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NordVPN Review: Streaming & Torrenting Powerhouse (2024 In-Depth Review)

Rob Mardisalu

Rob Mardisalu

NordVPN review
NordVPN is rated 1st out of 78 VPNs on TheBestVPN.com

On the VPN scene, NordVPN is by and far the most well-known and loved provider. With the biggest YouTubers routinely singing its praises (like PewDiePie or Gus Johnson) and their fantastic marketing, it’s no surprise NordVPN consistently ranks as one of the best VPNs on the market.

Its popularity is not unfounded, I believe – NordVPN has some great features going for it. It’s the fastest VPN on the planet, for starters. You can split tunnel, obfuscate your servers, use double IP protection for added security, and block malware with Threat Protection. NordLocker encrypts your data and NordPass keeps your passwords safe.

All of these features come at an impressive price point, too; $3.29 per month isn’t quite as low as you’ll get with SurfShark, but it’s still a great value. It’s hard to look past the consistent track record, user-friendly interface, and impressive features list that NordVPN offers.

But does it all live up to the hype? In this in-depth review, I’ll be taking a closer look at NordVPN to find out.

NordVPN Overview

First of all, let’s cover the basics. NordVPN pricing starts from $3.29 up to $11.99/mo depending on your subscription length.

The NordVPN app uses AES-256-GCM encryption algorithm with a 4096-bit DH key; however, it frequently changes keys to make the encryption even more secure.

Their server park is large, with 5507 servers in 60+ countries – so streaming videos and accessing blocked content is made incredibly easy. In our tests, Netflix streaming worked with over 90% of servers we tested. That’s the highest we’ve seen by far.

Another enormous advantage to NordVPN is the ease of torrenting. With so many servers to choose from, you won’t have to look far for a high-performing server. This, combined with P2P support and Onion integration, sets the stage for ultimate privacy and anonymity.

For added security, NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy. Their base in Panama, which has no data retention law, ensures that your data won’t slip through the cracks.

OVERALL RANK: #1 out of 78 VPNs
USABILITY: Very Easy To use
LOG FILES: Strict No Logging Policy
LOCATIONS: 60 countries, 5500+ servers
SUPPORT: Live Chat (24/7)
TORRENTING: P2P & Torrenting Allowed
NETFLIX: Unblocks Netflix USA and 11 Other Regions (UK, Aus, Japan, Brazil, France, and More)
ENCRYPTION/PROTOCOL: 4096-bit DH key AES/OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard (NordLynx)
COST: $3.29/mo
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.NordVPN.com

NordVPN Pros

1. An Incredibly Far-Reaching Server Park

NordVPN users can enjoy over 5507 servers in 60+ countries, which is one of the biggest server parks we’ve seen to date. The app automatically selects the best server based on your location, loads, and specific needs – but you can move it to wherever you’d like, almost anywhere in the world.

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2. Fast Results from Multiple Speed Tests

When looking for a VPN, speed is one of the key characteristics to look for. It’s easy for VPNs to weigh down your internet speed.

Why does this happen? Well, the answer lies in how VPNs work. All of your traffic is routed through the VPN server, meaning that your data takes an indirect route to its destination. This can add latency and slow down your connection – especially if you are using double encryption.

There are, however, ways that VPN providers can optimize their servers and networks to deliver faster speeds. In our NordVPN review, we found that the provider delivered consistently fast results from multiple speed tests. I was pleased and not at all surprised; NordVPN does have a strong reputation for speed.

As you’ll see below, our benchmark ISP connection speed at the time of testing was 250Mbps down and 25Mbps up.

isp connection benchmark speed

We tested the NordVPN download speed in two US locations (New Jersey and New York) as well as one in Europe. For all three tests, the download speed was above 110 Mbps – a result that sits among the best VPN speeds on the market currently. There’s not a lot you can’t do with speeds like that!

New Jersey (Quick Connect: Fastest/Closest Location)

  • Ping: 18ms
  • Download: 131.44 Mbps
  • Upload: 9.10 Mbps

New York

  • Ping: 18ms
  • Download: 140.52 Mbps
  • Upload: 11.28 Mbps
nordvpn speed

Europe (UK)

  • Ping: 154ms
  • Download: 110.82 Mbps
  • Upload: 11.47 Mbps

3. Vast Majority of Servers Unblocked Netflix

When VPNs were first becoming popular, one of the main appeals was the ability to watch Netflix from other countries. This remains a popular use for VPNs – but unfortunately, not all VPNs work with Netflix. NordVPN is one of the few that does (hence why it’s so popular).

Netflix has been cracking down on VPNs in recent years, but NordVPN has been able to stay ahead of the curve. In our tests, we were able to unblock Netflix in 95 percent of regions. 14 out of 15 US servers work, 3 out of 3 CA servers work, and the UK server works (see results below). This is more than any other VPN we’ve tested.

Netflix isn’t the only service that NordVPN unblocks. It also works with BBC iPlayer, ABC iView, and Hulu, among others, which is accomplished through its Smartplay DNS feature. Needless to say, all of your viewing options are covered with NordVPN.

nordvpn netflix testing
  • 14/15 US servers work
  • 3/3 CA servers work
  • UK server works
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I selected the region and connected to the fastest server.

US

  • Manassas (US) – Yes
  • San Francisco (US) – Yes
  • Dallas (US) – Yes
  • Chicago (US) – Yes
  • Seattle (US) – Yes
  • St. Louis (US) – Yes
  • Phoenix (US) – Yes
  • Los Angeles (US) – Yes
  • Miami (US) – Yes
  • Buffalo (US) – Yes
  • Atlanta (US) – Yes
  • New York (US) – Connection Issues/Proxy Detected
  • Charlotte (US) – Yes
  • Salt Lake City (US) – Yes
  • Denver (US) – Yes

CA

  • Vancouver (CA) – Yes
  • Toronto (CA) – Yes
  • Montreal (CA) – Yes

4. User-Friendly Interface and Over 25 Quality Features

When it comes to usability, I can tell that the user interface will be a strong selling point for many users. It’s got a clean user-facing design that is intuitive and satisfying to use.

The NordVPN experience is smooth, fast, and user-friendly. I really like the design of the app – it’s modern and easy to navigate. The process from sign-up to connection is so swift that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d missed a step.

NordVPN is also one of the most feature-rich VPN providers on the market, boasting 25 different high-quality features. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.

Multi-Factor Authentication

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Any smartphone user will be able to tell you about multi-factor authentication these days; it’s become one of the most popular ways to keep your device and online accounts safe from prying eyes. In a nutshell, it’s an extra layer of security that requires more than just a password to access your account.

NordVPN employs multi-factor authentication, meaning that even if someone has your login credentials, they still can’t get into your account without the extra verification code. This is a great way to keep your data safe, especially if you’re using public Wi-Fi networks.

With NordVPN, there are two main ways you can use multi-factor authentication:

  • Download an authentication app. There are a number of apps that NordVPN supports, including Google Authenticator, Authy, and Duo Mobile. You can download any of these apps and use them to generate verification codes that expire periodically.
  • Use a security key. If you have a physical Bluetooth, NFC, or USB security key, you can use it to log in to your NordVPN account.

The setup instructions are nice and simple, too:

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Of course, using one of these methods isn’t essential – but you can’t always guarantee the safety of your VPN password, so it’s best to have another layer of security in place.

Dark Web Monitoring

The dark web comprises roughly 48 percent of the internet as of 2024. Dark websites are anonymous; they can’t be found simply by using a search engine. Because they require special tools in order to access them, they are often used for illegal activities such as drug trafficking and human trafficking, as well as the selling of private data and hacked information.

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Dark web monitoring is the process of tracking and investigating activities that take place on the dark web. This can be a difficult task, as it requires special tools and knowledge that most law enforcement officials do not have. However, with the increasing popularity of the dark web, it has become more important than ever to track and investigate the activities that take place there.

NordVPN takes your security a step further by being proactive about dark web data leaks. If any of your information is ever detected on the dark web, NordVPN will reach out to you and help you take steps to secure your data. The alert will be instant, so that you can take immediate action.

Here’s how it works:

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Browser Extensions

The first VPN protocol, and the ones that followed, were a lot more complicated to configure than they are now. Where once you had to be tech-savvy to set up your own VPN, NordVPN has a range of easy-to-use browser extensions that make the process a breeze.

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NordVPN brags that it takes just one minute to download, add, and run the NordVPN extension for your browser of choice. The extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers.

Once the extension is installed, you can use it to connect to one of NordVPN’s servers with just a few clicks. It means that your browsing is always protected – regardless of whether the website itself is encrypted or not.

Minimal Interruptions

There’s only one thing worse than a scratched DVD – bandwidth throttling!

Depending on your internet provider, you may from time to time experience throttling of your bandwidth. You’ll notice that this happens when you’re streaming a movie or music and the quality suddenly decreases, or when you’re trying to download something and it’s moving at a snail’s pace.

This is because your internet service provider (ISP) is purposely slowing down your connection because you’re using too much bandwidth. They want you to upgrade to a more expensive plan, or else they’ll throttle your connection until it’s practically unusable.

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Mean, right?

NordVPN eliminates this threat altogether by hiding your activity from ISPs. If they can’t see how much data you’re using, they can’t throttle your connection – and you can say goodbye to those annoying interruptions.

Easy Sports Streaming

We’ve all been there – your favorite team is playing, but the game is blacked out in your area. Or maybe you’re on vacation and don’t have access to your usual streaming services. In the past, this would mean going through dodgy methods like using proxies or VPNs that are known to be unstable.

But with NordVPN, you can easily stream your favorite sports events without any hassle. The service has a range of servers optimized for streaming, so you can always find one that’s fast and reliable. Plus, NordVPN’s SmartPlay technology ensures that you’ll never have to miss a moment of the action.

CyberSec

NordVPN’s CyberSec feature appears as a toggle option in Preferences. Though a VPN in itself will protect you from many threats, this feature can further protect you against intrusive ads, malware, phishing attempts, and other dangers.

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While it is optional, there are three major benefits to enabling CyberSec:

  1. Enjoy integrated protection from scams, spyware, malware, and other malicious threats.
  2. Stay protected from DDoS attacks by immediately breaking connections between you and the botnet. This will work even if malware has already begun to infect your device.
  3. Have a better browsing experience with automatic pop-up ad blocking.

CyberSec takes care of pesky ads and scams, doing the heavy lifting for you.

Specialty Servers

NordVPN offers both Double VPN and P2P specialty servers, allowing you to choose which best fits your needs.

  • With Double VPN, you can route your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, creating an even more secure browsing experience.
  • NordVPN allows you to browse or stream using one of their obfuscated servers, so you can stream under even the most restrictive conditions without being recognized.
  • With NordVPN, you can use The Onion Router – or Tor – which allows you to communicate anonymously and evade analysis.
  • Enjoy unlimited peer-to-peer file sharing with no bandwidth threshold or activity tracking.
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AES Encryption and Data Protection

Of course, VPNs are most known for their ability to protect your data – and they do this by encrypting it, which renders it unusable to anyone who might intercept it while in transit. NordVPN uses AES encryption, which is currently the strongest on the market.

It isn’t just hackers that NordVPN protects you from; internet service providers (ISPs) are also known to throttle internet speeds, especially when users are streaming or downloading content. NordVPN prevents your ISP from being able to see what you’re up to, meaning that it can’t interfere with your speeds.

NordVPN takes data protection one step further with its strict no logs policy. This means that your data is not tracked or monitored in any way, ensuring that your privacy is always protected – and ISPs can’t see what you’re doing online.

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You may be thinking: “I don’t need a VPN! I’ve got nothing to hide.” What you might not realize, however, is that you are producing far more data than you think. Everything from your medical history to your location data is being collected and stored by corporations, governments, and other institutions. Nothing is safe – not even your banking information.

NordVPN uses an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with a 4096-bit DH key, which is recommended by the NSA for securing any classified and top-secret information. It also uses four different VPN protocols (IKEv2, NordLynx, and OpenVPN UDP or TCP).

While your NordVPN app will automatically use the protocol best suited to your device, users can choose whichever protocol they prefer.

Double VPN

One of NordVPN’s best features is its “double VPN” service, which encrypts your data twice. This is a great feature for people who are looking for an extra layer of security.

What does this mean, exactly? Well, when you use a VPN, your data is encrypted and sent through a secure tunnel to the VPN server. When the data reaches the server, it is decrypted and sent on its way. With NordVPN’s double VPN feature, you select and enable two different servers, and your data is encrypted and decrypted twice.

This provides an extra layer of security, as it becomes much more difficult for someone to hack into your data. It also makes it harder for your ISP to track your activities.

You won’t always want to use the Double VPN option; in fact, NordVPN doesn’t recommend it for everyday browsing or torrenting. However, it can be a great option for people who are looking for an extra layer of security.

No Logging Policy

As mentioned previously, NordVPN is adamant about its no logging policy. Let’s explore it in further depth.

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NordVPN doesn’t keep track of user activity logs, traffic logs, or IP addresses. This is great news for people who are looking for a VPN service with a strict no logging policy.

Even if the authorities come knocking on NordVPN’s door, the company can’t provide any information about its users because it doesn’t have any logs to provide. This is one of the main reasons why people trust NordVPN and consider it to be a reliable VPN service.

But shouldn’t all providers have this policy? No, as it turns out – your data is being collected by not only your ISP, but almost every site you visit. This is because of something called ‘third-party tracking’.

Third-party tracking is the act of tracking users through the use of cookies, pixel tags, and other web beaconing technologies. When you see targeted ads or experience coincidentally similar content on different websites, it’s because of third-party tracking.

The vast majority of websites – including major ones like Google, Facebook, and Amazon – use third-party tracking to increase their profits. By collecting data about users’ browsing habits, they can target them with more relevant and personalized ads.

Needless to say, an uncomfortable amount of your data is being collected by third-party trackers. NordVPN makes sure that your data stays safe from these trackers, as well as from the VPN itself!

However, they do monitor some lesser important data, such as:

  • Service performance data (for recommending most suitable servers)
  • E-mail address
  • Payment data (but you can also use crypto)

There’s no need to fret about this data collection. All VPNs will log this information purely for the sake of performance and functionality. If you want to, you can read the NordVPN logging policy.

Kill Switch

No matter how security-conscious you are, there may be instances where you inadvertently leave your device unprotected. Your VPN connection might falter, or you could accidentally open an unsecured website while connected to the VPN. In these situations, your data and personal information could be exposed.

To protect you from this risk, NordVPN offers a kill switch. This feature automatically terminates your internet connection if the VPN fails; thus, it prevents your device from being exposed to any unsecured networks.

The NordVPN kill switch is in-built, as there’s no reason to have it disabled.

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Additionally, you can toggle the Advanced Kill Switch which allows you to choose specific applications to terminate in the event of a VPN failure. For instance, you may want to keep your web browser open, but stop your torrent client if the VPN connection drops.

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DNS Leak Test

With certain VPN setups, there is the potential for DNS leaks. This occurs when your system reverts back to using your default DNS server instead of the VPN’s. This can be a problem, as it can reveal your identity and location to your ISP and other third-party entities.

NordVPN is aware of this issue, and as such, the app ensures that your devices only use the VPN’s DNS servers. The company also assures users that if any leak tests come back positive, they will be of immediate assistance until the issue is resolved.

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Multiple Devices

NordVPN is our top pick for both Mac and Android, and it isn’t hard to see why.

One of the things we love about NordVPN is that it allows up to six devices to be connected at the same time. Whether you want to use your laptop, phone, and tablet all at once or just share your subscription with friends or family, NordVPN makes it easy.

NordVPN doesn’t skimp out when it comes to devices – in fact, it might just be the best at allowing simultaneous connections. You can also connect to your router, which sends protection out to all devices on your network whilst using only one of your licenses.

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5. Supports Torrenting and P2P with Onion Over VPN Special Feature

P2P (or peer-to-peer) traffic is a way of exchanging files between two or more computer users on the internet. NordVPN is one of the few VPNs that allow torrenting and P2P file-sharing; it isn’t available on all servers, but you’ll be recommended a server that supports P2P when you select the P2P option.

This is why NordVPN is actually our top recommended VPN for torrenting.

Tor Network

NordVPN has a useful Onion Over VPN feature that allows you to connect to the Tor network directly from their VPN servers. This gives you an extra layer of security when browsing the web as your traffic is first encrypted and then sent through the Tor network.

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The issue with unprotected Onion servers is that they are often volunteer-run, meaning they leave you vulnerable to attack. NordVPN’s Onion Over VPN feature solves this problem by encrypting your traffic and routing it through their secure servers before it reaches the Onion servers.

This feature is perfect for those who want to keep their browsing activities private, as it hides your IP address and makes it difficult for anyone to track your online activity.

6. Absolutely No Leaks Found In Five Tests

To test whether NordVPN’s claims about DNS leaks are accurate, we tested for leaks extensively using the following methods:

  • Perfect-Privacy.com
  • IPLeak.net
  • BrowserLeaks
  • IPX.ac
  • VirtualTotal.com

As you’ll see in the results below, every result assured us that NordVPN is every bit as leak-proof as it claims.

IPLeak.net Test – No Leak

nordvpn no leak test

IPX.ac

nordvpn no leak test

VirtualTotal.com Report – Scan on the Installer

There were no viruses detected in the installer package.

nordvpn no leak test

7. Strategically Based In Panama (No Data Retention)

VPNs have grown incredibly popular; but still, there are people who refuse to trust VPNs with their personal data. Why? Because some countries enforce data retention laws, meaning that your personal data is stored by the VPN service and can be accessed by authorities if they so choose.

NordVPN, however, is based in Panama – a country without data retention laws. This means that your data is never stored or accessible to anyone other than you. NordVPN doesn’t store your data, meaning that if anyone tries to break their door down, they won’t find anything.

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As you can see in the image above, NordVPN is incredibly open about its no-logging policy. They’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that your data is never stored, meaning that you can trust them with your personal information.

8. Helpful and Proactive Customer Support

One of NordVPN’s strengths is its comprehensive resource menu and proactive customer support. The company has a 24/7 live chat feature, as well as an extensive help center that includes user guides, troubleshooting tips, and an FAQ section. NordVPN also has a blog that covers a variety of topics related to online privacy and security.

Helpful Live Chat & Email

In this day and age, I’d be unpleasantly surprised to find any major provider that doesn’t offer live chat support. NordVPN is thankfully one of those companies that do. Although my questions were given copy-paste answers at first, you will eventually connect with a human. The email support is also good, with knowledgeable and friendly staff replying to queries rapidly.

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Extensive Knowledge Base

Sometimes you won’t have free time to speak to customer support or wait on an email reply. Fortunately, NordVPN has covered all of its bases with an extensive knowledge base. This is one of the most comprehensive I’ve ever seen, and it’s easy to navigate.

There are set-up tutorials for a wide range of devices and platforms, as well as articles on general security topics and specific NordVPN features. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, there’s also a search bar.

After going through their directory and quickly skimming to any support related page I could find, I estimate NordVPN to have well over 500 guides and tutorials.

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9. Excellent VPN for Your Gaming Needs

Any avid gamer will tell you that internet speeds are incredibly important for an optimal gaming experience. Lag and latency can mean the difference between winning and losing a match; between a successful raid and a failed one. If you’re looking for a quality VPN to improve your online gaming, NordVPN is an excellent choice.

In our game testing, NordVPN impressed us once again. We had no issues whatsoever, least of all with the server connection speeds. In fact, NordVPN is one of the few VPNs that has consistently performed well in our speed tests, so gamers will be happy to hear that.

NordVPN is also great for unblocking geo-restricted content. So if you’re a fan of streaming games or watching live tournaments, NordVPN will get you access to all the action!

Haste Game Recap

First, we connected to the Quick Connect feature. You couldn’t possibly tell the difference between using NordVPN and going without – it was almost identical. Total Packet Loss was a mere 0.1% and ping was down only 5.1ms.

NordVPN Haste Game Recap
  • Ping: 54.9ms (+5.1ms)
  • Jitter: 1.3ms (+0ms)
  • Packet Loss: 0.1% (+0.1%)

Speedtest.net

Though totally unnoticeable, the ping climbed from 7ms without VPN to 22ms with VPN. Download speed loss was 1.31Mbps and Upload loss was 0.20Mbps.

NordVPN Speedtest
  • Ping: 22ms (+16ms)
  • Download: 19.64Mbps (-1.45Mbps)
  • Upload: 2.12Mbps (-0.67Mbps)

To ensure we were only testing the very best servers, we looked at Apex Legend’s own servers. Their Amsterdam server had the best ping at 58ms.

NordVPN Best Server

Playing on US Servers

Of course, when connecting so far away, there is going to be a delay in your connection. Just based on the physical distance the data has to travel there is going to be a loss of connection time – and unfortunately, there’s nothing a VPN provider can do about that.

What they can do, however, is minimize extra time on their end. NordVPN has done this very well. Here are some stats about our connection to the US server:

Haste Check
  • Ping: 132.6ms (+82.8ms)
  • Jitter: 3.3ms (+2.0ms)
  • Packet Loss: 0.0%
Speedtest.net
  • Ping: 128ms (+122ms)
  • Download: 11.27Mbps (-9.82Mbps)
  • Upload: 2.00Mbps (-0.79Mbps)
Gaming Session Recap
  • Ping (EU to EU): 54.9ms (+5.1ms)
  • Long Distance Connection PING (EU to US): 128ms (+122ms)
  • Download: 19.64Mbps (-1.45Mbps)
  • Upload: 2.12Mbps (-0.67Mbps)

10. Great 3rd Party Ratings

Apple Store

NordVPN has over 300,000 ratings on the App store. With an average 4.7-star rating, it ranks as the number 21 app in the utilities category.

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Google Play Store

On Google’s play store, NordVPN has racked up over 577 thousand ratings and an overall score of 4.4 stars.

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Trustpilot

NordVPN has a rating of 4.4 stars on Trustpilot and has been rated a whopping 18,707 times.

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NordVPN Cons

1. Apple App Store Purchases Cannot Be Refunded

Unfortunately, NordVPN notes that if you purchase NordVPN through the Apple App Store, refunds must be requested with App Store support and cannot be processed directly with NordVPN. In addition, payments made using any prepaid or gift cards cannot be refunded.

NordVPN also cannot process purchases made through resellers, including Amazon, BestBuy, StackSocial, etc. Considering that this is the only identifiable con, however, it can be forgiven – especially since you’ll be hard-pressed to find a reason for wanting a refund!

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How To Sign Up With NordVPN

The 3-step process for signing up and installing NordVPN is extremely simple. First, head to NordVPN.com to choose your payment plan. You can choose between 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year plans. Once you select and create an account with your billing information, you’ll be directed to the setup process you see below.

Step 1: Sign Up

Download NordVPN from NordVPN.com. To do this, you’ll need to select from the three payment plans as pictured below:

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You’ll be prompted to make an account as well, which you can then use to log in and download the app.

Step 2: Download the App

Next, you’ll need to download the app for your operating system. You can find the page below by logging into your account. Otherwise, you’ll be able to find the app on your Mac and Windows app stores.

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Step 3: Download Other Apps

With your NordVPN subscription, you have access to NordPass and NordLocker. You can download these apps from the same page.

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Step 4:

And it’s as easy as that! NordVPN has been installed – simply select ‘Log In’ and redirect back to the app. From here, you can automatically launch and begin using your VPN for secure browsing, streaming, and torrenting.

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Once installed, NordVPN will provide an automatic software update if available. You can either choose to do so then or remind yourself of the update at a later time.

Pricing: Subscription Plans, Payment Options, and Money-Back Guarantee

NordVPN offers tiered pricing, depending on the length of the plan you can commit to:

  • The one-month plan costs $11.99 per month (paid on a monthly basis)
  • One year costs $4.99 per month for the first year (paid as $59.88 upfront) and then $99.48 per year afterward (equalling $8.29 per month)
  • Two years costs $3.29 per month for the first two years (paid as $78.96 upfront) and then $99.48 per year afterward (equalling $8.29 per month)

NordVPN has a very clear pricing policy with no hidden fees. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for all pricing packages. As you can see, the one-month plan will give you more flexibility – but committing to the full two years is incredible value!

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NordVPN Trial

While NordVPN doesn’t offer a free trial, they make up for this with a 30-day no questions asked money-back guarantee. Just make sure to cancel on time if you want the refund – or you’ll continue to be charged.

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With one plan, you can secure up to six devices, including a smart TV and router.

All those subscriptions come with a one-size-fits-all plan, including:

  • No logging: Yes.
  • Ease of the VPN software: Signing up and using the app was VERY user-friendly.
  • Hidden fees & clauses: They cannot grant refunds if you purchased an app directly through the iTunes/App Store. Payments made using pre-paid cards or gift cards will not be refunded.
  • Upsells: No upsells.
  • DNS leaks: None.
  • Jurisdiction: Panama
  • Protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard (NordLynx).
  • Kill-switch: Yes.

NordVPN doesn’t set a bandwidth limit like many free VPNs do. Not only that, but the plans are one-size-fits-all; the only difference between them is your commitment length, which is super impressive.

Payment Options

Along with all major credit cards and payment services, NordVPN accepts multiple cryptocurrencies for payment. PayPal is currently not supported.

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Conclusion: Do I Recommend NordVPN?

yes we recommend expressvpn

In short: Yes! I would certainly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for some added security at the click of a mouse.

After reviewing all aspects of NordVPN, I can say that it is a quality product that does indeed live up to the hype. I’m not surprised that it has remained one of the most popular VPNs since its inception.

NordVPN has a great mix of features that will appeal to both novice and experienced users alike, as well as a commitment to privacy that is evident in both its policies and practices. The company also offers one of the best customer service experiences I’ve encountered, which is always important when it comes to VPNs.

If you’re looking for a quality VPN that ticks all the boxes, then I would highly recommend giving NordVPN a try. The best part? You’ve got 30 risk-free days to test it out for yourself!

You can get a NordVPN $3.29 deal from here.

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    149 user reviews for NordVPN: Streaming & Torrenting Powerhouse (2024 In-Depth)

    Elsa Williams 1/10 February 21, 2022

    Nord VPN is miserable to change email address

    I had to disconnect Nord VPN when streaming most tv apps and anytime I wanted to read reviews on most web sites. But the absolute worst was when I tried to change my email address. They not only wanted name, address, credit card, but original payment date and amount. I had the service for several years and purchased a multi year package. Thus, to find such information I would have to search through 2 years of credit card statements. That is ridiculous.

    David 5/10 January 30, 2022

    Doesn't work for US Netflix.

    Despite the review saying Netflix works on all their servers, that is not the case. I tried every recommended server just to get the dreaded error on Netflix. I DID find one server identified just by a number, and that one DID unlock the US Netflix for a couple of hours, then disconnected. Now I can't connect to any server, and I get a message saying I have to "Untrust" my wifi network, but 3 hours of scouring my account page, there are no setting menus. The only settings menu I could find was to upgrade my VPN. When I installed NordVPN, there was a menu where it showed a map, and the different cities, then you could enter the server code that works, but that menu has completely disappeared from my page. NordVPN did work great for

    , but all I really wanted was US Netflix. I didn't get the chance to try it on Disney+ or Amazon Prime because I cannot access the menu to untrust my wifi! It works, but only on a few things. Maybe if you are willing to scour for new server numbers all the time, NordVPN would be good for you, but I want plug n play. I'm a mechanic Jim, not a computer expert!

    Randall Talaski 1/10 January 22, 2022

    NordVPN accessing my computer during chat

    While on a NordVPN website, I ask the support team I ask if DuckduckGo was a private server? The first agent just replied 🙂 and ended the discussion. I replied with WTH and Conor came on and we bantered back and forth, then at one point I could not reply. I had to reboot my entire system. I talk to his supervisor (Nelson) and ask what Conor did to effect my computer. His reply was "he did nothing". I believe (my opinion) when you are connected they have access to your computer. I have never had to reboot my computer. This happened during our discussion and I believe NordVPN was able to do something the make this happen. I took screen shots and after Conor's last comment, I received a resend notice when I tryed to reply, then I had to reboot my entire system.

    David 1/10 January 17, 2022

    NORD False Advertising using Rakuten

    Trickery and deceptive advertising are being used. 30 days??? I paid in full a couple months in advance for a service. Denied Rakuten because they applied the paid amount to an existing account. Ask for a refund. They say "your payment has passed our 30 days refund policy" even though the service hasn't started yet. Then NordVPN points to Rakuten as the source of the problem. Arrogant customer service reps. Scripted responses. They have seen the last of me!

    Remy 1/10 January 10, 2022

    NordVPN do not honor discounts

    I renewed based on a discount and a customer service rep replied back to wait for it to show up, which I did and it never showed. Because I waited they told me I was outside of the refund timeline and the discount was for first-time account holders even though there was no mention of that on the discount page or when I first contacted them about a refund or credit to my account. They had an attitude about satisfying a customer - OK, I'll take my business elsewhere next time.

    Glen 5/10 December 30, 2021

    Currency Pricing Issue

    The service works well. I am from Canada. The website says I will be charged in Canadian dollars. I was charged in Canadian dollars after it was converted from US $. There is no place anywhere on the website that says the currency is in US $. Very misleading.

    El Lobo 1/10 December 24, 2021

    This company doesn't allow you to cancel your membership!!…

    1) This company doesn't allow you to delete your payment information.

    2) I clearly checked-marked NO AUTOMATIC RENEWAL. They stole over 100USD from my account by overwriting my choice.

    3) As of today they still have my payment info. I will have, in 11 months, to check again my NO AUTOMATIC RENEWAL.

    4) But they will still have my payment info.

    They give me no other choice but to cancel my CC!!

    Zoe 1/10 December 19, 2021

    SCAM

    Attempting a second review as it seems 'only reviews that are valuable will be published' I hope that it is helpful to your visitors that you control reviews left here in order to further scam people. What is the point of leaving an honest review if you won't display it to your visitors honestly and objectively. I feel I had money stolen by your company and I want people to know. Please publish this well earned, 1 star review. I wish it could be zero.

    Zoe 1/10 December 19, 2021

    Terrible - scam website

    Glitch meant that I kept paying long after cancelling the service. Terrible customer service refused to help. No receipts were given so very hard to spot they were still taking monthly payments. Lots of hoops to jump through to cancel and these are very discreet and deceptive. Extremely angry and feel very scammed.

    Robert Miller 1/10 December 18, 2021

    This product is not worth the service

    The Nordvpn did not perform the way a good or decent vpn should work. I subscribed to the app on 7/30/2021 and finally cancelled on 12/16/2021. Initially worked fine (on iMac) until the months of Nov. and Dec. The product requested numerous sign ins on my iMac computer thru Keychain access. It never could accept the short cut method of requested auto sign ins. Also, numerous websites would not recognize the server coming in on. I had to call customer service for a work around in getter an acceptable code to sign in on OR delete the app and then reload it after reaching the website in question. Finally customer service requested me to send in web log information for suggested work arounds. This was way too much for me. The value of this vpn did not work for me.

    Robert List 7/10 December 15, 2021

    Nord quit working

    Nord stopped working, just keeps reloading over and over. Tech suppoft gave up and you can not call anyone. Can't get a refund because it is past 30 days. The extension for Firefox is the only way access it. It was good when it worked for the first few months but only on firefox on my laptop.

    Anupam 1/10 December 13, 2021

    Avoid NordVPN for better providers.

    I have been a NordVPN subscriber for years. They have a large server selection and sophisticated features. Many servers offer unreliable connections and one should be willing to invest significant time and effort to find servers with reliable connections. One is supposed to receive six connections with a subscription but that is not the case. Bug(s) in their software prevent six simultaneous connections. Ticket #9425506 was raised earlier, and Mr. Luis Berganza from NordVPN declined to provide any estimate on a fix. Meanwhile, I am being deprived of subscribed services.

    Milton 7/10 November 28, 2021

    NordVPN Still Privacy ????

    I'm NordVPN user for 3 years and now i start ask if NordVPN is keep your privacy like they advertiser ,now they start ask for multi factor Authentication whit is nothing more them give you phone number for receive a code to login ,Phone number means your name, address personal information etc.. not to mention the auto renew is a mess like i have 3 years plan whit i buy for $107.00 and auto renew i has charge $99.00 for a year and in NordVpn website hey sell a plan for $79.00 for 2 years,i believed they think people who renew subscription is a crazy for pay more for less. The truth is NordVpn has become too big and the administration does not follow this growth. End of the story, I cancel my subscription today 11/28/2021 and buy another one.

    Jan klaassen 1/10 November 23, 2021

    Bad business ethics and illegal cancellation tactics

    You really need to check your reviews because this way

    can not be taken seriously.

    Nordvpn has MANY bad reviews on trustpilot and many "google translated" good reviews with user accounts from users that obviously are fake.

    D 5/10 November 16, 2021

    Massive speed loss

    In Panama my download speed is 128mbps without Nord, with it connected it drops to 24 mbps. Still fast enough for streaming but a significant loss

    Hammr 5/10 September 13, 2021

    Not Happy with Massive 50% Price Increase

    Hello, NordVPN does have a lot of great features. In my experience, others do too. I was a NordVPN customer until they had a massive 50% price increase from the last time I purchased.

    Robert 5/10 August 29, 2021

    False price advertising

    This is not a review of the service as it is, as it has worked fairly flawlessly, but about the deceptive and seemingly intentionally misleading advertising practices with regards to price. I followed one of their links to the subscription page, where the service was advertised for 3,12 Euro for a 2 year plan with 3 free months. Sounds good? Yes. But when moving on to the payment part, they wanted to charge me 84,24.

    ThomasOtMagicWord 6/10 August 19, 2021

    Secure connections from a not so securely developed app

    So today for the most part the firefox addon didn't work. Like I said: known to this problem so I decided to set it up as a proxy in the FF network settings. But that doesn't work any more!

    Yes, we are all in danger so every little hole on our devices has to be set up to the highest standards. Firefox does not allow many things anymore 'to keep their clients safe'.

    James Hofacker 9/10 March 6, 2021

    Captcha for Nord logins now required

    I have used NordVPN for several years. My current sign up is 2 years left on the 3 year deal; but, I'll just spot them the remaining $90. I hate to do Captcha [pick out the pictures with a bicycle or a boat]. There are better ways to block bots such as increasing delays for each reattempt after a failed login. On researching this weakness I found that they DO keep your IP address and other identifying information of your computer as "credentials' '. I don't know enough about IPV6 to dis Nord on that. It is not now a problem but it will be. I'll use Tor Browser on Windows and Tails. You ask how fast is that? I answer how free is that?

    Evan 9/10 March 4, 2021

    Review title

    I used to complain a lot when I buy something online but this is one of the few products for which I practically have nothing to say... I never used a VPN before but everything went smoothly, it's fairly easy to use with that 'Quick connect' button and works all the time. Maybe one stuff that could be optional is the kill switch: I couldn't understand why it was cutting my connection but I asked the CS who explained it to me.

    Kramer Sam 9/10 February 4, 2021

    No complain about the services

    I have been using their product for the past 3 years and my experience with them has been excellent so far. It happened once that I couldn't connect so I contacted the support who replied in just few minutes to fix my problem

    Also, the interface makes it easy to set up and to use, more than what it used to be in the past. Would definitely recommend it to everyone, at least to try.

    Gili 1/10 January 22, 2021

    Not Recommended

    Paid for the 3 year plan but apart from the first months that went well now it's a nightmare. i have to switch countries every 5 minutes because the internet doesn't work at all. I mainly use Italy/Belgium/Swiss/France/UK/Austria and I always have problems.

    Arvin 5/10 November 9, 2020

    Cheap prices for a reason...

    You get what you pay for - that old saying is still true as I once again had to learn. I went for one of the cheapest offers - NordVPN. Unfortunately I didn't think about why they might be so cheap. Now I know. They save on customer service. When I experienced connectivity problems, they sent me standard emails with tech-heavy to-do lists longer than my arm. When it still didn't work, I asked for a refund. Sensible, I thought, as I had tried for quite a while and dedicated hours to this. "No" was the answer. When I asked why, they said that I had passed the 30 days refund policy - which had been the case right from the start on.

    Make your own decision - if it works, you might save a buck. But if you run into problems, you might end up losing more than you thought you'd save.

    Arf 4/10 November 1, 2020

    Will not install independently of Microsoft Updates

    Mine is admittedly an outlier problem because few people do what I do in an effort to protect my privacy from Microsoft, Inc, but I need to mention it because it's something that few if any VPN reviews ever talk about:

    Snail 10/10 October 3, 2020

    Happy Nord User

    I've been using Nord for 4 years. I renewed my old 3 year package for the second time.

    BubbaMustafa 8/10 September 30, 2020

    No big isses, but an odd one just popped up

    No big issues. Use it on a couple clients. And PIA on the router (so I get double VPN'd if I want)

    Recently, Customer reviews of products on Amazon don't show. The whole area is just missing (no blank area like it is supposed to be there) I kinda thought it might be to stop bogus reviews from being posted. But alas, I can write reviews, just not see them. Then I thought it might be the double VPN, but nope. PIA on the client then through the PIA on the router and reviews show up. So it's Nord.

    Aria 1/10 August 28, 2020

    Great product until you got an issue

    The product is great until you have technical difficulties. I had their service for a long time until recently it just wasn't working with my torrent client. After chatting back and forth with their customer service, which is very useless, I was told to use their app rather than socks 5 settings on the torrent client which is fine except it makes the internet speed much lower than what it should be on my PC.

    They also have SmartDNS which sounds like a good thing to have except their instruction is incomplete and does not work and again when I chatted with them I was given exactly the same instruction as their useless website, which didn't help me.

    They keep referring to their Terms of Services and completely ignore the fact that their service doesn't work as it should.

    David Bittleman 1/10 July 31, 2020

    NordVPN is worthless in China

    I purchased a NordVPN subscription in August 2019 in anticipation of using it while teaching in Xi'an, China for a year. After using it just a few times, it stopped working. I contacted tech support at least 6 times and they sent me complicated instructions for patches I could download and install. Long story short, it did not work. They would not provide me a refund. I used my wife's ExpressVPN for most of my time in China. Finally, they made it difficult for me to cancel the automatic resubscription function to their service. This was the worst possible VPN experience. If you are planning to use a VPN in China, do not use NordVPN.

    Our Name 8/10 July 16, 2020

    Okay.

    Fast internet connection to play games, watch in 1080p or higher, and etc.

    Dan 10/10 July 6, 2020

    Unsolicited Password Requests

    In the past two weeks, I have received 3 unsolicited emails from Nord von stating that I requested a password reset.

    This is not true and despite raising this with customer services, it has not been resolved.

    Dissatisfied Customer 5/10 June 25, 2020

    User Profile

    Forget about changing anything in your user profile. For example, it's impossible to change email addresses without one's original payment information (date, credit card info, amount) only part of which can be retrieved from one's invoice. Customer support is indifferent. One wonders if it's so difficult to effect such a simple change, what else is dysfunctional with this company and their product?

    Jai Meray 1/10 June 20, 2020

    NordVPN's USA Servers block Apple Music

    NordVPN for MAC OS used with USA servers, without any extra NordVPN add-ons, blocks subscribed streamed content from Apple apps such as Apple Music. If you connect to any other country servers the streamed app content is allowed thru. Tech support suggested turning off the CyberSec feature in the NordVPN application and you should be able to access the website/service, however, I do not have the CyberSec feature. Its obvious feature creep has progressed beyond Nord's quality control. If you have a MAC this VPN solution is not for you.

    Chris G 7/10 May 26, 2020

    NordVPN has gone downhill fast

    I overall enjoyed using this service for the first two years, right up until COVID-19 hit. Often, it would take longer than usual to connect to the busy US servers and sometimes did not connect at all, but once it was hooked up speeds were good. I guess it is the increased traffic with everyone at home streaming all day, but I've run into some non-usable speeds frequently enough that I often don't bother hooking up. Some of the non-US servers have given better speeds, about half the time, but then my news feed is for a different region and often a different language. So, right now, it is largely unusable.

    Michael C 1/10 May 12, 2020

    NordVPN Billing

    They make it difficult to stop the automatic billing. I signed up to use it for one month on vacation and it kept billing for 6 months. Customer service is rude and slow to respond. The product worked fine in Mexico for a Vancouver VPN.

    IAMEGA 10/10 April 4, 2020

    Great experience so far...

    So far, I've had an amazing experience! I happened upon an Easter promo offering a gift of 1 month to 1 year extra subscription on a 3-yr plan. Website stated it was totally random, with the 1 year being rare, but I got the largest prize anyway! That's a great validation of their claim (and a nod to their ethics).

    Ken 5/10 March 29, 2020

    Work great - for a while

    Use NordVPN on my Linux box for some time, however, the Chrome extension gave me problems.

    Gareth 1/10 March 25, 2020

    It didn't work and they haven't given me a refund.

    I couldn't use BBC iPlayer from Spain and the connection speeds on other sites were poor (I have a fibre optic connection) so I requested a refund, that was around 5 months ago. They regularly sent me emails of their software benefits so I replied to one asking about my refund and haven't had an email from them since. If you want to try it then just get the 1 month option because you won't get your money back if it doesn't work.

    An User 8/10 March 6, 2020

    Obfuscated Servers (Openvpn) And WireGurad (Nordlynx)

    This review should be updated.

    NordVPN is now using Wireguard at linux too. I am using NordVPN from a VPN restricted country. At linux I am using Wireguard protocol, at Windows or iOS, I need to use obfuscated servers but being said there are some problems. They are slow and sometimes there are some connection problems but if you use IKEv2 servers instead of obfuscated (OpenVPN) servers you can use it more stable and faster. But of course compare to OpenVPN, IKEv2 is not that secure.

    Donald Van Anne 1/10 February 12, 2020

    DO NOT PURCHASE

    Never use NordVPN service. The customer service team is horrible, and the software does not work. I have to revert back to prior VPN which is good but eventually you run out of IP addresses.

    Amina 1/10 February 10, 2020

    NordVPN

    Had issues from the start. Could not send emails. If I disconnected the VPN I would get disconnected from the internet. Tried for hours to resolve, but kept getting other issues. They would not refund, because it was over 30 days. I figured they should be able to help me resolve the problems. After hours of chatting, different issues. Would highly NOT RECOMMEND NORDVPN!

    Albert Magliocco 7/10 February 1, 2020

    Nice to see NordVPN, does not edit out all the negative feedback posted here.

    I'm a 65 YO man, so grew up in a non-digital world, I still recall playing pong and space invaders when they were cutting edge electronics that amazed us.... I'm still on the edge, wondering if NordVPN Is a program for me.

    It is refreshing to see the mix of positive and negative reviews posted here that tells me NordVPN Is not editing out all the negative ones and rea;;y lets a person get an unbias feel for the pro's and con's that naturally do occur.

    One thing I think about is the vast number of countries you can search. I only speak English so will I benefit or not

    I do not like foreign movies where you have to read through the whole movie....

    If I pull the triger and jump abourd I'll make it back for an update ...cheers ...

    David 3/10 January 19, 2020

    Workable until a few days ago

    About 3 days ago I could no longer connect to

    when connected to a NordVPN server. It was at first intermittent and now it's a permanent problem. I was on a chat with NordVPN support for well over an hour trying to resolve the issue. It was not resolvable. I downloaded ExpressVPN and it worked flawlessly, i.e., zero connection issues. I asked NordVPN for a refund of the remaining 2 years on my subscription and they said no refunds after 30 days. I said "Even if your software is broken?" They repeated their policy to me. No way could I recommend NordVPN after these issues.

    MD 5/10 January 2, 2020

    DOESN'T WORK WELL WITH AMAZON

    I have had the service for a couple of years and it work alright most of the time. One of the quirks is that it does not play well with Amazon. If you contact customer service they just tell you to try another server. I have noticed that it will allow access to Amazon for a while then you will get an update from NORDVPN and again no access to Amazon unless you turn off the VPN. If you contact them again they just tell you to try another server. After many times of experiencing this you come to the conclusion that the updates are buggy and don't work well. They also tell you to try Canadian servers which means all of your news and searches will be Canadian oriented instead of US oriented. I would not recommend this to anyone who wants a VPN to obscure shopping activities. You cannot get a refund after 30 days so definitely don't get a long term subscription which is another mistake I made.

    eTrader 10/10 December 27, 2019

    So far so good

    Great product. Very stable, very fast. Easy setup. 24/7 Online support. The most security points (no log, Panama etc.) But get randomly disconnected sometimes with NO popup notification.That would be a more than welcome feature.

    Your Name 10/10 November 28, 2019

    Seems Legit

    Love that they don't take PayPal and instead take crypto. That tells you they mean real business in this industry and not just trying to sell to a fad audience. Performance is great, and can get close to 100Mbps on my 1Gbps line when using their service.

    Claud 8/10 November 26, 2019

    Nord VPN from China

    All VPN providers face the challenge of running a good VPN service from China due to the restrictions imposed in China with VPNs. NordVPN is not exempt. I used to use ExpressVPN and moved to NordVPN fairly recently due to the pricing of NordVPN being much cheaper than ExpressVPN when taken over their 3 year offering. The standard downloaded product does work from time to time in terms of connections but is very erratic from China, however the OpenVPN GUI offering connects every time to the USA and Hong Kong servers and streams very well but connections to web sites are sometimes slow due I believe not to NordVPN but my broadband ISP especially in the evenings. I shall be returning to the UK in the near future for a few weeks and look forward to seeing how NordVPN performs there. Support through Chat is available 24/7 and is very helpful and polite. I am told NordVPN are working on a new version which will hopefully remove some of the issues encountered from China. I will definitely stay with NordVPN for now despite the frustrations from China which are China issues not NordVPN issues although NordVPN work hard to overcome the problems.

    field is required 8/10 October 11, 2019

    Hassle-free refund.

    I tried to use the NordVPN to bypass a main exit point/node for my country that was dropping packets (for gaming). The Nord links in my country used the same exit node, and the links outside the country added too much latency (only ~200ms but still too much for gaming). This isn't something that's wrong with NordVPN but it meant I couldn't use the VPN for what I wanted.

    I asked for a refund that same night and received it a few days later. Getting my refund was hassle free, it took about 5 mins in the live chat on their website. So if you are worried they wont refund you (like I was) don't be, I did lose about $1.50 in a transaction fee but I am fine with that. I am very pleased with NordVPN even though I refunded mine.

    Nicpic 8/10 October 10, 2019

    PayPal Method gone: Serious limitation

    I've been using NordVPN for 2 years now and I'm pretty happy with it. Easy to set up and use & good speed.

    MY concern is that it's time to renew and it looks like the Paypal option is no longer valid. I've been trying other methods but so far no success.

    It's really frustrating.
    So folks, any idea / how to pay NordVPN without providing credit card details which I'd never do for this kind of thing?

    Thanks for reading and THANKS for advising 🙂

    Ben Friedman 10/10 October 8, 2019

    Bulletproof protection!

    I've just renewed for another 3 years. I've used NordVPN for the past 2 years on Windows 10, Android, Amazon fire & Linux Mint. I've had no issues that couldn't be quickly resolved. It's the best of the best!

    Contrast 5/10 October 2, 2019

    Good prices, but I didn't enjoyed the speeds in East Europe

    Very simple to use. Good prices for me. Support of most platforms like macOS, Windows 10, iOS, etc. CyberSec is working fine. So as the KillSwitch feature.

    The worst part of this is the speed below average. Sometimes connection becomes unstable, unreliable. I even had messages like “there was a problem connecting to the server” right in the middle of downloading something or online gaming. I use P2P very often, so availability and high-speed with VPN are quite important to me. Unfortunately, P2P-servers recommended for me are unreliable too. I have got the “your speed is too low, let's find another server” message often. I sent some reports on these servers and had conversations with the support team. Some issues have been resolved. But speed issues are not.

    Use NordVPN if you need simple and affordable VPN-service and you are ready to be okay with some connection stutters and speed issues.

    Donald J Evans 9/10 August 22, 2019

    So far, really really nice !

    - excellent program!
    - some little quirks (Linux Mint "TESSA" 19.3) - techsupport (more on that in a moment) either sent me in the right direction or they provided a way to resolve the issue I reported almost immediately
    - "issues," typically connection related, (unable to connect to some sites) "TS" just had me use a different (specific different) server which caused no pain on my part other than I didn't know about it
    - Typical wait time was usually less than 2 minutes max
    - All techs seemed knowledgeable, but the first tier was very quick to escalate to a higher "TS tier" almost immediately if they didn't have an immediate solution
    - speed is excellent so far
    - running several versions of LINUX Mint (mainly 18.3 and 19.3, then IOS, and a couple other Linux versions)
    - so far I couldn't possibly be happier with NORDVPN
    - I am on a fiber AT&T connection, so "everything" is already fast - I'll try to update from slower sites and report if anything changes my opinion

    Cleo 9/10 August 4, 2019

    Almost Perfect

    Been using NordVPN for a few weeks now; and so far I'm loving the service and connection speeds particularly on my mobile device. Only issues I've encountered are some websites detecting and blocking my VPN IP address; and also the absence of the ability to pay with PayPal.

    Oleander 3/10 August 3, 2019

    Not that great

    Bought a 3 year plan based on this review. On a symmetrical 100 Mbps, I get between 5-17 Mbps (from the EU to the US). Tried over a hundred times on different pc's and both day and night. Wanted to use it for placeshifting, but more often than not, Netflix and Amazon won't connect or recognises it as being a vpn. I'm probably going to cancel my account..

    Mayo Marriott 10/10 August 1, 2019

    Streaming

    My only experience of streaming is Chromecast and it definitely sets up its own path to the router, therefore bypassing the VPN which I thought I had set up on my mobile. I know you can set up a VPN on the router but is this not a lot more techy than you make out? And is it not a bit inelegant as I assume that everybody who uses the router has to use the same geolocation. Keep up the good work!

    Larry Mcjunkin 9/10 July 29, 2019

    Absolutely the best...EXCEPT it's slow!

    While I realize that most review sites are in partnership (in some way or another) with some of the apps they review (hey, they have to make money somehow)...I do think TheBestVPN.com is making a much better effort in their reviews than any of the other VPN review sites. If they make something via affiliate marketing, so what...it doesn't come out of my pocket and there is nothing wrong with affiliate marketing.

    While I might not be as technically thorough as Rob in his really great reviews, I have spent a lifetime in the technology and software industry and as a developer, web builder and all-around general geek I get this stuff.

    I would like to set the record straight (at least from my "real world" perspective) regarding the speed, or lack thereof, with NordVPN. In caveat, I like NordVPN better than the other top 10 apps I tried while trying to decide who was going to get my subscription dollars. I tried NordVPN using two current, mesh routers...on Mac, iOS and Windows. I tried it at home, in places like Starbucks and McDonalds, and my doctors' offices and car dealership. My home ISP is Spectrum (unlimited access) and if you measure my downlink 10 times a day you'll get 212 - 215 Mbps every single time.

    In over 100 speed tests with NordVPN, given the preceding parameters, the VERY BEST downlink speed I could ever attain, even when manually switching servers, was approximately 34% of the same WiFi speed without NordVPN turned on. Most of the other times averaged 32%, and folks...that is simply not the trademark of the "best VPN available".

    Again...I LOVE NordVPN and wish I could use it, but I am simply not willing to take that big a speed hit just to have its other features. I opted for another top contender on this site (ExpressVPN) and while it's VERY expensive, I consistently see downlink speeds of 85% of the WiFi speed without ExpressVPN. In my case, I'm willing to pay extra for this type of performance.

    You won't go wrong on any of the top recommendations here, but I wanted to express my concerns that NordVPN's speed is not (in the real world) as well as some of the others.

    Brett 4/10 July 27, 2019

    You get what you pay for

    NordVPN is definitely the best bargain, but after using it for a while I can say you get what you pay for. The service is constantly in and out, and always seems to fail me when I need it. I often cannot use the VPN when I need (such as for navigation) or when I want (such as Netflix) despite having a strong internet connection. Granted, I am using it from China and must use the Obfuscated servers, which are slower, but it is still very annoying how unreliable this service is. I regret buying the large bundle deal for 3 years. If I knew what I was buying at the start I likely would have dished out the little more money and chosen a more reliable provider!

    D 4/10 July 27, 2019

    NordVPN support staff made a bad situation worse

    I downloaded this onto my laptop (Windows), and my iPhone and iPad because I was going to China for 18 days. The ios devices worked for only a day, and I contacted the support three times. The last time (chatting for 2 hours) the support staff made a bad situation worse (server didn't respond) worse by having change the DNS, and then every attempt to use the VPN got "authentication failure", a message that I never got before the support staff's "help." Since it is working on the laptop I'll give it a 35 out of 100, but it most certainly is not doing what I bought it for.

    DeadandGone 2/10 July 23, 2019

    Poor

    Tried NordVPN because of the review on this site and was very disappointed, I use HMA and my sub was running out and I didn't like the fact they log my IP so I thought I'd try someone else... NordVPN's connection gave me double and sometimes triple my normal latency and I was being blocked from accessing a quite a few web sites. Support was ok but when you request a refund it takes 7 - 10 working days to process the request, so I'm still waiting on my refund...

    Eliyah Garrett 8/10 July 15, 2019

    It works

    In my opinion, it works as good as most other VPNs. Use it for 4 months and no complaints. Could be cheaper, but if you really need a VPN, get a 3-year sub and it becomes cheap.

    Daniel Reeders 5/10 July 7, 2019

    Unreliable service on Mac and tricky refund policy

    I've been using NordVPN for about 3 years and I recently got fed up with the amount of work its Mac users have to do to maintain acceptable connectivity. The classic problem is that all my open tabs and apps stop loading — then I disconnect the VPN and they all instantly load. This happens across multiple devices and networks. Recently I got jack of this and asked for a refund on the remaining 580 days of my subscription, and NordVPN said they ONLY offer refunds in the first 30 days of a new subscription. No matter how bad the NordVPN service gets, they are going to refuse to refund you after that 30 day period.

    Will Beckett 1/10 July 5, 2019

    Nord VPN failed to work for me

    This product failed to manage the incoming and outgoing mail from Outlook using a Gmail account. The support gave me many things to try and finally blamed the problem on Microsoft servers. Gmail accounts don't use Microsoft servers and when I switched to another VPN, I had no trouble. It took several weeks to figure out the problem and so I was outside the 30 day trial period. They refused to refund my money, even though it was clearly a problem with the software, since two other VPN products worked fine. Since it was their software that failed, I don't believe it is fair that they would not refund my money. I am telling my clients not to get this product. Not just because of the one area of failure, but because they would not recognize there was an issue and that they should refund my money if they could not solve the problem.

    TGracchus 1/10 June 30, 2019

    No Paypal is a major con, and you only made a passing mention?

    For me and apparently many other former users nordvpn is useless. No Paypal no thanks. At this point I suspect they've lost hundreds if not thousands of customers. Thanks anyway for the review though you might want to put the no Paypal thing as a con.

    Said It Would Work in China, Didn't 1/10 June 29, 2019

    Scam

    I made three large mistakes when buying NordVPN. First off, I am only staying in China without access to Google, reddit, Facebook for 6 weeks. I don't need a $100 3 year subscription, even if it is much "cheaper" that way. A 2 month $24 dollar subscription is enough. Secondly, I didn't check if NordVPN works in China. You couldn't download a VPN service once in China, so it was a bit difficult to check. Well, I arrived in China, and I had no Internet access and I couldn't do my research or contact my people. By the time I finally accessed Google again, it was past the 30 Days Money Back time period, and I am $100 less for no reason. Thirdly, I fell for NordVPNs marketing. The superficial praise without showing substantial evidence should have tipped me off. I'm such an idiot.

    Fritz B 8/10 June 19,, 2019

    Great while it lasted

    I have been using NORD for nearly a year, having moved from TunnelBear. Several weeks ago NORD came out with an upgrade. I applied the upgrade and NORD immediately crashed. The problem was that the installer is looking for a key in my registry that simply does not exist and never has. It has been nearly a month, with many chats & emails, and they apparently have no idea what the problem is. I can't believe I'm the only user having this problem. I REALLY liked NORD, but they have blown this update. Badly.

    TW 1/10 June 17, 2019

    Disgraceful

    NordVPN is disgraceful! I've never come across a more disjointed sign up process in my life. You have to wonder about NordVPN security with you card details. They have over charged my account on first payment and an hour later my account isn't active. Really disappointed. Amateur hour for a company that was supposed to demonstrate security. I give NordVPN a 1 because form won't allow a 0. No service and my account charged.

    Anne Lorrigan 1/10 June 16, 2019

    NordVPN does not work in China

    Do not choose NordVPN if you are looking for something to use in China. I tried to use the VPN app on my phone and it did not work the entire 7 days I was over there.

    Eric Shorter 4/10 June 1, 2019

    NordVPN's DNS servers appear to use Google's DNS servers...

    I use Linux, and connect to NordVPN via OpenVPN software. If I use NordVPN's DNS servers and run DNS tests I get the same results as when using Google's DNS servers. NordVPN's DNS servers appear to use Google's DNS servers. I have no idea if this is correct, or it's a quirk of the tests I've run. The DNS tests were run using Browserleaks.com. Has anyone else seen similar patterns?

    The_Punzer 6/10 May 31, 2019

    Pretty good but

    Pretty good VPN for security and price, speed is average. Doesn't unblock international Netflix anymore though.

    Don Diego 10/10 May 30, 2019

    Works Nearly Flawlessly

    I've not been let down by NordVPN. It works great. Sometimes Netflix won't work, but I gather that it's because Netflix is hawkish about finding and blocking VPN servers. It's baffling to me why some people are experiencing an overall FAIL of an experience, where it's not working right. I use Xfinity (Comcast), and don't have any problem at all.

    JRA 5/10 May 29, 2019

    Worst Customer Service

    I had issues with the product and wanted to cancel the subscription and get a refund. It was like running into a brick wall. Absolutely no way they were going to provide a refund as I was just a couple of days over 30 days.

    I asked to talk to the CSR's supervisor and they just passed me off to another rep. They care more about the $100 than they do their reputation or customer service.

    The product might...might... be good but the lack of customer service is not worth it.

    Ainun 8/10 May 24, 2019

    Speed in Southeast Asia

    I just bought NordVPN yesterday after my government decided to limit a lot of featured on social medias. This website gave me assurance on why Nord is what I need. The connection is okay in my area since the average speed never exceeded 10 Mb/s. Nord gave me a decent 6 - 8 Mb/s. But it's perfect for me because for my daily needs for chatting and sharing pictures with family.

    Jordan 9/10 May 22, 2019

    works great and unblocks all the restricted content

    I am happy that I've installed nordvpn on my smartphone, cause it would be impossible to travel in China without it... It works great, unblocks all the content I need.

    David 1/10 May 21, 2019

    Another Flop

    I just spent hours and hours trying to get NordVPN to work and when it finally did... just not worth it.

    First, the usual payment hoops. When they finally accepted my payment, and the chat person confirmed it, and an email confirmed it, I set off to install the app.

    Not impressed. They use an unsigned kernel driver (Windows) which Windows says therefore will not be enabled. Great. Back to support. "Yes," they confirmed. Our TAP VPN driver is unsigned. You need to change the boot configuration of Windows to allow unsigned drivers.

    Let's see. VPN company promoting high level security can't even sign their driver?? This was a huge WTF moment for me, but I thought I'd give it a whirl anyway and so started to follow their instructions to enable unsigned drivers into the Windows kernel.

    Right about then another email arrived saying that my payment had failed and therefore couldn't use the service. Back to chat. With no results.

    Meanwhile, I finally got the app installed after more hoops, more very bad programming with their installer, more aggravation and delays. And the app totally sucks. I admit I may been spoiled after using ExpressVPN's app which I thought quite well done, but that's another story. See my review for ExpressVPN if it gets published.

    The last straw was the speed. Slow to connect, slow in general. Speed test wouldn't even work on some servers.

    How did I test that with my account not activated? Well, turns out the email wasn't true. My account was still active, but only for two days. But I'm done. The technical experience (signup, payment, app installation, app overall) is very poor. Their chat people are nice, and respond quickly, but that's not the reason I use a service. The service itself needs to work extremely well or even flawlessly. NordVPN falls way short. What a mess.

    Anne 9/10 May 17, 2019

    Pricy but works great

    I don't have much to say, but it works pretty good with Netflix (which is why I need a VPN in the first place), it's easy to use and it doesn't slow my connections that much. If the price would be lower I'd definitely give them a higher score.

    Roy 4/10 May 6, 2019

    We bought due to reviews - which turned out to be fake

    We went on reviews on this site as well as others that rate NordVPN so high if not top, we found them and their apps excellent their support OK (until asking for a refund). their use in Germany made the internet unusable as blocked from all streaming. We feel most annoyed at believing all these reviews, have a look at NordVPN on Trustpilot - where they have put a large warning that they are writing reviews on themselves! Until all these sites are no longer funded by the companies that review them then nobody can believe this rubbish.

    Karl 4/10 May 4, 2019

    Meh

    The VPN is for mainstream consumers, not for tech enthusiast or tech geeks. Has many servers, looks nice, but features are limited. I noticed in your review the speeds were great, I had the opposite experience. Speeds from LA were terrible, my latency was always very high, and the IP's I received always seemed to be blocked anywhere.. I miss "hide my ass" when it used to be for techies....

    Rich S 9/10 April 30, 2019

    Not the best for some uses, but in the top 10 overall

    Pros: Lots and lots of servers.Support is good though hit and miss. Android app has ad blocking and used along with Blockada most ads are blocked. Most information needed is on the web site and is fairly well organized. Speeds from my location (Mexico) are good, though have dropped in the last month. Connections through Mexican servers suck. I use Dallas, Miami, Toronto or San Francisco with good results from Guadalajara. 100Mb fiber. Strangely Netflix works fine here without a VPN perhaps because my account is in the USA and other family members use it there.

    Cons: Choosing the "Fastest" server doesn't choose well and the online list doesn't show the location of the servers. Worse, servers disappear for no known reason so when you "favorite" a good one it may not last. The Windows interface uses ~200MB to start and will expand to over 450MB (40+ browse tabs in Waterfox) but won't reduce when browser tabs reduce. No split tunneling, though you can proxy your torrent client separately. Was happier with PIA overall, especially the tech support.

    Berger 6/10 April 27, 2019

    NordVPN was great but failing for MACos

    I use NordVPN for several years now on a windows laptop and Imac computer. The last year the app for apple gave bugs after every update! The help is quick but they cannot resolve the issue most of the time. Later on it appears there was a bug. NordVPN is not transparent about it. Because the latest update gave me troubles again, and NordVPN could not resolve is I switch to another VPN just for my Mac. It is a pity that they cannot get the app for iMac right!

    Nathan 3/10 April 21, 2019

    Plagued with issues

    I am bitterly disappointed with the Nord VPN service. It has continually presented me with problems relating to connectivity, and download speeds, with no clear remedy on the horizon. It is not without its advantages though, as it is an affordable, easy to use, and versatile system. However, when I'm constantly experiencing connectivity problems on my devices, and internet speeds will frequently drop below 1mb/s for extended durations, it doesn't seem worth the trouble.

    Their support team is punctual at responding to issues, but the quality of their support is low. I've frequently had exchanges with condescending service representatives, who fail to even understand the issue, before submitting a dismissive response.

    Overall, I can find very little reason to recommend the service to anyone.

    Charlie 9/10 April 16, 2019

    Amazon app on Android not working with NordVPN

    NordVPN is fast and has servers all over the world. The only issue I have with NordVPN is that when using the Amazon app on my Galaxy S8+ 9 out of 10 times the app is unable to connect to amazon and you will get that page with the dog saying "sorry something went wrong".

    Lance 8/10 April 02, 2019

    Glitch on MacBooks has not been fixed

    Whenever I close my MacBook and it sleeps (several times a day), Nord has a glitch, where Mac users cannot get back onto the internet without quitting the application, waiting 10-20 seconds, reopening the app, then reconnecting. I went to NordVPN chat, and they say they are working on it. It's frustrating, though. Even if you quit the app, you can't log back into the internet, without running Nord. I hope they get this fixed soon, as I have passed my 30-day Money back guarantee.

    Shum Singh 1/10 March 30, 2019

    NordVPN - worst provider

    I paid for a yearly plan ($69) for NordVPN about 9 months ago. Initially (first 1-2 months) the service was fine. It was fairly simple to connect to servers in different countries etc. However, shortly thereafter (only 1-2 months since I started using the service) I was unable to connect to the network in any country. I tried repeatedly countless times over a period of several months to contact customer service via email & never heard back from them. I finally connected with their tech support via chat and all of the advice / information / suggestions provided were totally useless and in some instances actually illogical. Needless to say I would NEVER recommend this service as it seems they are running a scam. I tried repeatedly via email to receive a refund but never did as the service for the next 5 months never worked. Needless to say I would NEVER recommend this VPN provider to anyone!!!

    Cyberoid 9/10 March 30, 2019

    NordVPN's recent redesign degrades its value to knowledgeable VPN users.

    I've used NordVPN for two years, just re-sub'd for three more. I did that before I noticed that the system has been redesigned. Where before I could scan lists of servers by nation, proximity, use (percentage obligated), and specialty -- even getting throughput speeds that exceeded even my high-speed ISP servers! -- now my NordVPN servers are chosen by a totally non-transparent algorithm. My throughput speeds are now regularly reduced by 50-75 percent (really slow) because I'm forced to use a server chosen by an algorithm into which I have no input other than "region," meaning a Big City: a grossly misleading factor. I get faster speeds from servers two regions away (still pretty punk) than I can get from servers in my nearest region. Now the only way to find a higher-speed link is to try every one and if I hit it big -- I haven't yet -- to mark it as a "Favorite," with a heart.

    As I indicated, I've been a big fan of NordVPN, recommending it to anyone who asks or whom I know to be in search of a VPN vendor. I no longer can make this recommendation. NordVPN is reliable, in that you'll always get assigned to a server and the connection probably won't drop. Plus, the system may be more secure than others. But I haven't the confidence in the service's security that I had before. Its decision to limit user interaction is bad juju, indicative of a Big Tech mentality. At the very least, the company could have informed current customers it was going to constrain our server choices.. It obviously has other priorities.

    I hope NordVPN comes around to putting its customers' needs first and foremost, not optimizing service at the expense of user choice. It really makes NordVPN less fun to work with and more labor-intensive than it should be -- plus the speed degradations resulting from algorithm-chosen servers are really sad.

    WH 5/10 March 29, 2019

    Manual Config

    On MacOS 14, I am unable to launch their apps. Customer Support asked me to use manual method and only use IP address, it works but when I tried their Obfuscated servers from what I like to be connected to, it does not. My frustration is I do not have time to keep using such manual method to find their IP address and check which is working and which is not...an apps should do it in this age. But their app on MacOS does not work! My IOS and android devices work fine though. But I have requested for a refund. Hope that the refund is smooth...

    Jason 9/10 March 26, 2019

    Works. But with implications

    I have to disable it completely to allow my apps to auto-update on my mobile device. I have to disable it completely to allow my Sony RX10 camera to connect WiFi Direct to my mobile device. However, these issues are ongoing with support who have been helpful so far. I work offshore in the North Sea and many installations restrict certain video sites and certain video sites "see me" as out of the territory but using NordVPN overcomes those issues fine. Embarrassingly easy, in fact.

    Fab 10/10 March 25, 2019

    Spent weeks to search and compare - love my decision to go for NordVPN

    Used it for 2 years, never had a problem. Easy to use while having lots of options if needed, very good bandwidth, can watch BBC (London) and Netflix (USA) thanks to all the servers all around the world, no weird packages behavior (doesn't steal info), never had loss of connection after hours of streaming.

    Used it in Canada, USA and even Aruba! (Had to connect to Brazil or Costa Rica but the connection was surprisingly good and stable). I never tried any other non-free VPN but I can't think of a reason to change.

    Joseph B 9/10 March 23, 2019

    Can't connect to some sites

    When using a USA servers I can't connect to web like Walmart, Problem with Amazon, and few others

    Try different settings but all the same. Connecting to Canada and using same website no problem but then I do have a problem connecting to other site like banking. So it is hard to say. Speed Is good and no problem with that. I don't see a speed drop using "SpeedTest.net" That's the only Complain I have. I try to use Windscribe on the same websites and no problem using USA servers. So I don't know why makes different.

    llob taylor 6/10 March 15, 2019

    Not as good as HideMyAss VPN

    I took advantage of a sale and bought the 3 year plan. I used to use HideMyAss but they gotten expensive. NordVPN is okay but doesn’t work for Amazon Video and Hulu. Also not very amenable to use with a router. Support was not very helpful either. I deeply regret buying this. The speed is okay sometimes and slow other times. I used HideMyAss for years too bad I fell for all the hype and got this.

    Tuan V 10/10 March 14, 2019

    The best gets better

    I have Nord now for about a year. Last year, I wasn't able to log onto Amazon.com. It seems Amazon prime was blocked. I had to disable it or select a Canadian server to get onto Amazon. It was a hassle. Now, I can get access to it. On top of that, I saw a slightly speed drop when I used VPN. Now, it's not as bad. When I do SpeedTest checks,, I'm guess around a 20% drop?? That's not bad. I have 200m at home so if I end up with 160 and be more secure, I can live with that.

    Susan 3/10 March 10, 2019

    Nord VPN

    I have given them a low score because of false advertising - almost every site online states they are cheap. This is just not true as if you want that $2.99/mth, you must pay for 3 years upfront which is $107.55. The 2 year option is about $97 and 12 month option $84. Paying monthly is $11.50 approx.
    NONE of these charges are CHEAP. Might be better to simply pay $80 for 15 mths of ExpressVPN!

    Stephen Anderson 1/10 February 22, 2019

    NordVPN FAILED me

    I've been using NordVPN for some months now with little to no problems. Until today. My main use is for P2P (file share) today however NordVPN disconnects (without my knowledge) to update. Meanwhile my File share continues. Then I get notice from my ISP informing me that I have been downloading copyrighted material. If it happens again they will disconnect me. So I while I am emailing NordVPN about the arbitrary disconnect it does it again. Another update and NO it didn’t even reconnect automatically. Something to keep your eye on. I feel as though I have been failed as a customer, They have FAILED me.

    Benjamin 9/10 February 20, 2019

    Pretty good service

    A few years ago I opted on NordVPN. Now I am about to renew after my second year with them, cause I’ve had zero issues, everything is working pretty well for me. NordVPN isn’t the cheapest option, but for me, it’s among the best. And what about the speed? It’s consistent, but there is a minimal lag while switching to a different continent.

    Matt 10/10 February 12, 2019

    NordVPN + Cybersec

    NordVPN should be rated ahead of ExpressVPN due to NordVPN having an ad blocker and malware protection feature called Cybersec. ExpressVPN has no such feature available. Even better is Cybersec is now available for iPhone, it's also available on Android if you sideload it from the Nord site instead of from Google Play.

    Charlie S 5/10 February 9, 2019

    Slow, buggy on Mac

    I've used NordVPN for almost 2 years on my MacBook and iMac and won't renew. Cust. svc. has been responsive, but after many hours and exchanges they can't fix 75% loss of speed (175+Mbps down to 30-40 Mbps) despite numerous changes, manual tweaks, different software (Nord IKE2), etc. It also often fails to make a connection to any server and/or re-connect when my laptop wakes. For me the other advantages of NordVPN do not outweigh these basic defects.

    Brandon K 3/10 January 28, 2019

    NordVPN is okay - but ineffective

    So, I tried NordVPN for one night, to access a couple of free streaming services that were US only. STIRR and Locast are the names of these services.

    I've set-up Nord on my laptop and my iPod Touch 5 (and even made a US specific iTunes account so I could download the iOS apps for the two services I mentioned above. I'm Canadian, btw) but ran into several issues that might be either my fault or Nord not corresponding properly with the software of my other apps and stuff on the iPod Touch.

    Now once I set-up Nord on my iPod Touch 5, I then logged out of my current iTunes account and made a new US-based account just for the sole purpose of accessing US apps and downloaded the Stirr and Locast apps. I set my NordVPN connection to a US connection (a couple of connections I tried based in New York) and then tried to watch the channels from the supported NYC market.

    But had no luck, tried it again a couple more times and at that point I just gave up and stopped trying to fiddle around with things, cancelled my Nord and reverted back to my Canadian account.

    I'm not sure if I did anything wrong or if there's something I missed but yeah Nord disappointed me.

    Steve 10/10 January 22, 2019

    Very happy with NordVPN

    Running Linux OpenVPN on my laptop and 2 Android Devices. Google Play recently made them remove the AdBlocker from the Google Play version of their app. After speaking with them and opening a support ticket they advised there was an apk on their website that restored the adblocker. I asked about how to keep updated and was advised to follow the news feed on Google Play. I suggested an in app update feature and 2 days later, this was added to the apk version. Support goes above and beyond to resolve the issue providing you fully explain your issue. I highly recommend this service.

    Vlad 3/10 January 16, 2019

    Mediocrity is the VPN service

    I have yet to find a VPN service that runs above amateur level. Most chat services are supported by individuals who have little technical knowledge and servers that simply don't work especially if you try to run a VPN from a router. Why? Because they don't bother to monitor operational servers. Why? Because they don't have the technical capabilities to run a script across those servers. Have you noticed how most of the companies that advertise VPNs have very similar User Interfaces? Really? Why is that? This whole area is rife with a junior-league smell. Show me one, just one capable, customer oriented VPN provider and I will use their service.

    Massimo 9/10 January 15, 2019

    Good but missing a fundamental feature

    Reading the reviews, I am surprised no one has mentioned the lack of Split Tunneling. In NordVPN. This is important to cast VPN streamed content to your home TVs. Without it, complicated solutions have to be found or just watch that content on your PCs, tablets or phones. Other VPN providers, like ExpressVPN, have it, so in my view this is a major gap folks at NordVPN have to fill.

    Dan 8/10 January 13, 2019

    Congested

    Six months ago I would have given them 100, I stayed on the same server for days. Nowadays I am having to change servers multiple times a day. I used openvpn, the vpn is on my router. Sometimes things will start to get congested within a half hour of getting on the internet. Luckily they do have a place on their website which will show a suggested server near me. It's not that big of a deal, but frustrating when pages don't completely load and etc. As soon as I switch servers, everything is okay again, for whatever amount of time.

    Ethan 9/10 January 4, 2019

    Favourite provider so far

    Costs a bit more, but it is reasonable and worth all additional fonctions as killswitch, cybersec, p2p servers or user-friendly app. I am pretty happy with the software, so it has proved to be a great investment.

    ipMAN 9/10 December 28, 2018

    AUSTRALIAN sERVER

    So far its a good software however when I look at on NordVPN map for Australia the location is always at the middle of Australia where the Pine Gap military base is located. Could it be that the VPN server is based in a USA military base and everything is recorded?

    Casa 2/10 December 26, 2018

    Slow speed, unreliable connectivity, outdated software

    Was a PIA user for 3 years (Excellent), decided to try Nord based on some reviews, sadly the service has been horrible, I truly regret signing up for it. Contacted support multiple times, the best answer has been been try TCP/UDP switching, my internet connectivity is blazing fast and PIA still works amazingly. I tried multiple locations (US, Canada), nothing works well consistently, it's a hit and miss.

    I do not recommend NordVPN.

    Coran 3/10 December 13, 2018

    Not for Linux/Ubuntu

    People say it's good, but I can't actually use it on Ubuntu. First the DNS servers wouldn't get setup correctly by their native app. Hours on tech support messing around with system config files. Then the native app won't connect. Keeps trying but never actually succeeds. I tried everything. Rebooting, reinstalling, different protocols, different servers, different internet connections. Nothing. Just hangs trying to connect. Seems their Linux support is still flakey.

    Peter M. 10/10 December 4, 2018

    Satisfied customer

    I'm a satisfied customer at NordVPN, and the only problem I faced was to access Amazon’s web services like the Amazon store. Amazon seems to block most of the NordVPN IP addresses on Amazon’s side. Not a big issue but annoying.

    NordVPN offered stealth VPN-Servers too. Maybe this service may help regarding to get easier Amazon access. I didn't try it out.

    On IP-level: All services (UDP, TCP ports) are accessible through the NordVPN tunnel. Except few ports like SMPT port 25 and Samba (Windows Share) port 445. If you try to make an simple access on port 445, e.g. telnet on port 445, your account/access will be automatic and fully blocked for 1 minute or so, after this time out you will regain access. Seems to be some security measure.

    Chris J 9/10 November 29, 2018

    Nearly merits 100 out of 100

    Have been using NordVPN for about 3 weeks now across 5 devices. Was very easy to install across 2 iPhones, 1 iPad, 1 Macbook and 1 iMac. According to speedtests I performed there's a considerable loss but in reality its hardly noticeable with no buffering for Netflix or Youtube. Noticed that a few websites weren't accessible with VPN enabled so contacted the support via email. First 2 responses not helpful but then gave me procedure for some manual tweaking and now all works and have set up several profiles so can easily switch between locations depending on requirements. Not convinced however by Brad's opinion re Panama. If the US wants access they'll force the issue by usual bullying. But that applies nearly everywhere. Can only recommend it and won't test the refund option. Not giving 100% as the access to certain sites requires tweaking when this shouldn't be necessary.

    Dustin 7/10 November 28, 2018

    Slow

    Ran side by side comparison with PIA and where PIA only slowed me from 130 to ~120Mbps, Nord VPN slowed me all the way back to the 45-50Mbps range. Tried a couple nearby servers in the northeast, no luck. I'll stick with PIA which is easy to find for the same or lower price with discount.

    John Doe 10/10 November 27, 2018

    Nord VPN Audit

    Been with this VPN for a long time. They just did a audit of their services confirming they do not log anything. They delete all data from the server you use after each session after 15 minutes. They do log how many successful connections you make to there authentication server, but this is not a threat to security.

    Lindie 8/10 October 26, 2018

    Good - but not always for BBC

    Lots of good things about Nord VPN but there is one problem your readers might like to know about. If you're a non-UK resident using it primarily to watch the BBC iPlayer (as I am) it doesn't always work; cue 15-30 mins of watching those annoying pink swirly-gigs before giving up (often on a Friday evening I've noticed). I truly don't know why BBC doesn't allow us to subscribe to their service; would be very happy to pay so that I could get the service whenever I want it. Off to read a book now.

    Tony 7/10 October 19, 2018

    NordVPN is fair but not great

    Pros
    GUI is pretty easy and straightforward. Customer support via email is responsive and helpful - a real person.Easy to change/choose servers.

    Cons
    Disconnections are frequent: I often have to shut it down to connect to a website. I have a client to whom I recommended NordVPN and now regret since I have to help him get around the issues. I have to keep the kill switch off so I can avoid losing the internet connection when I am in production mode.

    Andriu 10/10 October 9, 2018

    The best VPN for streaming

    I tested different VPNs for Netflix, BBC iPlayer and some events streaming. NordVPN provides the best experience, it goes without buffering or IP blocks by Netflix. Also, Nord has the intuitive app on Amazon fire TV stick (so no worries, it's easy to set up and use).

    Richard 10/10 October 8, 2018

    Best VPN hands down

    I started out with the NordVPN app and wanted more. I read online that you can use a router to put your complete home-network behind VPN. So, I bought a cheap ASUS-router, only to find out that I got a huge speed-bump using it. I wrote to NordVPN support and they told me the CPU of the router can't handle high speeds. Bummer. But, NordVPN support also advised me that i could build my own VPN-router using a pc and pfSense. And so i did. Had a few configuration problems, but NordVPN support was very knowledgeable and willing to help every single time. My VPN-router works flawlessly for almost a year now without any hickups. Kudo's for NordVPN support!

    Tony 10/10 September 27, 2018

    Customer Support

    I'm a first-time VPN user, therefore first-time NordVPN user. I had several questions answered quite quickly via chat - all satisfactorily. If not for the comment above, I would not have been able to tell the answers were cut/paste. Only gave it 99 because, well, I think no one/thing is perfect and we can all improve.

    Kattz 9/10 September 21, 2018

    Nord and Amazon

    In general, I am very happy with this VPN. It has worked almost flawlessly except when trying to connect to Amazon. I'm not trying to watch Prime Video from outside my country. I'm Canadian and I can't even shop on Amazon anymore. I usually have access to both the Canadian and US sites but not anymore. It's not easy to just shut down the VPN either since I have it installed on my router. I guess nothing is perfect.

    Thomas 9/10 September 9, 2018

    Amazon & IMDB almost impossible to access

    NordVPN works fine for me -- easy to setup and use -- EXCEPT when trying to access Amazon or IMDB (which is owned by Amazon). These sites are almost impossible to access with NordVPN. My Firefox "times out" trying to access them.

    I must then turn off the VPN before accessing Amazon or IMDB. After I turn off the VPN, access is easy.

    This is true even when I'm in the U.S. and use a U.S. IP.

    Sidney Goldstein 5/10 August 29, 2018

    Used to receive good tech support

    Nordvpn used to give great tech support and customer service. That's why I stayed with them past the free trial. For the last 3-4 months the tech support is not there. One tech rep even told me to go elsewhere and did not even try to resolve a problem. Many of the tech's when I called about this problem did not seem capable to understand the problem. When I reported this 'outrageous' behavior to the customer service people, there was no response. I wonder if the company has been sold.

    Robert 8/10 August 16, 2018

    Good but no linux kill switch

    Linux support is a little sketchy, when using the graphical interface to configure, you are limited to UDP, no IP. This may be a Linux issue, I'm not sure. You can do IP via the command line.. more importantly, because it uses openvpn it does not offer any kill switch capability, which could lead to you getting busted for torrenting. Fortunately, after a little bit of Googling I was able to create some shell Scripts that tweaked the firewall rules so that only tunneled traffic is allowed. That way if the connection to the VPN is lost, all internet connectivity ceases, preventing your identity from being revealed.

    Meanwhile, it's plenty fast and I have it enabled by default all the time because there doesn't seem to be any performance penalty for me.

    Mike 10/10 July 19, 2018

    I'm happy from the service

    I really like Nord. Tried them after I gave up on a few free services. Got a coupon down at vpnmentor and it was worth every dollar I spent on it.
    The app for my iphone is easy to use and I stream netflix from my desktop here and there (can’t say I find a lot more in the US that I don’t have regularly)

    Andy 10/10 July 3, 2018

    Satisfied

    Took this article advice and bought a two-year subscription. As for now, I’m pleased with the provider.

    Works excellent both on my Macbook and iPhone, and still have room for four more devices 🙂

    Grady Porter 10/10 July 2, 2018

    a service you can trust

    The fact that nordVPN is based in Panama is one of the main reasons why I’m using it – full privacy.

    And it’s good to know that your traffic is being encrypted not once, but twice. Can’t find a better deal than that…

    Steve 6/10 June 29, 2018

    Not For Me

    I took the free trial but deleted before it had concluded. I had major problems with Amazon, and logging into the UK site via Canada just isn’t right. Tried other VPNs and they were fine so it is a NordVPN problem. Secondly tried to stream a video from Australia to the UK and it was just unusable. Again not a problem for others. Depends what you want a VPN for but for me, the two things I wanted were just a major problem so no thanks.

    Tim 9/10 June 29, 2018

    Better than expected

    I was actually the skeptic one when it came to VPNs, imagined a VPN would somehow create problems on my iPhone and be overall slow. I can say now I was quite wrong and also after a chat I had with customer support, I thought this one deserves positive feedback on my part. To make things short, the main reason I wanted a VPN was to be able to watch my favourite series on Netflix while travelling (and I travel a lot, both thanks to and hate to my job). NordVPN is perfect for that and what I also really liked is that the speeds are just about casual and also that I get to watch ads in different language and manner.
    One tiny annoying thing is that the servers are only divided by country but not the city.

    dave 4/10 May 23, 2018

    Not working in UAE

    I bought NordVPN to overcome the SKYPE blocking here in the UAE. I downloaded the program, and could never get a connection on skype here, and was unable to do anything on the internet at all. NordVPN sent me a rather lengthy support document, and I literally spent a few months trying to get it to work. Finally I gave up, installed a competitor’s VPN and instantly had crystal-clear SKYPE connections. NordVPN may be a great platform elsewhere in the world, but for the UAE, it is totally ineffective.

    Steven 10/10 May 22, 2018

    Happy days

    My primary concern when purchasing VPN was speed. As I heard many VPNs suffer from a speed drops, but being Nordvpn user, I honestly don’t see what people are complaining about? Of course, you might get around 5% decrease in speed, but look at a bright side you can overcome speed throttling which is frustrating when trying to stream something online

    Maria Carmen 9/10 May 22, 2018

    some cons are almost pros

    Thanks for the review Brad. I don’t know about you guys but I see the con of nordvpn company being “hidden” not like a con but like a pro more. It makes me believe in their ability to hide and deal with it (that is what I actually want from a VPN generally).

    Kathy 3/10 May 16, 2018

    Nothing but trouble with internet since I got NordVPN

    Still having trouble with internet since I got NordVPN. I suspect it is incompatible with Comcast as all devices that had Nord installed lost internet at home other than google sites and Yahoo. Today I tried using NordVPN on my iphone in a coffee shop but it would not connect and I lost internet in the process. Went to work and still no internet on my phone. I made sure NordVPN was not trying to connect by quitting the app (it was trying to connect). Still no internet. I completely erased the app from my phone and then got instant internet connection. So just having the app installed seems to be problematic. It must be trying to do something even when you tell it to stop. We have Comcast at work too. We’re looking into solving the problem with Comcast by reconfiguring the networks but it shouldn’t be this hard. Also, because I use the internet all day long in my job, I found my self having to turn off Nord too many times during the day because there were too many sites I could not access.

    Drake Norman 10/10 May 8, 2018

    Best Choice

    I don’t mind spending some money just to add more privacy and protection to my daily life especially when it’s affordable, and you don’t have to pay a fortune.

    After all, many things we do like paying bills, purchasing, sending valuable data Internet is involved. NordVPN is helping me a lot just adding this extra layer of security and privacy.

    I don’t have to be paranoidly connecting to Wi-Fi in a coffee shop. Recommended 🙂

    Tom 10/10 April 30, 2018

    It suits my needs

    Got concerned about surfing privacy after watching some YouTube videos. Since I’m a student and freelancing marketer, have to work at coffee shops with public network few times a week, I found NordVPN useful and feel much more safe in terms of hackers when doing such things like payments via online banking.

    Vinnie Cervantes 10/10 April 13, 2018

    Thanks to their support

    I’m definitely not technically inclined but their support helped me out a lot.

    They were fun and easy to talk to and were able to catch up quickly to my level of knowledge. I’m glad I did not have to waste my time neither with them nor with device set up. Now it works great. Quick connect option is a true savior.

    Jake 5/10 April 9, 2018

    Refund took over 30 days

    The service itself is fine.

    However, cancelling it is a different story. They kept charging me for months when I already cancelled my subscription. Every month I had to contact them again for a refund, which took more than 30 days. The service was really bad and they only solved the problem (they did not finish my cancellation in full in their system) after four months. All I got was a headache, and we are sorry for the inconvenience. Not recommedable if you want to cancel at some point in the future.

    Dennis 10/10 April 5, 2018

    Good choice

    Been searching for VPN that allows access to Netflix and Hulu and found NordVPN. Speed is great for streaming videos and torrenting. Nice choice for people with similar needs.

    Sheldon Fletcher 10/10 April 3, 2018

    Great for iOS

    I’m using NordVPN on my iPhone and iPad while traveling and it works like a charm. Solved my issues with banking and some other websites access that was limited to my state. Speed varies server from server but haven’t experienced a big loss so far. I’m going to test it out on my Mac once I get back home later this month.

    SiriusMac 5/10 April 2, 2018

    Slightly slow servers

    They have great pricing, but unfortunately it’s the case of you get what you pay for.

    I was really not happy with the speed of the service. I have 400mb down and 40mb up. I literally saw a reduction in speed by 70%. I worked with them on this as well thinking they could do something, but nothing.

    I then tried ExpressVPN and the difference was night and day! Perhaps this because they have servers closer to me, but NordVPN while I think it’s a good service, just didn’t cut it for me when it came the speed. I don’t pay for ultra-fast internet only tend up with 30% of the speed because of the VPN. I can live with a 25 to 30% cut which is what I get with ExpressVPN. The review says speeds have improved. My gosh I wouldn’t have wanted to use it before that then. I do like that they give 6 simultaneously connections and as I said the price is great.

    Yvan R 9/10 March 30, 2018

    Excellent

    Easy to install and to operate, fast, nice UI. Strange behavior with Chrome : some adds (in Washington Post for example) seem to be in a Scandinavian language! I don’t mind though. From time to time, I’m connected to a USA server instead of to a Canadian one. Not a practical problem either.

    To summarize: I love NordVPN very much and feel safe.

    Ernie 10/10 March 29, 2018

    Good for work

    It is indeed a wonderful choice especially for business (that’s what got me to buy a VPN in the first place). We have few accounts with them (we needed few separate dedicated IPs) and if any of us run into any issue we can contact their support anytime. Thankfully, we did not have any major issues with this one so it makes me feel secure.

    Spencer 9/10 March 20, 2018

    Great service

    Works like a dream on all my devices and the only problem (with SMTP) was solved in 5 minutes by their live support agent.

    Gabriel P. 10/10 March 13, 2018

    Speedy and easy

    Have been using NordVPN for almost a year now. No problems with installation, customer service available 24/7 if you have any questions. Service connects quickly and is trustworthy.

    No noticeable speed drop when connected to VPN especially after changing my antivirus which I had no clue was affecting the speed so much but it was the very first thing that their support advised me to check when I complained about unstable speeds.

    Tom Peterson 5/10 March 2, 2018

    NordVPN tracks you with 4 separate analytics engines via website

    I read some great reviews about NordVPN and decided to sign up. My confidence dropped immediately after installation, and I’m disappointed to find out the app has 3 tracking platforms built right in.

    The reason I purchased NordVPN service / software was to keep Google from tracking everything I do. I have an android device. I have Google Fiber for Internet access. I have Google email at home and work. I have Google Voice for voicemail, Google contacts and Google messages for texts. I have Google sheets and Google docs.

    Google knows every word I type, everywhere I browse. I don’t want an advertising company creating a database on me to sell me products. I downloaded the app directly from NordVPN to avoid the play store version.

    They also have Google in app billing and Google licensing built in to the app.

    There’s no need to have 3 different analytic engines to gather information run VPN servers. It’s very disappointing it after spending $79 to start getting away from Google.

    Will 10/10 February 20, 2018

    great for additional security

    I won’t lie – I tried it first because I liked the logo, and I liked the name.

    Once I did, I knew that it had more to offer than style though: speeds were great, I was able to unlock lots of streaming content, it offers a system wide and app wide kill switches, it has browser extensions, it had cyber-sec feature… All of which makes me think this is really best VPN out there at the moment.

    David 10/10 February 15, 2018

    Nice for the price

    I subscribed to NordVPN during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, they were doing a $99 for 3 years offer.

    What convinced me was that I was able to try them for free for 3 days (not available any more) and very, very importantly for me they offer SOCKS 5 proxies : almost all their servers, it seems, can be used via SOCKS 5 (use their server selection tool there https://nordvpn.com/servers/#recommended and use port 1080 for SOCKS5). Meaning I can connect several programs, on my computer, to different VPNs at the same time. Or also I can very easily rotate my proxies in Firefox (using FoxyProxy) without messing up my whole connection at the OS level.

    The subscription comes with 6 connection slots, which is nice if you want to use a bunch of different IPs at the same time. Or if you have many devices. Just make sure you don’t over-connect, as it will randomly kick you out then.

    The speed is decent, although not huge (depending on server load, I can get anywhere between 15 Mbps to 40 Mbps up and down, approximately, which is way below my fiber speed). But it’s fine for the price, and as my main use is SOCKS5 per program, it’s not really limiting.

    My only criticism would be the reliability of the connection. It seems that micro-cuts are fairly common, meaning I can’t download big files that take more than +/- a couple of hours to download if the transfer software involved don’t support resuming. It’s not an issue for any other use case, though (like online gaming, browsing, etc)

    My rating would be 8/10 for the small connection drops and the time it takes to connect in OpenVPN mode, but the SOCKS proxies are so important to me and super rare that I boosted the rating a bit.

    Dan 8/10 January 23, 2018

    Fast, reliable, but no Hulu streaming

    The primary purpose for trying out NordVPN was to access video sites not available outside the US, which is one of the selling points of NordVPN. First off, it was very easy to download their PC app as well as ios app and connection were likewise very easy. Once connected, the speeds were comparable to the speed of the originating ISP and the service seemed solid.

    However, despite repeated tries, tweaking the settings, and clearing the cache, I was unable to connect to Hulu or YouTube TV (subscription streaming service) from Mexico. I did a live chat with a NordVPN customer support rep (who told me they do not condone illegal activities such as accessing websites or streaming services from outside the originating country … really???). And even after changing settings and doing everything they suggested, neither Hulu nor YouTube TV would work.

    The pay TV services in the US have understandably come under fire from content providers in the past couple of years, and they have become very good at blocking content to VPNs. If you’re looking for a good VPN simply to provided a layer of security, this would be a good company to go with. But if you’re looking for it to mask your location for streaming services, it will be a real challenge (and I imagine that is true for other VPNs as well).

    Miguel 10/10 December 29, 2017

    Very satisfied with NordVPN

    I’ve been using NordVPN for the last few months, and I am satisfied with their product. I am currently on a 2-year plan, and I paid only $80 for this plan as part of a promotional discount. It has a lot of features that I find to be really convenient like the kill-switch and all the different options for servers.

    Admittedly, I don’t really use some of their services, like the “Double VPN”, or “Onion through VPN”. It is nice to have these options, however, should the need arise. I’m always able to connect to a server, and I’m never disconnected from it. Connecting to NordVPN servers doesn’t slow down my internet connection at all, which is a major plus. Overall, I am very impressed with the price and services that NordVPN offers and would highly recommend it to people looking to purchase a VPN subscription.

    Ariel 10/10 November 8, 2017

    #1 VPN in the market

    If it’s your first VPN you could find some things you don’t like but if you try several different and then come up to NordVPN then you understand there is nothing to complain.

    NordVPN is first in the market. IMHO like the biggest advantages, I could mention tons of servers, Netflix, P2P etc..

    FluffyQuack 4/10 October 29, 2017

    Bad customer treatment

    They offer a short, free trial, but this is hidden in their support pages and you’ll never find it unless you dig for it or someone else links you to it.

    The purchase page repeatedly reminds you of their 30-day money back guarantee, but there are zero mentions how to request one (there are also literally zero mentions of this in the customer account pages). It works by contacting support, and then it’s up to them if they actually want to honor it.

    Aaron 10/10 October 14, 2017

    My experience with NordVPN

    There’s nothing like NordVPN! They keep everything in order and easy to use for anyone who is a beginner or someone that is advanced with technology! I believe everyone should give it a try as it is really useful to me when I want to be secured.

    Great service, when I first got NordVPN I was new to VPN so I contacted them and they gave me all the information I needed to get started. It was not overpriced and it even had a sale, bargain! as well as there is a 30 day limit to if you want to refund if it was not good enough for you, but I believe it will be good for you, whatever you use, from a PC to a mobile device.

    I love this VPN as its easy to use and I don’t have to worry about the tech side of it all. What I hate is, that it seems too simple but that isn’t an issue, that’s just my opinion.

    List4meThin 10/10 September 27, 2017

    Flawless service

    I’m for a few months with them, actually planned to get refunded after vacation, but decided to leave it because it works flawlessly.

    Might be speed issues depends on many factors but I’m getting near the same speed as my ISP provides and it doesn’t matter I’m using US or Europe servers. Haven’t tried Asian or Pacific.

    Chauncey 9/10 September 27, 2017

    Great VPN

    NordVPN is very good service for all online activities, I’m using it for torrenting (their P2p servers are really fast), for accessing streaming services like HBO, US Netflix and of course for hiding my activities from government and ISP.

    So far hadn’t got any problems and it is cheap enough comparing with features you are covered. The most important thing they don’t keep any logs!

    Ankit Sharma 10/10 June 11, 2017

    many servers and options

    I’ve been using NordVPN for a while now to keep my phone connection safe and private. The ping speeds are okay for a VPN service and they offer many options for servers.

    This becomes handy when you need to access sites that have been blocked by some government.

    Matt 10/10 May 11, 2017

    for travelling

    I’m using NordVPN whenever I’m traveling to access Netflix. I think spending few dollars a month for a tool that allows you to get access to certain websites + keep your computer safer is a no-brainer really.

    I’ve been a NordVPN customer for 24 months now. Solid product, nothing to complain about.

    Sariel 10/10 April 27, 2017

    Can't go wrong with NordVPN

    NordVPN is such a great provider for the money they sell their service for. I think they’re really cost-efficient, fast and secure. I have a group of friends, experts in the CyberSec area and they all recommend either PIA or Nord.

    It’s easy for a first timer and keeps your stuff private. I had a hard time reaching them on live chat, but they told me that they’ve had a particularly busy time that day. After that, I haven’t had any problems with them. I recommend