NordVPN Tested – A New Challenger Worth Trying

From the presentation, NordVPN looks like a truly impressive service. The team claims they have a huge global server network, the ability to unlock tons of streaming platforms, and very reliable security and privacy features. Plus, you can get it all for just 5.29 $ per month with a full three months free. It all sounds great but… is it really that excellent?

To find out, we did a thorough analysis of NordVPN . We tested its speeds and performance both while streaming (including torrents) and with some games. Also, we dug deep into its security features, making sure it can really keep you safe online. I also looked at its location, privacy policy, and independent audits to see how trustworthy it is.

Overall, NordVPN does a lot of things well, but it still has some flaws . One of these, for example, is the time it takes to connect to some servers. I also had trouble accessing some streaming sites, most notably Amazon Prime Video and Sky Go . Finally, it’s really hard to find a decent server for games. So while NordVPN is reasonably priced for its performance, there are better VPNs for a lower price .

NordVPN features

Minimum subscription price	3.09 $ / month
Money back guarantee	30 days
Does the VPN keep logs?	No
Number of servers	5507+
Number of devices per license	6
Closing key	Yup
Based in the country	Panama
Assistance	Live Chat Support
Support torrenting	Yup

Unblock over 35 streaming platforms

• It was easy to access some of the most popular streaming platforms with NordVPN. The only sites NordVPN failed to unblock were Amazon Prime Video and Sky Go. While the VPN offers streaming-optimized servers,we were able to unblock most other platforms without them. We run our tests linked to the NordLynx protocol as it gave u the fastest speeds.
• We experienced some buffering when connected to certain servers , but most of the time we had a smooth streaming experience. Disney + and Hulu were the only services we had trouble unlocking; in the end, we made them work.
• After testing over 45 of its servers around the world, we were able to unblock these streaming sites including:

Netflix

NordVPN has successfully unblocked 14 Netflix libraries , including those in the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Germany, and more. Netflix is ​​constantly updating its VPN detection software, so finding a VPN that reliably beats this is impressive.

Netflix worked well with NordVPN – we had really fast speeds and was able to watch content smoothly on long-distance servers.

Libraries in the UK and US have worked flawlessly and I’ve even managed to access some notoriously challenging libraries like Japan.

Library loading times varied from place to place. While we sometimes had to switch servers to gain access, NordVPN did quite well. According to our research, NordVPN can currently unblock 21 different Netflix libraries – this is an excellent result, giving you worldwide access to streaming content.

• The best Netflix VPN services

Hulu

NordVPN successfully unblocks Hulu . There were no issues with loading times and video frame rates, and overall, using NordVPN with Hulu was a very pleasant experience.

Resolution remained consistent throughout the entire test, at 1080p (results will depend on the chosen server and existing online connection). Overall, we liked what we saw.

HBO Max

Netflix worked when used with HBO Max . Loading times were lightning-fast, and the overall experience was very similar to when no VPN was active. NordVPN is one of the best options for watching HBO Max outside of the US.

Overall picture quality wasn’t as good as on Netflix or Hulu. But it was still fully functional, so we call NordVPN a perfectly suited option for HBO Max.

BBC iPlayer, DAZN, Disney +, Apple TV or YouTube TV

NordVPN also did quite well when trying to unblock other streaming platforms. But be warned: it may take some time to find the right location or server.

For example,  BBC iPlayer worked flawlessly , with high definition content, no stuttering and fast loading times – we had no problem using NordVPN to watch BBC iPlayer in the US. However, it took some time to find a server that supports it.

It was a similar story with Disney + too: it works perfectly, but it’s not just “click and watch”. You may need to find the right option. And DAZN worked very well, but not with US servers.

In terms of Apple TV and YouTube TV, they were able to successfully access both and it seemed that unblocking YouTube TV was easier with Firefox than other browsers.

Overall,  NordVPN is solid when it comes to streaming – we have yet to find a video service that  doesn’t work  perfectly. It’s a good idea to try out several servers, so even if it fails with one, there’s a very real possibility that it will work with another server, or sometimes a different location.

Does NordVPN work with streaming boxes?

You can install NordVPN on  a wide variety of streaming boxes and devices . This is great news: after all, all of the streaming platform’s features would be wasted if there was no way to watch them!

No problem with Firestick, Kodi and Roku .

Overall, NordVPN’s streaming infrastructure is pretty excellent. Not only will you be provided with features to access streaming platforms – with NordVPN, you can also  watch them the way you want .

How does NordVPN deal with torrenting?

This service is very suitable for torrenting, in fact it is  one of the best options for torrenting in the whole VPN market . While P2P downloads don’t work on all product servers, there are specialized servers all over the world with fast and reliable performance.

This can be a  lifesaver in countries where torrenting is prohibited , such as Japan, Germany or Italy itself.

You are free to use any server you want for torrenting. However, if P2P traffic is detected on a non-P2P server, you will automatically be reconnected to a server that supports P2P. So, keep this in mind if you notice a strange server switch.

NordVPN servers and locations

As a VPN service provider, NordVPN is truly a global player. Their fleet consists of  5,500 servers  spread across  59 countries . This is a huge overall increase from 2018, when NordVPN only had around 3,300 servers.

As for locations, Europe, Asia and the Americas are the continents with the best coverage.

Regions	Number of countries	Number of servers
Europe	37 countries	~ 2100 servers
Asia	13 countries	~ 450 servers
Americas	7 countries	~ 2400 servers
Rest of the world	3 countries	~ 200 servers

So, if you want to connect to a country on these continents, you will have the most options to choose from. Otherwise, Africa might seem lacking, but it’s a similar sight in many VPN providers.

As for the servers themselves, a good portion of them run on RAM. This means that all your data is instantly deleted with every single reboot. Overall,  NordVPN servers  offer excellent worldwide coverage – nothing to complain about.

Is NordVPN fast?

NordVPN’s speeds are incredibly fast , especially when using the NordLynx protocol developed by NordVPN itself. It is an update of the popular WireGuard protocol and is a great combination of speed and security.

NordVPN’s speeds are incredibly fast , especially when using the NordLynx protocol developed by NordVPN itself. It is an update of the popular WireGuard protocol and is a great combination of speed and security.

While there may be some speed drops in some countries, this shouldn’t significantly affect the performance of the device. But if you want the best speeds possible, be sure to connect to the servers closest to your physical location.

Overall, NordVPN is  one of the fastest VPNs around  and a speed demon, most likely thanks to its NordLynx technology.

NordVPN performance with other protocols

Of course, NordVPN offers a lot more than just its NordLynx protocol. Below, you can see how NordVPN’s speeds differ depending on the tunneling protocol you use.

The numbers shown are the average download and upload speeds in 10 different locations:

• Baseline:  300 Mbps in download, 300 Mbps in upload

• NordLynx:  248.7 / 126.7
• IKEv2:  237.8 / 55.8
• OpenVPN (TCP):  36/28
• OpenVPN (UDP):  212.6 / 74.6

Even when we look at older protocols, the speeds are fast. IKEv2 comes close to NordLynx in terms of download speeds (although upload speeds are a bit worse). The worst recorded reduction was 99%, the lowest – 7%. Hence, it also has use cases.

As expected, the OpenVPN (TCP) version is quite slow, but this is a trade off for a more stable connection. While the numbers don’t look impressive at all, this is pretty much the standard across the board. OpenVPN (UDP), however, is  a much faster option . Depending on your location, the speed reduction can be less than 3% (UK) or up to 87% (Japan).

Only NordLynx and OpenVPN (UDP) have the luxury of  up to 13% reductions  in upload speeds. IKEv2 and OpenVPN (TCP) will be much slower the further away you are. Keep this in mind if you plan on uploading large data files.

Overall, this is how NordVPN’s protocols overlap against each other.

But that’s not all: comparing NordVPN’s performance to other popular VPN providers gives you a clear understanding of how fast NordVPN is. So let’s check how it stacks up against its competitors:

What all this data tells us is that  NordVPN is indeed a pretty fast VPN . If you are choosing a location that is not too far away,  you will hardly notice that you are using a VPN . If the location is further away, there will be some speed drops, which in some cases can be resolved by changing tunneling protocols – with  NordLynx being the fastest solution here . If not, the service provides all the tools to ensure that you won’t have to wait long for web pages to load and for videos to buffer.

Threat Protection

With NordVPN, your device will be safer than ever. This is thanks to a feature called Threat Protection. It works by blocking the following threats:

• Malicious websites.  You will be protected from accidentally visiting an infected website that could potentially infest your device with malware.
• Online Ads.  Tired of seeing tons of ads every time you visit your favorite pages? Well, Threat Protection will make sure you don’t have this problem anymore.
• Tracker.  With the help of trackers, websites can collect all kinds of information about you, including your IP addresses and browsing habits. Fortunately, NordVPN will no longer allow them to do this.
• Dangerous files.  Whenever you download an executable file that is less than 20MB, Threat Protection will scan it for malware and viruses, just like an antivirus tool would.

Currently, the feature works on  all NordVPN applications . However, you can also enable it on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari browsers.

It’s quite convenient that once enabled,  Threat Protection always works in the background – you won’t need to connect to a VPN server to activate it.

Dark Web Monitor

This spooky sounding feature  alerts you to vulnerabilities in your personal data . Check dark web markets and pastebins for data associated with your email address. If it ends there, there’s a good chance the services you used were hacked.

If you’re using the same password in multiple places, hackers can quickly compromise you on several other platforms as well. NordVPN  warns you if your email ever ends up in a dark web market.

The feature is available for iOS, Android, Windows and macOS users.

Automatic suspension and connection

Automatic VPN connection saves you a lot of clicks if you want to turn on your device and go online. But it also keeps you constantly connected to a VPN, and you have to turn it off entirely to access anything without a VPN connection.

This  situation is ripe for user error – you may forget to enable your VPN later, accidentally exposing your IP.

So to help deal with this,  the automatic connection on NordVPN also includes a pause feature.

After clicking on Pause and selecting the time, the connection will automatically restart when the timer expires.

It’s a very simple quality of life feature that can best be appreciated when you switch VPN service and find it’s missing.

Is NordVPN safe and secure?

NordVPN is  one of the safest VPN providers . Market-leading encryption and secure tunneling protocols ensure your data is safe and NordVPN’s standard servers run on RAM. RAM servers are extremely useful for a VPN: Since the data is wiped every time the server is restarted, there is no information anyone can steal. Many NordVPN servers use this technology.

Additionally, NordVPN’s privacy policy has been independently verified. All in all,  from a legal and technical standpoint, NordVPN seems watertight.

Is NordVPN good and worth getting?

NordVPN is an excellent VPN  that perfectly combines speed, functionality and security. It boasts an independent audit, uses AES-256 secure encryption and offers the next generation NordLynx protocol. It is good not only for streaming Netflix, but also for accessing the internet from restrictive countries.

You’re getting  great value  in terms of VPN functionality. Windows and Android users will get the best clients. However, Apple users also get a lot of nice additions. No matter what platform you’re using, your device won’t feel left out.

I highly recommend  this  VPN service . Regardless of why you need a VPN, you can be sure NordVPN will provide you.

NordVPN pricing

NordVPN has no elaborate pricing schemes or complex plan options. There are only three main plans:  Standard, Plus and Complete . The price depends on the chosen subscription duration and also on the time of year. There are 1 month, 1 year and 2 year options.

• Best Deal of the year: 2-year deal with 72% off

The best option is to purchase the full plan which includes a package of Nord products. Get a secure VPN, password manager, and encrypted cloud storage for maximum protection of all your data and activities.

As for the payment options, there are quite a few. You will find the usual  credit cards, AmazonPay, Sofort, PayPal, ACH Transfer and even  prepaid cards . There is also the option to pay using  iTunes  or Google Pay  if you find it cheaper. For the more privacy conscious, there are also options to shop with cryptocurrencies and even from retail stores.

With longer subscriptions, NordVPN is at the lower end of the price spectrum. Considering the subscription’s package of features and benefits, the price seems like a steal.

Can you try NordVPN for free?

Yes, you can  try NordVPN without paying a cent  for 7 days by following a few simple steps.

Here’s everything you need to do to get a NordVPN free trial:

1. Go to the app store on your  iOS or Android device
2. Search for the NordVPN app  and hit download
3. Start NordVPN and sign up –  you will not be charged for anything until after 7 days
4. You can now  log into NordVPN on any of your devices  and try it for free for a whole week!

For this to work, you will need to download NordVPN on your Android device. It is also important that this account  has not already registered any NordVPN accounts.

After downloading the app and creating your account,  you will start the 7 day free trial.  Later, you can use NordVPN on other devices as well – simply download the app and log in with your current credentials.

How to download NordVPN

1. Go to the NordVPN website and click on the button to get NordVPN.
2. Choose your subscription plan . With a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try NordVPN worry-free.
3. Enter  the required checkout information – only your email is required.
4. Download  the NordVPN app on the devices you want to use it on.
5. Following the instructions , install the app.
6. Log  into your account with your email address.
7. Connect  to your chosen server and safely use this top-notch VPN for streaming, gaming and torrenting!

NordVPN is available on a variety of platforms – including various desktop and mobile operating system options, as well as smart TVs and streaming sticks. However, the installation process is  similar and effortless on the devices .

For a full list of what’s available and easy-to-access download links, you can simply  visit your account dashboard on the NordVPN website . There is a Downloads section which includes all the necessary information.

From there, simply click “Download” on your preferred option, or you can  scan the QR code with your mobile device  to be redirected to the application store.

The Downloads section also offers options for manual installation of mobile apps and browser extensions.

Of course, you don’t need to follow the Downloads page to get these apps. NordVPN apps are also readily  available on Google Play, Apple App Store, and many other mobile, desktop, and streaming application stores .

NordVPN

9.5

With one of the largest server networks on the market, numerous features and a level of security that is almost unmatched, this service is the leader in the Virtual Private Network industry.

• Features 9.7
• Performance and Security 9.7
• Ease of use 9.1
• Reliability & Support 9.5
• Price 9.6
• User Ratings (0 Votes) 0