In this NordVPN review, we’ll explore the VPN provider’s security and privacy tools that make it a go-to choice for millions of users around the world. We’ll cover its plans, pricing structure, server network, and performance.

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Keep reading to find out how NordVPN performed in our tests and how it compares to its top competitors.

What is NordVPN?

The VPN provider gives users with a wide range of options for VPN connections, with over 6,200 servers in 110 countries worldwide.

Based in Panama, a country that doesn’t have mandatory data retention laws, NordVPN is an ideal pick for privacy-conscious users. Besides its VPN features, NordVPN offers all-in-one protection and includes an antivirus tool, a password manager, and a data breach scanner.

How Much Does NordVPN Cost? NordVPN Plans & Pricing

Although NordVPN isn’t the most affordable VPN solution on the market, it’s cheaper than competitors like ExpressVPN and doesn’t skimp on features. It has three plans you can subscribe to for a month, a year, or two years. Here’s how NordVPN prices its plans and what you can expect from them:

Unlike some of its competitors, NordVPN doesn’t offer a free trial. However, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee for its plans.

NordVPN Review – Is NordVPN Safe and Secure?

NordVPN enjoys a stellar reputation as one of the safest and most secure VPN services around. In this section of our NordVPN review, we’ll talk about the security measures it provides to keep you safe.

Encryption

The provider keeps your internet traffic encrypted and protected from hackers, ISPs, and government surveillance using AES-256, a robust 256-bit encryption protocol.

AES-256 has been adopted by government organizations and cybersecurity experts worldwide, and its encryption method is effectively unbeatable with current technology.

Any data you send while connected to NordVPN’s servers will be encrypted, including passwords, files, and messages, so the information will remain secure even if it were to be intercepted by a third party.

In addition, the NordLocker encrypted cloud storage solution allows you to keep your files safe and secure.

Tunneling Protocols

NordVPN lets you choose between three different VPN protocols – OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, and NordLynx. You can switch between them at any time, depending on the level of security or speed you need.

Here’s a quick breakdown of their capabilities:

• OpenVPN – As the most stable VPN protocol, OpenVPN is ideal for everyday use and activities that don’t tolerate interruption, such as working online, live streaming, torrenting, and messaging.
• IKEv2/IPsec – Known for its stability and performance, this protocol is ideal for mobile users. It’s great for quickly establishing VPN connections, making it a logical choice for users on the move and connecting to unsafe public WiFi hotspots.
• NordLynx – NordLynx is NordVPN’s proprietary protocol based on the WireGuard protocol. WireGuard is known for its speed and versatility, and NordVPN provides additional security with its own proprietary protocol.

NordVPN clients use NordLynx by default on every popular platform, as it’s one of the industry’s fastest and most secure protocols. Its performance makes NordVPN one of the best gaming VPNs available.

RAM-Only Servers

NordVPN’s adoption of RAM-only servers has significant security benefits for users. These servers operate entirely on volatile memory, so no user data is retained. In addition, each server reboot wipes them clean of any residual information.

This means NordVPN can’t store or share your data even if it wants to, and it protects you and the provider from potential data breaches and unauthorized access.

Logging Policy

NordVPN is very serious when it comes to protecting its users’ data. The provider has a strict no-logs policy in place, and NordVPN has undergone multiple independent audits to test this, with Deloitte confirming that NordVPN adheres to its policies.

NordVPN Features and VPN Services

NordVPN offers several features you won’t find with other providers and is one of the best value-for-money VPN providers in the industry. We found its interface easy to use, and NordVPN makes it simple to locate and use its features.

VPN Server Network

With over 6,200+ servers in 110+ countries worldwide, NordVPN provides you with nearby connection points no matter where you are. This makes it an excellent pick for travelers and anyone looking to bypass geo-restrictions to access foreign content. Generally speaking, there’s a NordVPN server wherever you need one.

NordVPN has servers in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It also has P2P-friendly servers on each of these continents, making it one of the best torrenting VPNs this year.

The only issue we noticed with its server network is that it offers no double VPN servers in Africa and the Middle East and no obfuscated servers in Africa or South America.

Simultaneous Connections

NordVPN lets you protect up to six devices with a single subscription, allowing you to extend its security and privacy features across your devices. Although this is below the industry standard of ten devices per subscription, it’s more than enough to keep one user safe.

It’s worth mentioning that you can bypass this limitation by using NordVPN router protection. The router uses only one of your six connection slots but protects any device that connects to the network – making it ideal for families and businesses.

Kill Switch

NordVPN offers a reliable kill switch feature that will automatically cut off your device’s internet access if your VPN connection drops, protecting you from DNS leaks. While most of its competitors offer this feature, we found NordVPN’s kill switch to be reliable and effective in providing DNS leak protection.

The provider offers system-level and application-specific kill switches. The system-level kill switch will block all online traffic if the VPN connection drops.

The application-specific kill switch prevents specific apps from sending data without interrupting your internet connection. That means you can specify which apps NordVPN should terminate if your VPN connection drops rather than cutting your device’s internet connection entirely.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling provides flexibility for NordVPN users looking to optimize their VPN traffic. This feature lets you choose what internet traffic goes through the VPN and what accesses the internet directly.

See more : A TurboVPN Review – Tested, Reviewed, and Compared for 2023

For example, you could encrypt your connection to a foreign streaming service while you use a banking app via a direct connection. Split tunneling is available for Windows, Android, and Android TV devices, and there are three ways to use it.

• Inverse Split – The safest form of split tunneling, which encrypts everything by default and lets you pick which apps can access the internet directly.
• App-Based Split – This method lets you select the apps that run on the VPN, leaving the rest of your internet traffic unprotected.
• URL-Based Split – Available via NordVPN’s browser extensions, this method lets you specify which URLs you want to exclude from the VPN connection.

Double VPN

This feature offers enhanced security and privacy by routing your internet traffic through two VPN servers instead of just one.

The first server encrypts your traffic just like a regular VPN connection. The second server adds an additional layer of encryption, making it nearly impossible for unauthorized parties to intercept or track your online activity.

Double VPN significantly enhances your anonymity online by mixing your traffic with other traffic on two separate servers, so
IP addresses virtually untraceable. The double VPN feature is valuable for journalists, activists, and anyone seeking an extra degree of online security.

The feature is very easy to use, and all you need to do is tap “Double VPN” on the home screen and select one of the eligible servers. This feature will slow your connection down, though, so you won’t want it on all the time.

Dedicated IP Servers

Connecting to a regular NordVPN server masks your internet traffic by assigning an IP address to your connection, which you share with other users. This changes when you use a static IP address, which is unique and exclusive to you.

NordVPN offers static IP addresses as an add-on you can purchase. You can use them by connecting to NordVPN’s dedicated IP servers around the world. These IP addresses are less likely to appear on online service blacklists, and using a dedicated IP address means you won’t face as many interruptions and security checks.

Obfuscated Servers

Although a regular VPN server makes your browsing history inaccessible to your ISP, it doesn’t hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. While this doesn’t cause issues for most VPN users, some ISPs will throttle your bandwidth, and countries with heavy internet censorship may detect and block your connection.

Obfuscated servers alter your data packets and hide the fact that you’re using a VPN from your ISP so you can maintain unrestricted internet access. This feature is invaluable for the residents of countries like Russia, China, and Turkey – and it’s extremely easy to use with NordVPN.

Onion Over VPN Servers

NordVPN’s Onion Over VPN Servers allow you to access The Onion Router network without using the Tor browser.

Tor routes your connection through three random Tor servers before your traffic reaches its destination. NordVPN ensures your privacy remains intact by combining Tor’s security measures with its encryption algorithm before your traffic reaches the network.

This feature is invaluable for privacy-conscious users looking to access the deep web and .onion websites without security risks.

Threat Protection

Threat Protection is one of the best antivirus software tools for tackling malware, trackers, and intrusive ads, and it keeps you safe when downloading files and visiting potentially dangerous websites – and NordVPN bundles it with its subscriptions.

It will scan every URL you visit, blocking access to websites hosting malware and protecting you from phishing attacks. This makes it a valuable addition if you frequently shop online. Threat Protection also stops third-party trackers from collecting data on your preferences and following you around the web.

Dark Web Monitor

This data breach monitoring tool continuously scans the dark web for any of your information that has appeared in leaks. If your stolen credentials have been put up for sale, this feature can help you change your details and protect your accounts before they get hijacked.

Meshnet

This feature creates a private, encrypted tunnel to connect devices and enable secure file sharing between them without the risk of data breaches or external cyber threats.

We used Meshnet to read documents and browse files on remote devices and didn’t see any connection speed drops or performance issues.

This feature can be invaluable for frequent travelers and hybrid workplaces, as it provides a remote access failsafe. In addition, its robust security measures allow you to share sensitive business and personal documents with anyone, knowing they’re protected from interception.

NordPass

NordPass, available with NordVPN’s Plus and Ultimate plans, is one of the best password managers around.

As well as providing a secure password vault, the feature helps you keep your accounts secure by automatically generating strong passwords you can use and checking your existing passwords for vulnerabilities.

You can access your passwords across browsers, apps, and online accounts. In addition, it has an excellent auto-fill feature that can help you save time by automatically filling out your usernames, passwords, billing information, and credit card information.

Incogni

NordVPN now offers Incogni’s personal data removal tools, which can save you hundreds of hours by automatically removing your data from the internet. With a few clicks, Incogni will contact over 180 data brokers around the world on your behalf and send them data removal requests.

These brokers handle data accumulated over years. Removing your records from their databases means your information will be removed from people search websites, shady business sites, and even credit card scamming databases.

Incogni will immediately show results, as you’ll stop receiving shady emails, texts, and robocalls. Incogni’s services are available for customers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Switzerland, and the European Union.

NordVPN Performance

As part of our NordVPN review, our team of researchers engaged in extensive performance testing, checking the service’s ability to retain high-speed connections.

For the testing, we initially tracked unencrypted connection speeds. Next, we used NordVPN to connect to servers around the world, tracking the average data transfer rate. We repeated this multiple times a day and conducted the tests over an extended period.

We found that NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs around, retaining between 70% and 75% of the unencrypted connection speed when downloading and uploading data. This is closely comparable to providers like Surfshark and faster than ExpressVPN.

NordVPN Compatibility and Ease of Use

NordVPN’s services are compatible with every major operating system, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, as well as routers. In addition, it offers browser extensions for Chrome, Mozilla, and Edge.

During our testing, we downloaded the NordVPN apps on each operating system to test the responsiveness of the interface and the features each operating system supports.

Is NordVPN Good For Streaming on Netflix and Other Streaming Services?

NordVPN always finds its place on our list of the best VPNs for Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and other streaming services due to its exceptional speeds and unlocking capabilities. We tested it using the NordLynx VPN protocol to unlock different Netflix libraries and had no issues accessing region-specific content.

Although many VPN providers struggle to access popular streaming platforms that block shared VPN IPs, NordVPN has an answer for this. SmartPlay can cloak your IP address and bypass DNS blocking, allowing you to remove virtually any geo-restriction.

You don’t even need to configure anything, as SmartPlay automatically activates whenever you connect to a VPN server.

Is NordVPN Good For Torrenting?

Most of NordVPN’s massive server network consists of peer-to-peer (P2P) friendly servers optimized for torrenting. These servers can handle high-bandwidth activities and offer enhanced speeds and reliability – assisted by NordLynx’s fast connections and NordVPN’s robust security features, such as its kill switch.

Is NordVPN Good For Gaming?

NordVPN is an excellent pick for console, PC, and mobile gamers. The provider can prevent ISP throttling and DDoS attacks, ensuring you have a lag-free experience on any platform.

Thanks to its strategically placed servers, you can connect to a location closer to game servers, resulting in a lower ping and ensuring a smooth gaming experience. Alternatively, you can find less populated servers and easier matches.

You can also use NordVPN’s Meshnet feature for LAN gaming, setting up a private Meshnet network and inviting other NordVPN users to join.

NordVPN vs. Top VPN Competitors

We consider NordVPN to be one of the best VPNs based on its performance, features, and usability. However, no VPN can suit everyone’s needs. The table below can help you compare the VPN service provider to its top competitors before you commit to a subscription.

NordVPN Reviews and Customer Support

NordVPN has shown solid results in our testing, from its fast and consistent performance to the quality of its interface and advanced features. However, all that may mean little if you encounter a problem you can’t resolve.

That’s why we sought help from its customer support team, which allowed us to evaluate their responsiveness and the quality of their assistance. You can contact NordVPN’s customer support round-the-clock teams via live chat or email, though the service lacks phone support.

The service’s chatbot may be limited, but we found NordVPN’s customer support courteous and knowledgeable.

In addition, NordVPN has an excellent help center that can help you get to the bottom of most VPN-related issues. For example, if you want to cancel your recurring subscription, the help center will take you through the steps you need to complete on the Nord Account website.

Besides our experience with NordVPN, we were interested in what some of its long-term users had to say about the service. On Trustpilot, NordVPN’s rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, with more than 29,000 reviews, demonstrates very positive feedback.

With more than 74% of the reviews giving it the maximum score, reviews like the one above are common on Trustpilot. When users review NordVPN, they generally praise its privacy features and the effectiveness of the Threat Protection feature for blocking ads and third-party trackers

The NordVPN apps are also noted as being easy to use, and the NordVPN settings are simple to adjust.

In addition, NordVPN reviews on Trustpilot mention that the customer support staff will assist you with every aspect of NordVPN’s service, from trivial issues such as app setup to more complex processes like dedicated IPs and router protection. Almost every NordVPN review we saw leaned toward the positive.

How We Tested NordVPN

We took a multi-faceted approach to reviewing NordVPN, which allowed us to test every aspect of its service and determine whether it works as advertised. We looked at:

• Security – We started by stress-testing the NordVPN security features, such as its kill switch and split tunneling, which we found worked as intended. Its Threat Protection feature also passed all of our malware-blocking tests, and the password manager is a great addition.
• Speed – While testing its performance, NordVPN provided consistent speeds, which allowed us to play games, watch shows on foreign Netflix libraries, and download files without interruption over long use sessions.
• Customer Experience – Besides hands-on testing, the third-party reviews from NordVPN users found on Trustpilot provided valuable insights from long-term customers.
• Context – In addition, our previous experience with some of its top competitors, including ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and Surfshark, and insights into VPN statistics and trends allow us to draw meaningful comparisons between these products.

Our Other VPN Guides

NordVPN may stand out for its unique features and stellar performance, but that doesn’t mean other VPN providers don’t have lots to offer. Here’s a list of some of our VPN guides and VPN reviews to provide more information about its competition and the service that will best suit your needs.

• The Best VPN for Android
• The Best VPN for Torrenting
• The Best VPN for iPhones
• The Best VPN for Gambling
• The Best VPN for Linux
• The Best VPN for Chrome

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