NordVPN review 2024: A top VPN service tested by Digimagg

NordVPN is a prominent player in the VPN industry, known for its extensive advertising across various media platforms. In this detailed review, I'll examine NordVPN, a provider based in Panama, to assess whether it truly meets the expectations of being the best VPN service in 2024.

NordVPN boasts a wide network of over 5,000 servers across approximately 83 countries, offering strong global coverage. With its availability on nearly all devices, users can easily install NordVPN to enhance their online security. Use the navigation menu to quickly jump to specific topics of interest, or keep scrolling for a comprehensive review, starting with a concise 2-minute summary below.

A strong contender for the top VPN spot for a while, NordVPN has now claimed the #1 position in our list, thanks to its competitively priced all-in-one security suite and impressive performance.

The pricing for NordVPN often changes, but currently, the best deal is $3.99 per month for a 2-year plan. A monthly plan costs $12.99, which is on the higher end of the price spectrum. NordVPN accepts various payment methods, including PayPal, credit cards, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies.

NordVPN uses AES-256 encryption and offers additional features like Onion over VPN and Double VPN. Its obfuscated servers perform well in countries with VPN restrictions, such as China. The Windows app includes two kill switches (app and system) for added security in case of connection drops, and reliable DNS leak protection. However, split tunneling is only available on Windows and Android.

Recent independent audits have confirmed NordVPN's no-logs policy, which is reassuring for those prioritizing security. While NordVPN has undergone several audits, it is slightly behind its closest competitor, ExpressVPN, in the number of audits conducted.

NordVPN supports torrenting on many servers, and its fast connection speeds with the NordLynx protocol are great for P2P sharing and gaming. Additionally, NordVPN can unblock almost any streaming service, making it a top choice for accessing geo-blocked content.

NordVPN's desktop apps are intuitive, robust, and user-friendly. The new 'raise ticket' feature is particularly helpful. While the map-based interface works well on larger screens, it's less effective on handheld devices. Despite offering good device support, NordVPN limits you to six simultaneous connections, which is one of the industry's least generous allowances.

One of Nord's exciting new features is Meshnet, which allows up to 60 connected devices to join a secure network. This feature opens up possibilities like accessing your home PC remotely or sharing work files. Although not flawless yet, Meshnet represents one of this year's most significant VPN innovations.

NordVPN's customer support is excellent, with a 24/7 team and a knowledge base full of helpful articles, although finding the right article can be challenging. The in-app ticket system is a positive addition.

Overall, NordVPN is one of the best services available, excelling in every aspect. Its value has increased with the recent upgrade of device allowance from 6 to 10 connections with a single subscription.

NordVPN pricing and payment options

Price is a crucial factor for many users, making it a logical starting point.

NordVPN's 1-month plan is the most expensive, starting at $12.99, but drops to $4.99 per month for a year-long commitment. Currently, the 2-year plan is the most cost-effective at $3.99 per month. While NordVPN offers various deals throughout the year, the longest plan consistently offers the best value.

For those seeking value, I recommend opting for the longest plan. Despite initial hesitation, NordVPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the service without risk.

However, it's important to note that NordVPN renews at $8.29 per month (over $200 in total) after the initial term, which is more expensive than ExpressVPN, often considered the priciest option.

If you plan to continue using NordVPN after your initial term, consider canceling your plan and re-subscribing to take advantage of any available offers at that time.

NordVPN is not considered a budget-friendly option, as it is significantly more expensive than competitors like Surfshark ($2.30/m) and Private Internet Access ($2.19/m).

Payment options include credit card, prepaid card, PayPal, UnionPay, AmazonPay, GooglePay, and iTunes. Additionally, NordVPN accepts crypto payments through CoinPayments, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, Ethereum, and others.

NordVPN has recently introduced tiered plans, offering different levels of service. The Plus plan includes NordPass and a data breach scanner, increasing the 2-year price to $3.99/mo. The Complete plan adds a 1TB NordLocker plan, raising the cost to $5.19/mo. These plans offer added value for users who require these extras, but for most users, the Standard plan should suffice.

Is there a free trial for NordVPN?

NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial on Android and iOS. However, for a more comprehensive test of the service, it's advisable to sign up for a paid plan and take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied. This way, you can try the service risk-free and have a full month to decide if it meets your needs.

How secure is NordVPN? 

NordVPN is renowned for its strong emphasis on privacy and security. It employs AES-256-GCM encryption, along with 4096-bit Diffie-Hellman keys, which are considered virtually impenetrable. Additionally, it uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, ensuring that new keys are generated with each login and changed regularly during a session. This minimizes the risk of any potential compromise, limiting the exposure to an hour at most.

Moreover, NordVPN offers additional features like Onion over VPN, which directs your connection through the Tor network for enhanced privacy (even though this can reduce speed), and Double VPN, which passes your traffic through two servers for added security. These options are particularly appealing to experienced users seeking maximum privacy, setting Nord apart from ExpressVPN, which I believe is slightly better suited for most users.

For users in countries where VPN usage is restricted, NordVPN's obfuscated servers can be invaluable. These servers disguise the fact that you're using a VPN, allowing users to stay connected in countries with strict VPN regulations. This feature makes NordVPN one of the top choices for VPN users in China.

How secure is NordVPN?

NordVPN offers strong security features for its users. All its apps include a kill switch, which disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops (essential for maximum security), as well as another feature that closes specific programs in the same scenario. Both are particularly beneficial for those using VPNs for torrenting, as I'll discuss further later.

The VPN effectively prevents DNS and WebRTC leaks, as confirmed by my tests on DNS Leak Test, IPLeak, and other similar services, all showing positive results.

However, it's worth noting NordVPN's 2018 server hack, which remains a stain on its record. This incident, attributed to a 'third-party data center,' involved a single Finnish NordVPN server being compromised. While there is no data on the impact of the breach, it was traced back to a compromised account at the data center, which was subsequently terminated. More details about the NordVPN hack can be found here.

After the incident, NordVPN faced criticism for not disclosing the breach until about six months later. However, the company took corrective action, upgrading every server to run on RAM only, which is more secure.

Fast forward to 2024, and this incident seems like a distant memory. NordVPN has not experienced a similar event since and has undergone numerous infrastructure and zero-logging audits, reassuring users of its commitment to security. While the initial breach was concerning, it appears to have driven NordVPN to become one of the most secure VPN services available.

Additionally, NordVPN's Android VPN app recently received certification from the ioXt Alliance, indicating that its low-level features have undergone thorough testing and are secure.

Is NordVPN logging your data?

NordVPN, like many top VPN providers, explicitly states that it does not retain users' activity logs. According to their policy, they do not monitor, record, log, store, or share internet activity, connection timestamps, bandwidth usage, traffic logs, IP addresses, or browsing data. They also claim not to collect session logs, which some VPNs do despite claiming to have a "no-logging" policy.

This assertion is supported by an audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCooper, which thoroughly examined NordVPN's servers and practices in comparison to its stated policies. While I can't provide details of the audit here, it is available online for NordVPN users, and it concluded that there were "no signs that (NordVPN) had in any way violated (its) no-logs promise."

How fast is NordVPN? 

While prioritizing security is crucial, most users also seek excellent connection speeds. I personally tested NordVPN on my 1Gbps internet connection and gathered the results. Using various speed testing websites and services, I conducted tests in both morning and evening to ensure a comprehensive assessment.

While most readers may not have access to an uncontested gigabit connection, any VPN that consistently performs above your maximum speed should suffice. Nonetheless, higher speeds also suggest a robust server network with uncrowded servers and efficient applications that do not add unnecessary overhead.

When using OpenVPN in the UK, NordVPN achieved reasonable speeds of 110Mbps, although this was slower compared to Mullvad, Surfshark, Windscribe, and several others. However, upon switching to NordLynx, the protocol now default for NordVPN, speeds soared to around 950Mbps or more.

This result essentially reached the maximum speed of my testing connection, and I believe that with a 10Gbps line, NordVPN could surpass this speed. However, it's not the only provider capable of achieving such speeds. Nord's counterpart Surfshark, Windscribe, Mullvad, ProtonVPN, and even Norton VPN have also hit this ceiling.

In reality, these benchmarks can vary depending on server load, time of day, and your location in the world. I consider speeds exceeding 500Mbps to be a positive indicator when evaluating VPNs, and NordVPN stands out as a seriously fast VPN that outpaces most of the competition.

How effective is NordVPN for streaming?

Streaming performance is becoming more crucial, and NordVPN has clearly focused on providing a reliable service for its users. While NordVPN doesn't make bold claims about unblocking specific services, I view this as a positive in terms of transparency. If the service experiences any issues, it's not overpromising on what its servers can deliver.

A few years ago, most VPNs struggled with Netflix's updated blocking technology. However, in my recent tests, NordVPN emerged as the top performer in unblocking Netflix. With NordVPN, you can access libraries from the UK, US, Canada, Japan, Australia, and likely more.

NordVPN also excelled in unblocking BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and niche sites like 9Now, 10 Play, and All4. This makes NordVPN a comprehensive choice for streaming.

How effective is NordVPN for terrenting? 

NordVPN promotes itself as the top choice for P2P file sharing on its website. While this claim should be taken with caution, it is reassuring that the service openly advertises its support for torrenting, even though it's no longer a prominent feature on the homepage.

With NordVPN, you gain access to a network of 'hundreds' of torrenting-friendly servers worldwide. While this network may not be as extensive as VPNs that enable P2P on all servers, such as ExpressVPN, it still offers a good selection.

One common issue with VPNs that do not fully support P2P traffic is that when you connect to a server not optimized for torrenting and then launch your torrent client, it may not function properly. NordVPN addresses this problem by automatically redirecting you to a suitable server when it detects P2P traffic, ensuring a seamless experience. In my experience, this feature has worked flawlessly.

Overall, with NordVPN's strong no-logging policy, good speeds, and additional features like Double VPN and Onion over VPN, along with reliable DNS protection, it stands as a solid choice for torrenting. However, if your main reason for using a VPN is for secure torrenting, there are other VPN services specialized for this purpose that may be more suitable.

How simple is it to set up NordVPN? 

Ease of use is a critical factor in ensuring that people actually use their VPN regularly, and it all begins with installation on various devices.

Fortunately, installing NordVPN is relatively straightforward on most operating systems. There are numerous tutorials and guides available, including my own walkthrough on how to download NordVPN, which can be helpful if you want detailed installation instructions for the apps.

In addition to guides for mainstream operating systems, there are also detailed instructions for setting up more specialized use cases, such as configuring NordVPN as a SOCKS 5 proxy. You'll also find information on setting it up with various browsers, Raspberry Pi, routers, Windows Phone, and more.

How effective is NordVPN's windows application?

NordVPN recently introduced a significant update to its Windows client, keeping the familiar map interface but removing the ability to resize the window. You can navigate the map by zooming with your scroll wheel and panning by clicking and dragging. The map dynamically zooms to your selected location, grouping server locations as you zoom out. If you prefer, you can explore the text list of servers, which is also searchable in-app. Advanced features like Meshnet, which allows connecting up to 60 Nord users into one secure network, are available here.

For a simpler experience, you can use the Quick Connect button to connect to a fast server in your country. However, the update doesn't seem to fully address all issues. For example, the inability to resize the window could be inconvenient, and the removal of the favorites system in favor of a 'Recents' list might not be welcomed by all users.

The introduction of an in-app ticket system is a notable improvement, allowing users to explain problems, add screenshots, and send diagnostic info, making it one of the best in-app support systems among VPNs. The System Tray icon allows for easy connection to recent servers without opening the app.

Stability is excellent, which is crucial. Connections are fast, switching servers is quick and easy, and the desktop app includes a system tray/menu bar icon for quick access to recent servers. Switching protocols, activating kill switches, and using other features is straightforward in the settings dialog. Overall, despite some minor interface flaws, the NordVPN desktop app is attractive, stable, and highly functional, making it a great choice as a Windows 10 VPN.

How effective is NordVPN's Mac application?

At the time of this evaluation, NordVPN's Mac VPN application has not received the same level of updates as the Windows client. This results in a somewhat disjointed experience for users who switch between the two platforms. While the Mac app includes features like Favorites and the ability to select individual servers, some advanced features are located in different places compared to the Windows version.

However, if you primarily use a Mac, this difference may not be significant as you will become accustomed to how the Mac app functions.

In terms of core functionality, the Mac client offers similar features, including the IKEv2 protocol and Presets. However, it does not offer split tunneling, which could be disappointing for users interested in torrenting.

The Presets feature is interesting and useful for many users. It allows you to configure a server and protocol for quick access. This means you can set up a Preset for tasks like torrenting or accessing US Netflix, making it easy to activate them without any additional setup.

While the Favorites feature is available, it's not user-friendly. You can only choose a single server, not an entire server location. This means you can't favorite a whole location like London, just one specific server within that location. If that server goes down or is removed, your Favorites setting for that server is lost.

Despite this, Nord's Mac app is robust and offers more features than many other VPNs for Mac users. Extras like ad and tracker blocking, as well as auto-connect on untrusted Wi-Fi, add value to the service.

While there are areas that could be improved, such as adding split tunneling and enhancing the Favorites system, overall NordVPN is an excellent choice for Mac users.

How good are NordVPN's mobile apps? 

The NordVPN Android app is unique among NordVPN's mobile apps for its inclusion of split tunneling, custom DNS server setup, and protection against malicious pop-ups.

In contrast, the iOS app lacks these features due to Apple's restrictions but remains a robust VPN service for iPhone users, offering Siri support, dark mode, and a range of protocols that should meet most users' needs.

NordVPN's mobile apps are quite useful, featuring a Dark Web Monitoring feature that alerts you if your information appears in dark web leaks. This is a feature I find valuable and wish was available on the desktop version. Overall, NordVPN's mobile apps are solid, providing convenient protection while on the go, although they're not flawless.

How good is NordVPN's browser extension? 

NordVPN’s browser extensions for Edge, Firefox, and Chrome bring many NordVPN features directly to your browser's address bar. However, it's important to note that it only encrypts your browser traffic, while system and app traffic still use your regular internet connection. The extension allows you to quickly change your location and, if you enable the settings, block WebRTC leaks, ads, and malware with Threat Protection.

It's worth mentioning that NordVPN has addressed some of its limitations. For instance, you can now select your preferred server from the full location list instead of just a few selected countries.

Additionally, the extension has introduced new features aimed at businesses, such as the ability to import and export settings. This means you can create your ideal settings and a list of split tunneling domains, export them, and share them with your team so everyone can use the same configuration quickly.

Overall, I believe that after its revamp, NordVPN's browser extension offers more than many other VPN providers' extensions.

What customer support does NordVPN Offer?

If you encounter any issues or need assistance, NordVPN offers several support options. The knowledgebase is a comprehensive resource with articles on various topics, although its layout can be confusing. 

For more immediate help, the 24/7 live chat is available. The chatbox functions as a chatbot for finding information, but you can also chat with a real person. In my experience, the operators have been friendly and quick to resolve any issues.

NordVPN is also one of the few providers offering in-app support, which is convenient for quick fixes without visiting the website. These user-friendly features enhance the overall experience.

Email support is also an option, although responses may take longer.

NordVPN Review: Conclusion

In summary, NordVPN stands out as the top VPN service available today. It offers speed, robust apps with valuable extra features, and the ability to unblock nearly every streaming service, all at a reasonable price for longer subscriptions.

While the user-friendliness of the apps could be improved slightly, NordVPN excels in nearly every aspect, making it a highly recommended choice for those seeking a comprehensive VPN solution.