What We Like
- Independently audited “no-logs” policy: Not only does NordVPN promise not to log any sensitive VPN data, but it has also had its privacy policy inspected by a qualified firm to verify its truthfulness.
- Antivirus-like security features: On top of blocking ads and third-party trackers, NordVPN’s “Threat Protection Pro” also blocks fraudulent sites and downloads containing malware.
- Wide server reach: Right now, NordVPN has physical and virtual servers in 118 countries, giving it the widest reach among all VPNs we’ve tested.
What We Don’t Like
- Device limit: While you can download the NordVPN app for free on any number of devices, you can only connect up to 10 devices at a time, making it less than ideal for larger households.
- Limited double VPN servers: NordVPN has double VPN support, but the locations are limited to a few predefined server pairs.
- Might not work in restrictive countries: NordVPN told us that there’s no way to guarantee their service would be able to consistently bypass China’s VPN blocks.
Bottom Line
We tested NordVPN and found that it’s great for privacy thanks to its independently audited “no-logs” policy and Panama location. It’s also great for digital security, with features like “Threat Protection Pro” that blocks ads, third-party trackers, and downloads containing malware. While it’s not the most affordable option, those features make NordVPN a worthwhile addition to your digital safety tool belt.
NordVPN might be one of the most popular VPNs, according to our VPN statistics, but is it any good? There’s a lot of stiff competition, and NordVPN is far from perfect. For example, NordVPN limits the number of simultaneous connections and also might not work in restrictive countries.
As our VPN guide explains, there are many factors to consider when evaluating a VPN. We always consider things like the server network, speeds, encryption protocols, and more.
After our latest assessment, we can confidently say that NordVPN is one of the best VPN services of 2025. It has a huge server network (118 countries), it provides high-end privacy and security, and it’s extremely user-friendly.
How Much Does NordVPN Cost?
The cost of a NordVPN subscription varies since there are different plan tiers and term lengths. However, keep in mind that whichever subscription you choose, you get access to all its VPN servers, encryption and VPN protocols, and VPN apps. Here’s exactly what you’re getting:
| Encryption | 256-bit AES or ChaCha 20 |
|---|---|
| VPN protocol | OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx), NordWhisper |
| Servers | 7,000+ in 118 countries |
| Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, and web browser extensions |
NordVPN Subscription Packages
The different subscription tiers will decide which add-on security tools you’ll get access to in addition to NordVPN. There are four packages: “Basic,” “Plus,” “Complete,” and “Prime.”
The “Basic” plan includes just the VPN. The rest offer additional tools and services, from a password manager to a bare-bones identity theft protection service with coverage up to $1 million (similar to the best identity protection services). We made a table to make it easier for you to decide:
| Basic | Plus | Complete | Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN (Virtual Private Network) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Threat Protection Pro | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NordPass (password manager) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NordLocker (encrypted cloud storage) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| NordProtect (identity theft protection) | No | No | No | Yes |
Buying Advice: We recommend the “Plus” plan because of “Threat Protection Pro,” which blocks ads, shady sites, and malicious downloads. The “Basic” plan with “Threat Protection” only blocks malicious and phishing domains, and some ads.
NordVPN Subscription Pricing
The price for NordVPN subscriptions ranges from $3.39 to $17.99 per month, depending on the package tier and plan length. As is typical, the longer the VPN subscription and the lower the tier, the better the rate: That $3.39 per month rate is for the two-year NordVPN “Basic” plan.
| Subscription options | Basic | Plus | Complete | Prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $12.99 | $13.99 | $14.99 | $17.99 |
| 1 year | $59.88 ($4.99 per month average) | $71.88 ($5.99 per month average) | $83.88 ($6.99 per month average) | $107.88 ($8.99 per month average) |
| 2 years (+3 extra free months) | $81.36 ($3.39 per month average) | $105.36 ($4.39 per month average) | $129.36 ($5.39 per month average) | $177.36 ($7.39 per month average) |
We recommend signing up for a two-year subscription to enjoy the reduced rate. What’s more, the longest plan often includes free months.
NordVPN also has a risk-free, 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s actually one of the best VPN free trials. You’ll pay the full subscription price upfront, but if you decide you don’t want it, you have the first 30 days to cancel and get your money back. If you do decide to keep it, keep in mind NordVPN is also one of our favorite long-term VPNs.
However, NordVPN isn’t the cheapest VPN. Surfshark plans start at $1.99 per month, and Private Internet Access subscriptions cost just $2.19 per month over two years. But NordVPN remains one of the most affordable VPNs when you consider its features compared to the competition.
NordVPN’s Features
When we tested NordVPN, we categorized its features into privacy, security, and server network features.
- Privacy features: These are features that relate to your online privacy, from how NordVPN changes your IP address to the company’s privacy policy and data collection.
- Security features: These are features that protect you from various online threats, including malware and malicious domains. We also cover encryption and other features that protect your online traffic.
- Server network features: These are features related to NordVPN’s servers, particularly how well they can access streaming sites and provide users a safe torrenting experience.
Other Options: Surfshark is a great NordVPN alternative. Its ad-blocking tool doesn’t protect against malware, but it has full-fledged antivirus software built into its VPN app. Give our Surfshark antivirus review a read.
NordVPN Privacy Features
Highlights:
- Independently audited privacy policy
- Headquartered outside of 5/9/14 Eyes jurisdiction
- Kill switch
- Double VPN
- Onion Over VPN
NordVPN is one of the best no-logs VPNs in 2025. We thoroughly reviewed its privacy policy, and can confirm that it doesn’t log any user data. We also found that NordVPN has undergone audits by independent third parties, which confirm that the VPN follows its policy.
FYI: A “no-logs” policy doesn’t mean a VPN company won’t log any data at all. It could log data that doesn’t compromise your privacy, like the type of device and operating system you use, how much bandwidth you use, and when you connect to the VPN. The VPN could use this data to improve its services.
NordVPN’s headquarters are in Panama, a country that isn’t part of data-sharing alliances.1 Panama is also particularly robust when it comes to data privacy laws.2 So, you don’t need to worry about the local authorities requesting user data from NordVPN (not that it’d have any to hand over).
FYI: A “no-logs” policy doesn’t mean a VPN doesn’t log anything. It could log data that doesn’t compromise your privacy, like your device type, bandwidth usage, and connection timestamps. The VPN could use this data to improve its services.
NordVPN also has several other built-in privacy features, which we tested:
Kill Switch
A VPN hides your real IP address, but if your connection suddenly drops, a feature known as a kill switch will disconnect you to prevent your real IP from leaking. We believe it’s a must-have feature for every VPN.
During our testing, we used the VPN to change our Netflix region. When the video suddenly buffered and stopped, Netflix said there was a network error. It turned out our NordVPN connection had dropped. Instead of Netflix suddenly seeing we were based in the U.S., our NordVPN app activated the kill switch and shut down the entire connection.
You can choose how and when NordVPN’s kill switch activates. We chose the default option, which blocks all traffic only when the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. You can also enable an “aggressive” kill switch that activates even when you disconnect the VPN manually. You can even set select apps to shut down when the kill switch activates.
Expert Insight: We think that the aggressive and app-level kill switch options are overkill for regular internet users. You should really only tweak them if you want absolute privacy.
Double VPN
This feature sends data via two VPN servers. It protects your traffic with two layers of encryption and hides your IP address behind two VPN IPs.
All of that makes double VPN connections slower than a normal VPN connection — by as much as 80% in our experience. That’s why we don’t use it that much; we only use it when we want to be sure about our anonymity.
NordVPN’s double VPN feature is also not our favorite because it limits users to only 10 server locations. We found Surfshark’s “Dynamic MultiHop” a much better way to deliver a double VPN. It let us select the location of the first and second servers from its entire pool of 100 countries, which allows for full customizability.
Onion Over VPN
Like all top VPNs, NordVPN’s servers support dark web traffic. This means you can first connect to NordVPN before you use the Tor browser to access the dark web. This way, if the Tor network experiences any IP leaks, your real IP address won’t be exposed — only NordVPN’s IP will be leaked.
NordVPN also has Onion Over VPN servers in Switzerland and the Netherlands. These servers connect you to the VPN first and then send your data through the Tor network. This provides enhanced privacy. Plus, it’s very convenient, since you can access dark web sites in regular browsers (like Chrome or Firefox), eliminating the need for the Tor browser.
In A Nutshell: The Onion network,3 is an open-source anonymity project. It works similar to a VPN, but it sends traffic through a network of servers around the globe run by volunteers instead of VPN servers.
Security Features
Highlights:
- VPN and encryption protocols
- “Threat Protection Pro”
- Obfuscation
- Post-quantum encryption
- Identity protection
All VPNs encrypt traffic that they route through their servers, so even if it’s intercepted, your online activity and data is safe. But that’s just the bare minimum. Let’s take a closer look at how NordVPN’s features offer online security.
VPN and Encryption Protocols
A VPN protocol is a set of detailed instructions that tells the VPN software how to route traffic from your device to the server. This includes how to encrypt data, which network ports to use, and how to chop up blocks of data into data packets. We won’t get into the specifics, but we made a VPN protocol guide that explains everything you need to know.
NordVPN lets you choose between OpenVPN, NordLynx (based on WireGuard), and the new NordWhisper protocol.
- OpenVPN: We think it provides excellent security, as it uses the gold standard 256-bit AES. However, it’s not the fastest (5 to 10 percent slower than NordLynx in our tests) and it appears to use more resources than NordLynx. The iPhone we use for testing tends to heat up faster when using OpenVPN, so we recommend using it on desktops and laptops.
- NordLynx: NordVPN created this protocol based on WireGuard, which is a very secure and fast protocol. While it can’t use 256-bit AES, it uses the similarly secure ChaCha20 cipher. Plus, it’s the only protocol offered by NordVPN that supports post-quantum encryption (more on this later).
- NordWhisper: NordVPN also built this protocol with the primary purpose of securing data in restrictive local network environments, such as office and school networks. We are yet to test it extensively because it’s new, but we asked our IT team to monitor and block VPNs on our office network. NordWhisper was able to get through.
By default, NordVPN’s app automatically chooses the best VPN protocol for your connection. We recommend leaving this setting unchanged unless you want to achieve something specific (such as bypassing VPN blocks on your local network using NordWhisper).
FYI: Most VPNs use the same VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec, etc.), but NordVPN isn’t the only one building proprietary options. When we tested Hotspot Shield, we got to experience its speedy “Catapult Hydra” protocol.
Threat Protection Pro
NordVPN offers “Threat Protection” with any subscription, and “Threat Protection Pro” for “Plus,” “Complete,” and “Prime” users.
- Threat Protection: This feature blocks ad trackers and malicious and phishing domains. It also offers ad-blocking, but it’s overall limited. For example, in our tests, it blocked only around 60% of ads on the websites we accessed — and it didn’t remove ad banners.
- Threat Protection Pro: In addition to blocking ads and trackers, this feature also blocks you from accessing fraudulent websites (such as phishing sites) and blocks downloads containing malware. We tested this by downloading the EICAR malware test file,4 and, “Threat Protection Pro” denied it.
We especially like that “Threat Protection Pro” runs even if you’re not connected to the VPN. On Windows, it also includes a vulnerability scanner that checks your computer for risky or outdated apps, so you can update or remove them.
Overall, “Threat Protection Pro” isn’t as robust as antivirus software, but it’s still an excellent security tool — and it’s actually the reason we have NordVPN on our list of the best antivirus/VPN bundles.
Disclaimer: If you’re already using antivirus software, ideally from our list of the best antivirus services, you can turn off NordVPN’s “Threat Protection Pro.”
Obfuscation
Obfuscation camouflages VPN traffic to make it look like normal internet traffic. This helps you bypass VPN traffic blocks on restrictive networks (like at work or school). It can also help bypass VPN blocks in countries with strong internet censorship — like China or Russia, for example. But keep in mind, NordVPN does not guarantee its service will work in those countries.
NordVPN provides obfuscation via obfuscated servers in 16 countries (the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Japan, Poland, Spain, etc.). The NordWhisper protocol also provides obfuscation and works on all servers, though it’s noticeably slower. NordVPN’s support reps recommend alternating between obfuscated servers and NordWhisper to see which solution provides the best experience.
FYI: We looked into how NordVPN’s obfuscation works and learned that to camouflage VPN traffic, it hides encrypted data packets using SSL/SSH encryption.
Post-Quantum Cryptography
NordVPN supports post-quantum cryptography (PQC) via its NordLynx protocol. The current encryption standards (256-bit AES and ChaCha20) are practically unbreakable even with today’s supercomputers, but they could be threatened once quantum computers are developed.
NordVPN developed a type of PQC that could protect users — especially businesses — if or when that happens. We don’t think it’s necessary to use the feature now, but it shows NordVPN is looking ahead and future-proofing its products.
For Business: VPNs protect businesses from various cyber threats. Even without PQC, NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for businesses, especially due to its other business-focused tools like NordStellar threat exposure management and NordLayer network security.
Identity Protection
NordVPN’s “Prime” subscription provides protection against identity theft. It has dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, and identity insurance and restoration. If you fall victim to identity theft, your losses are covered for up to $1 million. The same is true if you fall victim to cyber extortion (e.g., ransomware), but the coverage for that is only up to $100,000.
We don’t absolutely recommend you upgrade to the “Prime” plan, but those are nice protections to consider.
Market Trends: VPNs are great at preventing identity theft, which is why most identity protection services (like Aura) include a VPN. However, the included VPNs are often subpar compared to top brands like NordVPN.
Server Features
Highlights:
- 7,200 servers in 118 countries and counting
- RAM-based servers
- Streaming
- Torrenting support
- Meshnet
- Dedicated IPs
NordVPN has a large network of over 7,200 servers and an impressive global reach — 118 countries. Its current server network is one of the biggest among the VPNs we’ve tested. Here’s a quick comparison between our top five VPNs.
| Top 5 Highest Rated VPNs of 2025 | No. of Servers | Server Locations (countries) |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 7,200+ | 118 |
| Surfshark | 3,200+ | 100 |
| Private Internet Access | Unknown | 91 |
| Hotspot Shield | 1,800+ | 80 |
| Norton Secure VPN | 1,500+ | 31 |
Such a huge server network means that wherever in the world you might find yourself, there’s a good chance you’ll find a server nearby. And the closer you are to a server, the faster the speed is.
There are some exemptions to that. NordVPN’s network consists of both physically located and virtually located servers. A physical server is literally where it says it is — a server that gives you a U.S. IP address is really in the U.S.
Virtual servers, on the other hand, are located elsewhere. For instance, NordVPN’s Indian servers are actually in Singapore because of India’s controversial CERT-In law.
The More You Know: India’s CERT-In law requires VPN servers set up in the country to keep users’ logs, which violates the “no-logs” policies of VPNs. That’s why most VPNs have removed their servers in India.
RAM-Based Servers
NordVPN’s servers also run on random access memory (RAM). We noticed a lot of the top VPNs have switched to RAM-based servers from servers that use hard disk drives (HDD) to store data. Take a look at our ExpressVPN review. It’s another VPN that uses RAM-based servers, which it calls “TrustedServer.”
There’s a good reason for this shift. RAM is ideal for server data storage because it uses volatile memory, meaning once the server is shut off or cycled, it loses all stored data. In contrast, HDDs have data remanence — residual data can remain recoverable even after you delete a file.
That poses a security and privacy risk, especially for VPN servers that might hold sensitive data (e.g., encryption keys). Simply put, VPNs using RAM-based servers are more secure.
Streaming
NordVPN is one of our favorite streaming VPNs. It can access streaming services with excellent reliability. We’ve used the VPN to watch Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Max, and ESPN+. We’ve even used it while traveling abroad to watch YouTube TV, which is only available in the U.S.
We especially like that all NordVPN servers we tested can access streaming sites. That’s really convenient and offers more streaming options since NordVPN has servers in 118 countries. Some VPNs, like Private Internet Access, only support streaming through specialty servers.
Torrenting and P2P
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting in 2025. It allows P2P traffic on nearly all server locations, except for four countries: North Macedonia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania. Most users can torrent on nearby servers to maintain fast speeds while preventing ISP bandwidth throttling.
We also appreciate that NordVPN supports SOCKS5 proxy. This lets you configure your P2P app to use NordVPN’s SOCKS5 server to download all torrents. It hides your IP but doesn’t encrypt your traffic, so you’ll have much faster speeds. In our tests, our download speeds were 60% faster with NordVPN’s SOCKS5 proxy support.
We’re happy to see the SOCKS5 proxy support, as not many top VPNs have this. The only other really good VPNs we saw with SOCKS5 proxy support are Private Internet Access and IPVanish.
Extra Features
There are a couple of other server features we want to mention, namely “Meshnet” and dedicated IPs.
“Meshnet” is a free feature you can use without signing up for a subscription. It creates a virtual local area network for your devices, but they don’t need to be connected to the same router to join the network.
That means you can securely share files (we use “Meshnet” for this in the office), share screens, or even play LAN games from anywhere. It is part of why NordVPN made our list of the best gaming VPNs, especially for those who prefer old-school LAN gaming.
NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses as a paid add-on. This gives you an IP address only you can access, as opposed to sharing IP addresses with other users. NordVPN charges an additional $4.19 per month on top of your monthly subscription plan for this service. While we didn’t test this service, buying this add-on might be worth it if you need to securely access sites that block shared VPN IPs, like bank websites.
Speed Tests
We regularly run VPN speed tests, and the results consistently show NordVPN as one of the fastest VPNs around. For this review, we ran additional tests while using NordVPN for various online activities.
Overall, we were satisfied with the speeds NordVPN delivered. As expected, there were some slowdowns when connecting to very distant servers. We tested NordVPN’s speed by running side-by-side comparisons with and without the VPN, and these were the results.
| NordVPN Speed Test Results | Upload Speed | Download Speed | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed before using NordVPN | 95 Mbps | 95 Mbps | 3 ms |
| Avg. speed with NordVPN connected | 91 Mbps | 89 Mbps | 78 ms |
| Difference | ~4% drop | ~6% drop | ~2,500% increase |
We never experienced noticeable buffering while watching HD and 4K videos. Also, we held a few Zoom calls while connected to NordVPN, and our video calls never dropped or froze. We also didn’t experience game-breaking lag while playing online games. And every website we browsed loaded instantly.
Pro Tip: If you don’t need VPN encryption for a specific task, use NordVPN’s split tunneling tool. Select the app you want to whitelist, and keep your entire device except that app connected to the VPN.
IP Leak Tests
After testing NordVPN’s speed, we checked for DNS and WebRTC leaks. DNS leaks can happen if the VPN doesn’t use its own DNS server, so you use your ISP’s DNS server instead. In that case, your browsing is visible to your ISP — even if you’re using a VPN.
The good news is that NordVPN has private DNS servers — a must for its “Threat Protection Pro” ad-blocking feature. We tested it anyway and found that our DNS traffic address stayed private with NordVPN.
The other type of leak, called WebRTC leak, results from the WebRTC feature that almost all browsers have. Malicious actors can exploit the feature to find out the real IP address of someone connected to a VPN. So, we ran our tests and found that NordVPN connections aren’t vulnerable to WebRTC leaks either.
NordVPN Apps – Our User Experience
Highlights:
- Apps for desktop, mobile, and smart TVs
- Quick app installation
- Intuitive app design
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections
- Supports manual setup on over 20 router models and firmware
NordVPN has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Google TV, and Apple TV. The VPN also allows 10 simultaneous connections. This is decent, though there are other top VPNs that allow unlimited connections (like Surfshark and Private Internet Access).
You can also set up NordVPN on a router, so you can connect devices that don’t support VPN apps. We gave this a go when we tried to set up a VPN for our PlayStation.
Pro Tip: Setting up a VPN on your router can be difficult. The alternative is getting a router with a VPN pre-installed on it. If you’re interested, consider signing up for ExpressVPN since it has its own router.
We found NordVPN’s apps beginner-friendly but with plenty of customizations for those who want to dial in their VPN experience. Setting up each VPN app took less than five minutes, and fresh off installation, it connected us to the fastest nearby server. We noticed that it also auto-connects every time you launch the app, which is very convenient.
We also like how the app has separate tabs for its main features, such as “Threat Protection Pro,” “Meshnet,” and “Dark Web Monitor.” We didn’t have to dig deep into the settings to customize how we like those features to run — that’s what we mean when we say it’s beginner-friendly but customizable. When we tested Private Internet Access, we found it customizable, too, but the settings for some features were harder to locate.
