NordVPN is the market leader in VPN software (as of July 2018). Since its founding in 2012, NordVPN has established itself as the industry leader and is one of the reasons why VPN services are now on everyone’s lips. Headquartered in Panama, NordVPN also has a location that has proven to be excellent for privacy.
NordVPN is available for Windows, macOS, and Android. The provider has over 4,700 servers in more than 50 countries worldwide. These servers belong to NordVPN (dedicated server) and are considered stable and powerful. In addition, the market leader is distinguished by its high security standard for encryption. VPN connections via NordVPN are generally regarded as not vulnerable. They can establish up to six connections independent of the payment model. NordVPN does not keep any logs on user activities according to its own information. It is possible to use TOR via VPN as well as double VPN access.
NordVPN's software is quick to set up and, with its ease of use, is aimed primarily at customers who are not very technically experienced. Nevertheless, an expert mode is offered with the help of which experts can control a VPN server’s configuration. NordVPN is flexible here. Should you encounter any problems, NordVPN offers 24/7 chat support. In addition, there are numerous guides and tutorials in the support area.
According to most reports, NordVPN's servers have very fast connections. Only a few servers are said to have somewhat slower download speeds. You can switch to another server with one click if one of the more than 4,700 servers (as of July 2018 – absolute world class) should cause problems. This will enable you to find a favorite server relatively quickly, which can be used to automatically establish the VPN connection. Basically, it is rarely necessary to change a server for NordVPN.
NordVPN uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with three different strengths (128/192/256-bit) as encryption method. It depends on you which strength is used, but it has no influence on the security of the encryption. In fact, there is still no known method to bypass AES. In short, with NordVPN you are not only anonymous, but also absolutely secure.
On the cost side, NordVPN convinces with a good price-performance ratio. There are four different models:
- $3.99/month for a 2-year plan
- $11.95/month on a monthly plan
- Sometimes offers sales and discounts
Within 30 days of purchase, you have the opportunity to refund your NordVPN subscription. NordVPN accepts PayPal, credit cards, crypto currencies, and various virtual payment services. In terms of costs, NordVPN is fair considering the quality of the service. There are cheaper providers, but they lag behind NordVPN in terms of quality.
NordVPN has few shortfalls worth mentioning. A “disadvantage” with NordVPN is the high profile of the provider. Streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime vehemently block the best-known VPN providers because they allow users to bypass country barriers. This is precisely why streaming services want to defend themselves against VPN services. However, NordVPN is trying to keep a list of servers up to date, via which Netflix can be reached. In addition, the “Smartplay" option allows automatic connection to international services such as the American Netflix platform. However, one can expect that Netflix will take legal action against these features.
Pros | Cons |
Huge server selection | Could be a target of streaming services legal battles, because it is a prominent leader in the field |
Extremely secure encryption | Price is higher compared to other providers |
Fast and uncomplicated software | |
Good price-performance ratio | |
30 days money back guarantee | |
Support for Netflix geo-blocking | |
Extensive customer support | |