I always see the mini sponsorships for them in all the YouTube videos I’ve watched but I never purchased a subscription or even got the trial. Has anyone used these VPNs and can speak about them?
Opinion on NordVPN and Express VPN
- Thread starter LovelyEnvy
- Start date
Both are good services (tried them both myself) and have a trial period to try out before paying for them.
The two main pros I see in using them are:
1 - When in a sketchy location using WiFi - McDonald's Wifi, Hotel WiFi you're not trusting, etc - you can turn on VPN to tunnel your traffic out safely. This means anyone setting up some fake WiFi to try and capture details, passwords, etc - your traffic will pass through untouched.
2 - If you use services like Netflix or Disney+ they have 'region restrictions' on their content. This was 10x worse 5-10 years ago comparing Canada to USA for example. It's still there and by switching your VPN on will let you see shows that are restricted here - but the catch is those services may detect this and stop your viewing (not sure how much they are doing this).
Cons are:
-The block of IPs being used by these services in each country are abused by want-to-be hackers and get blacklisted. I have seen my online banking not allow me to load the website because the IP address of the pool I chosen was blocked by them for example.
-It will slow down your connection. Doing speed tests before and after connecting your VPN is a quick check to see how much of a difference if you're having speed related issues when watching streamed content or other.
I'm sure others who use these VPNs more then I do will add their thoughts but wanted to give you a quick first reply about them.
The two main pros I see in using them are:
1 - When in a sketchy location using WiFi - McDonald's Wifi, Hotel WiFi you're not trusting, etc - you can turn on VPN to tunnel your traffic out safely. This means anyone setting up some fake WiFi to try and capture details, passwords, etc - your traffic will pass through untouched.
2 - If you use services like Netflix or Disney+ they have 'region restrictions' on their content. This was 10x worse 5-10 years ago comparing Canada to USA for example. It's still there and by switching your VPN on will let you see shows that are restricted here - but the catch is those services may detect this and stop your viewing (not sure how much they are doing this).
Cons are:
-The block of IPs being used by these services in each country are abused by want-to-be hackers and get blacklisted. I have seen my online banking not allow me to load the website because the IP address of the pool I chosen was blocked by them for example.
-It will slow down your connection. Doing speed tests before and after connecting your VPN is a quick check to see how much of a difference if you're having speed related issues when watching streamed content or other.
I'm sure others who use these VPNs more then I do will add their thoughts but wanted to give you a quick first reply about them.
VPN Testing Reveals Poor Privacy and Security Practices, Hyperbolic Claims - Consumer Reports
The VPN industry is largely driven by marketing, not security. Consumer Reports identified poor privacy and security practices and hyperbolic claims.
Both are top-rated. I have used NordVPN for more than three years. Nothing but praise.
IMO, popular VPN's like Nord, SurfShark, etc. are not as useful as they seem. As with anything else, it depends on what you're using it for, where you're using it and your technical ability.
1. Streaming sites like NetFlix, Disney+, etc. know if you're using a VPN to get around region locking and will not allow you to view that content.
2. Connecting to public / hotel wifi can be flaky if it works at all. Sometimes you can't connect, or you need to enter an email address, Facebook account, etc. into a login page, or it will have a time limit. You might also find that speeds are not fast enough for streaming, downloading, etc.
3. You can't typically use Nord, Suftshark, etc. to access a company server. Companies commonly use software like Cisco AnyConnect or the built-in software in Windows or Mac to let you gain access to office servers.
4. Certain countries like China may not allow you to use VPN software at all. The laws and technology are constantly changing though so you can't count on being able to use a VPN.
It's far easier to download shows / movies to your device if you want to watch on vacation. All the streaming sites let you download for offline viewing. Then you won't need need to connect to wifi at all or worry about the download speed.
If you need private internet while on the go, then a bigger data plan or a data roaming pass might be a better option. Then there's less need to rely on wifi.
1. Streaming sites like NetFlix, Disney+, etc. know if you're using a VPN to get around region locking and will not allow you to view that content.
2. Connecting to public / hotel wifi can be flaky if it works at all. Sometimes you can't connect, or you need to enter an email address, Facebook account, etc. into a login page, or it will have a time limit. You might also find that speeds are not fast enough for streaming, downloading, etc.
3. You can't typically use Nord, Suftshark, etc. to access a company server. Companies commonly use software like Cisco AnyConnect or the built-in software in Windows or Mac to let you gain access to office servers.
4. Certain countries like China may not allow you to use VPN software at all. The laws and technology are constantly changing though so you can't count on being able to use a VPN.
It's far easier to download shows / movies to your device if you want to watch on vacation. All the streaming sites let you download for offline viewing. Then you won't need need to connect to wifi at all or worry about the download speed.
If you need private internet while on the go, then a bigger data plan or a data roaming pass might be a better option. Then there's less need to rely on wifi.
I'm dipping my toe into NordVPN right now. I've found it useful so far. What I'm primarily looking for in VPN services is the ability to use geo-proxies to access websites from anywhere. As @explorerzip says, which VPN to choose is ultimately dependent on what you're using it for, and even then YMMV.
The VPN bundled with my Google One subscription is, most predictably, doesn't seem to offer geo-proxy (if it did, it would be at direct odds with YouTube's region-locking). This is potentially a huge caveat as their marketing rhetoric is not too different from other VPN providers.
Those non-household names especially in Europe are generally the good ones IMO, as they seem to be more focused on building a restriction-free product that just works.
The VPN bundled with my Google One subscription is, most predictably, doesn't seem to offer geo-proxy (if it did, it would be at direct odds with YouTube's region-locking). This is potentially a huge caveat as their marketing rhetoric is not too different from other VPN providers.
Those non-household names especially in Europe are generally the good ones IMO, as they seem to be more focused on building a restriction-free product that just works.
i just cancelled my nord vpn since I found out I was paying for Google vpn for years through their storage plan. Are you saying I should go back to nord ? I also have proton vpn (I think it’s free via their email?) but I don’t think you can stack two or more vpns at a time ?
It depends on what you are looking for from a VPN. Google apparently doesn't let you select your VPN server country. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the best I could find in Google was to select a random VPN server inside your country:
This is inconvenient if you are, for example, travelling outside the U.S. and need to access a website only available in the U.S.
On the other hand, if you only need to connect from a random IP address to anonymize yourself or want other security features, then I think either Google or Nord will do.
If Google VPN works for what you use it for, then there's no reason to swtich back to Nord.
For most people, cloud storage like DropBox, Google One, etc. isn't worth it. An external USB drive is about the same price and keeps getting cheaper versus a year of cloud storage. You can also get more fancy and use a network attached drive.
In either case, you won't need a subscription or internet, you can access it from all devices on your network, and you can move files much more quickly versus the cloud. More importantly, you have complete ownership and control of that drive.
I think VPN is a farce. I tried using Rogers anywhere with a VPN in a foreign country and Rogers stil knew i wasnt in canada. It really does nt do shit
I use Nord VPN very good for iphone. I use Nord You can also set up on your home router. For extra security on public WiFi a VPN is a good choice. Nord always has promotions so keep an eye out for them. Nord easy to use and fast connections
Your router firmware has to be set up for it. Asus AC86U is an ideal router for it. NordVPN has a list of out of the box routers ready for implementation. My TpLink Archer 3500 is a pain in the ass to use a VPN, for example.
It’s fine I would recommend Mullvad, PIA, or express. They don’t log dns and I’ve been using PIA and Mullvad for a while and enjoy them. I wouldn’t trust free vpns just my opinion
