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NordVPN Is One of the Tools I Use Every Day

The Stack · VPN

A VPN I actually rely on to run businesses from anywhere


I run businesses from a laptop, often from a different country to where those businesses are registered. NordVPN is the tool that lets me do that without thinking about it: secure connections on public and hotel Wi-Fi, a stable UK presence when I need one, and access to the services I pay for regardless of where I happen to be sitting that week.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you subscribe through one, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only write about tools I pay for and use.

Why I use it


After years of working remotely across different countries, a VPN stopped being optional. The practical problems are real: public Wi-Fi you don't control, banking and admin tools that behave differently depending on where they think you are, and the general need to keep business traffic private when you're not on your own network.

NordVPN handles that quietly in the background. I don't use it because it's clever. I use it because it removes friction from working in a way that would otherwise create constant small problems.

How I actually use it


Securing connections on the move

Hotels, airports, co-working spaces and cafes all run networks I have no control over. NordVPN encrypts the connection so business logins, banking and admin aren't exposed on shared Wi-Fi.

Maintaining a stable UK presence

Some UK services and platforms behave better, or only behave correctly, from a UK connection. Being able to set a UK location on demand keeps everything working the way it is supposed to, wherever I am based.

Reaching the tools I pay for

Business subscriptions do not always travel well. A reliable VPN means the tools I run the businesses on stay reachable when I cross a border, rather than locking me out at the worst possible moment.

Keeping business traffic private

When you are working from networks you do not own, privacy is not paranoia, it is basic operating hygiene. NordVPN keeps business traffic private by default rather than as something I have to remember to switch on.

Working across multiple devices

One account covers the devices I work from, so the protection follows me whether I am on the laptop or the phone. One setup, everything covered.

Where a VPN does not help


Most VPN pages skip this part. These are the trade-offs I have actually hit.

Banks do not always like it. Logging into a bank through a VPN can trigger a security check or a blocked session, particularly if the exit country keeps changing. I turn it off for banking on a network I trust, and leave it on when I do not trust the network.

Some sites block VPN traffic outright. A minority of services detect and refuse known VPN address ranges. Switching server usually fixes it, but it is an occasional interruption rather than a seamless experience.

It costs you some speed. Routing through another country adds latency. On a good connection you will not notice it. On weak hotel Wi-Fi, you will.

It is not anonymity. A VPN protects the connection. It does not make you untraceable, and it does nothing about the accounts you are logged into. Treat it as network hygiene, not a disguise.

Why it earns its place in the stack


A lot of tools get added to a workflow and quietly stop being used. This one is not among them. It runs every day because the problems it solves, insecure networks, location-dependent services and privacy on the move, are problems I would otherwise hit constantly as someone who works from wherever they are.

It does one job well and stays out of the way. For the kind of remote, cross-border operating I do, that is exactly what is needed. You can see the current plans and pricing on the NordVPN site.

Who it suits


Remote workers and digital nomads Business owners operating across borders Frequent travellers Regular public Wi-Fi users Online business operators Creators working on the move

Questions I get asked

Do I actually need a VPN if I work remotely?
If you only ever work from your own home network, probably not. The moment you are regularly on hotel, airport or cafe Wi-Fi, or crossing borders while logged into business systems, it stops being optional. The cost is small next to one compromised login.
Will a VPN slow my connection down?
Yes, a little, because your traffic takes a longer route. On a decent connection it is not noticeable for normal work. On weak Wi-Fi it is, and choosing a server geographically closer to you helps more than anything else.
Can I use a VPN for online banking?
You can, but banks watch for unusual connection locations and may challenge or block the session. My own rule is straightforward: on a network I trust, I turn it off for banking. On a network I do not trust, I leave it on and accept the occasional extra security check.
Does a VPN make me anonymous?
No. It encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server, which protects you on untrusted networks. It does not hide you from services you are signed into, and it is not a substitute for sensible account security. Treat it as network hygiene rather than a disguise.
How many devices does one VPN subscription cover?
One account covers several devices simultaneously, which in practice means laptop and phone together without thinking about it. The exact number changes with the plan, so check the current terms before you subscribe.

Try it on your own setup

If you work remotely, travel, or spend time on networks you do not control, a VPN is one of the cheapest pieces of insurance you can run.

Visit NordVPN

Related tools in my stack


This is part of how I run businesses across borders. A few others that fit the same workflow:

  • Nomad Compass — my tool for comparing tax and cost of living across 36 countries.
  • Global Wealth Comparator — tax, cost of living and residency across 43 countries.
  • Wise — how I move and hold money across currencies and countries.
  • Google Workspace — the core tools I reach from wherever I am working.
  • My daily stack — the full set of apps and platforms I run on.

Written by Drew Mitchell, Managing Director of Envico Limited and a remote business operator since 2010. Based on daily use across multiple countries, not on a test account. This page contains affiliate links. Last reviewed September 2026.