NordVPN Review
One of the very best VPNs comes with a costly subscription
Verdict
NordVPN is a great choice for any everyday VPN use case. It’s fast, flexible and security-audited – but it isn’t cheap.
Pros
- Large number of servers
- Wide range of security features and endpoints
- Clear, audited no-logging policy
- Great for streaming
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Subscriptions renew at a higher rate
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Key Features
- Connect up to six devicesNordVPN can be used on up to six devices simultaneously, with apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux and Android TV.
- Sixty countries to choose as endpointNordVPN has more than 5,400 servers in 60 different countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia.
Introduction
NordVPN is one of the most recognisable VPNs on the planet, thanks to a strong advert campaign. It’s also well known for an infamous breach in 2018, which is badly mishandled.
But Nord has done a lot of work to restore its reputation, with one of the very best performances you can find, as well as a generous suite of features. I still find its YouTube-led advertising bombastic and excessive, but there’s a genuinely good service beneath all the hype.
Its warrant canary page has recently been updated to clarify that the company is committed to its no-logging policy and that it “will only comply with requests from foreign governments and law enforcement agencies if these requests are delivered according to laws and regulations”.
To back up its no-logging claims, NordVPN has had independent audits carried out by PwC that are made available for all subscribers to read.
Pricing and Subscriptions
NordVPN’s subscriptions are more costly than those of its rivals. You’ll also find that VAT is not included in the prices listed on Nord’s website, and only applied when you get the payment screen. For UK users, this means that a monthly subscription listed at £10.98 costs 20% more, at £13.07 – the most expensive monthly fee in my 11 VPN group test.
NordVPN is increasingly expensive, as you’d expect from one of the fastest and most widely promoted VPN services around. Its subscription deals get better the longer you sign up for, although you have to watch out for a price hike on renewal. Renewing subscribers are charged the current full price, without the introductory discount that first-time subscribers benefit from.
So, a new subscriber will pay £68.22 (including VAT) for their first year and receive an extra three months free on top of that, but their subscription will renew at the standard rate, currently £124 per year. Similarly, a two-year introductory subscription costs £109.84 – again with an extra free three months on top of that – but renews at £223.24 for two years.
On NordVPN’s subscription page, you can also select more expensive subscription options which include the NordPass password manager and 1TB of secure cloud storage. Both are actually good things to have, but make sure you know what you want and what you’re getting: Iif all you need is a VPN, make sure you choose the NordVPN Essential tier.
No free tier or trial is available, but there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, and those in search of extra anonymity can pay using a selection of cryptocurrencies.
Features and Usability
- Supports a wide range of devices
- Lots of security features included
- Map-like interface is simple to use
NordVPN provides clients and connection instructions for a massive range of devices and platforms. These range from desktop computing platforms and smartphones to routers, servers and one of the best proxying browser plugins I’ve seen from a VPN service, making it easy to move your web browser traffic around the world at a whim.
On Windows, the client’s main display shows a map of endpoint locations, alongside a searchable list of available servers, categorised by features and geographic location. It also provides shortcuts to endpoints with specific extra security features, including double VPN, DDoS protection, onion routing via the Tor network, and support for peer-to-peer torrenting.
In its advanced settings, NordVPN offers a wide range of features, including auto-connection, ad and malware protection, invisibility to your local network, split tunneling to exclude certain applications from the VPN, and both internet and app-specific kill switches to block traffic if your VPN connection goes down. You can also set a custom DNS provider and attempt to avoid VPN blocking in places where it’s restricted by using some of NordVPN’s obfuscated servers.
Like a number of its peers, NordVPN is currently in the process of upgrading its integrated defences against malware and malicious websites to provide a more comprehensive security solution. It switched over to a fully RAM-disk-based infrastructure in 2021.
Performance
- Ranked in the top three during the latest performance group test
- Great support for video streaming
NordVPN’s performance is always good, and while it wasn’t as quick as stablemate Surfshark in my latest tests, it comfortably claimed the number two position, just ahead of ExpressVPN.
| VPN Provider | UK | Netherlands | United States | Average |
| NordVPN | 344.80Mbps | 309.60Mbps | 273.60Mbps | 309.33Mbps |
| Reference Group Average HTTPS | 191.20Mbps | 166.11Mbps | 110.35Mbps | 155.88Mbps |
NordVPN uses its NordLynx protocol by default for its desktop clients, and its performance is consistently impressive. NordLynx is an implementation of WireGuard protocol with extra security customisations. Performance is excellent – credit to Nord’s high-quality network infrastructure.
This VPN service’s video streaming is as good as ever. You don’t need to use any kind of specialist endpoints, which is convenient for anyone who wants to keep their VPN connected at all times without having to use split tunneling to get access to iPlayer or Sky.
Latest deals
NordVPN – Save 57%
NordVPN have slashed the monthly subscription fee by 57% on their 2 year plan . No Logs or hidden fees and all plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee.
- NordVPN
- 57% off
- £2.79 per month
Should you buy it?
If you want a fast and fully featured VPN:
NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs currently available, while also offering an abundance of security features – SurfShark is currently cheaper and quicker, but nothing else is.
You want a cheap VPN:
NordVPN is one of the most expensive options, and has no free tier other than the 30-day trial.
Final Thoughts
After its mishandled 2018 security breach, NordVPN has put its money where its mouth is when it comes to doing better, opening a bug bounty programme, continuing to commission independent audits and introducing new security measures. Do watch out for those subscription fees increasing on renewal, though.
NordVPN has a solid claim on being one of the best VPN services around, but it’s expensive. Surfshark, owned by the same company, is better if you’re on a budget, while Private Internet Access is an absolute bargain by comparison. ProtonVPN Plus is comparably priced and similarly feature-packed, while Perfect Privacy should be your first choice if you need proven security.
If your VPN requirements are modest, then ProtonVPN Free and Windscribe are both excellent free alternatives.
How we test
All speed tests are run across a fibre connection with a maximum tested connection speed of 980Mbps, which means that we’re able to get a good idea of the upper threshold of each VPN service’s speed at the time of testing.
We test multiple endpoints from each provider in three locations: the UK, the Netherlands and the US.
We research security and no-logging claims.
We inventory and test client features on Windows and Linux.
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FAQs
Yes. It maintains a policy of not retaining any directly identifiable user data, and indicates that it hasn’t received any warrants from government organisations. It doesn’t have the rock-solid credibility of ExpressVPN, which has suffered and survived server seizures without loss of customer privacy, but NordVPN provides credible security against ISP or local network snooping, and the ability to watch streaming media from anywhere in the world.
No, although it does have a 30-day free trial.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
