What Is NordVPN?


what is nordvpn

What Is NordVPN?

In this day and age, the internet has become one of the world’s most popular platforms. There are now millions upon millions of people, all who are online, and all of whom engage in a wide variety of online activities. This increased popularity and a large number of people have attracted the attention of cybercriminals who prey on the naïve on the internet. This is why VPNs have become an integral part of our lives. They protect us from all online threats and keep us safe. NordVPN is one such service.

NordVPN is one of the world’s leading VPN service providers. It protects users whenever they are online from all manner of threats, be it attacks by hackers, spying from government entities, or data theft by advertising companies, and it has amazing security protocols to protect users’ data. 

In this article, we’re going to talk about all matters of NordVPN. We will enlighten you on what it is, what it does, and how it does it. We will delve into the far reaches of this company and reveal what it’s all about. If you are a VPN enthusiast then this will surely be an insightful and entertaining read for you. So sit back, relax, and read on to find out more!

What Is NordVPN?

The reason you’re reading this is because you aren’t quite sure what NordVPN is or what it does. Chances are that you’ve come across it at some point in time and it piqued your interest so much so that you find yourself here now. Well, take a breather because you are certainly in the right place.

Even if you are not a cybersecurity expert or a VPN aficionado, understanding NordVPN is quite simple. Let’s start off slowly by telling you what a VPN is first, shall we?

A Virtual Private Network, better known as VPN is a service that gives you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network for your device. It protects your identity and browsing activity from hackers, government entities, businesses, and other snoops.

It works by encrypting all your online traffic and routing it through an encrypted tunnel thus making sure no one can access your data. A VPN connects your device to a server and allows you to browse the internet using the server’s internet connection. Therefore, if that server is in a different country, it appears as if you are in that country.

Now that all that is out of the way, we should mention that NordVPN is one such service. It is one of the world’s leading VPN services and has been so for quite some time now. Ever since it was founded in 2012 it has been providing people all over the world with reliable and trustworthy online security solutions.

It has built quite a name for itself. One of the things that set it apart from the rest is the fact that it has untainted credibility. Unlike most VPNs out there that cannot be trusted, NordVPN has worked hard to create a great degree of credibility that has never been questioned.

It has some of the best security features and encryption protocols that make it an extremely secure service. Not even the very best hackers can get past its many layers of security. This means that users are always safe and secure whenever they’re online.

It also has a verified no-logs policy. This means that it doesn’t track, monitor, collect, or keep users data. Most VPNs claim to have such a policy while in truth they secretly collect users’ data and sell it to the highest bidders. NordVPN isn’t such a service.

It has been submitted to audits by third-party companies that have verified it is fully compliant with its no-logs policy. So in terms of privacy, it’s an excellent VPN.

It’s located in Panama, which is outside all the major security alliances like the 5, 9, and 14 Eyes Alliances. Panama has zero logging laws. This means that NordVPN isn’t legally required to keep logs.

It has one of the largest server networks in the industry. With over 5500 servers in over 60 countries, NordVPN is a force to be reckoned with. This huge network gives users a variety of server options to choose from.

In terms of speed, NordVPN is amazing. It employs a protocol called NordLynx which gives users top and stable speeds all around the world. These speeds favor all manner of online activities from browsing, to streaming, to torrenting.

Some of its Pros and Cons are:

Pros of NordVPN

  • It has excellent security protocols to ensure users’ safety.
  • It has fast and stable speeds all around the world.
  • It has a large server network.
  • Its no-logs policy and Panama jurisdiction are an added advantage.
  • It has amazing customer support.

Cons of NordVPN

  • Not all servers support torrenting.
  • At times in some locations, the speeds are slow.

All in all, NordVPN is an excellent VPN service. It has some of the best features, is quite affordable, and gives the best performance to users. With it, you are guaranteed the utmost security and privacy whenever you are online. Try it out and see for yourself.

Is NordVPN a Chinese Company?

When choosing a suitable VPN, one of the major questions that come to mind is who the owner of the company is.

What are its parent companies and where are they located? These are quite valid questions considering the far-reaching impacts that they have on the privacy and security of users’ data.

Truthfully speaking, China isn’t one of the most favorable locations for a VPN service. The country has numerous laws and regulations restricting the use of VPNs. For example, there is a national security law in China that limits the use of VPNs.

China also has laws that require VPNs located in the country to provide users’ data whenever requested. Therefore, there are quite a few VPNs that are willing to exist in such an environment.

Most people don’t trust Chinese companies and we are here to gladly tell you that NordVPN isn’t a Chinese company! Incidentally, NordVPN is owned by a company called NordSec. This parent company is located in Finland. So in all truth, NordVPN isn’t Chinese owned. NordVPN itself is based in Panama as we’ve already mentioned. Both of these locations are privacy havens.

So to put your mind at ease, NordVPN is a credible and reliable service that will always ensure your information is safe and secure at all times.

Can You Trust NordVPN?

VPNs are incredibly useful and essential bits of software in modern times that are so prevalent with online activities. They let you mask your identity on the internet, surfing anonymously and privately compared to using no such measures.

But all things considered, when using a VPN, you’re placing all your trust in the VPN provider. You hope that they have data practices in place to ensure your complete anonymity and privacy. This, however, is not always the case.

At some point in time, we’ve heard numerous reports of VPN services going against their privacy policies and collecting users’ data and selling it to the highest bidders. It’s also not uncommon for VPNs to provide government agencies with users’ data.

These are some of the things that confuse most people. So it’s quite understandable for you to wonder if NordVPN can actually be trusted.

And we are here to tell you that indeed NordVPN can be trusted, 100%! It is one of the very few VPN service providers that are trusted all around the world.

Not only does it have the best security measures that make sure all your online activities remain anonymous, and it also has foolproof privacy policies that have been tested and proven. Check this out.

NordVPN submits to regular audits by third-party audit companies that check to see whether its no-logs policy is true. While most VPNs usually use a no-logs policy as a selling point for their services and don’t deliver, NordVPN has been proven to be reliable.

In its most recent audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers, it was verified to be fully compliant with its no-logs policy. The audit company has access to its servers and databases, interviewed employees, observed operations, among others.

This sort of independent verification is impossible to undermark. It is what sets NordVPN apart from other VPNs. It sets it apart as a trustworthy service provider in the market.

Like we’ve already discussed, its jurisdiction is located in Panama, away from the EU and U.S. jurisdictions to ensure that no log keeping is legally mandatory.

So if you are extremely concerned about privacy, NordVPN is a top choice for you. It is extremely trustworthy and delivers the best service for an affordable price.

Can NordVPN Be Tracked?

When looking for a VPN service, one of the major things you’ll always come across are numerous promises of the best security and privacy at all times. Each VPN service provider uses its own unique brand of advertising to lure you in to become their subscriber.

Can NordVPN Be Tracked? Let’s find out…

But the truth is that very few of these VPNs can back their claims up. Over the years, most of them have been involved in privacy and security breaches and misconduct. So with this in mind, it’s only natural for you to wonder whether NordVPN can or can’t be tracked.

First of all, we should mention that no one can track live and unencrypted data. Absolutely no one. This data is usually heavily encrypted by the best protocols that are impossible to bypass.

Even the best hackers in the world cannot track this data. But that’s not all there is. On the other side of the coin, you can still be tracked in the long run. The person doing so just has to know exactly what information to look for.

Even though you use a VPN to mask your identity online and keep you safe, certain entities like the police and other federal agencies can still track you. These entities usually have the legal backing to obtain a court order.

After this, they can approach your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who is one of the few entities that know you’re using a VPN. Your ISP can then direct them to your VPN service provider.

They will then request the VPN for user data. Now, whether the VPN service provides this information depends on its privacy policies.

So we can say that in some instances, it is possible to be tracked. One of the things that determine whether you are effectively tracked is the data that your VPN keeps. Different VPNs collect different types of user data. This data can include:

  • Connection logs – Like connection times, data usage, real IP addresses, etc.
  • Usage logs – Show what websites you visit and what you do in them.
  • No logs – Some VPNs keep absolutely no logs. The only ones they probably do collect are those that are required for billing and troubleshooting.

We should also mention that some countries have strict laws concerning data retention. Countries in the 5, 9, and 14 Eyes Alliances legally require VPNs located in them to keep user logs. On request, they are required to provide this information.

So now to answer the main question, No! It’s quite impossible to track NordVPN. Why?

For starters, NordVPN has some of the best security measures in place to always ensure that users’ data is always safe and secure and cannot be accessed by anyone. This makes it impossible to track you.

NordVPN also has a strict no-logs policy as we’ve already discussed. It doesn’t keep any logs. What this means is that no data of users whatsoever exists, and as we all know it’s impossible to track anyone when you have no data on them.

It also has a favorable jurisdiction in Panama and for this reason, doesn’t keep logs which makes it impossible to be tracked.

So with NordVPN, you need not worry about being tracked. Your privacy is always assured and it is therefore a good VPN choice.

Does NordVPN Hide Your IP Address?

Yes! NordVPN does hide your IP address. It has over 5500 servers. These provide quite a lot of IP address options to choose from so you can effectively mask your real IP address.

Whenever you are navigating the internet, there’s quite a huge possibility that you’re being tracked, tagged, or monitored by third-parties like your ISP, advertisers, or the government. And who’s to blame for all this? Your IP address.

An IP address is a unique string of numbers that identifies a certain device that is connected to the internet. Your IP address is sort of like your mailing address in the sense that people can look at it and see your location. It can be used to locate you physically.

When you register with an ISP, an IP address is assigned to your device, this shows the geographical area that you accessed the internet. Anyone who wants to know where you’re browsing from and what you’re browsing can use your IP address as a geolocator.

An IP address can enable other people, companies, and governments to track your location as well as see what you search for online and the sites you visit which can have quite a lot of consequences.

  • Companies– They cram their websites with cookies that track every time you visit the sites and what buttons you click on. They use this information to target ads at you based on your searches. These ads can be quite annoying, to say the least, and are only possible because these companies can trace searches to your IP address.

Some companies can also block people from accessing content if they see that they are from a different country. This is called the geo-blocking. A good example is geoblocking by streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.

  • ISPs – ISPs usually know all your information based on what you gave them when registering. They can see all your internet traffic and may sell this information to advertisers or be forced to share it with the government.
  • Governments – Some governments require ISPs to keep logs of all their subscribers, including their IP addresses and all.

To avoid all this, VPNs are quite essential. What a VPN basically does is provide you with a different connection often through a server. It routes all your traffic to this server and masks your real IP address.

It then provides you with the server’s IP address which is what will be visible to those who are snooping. This makes it virtually impossible for any single person to identify your true IP address.

All your online traffic is encrypted and travels through an encrypted tunnel to their servers. This makes it impossible for anyone to see what you are doing online and blocks anyone trying to intercept your connection.

A good VPN will have top-of-the-line security protocols to ensure no one can get your IP address. One such protocol is IP leak protection which veils your IP address in case it leaks accidentally.

NordVPN has some of the industry’s best security measures so with it in use, there is no chance of your IP address ever getting into the wrong hands. It also allows you to access geo-blocked content as well as share files and torrent. 

NordVPN is truly a great choice to hide your real IP address.

Does NordVPN Hide Your Location?

Yes, it does. When you connect to a NordVPN server, your original IP address is masked and you acquire the IP address of that particular server.

All your internet traffic is routed through this server and to anyone that might be snooping, they can only see this ‘fake IP address’. This, therefore, means that even if anyone tries to find your real geographical location, it would be an impossible task.

NordVPN is one of the few services that are quite adept at doing this. Its large server network is quite effective in this regard. It makes hiding your location an easy and seamless task. It is foolproof and effective.

So when it comes to hiding your location, NordVPN is an amazing choice.

Is NordVPN Worth the Money?

One thing most people desire when looking for a VPN service is the return on investment. So it’s quite understandable for you to wonder whether NordVPN is worth it all.

Take my money NordVPN!

A good VPN will always provide you with top-of-the-line features for the amount you pay for it. Such a VPN will always provide you with top performance at all times despite your physical location on earth.

We’re glad to inform you that NordVPN is one such VPN. In regards to pricing, NordVPN is one of the most favorably priced VPN services out there.

It has 3 plans, a monthly, 6-month, and 2-year plan. The long term plans are cheaper than the short term one. The monthly plan is at $11.95, the 1-year plan at $6.99 per month, and the 2-year plan at $3.71 per month. But for these prices, what do you get in return, or rather what is the return on investment?

For one, you get access to a wide variety of features, more than most VPN services will give you for the same amounts. NordVPN has some of the best security features in the business.

Not only does it make use of the basic industry-normal security standards, but it also has more that provide additional layers of security. For example, apart from the AES-256 bit encryption protocols used by most VPNs, it has additional security features like CyberSec, WireGuard, Double VPN, Onion over VPN, and Obfuscated servers.

No other VPN services have so many features for their price ranges. So with NordVPN, you spend a reasonable amount for a huge variety of features.

NordVPN also has some of the fastest speeds in the business. This is thanks to the WireGuard protocol it employs, which is faster than any other protocol in the business. So with NordVPN, you get fast and stable speeds for whatever online activity you are engaging in.

We tested the speeds to confirm this. In Germany, its speeds averaged 150Mbps, in the UK they averaged 165Mbps, in the U.S. the speeds were about 155Mbps, while in Australia the speeds were about 137Mbps.

These are amazing speeds. So when you spend your dimes on NordVPN, you are assured of the fastest speeds possible!

It also has one of the largest server networks, as we’ve already mentioned earlier in this article. This means that when you pay for the service, you get a wide range of servers to choose from. This makes it easy to find one that provides optimal performance for you wherever you are on earth. What’s even better is that it has several server categories like:

  • Obfuscated servers– They bypass internet restrictions such as firewalls. They are recommended for countries with restricted access.
  • P2P servers– These are dedicated to torrenting i.e. for peer-to-peer traffic.
  • Onion over VPN– Sends your internet traffic through a server and then through an Onion network to provide multiple layers of security.
  • Double VPN– Sends your internet traffic through 2 servers, and encrypts it twice.

This means that you get the most out of NordVPN’s servers.

It also has amazing privacy policies that ensure all your data remains private and anonymous.

Now as a potential subscriber, what more could you ever ask for in a VPN? NordVPN checks all the right boxes and is therefore a good choice for all your online security solutions. It is certainly worth the money!

Overall, NordVPN is one of the top VPN services out there. It is one of the few that has maintained a high degree of credibility and can be relied on to provide the best online security solutions.

With the online world and the VPN industry constantly changing, it has employed and continues to employ new measures to ensure it stays abreast in the game. So even in the future, NordVPN will always be at the top of its game.

We hope that this article has been informative to you on all matters NordVPN. We have that it has left you without a shadow of a doubt concerning this VPN service. Now all you have to do is try it out and see for yourself. Not only will you like it, but you will also love it!

Mark Lewis

Security nerd with a Data Privacy First mindset!

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