- NordVPN blocked 92% of phishing sites in AV-Comparatives’ test
- NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro ranked 4th among the products tested
- NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro is available to top-tier subscribers
NordVPN’s phishing protection blocked 92% of malicious websites in the latest round of tests by AV-Comparatives, confirming its excellent security features and further cementing its status as TechRadar’s best VPN on the market today.
The Austria-based independent lab assessed the phishing detection capabilities of antivirus products, browsers and VPNs using a total of 250 phishing URLs.
The evaluation, which took place between January 7 and 19, 2026, confirmed the effectiveness of NordVPN’s anti-malware tool, Threat Protection Pro. NordVPN’s cybersecurity gem ranked fourth overall, behind only (in order) Norton Antivirus Plus, Avast Free Antivirus, and Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus. This proves that VPN is not only great for boosting online privacy, but is also a bulletproof shield against scams.
A complete 360-degree protection solution
Launched in June 2024, NordVPN Threat Protection Pro protects users from phishing and a variety of other online dangers, including tracking, malware, ads, and fraud. The tool works at the network level and scans all traffic directly on the client’s device without the need for an active VPN connection to benefit from its protection.
The product was launched as a revamped version of NordVPN’s tracker blocking, offering a superior alternative to its DNS-based predecessor Threat Protection (formerly known as Lite), which only blocks malicious websites, trackers and ads at the domain level.
Threat Protection Pro remains exclusive to higher tier subscriptions, including Plus, Complete and Ultra, on Windows and macOS only.
If the latest AV-Comparative results seem like déjà vu, that’s because they are – the tool has already secured high rankings in previous AV-Comparative tests.
However, despite its impressive performance in 2026, NordVPN has lost its place on the podium, falling to fourth place. The provider had previously won bronze in a similar test conducted in January 2025 (where Threat Protection Pro scored 93%). In July, NordVPN was also in third place, a ranking supported by a 90% detection rate out of 1,000 phishing URLs tested over the course of the year.
Nevertheless, the latest results continue to reinforce Threat Protection Pro’s stellar reputation after NordVPN became the first VPN service provider to be approved by AV-Comparatives for anti-phishing protection in 2024. In August of the same year, the product was also ranked as the third best online shopping fraud prevention software out of 35 competitors.
In addition, Threat Protection Pro received recognition from two other independent auditors in 2024, AV-TEST and West Coast Labs (WCL), who awarded the tool two gold medals in phishing detection.
Phishing – a growing threat
The abundance of phishing attacks in the digital world means that the chances of falling victim to a single wrong click – and accidentally revealing crucial information such as personal credentials and financial details – are high.
Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN, warns: “Phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated and often deceive even cautious users with convincing copies of trusted websites.”
Although recent results show that NordVPN remains a valuable ally in the fight against such threats, the VPN expert still recommends keeping your eyes open and always practicing sound ‘cyber hygiene’.
Tips for safe browsing include checking the URL in the browser’s address bar for any changes to the domain name that could indicate a fake website, especially making sure the website you’re visiting uses the HTTPS protocol, as fake websites often only use HTTP.
An email with alarming content or grammatical errors should raise suspicion. And of course always remember to enable more secure forms of authentication, starting with two-factor authentication (2FA), for greater peace of mind.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
