocols today will eventually become vulnerable," said Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.
"By integrating PQE into our VPN infrastructure, we're taking a proactive step to ensure long-term confidentiality and resilience for our customers' data, both now and in a post-quantum future."
ExpressVPN and Mullvad are the only other two mainstream providers to offer PQE protection across the board. ExpressVPN integrated PQE into its Lightway protocol in January 2025, while Mullvad launched its PQE strategy back in 2017.
PureVPN and Windscribe also support PQE, but not for all applications. IPVanish is planning a 2025 release for PQE support and Surfshark said it is "actively implementing PQE now."
Proton VPN is taking a slower approach and doesn't want to rush its implementation. Proton VPN General Manager, David Peterson, said the provider wanted to release PQE support "once across the whole Proton ecosystem" and described PQE technologies as "a marathon, not a sprint."
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Tom's Guide
16 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
We asked cybersecurity experts to build a privacy toolbox for $10 per month – here's what they came up with, and more
Our online data is being collected all day, every day. Whether it's browsing the web, watching our favorite shows, or online shopping, everything we do online can be tracked, used to push ads, sold on, or even used to scam us. This all sounds very doom and gloom, but there are actions you can take to protect your personal information. For the Tom's Guide VPN team, the best VPNs are always our first port of call for digital security, but they are just one piece of the privacy puzzle. VPNs, the best antivirus software, the best password managers, secure browsers, authenticators, the best encrypted messaging apps, and data removal services can all be used to take back control of your data. You could spend hundreds of dollars on tools like these, but you don't have to. So we asked the Tom's Guide VPN and Security teams to build a collection of privacy bundles for all eventualities – here's what they came up with. NordVPN Plus: get a $20 Amazon gift card + 4 months freeNordVPN is our #1 VPN. It's fast, secure, private, and great for streaming. What you'll get... • Protection for up to 10 devices• Speeds of 950 Mbps+• Streaming service unblocking• Post-quantum encryption• Threat Protection Pro• NordPass password manager• 30-day money-back guarantee• $20 Amazon gift card (for a limited time only)• 28 months protection for $3.76 per month ($105.36 up front pre-tax) Every tool we recommend here is reputable and will protect your data – that's for sure. But not every product will be right for you. We've therefore tried to include a range of different products, at different prices, allowing you to decide what's best for you. No matter what privacy bundle you want to create, a VPN is a must have in all of them. VPNs protect your privacy online by routing your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel. Your data is kept safe from hackers, third-parties, and your ISP and the most private VPNs will never log, store, or share your browsing data. Many leading VPNs include password managers and antivirus in their plans, so it's worth comparing all the features offered and see which plan is right for you. VPNs aren't a silver bullet – but they're a perfect first step into improving your online privacy. They also don't have to cost the world, and I think most people will find at least occasional use for one. Our top picks: NordVPN: from $2.91 per month. Our top-rated VPN. A great all-purpose option with lots of added extras. Surfshark: from $1.99 per month. An excellent bargain alternative that also offers antivirus as an add-on. ExpressVPN: from $4.99 per month. More expensive, but includes a huge amount of privacy extras for no extra cost. Scams and threats from hackers are unfortunately commonplace on the internet – but antivirus software acts as a powerful shield against these dangers. The software can scan your device and its files for malware, warn you about suspicious links, block sites, and detect data leaks. It can't protect you if you give away your information but it'll do its utmost to warn you before that happens. If you weren't already aware, the computing world is full of potential threats: malware, infostealers, ransomware, phishing attacks and more. Whether you don't know what any of that means, don't want to deal with it or want to make sure you have the best protection against all of it, you're going to need an effective antivirus software. Our top picks: Bitdefender Total Security: from $4.17 per month. Effective, real-time, malware and phishing protection. It can scan your system and is easy-to-use. Norton 360 Deluxe: from $4.17 per month. Security giant with a feature-rich offering, including a decent VPN. Malwarebytes Plus: from $2.81 per month A cheap, light, alternative for those looking for basic malware protection without the fuss. Weak and re-used passwords are a significant reason people get hacked – 123456 is currently the world's most popular password. You might struggle remembering multiple passwords but a password manager takes all the hassle out of account security. Password managers generate and store secure, complex passwords so you never have to worry about passwords again. From email to Netflix, bank accounts to fitness devices, smart home cameras to social media accounts, everything needs a password – a strong, unique password. And to keep them all safe, secure and easy to access your best bet is to use a password manager. Our top picks: 1Password: $4.99 per month. Total password protection which includes Travel Mode, security monitoring, and 2FA and passkey support. Bitwarden: Free. Sync an unlimited number of passwords with this completely free service. Premium plans with more features are also available. NordPass: from $1.29 per month ($3.76 per month w/ NordVPN Plus). Easy-to-use, mobile friendly app from the NordVPN team. Great features, including biometric support. Google Chrome dominates the browser market, but it's a privacy nightmare, riddled with trackers and it simply loves your data. There are alternatives that don't collect your data, block ads and trackers, and are way more privacy-focused. Browsers vary in their speed, features, and usability but there will be a Chrome-alternative for everyone. A chunk of secure browsers utilise Chromium (what Google Chrome is built on) so you'll find these more familiar and easy-to-use if you enjoy Chrome's design. Many also come with in-built ad-blockers, VPNs, and password managers – plus a lot of them are free. Break free from Google Chrome with a secure browser. You'll say goodbye to cookies, trackers, and ads whilst maintaining the sleek design you're familiar with – they're really customizable too. Our top picks: Brave: Free. Based on Chrome, but is privacy-focused and dedicated to ad and tracker blocking. Vivaldi: Free. Hugely customizable to suit any need, and has partnered with Proton VPN. Tor: Free. A secure browser veteran, whose decentralized networks takes you into the world of anonymity. Your data isn't just at risk when browsing the web – it's when you message too. WhatsApp, iMessage, and Messenger are three of the most popular apps, but none of them protect your privacy. WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted, so your message content can't be seen, but it collects and shares your metadata and has recently introduced ads into its app. Secure messaging apps encrypt your messages, collect little to no metadata, and some don't even require a phone number to use. Like secure browsers, encrypted messaging apps are the perfect way to break free from the status quo and reclaim control of your data. They're easy to use, boast strong privacy and security, and many are free. Our top picks: Signal: Free. A popular, open-source, app that keeps little to no metadata. A phone number is required though. Session: Free. Highly private, Signal-based app which operates a decentralized network and requires no phone number. But it can be a little buggy. Threema: $6 one-off payment. An open-source and audited messaging service which doesn't require a phone number. A one-off payment of $6 is its biggest downside. Fed up with spam calls and emails? Then you might want to explore data removal services. These tools search the records of data brokers for your information and send removal requests on your behalf. Brokers then have to delete records of your data and you should see a reduction in spam over time. Combining a data removal service with other privacy tools mentioned here should mean there is less of your data available to profit off. Data removal services can be purchased on their own, but they are included in some premium VPN plans. Clicking "Accept" on cookies is often the easy way out. However, this lets data brokers build up a huge amount of data on you. You can certainly send deletion requests yourself, but using a data removal tool to automate that job is well worth the time and hassle it saves. Our top picks: Incogni: from $8.29 per month ($3.99 per month w/ Surfshark One+). Developed by the team behind Surfshark, Incogni is a affordable and effective – and one of the few to cover the UK, Canada, and Australia. Optery: from $3.99 per month (but free basic plan available). Provides tons of detail and what information it has helped delete, but only covers the US. PrivacyBee: from $8 per month. With over 850 data brokers on its books, Privacy Bee has the widest reach – but again, it's US-only. Protecting yourself online doesn't have to break the bank. This is the best privacy toolbox for (well) under $10 per month. Total Cost = $3.99 per month The best cheap VPN is Surfshark. Surfshark One+ is just under $4 per month and you'll get the fastest VPN on the market, which doubles as the best streaming VPN, protection for an unlimited number of devices, and high-level security and privacy. Surfshark One+ includes its own award-winning antivirus which can scan your device, protect your webcam, monitor for data leaks, and offers real-time protection. You'll also get a full Incogni subscription – saving you a chunk of cash. The data removal service will scan data brokers for your data and send out deletion requests on your behalf. There's no password manager with Surfshark, but Bitwarden offers a truly free unlimited version of its services that allow you to sync as many passwords as you want. The free, open source tier is very secure and provides useful included features like autofilling, secure-note storage and sharing. It has browser extensions for popular, and lesser used, browsers and apps for desktop and mobile. You'll also get secure cloud storage, two-factor authentication and health reports to alert you to weak, or exposed, passwords. Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, DuckDuckGo, and Firefox are all free, so the secure browser is up to you. They're designed with privacy in mind and come with some great additional features. You'll be able to block ads, trackers, and cookies, allowing you and your data to break free from the clutches of Google Chrome. Almost all the best encrypted messaging apps are free. Signal is our favorite and it's very popular, open-source, messenger service. Session and Wire are some other free encrypted messaging apps. Your best bet is to try them all out and see which one you like best. If you want a best-in-class privacy toolbox, then you won't go far wrong with these products. For your VPN, we'd recommend NordVPN. It's the best overall VPN, fast, secure, and unblocked all the streaming sites we tested it with. You can protect up to 10 devices on one plan and its extra features include Threat Protection Pro, the NordPass password manager, and encrypted cloud storage. Total Cost = $21.21 per month Two-year NordVPN plans, covering NordVPN Plus and above, are currently on offer, in one of NordVPN's best ever deals. Plans come with free Amazon gift cards – between $20-$50 – as well as four extra months of free protection. Threat Protection Pro is a threat protection feature, not an antivirus. It's the best VPN malware protection and is great to have, but we'd still recommend a dedicated antivirus. NordPass is one of the best password managers and if you just want password generation, storage, and 2FA, this will do the job – but it's not "the best." Bitdefender has made the top of our antivirus software picks because of its great value, quality real-time protection against malware and threats. Its quick and custom scans learn your computer's file structure and the Advanced Threat Detection can monitor your system for suspicious activity in real-time to stop infections before they occur. The interface is clear and efficient to use, there's a firewall, and webcam protection. You'll also get a free VPN and a secure browser, but you'll likely want alternatives to these. If you want more than NordPass, 1Password is our top choice. It's accessible on a variety of platforms and has a Travel Mode feature that can hide your passwords at international borders. The "masked" email addresses feature is a privacy bonus and there's autofill and passkey support. Security monitoring tools will list weak or reused passwords, and alert you about unsecured or breached websites and logins. 2FA, mobile app PIN unlock, and biometric login are also present. Secure browsers are more of a personal preference. Your browser of choice depends on speed preference, how much customisation you want, and whether you like the Chromium design. Brave and Vivaldi are two great privacy-focused choices. Brave has in-built ad, tracker, and fingerprint blocking and its Chromium design is compatible with most sites. Vivaldi is a little slower, but is far more customisable and comes with email and calendar features – as well as Proton VPN Free built-in. Both are free and will protect your privacy far better than Google Chrome. For a data removal service, it's Incogni. Incogni is very easy to use and comes included with the NordVPN Ultra and Surfshark One+ plans. It's cheaper than a lot of alternatives, but the range of data brokers isn't huge. Incogni is also unavailable outside of the UK, US, Canada, EU and EEA areas, and the Isle of Man. Signal is the best encrypted messaging app out there. It's free to use, end-to-end encrypted, open source, and records a very limited number of metadata. Signal is the most popular WhatsApp alternative, but you do have to sign up with a phone number. All of these products will protect your online privacy, but in this bundle we'll detail some tools that have the highest levels of privacy – and even some that delve into the world of anonymity. Total Cost = $21.27 per month Mullvad VPN is one of the most private VPNs available. Mullvad is a no-logging VPN and its privacy policy goes into specific detail of the types of data it collects and for what purpose. Mullvad VPN is open source so you can examine it for yourself and it protects your data with post-quantum encryption. You can even pay for Mullvad in cash and its €5 per month price (approx $5.82) never changes. Mullvad also launched its own secure browser. Proton Pass is an encrypted password manager and Proton makes privacy its mission. It uses AES-256 encryption and is open source. It's zero-knowledge, so only you can see your passwords and it supports biometric logins. There's 2FA, passkey support, and account recovery capabilities. Tor is a decentralized network, run by volunteers, that focuses on anonymity and privacy. The Tor Browser routes your traffic through three relays before connecting to the internet. The website, and anyone watching, will see a connection from Tor and not your IP address. There's no browsing history and cookies are only valid for one session. Fingerprinting is prevented as all users look the same and your traffic is encrypted at each relay. Because of the relays, Tor is a much slower browser than others, so you may find it harder to use on a day-to-day basis. For messaging apps, we're going with Session. It's based on Signal but has more privacy-focused features. You don't need an email or phone number to sign up – instead you get a random Session ID. Like Tor, it's decentralized and your messages are end-to-end encrypted. Almost no metadata is collected and it's been audited. Session isn't as popular as Signal, and there have been reports of bugs. But as an app, it's the most private. It's a little trickier to recommend truly private antivirus software and data removal services. Incogni was developed by the team behind Surfshark so there is an element of data privacy to its offerings. It has fewer partners than its competitors and its privacy policy is clear about how it uses your data. It also doesn't sell your personal data. However, it shares data with the likes of Google Analytics and does need your details to operate its service. Norton 360 Deluxe is not only an excellent antivirus, it boasts some handy privacy features too. You can monitor the dark web for names, your social security number, or email. It can't compete with the market leaders, but Norton's VPN is solid and has had its no-logs policy audited. If you want any privacy issues fixing automatically, you'll need to pay $109.99 per year for Norton's Privacy Monitor Assistant add-on – and that's quite a considerable downside. It's not just your desktop that requires privacy protection, it's your mobile too. NordVPN has great iPhone and Android apps. They might be a little complex for absolute beginners, but if you're familiar with VPNs then you shouldn't have any trouble. NordPass is the best password manager for mobile. It's intuitive, simple, and is included with all NordVPN plans except NordVPN Basic. Total Cost = $5.01 per month Bitdefender Mobile Security offers its top-tier antivirus in mobile form, for both Android and iPhone. It's fairly cheap and has a tonne of security features. One of which is app lock which can turn off apps that may pose a security risk. Again, secure browsers are a personal preference. Although I use Brave on my laptop, I prefer Vivaldi on my phone. I enjoy Vivaldi's UI a little more and its customization options mean I can set it up exactly how I want it. There are no mobile apps for data removal services, so we haven't recommended one for this bundle. You may not want to subscribe to or purchase a wide range of apps. So if you're after convenience, consider Proton Unlimited. Total Cost = $9.99 per month For $9.99 per month, you'll get Proton VPN, Proton Pass, Proton Drive, Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton Wallet. Everything is end-to-end encrypted and the interconnected ecosystem works seamlessly and is perfect for breaking away from Google. Antivirus isn't offered, so you would need to purchase that separately. Proton VPN does include NetShield but this is a threat protection and isn't quite as good as others offered by VPN providers. Vivaldi has partnered with Proton to include Proton VPN Free as an extension. It's one of the best free VPNs available and will slot nicely into your Proton arsenal.
Engadget
a day ago
- Engadget
NordVPN Review 2025: Innovative features, a few missteps
When we say that NordVPN is a good VPN that's not quite great, it's important to put that in perspective. Building a good VPN is hard, as evidenced by all the shovelware VPNs flooding the market. NordVPN may not be perfect, but it's easily top-five caliber and excels in certain use cases. First, the bad: NordVPN's apps could all stand to undergo a little more quality control, with elements distracting from other elements and inconsistent designs from platform to platform. At least one of its FAQ pages directly contradicts itself. And while all the server locations could unblock Netflix, the one in Nigeria still showed U.S. content, indicating that our real location might have leaked. However, there's a lot of good to balance that out. Speeds are fantastic and we saw no other hint of any kind of leak. Its server network is expansive and not overly reliant on virtual locations. The vast majority of servers are ideal for unblocking foreign websites. The real draw, though, is the extra features, including the innovative and flexible Meshnet, plus a malware blocker that acts more like a full antivirus and forward-looking quantum resistant encryption. Check out a summary of our NordVPN review in the table below. Category Notes Installation and UI Connections happen quickly and features are easy to use on all platforms UI sometimes gets in the way; map screens can be clunky and apps come with unnecessary notifications Surprisingly, the best UI may be in the browser extension Speed Extremely fast download speeds with only a 6.4-percent average drop Good latencies on nearby servers, but farther ones have some lag Fast upload speeds, but losses spiked in a few locations Security Uses acceptable protocols with uncracked encryption NordWhisper obfuscated protocol recently implemented on Windows, Android and Linux No DNS, WebRTC or IPv6 leaks on five test servers Pricing Best plan is the 2-year Basic for $81.36, or $3.39 per month Basic gives you the complete VPN If you get a multi-year plan, be sure to manually renew in order to keep the promotional rates Bundles Plus tier adds advanced malware protection and NordPass password manager Complete plan adds NordLocker cloud storage Prime tier adds ID theft protection and insurance features Privacy policy NordVPN does not log user activity on the VPN, a policy backed up by several third-party audits However, it does log potentially identifiable device information unless you opt out in settings Some concerning liberties taken in the overall Nord policy, but no documented malfeasance Virtual location change Four out of five test servers unblocked Netflix three times running, including virtual India location Location in Nigeria got into Netflix, but didn't change available titles Server network 153 server locations in 117 countries and territories Server network is about 40 percent virtual, including all locations in Africa Features Extra servers grant additional privacy (double VPN, Onion over VPN, obfuscation) or specific optimizations (P2P, dedicated IP) Meshnet directly connects two devices without a NordVPN server mediating Threat Protection blocks dangerous domains and the Pro upgrade has some antivirus capability Dark Web Monitor reports to you when any sensitive information has appeared on clandestine leak sites Presets let you activate several settings with one clickPost-quantum encryption is nice, but not necessary yet Kill switch is a useful safety feature on all appsSplit tunneling by app on Windows and Android, and by URL on browser extensions Customer support Written FAQs, live chat and email support Live chat connected to an expert human within a minute FAQs are poorly organized and contain some conflicts, but well-written on average Background check NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, while its parent company Nord Security is based in the Netherlands 2018 theft of public keys was a mistake, but NordVPN did almost everything right in response Claims of law enforcement collaboration are overblown — NordVPN will comply with requests, but that doesn't mean they'll have information to provide NordVPN's biggest strengths are its speeds and the range of options it puts at your fingertips. User experience is important, but it's not quite as front-and-center as it is with ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. Here's how the apps run on all the major platforms. The Windows app is the first instance of NordVPN's UI being not bad enough to complain about, but not good enough to be considered excellent. The initial connection process is a little slow, and it's far easier to connect than it is to disconnect (click the power button while connected to shut the VPN off). The map takes up space that would have been better allocated to the server list. The minor problems continue in the settings list, which makes the mistake of not keeping all its tabs visible in the window — if you open one, you have to click back to the main menu to reach another page. The pages themselves are easy to use; it's just a bit clunkier than it could have been. Setup is swift and easy on Mac, but the full NordVPN interface is a little awkward. The vast majority of the main window is taken up by a large map, which is mostly useless. There's no way to zoom out to see the whole world, and you can't choose between servers in each country unless you zoom way in. The server list on the left-hand side is almost always more useful. The preferences panel is better. All the tabs come with clear explanations of their function, and are laid out so the menu is always visible, unlike the Windows app. The gear icon at the bottom includes its own set of tabs that encompass most of the common functions, including changing your VPN protocol, activating the kill switch and setting the VPN to automatically connect on untrusted networks. NordVPN on mobile can be described in much the same way as its desktop apps: generally great, occasionally getting in its own way. On Android, the map screen is much more helpful. It's expandable to the entire world and allows you to choose between servers within a country. On the other hand, the important settings are buried in the Profile tab, and the app notifies you about your "security score" to pressure you into activating certain settings. To find the general settings page on Android, tap the bottom-right Profile tab and scroll down. Except for Threat Protection, which has its own tab on the main window, every feature is located here. It's probably necessary to keep the main app from getting cluttered, but still mildly frustrating. The NordVPN iOS app resembles a compressed version of the macOS client, for better or worse. As with Android, most of its features are in the bottom-right Profile tab. It works well most of the time, but often feels slightly cumbersome. There's a bit too much on the screen, and a bit too much of the stuff has nothing to do with the VPN's core function. As an example, you can't log into your account within the app — you have to load your Nord account page in a web browser. Forced app switching is a design choice that truly needs to die. That said, VPN connections happen quickly. If you tend to simply leave your VPN active, you probably won't notice any of this stuff. Most VPN browser extensions consist of the same features on a smaller scale, and NordVPN's — on Chrome, Firefox and Edge — are no exception. They are important for one reason, though: they're the only way to split tunnels by URL and the only split tunneling at all on macOS and iOS. Despite being more compact, they're also easy to use, making for an excellent quick-start VPN solution. All VPNs slow down your average browsing speeds by adding extra steps into the connection process. When we test speed, we're looking for the VPN to drag as little as possible on your unprotected speeds. Download speed will be the most important stat for most users, since that determines how fast web pages load and how quickly videos can buffer. Latency is important for live connections like video chats, games and live streaming. Latency increases with distance — in the test below, data packets were sent to the remote server, then back to our home network. Upload speeds likewise influence your live two-way communications and are also vital for torrenting. Let's see how NordVPN performs on all three metrics. Server location Latency (ms) Increase factor Download speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Upload speed (Mbps) Percentage drop Unprotected (Portland, OR, USA) 22 -- 59.20 -- 5.86 -- Seattle, WA, USA (Fastest) 44 2x 57.21 3.4 5.62 4.1 New York, NY, USA 177 8x 56.90 3.9 5.60 4.4 Stockholm, Sweden 371 16.9x 55.94 5.5 5.63 3.9 Istanbul, Turkey 411 18.7x 53.02 10.4 5.78 5.9 Hong Kong 350 15.9x 56.18 5.1 5.72 2.4 Johannesburg, South Africa 602 27.4x 53.26 10.0 5.67 3.3 Average 326 14.8x 55.42 6.4 5.54 4.0 To summarize: NordVPN's download speeds are the fastest we've seen and its upload speeds and latency tie with the best. Downloads only dropped by an average of 6.4 percent across the globe and readings were mostly consistent — the servers in question performed much the same in each test. We even threw in Turkey and South Africa, two locations that commonly cause problems, but NordVPN still kept the drop to 10 percent. Latency is more a product of physical distance than VPN infrastructure, but you can still see differences between services. When tested on a similar range of locations, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN both kept average latencies under 300 ms. NordVPN's average came out to 326 milliseconds, though we should note that its latency increased less than Proton's on the closest server. Upload speeds declined an average of four percent, but there were a few anomalously high readings in Istanbul that skewed those numbers up. Without that location, NordVPN's upload rates would also have been the industry's current best. No matter how well-built a VPN looks from the outside, there are several ways its security can fail. The most common problems are outdated protocols with weak encryption, failing to block IPv6 traffic or inadvertent leaks from sending DNS requests outside the encrypted tunnel. We'll start by looking for those common leak sources, then check whether NordVPN's encryption might be failing in less traceable ways. A VPN protocol is a set of rules used to get data quickly and safely from your device to a VPN server and back, even while that data is encrypted. Different protocols are connected with different encryption algorithms and can impact the speed, security and stability of your connection. When testing VPN security, the first step is to see if it's using any protocols like PPTP that are outdated and crackable, or homebrewed protocols with unclear security. NordVPN users have four options for protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 (not available on Mac or iOS), NordLynx and NordWhisper (available on Windows, Android and Linux only). OpenVPN and IKEv2 are both standard protocols you'll find on most VPN providers. Both use various strengths of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), with OpenVPN defaulting to AES-256 and IKEv2 to AES-128. OpenVPN can be set to UDP (faster but less stable) or TCP (more reliable but slower). So far, so secure. NordLynx is unique to NordVPN, but it's not that far off the beaten track — it's just WireGuard with extra security. WireGuard normally works by saving a stable IP address for each connection, which raises the very slight risk of exposing a user. NordLynx adds a second layer of abstraction that means those stable addresses are never revealed. Since NordVPN strongly recommends it for most situations, we used it for all our tests in this review. Finally, there's NordWhisper, a new protocol introduced in early 2025 that disguises your VPN traffic as normal web traffic to evade blanket web blocks. It's likely to be slower than the other protocols, so don't use it unless everything else has been blocked. We also don't recommend counting on it too much in general — large-scale censorship technology, like the Great Firewall of China, tends to rely on blocklists of known VPN servers, whose identity NordWhisper can't disguise. Our first order of business was to check five test servers to see if they leaked our real IP address — staying away from the ones in the speed test in order to get as comprehensive a picture of NordVPN's security as possible. With help from we found all five to be free of the three major types of leaks. DNS leaks occur when a VPN sends DNS requests (in short, how your browser knows which websites to show you) outside its encrypted tunnel. By default, NordVPN uses its own private DNS servers, which our tests showed to effectively prevent leaks. WebRTC leaks are caused by real-time communication protocols sending information outside the VPN, which may reveal your real IP address. NordVPN is consistently successful at keeping WebRTC inside the tunnel, but you can have your browser block it if you're still worried. IPv6 leaks happen when a VPN only blocks IPv4 traffic and lets v6 through. NordVPN automatically blocks IPv6 traffic while it's active, so an IPv6 leak is all but impossible. Although that's all great news, it is still possible for leaks to occur without a clear explanation, so we ran one final test on NordVPN. Wireshark is a program that captures detailed images of information sent over a device's internet connection. Even though our tests showed NordVPN to be free of leaks, we wanted to inspect it at the most granular level. Using WireShark, we recorded the traffic sent to an unencrypted HTTP site, before and after connecting to each NordVPN test server. Every server showed the same pattern: readable plaintext before, encrypted ciphertext after. If there is a security flaw remaining in NordVPN, it's unlikely to be relevant to the overwhelming majority of users. NordVPN's pricing structure looks convoluted at first, but it's much simpler than it appears. A Basic subscription gets you full VPN functionality, and all the other tiers just add more features. If all you need is a VPN, you only need to concern yourself with the left side of the table below. The best deal for a Basic NordVPN subscription, which lets you connect to NordVPN with up to 10 devices at once, costs $81.36 for two years when you pay upfront ($3.39 per month). One year of the same plan costs $59.88 in advance ($4.99 per month) or $12.99 for one month at a time. The table below shows the complete cost; for more information on plans above Basic, see "side apps and bundles" in the next section. Plan 1-month cost 1-year cost 2-year cost Basic $12.99 $59.88 ($4.99/month) $81.36 ($3.39/month) Plus $13.99 $71.88 ($5.99/month) $105.36 ($4.39/month) Complete $14.99 $83.88 ($6.99/month) $129.36 ($5.39/month) Prime $17.99 $107.88 ($8.99/month) $177.36 ($7.39/month) The longer plans save money, but be careful: if you let them expire, you'll automatically renew at the more expensive one-year plan. Enough customers claim to have been auto-renewed at the higher rate that they've launched a class-action lawsuit against NordVPN, accusing the company of deceptive pricing practices and making renewals too difficult to cancel. A NordVPN PR rep said they could not comment on ongoing legal action, "other than to state that we are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services." No court date has been set so far. That said, there's a fairly straightforward workaround in the meantime: To prevent the auto renewal, log out of your NordVPN account, then sign up for a discounted plan again using the same email. As long as you do this before your subscription expires, your new account should link to your old one, keeping you subscribed at the introductory rate. Every NordVPN plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel and request a refund before 30 days are up, you'll get the full cost back. The only way to try it for free without paying is to get the app on Android, where there's a seven-day trial through the Google Play Store. NordVPN is part of a larger family of Nord Security products, which you can save money on if you need more than one. We won't review all of them here, but for reference, here's everything you'll get from the higher subscription tiers. Basic: VPN on 10 devices, specialty servers, DNS ad-blocking, Meshnet Plus: All Basic features, plus malware scanning, extra scam blocking, tracker blocking, NordPass password manager, data breach scanner Complete: All Plus features, along with 1TB of NordLocker encrypted cloud storage Prime: All Complete features, plus NordProtect features like dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, ID theft insurance and extortion insurance Another tier called Ultra includes a subscription to Incogni, a data removal service run by Nord's partner Surfshark. The Ultra bundle is only available in certain countries, since NordVPN is still testing it; users outside the test countries can still add Incogni service at checkout. There also used to be a NordVPN family plan, but it seems to have been eliminated after Nord expanded the devices per subscription to 10. You can get a dedicated IP address on NordVPN to ensure you have the same IP every time you connect. This lets you configure remote firewalls to let you through while you're connected to the VPN. A dedicated IP costs $8.99 per month, $70.68 for a year ($5.89 per month) or $100.56 for two years ($4.19 per month). The NordVPN pricing page lists access to a Saily eSIM plan as a perk, though mysteriously, none of the existing plans seem to include it yet. A lot of VPNs are expanding into the eSIM space, so this may change soon. A VPN privacy policy isn't just empty words — it's a contract between the provider and its users. If a service openly defied its own policy, it could be sued for false advertising. VPNs tend to sneak loopholes into their privacy policies instead of flouting them outright; these loopholes can shed light on how the provider actually views your privacy. We combed through NordVPN's privacy policy to see whether it tries to take any such liberties. The policy has two parts: the general Nord Security policy and an addendum specific to NordVPN. This policy applies to all Nord Security apps. It's impossible to create an account without a valid email address, but you can use a separate email masking service to make that anonymous. The policy also explicitly says that your email address will be added to a marketing mailing list, though you can opt out. Irritating, but not a privacy risk in itself. We're more concerned about the later statement that it may process data without the user's consent "under the legal basis of our or third parties' legitimate interest." This clause covers some cases we'd agree are legitimate, such as identifying people who launch cyberattacks from NordVPN servers. But Nord also considers it "legitimate interest" to process your personal data "to improve or maintain our services and provide new products and features." Reached for comment, a NordVPN representative said that using personal data in this way "generally involves aggregated, depersonalized or technical information." That's somewhat reassuring, but the "generally" leaves a bit too much wiggle room. Ideally, we'd prefer that personal data exist wholly in the "consent only" section. The section on sharing your data with third parties only lists "some of" the service providers who may receive your information. Among these are Google Analytics, which is known to store personal data on U.S. servers — all of which are potential security risks in the age of DOGE. Other unnamed "third parties" are involved in targeting ads at users of Nord websites. The NordVPN representative said that "since some partners, such as payment processors, can vary by region or specific service and may change over time depending on our operational needs, we do not publish a fixed list." They added that all third parties are "contractually required to handle personal data in accordance with applicable laws and industry standards." We aren't using this to condemn Nord; many of these practices are fairly standard in the VPN industry. But it's important to know about all the potential leakage points before trusting your deepest secrets to any company. The NordVPN privacy policy doesn't add much atop the general Nord notice. It does track session activity connected to your username to make sure you're staying within the 10-device limit, but it automatically deletes these logs 15 minutes after you disconnect. The logs also don't include your IP address or the addresses of VPN servers you used. The only real problem we found is that NordVPN apps collect information about your activity on the app by default. This doesn't include information about your browsing habits, but it does include unique traits that could conceivably be used for "device fingerprinting" — in which a third party can deduce a user's identity through clues about their device. You can turn this off in the General settings. A NordVPN spokesperson told us that the data collected is "not personally identifiable," and that the company takes "deliberate steps to strip out anything that could be linked back to a specific person." This presumably means the data is aggregated so it only shows general trends, not any one device's activity. That's a lot less risky, but we still recommend switching the setting off. NordVPN has passed five independent audits of its privacy policy so far, most recently from Deloitte in late 2024. Annoyingly, you can only read the entire report by logging into a Nord account, but it at least doesn't have to be a paid account. The audit found that NordVPN was following its own no-logs policy. Specifically, the Deloitte Lithuania investigators concluded that "the configuration of IT systems and management of the supporting IT operations is properly prepared, in all material respects in accordance with the NordVPN's description set out in the Appendix I." (Appendix I of the report is identical to NordVPN's privacy policy.) You'll be most interested in this section if you mainly use a VPN to change their location for streaming. To see if NordVPN could unlock new streaming libraries, we picked a new batch of five test servers, then logged onto Netflix. Since Netflix tries to block all VPN servers to prevent copyright issues, our first question was whether we'd get through at all. Our second question: would connecting to a NordVPN server actually change what Netflix library we saw? It should, given that NordVPN seems leak-proof, but thoroughness demands we check anyway. Here's what we found. Server location Netflix unblocked? Content changed? Canada Yes Yes Argentina Yes Yes Germany Yes Yes India Yes Yes Nigeria Yes No Four out of five locations worked perfectly. On a Canadian server, we were able to stream Star Trek: The Next Generation, which left American Netflix years ago. The Argentine server gave us access to something called Pasion de Gavilanes, which we'd never heard of but sounds great. The only problem was Nigeria. We tested it several times, connected to multiple different Nigerian locations, but saw our American Netflix library every time. We then ran a leak test on Nigeria, which wasn't one of our security test locations, and found it to be working normally. It's hard to say what happened, especially since the Nigeria server doesn't appear to be virtual, but we can confirm that it wasn't working. NordVPN has servers in 153 cities in 117 countries. Out of all total options, 62 are virtual locations (about 40 percent), where the server is really located somewhere else. This makes it possible to get servers into more places, but depending on your actual location relative to the server, it may perform differently than you expect. Virtual locations have allowed NordVPN's server network to grow quite extensive, with lots more locations in South America, Africa and Asia than the industry standard. Check out the distribution in the table. Region Countries and territories with servers Total server locations Total virtual server locations North America 15 36 12 South America 10 10 6 Europe 48 57 11 Africa 10 10 10 Middle East 7 7 4 Asia 24 26 18 Oceania 3 7 1 Total 117 153 62 (40.5 percent) The relatively low proportion of virtual locations (nearly identical to that of ExpressVPN) is a good sign, as it means NordVPN has been growing its server network thoughtfully. Some VPNs — looking at you, HMA — inflate their server lists as a marketing point without seriously considering what it takes to maintain such a large network. That thankfully doesn't seem to be the case here. Here's everything you get with a NordVPN app other than the VPN itself. There's a lot going on here, so we'll limit ourselves to a sketch of each feature. As soon as you load NordVPN, you'll see a list of special servers near the top of the right-hand column. We'll go over each of them in order. Dedicated IP: As discussed in the bundles section, a dedicated IP address costs extra. With this, you'll always connect with the same IP, which is private to you alone. It may be worth the price if you find yourself getting asked for CAPTCHAs a lot more while connected to NordVPN — though for what it's worth, that didn't happen to us. Double VPN: This sends your connection through a second VPN server before it reaches your ISP. The second server is your apparent location. There are 10 endpoints to choose from. As you might imagine, your internet will run slower with two VPN servers in the mix, so only use this if you seriously need security. Obfuscated servers: These are only available on OpenVPN. Obfuscation can help you get around firewalls that seek out and block VPN traffic. If you can't get online with NordVPN when you're on a certain network, obfuscated servers might work. Onion Over VPN: After encrypting your data as normal, these servers send it through several nodes of the Tor network, granting you the total anonymity of onion routing while keeping you safe from malicious relays. It's available in two locations, Netherlands and Switzerland, and — like double VPN — is best used only when you need the utmost privacy. P2P: NordVPN only allows torrenting on its peer-to-peer servers, but fortunately, it's got P2P servers in 114 countries — only three fewer than it has in total. NordVPN keeps your download and upload speeds very fast on average, so you shouldn't have trouble torrenting from any location. Meshnet is NordVPN's most unique and exciting feature by a long shot. By logging into the same NordVPN account on multiple devices, you can connect those devices directly through a NordLynx tunnel without needing a NordVPN server in between. Essentially, you're using your own devices as VPN servers — obviously not great for privacy, but amazing for accessing web services in other countries. While two devices are connected, you can transfer files between them through the NordLynx tunnel. You can even invite friends and use their devices. NordVPN has two levels of antivirus: Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro. The former is a simple DNS filter that stops your browsing from loading unsafe web pages while NordVPN is active. It's the highest level available on Android, iOS and Linux, or on any Basic subscription. Threat Protection Pro, which Plus subscribers or higher can set up on Windows and Mac, can work even when you aren't connected to a NordVPN server. It acts more like a standalone antivirus by scanning downloaded files for malware, and can even block trackers. Basic Threat Protection (without Pro) can block some trackers by filtering out domains known to use them, but doesn't block the trackers directly. While active, Dark Web Monitor continually searches known data breach dump sites on the dark web and notifies you if it ever finds your account email address. If you get that notification, change any passwords associated with the address. With a Prime subscription, you can also have it search for your phone number, social security number or other financial information. Presets let you set up one-click VPN connections with a desired group of settings, a lot like Proton VPN's Profiles. NordVPN comes pre-loaded with presets that optimize for "Downloads," "Speed" and "Browsing," which sounds to us like the same thing three times. More usefully, you can create presets for particular countries, then add website shortcuts that will appear once you've connected. You could, for example, set one that connects to a specific location, then add a shortcut to a streaming site available in that location. Post-Quantum encryption Experts widely believe that quantum computers will eventually make our current encryption algorithms obsolete, but there's almost no consensus on when that will actually happen — except that it hasn't happened yet. Knowing that, NordVPN's "post-quantum encryption" feature comes across as a bit premature, but it's reassuring that someone is thinking about it. Having said that, we don't recommend using post-quantum encryption yet. It works by layering one of the known quantum-proof encryption standards on top of a standard NordLynx session, which makes your VPN connection slower and more erratic. Until we can verify a real quantum cyberattack, post-quantum encryption is a needless precaution. A kill switch cuts off your internet the instant you lose your connection to a NordVPN server. This protects you in case a server unexpectedly fails, and as a side benefit, prevents you from connecting to any fake VPN servers. You should keep the kill switch on at all times. Split tunneling is available on NordVPN's Windows and Android apps (and Android TV by extension), along with its browser extensions. On Windows and Android, it splits by app: you can determine which apps get online through the VPN and which go unprotected. The browser extensions let you split by URL, so the VPN only protects certain sites. NordVPN's apps link directly to its online help center. As always, we went in with a specific question in mind: whether the basic level of Threat Protection could block trackers, and if so, what kind. We found the categories on the written support page difficult to parse, especially the troubleshooting section — would the average user appreciate the difference between "app issues," "connection issues" and "errors"? We correctly guessed that our question would be under "Using NordVPN -> Features," but the introductory article on Threat Protection and Threat Protection Pro was buried at the bottom of the list. Unfortunately, that made things more confusing, as this article says that Threat Protection (not Pro) both does and doesn't block trackers. In NordVPN's favor, however, using the search bar brought us instantly back to that article without any confusion. Using NordVPN's live chat was a smooth and reassuring experience. From the time we decided to ask directly, it took us less than a minute to connect with a real person, who quickly cleared up the confusion and promised to update the confusing support page (we'll check back to see if they actually do). One other option is an email support form, which can be found both on the website and in the help sections of NordVPN apps. This is best for complex problems that require screenshots to explain, and promises a response within 24 hours. NordVPN was founded in 2012. Launching with its desktop apps, it moved to iOS and Android in 2016, then added apps for browser extensions and smart TVs. Its developer, Nord Security, has no parent company, and its history is relatively uncontroversial. We've documented two notable incidents below, plus more about Nord Security's operations. Nord Security was founded in Lithuania, and maintains offices there. Although Nord Security is registered in Amsterdam, NordVPN operates under a separate license in Panama, which makes any data requests subject to Panama's courts. The first serious incident in NordVPN's history began in March 2018, when unidentified hackers managed to steal three private keys from one of Nord's data centers in Finland. Researchers didn't notice the leak until October 2019, well after the stolen keys had expired, but NordVPN's encryption was still technically vulnerable for several months. We say "technically," because it was really only the outer layer of encryption — and even if they'd broken through it all, the hackers would only have seen browsing activity, not usernames, passwords or anything else sensitive. If anything, NordVPN's response actually makes us trust it more. It ended its relationship with the contractor who ran the Finnish data center and revamped its policies to eliminate the kind of negligence that led to the breach. Arguably, its only real error was not immediately disclosing the breach. NordVPN learned about the leak and started addressing it in May 2018, but the news didn't break until more than a year later. That timing probably made it look more suspicious than any actual mishandling did. Another minor controversy erupted in 2022, when PCMag and other outlets reported that NordVPN had edited its website to say that it would comply with data requests from law enforcement. NordVPN responded with a new post that said nothing had changed: their policy was always to comply with lawful requests, which — provided the requests were lawfully submitted through a Panamanian court — is literally their only option. We're inclined to agree. VPNs are legal companies. They wouldn't last long if they openly declared their intent to break the law. The key is that when law enforcement comes calling, there shouldn't be anything to show them, as with the Turkish seizure of ExpressVPN. That's why verifiable no-logging policies are so important. NordVPN is a great service on its own merits. It only suffers from having to be compared with the likes of ExpressVPN and Proton VPN. For example, its P2P servers are good for torrenting, but not as useful without Proton's port forwarding. It's fast, but speed tests fluctuated just a little more than Express. NordVPN's extra features are the best reason to pick it over its rivals. With Meshnet, you can theoretically set up a VPN connection anywhere in the world, and no other VPN has anything close to Meshnet's file transfer powers. Threat Protection Pro is also great if you can get it, adding file scanning to bolster the typical approach of just blocking suspicious DNS addresses. Specialty servers round out the offering, with double VPN maintaining good speeds with extra safety and Onion over VPN being among the safest ways to use Tor. NordVPN is a fast service with a powerful content scanner and built-in file transfer features. $3 at NordVPN
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Gizmodo
How to Watch FOX in the UK in 2025: Complete Guide
Missing The Simpsons reruns? Or maybe it's the NFL doubleheader or Tucker's replacement on FOX News that has you searching for a workaround. Whatever the reason, if you're in the UK, you've probably already hit the same wall: 'This content is not available in your region.' FOX, like many US-based networks, geo-blocks its content aggressively. With nearly 70% of streamers relying on VPNs to access restricted content, it's no surprise that viewers abroad are turning to smarter tools instead of giving up. The good news? Watching FOX in the United Kingdom is easier than ever, if you know what to use and how to bypass geo-filters. We'll help you choose services (like NordVPN) that stay under the radar, all broken down into easily digestible steps. Table of Contents If you've ever seen the dreaded geoblock message on any streaming service, you should know that it's not a bug, it's a business decision. Like most US-based broadcasters, FOX operates under strict licensing agreements that limit where their content can legally be shown. Networks don't own all the rights to every show or event they air. Instead, they license certain programs, live sports, and even news segments to different distributors across the globe. That means the same NFL game you see on FOX in the US might be exclusive to Sky Sports in the UK. So to stay compliant (and avoid million-dollar lawsuits), FOX geoblocks its streams outside the US. That includes: These blocks are enforced through your IP address, which reveals your location the moment you hit the site or app. If you don't have an IP address located in the US, you're cut off, regardless of whether you pay for the service or not. There are a few ways to stream FOX from the UK, some sketchier than others, and most with serious strings attached. Here's what we found while testing each method, and why a solid US VPN like NordVPN remains the most reliable workaround. Sure, if you dig deep enough into Reddit or streaming forums, you'll find links to unofficial streams of FOX shows or sports events. But here's the deal: most are riddled with pop-ups, trackers, and malware. Many also get taken down mid-stream, and let's not even talk about the video quality. Verdict: Not secure, not legal, not worth it. There's no legitimate UK service like Sky, Virgin, or Freeview that includes FOX programming straight out of the box. You won't find FOX Now, FOX News, or FOX Sports in any standard UK subscription package. To access FOX content, you'll need both a US media subscription and a VPN to unlock it. Verdict: Less FOX content, and the account setup is messy. Smart DNS can trick streaming sites into thinking you're in the US without encrypting your traffic. It's faster than a VPN in some cases, but far less secure, and not all services support FOX reliably. Plus, you often need to manually configure it on each device. Verdict: Works for some apps, but not foolproof, and no encryption is a big downside. A premium VPN masks your IP, encrypts your data, and routes your traffic through a US server. This makes it appear like you're streaming from, say, New York or San Francisco, even if you're in London. And when it comes to FOX apps like FOX Now, FOX Sports, or FOX News, a VPN is the only consistent way to get full access in HD. We tested multiple VPNs to access FOX channels in the UK, and NordVPN came out on top. It runs massive infrastructure in the US, with over 1,970 servers across the country. And best of all, it's risk-free for 30 days, so you can try it with FOX without committing. As tempting as it may be, avoid even the best free VPNs with U.S. servers. After testing most of them, we found that they all get detected and blocked by FOX. On top of that, they can't guarantee good speeds, meaning your streaming experience will likely suffer. Unblock FOX with NordVPN Getting FOX up and running in the UK with a VPN is surprisingly easy, with no shady tricks or DNS hacks needed. Just follow these simple steps: The hard truth is, most VPNs out there aren't built for streaming, and definitely not for FOX. Some get you stuck on error screens, others throttle your speeds down, and a few just don't work with FOX at all. We tested over a dozen VPNs specifically to access FOX, FOX News, and FOX Sports from the UK. The ones below aren't just fast and secure, they actually unlock the FOX apps without constant troubleshooting. Let's start with the top contender. We tried over a dozen VPNs with FOX apps in the UK, and NordVPN stood out as the one that just worked with fast servers, no manual DNS tweaking, and instant access to every FOX platform we threw at it. Flawless Access to FOX's Entire Lineup: Whether we were streaming FOX Now, FOX News Live, or sports via FOX Sports, NordVPN gave us uninterrupted, HD playback from the get-go. Without any proxy errors or weird logouts, it was all smooth streaming through US servers in New York, Miami, and Atlanta. That's thanks to SmartPlay, NordVPN's built-in streaming enhancer. It automatically bypasses geo-blocks without you having to fiddle with settings or switch protocols. Just hit connect, open the FOX app or site, and stream away. More US Servers Mean Fewer Headaches: Unlike smaller VPNs that overload a handful of US servers, NordVPN gives you 1,970+ in the States alone. That meant we never had to compete for bandwidth. Even during Sunday NFL games and weekday FOX Prime streaming hours, it stayed stable. Cross-Device Streaming? No Problem: We tested it on everything (Android, iPhone, Smart TV, and desktop – it's the best VPN for Windows PCs). The FOX apps worked across the board. The NordVPN app is clean, fast, and doesn't force us to re-authenticate constantly like some other services. Price: Starts at just around $3/month with long-term plans. And the best part? You get a 30-day money-back guarantee that makes it the most practical 'free' way to stream FOX abroad without gambling on a weak free VPN. Follow these steps to enjoy a free, no-commitment trial of NordVPN. Try NordVPN Now If you want speed and stability while watching FOX Sports or FOX News live in the United Kingdom, ExpressVPN delivers, and does it with zero drama. In our tests, it launched FOX streams faster than most and maintained crisp video quality without any hiccups, even during primetime. Reliable US Server Network Built for Streaming: ExpressVPN has high-speed servers in over 20+ US cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, and Washington DC, all of which worked with FOX's entire suite of apps. Whether we used the browser version or native iOS and Android apps, geo-blocks were gone instantly. Lightway Protocol Means Consistently Low Ping: We switched over to ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol during testing, and the results were buttery smooth. FOX Sports streams didn't stutter, even during live NBA playoff coverage. That lower latency makes a real difference in live broadcasts, where even a few seconds can ruin the vibe. Apps That Work Everywhere: From smart TVs to mobile devices to Apple TV (with a top-rated VPN app specifically for Apple TV), ExpressVPN's app support is top-tier. There was no need for SmartDNS—we installed the native Apple TV app in seconds and had FOX News streaming live in under a minute. It's one of the easiest setups we've tested on a streaming box. Price: On the higher end at just under $5/month for the long-term plans, but you're paying for pure reliability and ease. The 30-day money-back guarantee still applies, and we got a full refund in under 5 minutes when we tested it. Try ExpressVPN Now If you're after a wallet-friendly VPN that doesn't cut corners, PIA VPN is your guy. It's the only top-tier provider that offers servers in all 50 US states, and that's a huge win for anyone trying to stream FOX from specific regions in the UK. Access Every Local FOX Affiliate: Private Internet Access VPN's massive U.S. footprint means you're not limited to New York or Los Angeles. Want to stream your local FOX Sports affiliate or catch a regional FOX broadcast? PIA likely has a server in your home state, giving you access to local news, sports, and regional programming you won't find elsewhere. That makes it one of the best VPNs for states like Nevada, for example. Streaming-Ready Speeds and No Data Caps: Despite being a budget pick, PIA held its own in testing. FOX News and FOX Sports loaded quickly, and streams ran cleanly at 1080p with no buffering. We ran Private Internet Access on both Android TV and macOS with WireGuard, and even under moderate throttling conditions, it never dipped below 85% of our base speed. Customizable App, But With a Learning Curve: PIA gives you a ton of control, from encryption levels to custom DNS and port forwarding. But beginners might find the settings overwhelming. The best part is that you can just pick a US server, hit connect, and stream FOX within seconds. It works out of the box, even if you don't touch the extras. Price: Easily one of the most affordable VPNs at just over $2/month on long-term plans. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it's risk-free to test. Try Private Internet Access Now FOX might lock its doors to international viewers, but that doesn't mean you're stuck on the outside. With the right VPN, you can stream The Cleaning Lady, live sports, and local news just like you would back home, and without buffering or weird error messages ruining the vibe. After testing dozens of services, NordVPN came out on top. Its massive US server network (with city-level precision), consistent unblocking of FOX apps, and blazing-fast speeds make it the most reliable way to watch FOX in the UK. If you want uncompromised access, not just to FOX, but also to Hulu, HBO Max, and other U.S. platforms, start with NordVPN. It's the one we trust to unlock any U.S. TV channel or streaming service from anywhere.
