What you need to know
- Business VPN usage has increased by 165% worldwide, according to NordVPN.
- Its sales grew by almost 600% since March 11.
- People are also working longer hours.
The usage of VPNs — or Virtual Private Networks — has skyrocketed in recent weeks as a result of people spending more time at home, according to data shared by NordVPN. It noted a 165% uptick in the use of business VPNs and its overall sales increased by almost 600% since 11 March, 2020.
With people around the world moving to working from home, the sharp increase seen by NordVPN, particularly with regard to business VPNs, may not be surprising with employees needing to connect securely to corporate networks, but the numbers are staggering.
There appears also to have been a spike in productivity, or at least an increase in working hours, with the move to home working with NordVPN users connecting for longer each day.
Usage data from the NordVPN Teams business software revealed several countries, including Canada, The UK, France, and more, are using their business VPNs for an extra two hours per day. U.S. usage jumped by an even greater amount as the workday lengthened by three hours on average.
Daniel Marcusson, digital privacy expert of NordVPN Teams, said:
"Typically people homeworking are starting work earlier — but finishing at their usual same time. The lack of a morning commute is currently being used as additional work time, which looks like a win-win for employees and businesses."
It remains to be seen if that additional time is actually being used productively or if the adjustment to home working is causing some efficiency issues.
If you're looking for a VPN for personal use, you can score a sweet deal on NordVPN with up to 70% in savings. Alternatively, take a look at our list of the best VPN deals.
NordVPN is one of the best VPN providers out there. Its balance of features and pricing make it a smart choice for those wanting to protect their privacy with a no-logs VPN. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out risk-free, too.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).
2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.
We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
