“NordVPN is one of the best and fastest VPNs, and has a good bundle option.”
Pros
- Quick, reliable server connections
- Plenty of fast servers worldwide
- Easy-to-use design
- Fast, helpful live chat support
Cons
- Renewal price more than doubles
- Upload speeds aren’t the best
NordVPN is already recognized as one the best virtual private network solutions, and it keeps getting better. Of course, there are plenty of competitors, so it makes sense to shop around and read reviews that delve into particular features and limitation.
I went hands-on with NordVPN Plus and researched Nord Security’s other plans to find out the which plan has the best features and most value, as well as compared NordVPN to other solutions.
Tiers and pricing
NordVPN has four tiers bundling various cybersecurity services together with monthly, annual, and biannual subscription options for each.
NordVPN Basic has everything you need for privacy with an unlimited data, high-speed VPN that protects your privacy on up to 10 devices at once. If you pay for two years in advance, Basic costs $83 and includes 27 months of service, but the two-year renewal cost could be as high as $313, which is more expensive than the monthly plan.
The annual plan starts at $60 and renews at $139, which is a more reasonable increase. It’s equivalent to a monthly fee of $11.58. The odd pricing causes an odd situation where the two-year plan is best initially, but you can save more by switching to an annual plan instead of renewing for another two years.
The monthly plan costs $13, which adds up to $156 annually. The only benefit is if you only have an occasional need for a VPN.
NordVPN’s bundles have similar monthly, annual, and two-year plans. There are three bundles each with initial/renewal costs.
NordVPN Plus adds anti-malware, NordPass password manager, and blocks tracking costs for $72/$180 annually. NordVPN Complete includes 1TB of encrypted storage for $84/219 per year. NordVPN Ultra adds personal data removal tool, which automatically sends requests to data brokers to remove your information from their databases.
I tested NordVPN Plus to explore the quality of its Threat Protection. I wrote about the included NordPass password manager in a detailed, hands-on review, so I’ll just briefly share that it’s among the best available.
Design
When I installed NordVPN’s Windows app, a checkbox made it easy to add the browser extension. The app protects your privacy across all apps, while the extension limits the VPN to my browser. I can use either, but it doesn’t make sense to use both at once.
The app is the most powerful option, letting me protect my location and identity when browsing, even in a private window, but I can still access apps I use for work through my normal Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection.
If I connect to NordVPN via the extension and open an incognito window, the private tab bypasses the VPN. That can be a little confusing, so make sure to use the app for complete protection everywhere.
For more refined control, the app’s split-tunneling feature lets me specify apps to exclude from the VPN and the extension. The browser extension also has a split-tunneling feature that excludes particular websites from VPN use.
I didn’t have to understand or use these advanced features. The app and the extension are easy to use in the most basic way. I could simply select a quick connect server location and start using the VPN immediately with no hassle.
The extra options are there if I want to dig deeper. Since I tested NordVPN Plus, I explored the Treat Protection tab, and switched on web, file, and vulnerability protection.
Features
In my testing, NordVPN was very reliable, connecting quickly to every server I tried. There are 6,400 servers worldwide, so my spot checking can’t identify issues in every area. I checked the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, and Malta.
The connection was solid throughout and download speeds were surprisingly fast even for distant locations. I’m located in Canada, and without the VPN my computer gets 900Mbps download and upload speeds according to SpeedTest.net.
The fastest server I tried, a U.S. connection, was an impressive 519Mbps download (61 ms ping) and a usable 29Mbps upload (40 ms ping). Reaching around the globe to Australia cut that to a fast 322Mbps download (286 ms ping), while upload speeds were an ugly 2Mbps (239 ms ping).
Slow upload speeds aren’t important for browsing, but would hamper gaming, live streaming, and posting to social media. There are physical limitations that can’t be overcome even by the fastest VPNs, so don’t expect miracles if you choose a distant server.
NordVPN works across devices and supports up to 10 at a time. I installed it on my Windows PC, iPhone, MacBook, and Android phone. NordVPN Plus Threat Protection only works on computers.
I tested it on my PC, visiting the Wicar test website. NordVPN successfully blocked all the harmless virus downloads, but so does Windows Defender. NordVPN’s Threat Protection hasn’t undergone the ongoing and rigorous evaluation that’s common for the best antivirus software, so its reliability over years of cybersecurity threats is unproven.
Support
NordVPN offers live support 24 hours a day, every day. When I tested customer service, a chatbot answered first, directing me to a related support document. I said I needed more help, and a live agent came on in seconds.
I asked about a feature I knew didn’t exist, using split-tunneling to enable the VPN in select tabs. Support told me that wasn’t possible. I followed up with a question about using a second browser, and the reply was that it should work.
NordVPN’s support was quick, friendly, and informative, so I have no complaints.
Privacy and security
Since a VPN was the first product Nord Security developed, privacy has always come first. NordVPN doesn’t log your activity and doesn’t share data with third-party advertisers.
Since NordVPN’s legal location is in Panama, the minimal data used to provide VPN services is exempt from scrutiny by government intelligence alliances like Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes.
NordVPN uses a custom protocol called NordLynx with security and speed upgrades to quickly encrypt your internet traffic while hiding your IP address and location. NordLynx also helps in breaking through administrative firewalls, making it a good VPN to use in school.
NordVPN’s cybersecurity track record is good, but there was an incident in 2018 when a hacker breached one server, though NordVPN said “no user credentials were affected.” One server of the more than 3,300 servers in use at that time is a small but notable issue.
We looked into NordVPN’s security and consider it to be safe and reliable to use.
Is NordVPN right for you?
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs with bundles that provide good value if you need a password manager, encrypted cloud storage, and extra malware protection. NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs available, but ExpressVPN and Surfshark join other top VPNs with great balance of performance, security, and features.
You can save a nice chunk of cash with NordVPN’s deals on one-year and two-year subscriptions, but the cost to renew is more than double the initial bargain. If you’re looking for better long-term value, check out our comparison of the best VPN deals to see several options with consistent annual pricing.
Overall, I recommend NordVPN as a great privacy solution, but I wish the renewal prices were more reasonable.
