NordVPN is a terrifyingly strong VPN service. It ticks all the boxes in terms of security, privacy, and speed, also it seems to be the best VPN for multiple devices. Plus unbeatable long-term subscription costs. A must-have for everyone interested in maintaining their privacy! Find out more by reading our NordVPN review.
NordVPN, VPN powerhouse situated in Panama, is another VPN behemoth. Since its inception in 2012, the company has come a long way in a short period of time. As of 2018, it has over 5,000 servers across 59 countries.
NordVPN Features That We Like
1. Best-in-class privacy and security
Although not important for most service providers, NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, which is significant for VPN services. Panama has no data retention rules, and their government does not conduct Internet monitoring (as far as we know). This implies that NordVPN is not required by law to keep logs of its users' actions, which is wonderful for your privacy!
NordVPN offers better encryption standards in addition to its excellent location for privacy. They use the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard, which is used by all top-tier VPN service providers (AES).
But wait, there's more! NordVPN uses PGP keys in customer communication and to protect your account information to further protect your privacy. PGP keys are virtually unbreakable and can be used to encrypt communications between you and NordVPN.
Kill-switch: There are two types of kill-switches: in the event of an unexpected dropout, a user can now choose whether to close a specific app or fully end the Internet connection (system-wide kill-switch).
2. The Kill Switch Prevents Data Breach
If you're concerned about what will happen if your connection to a NordVPN server is lost, the Kill Switch is the solution. This function brings all of your Internet conversations to a standstill if a NordVPN server drops your connection.
Depending on your platform, there are two versions of NordVPN's Kill Switch. You may specify which programmes stop interacting if something happens in the Windows or Mac versions, whereas the mobile app version stops everything.
All of this contributes to the prevention of data leaking.
3. There are no DNS leaks
Aside from installation and speed tests, one of the most crucial things to look for when testing a VPN is that your real IP address is concealed. After all, isn't that one of the key goals? At dnsleak.com or dnsleaktest.com, you can run standard tests.
4. Use two VPNs for added security.
You should be familiar with the basic notions of VPNs by now, so let's speak about something else that NordVPN offers, which is Double VPN. By connecting two VPN servers, you're effectively adding an extra layer of security.
Your computer or device connects to one VPN server first, then to a second VPN server before arriving at your prefered location. Your destination IP will change twice as a result of this, and your data will be encrypted twice. As I previously stated, double the protection!
5. Best VPN for multiple devices: Connect Up To 6 Devices Across a Variety of Platforms
We can anticipate to use a VPN on a few devices at a time for the majority of us. On at least one computer and a mobile device, at the very least. Then there are individuals who are device-obsessed, owning a computer, laptop, two smartphones, two tablets, and who knows how many other devices.
NordVPN has something for everyone, and each account can have up to six simultaneous connections. This means you can protect each of your gadgets separately while also putting it on your network for good measure.
There are a lot of platform kinds supported, so anything you have should be OK. The only exception is routers, which are a little more picky.
Warning!
VPNs are not supported by all routers. Before purchasing the service, make sure that it works with NordVPN and your Internet connection. Otherwise, take a look at our list of the top VPN wireless routers.
All you have to do is compare your real IP address to the ones displayed on those two websites; if they don't match, you're safe.
6. Consistently fast and stable speeds all around
While I did see the usual increase in ping time as I travelled further away from my actual locations, overall speeds were extremely outstanding. My tests were run on a 500 Mbps connection with a throughput of over 450 Mbps on a regular basis.
Because distance is a factor, performance to various spots of the course varied greatly. When it comes to VPN testing, however, there are even more aspects to consider, such as server load, the quality of servers in a certain country, and other issues.
In terms of speed, NordVPN has consistently outperformed our expectations. Speeds were generally high in the five core regions where I tested them, and there was little to no additional delay when utilising NordVPN.
YouTube streaming in 2k and 4k HD was also fine, and the experience was smooth and straightforward. Without any issues, I was able to stream 4K videos. It should be noted, however, that there are certain locations with slow speeds.
For instance, I tested their use locally where I am, and the rates to a server here were quite slow. If this happens to you, simply join somewhere else nearby – preferably somewhere with good infrastructure.
7. Great NordVPN geolocations: ~5,000 servers in 59 different countries including NordVPN Australia
NordVPN is without a doubt one of the largest VPN service providers today, with over 5,000 servers in 59 countries. With a network this large, there are sure to be certain sites that perform poorly in comparison to others.
However, as you can see from our previous speed testing, the majority of the essential areas in strategic worldwide locations performed admirably. If you connect to a server that doesn't perform as well as you'd want, I'm sure there's a better option nearby. Simply experiment to determine which one works best for you.
Nearly half of NordVPN's servers are located in the United States, with a similar amount of servers located in Europe. Still, for geo-locked content, Asia has the majority of the excellent stuff, and with so many servers, Asia continues to perform well.
8. NordVPN Has Fantastic Deals!
After researching ExpressVPN, which starts at $6.67 per month, I was astounded by NordVPN's ridiculous $2.75 per month three-year contract plan (the three-year plan has since been cancelled :[ ) $4.99 per month two-year contract plan. The two are nearly priced the same at the same tiers from one-month to one-year durations, but NordVPN's 2-year plan is just incredible value for money.
Consider this: they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee and extremely low pricing for longer-term subscriptions, which makes perfect sense for consumers. When looking at their one-year plan, the total cost amounts to $83.88. Why not add $12 to it and extend it for another two years?
Unfortunately, there is a small ‘but' here: depending on the region you are from, NordVPN also charges Value Added Tax (VAT). Although not all of you will be charged VAT, some of you may face an additional fee of up to 20% (based on what I've seen).
9. CASH AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES ARE ACCEPTED AS PAYMENT
I don't care if a VPN accepts payment by check, credit card, or even bank draught, but I am impressed that, in addition to Bitcoin, NordVPN accepts cash payments in some regions. You can pay cash at Fry's Electronics or Micro Center if you live in the United States.
The company accepts three types of cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple.
These two payment methods are significant since they are untraceable. After all, you're looking for a VPN service to protect your privacy, right?
10. NordVPN Netflix
You may have noticed that Netflix content is country-specific. Shows from other regions aren't always available on Netflix, thus watching shows from Australia may be difficult. This can be particularly annoying if you're on vacation outside of the and suddenly lose access to your favourite shows.
There are a variety of reasons behind the streaming service's configuration, ranging from cost to regional copyrights, but we won't get into them here. You'll need a means to bypass these geoblocks so you can view your favourite Netflix shows from anywhere on the planet.
Fortunately, we have a solution: a VPN. However, not all VPNs are up to the task. Many lack the requisite speed, encryption, or server types and locations to successfully circumvent Netflix's geoblocks and VPN-blocking technologies.
My top choice for Netflix used to be NordVPN, however the platform changed its VPN detecting algorithms, so it no longer works. NordVPN is my current recommendation, as it can unblock many Netflix collection in a matter of seconds. It also provides ultrafast speeds and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can check it out without risk.
What We Didn't Care For With NordVPN
Negative NordVPN Review
1. Torrenting is only available on a few servers.
Torrenting was a bit of a mystery with NordVPN at first. Then I remembered that peer-to-peer file sharing was not supported on all of their servers. This may be found under “Auto-connect at startup,” where you can choose to have a selection made automatically or to connect to a certain type of server.
These are classified as Dedicated, DoubleVPN, Onion Over VPN, or P2P for NordVPN. While this isn't exactly user-friendly, I feel that it gives me a lot more control.
While I'm glad that NordVPN allows torrenting, being confined to only a few servers can be frustrating if you're a torrenting aficionado. Based on the speed tests I ran, I also discovered that Torrent speeds were not as good as I had hoped.
2. Sometimes There Is A Slow Connection To Servers Through App
If you're using a client programme like NordVPN's for Windows, one thing to keep in mind is that connecting to a server takes time. I timed how long it took to establish a connection on the Windows client (I'm running Windows 10 on a solid-state drive), and it took on average 14-30 seconds. This does not include the time it takes for the client to load.
To others, this may not appear to be a significant amount. However, if you're anything like me, and you're used to loading times that are lightning fast, you'll understand. Consider this: if you're using a normal hard disc, your computer will take 14-30 seconds longer to fully boot up than it does currently.
The only exception to all of this, in my opinion, is if you're going to run NordVPN over your router, in which case it'll be “always on.”
3. OpenVPN Configuration Is Inconvenient
If you prefer OpenVPN to L2TP or another protocol, you could be surprised. To begin, you'll need to download a ZIP file containing the configuration files for each of NordVPN's servers. There are two setups for each server: one for TCP and one for UDP.
The means there are over 8,000 configuration files in that ZIP archive (9,341 at last count) with names like al1.nordvpn.com.tcp443 and za12.nordvpn.com.tcp443. You'll have to figure out where each configuration file server is through trial and error.
Seriously, this is one of the most absurd methods of distributing OpenVPN configurations that NordVPN could have come up with, and it's a major pain in the neck.
Should I Pay For NordVPN?
In a single word, yes! When it comes to choosing a VPN provider, I'm probably seeking for the same things you are: privacy, security, and speed. NordVPN performs admirably in each of these categories.
I was blown away by the server speeds, which were far superior to anything I had expected from a VPN service provider. True, there are occasional disappointments, such as the Australian server speeds, but it is only one nation out of 62.
The cherry on top is NordVPN's 3-year contract at $3.49 per month, which is practically unparalleled in terms of value for money in my opinion. Even if someone provides a lower price, I doubt they will provide the same quality of service as NordVPN.
Is this something I'll have to pay for? Absolutely!!!✅