NordVPN Product Review 2021
VPNs help hide your IP address to prevent governments, internet service providers, and/or malicious third parties from seeing what you’re doing online. NordVPN is one of the more trusted VPN brands on the market!
Despite having a security breach in 2018, they remain one of the more security-focused VPN services when compared to their competitors and have continuously shown their commitment to privacy and security. Outside of security, the product offers incredible speeds and customer support as well, read on to find out how they compare to some of their competitors!
What’s on This Page
NordVPN
4.5/5
- Double VPN System
- Fast Connection Speeds
- Independently Audited
The Benefits of NordVPN
NordVPN has more than 5000 servers in 60 countries, making it so that there is always a server accessible to meet your needs. The closer you are to a server, the faster your speeds are – and with so many servers no matter where you are in the world, it’s safe to say this VPN service outperforms most of its competitors when it comes to its speediness.
You’ll read more below about Nord’s commitment to privacy and security, but Nord’s location gives it major points on the security front.
The company is headquartered in Panama, which is not in the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14-Eyes jurisdictions. This means that a government entity wouldn’t be able to strong-arm the company into giving up customer data – and what’s even better, the company doesn’t retain any consumer data.
Why Use NordVPN?
Whether you live a privacy-first life, are consistently connecting to public networks, or simply want to restrict who can gain access to your private information – this service has a feature for you. It’s one of the simpler-to-use services out there that offer a ton of security and streaming features that put it ahead of many of its competitors.
The provider does not impose data caps like some of its free competitors, so if you are using your VPN for streaming or torrenting, this would be a great one to investigate.
Also beware that this provider only lets you run six simultaneous devices, while some of their competitors allow for an unlimited amount. Assess your needs before committing!
NordVPN Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great customer support
- Kill-switch available
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Affordable Pricing
- Strong Security
Cons
- Only 6 Simultaneous Connections
- User Interface Needs Improvement
How Do I Use NordVPN?
Using NordVPN is easy, even for beginners. Once you decide what plan you’d like to purchase (if you’re new, we recommend monthly to see if you like it), purchase your plan and sign up. Next, download your NordVPN app to your device and log in with the same credentials you used to sign up. To connect to the VPN, all you need to do is click the quick connect button and the network will choose the best server for you.
There is an abundance of articles available in the support section of the website if you’re stuck, and 24/7 live chat support is available.
Our Rating Process
There’s nothing worse than buying antivirus software to then find a bunch of hidden fees and features you can’t access without adding to your bill. You want to find the perfect balance between getting the maximum level of protection for a price that won’t break the bank. We assess each antivirus software based on features, performance, value, and compatibility. Our detailed Avast review includes scoring criteria out of 5 points to give you the information needed to decide if Avast is the right solution for your virus protection requirements.
User Experience 3.5/5
This is a popular VPN, but the user experience could be better – especially when comparing to competitors like ExpressVPN. When you log in you’ll notice that cities aren’t listed in alphabetical order, so it could take some time to get through the list. While the platform isn’t as intuitive as ExpressVPN, it doesn’t take long to figure out the customizations and how to make it work best for you. The articles in the knowledge base and 24/7 live chat support are also lifesavers, especially for beginners. If you’re just starting out with VPNs, there is enough material and support to ensure that your experience is as smooth as possible.
Features – 5/5
NordVPN offers immense security features (read more about those below) and is continuously improving to stay on top of its security game. Outside of security, the network offers blazing fast speeds, unblocks streaming services like Netflix, and even works in China.
With around 5,000 servers in countries with large streaming libraries, this VPN will gain you access to some of your favorite foreign content.
If you’re trying to access Netflix in the US, make sure you are using the default DNS settings, custom settings may result in the service continuing to be blocked.
For those who want more control over how their VPN is used, Nord recently added the split tunneling feature. Using this you’ll be able to choose what apps use the VPN connection and what apps use your normal internet connection.
Price – 4/5
The most affordable NordVPN price is $11.95 per month, or if you opt for the 1-year plan you’ll pay $4.92 per month ($59 for the first year) before the yearly price of $143.40 kicks in. The most affordable option presents itself if you commit for two years, this will bring the monthly NordVPN price down to $3.67, billed at $99 for the first two years. When compared to competitors with similar features, NordVPN offers a lot of bang for your buck.
The company accepts credit cards, PayPal, cryptocurrencies, and other online payment methods and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
While it seems economically sound to opt for one of the longer commitments for a reduced price, try out the service first to make sure it has the right features for your needs – then when you’re sure that this is the VPN for you, take the plunge. For first-time users, there is also the option of getting a free NordVPN trial.
Security – 5/5
Despite a security breach in 2019, NordVPN offers a lot when it comes to security. It’s headquartered in Panama, which is considered a privacy-friendly country. Unlike some of its competitors, like ZenMate, which are based in surveillance sharing agreement countries, NordVPN is in a jurisdiction that has strong data protection laws, and no mandatory data retention laws.
If your VPN connection fails, the kill switch feature stops data from leaking outside of the VPN tunnel, and it’s even customizable so you can choose what apps to kill if the VPN drops out.
Another security feature that NordVPN is known for is its Double VPN feature. This routes your traffic through two VPNs servers, encrypting your data twice. This means that your online activity is hidden behind two servers instead of one, giving you that extra reassurance.
In 2019, the company suffered from a data breach when one of its rented servers was accessed without authorization. Nord used this as an opportunity to improve their systems through multiple audits, a larger focus on security, and a bug bounty program.
The bug bounty program rewards hackers for finding flaws in the code so that there can be consistent improvements to the software. In some ways, the data breach worked in Nord’s favor because there was no user-identifying information on the server, confirming that the company does not store logs of user activity.
Package Comparison
Product Details
1-Month Plan
1-Year Plan
2-Year Plan
Price Per Month
$11.95
$4.95/month (Billed $59 for the year)
$4.13/month (Billed $99 for the year)
Six Simultaneous Connections
Yes
Yes
Yes
Double VPN
Yes
Yes
Yes
24/7 Live Chat
Yes
Yes
Yes
Specialty Servers
Yes
Yes
Yes
P2P Servers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Technical / Product Details
Product Details
Specs
Supported Languages
French, German, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Spanish and English
Compatibility
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Proxy, Router, NAS
Restricted Countries
None
Customer Support
Live chat, articles, email
Servers
5000+
Number of licenses per subscription
6
Frequently Asked Questions
Despite the hack in 2019, NordVPN is one of the safest and most secure VPN services on the market. Their no-log policy and multiple security features ensure that your data is protected. Based in Panama where there are no data retention laws, the company has a leg-up on companies that operate in countries with data surveillance laws and alliances in place. NordVPN is also continuously evaluating its security through third-party audits and bug bounties.
In most countries, using a VPN is completely legal. While using a VPN is legal, you may be violating a company’s terms of service by using a VPN. For example, using a VPN to stream content on Netflix can constitute a violation of their terms of service – but does not make it illegal. In this case, you could face a cancellation or suspension of your account.
Is NordVPN better than ExpressVPN?
This depends on your specific VPN needs. Both NordVPN and ExpressVPN are trusted brands that offer similar services. ExpressVPN has a better all-around experience, while NordVPN is great for speed and security. To determine the best VPN for you, ensure that you understand your needs – then look for features that will meet those needs.