NordVPN review for 2024: This is serious security that you can trust
Why NordVPN is worth your time
For a variety of reasons, NordVPN is a household name in the privacy space. The biggest, though, is its capacity to provide a feature-rich product at a reasonable cost along with high quality. It might set you back a little more than some of its less expensive rivals, but it will guarantee that you enjoy yourself immensely on the internet and that you are as safe as possible.
Let’s discuss about price first. The company had some good back-to-school pricing tiers available at the time of writing, with savings of up to 68%. The least expensive plan will cost you roughly $3 a month for a basic plan during this sale. This includes an ad blocker, tracker, and malware protection in addition to the VPN service. You may purchase the Plus plan for approximately $4 per month, which includes a cross-platform password manager and a data breach detector that can locate your personal information in the event that it was compromised. Last but not least, the Complete plan costs roughly $5 a month and includes 1 TB of cloud storage and file sharing in addition to everything from the other two levels.
These products are comparable to what the competition is providing for the money. Depending on your demands, there are undoubtedly less expensive services available, however VPN offers more than enough value for the money. This is due to the fact that the service excels in terms of security and privacy, including both the basic AES-256 encryption and a few extra features like Onion Over VPN and Double VPN. With Onion Over VPN, you may access websites that aren’t searchable on Google using the Tor browser while your VPN keeps you safe. All Dhere Double VPN does is split up your traffic between two VPN servers rather than just one.
So how did it work for us?
After successfully installing NordVPN and verifying its functionality by examining my IP address, I was excited to discover what more capabilities it possessed. Thankfully, setup was very simple. I had the privilege of selecting a server to route via through a very easy-to-use configuration after deciding on my plan and getting started. I can suggest NordVPN so readily, even to novice users, in part because of that frontend.
I opted to test on Windows for the majority of this review, though I typically use Mac for most day-to-day browsing. Given that so many friends and family members ask about compatibility with Windows, however, it seemed like the best choice to examine. I also installed it on my Mac, with no discernible change in performance, which was a pleasant surprise.
When you log into the app, you’ll see a large world map that you can zoom into with a variety of different server locations. You can just click the country you’re located in and the app will connect you to an optimal server for the area. You can select other features like “dedicated IP” server options, “double IP,” “obfuscated servers,” “Onion Over VPN,” and “P2P” from a list on the left side of the app. Otherwise, you can just choose a location and go.
It’s extremely quick, simple and easy to read. NordVPN will keep you informed as to when you’re connected, when the app is activated or off, and there’s even a pause button for you to keep the VPN off momentarily should you need to go to a site that won’t load properly while using your server.
After getting everything set up with basic routing through another server, I was eager to see how this VPN stacked up in terms of speed. With my connection, I saw download speeds of 80 to 91.66 Mbps, impressive numbers that didn’t disappoint by a long shot. While testing NordVPN daily for a few days, I didn’t find any significant impact on my regular browsing habits, not with YouTube playback or online gaming.
I was able to download “Baldur’s Gate 3” quickly using NordVPN and Steam at what seemed to be the typical download pace. In addition, there was no lag or delay when I was on my usual social media sites, Tumblr and Twitter, even when viewing articles and postings with plenty of images. I tested the continuous connectivity dependability with a couple “Overwatch II” games, and I could not tell any difference in the performance or speed of my connections. It looks to have no issues handling demanding tasks like gaming, working, or simple browsing when utilizing this VPN.
One of the most important parts of NordVPN for many will undoubtedly be its kill switch feature, which is something of a built-in failsafe to prevent your data from getting out should your VPN connection fail. Upon testing the kill switch, I was able to successfully prevent any internet connectivity once activated.
Even my browser update failed once I pressed the button. It was as easy as pressing the kill switch button again to resume traffic. There was no wait, and it happened instantaneously both times. I’ve had issues with over VPNs where they will stutter and glitch out occasionally when ending traffic this way, so I was pleasantly surprised to see NordVPN successful in this arena.
As a regular VPN user, I was eager to try out aspects of NordVPN that I found out of the ordinary, like its newest addition: Meshnet. It allows you to create your own secure network with up to 10 devices as well as with 50 other NordVPN users to share network access, play games together, and whatever your needs might necessitate.
This functionality, which is exclusive to NordVPN, was ideal for my purposes. I frequently send and receive graphic files on a shared network with my partner. We utilize a range of fonts and brushes, as well as other graphic design tools, and save them on a network that we can both access as needed. Meshnet was quick and simple to set up, even with my limited understanding of network and sharing capabilities. Our shared network outperformed NordVPN’s basic privacy and security features. Photoshop was stored in a folder that I shared with my girlfriend.PSD files interchangeably without any problems.
Overall, I found NordVPN to be a strong contender for one of the best VPNs I’ve tried in my lengthy history of being what the kids would call “terminally online.” I didn’t measure any noticeable speed drops, it remained on and active during testing, and it’s more than affordable month to month. There’s a reason why it’s taken over the internet and advertised as one of the best services you can subscribe to, after all. If you’re looking for a reliable choice in the VPN market, you can’t go wrong with this one.
NordVPN
Pros:
- Robust range of security options
- Fast, reliable connectivity
- Double VPN adds extra encryption layer
- Custom features for tech-savvy users
- Affordable subscription pricing
- Meshnet offers a one-of-a-kind P2P connection
Cons:
- Some pricey subscription tiers
- Some features require knowledge of networking features
Does NordVPN have a free trial?
Yes. You can get the NordVPN free trial for 30 days to see if it’s right for you. If you’re not satisfied with its performance, you can cancel anytime and just get your money back, according to the website’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does NordVPN offer good customer support options?
Indeed. The NordVPN website offers a wealth of customer service resources. You can start by looking for a problem that is similar to yours in its libraries of assistance articles. To assist you in getting back on track, there are numerous comprehensive setup and troubleshooting instructions available.
If you require more specialized help, you can also “speak” to a basic chatbot. It can provide recommendations as well as articles to read that can assist in resolving your particular issues. But it’s also not a problem if you want a genuine person. If you would like an asynchronous resolution to your issue, you can email customer service or use the live chat feature, which is available around-the-clock.
What features does NordVPN have?
Along with additional functionality, NordVPN provides the same feature set as all other VPNs on the market. This offers double data encryption, robust encryption with OpenVPN support, and Onion services for further security. Along with P2P support, Meshnet options, and Threat Protection, NordVPN also offers malware detection and prevention. Depending on the version you pay for each month, the features vary, but even with the entrance cost, basic customers receive access to a comprehensive suite of security capabilities.
Does NordVPN have a no-logs policy?
Yes. According to NordVPN, the company never logs what you do or where you go online. The company has an independent audit log to prove this claim, and as such can’t even share anything with third parties if asked.
How many servers does NordVPN offer?
You’ll find more than 5,000 servers in 85 locations across 59 countries with your NordVPN subscription.
How many devices does NordVPN support at a time?
You can have up to six simultaneous connections with NordVPN. Install it on as many devices as you want, but only six can be online at the same time together. As far as VPNs go, NordVPN’s meager six-connection offering isn’t the best on the market, but it should be more than enough for most families. If you have a large family with several devices, all connected at the same time, you might want to look into services like Surfshark or IPVanish.
Does NordVPN use browser extensions?
Browser extensions are provided by NordVPN. These work with Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Chrome. Rather than utilizing NordVPN’s UI, they let you select your VPN location, connect, and detach directly from your browser. If you want to bypass setup and don’t want to select where you want to connect, there is also a quick-connect button. The extensions are just as easy to install and use as NordVPN itself, even if you don’t know how to set up browser extensions. It can be added to your preferred browser (I primarily used Chrome for my evaluation), and then you can pin and unpin it whenever you like, making it accessible whenever you want to connect.
What platforms work with NordVPN?
You can use NordVPN on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV and Linux. Essentially, you’re covered on any major operating system, and there are a variety of help documents and tutorials to ensure you can get things set up on all of your devices should you run into trouble.
