NordVPN Review

NordVPN Review

In this day and age, the internet has grown to become one of the most used platforms worldwide. There are millions upon millions of people online, all engaging in several activities.

What’s even better is that there are no signs that this is going to stop. Indications are that the online world is going to grow even more in the coming areas.

But while this is all good, several issues plague the online world. The downside of having so many people join and actively use the internet is that malicious people have identified it as a goldmine.

Over the years there have arisen so many cybersecurity threats. We are no longer safe online and using the internet unprotected can put you at great risk. For this reason, a VPN is a necessity.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) protects you whenever you are online. It works by routing all of your internet traffic from your device to the VPN servers through an encrypted tunnel.

This means that absolutely no one can sneak a peek at your private data. It protects you from malicious networks as well as from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who may be monitoring your web traffic.

There are lots of VPN service providers to choose from. Each has its unique features, capabilities, and performance. But not all of them can be trusted to provide the best service.

One of the most popular and widely used VPN’s is NordVPN. We are going to review it in this article. So sit tight, relax, and read on to find out more.

What is NordVPN?

You might not be big on VPNs or geek out over them but chances are that at some point in time, you’ve probably come across NordVPN. It is one of the most popular and trusted VPN services out there.

Ever since it was founded in 2012, it has been providing users with amazing online security solutions.

NordVPN has built quite the name for itself. One of the most distinguishing factors that make it stand out from all other VPNs is its credibility. Unlike most VPNs out there which are untrustworthy, NordVPN has been proven to be a genuinely credible VPN service.

It is extremely reliable and has some of the best features and capabilities that you could ever hope for. Because of this most people prefer to use this VPN service.

It has excellent security features and protocols to ensure the safety of users’ data. It has excellent encryption protocols that are uncrackable and impossible to bypass. Even the very best hackers cannot get through NordVPN’s many security protocols.

It also has a no-logs policy. While most VPNs claim to have this, NordVPN’s policy has been proven to be true. It is fully compliant with its no-logs policy.

NordVPN is an overall excellent VPN service. If you are looking to get one, it’s probably the best choice for you. It has amazing security and privacy features, as well as performance for all manner of online activities.

Pros of NordVPN

• It has excellent security protocols that safeguard users against cyber-threats.
• It has a proven no-logs policy.
• It has excellent speeds that are stable from anywhere in the world.
• It has one of the largest server networks in the world.
• Its Panama jurisdiction is a huge plus.
• It supports several online activities such as streaming, torrenting, and surfing, among others.
• It has wonderful customer support through live chat, text, and email.

Cons of NordVPN

• It can be a bit costly.
• Some servers don’t have stable speeds.
• Some servers don’t support torrenting.

All in all, NordVPN is a great choice for anyone looking for reliable online security solutions. It’s at the top of its game and is considered to be one of the best VPN services out there.

In this article, we will have an in-depth look at it and analyze its features. So read on to get enlightened.

1. NordVPN Pricing

When it comes to most VPNs, pricing is one of the most important factors to consider. Different VPNs have different prices.

It all depends on the range of features that a VPN offers. Most of the VPNs that have a variety of features are much more expensive than those with less.

A budget-friendly VPN will always have affordable prices for the range of features it offers. It should maintain a top performance no matter what price plan you choose.

There are free VPNs out there, but if we’re being honest very few of them can be trusted. By using a free VPN you’re putting yourself in more danger than if you weren’t using one at all.

Free VPNs are notorious for providing flimsy security protocols that are easy to bypass. They also have shady privacy policies. Their performance is also troubling, to say the least.

So the best option is always to go with an affordable VPN instead of an entirely free one.

NordVPN is a reasonably priced service. Being that it has quite a lot of features and capabilities, it can at times be viewed as quite pricey. It has 3 plans, with the long-term plans being much cheaper than the short-term ones.

It has a monthly, annual, and 2-year plan. The monthly plan is at $11.95. The 1-year is at $6.99 per month and the 2-year plan is at $3.71 per month. If you choose to go with the 2-year plan, you’d spend a total of $89.04. Considering the breadth of features that NordVPN provides, this is quite affordable. A long-term commitment is therefore recommended.

NordVPN has a wide variety of pricing options. It offers amazing value and beats many of its competitors in regards to this. It offers a wide range of features, and each subscription includes;

• Excellent and stable speeds with no bandwidth limits or throttling.
• 256-bit AES encryption protocol.
• No-logging of user data.
• Streaming and torrenting ability.
• Numerous servers in numerous locations.
• Coverage of 6 devices at once.
• Excellent security features.
• Worldwide access.
• 24/7 customer support

NordVPN accepts payment through Visa, Discover Card, American Express, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Union Pay, ACH Transfer, and popularly, Cryptocurrencies. The service also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to users that don’t like it.

Unlike most VPNs that make it hard to cancel use, it’s quite easy to cancel your NordVPN subscription. You can do this through their website.

When you consider the features it offers, it’s quite safe to say that NordVPN is favorably priced.

2. NordVPN Security

In this day and age, the internet and the online world, in general, has grown to become quite a dangerous place for the average user. Security is one of the most important factors for most internet users.

With just one single click of a button, your life could be turned upside down. A majority of hackers and other cybercriminals have intensified their efforts and have found more ways to attack people online.

For this reason, VPNs have become quite a necessity. Using the internet without one is folly and can have far-reaching consequences.

Like we’ve already discussed, VPNs work by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and a server. All your online traffic is encrypted and routed through this tunnel to ensure no one can have access to this data.

If a VPN doesn’t have the right security protocols, the results can be devastating. Some VPNs do have lax security protocols that can be bypassed easily. A good VPN will always have multiple layers of security to ensure that your data is safe.

The good news is that NordVPN is quite reliable when it comes to security. It has some of the industry’s best security protocols. It boasts of a highly encrypted network with military-grade encryption protocols in place that are impregnable even by the very best of hackers.

What’s even better is that NordVPN has additional layers of security. Therefore, NordVPN security is of utmost concern. Some of the security features it makes use of are:

• OpenVPN– This is a protocol that is used by most VPN providers. It is open-source and has therefore been thoroughly examined for loopholes and none found.
• AES-256 bit encryption protocol– AES is an encryption standard that is widely used by cybersecurity experts, cryptography enthusiasts, and governments. NordVPN makes use of AES with 256-bit keys which is impossible to crack. This standard is recommended by the NSA.
• IKEv2/IPsec protocol– Internet Security Protocol (IPsec) works with the newest version of the Internet Key Exchange (IKEv2). This enhances security, stability, and speed. This protocol employs powerful cryptographic keys and algorithms that are uncrackable even by supercomputers.
• Automatic Kill switch– If your NordVPN connection drops accidentally due to server failure or unstable internet connection, this kill switch feature is activated. It blocks your device from accessing an insecure and unsafe website.
• Double VPN– With this feature, all your online traffic is hidden by not just one, but two servers. This concept is known as VPN server chaining or multi-hop. This feature enhances security and masks you whenever you’re online. This feature is unique to NordVPN.
• CyberSec– This a security feature unique to NordVPN. It blocks unsafe websites, especially those with reputations for hosting malware. It also blocks ads and protects against adware.
• WireGuard– It’s a cutting edge VPN technology that is incredibly fast. It uses top-tier cryptology, consisting of 4000 lines of code. Not many VPNs use this protocol. NordVPN uses its variation of this protocol called NordLynx. It is fast and secure and provides users with the best security.
• Obfuscated servers– These servers use special algorithms that hide the fact that someone is using a VPN. They make your online traffic when using a VPN look like normal browsing activity.
• DNS and IP leak protection– Sometimes, even when connected to a VPN server, your IP address and online traffic may leak and become accessible to hackers and other cyber threats. For this reason, NordVPN has DNS and IP leak protection protocols to protect this information when this leak happens so no one can have access to it.
• Onion over VPN– In addition to the encrypted tunnel, Onion over VPN provides an additional layer of security over your browsing.

In terms of security, NordVPN is at the top of its game.

3. NordVPN Privacy

In a time when privacy breaches and online spying is so widespread, it’s only natural to be concerned about online privacy. Online privacy and anonymity have become an inexcusable factor and more and more people are looking for ways to ensure their private details remain private.

VPNs go a long way in ensuring online privacy and security. But while this is desirable, not all VPNs can be trusted to keep your information private.

One of the things that affect the privacy a VPN offers is its logging policies. A company’s logging policies determine whether VPN tracks, monitors, collects, and stores users’ data.

A VPN should have no-logs policies. Most VPNs claim to have strict no-logs policies. The problem is that most of them actually keep users’ data and at times even share it with third parties like the government, advertising agencies, and even hacker organizations.

One other thing that affects privacy is jurisdiction. It’s worth mentioning that several countries have surveillance alliances that make it possible to share people’s information.

These include the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes Alliances. VPNs that are located under these jurisdictions are legally required to keep user logs and share them with the government whenever requested to do so.

The good news for privacy aficionados is that NordVPN checks off these boxes. When it comes to privacy, NordVPN is one of the most highly rated services, and rightly so.

For starters, NordVPN has a proven no-logs policy. NordVPN submits to audits by third-party audit companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers. These audit companies have full access to NordVPN servers and databases.

They can observe operations, interview employees, and get any other relevant information. NordVPN has had several audits done and has been verified to be fully compliant with its no-logs policy. This proves that NordVPN does not keep user data.

NordVPN also has a favorable jurisdiction. It is located in Panama which is outside of the major surveillance alliances. Panama has zero logging laws. It doesn’t legally require VPNs to track and keep user data.

Another thing that affects privacy is payment methods. The good news is that NordVPN offers payment through cryptocurrencies. This is an anonymous mode of payment.

So in terms of privacy, NordVPN is an excellent choice.

4. NordVPN Server Network

When deciding on what VPN to pick, perhaps one of the most important parameters to consider is the server network. Different VPN services have different numbers and distribution of servers.

The performance of a VPN usually hinges on its server network. So when choosing a VPN, you need to be careful to pick one that has good server coverage.

A VPN with a lot of servers is the best choice. One reason for this is because such a VPN is less likely to have server crowding occur.

Server crowding is a situation in which so many users connect to a single server at one point in time and end up overpowering its capabilities. Crowded VPNs usually have slow and unstable speeds that are frustrating.

A VPN with a good distribution of servers all over the world is a good choice too. This makes it possible for anyone from any corner of the world to access a server that is suitable for their location and offers optimum performance.

This makes it possible for users to effectively spoof their location as well as obtain the fastest speeds.

NordVPN has one of the industry’s most impressive server networks. When compared to most VPN services, NordVPN comes out on top in both the number and distribution of servers.

NordVPN has an astounding 5500+ servers, all spread out across 60+ countries worldwide. No matter your location on earth, it’s possible to obtain optimum performance from the service.

The speeds are fast and consistent and you get several servers to choose from so you can effectively spoof your real location.

It’s worth mentioning that the bulk of NordVPN servers are in the United States and the United Kingdom.

This isn’t unusual for VPN companies. However, NordVPN still has a good mix of servers spread out all over the world and covering Asia, South America, Europe, and a handful in the Middle East.

In Africa, there’s only one location which is South Africa. Notably, NordVPN has servers in some countries with restrictive internet policies like Turkey, China, and Vietnam.

Some VPN companies use virtual servers which only mimic the functionality of a physical dedicated server. This isn’t necessarily bad, but a person should be aware of where his/her data is going.

The good thing about NordVPN is that it has dedicated servers, none of which are virtual. This means that its servers are physically located where they claim to be.

Therefore, in terms of the server network, NordVPN is an excellent pick.

5. NordVPN Speeds

No matter your location, the time of day, and the activity you are engaging in online, speed is one of the most important factors. Slow and unstable speeds are usually irritating.

They render most online activities impossible. In all truth, we all desire to have fast internet speeds whenever we’re online.

But while this is what we desire, it’s impossible to ignore some things. It’s pretty much common for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to throttle the internet speeds of users.

This creates a situation where the speeds are too slow and fluctuate from time to time. With such a connection, doing anything online becomes impossible.

Luckily, this is where VPNs come in handy. Like we’ve already discussed, VPNs route all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel. This makes it impossible for ISPs to impose bandwidth on your internet connection and throttle your speeds.

No matter the time of day and your location on earth, a good VPN will therefore be able to provide you with fast and stable speeds despite ISPs.

Concerning speed, NordVPN is one of the best VPN services. It is widely popular for this reason and users all over the world marvel at the excellent speeds it provides. We carried out a speed test to determine just how fast NordVPN is.

First of all, connected to a UK server. NordVPN recorded a speed of 160Mbps. Next, we connected to a server in Germany which recorded a speed of 134Mbps. We also connected to a server in the U.S. and recorded speeds of 152Mbps. These are fast speeds and they can support all manner of online activities.

There are several reasons why NordVPN provides such fast speeds. For starters, as we’ve already mentioned before, it has a large server network. Server crowding is therefore not an issue and as such, the speeds provided by these servers are fast.

Another reason is that NordVPN uses the WireGuard protocol (NordLynx). It’s one of the fastest VPN protocols out there. Most VPNs use OpenVPN which is slower but since NordVPN uses a combination of both these protocols, it gives fast speeds.

So as you can see, NordVPN gives users fast speeds that are stable and support multiple online activities.

6. NordVPN Streaming Capabilities

In all honesty, streaming has become one of today’s most popular pastimes for people. Most people have moved away from the traditional way of watching shows and now prefer to stream their favorite content from popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+.

This popularity has attracted a lot of cybersecurity threats that are impossible to look past. Streaming your favorite content while unprotected can put you at great risk. Cybercriminals can intercept your online traffic and use it against you.

Another gray area of steaming is the fact that most streaming services usually geo-restrict their content.

This means that if you are outside of a certain geographical location, you won’t be able to access content from that location. This creates a problem, especially if you live abroad or have traveled and don’t want to miss your favorite shows.

This is why VPNs are essential for streaming. For starters, they protect your online traffic from interception. This allows you to stream your favorite content in total safety and security.

VPNs also come in handy to unblock geo-restricted content. They allow you to change your IP address and spoof your location. This makes it seem like you are in another location and as such, you can access your favorite content.

The best VPN for streaming should have excellent security, great unblocking capabilities, and excellent speeds.

For all streaming enthusiasts, NordVPN checks all these boxes. Like we’ve already discussed, it has excellent security protocols and speeds. This makes it good for streaming. In addition to this, it has great unblocking capabilities.

We tested the streaming services that it can unblock. Some of these streaming services were Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, HBO, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and others more.

So in terms of streaming, NordVPN is at the top of the game.

7. NordVPN Torrenting/File Sharing

Torrenting and file sharing are quite popular nowadays. They make it simple to share and download large files over the internet. Despite this fact, torrenting can be quite risky.

One of the risks associated with torrenting is cyberattacks. The reason for this is that during torrenting, your IP address is visible to anyone who is connected to the network.

That’s just how torrenting works and without this feature, it wouldn’t be able to operate. Cybercriminals can see your IP address during torrenting and easily launch an attack against you.

Another risk is legal trouble. Most of the time, the files shared and downloaded on torrenting apps is copyrighted material. In most countries, sharing and downloading of copyrighted material amounts to copyright infringement. This can lead to legal troubles if you get caught.

So this is where VPNs are useful. They allow you to mask your IP address and also have other excellent security protocols to protect you from online threats. They also provide you with anonymity in case of copyright infringement (you should still avoid this).

The best VPN for torrenting should have excellent security protocols as well as fast speeds to support the sharing and downloading of fast speeds. 

NordVPN is one of the best services for torrenting. It has excellent security protocols and fast speeds. One of the things that make it stand out from all other VPNs is that it has dedicated P2P servers. Connecting to these servers gives you optimum performance for torrenting.

So when it comes to torrenting, NordVPN is an excellent choice.

As you can see from all the above, NordVPN is an excellent VPN service. One of its greatest strengths is that it offers all the features of the competition, and even more, in one package.

It has an exceptional server network, astounding speeds, and an overall great user experience. It constantly keeps up to date with the industry’s technological advancements. All in all, NordVPN is an amazing VPN choice!