NordVPN Review 2024: Features, Pricing And More

NordVPN has been one of the most popular VPNs on the market for over a decade. The service allows you to connect to up to six devices and you can use it on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

NordVPN boasts a number of security features that can help protect your Internet activity from prying eyes, including a kill switch and split tunneling.

The company allows users to install its VPN directly on your Wi-Fi router, which can help connect all of your devices without straining its relatively low 6 simultaneous connections maximum.

Quick Specs

Overall, NordVPN is one of the most popular names in the VPN space with solid specs and features. However, we think it’s a bit too expensive month-to-month for personal use. We also would prefer to see more transparency on the privacy and security front.

A VPN, or virtual private network, provides a user online privacy and security by masking their IP address and encrypting their internet activity. A VPN will secure an encrypted connection between your device and a remote server, which hides your location and allows you to show that your connection is being directed from nearly anywhere.

There are many uses for a VPN, including keeping your browsing data anonymous and transmitting sensitive information over public Wi-Fi. A VPN can also enable you to view country-restricted content regardless of your location. Additionally, some subscription services adjust their prices based on where customers are located. So setting a VPN to the right location could potentially help you save.

NordVPN offers a number of competitive features, including:

• Threat protection: A feature that blocks malware, trackers and ads when you browse the internet. This adds an extra layer of protection when browsing the web.
• Dark web monitor: A feature that will notify users if their information is leaked to the dark web.
• Meshnet: Allows you to connect to other devices directly through encrypted private tunnels, which is useful for file sharing and gaming.
• Kill switch: A feature that will automatically block your device from accessing the internet, should the connection drop. This way, you don’t have to worry about a potential vulnerability when your VPN disconnects.
• Split tunneling: A feature that allows you to select which apps and websites require VPN protection and which ones are safe to browse without it. This is helpful for websites that block access with a VPN, such as many bank websites.

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NordVPN is more expensive than other VPN options, particularly in month-to-month costs at $12.99 per month for the monthly plan. This is a problem if you’re interested in trying the service as it’s generally a good idea to avoid locking yourself into a long-term plan without knowing if the VPN is right for you. Thankfully, the company does offer a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

If you are ready to purchase a longer-term plan, NordVPN does offer discounts on its annual and two-year plans, but these discounts aren’t much more generous than other providers.

While all of the basic features are available for all plans, some of the more specialized features outlined above are only available for the higher tiers.

You can also purchase the service with multiple payment options, including Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

NordVPN Free Trial

NordVPN does not offer a free trial but does offer a money-back guarantee within 30 days of purchasing the product.

For Android users, a free seven-day trial is available through the Google Play Store. To take advantage of this offer without being charged, you will need to make sure you cancel through the Google Play Store.

NordVPN will automatically connect you to the best VPN server through its Quick Connect feature. NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers in more than 60 countries, including the U.S., Canada and countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This helps ensure you’ll have a fast, stable internet connection wherever you are located while masking your IP address.

In addition to a regular VPN server, NordVPN also offers several different types of servers at select locations. Here are the other servers the company offers:

• Peer-to-peer (P2P): Servers meant specifically for fast file sharing through P2P connections. This is great for torrenting as well as for certain kinds of gaming. Fighting games, such as Mortal Kombat 1, can benefit from peer-to-peer VPN support.
• Obfuscated: meant to prevent your traffic from being blocked in countries with high restrictions
• Double VPN: obfuscates your traffic twice, providing double encryption
• Dedicated IP: a user can purchase their own IP meant for faster connection
• Onion Over VPN: Allows users to access The Onion Router (TOR) network, a free and open-source network for anonymous communication, without a dedicated TOR browser.

NordVPN offers all of the servers listed above in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Netherlands and France. The majority of the remaining countries where NordVPN has servers will also include P2P servers. NordVPN offers obfuscated, double VPN and dedicated IP in a select number of countries.

If you know in advance that a dedicated IP or a double VPN is essential to your business, it is worth considering where the servers are located to make sure it aligns with your intentions.

VPNs are considered one way to make your internet activity more private and secure. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure the VPN is safe as well. NordVPN uses a range of security features and also undergoes independent audits of its security.

• Double VPN: A security feature that routes your connection through two servers instead of one.
• Threat protection: This is NordVPN’s anti-malware solution. It scans files as you download them for potential threats and blocks said threats before it can do any harm to your PC. We are currently unable to fully test this feature as we don’t have a proper virus lab for the work, and we do not recommend potentially infecting your device with a virus to test if a feature such as this works.
• Obfuscated servers: These servers conceal the fact that you’re using a VPN, allowing users to access otherwise restricted web pages.
• Onion over VPN: Allows users to access TOR network, a free and open-source network for anonymous communication, without a dedicated TOR browser.
• 24/7 support: NordVPN offers email and live chat support, in addition to an online knowledge base.
• Dark web monitor: A cybersecurity feature that monitors dark websites for any exposure of your information.

These features are certainly nice to have, although none of them particularly wowed us. The obfuscated servers are the most impressive security on offer as this can allow users to use a VPN even in areas where VPN use is heavily restricted or outright banned. The Onion Over VPN servers are also a plus as TOR is a great way to browse the internet anonymously.

NordVPN Protocols

NordVPN utilizes three different internet security protocols.

• NordLynx: NordLynx is NordVPN’s proprietary version of WireGuard, a popular open-source VPN protocol known for its fast, consistent speeds.
• OpenVPN (TCP): OpenVPN is a free and open-source security protocol commonly used by most VPN providers. It is one of the oldest security protocols in the VPN space, being initially released in 2001. This version of OpenVPN uses the Transmission Control Protocol. Essentially, when your computer sends a piece of data (called a network packet) to the network, TCP forces your computer to wait for confirmation that the packet was delivered before sending the next packet or resending the current packet.
• OpenVPN (UDP): This version of OpenVPN uses the User Datagram Protocol, which does not ask your computer to wait before sending the next packet of data. This makes UDP faster than TCP but less reliable.

If you’re looking for the protocol with the best speeds, the best choice is undoubtedly NordLynx. WireGuard is the current best open source protocol out there and Nord’s proprietary version offers equivalent speeds to other providers who use WireGuard. For a more by-the-numbers look at these protocols, check out our speed test table below.

No Log Policy

Similar to many VPN providers, NordVPN claims to have a no-logs policy, meaning that it does not store user data or Internet traffic. NordVPN has gone through several audits to verify its no-logs promise and that the company uses the server configurations it claims to. The most recent independent audit was conducted in 2022 by Deloitte. The audit confirmed NordVPN’s no-logs assurance and tested multiple server types, though the report notably did not cover dedicated IP servers.

While this is a step up from other providers who don’t undergo audit, we would have liked to have seen more transparency regarding how Nord’s servers store, for example, user payment and login information. These extremely sensitive types of user data have to be stored for the company’s login and auto-renewal systems to function properly and, if not stored properly, can be vulnerable to data breaches and leaks.

There is no reason to assume that such a leak will occur in Nord’s case, but when it comes to data, such as credit card information, it’s generally best to be cautious about who you share that information with. Nord’s no-logs policy seems legitimate, but we would prefer more transparency from both this company and many others in the VPN space.

Our Experience Testing NordVPN’s Security

As best as we can tell, NordVPN is solidly secure. When using websites, such as IP Leak and DNS Leak Test, our IP address and our DNS address matched consistently. Its kill switches and split tunneling feature work as intended as well. That said, we couldn’t safely test all of the VPN’s features. Properly testing its Threat Protection and Dark Web Monitoring features, for example, would necessitate directly engaging with both malware and the dark web, something we currently lack the resources to do safely. When we do get those resources, we will be sure to test these features and any other similar features offered by other providers.

Overall, NordVPN more than meets our standard of security for a VPN. Security and cybersecurity are areas where being boring is good as that means nothing potentially catastrophic is occurring. Our experience reviewing NordVPN’s security was the exact kind of boring we’re looking for out of a cybersecurity solution.

Many users find that a VPN can slow down their internet speed. However, the actual speeds you experience when using a VPN will depend on a variety of factors including your location, internet service provider (ISP), where the servers are located and the distance between the server and your devices and the specific device and VPN protocol you are using.

That being said, NordVPN is highly rated for providing high-speed encrypted internet connection. If you’re experiencing a slow internet connection when using NordVPN, read these tips on the company’s website on how to improve internet speed.

Company	Company - Logo	Forbes Advisor Rating	Forbes Advisor Rating	Average Upload Speed	Average Download Speed	Average Upload Ping	Average Download Ping	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text	LEARN MORE
	No VPN			388.2 Mbps	331.6 Mbps	8.4 ms	10.5 ms	N/A
NordLynx				385.8 Mbps	343.6 Mbps	9.9 ms	15.1 ms	Learn More	On NordVPN's Website
OpenVPN (TCP)				167.6 Mbps	161.4 Mbps	21.9 ms	21.1 ms
OpenVPN (UDP)				135.4 Mbps	171 Mbps	26.1 ms	18.6 ms

Methodology: Our VPN speed comparison is tested on a Windows 11 machine using Cloudflare’s public speed test. Each protocol was connected to the nearest possible server and tested multiple times before we came up with these averages.

Overall, NordVPN’s speeds are some of the fastest out there when using NordLynx. When using other protocols, however, the speeds drop considerably. This can be an issue as some servers only support one type of protocol. If, for example, you’re trying to use a server in Austria and the only protocol supported is OpenVPN (TCP), your performance will take a massive hit. Be sure to choose your server carefully with this in mind.

Offering unlimited bandwidth and usage on up to six devices, NordVPN is a good option for users who want to protect their data no matter which platform they’re using.

What Platforms Does NordVPN Support?

NordVPN works with a wide array of hardware and software, including:

• Desktops and laptops: NordVPN is compatible with Windows, macOS and Linux operating systems.
• Smartphones and tablets: NordVPN is compatible with Android and iOS devices.
• Routers: NordVPN can be installed on certain routers that will protect all devices connected to the router.
• Streaming devices: NordVPN is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Chromecast.
• Gaming consoles: NordVPN is compatible with gaming consoles including PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X.

How Many Devices Can You Use at Once?

Each account will cover up to six devices at one time. However, you are also able to install NordVPN on your router, which ensures that every device connected to your router will be protected with the VPN.

Installing NordVPN on your router only takes up one of the six available devices available for each account, which means you’ll still have five remaining slots available to use for other devices (or another router if you have more than one internet connection). In short, if you configure the VPN to your router, one account is more than enough to cover as many devices needed in one household.

Our Experience: NordVPN on Windows

NordVPN works well on Windows. The service is easy to set up and use and the only issues with the service we encountered were when we had multiple VPNs installed on the same device.

We didn’t love that the app requires you to open a web browser to log in, as that creates more unsecured Internet traffic than we want to see out of a VPN. Connecting to a specific city also required searching for the city manually, instead of being able to select it from a drop-down box when selecting a country. Instead, clicking on a country’s icon connects you to an automatically selected server within the country.

The speeds NordVPN offered were some of the best of the VPNs we have reviewed, but we weren’t entirely impressed by the service as a whole. It does most things you’d expect from a VPN well, but we didn’t find that it exceeded our expectations in any category. Some providers, such as Mullvad VPN, have a better security and privacy pedigree and others, including IVPN, are more affordable. However, its status as one of the most popular names in the VPN space is well earned and its features all do exactly what we want them to do.

Our Experience: NordVPN on Mac

NordVPN’s Mac app works in a very similar fashion to its Windows counterpart. Once you’ve downloaded it directly from the company’s website, all you need to do is log in with your credentials and you’re up and running with the service. One thing to keep in mind with the Mac version of the VPN is that you will need to authorize the usage of the app on your machine and enter your Mac’s device password. We had no trouble at all connecting to different servers around the world and we found configuring the settings to be every bit as easy as it is on Windows.

Our Experience: NordVPN on Android

NordVPN’s Android app gave us some trouble. When first attempting to log in, we were met with several login errors. Whatever the issue was, we were eventually able to access our account and our experience on the app was similar to that of the Windows platform. The interface was relatively clean, although we would have preferred a Settings button on the main screen. Instead, we had to tap through a couple of screens to find Settings.

As with the Windows app, Nord’s Android offering supports the Wirelynx, OpenVPN (TCP) and OpenVPN (UDP) protocols as well as providing many of the same features as its desktop counterparts. While we didn’t do a full table for Android testing, we still ran the protocols through our usual speed test. We found that our speeds, while fast, were still slower than on the desktop. This could be a difference in hardware performance, however, and nothing to do with the NordVPN app.

Overall, after a couple of hiccups with logging in, the NordVPN Android app met our expectations. If you already have a NordVPN subscription and room in your simultaneous connections limit for your mobile device, it’s a fine mobile VPN.

Our Experience: NordVPN on iOS

NordVPN’s iOS app had a very similar interface to its Android counterpart, including the slightly tedious need to click through multiple screens to reach your settings. Unlike Android, however, we had no issues logging into this app. That said, we did run into some trouble trying to connect to a server, with multiple error messages popping up. This seemed to be an issue with the iOS app specifically as NordVPN worked fine on other devices and other VPNs worked on iOS during our testing period.

Eventually, we were able to get Nord to connect to the server we needed and conduct a speed test. Similar to Android, the results were roughly equivalent to our desktop tests, if slightly slower. We didn’t notice any lag while generally browsing the Internet and streaming videos on websites, such as YouTube, either.

Once we got it working, Nord’s iOS app is a solid mobile VPN, even if we hit a few snags during review. We wouldn’t go out of our way to purchase a subscription just for the iOS app, but if you already have a NordVPN subscription, it’s worth picking up.

VPNs can often slow internet connection down and, therefore, many users might avoid using them for streaming. However, your internet speed when using a VPN is based on multiple factors, including the location of your server, the distance between you and the server you are connecting to, your VPN protocol and your original internet speed. NordVPN’s server count and relatively high speeds make it a good choice for streaming with a VPN, though whether it can successfully access region-locked content will change depending on how streaming services combat the practice of using VPNs to access their content.

Our Experience: Streaming Netflix With NordVPN

NordVPN worked well with Netflix. It managed to easily unblock multiple different streaming libraries, including the U.K., Japan, Argentina and Hong Kong. We were not able to get Canada working, however. Speeds varied wildly depending on which country you were connecting to, but they were mostly in line with the results we received from our speed tests.

Our Experience: Streaming Hulu With NordVPN

NordVPN unblocked Hulu in the U.K. successfully and we were able to stream with no issues. Speeds were about the same as they were on other streaming platforms when using Nord, though this can be different depending on where you’re located.

Our Experience: Streaming Disney+ With NordVPN

NordVPN worked great for Disney+. With it, we were able to stream content from the U.K., Germany, Japan, Canada and Spain. Speeds were similar to Netflix, changing depending on the country but still in line with speed test results.

As with most other digital service providers, NordVPN offers a sizable knowledge base for customers to browse. These aren’t strictly as helpful as user forums, where you can potentially troubleshoot with other users or find threads of people struggling with similar issues. However, Nord’s knowledge base is expansive enough to cover most customer support questions we came up with. It also has an email support option.

NordVPN claims to offer 24/7 customer support. As with other companies that say this, it accomplishes this in part through live chatbot support. Nord’s particular chatbot comes from Canada-based automated customer support company Ada, presumably named after computer pioneer Ada Lovelace. As of late 2022, Ada “leverages” technology from OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT, for its chatbots. So, if you prefer talking with ChatGPT, you might enjoy talking with NordVPN’s chatbot.

Our experience, however, was disappointing and unhelpful and, after about 5 minutes of dithering with the chatbot, we were finally transferred to a presumably-human support agent, whose responses were as scripted as its automated predecessor.

Unfortunately, the human support agent was not much more helpful than the chatbot and, after about 10 minutes of troubleshooting, they linked us to a knowledge base article we had already browsed. We left the conversation not entirely sure if we’d been speaking to one bot and one human or two bots.

During our review, we also noticed that Firefox blocked the chatbot feature on Nord’s website. So, if you’re having issues and need live support, use a different browser, such as Chrome or Edge.

Overall, NordVPN’s customer support was a letdown and, if you’re someone who is less tech-savvy or not well-versed in the art of troubleshooting, we would advise you look for a VPN provider with more helpful customer support options.

While NordVPN is meant for individuals, NordLayer (formerly known as NordVPN Teams) is a security solution for businesses and teams of all sizes. Business owners can easily set up and manage the VPN connection for their team members, including remote workers.

Here’s how the cost breaks down for different plans:

• Lite: $10 per user, per month, or $8 per user, per month, billed annually
• Core: $14 per user, per month, or $11 per user, per month, billed annually. Offers basic network access control solutions and a suite of advanced internet access security options.
• Premium: $18 per user, per month, or $14 per user, per month, billed annually. Provides network access control solutions with more granular network segmentation and the ability to interconnect devices and sites.
• Enterprise offer: $7 per user, per month. Custom-fit network security for teams with more than 50 members, offering flexible pricing.

Both of these plans have unlimited data usage and gateway locations in more than 30 countries (compared to over 60 countries for the consumer plan). However, the advanced plan comes with a few potentially important features such as smart remote access, custom DNS and a dedicated account manager.

Setting up NordVPN is a straightforward process. Once you purchase the subscription of your choice, you will download the software on your device and, from there, you’ll be able to turn the VPN on with a toggle switch and set your preferred location for the VPN server.

If you use NordVPN on Windows similar to how we did, you will be taken to a web browser to log in. While this isn’t a big issue, it can be a bit annoying to do every time you log into the app.

If you want to install NordVPN to your router, you’ll need to follow the instructions of your router’s firmware. You can find a list of tutorials from different companies on NordVPN’s website.

To install NordVPN on an Amazon Fire device, you’ll download the NordVPN application from the Amazon Appstore and log in. For more instructions, follow this tutorial.

Setting up NordVPN is a pretty straightforward process. Once you purchase the subscription of your choice, you will download the software on your device, and from there, you’ll be able to turn the VPN on with a toggle switch and set your preferred location for the VPN server. For more specific instructions, read our guide on how to set up a VPN.

If you want to install NordVPN to your router, you’ll need to follow the instructions of your router’s firmware. You can find a list of tutorials from different companies on NordVPN’s website.

To install NordVPN on an Amazon Fire device, you’ll download the NordVPN application from the Amazon Appstore and log in. For more instructions, follow this tutorial.

While NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs on the market, the right VPN for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve compared some of the key features with those of its competitors. The chart below will help give you a sense of how NordVPN stacks up in terms of price, the number of servers, support and other important features.

NordVPN vs. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is slightly more affordable than NordVPN and also offers more servers in a wider range of locations. CyberGhost’s dedicated server option is also more affordable. However, it’s worth noting that NordVPN includes some additional features, such as antivirus and malware protection, that CyberGhost offers as add-ons. Whether this is a deciding factor or not will depend on whether you already have an antimalware solution, such as Malwarebytes, set up already.

Learn more about how these two companies stack up in our comparison article, NordVPN vs. CyberGhost.

NordVPN vs. Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA is significantly cheaper than NordVPN, at $39.95 per year (for the first year) compared to $68.85 per year. The company also offers an impressive number of servers, significantly more than all of its competitors. PIA was ranked number one on our list of top 10 best VPNs and is an incredibly popular and affordable service. However, keep in mind that PIA does not undergo independent audits, unlike NordVPN. Given that security is often the main priority when choosing a VPN, audits are an important factor to consider.

NordVPN vs. IPVanish

IPVanish is more affordable than NordVPN at $39.99 per year compared to NordVPN’s $68.85 for the lowest-tiered plan. IPVanish also has a single-tier pricing plan, meaning you won’t need to worry about sacrificing features for affordability. While IPVanish allows you to connect to an unlimited number of devices, NordVPN is limited to six devices (with a workaround in the form of installing the VPN to your router). With that said, IPVanish does not offer the option of a dedicated server, so if this is a priority, go with Nord or consider one of the other top 10 VPN services that do.  

Learn more about how these two companies stack up in our comparison article, NordVPN vs. IPVanish.

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NordVPN

Monthly Pricing (2 Year Plan)

$3.49 per month

# of Devices

6

Encryption

AES-256

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NordVPN

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Surfshark

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$2.29

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AES-256

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Private Internet Access

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$2.03

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Unlimited

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AES-256

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NordVPN is a popular VPN suited for both business owners and individuals who are looking to increase their internet security, but it won’t be right for everyone.

NordVPN for Personal Use

While NordVPN has a lot going for it for individuals, we would not recommend it for personal use. The high month-to-month cost makes it a tough sell and the additional features, while nice, aren’t worth that price when compared to competitors. It certainly is not a bad choice and, if you do go with NordVPN, you will not be disappointed. That said, we would recommend more affordable VPN options before Nord for individuals.

NordVPN for Business Use

NordLayer (formerly known as NordVPN Teams) is a solid option for business owners and teams looking to monitor the security level of their company and encrypt all of their team members’ accounts through one portal. You’ll be able to protect every device connected to your network. If privacy is key to your business and there are multiple people working at your company, NordLayer provides a convenient solution.

While NordVPN offers great features and solid speeds, we think it’s too expensive for individual use. There are cheaper options available that work about as well, if not better in certain aspects. For business use, NordVPN can be worth the cost, thanks to your ability to install it directly to a router, Dedicated IP add-on and its NordLayer options specifically for business use.