NordVPN Review (April 2024)
With the largest server network around, and a full-featured platform, NordVPN should appeal to anyone looking to regain privacy online
Overall Rating
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If you ask the average person to list off a few VPN services they have heard of, NordVPN will almost always make the cut – and for good reason. Over the past few years NordVPN has built out its platform to include all the features anyone could want from a top-tier service. While you will pay for this flexibility, NordVPN can justify it with what it has to offer.
All the while, NordVPN maintains that its key priorities are threefold – each pillars of a reputable VPN provider.
- Freedom of Speech
- Social Equality and Empowerment
- Education and Digital Awareness
Pros
- Successful Streaming Unblocking
- Full-Featured
- Transparency
Cons
- Expensive
- Middling Performance with OpenVPN
Accessibility
Right off the bat, NordVPN shines when it comes to accessibility as it boasts that its users have access to the worlds largest server network. Totalling over 5500 from across nearly 60 countries, users will never have issues finding an appropriate connection point for their needs.
From an accessibility standpoint, the only area where NordVPN falls behind competitors are the amount of simultaneous connections it allows. While competitors like AtlasVPN and Surf Shark offer an unlimited amount, NordVPN comes in at a lesser but still respectable 6.
Beyond servers and the amount of simultaneously supported devices, NordVPN is one of the more flexible services on offer, with apps supporting the following.
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
- Browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
In addition to flexibility among operating systems, users can rest assured that NordVPN will work well to remove geo-based restrictions surrounding of the top streaming platforms.
For those looking to take part in peer-2-peer file sharing, NordVPN offers fantastic performance, albeit on select servers.
Security Features
Perhaps stemming from an incident in 2018 which saw a Finnish server of its compromised, NordVPN adapted and has gone on to be one of the most secure offerings of its kind.
This means the inclusion of a double-kill switch that terminates internet connection entirely, or specific applications, in the event of a dropped VPN connection. Such a feature is critical to ensuring that you remain protected at all times.
Beyond its kill switch, DNS leak prevention, and platform audits, NordVPN incorporates the typical security features found in premium offerings, including,
- AES-256 encryption
- Multi-Factor Authentication
- IP address leak prevention
- Dark web monitoring
- TOR over VPN
Add it all up, and users of NordVPN will benefit from a very secure service regardless of online habits.
Privacy
For a VPN service to score well with regards to privacy, the top two considerations are its data-logging policy, and its country of operation.
This is another area where NordVPN shines, as it not only boasts a no-logging policy, it has actually backed it up with audits from PricewaterhouseCoopers AG. The company states that although, “…VPNs say that they operate under a no-logs policy, keep in mind that VPN no-logs claims are easy to make – but very hard to verify.” Something we are inclined to agree with.
Thankfully, NordVPN also operates within Panama – a nation which does not enforce and data retention among companies operating within its borders.
Performance
Increased privacy, impenetrable security, and impressive accessibility mean nothing if a services performance takes you back to the days of dial-up internet. In this regard, NordVPN is entirely adequate regardless of your protocol of choice (OpenVPN or Wireguard based ‘NordLynx’).
By no means the fastest or slowest, NordVPN speeds can be expected to cause no issues, and still allow for streaming content of the highest quality. Combined with its vast server network, users will never have issues finding a server with capacity to spare.
Purchasing
NordVPN gets full point for its flexibility surrounding payments, supporting,
- Credit Cards
- PayPal
- AmazonPay
- Cryptocurrency through CoinPayments
With regards to pricing, the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ rings true when considering NordVPN. Yes, the service is one of the more expensive around, but it is a full-featured service which has grown in to a reputable and reliable platform over the years. Keeping that in mind, users can expect to pay between $13.99 on a month-to-month basis, down to as little as $3.99 on a 2 year plan.
It would be nice to see the option for direct payment with cryptocurrencies, as opposed to being forced to use a third-party service.
Conclusion
Overall, one can not go wrong when choosing NordVPN. It boasts a strong showing in all categories, and while not every one is market-leading, none fall behind the pack. As such, it remains in contention for one of the best VPN services available to date.