NordVPN
Introduction
The American VPN market has surged tremendously recently, moving from a niche business tool to a familiar household product for most Americans. Almost 63% of people started using VPNs for general privacy purposes in 2023, which has surged from 54% in 2021 to 50% in 2022.
Well, that leads us nowhere but to talk about one of the most popular VPNs and its characteristics. Security.org has ranked NordVPN as one of the top VPNs people will love using in 2024 and beyond. So, almost 27% of people admire this VPN for its impressive features, followed by Proton VPN (13%), Google One VPN (9%), and beyond.
In this blog, we’ll share our test results conducted as a NordVPN review. We’ll discuss a comprehensive overview of the VPN provider detailing all its features, compatibility, security concerns, additional pro features, competitor analysis, and more. So, let’s read further without any delay!
Security and Privacy
NordVPN has collected great reviews from leading experts, including Techradar and PCMag, all thanks to its robust pro-privacy stance. The best part about the VPN provider is its incorporation country. NordVPN is based in Panama, which allows it to rest easily from the US and EU jurisdictions.
The government has no data retention laws that would apply to VPN providers.
Encryption Protocols
In this NordVPN review, it’s worth highlighting that the service uses mainly three protocols, including NordLynx, IKEv2/IPSec, and OpenVPN. NordLynx is a proprietary protocol of NordVPN. It offers WireGuard-based technical solutions to deliver fantastic connection speeds while protecting your privacy.
IKEv2 refers to Internet Key Exchange version 2. This encryption protocol is used within the IPsec suite to establish a secure connection. It creates encryption keys and ensures safe data exchange between your device and the VPN server.
OpenVPN is a versatile encryption protocol that works with UDP and TCP ports. NordVPN further protects your data with AES-256-GCM encryption and a 4096-bit DH key.
No-Logs Policy
The aim of using any VPN server, as highlighted in this NordVPN review, is to shield your internet traffic from your ISP and others. Yet, as the VPN provider holds your shield, they can see your online activity. That’s why you should constantly monitor what kinds of logs your VPN provider keeps!
NordVPN follows a strict no-logs policy. They have their policy reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland and Deloitte. These top auditors confirmed that NordVPN doesn’t track or log your browsing data. They can maintain this policy mainly because of their incorporation country, Panama. This country doesn’t follow any data retention laws that would apply to VPN providers.
Additional Security Features
As mentioned in this NordVPN review, the service even accepts cryptocurrency payments, which is great for users who want extra privacy. Thus, you can always purchase a risk-free VPN with their 30-day money-back guarantee.
Let’s learn some of its other additional security features below!
- Double VPN: It routes your traffic through two servers for extra encryption. This process of hiding your online activity behind two servers is also called VPN server chaining.
- Onion Over VPN: It combines NordVPN with the Onion network to add privacy. This feature gives you all the merits of The Onion Router (Tor) with the added security of a VPN tunnel.
- Obfuscated Servers: They are special VPN servers that hide your VPN usage. They let you connect to a VPN in highly restrictive environments. You can connect to NordVPN’s obfuscated servers using three simple steps.
First and foremost, switch to the OpenVPN protocol. Then, choose ‘obfuscated’ from the list of specialty servers. This NordVPN review explains that this step will connect you to the fastest server available. You can also select your desired country from the list by clicking the three dots next to the ‘obfuscated’ option. - Kill Switch: NordVPN also offers a kill switch feature to prevent you from data leaks in occasional connectivity drops. You need to manually activate this feature by visiting the app settings.
- DNS Leak Protection: It offers a DNS leak protection feature that helps prevent your DNS request from being accidentally exposed. They also provide a DNS Leak Test feature to check if your internet traffic is being routed while using a VPN through your chosen DNS.
- NordLayer: It’s a business VPN solution developed by the makers of NordVPN, as mentioned in this NordVPN review. It also offers network segmentation, two-factor authentication, and centralized user management to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive company data.
- NordPass: NordPress is their other featured product. It is a password manager product that securely stores, manages, and auto-fills passwords. It also includes secure password sharing, a password generator, and data breach monitoring to alert users if their information is compromised.
- NordStellar: It is another security product developed by NordVPN. NordStellar is an exposure management platform that helps your team detect and respond to cyber threats before they escalate.
- NordLocker: As highlighted in this NordVPN cloud storage service review, NordLocker is a secure file encryption and cloud storage service by NordVPN’s makers. It is designed to protect sensitive files by encrypting them locally on your device before they’re stored in the cloud or shared.
Server Network and Global Access
It has more than 6,000 ultra-fast VPN servers worldwide. And it spans 111 countries. You can view the complete list of servers here in this NordVPN review. Now, let’s compare it with other popular VPNs regarding geographical coverage!
Surf Shark has 3,200+ servers in 100 countries. ExpressVPN has 3,000+ servers in 105 countries. And Hotspot Shield has 1,800+ servers in 70+ locations.
NordVPN offers five types of specialty servers for different purposes, as stated below.
- Standard servers
- Double VPN
- Onion over VPN
- Dedicated IP
- Obfuscated servers
We’ve already discussed Double VPN, Onion over VPN, and Obfuscated servers above from a security point of view. Let’s now learn briefly about its standard servers and dedicated IP!
Standard Servers
NordVPN’s regular servers provide fast connections for daily browsing, as highlighted in this NordVPN review. They secure your data by encrypting traffic and hiding your IP address at home or on public Wi-Fi.
When you connect, your traffic is encrypted and sent through your ISP to a NordVPN standard server. Then, it’s decrypted there and sent to your chosen site or app.
Dedicated IP
It is for clients who have their dedicated IP addresses. Dedicated IP servers work like standard servers. Only you can access the IP address via them.
Speed and Performance
We’ll be thoroughly discussing the test results conducted by VPN.com from various angles. The outcomes were quite positive. They have shown that NordVPN has maintained impressive speeds while keeping top-notch security.
Their servers have been able to hit speeds up to 9.9 Mbps. VPN.com tested NordVPN’s speed across nine server locations using a 100 Mbps connection. Let’s take a look at those results below in this NordVPN review!
| Country | Download Speed | Upload Speed |
| United States | 93.57 Mbps | 89.52 Mbps |
| Brazil | 96.92 Mbps | 38.5 Mbps |
| Japan | 92.25 Mbps | 93.41 Mbps |
| Hong Kong | 91 Mbps | 93.09 Mbps |
| Singapore | 89.59 Mbps | 98.09 Mbps |
| Israel | 92.09 Mbps | 87.75 Mbps |
| United Kingdom | 92.84 Mbps | 97.67 Mbps |
| Germany | 90.59 Mbps | 25.67 Mbps |
| Australia | 91 Mbps | 91.25 Mbps |
Japan takes the lead for the fastest speed at 527.1 Mbps, followed by the USA at 417.0 Mbps and the UK at 255.9 Mbps.
Streaming and Unblocking Capabilities
It seamlessly streams Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer, ensuring smooth HD and 4K streaming with minimal buffering. As mentioned in this NordVPN review, it has even upgraded its Netflix game in recent months. Now, it can easily access US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan catalogs.
It also easily bypasses geo-blocks on popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. You can access different Netflix libraries or watch region-locked content with ease, thanks to NordVPN’s global server network. It also provides the fastest connections with the NordLynx protocol.
NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature uses Smart DNS technology to unblock content automatically, with no extra setup. This makes streaming on restricted platforms simple and hassle-free.
Ease of Use and Compatibility
It works smoothly on almost any device, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android/Android TV, iOS/iPad, Apple TV and browsers. In this NordVPN review, we’ve also noted that Nord launched an ARM-based Windows app in October 2024, adding support for PCs like the Surface Pro.
You can also try NordVPN proxy extensions for lightweight, fast, and customizable security. It’s an ideal fit if you want extra protection for your browser without the full features of their app.
These proxy extensions are available for your computer’s Edge, Chrome, and Firefox browsers. For other users, such as Opera or Safari, you can check out the NordVPN app.
Customer Support
NordVPN has a dedicated Support Center. It can help you with any query you’d like to resolve. This is the ideal platform even if you’ve any concerns regarding billing or troubleshooting issues. Their support includes detailed help guides, FAQs, and setup tutorials for various devices.
As this NordVPN review highlights, the live chat tool starts with an automated chatbot. You may need to select the correct department and provide proof of an active subscription to prevent spam.
Afterwards, users are connected with support representatives who can assist with questions, including billing inquiries or device compatibility.
Their customer support representatives are generally knowledgeable and helpful and offer valuable information or promotional details. You can also contact their support via email or connect with them via comments on social media, including Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Comparison with Other VPN Providers
NordVPN offers a solid support experience, particularly with 24/7 live chat and a well-organized knowledge base. Its live chat response times and the support staff’s technical knowledge have earned positive reviews.
Compared to competitors like ExpressVPN, NordVPN is on par, though some users report ExpressVPN’s support as slightly faster and more personalized.
This NordVPN review noted that Surfshark’s support is accessible and user-friendly but may lack some of NordVPN’s more in-depth resources. CyberGhost provides a decent support structure but can lag in responsiveness.
Torrenting and P2P Support
It supports torrenting on its P2P-optimized servers. Regular servers don’t allow torrenting, but plenty of P2P locations are available. According to one of their customer support representatives, most servers are in the P2P group.
The platform also stresses that it does not condone illegal activities via torrenting, such as copyright infringement. NordVPN’s security keeps torrenting safe without significant speed drops. It uses AES-256 encryption to protect your P2P traffic. This hides it from prying eyes and prevents slowdowns from ISP throttling.
As mentioned in this NordVPN review, the only downside of using NordVPN for torrenting is the need for more port forwarding features. This can impact certain users, especially compared to providers like ProtonVPN, which offers this feature.
Port forwarding allows incoming connections through the VPN firewall, which can improve the speed and efficiency of P2P file-sharing applications like BitTorrent. Users who rely on seeding or file-sharing in communities may experience faster connections and more stable uploads and downloads with Proton VPN.
Pricing and Plans
NordVPN cost with 2-year pricing plans & features:
| Complete | Plus | Basic |
| $5.49/mo | $4.49/mo | $3.59/mo |
| +3 extra months | +3 extra months | +3 extra months |
| $148.23 for the first 27 months (VAT may apply) | $121.23 for the first 27 months (VAT may apply) | $96.93 for the first 27 months (VAT may apply) |
| 30-day money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Secure, high-speed VPN | Secure, high-speed VPN | Secure, high-speed VPN |
| Threat Protection Pro™: Anti-malware and advanced browsing protection | Threat Protection Pro™: Anti-malware and advanced browsing protection | – |
| Threat Protection Pro™: Ad and tracker blocker | Threat Protection Pro™: Ad and tracker blocker | – |
| Password manager with Data Breach Scanner | Password manager with Data Breach Scanner | – |
| 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage | – | – |
What’s Threat Protection Pro?
Threat Protection Pro is an advanced antivirus tool that works without a VPN connection. Powered by cyber threat intelligence and machine learning, it offers antivirus-like features with a focus on privacy and safe browsing. It’s available for both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Pricing Comparison with Other VPN Providers
Here’s a pricing comparison with other VPN providers, as discussed in this NordVPN review!
| NordVPN | Surf Shark | ExpressVPN | |
| Starting price | $3.59/mo | $1.99/mo | $4.99/mo |
| Extra Free Months | 3 months extra | 4 months extra | 6 months extra |
| Pricing for the first ‘x’ number of months | $96.93 for the first 27 months (VAT may apply) | $55.72 for the first 28 months (VAT may apply) | $149.70 for the first 30 months (VAT may apply) |
Drawbacks and Limitations
After discussing all the pros and features of this comprehensive VPN platform, let’s now discuss some of its drawbacks as follows:
Connection Speed Inconsistency During Peak Hours
Some users report fluctuating connection speeds during high-traffic times, impacting activities like streaming, gaming, and video calls. This inconsistency is more noticeable on long-distance servers or when servers in high-demand regions are crowded. VPN speed can vary based on server load, location, and time of day, and NordVPN is no exception.
No Graphical User Interface for Linux Users
NordVPN lacks a graphical user interface (GUI) for Linux, requiring users to rely on command-line operations for configuration and connection. In this NordVPN review, it’s clear that this can make setup and use more challenging for those unfamiliar with the command line. On the other hand, competitors like ProtonVPN and ExpressVPN have introduced Linux GUIs, making their platforms more user-friendly.
Limited Support for Port forwarding in Torrenting
NordVPN does not support port forwarding, which can impact users who rely on this feature for torrenting and peer-to-peer (P2P) activities. However, NordVPN compensates with P2P-optimized servers, which aim to maintain good speeds even without port forwarding.
Conclusion
Overall, NordVPN’s performance is entirely satisfactory, considering the numerous factors mentioned above in our detailed NordVPN review. It contains an extensive number of features with impressive reliability and cost-value correlation.
Yet, it could be better in some ways. Consider using ProtonVPN if you need less common server locations. Or Surf Shark may be a better fit for consistently high speeds. However, NordVPN offers a solid all-around VPN experience without significant drawbacks. Hence, it’s worth a try with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
Who Should Use NordVPN?
- Streamers who need reliable access to geo-blocked content.
- Privacy enthusiasts who value no-logs policies and enhanced security features.
- Everyday users seek fast, secure browsing across devices.
For most users, NordVPN offers a balanced mix of features and performance, keeping it among the top choices in the VPN market.
FAQs
Is NordVPN still trustworthy?
Yes, it’s a trustworthy VPN service. It has a solid reputation, strong encryption, and a no-logs policy that is independently audited, ensuring your data stays private.
Is NordVPN based in Russia?
As noted initially in our NordVPN review, NordVPN is based in Panama, while Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, is incorporated in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Nord Security also has offices in Lithuania and the United Kingdom.
What is the NordVPN controversy?
They faced a security breach in 2019 when a third-party server provider opened a vulnerability. It allowed unauthorized access to one server. Fortunately, no user data was compromised, but the incident raised concerns about NordVPN’s security.
They quickly responded and quickly addressed the issue. They tightened their security measures and now conduct regular audits and updates. This swift action demonstrated their commitment to safeguarding user’s privacy.
Where is NordVPN banned?
Yes, it is banned or limited in a few countries with strict internet regulations, including China, India, Iran, Russia, Syria, Belarus, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Is there something better than NordVPN?
There isn’t any standard rule to determine what’s better. However, there are some great alternatives that you are worth considering, such as ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surf Shark.
