Written by 
We conducted a full review of NordVPN in 2024 to evaluate the relative cost and benefits of the service. NordVPN proves that sometimes, popularity and acclaim are warranted. Arguably the best VPN available right now, it combines advanced power features with best in its class security and privacy features.
It makes for a fantastic package that stands heads and shoulders above competitors, even in 2024.
NordVPN Review: Quick Expert Summary
With blisteringly fast speeds thanks to the NordLynx protocol, NordVPN excels at everything from streaming all the way down to gaming. On top of this, it also keeps you safe online with anti-DSoS Protection, military-grade encryption, and more.
With over 5,200+ servers in 59 countries, NordVPN effortlessly routes your traffic as you see fit. With apps for every major platform, it’s incredibly easy to set up and just as simple to use. Even in countries that heavily censor online information, NordVPN can bypass everything to get you where you want to be. It impresses on every front and easily warrants its reputation as one of the best VPN providers in the business.
In terms of pricing, NordVPN can be somewhat complicated, but it’s easy once you understand the difference between packages. The best value comes in the form of yearly and biennial plans. There’s a 7-day free trial in case you’d just like to give it a try, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN also works in China, Cuba and the Middle East.
NordVPN Key Data
| Speed | 9/10 |
|---|---|
| Average Speed* | 369 Mbps |
| Video Streaming Support | 4K UHD |
| Streaming | 10/10 |
| Netflix | Yes |
| Other Streaming Services | Hulu, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, HBO Now |
| Security | 10/10 |
| Encryption Type | 256-bit AES |
| Kill Switch | Yes |
| Log Policy | Limited logs |
| Protocols | NordLynx, IKEv2, OpenVPN |
| Value for Money | 9/10 |
| Lowest Monthly Cost | $2.99 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Website | https://www.nordvpn.com |
NordVPN Full Review
NordVPN is by and far the most popular VPN on the market, with many singing its praises as the best VPN around. Packed to the brim with excellent features, top-notch security, and constant updates bringing it to the highest standard, it’s no surprise it’s so beloved. The question is, is it really that good, or is it just overblown popularity and hype from mainstream success?
To test this, we’ve put NordVPN through its paces, all in an effort to find out how well it stands up to the competition. We’ll look at its features, performance, security and support, and then compare it to the industry standard. So, if you’re curious whether NordVPN still holds up in 2024, keep reading our full review to find out more.
NordVPN Quick Specification Rundown
| Server Count | 5200+ RAM-only Servers |
| Server Countries | 59 Countries |
| Base Location | Panama |
| Max Device Count | 6 Devices per Account |
| Supported Protocols | NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec |
| Key Features | NordLynx Protocol, SmartPlay, Onion Over VPN, DoubleVPN, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitor, Threat Protection |
| Customer Support Options | Knowledgebase, 24/7 Live Chat Support, Email Support |
| Supported Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Router, Browser extension, Amazon Kindle, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, Chromecast |
Features
NordVPN offers plenty of features that make it stand out from other options. There’s an ad blocker keeping you away from ads online. You get extra Protection against malware-ridden files, and perhaps most interestingly, a Dark Web Monitor that scans the internet for your credentials. In the case that your credentials leak out online, NordVPN will immediately notify you through their app.
- NordLynx – NordVPN’s in-house protocol, based on WireGuard, provides industry-leading speeds and performance.
- Meshnet – Meshnet is a new feature that lets you create a secure network of over 60 devices worldwide for safer interactivity. It allows you to keep interactivity brisk and fast, without needing to
- NordPass – NordPass is NordVPN’s complete password manager, ensuring that all your secure and powerful passwords are kept in one secure place along with your VPN setup.
- Double VPN – With Double VPN, NordVPN reroutes your traffic, masking it twice to truly keep your internet access private.
- RAM-Only Servers – Moving towards the industry standard, NordVPN now uses RAM-only servers, meaning NordVPN cannot save your information no matter what. It’s a big boon for users worried about their internet security and safety.
- Threat Protection – NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature screens every file you access for possible security leaks and issues, keeping you safe at all times from every type of threat. Once it detects a suspicious file, it will quarantine it so you can decide how to handle it yourself.
NordVPN’s Meshnet is a new feature that lets you create a secure network of over 60 devices worldwide for safer interactivity. NordVPN also provides a browser extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox users, making using the VPN even more straightforward than it already is. You can also connect up to 6 devices to each NordVPN account, which is one device more than most VPNs offer.
Split-tunneling is now available on all versions of NordVPN, having previously only been on specific platforms, and we greatly appreciate it. Routing specific applications through your VPN as needed is extremely useful for most users, especially to avoid ISP throttling. Wi-Fi Protection is also new and allows your device to initiate a VPN connection whenever connecting to a new Wi-Fi network.
Overall, NordVPN offers a solid selection of features, even outside of their security options, that raise the bar for other VPN providers.
Privacy & Security
Where NordVPN pushes itself past many of its competitors is in its privacy and security benefits. First, you get access to many top-tier security features available on the best VPNs, such as 256-bit AES encryption combined with 4096-bit Diffie-Hellman keys. If that didn’t make much sense to you, it essentially means NordVPN meets military-standard encryption. There’s also an automatic kill switch in case the VPN drops, which is always helpful.
With a strict no-logs policy thanks to their RAM-only servers, you can rest easy knowing your data is always safe from prying eyes. We’ve already mentioned Meshnet for creating a secure network of devices, but NordVPN also offers Threat Protection, which scans everything you download for trackers, malware and maliciously intrusive ads. On top of that, it has support for OpenVPN, NordLynx, and IKEv2/IPSec protocols, all of which are excellent.
When it comes to connection modes, you get multiple options. Double VPN routes your traffic through two VPN servers, encrypting your data twice for safety. For even more security, Onion Over VPN combines the Tor browser with extra VPN security, without needing any additional setup. With this, people can’t even know that you’re on the onion network in the first place.
As for privacy, in 2021, NordVPN completely transitioned to RAM-only diskless servers, meaning nothing is ever permanently stored on their servers. This brings it up to the standards of the best in the business, above many competitors. On top of this, all versions of the NordVPN app are secure, not leaking your DNS, WebRTC, or IP traffic while connected.
Speed & Performance
NordVPN recently got a massive overhaul to its performance and speed thanks to its new WireGuard-based protocol, NordLynx. Being based on WireGuard, it’s swift and secure, hitting peak download speeds of 820Mbps, an impressive number. It puts NordVPN firmly among the fastest VPNs in the market, making it ideal for any form of intensive usage. For most users, it’s practically indistinguishable from normal use.
NordVPN Protocol Speed Comparison
| NordVPN Protocol | Peak Speed |
| NordLynx | 820Mbps |
| OpenVPN | 550Mbps |
With over 5200+ servers in 59 countries and rising, you’ll always have a server available to you. While some countries do net higher speeds than others, in general, performance is always of an incredibly high standard. NordVPN is perfectly capable of streaming HD and even 4K content anywhere in the world at satisfactory speeds according to tests. If performance and speed are what you need out of a VPN, then NordVPN will satisfy you.
Servers & IP Addresses
As mentioned earlier, NordVPN features over 5200 servers in 59 countries, and the number is constantly rising. Because of this, you can always route your traffic to a different IP address, or even two if you use the Double VPN security feature. Your IP address stays secure no matter what, as NordVPN keeps everything under wraps no matter which client you use.
Streaming Support
NordVPN is by and far the best VPN when it comes to streaming. It works perfectly with most popular streaming sites, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. In fact, practically any streaming service you put in front of it, NordVPN can handle. Thanks to NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature, a built-in Smart DNS service kicks in every time you visit a supported streaming website.
NordVPN also has the advantage over most other VPN services when it comes to streaming thanks to how well it taps into different libraries. With NordVPN, it’s effortless and reliable to get into streaming libraries from other countries like the UK, US and Japan. In contrast, things can get reasonably spotty with many other VPN providers.
When it comes to the streaming capability, NordVPN once again knocks it out of the park. As mentioned earlier, NordVPN features blistering speeds thanks to its new NordLynx protocol, and at 820Mbps, you’ll be comfortably streaming 4K content no matter where you are. NordVPN is by and far one of the best for streaming support, which is why many keep recommending it.
Torrenting Support
Torrenting is a big grey area for many VPN services, but thankfully NordVPN allows you to torrent as you like. Their website even openly advertises how they’re the best for P2P, though in practice, it’s a bit different. The service grants users access to unlimited P2P filesharing through any protocol of their choice. Many servers are dedicated to torrenting, though not all of them are. In the case the server you’re on doesn’t support torrenting, you’ll be seamlessly rerouted to one that does.
While we don’t think NordVPN is the absolute best VPN for torrenting, there’s no denying it’s still solid in this regard. When you factor in the excellent speeds, no logging policy, extra security features and reliable DNS protection, NordVPN actually fares quite well.
Gaming Support
Thanks to solid support for P2P networking, gamers will find much to like with NordVPN. For starters, there’s compatibility with practically every type of device, meaning you’re protected on just about any device you game on. Combine that with the absolutely blistering speeds on offer and anti-DDoS Protection, and NordVPN just about fits the bill for a good gaming VPN if you need one.
Bypassing Censorship
If you’re in a country that obfuscates and blocks websites over censorship like China or Indonesia, then you’re in luck. NordVPN completely protects you from this, bypassing censorship effortlessly. You can practically browse any website you want, and there’s nothing any form of censorship can do about it. Thanks to the advanced privacy features, it’s also impossible to track you, so you can rest easy.
Does NordVPN Keep Logs?
When it comes to logs, NordVPN said;
We offer a zero-logs VPN service. It means that we do not store your online activities. Nothing to store — nothing to see — nothing to share with anyone.
Does NordVPN Have A Free Trial?
NordVPN provides customers with the opportunity to try out their services through a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If a customer’s initial payment is not older than 30 days, they are eligible for a refund. Additionally, Android users may be able to access a free 7-day NordVPN trial through the Google Play Store.
NordVPN Plans & Pricing
When it comes to pricing, things get complicated for NordVPN. For starters, NordVPN offers three payment schemes: monthly, annual, and biennial. On top of this, things break down further with NordVPN having different packages, each with a different price tag. To simplify things further, a compilation of every planning and payment scheme is available below for your perusal.
NordVPN Plans and Pricing
| Package Type | Monthly | 1-year Plan | 2-year Plan | Extra Features |
| Standard Package | $11.99/mo | $67.35/year ($4.49/mo) | $80.73/ 2 yrs ($2.99/mo) | – |
| Plus Package | $12.99/mo | $82.35/year ($5.49/mo) | $107.73/ 2 yrs ($3.99/mo) | Cross-platform password manager data Breach scanner, 3 months free for the first year |
| Complete Package | $14.29/mo | $101.85 /year ($6.79/mo) | $142.83/ 2 yrs ($5.29/mo) | Cross-platform password manager, Data Breach scanner, 3 months free for the first year 1 TB encrypted cloud storage |
It’s also important to note that NordVPN has a 7-day free trial available that lets you try out the service before you subscribe. If you’re new to using VPNs and want to give NordVPN a go, then we recommend trying out this free trial before taking the dive.
Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps
NordVPN maintains its ease of use throughout all versions of its app, be it on mobile or desktop. Every app has the same general modern UI design, and they sync effortlessly on use. Installation is as easy as downloading the version of the app you need, and to sign up, all you need is an email and password.
All app versions are intuitive, with all settings and features clearly labelled and accessible. Explanations are also given, so you don’t accidentally fiddle with the wrong options. We’re also happy to see broad support for different languages, with English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (Traditional) and Japanese all available.
The exception is the browser extension, a watered-down version of the actual desktop application. It offers limited functionality, mainly just for masking your IP address and quickly accessing blocked websites, which it does well. It’s understandable, considering it’s just a browser extension. There’s also no split-tunnelling on macOS versions of the app, which is a shame.
Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, NordVPN doesn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of ExpressVPN, but it does an adequate job. For self-troubleshooting any issue, you get the NordVPN knowledgebase, which serves as the main hub for all NordVPN-related topics and issues. While it can be confusing to navigate, most of the information you could need is here, and it’s impressively comprehensive.
There’s also chatbox support via a 24/7 live chat. While the chatbox always begins with a chatbot, you can request a real person to aid you in troubleshooting any issue. Thankfully, NordVPN customer support representatives are relatively knowledgeable about their service and should be able to guide you through the troubleshooting process. Finally, there’s good old-fashioned email support, which works as you expect.
Is NordVPN Really Good in 2024?
NordVPN is one of the best VPN services available, especially in 2024. When it comes to a VPN that can practically do everything and do it well, NordVPN tops the list. It features top-notch privacy and security features, throws in loads of QoL features constantly, performs incredibly well, and enhances your experience no matter what your use case scenario is.
The only possible con we can see is how some features are locked behind more expensive packages. Even the 6-device limit is easily bypassed by having NordVPN installed on a router. The pricing isn’t the cheapest around, but it still represents an excellent value for money. If you’re looking for a VPN that works no matter what you’re trying to do, then NordVPN is the one for you.
Riderchris.net is a travel and tech blog designed to provide valuable information to the public. It’s AD-free, and if you enjoy my work, you can support the blog to keep it going for the community. Thank you! 👋 – Chris