NordVPN Review [2021] — What We Like And Dislike About The VPN Juggernaut

It's important to invest in a high-quality VPN service. If you want to learn more about one of the top VPN companies out there, check out our NordVPN review.

If you want to be safe while browsing the web, you should invest in a high-quality VPN service. However, with so many options on the market, it may be hard for you to decide on which one is the best for you. If you want to learn more about one of the top VPN companies out there, check out our NordVPN review below. But first, let’s learn more about what VPNs are.

What Is A VPN?

If you're looking at this NordVPN review, you're probably familiar with what a VPN is. Still, for those that may not know much about this popular service, here's a short introduction to what VPNs are and what they're useful for. Essentially, a virtual private network, or a VPN, is a service that protects your privacy while online. It does so by creating an encrypted tunnel for your data. That way, a VPN hides your IP address, meaning that you can use any WiFi connection safely.

For those that frequently use public WiFi on your phone or laptop, it's smart to invest in a high-quality VPN service. It's the best way to avoid someone tracking down your IP address. However, even if you only use private WiFi, it's still smart to invest in a VPN. A virtual private network allows you to connect to servers anywhere in the world. Therefore, it's great if you want to play video games with people from other continents or watch a TV show that's not on Netflix in your country.

Still, choosing the right VPN provider is important. Many of them lack server options or simply don't work as well as they should. NordVPN is one of the best companies out there if you're looking for a high-quality private server you can count on. Check out our NordVPN review, where we talk about the cost, performance, and what we like and dislike about the company.

A Comprehensive NordVPN Review

NordVPN was founded in 2012 by four childhood friends. Since then, they've been a top choice for anyone that's looking for high-quality VPN services, and for a good reason. Here’s everything you need to know about NordVPN:

How Much Does NordVPN Cost?

Pricing is one of the main things people look at when deciding on a VPN company. However, as you'll see in this NordVPN review, sometimes it's worth it to pay a higher price for a better product. NordVPN is a bit more expensive when compared to many other companies that offer VPN services.

You can opt for a month-to-month payment plan, with a chance to cancel any time you want. In that case, you'll be paying $11.95 a month or $119 per year. However, NordVPN also offers discounts for those that pay for one or two years upfront.

The price of a one-year plan is $59, billed once annually. That means you end up paying $4.92 a month instead of $11.95, which is quite a discount. Similarly, you can get a 68% discount on a two-year plan. The price of a two-year plan is $89, which is equivalent to paying $3.71 a month.

However, be careful if you choose a discounted annual or bi-annual payment plan. The discount only lasts for one payment period. That means you'll be paying the full $119 come renewal time instead of the discounted amount you paid the first time.

NordVPN offers plenty of payment options. You can pay via PayPal, credit and debit cards, and even cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Although they don't have a free trial option, NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. No matter which payment plan you chose, they will refund you if you're unhappy with their services during the 30-day period.

NordVPN Server Locations

NordVPN offers over 5,000 servers that span across 62 countries. Although that's a significant amount, some VPN companies still outshine it. For example, ExpressVPN offers servers that cover 94 countries. Still, a major benefit of NordVPN is the geographic diversity of its servers. Like many other VPN companies, the bulk of the servers are in the UK and the US. 

However, they provide servers all over the world, including Asia, Europe, and South America. Some notable servers include those in Turkey, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. The internet policies in these regions are restricted by the government, and a VPN is one of the main ways to surpass censorship. They also have a server in Africa, a continent that is largely ignored by other VPN companies.

NordVPN Privacy And Security

Privacy and security are the most important qualities of a VPN service. It's integral to know what happens to your information and how the company stores and uses it. NordVPN has its headquarters in Panama. This is a huge benefit because Panama does not fall under five-eyes, nine-eyes, or a fourteen-eyes jurisdiction. Simply put, that means the Panama government can't force any company to give up data they've gathered on someone. Therefore, NordVPN isn't required to hold on to your information for any amount of time.

The only information NordVPN retains is your username and the time of your last session. However, they only hold the information for 15 minutes once you disconnect from the VPN. Additionally, NordVPN does keep tabs on how their customers are using their website. Still, that's not worrisome, as the only use of that information is to help the company improve the customer experience on the site. They do not retain any information considering your IP address, session information, or what you've been looking at while online. Since they hold minimal information, there is nothing to collect, even if there was a breach in their security.

While researching for our NordVPN review, we were pleasantly surprised at the strength of their encryption. Firstly, they use a double-VPN process. That means your information goes through at least two servers during the encryption process. Secondly, they use AES with 256-bit keys, which is the standard for encryption, according to cybersecurity experts. And lastly, they use IPSec and IKEv2, which is a major plus in our eyes. It ensures that there is no break in your VPN connection if you lose internet connection for a bit, for example, when switching from WiFi to mobile data.

NordVPN Speed And Performance

People new to VPNs often neglect to look into the speed and browsing performance of VPN services. Although it may seem as if the internet speed is similar across companies, many tend to underperform in that area. A poor-quality VPN service will impact your browsing experience greatly, especially if you want to play video games while using it. 

However, we were amazed by the speed of the servers while researching for our NordVPN review. Although the speed changes depending on which server you're using, you can expect an overall pleasant experience. NordVPN servers rarely lag, and you won't have any problems while browsing online. Additionally, you won't encounter problems while watching TV shows and movies on various streaming platforms or while gaming.

You can connect up to six devices to your NordVPN account. Even if you use all six at once, the speed and performance of the servers remain excellent. And if you ever notice a problem with a server, you can easily switch to a different one. Alternatively, contact NordVPNs customer support. They are quite responsive and quick to fix any issues.

Additional Features We Like About NordVPN

A major benefit of NordVPN is its versatility. You can use it on any device, as they have apps for Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux operating systems. Additionally, you can also get browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

Another feature we love is the kill switch. The main benefit of it is the fact that your data remains protected in case you lose the VPN connection. If you're browsing or downloading something and your connection to the server goes out, the kill switch will stop your activity and quit the apps you're using. That way, your data won't be exposed, and you can continue your activity once you connect to the VPN again.

Additionally, NordVPN offers a variety of servers that allow you to torrent whatever you desire. Unlike many VPN companies, they don't have a data limit. That means you can sit down, relax, and watch your favorite TV show as much as you want. You can even unlock Netflix programs that are region-locked. Simply switch to a server located in a region that offers the program you want to watch.

NordVPN did not offer split tunneling until recently, which was a major detriment. However, not long ago, they introduced this feature, which lets you decide which apps you want to use a VPN on. That means you can use a VPN for Netflix or while gaming, without having to use the VPN on any other apps.

What We Dislike About NordVPN

One of the main disadvantages of NordVPN is the price. It's among the more expensive VPN providers, which may deter some from giving it a try. Still, they do offer a lot of features you'll have a hard time finding elsewhere.

Additionally, we dislike the fact that the annual and bi-annual discount resets to full price once the payment renews. Many customers may not know this when purchasing the VPN. Therefore, they may be surprised when the bill ends up being double what they expected in the next billing cycle.

Lastly, NordVPN offers static IP addresses, which means you'll get the same address every time you log onto a certain region. Although this is not a major problem, we would still prefer if they incorporated dynamic IP addresses, as well.

In Conclusion

NordVPN is an excellent option for those looking for a trustworthy VPN company. It's fast, secure, and easy to use. Hopefully, this extensive NordVPN review has helped you decide on whether this company is right for you.