NordVPN overview: what you should know about them

Welcome to the most updated and comprehensive guide on Nord VPN, where you will find out everything about NordVPN services, prices, available servers, and protocols, as well as security and privacy issues.

Nord VPN is a virtual private network provider that was founded in 2012 by childhood friends, as they claim. It has applications both for desktop devices running on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and mobile applications for iOS and Android (both launched in 2017). NordVPN is based in Panama, and it’s not surprising considering that the country doesn’t have laws about data retention and is not a member of the Five Eyes.

At the moment, NordVPN operates in 62+ countries and can often be found among the best virtual private networks. However, is it really so? In 2019 they had a security breach (which we’ll discuss in this overview), which made many of us doubt whether this application can be trusted. Plus, they can’t boast top-notch privacy, which is also rather alerting.

Now, when you know more about their background, it is time to discuss Nord VPN in more detail. But let us start with defining what a virtual private network is.

VPN: the definition

A VPN or a virtual private network is what it sounds like. When turning on the software, you create a secure tunnel between the device and a dedicated server. Your information transmits through the tunnel, which guarantees that no one else can get access to the data. VPNs are also good to avoid phishing pages and to protect web traffic from sharing.

Sounds amazing? While virtual private networks can do lots of great things, it is not a remedy from all illnesses. If you want to ensure top-notch security and protect personal information, it’s important to apply additional measures, such as antivirus programs, unique passwords for every website, and two-factor authentication.

Remember, the security of your data, both personal and financial, is in your hands, and you should take it seriously. And now, when the theoretical part is ready, let’s return to Nord VPN and its services.

Nord VPN Prices and Features

Right from the start, it becomes obvious that Nord VPN is a rather expensive service that not everyone can afford. That is why we did our best to analyze their features and quality and justify such high prices. Unfortunately, we failed because there are virtual private networks of better quality, which cost less. They accept a large number of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, and crypto. However, it is difficult to name this variety an advantage because most VPNs can boast the same.

There are three packages at NordVPN: $12 per month, $54 per half a year, and $69 per year. At the time of writing, the average market price is $10.2/month and $68/year, which makes Nord VPN not the cheapest service to use. And you shouldn’t forget that many companies offer promotions and discounts, and the price for a good-quality VPN can be as low as $6 - $7. Unfortunately, Nord doesn’t have any discounts or codes, so you will have to pay the full price. The only way to save money is to pay for an annual subscription, but there is no guarantee whether you will like their services or not.

If you are not ready to pay for a virtual private network, there are also free VPNs available. Yes, they have certain data and location limitations but can be a great option to test software or for those who need a VPN only from time to time.

Some time ago, Nord VPN had a free trial option. But it is no longer available, and the company explained that this feature was used by scammers. We are not sure what they mean by ‘scammers’ but can assume that they are talking about subscribers who used their services for free and never paid. But isn’t it a common thing?

They decide to replace the free trial with a 30-day refund policy, but it is rather complex, and you might not be able to return the money. At least that’s a common complaint among users.

NordVPN allows using a maximum of six devices at the same time. At first, it may sound impressive, but more and more companies offer an unlimited number of connected devices, so Nord is no longer at the forefront. And they don’t even allow connecting more devices for extra pay.

If you want a static IP address, be ready to pay an extra $5.8 per month or $69.9 per year. Users can choose addresses in the US, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. However, this service is not popular and is used solely by subscribers who regularly connect to the same country.

Nord VPN Available Protocols

At Nord VPN, users are offered different types of protocols. They have different aims and security levels, so it is important to choose the right protocol if you want to get the best quality. Keep in mind that each of them has its pros and cons, but the NordVPN support won’t hurry to help you choose the best option. Be ready to research the data on your own. And if you want to save time, let us tell you more about the protocols to make an informed decision.

Open VPNю.It is open-source software for secure virtual private networks that are well established on the market. OpenVPN can be used on UDP and TCP ports. This software supports a variety of algorithms to protect the sensitive data of users. For example, AES – 256 – GCM. This protocol is a basic one and is a good option for regular users.

IKEv2 / IPsec.The next protocol used by Nord VPN can improve the security of subscribers by using strong keys and algorithms. NordVPN applies the Next Generation Encryption and the AES – 256 – GCM ciphers. Using a series of other keys, a secure tunnel is created, and users get security and solid speed. IKEv2 / IPsec protocol is advised to use with iOS apps.

WireGuard. The third protocol, WireGuard, is recommended by Nord VPN and is often used by default. It is the latest protocol with far better cryptography compared to Open VPN. However, it is an experimental product and has several flaws. Even though Nord VPN will try to make you use WireGuard, you should remember that it has imperfections that need to be fixed.

This protocol consists of 4,000 code lines, which makes it easy to read and apply (compared to 400,000 in OpenVPN). On the one hand, it is extremely good but is also rather beneficial for hackers.

Nord VPN servers and where they are located

One of the most important features of a VPN service is a broad list of server locations. Thus, you can choose the country you want and be as close to a server as needed for the best speed and encryption. At Nord VPN, users can choose from 59 countries, which is not the highest number on the market. There are VPNs with more than 90 countries available.

The majority of their servers are located in the UK and US, so you won’t have a huger number of options if you need to connect to Asia, South America, Middle East, or India. And they have only one server in South Africa. They don’t help users access China.

Plus, they have servers in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Turkey, which is a plus considering strict domestic policies. While most VPN companies leave these countries as a response to the new laws, Nord VPN decided to earn more money and stay. However, such a connection won’t help you to bypass censorship, and you risk getting yourself into much trouble.

All in all, NordVPN has around 5,200 servers, which is huge. However, quantity shouldn’t outshine quality, and that is exactly the case because many servers are slow and unreliable.

Users also get an opportunity to create several virtual servers on a single computer. We can’t say if virtual servers are good or not, but users have a right to know where their information is located. Thus, you should be very attentive. We contacted the support team to clarify this question, and Nord VPN managers assured us that they use only dedicated, i.e., physical servers. But there is no way we can check this.

Privacy of users with NordVPN

Some users think that when they use a VPN, their Internet activity and data are protected. However, VPNs have the same access to data as ISP, and if necessary, they can use every piece of information passing through the tunnel. Plus, it is still possible to track a particular user online, especially if the government wants to find you.

That is why, when purchasing a subscription at any VPN, you need to get familiar with the measures they apply for protecting the privacy of its users. Let’s discuss what Nord VPN does in this direction.

As you already know, they operate under the Panama laws where companies don’t have to store information during a certain time. However, if the Panamanian court issues an order, they need to obey and disclose the requested data.

According to their website, they claim not to keep information on the things users do on the Internet. If you had to Nord VPN Privacy Policy page, you’d see that they don’t store such data as traffic logs, session information and its duration, IP addresses, etc. But they still keep your username and the time when you have logged in for the last time.

When contacting the support representative, we discussed privacy, and they said that they don’t sell personal data and don’t get any revenue apart from paid subscriptions. However, we have conducted detailed research and found out that several users claimed that their data was sold, and the traces lead to Nord VPN.

Another difficulty we have faced was that the service doesn’t provide any data on corporate leadership or their parenting company. The only information we have obtained was that Nord VPN is owned by Tefincom SA. Unfortunately, they don’t publish any reports and transparency papers, so you have to take their word for it. Even though managers say that they haven’t received any governmental requests, there are no reports that prove this claim.

NordVPN cooperates with a few other companies, and together they form a so-called VPN Trust Initiative. One of their goals is to set certain standards on the market, but something tells us that their main aim is to control the industry and eliminate competitors.

NordVPN and security

Another important issue we want to discuss in our Nord VPN review is security. They say that safety is their priority, and we have carefully tested their security features to check whether they meet the necessary standards.

For now, Nord VPN uses 256-bit encryption which is the standard algorithm among other companies, so thing’s new here. This encryption is used along with forwarding secrecy and a 2048-key. Altogether, they ensure that your data has reached its destination safely and that no one else has benefited from it. Thanks to the forward secrecy, users get a new key when logging into the server and look like brand new users every time.

Above we have already discussed what security protocols they are using. IKEv2/ IP Sec is used for iOS and macOS, while OpenVPN – for Android and Windows. It was disappointing to find out that Nord VPN prioritizes subscribers with iOS and provides them with a bigger number of options.

NordVPN and Netflix

As you probably know, Netflix does everything to block virtual private networks, so the rules often change, and it doesn’t mean that if once the VPN managed to trick Netflix, it will do so in the future.

We have tested Nord VPN servers in the US and Australia, and Netflix libraries were operating properly. However, you should be ready that everything will change, and at a certain time, you won’t be able to watch your favorite series.

Nord VPN test of speed

Speed testing is often the most challenging, interesting, and informative part of reviewing virtual private network services. That is why we always approach this stage seriously. Here’s a brief overview:

• Number of servers: around 5,200
• Number of countries: 59
• Nord VPN Speed loss: 54% (Winter 2020)

We have been conducting Norv VPN speed evaluation for four days on both connections: Ethernet and wireless. If you connect to the US server, the speed will significantly vary depending on the state and internet provider. And the results of the test will differ depending on the domestic infrastructure.

That is why it is often impossible to objectively evaluate the speed, and it is better to check speed loss. According to our results, Nord VPN cuts the speed of the Internet by 54%. This is much higher than in other VPNs we have evaluated, where the average speed loss is 30-40%. Good news that there were only several interruptions and connection losses, which is a rather decent result (although not perfect).

While my average speed was 190 Mbps, with NordVPN it equaled 87 Mbps. It has almost fallen lower than 85 Mbps, which indicates that the service might not be as stable as you want it to be. The best speed results were in the UK, with an average of 95 Mbps and the lowest – in Australia – 83 Mbps.

NordVPN and Supported Platforms

Nowadays, it is difficult to find a virtual private network service that doesn’t run on all operating systems, and Nord VPN is not an exception. You can use it on Windows, Linux, iOS, macOS, and Android. However, after getting familiar with the services and reading information on the website, it becomes clear that the first of all target iOS-running devices.

Users can buy subscriptions in app stores. There are also browser plugins but only for Chrome and Firefox. Unfortunately, we can’t say anything positive about these plugins because we have lots of difficulties when trying to make them work properly.

Hackers and Nord VPN data losses

From time to time, you may come across the news of hacker attacks, and NordVPN had also experienced one of these in October 2019. A hacker has accessed one of Nord VPN servers, but according to Nord VPN representatives, nothing serious was stolen.

Of course, we can’t judge a service for such incidents because everything can happen in the era of the Internet. That is why we will concentrate on the way they handled the situation. Unfortunately, they failed to do it properly. They remained silent for more than a year and told about the attack only when it was discussed on social media.

Since then, they have applied a few measures to try and regain the trust of the audience. First of all, they have created a product that pays those who find security problems. Nord VPN has also deleted servers that failed to meet the safety criteria. However, the question remains why they failed to do so before the attack took place.

The only significant thing Nord VPN did to fix the situation was a PriceWaterhouseCooper audit. According to it, Nord VPN didn’t store the personal data of customers. It still remains unclear why it took NordVPN so long to complete such a report. The only answer we have is that weren’t sure that they’d pass the check.

The rumors about Nord VPN

The hacker attack is not the only shade on NordVPN reputation. Many users have noticed that when paying for a subscription, the money doesn’t go to Tefincom, a developing company behind the service. It ends up on CloudVPN accounts. What does it mean? Does Nord VPN hide anything? According to research, Cloud VPN is a US-based company and has nothing to do with the virtual private network service we are reviewing.

Unfortunately, this situation has raised lots of questions, and they are not answered. Especially considering completely different legislation considering privacy in the US and Panama. This company just collects payments for Nord VPN, and there is no guarantee that your money is safe.

Special features of NordVPN

When choosing a virtual private network service, users want to get as many features and perks as possible. Usually, this becomes the main factor when making a decision. Even though the list of such features at NordVPN is rather broad, it is still a bit limited compared to the leading services on the market. Below we will discuss three main features that they offer: Kill Switch, CyberSec, and Double VPN.

Kill Switch

Kill Switch adds an extra layer of security by blocking the device from accessing the Internet if the connection is lost. The service will keep it blocked until the tunnel is working or you disable the feature manually.

CyberSec

CyberSec is a feature that protects users from phishing, malware, and annoying ads. It is optional and can be added by users if necessary (although you’ll need to pay for it). CyberSec compares the website you attend to those in blacklists and blocks access when seeing a match. Plus, this feature will disconnect your device if a DDoS attack takes place. Finally, it hides ads.

Double VPN

As you get from the name, this feature adds more security, and the traffic needs to pass not one but two remote servers to protect your data. Double encryption is good for privacy and security but is often not necessary. Especially considering that it impacts speed. DoubleVPN is a part of the subscription package but is only available on Windows, macOS, and Android apps.

FAQ and answers to them

Do they have a money-back guarantee?

There is a dedicated Terms of Service page on their website where they discuss several items concerning policies and guarantees. Item 5 discusses the refund policy and states that there is a 30-day refund guarantee on the first payment. This means that if the payment was made more than a month prior, it is impossible to claim the refund. If the services are canceled after the renewal, a refund is also not offered.

How can I contact their managers?

There are only two ways how you can reach their customer support: by email and chat. There are no dedicated social media pages or phone numbers. There is no information about opening hours, but we have tried to contact NordVPN managers several times throughout the day, and the response came with big delays. Thus, it doesn’t matter when you contact them because you’ll have to wait.

Can NordVPN be used on a gaming console and Smart TV?

When it comes to gaming and smart TVs, NordVPN might not be the best option. First of all, it is available only on TVs that run on Android. Plus, such platforms as Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, and Chromecast don’t support NordVPN functionality. Thus, the selection of devices is rather limited, and you should first check whether this VPN can be used in your particular case.

Is it possible to change the email I have used during registration?

If, for any reason, you want to change the address indicated upon registration, be ready to complete a series of procedures. First of all, you need to fill in the form on the website by providing personal information. Once the form is processed, you’ll have to conduct account verification several times to prove that it is really you.

Can I annul my account?

The process of annulling or deleting a subscription and account is similar to the process of changing an email. You should fill in the form by indicating personal data and explaining why you want to leave them. Then you’ll have to complete verification to ensure that you didn’t change your mind. Unfortunately, NordVPN does everything to puzzle users, so the process might be rather challenging.

What protocol is better?

NordVPN supports several security protocols. Their goals and security measures differ depending on the needs and expectations of customers. That is why you should be attentive and read full information about protocols before making a decision. We recommend researching this info on your own because NordVPN managers will try and make you pay for the most expensive features and protocols.

What are server categories?

There are four server categories available to users. Standard is a regular server that replaces the IP address and encrypts data. The double server sends data via two servers, thus ensures two-level encryption. Dedicated IP servers are used by subscribers who have paid for personal lines. Finally, the Onion server transmits data via a VPN server and then via the Onion network.

How many devices can be connected at the same time?

There are two ways of how users can check whether the connection is successful. First of all, you can head to NordVPN’s official website. At its top, you should see the Protected status. Or you can use one of the IP checking tools on the Internet. If the connection is correct, you’ll see a different IP.