NordVPN Review - Is It Still the Best VPN in the World?

Since you’re here, chances are you’ve already looked for or even tried a few VPN services—and you’ve come across the name NordVPN numerous times.

If so, you’re probably wondering if all these positive NordVPN reviews online are accurate or just part of some elaborate hoax (or a great marketing strategy.)

You’ll have to stick with us as we put the test results before the Web Tribunal to decide if is NordVPN any good?

Let’s get straight to it!

What Is NordVPN?

It’s hard to find another VPN service with such an excellent price-performance ratio like this one.

No matter what you are looking for in a VPN or what device you are using, there’s a NordVPN extension that will certainly leave you satisfied.

NordVPN Features

With so many features to cover, it’s hard to decide where to start our NordVPN review.

hat’s why we’ll begin with the basics and move on to the more advanced functions.

Cross-Platform VPN

One of the best features of NordVPN is that it’s available on loads of devices. Besides Windows and Mac, there’s also a NordVPN Linux client.

This is important because Linux isn’t supported all that much by VPN services.

Of course, there is also the NordVPN iOS app that works well on all Apple devices. And the Android app, which even comes with a 7-day free trial version.

Not only that, but NordVPN is probably the best free VPN for Firestick. Last but not least, we also have to mention the NordVPN Chrome and Firefox extensions.

Number of Devices

If you opt for the one-month plan, you’ll only be able to use NordVPN on a single device.

However, if you go for the yearly packages, this number goes up to 6.

Points of Access

With over 5,400 POPs across 60 worldwide locations, the NordVPN server list is nearly unbeatable.

This way, you can connect to a VPN that’s close to you or pick a specific place wherever you are.

NordVPN Specialty Servers

There are four types of special servers:

• P2P: VPNs specifically for torrenting
• Double VPN: double encrypted VPNs
• Onion Over VPN: your traffic passes first through the NordVPN servers, then through the Tor network before reaching its target
• Dedicated IP: an IP address that you can buy so nobody else can use it but you

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling is fully supported only on NordVPN for Android, Android TV, and Windows.

With this feature, you can reroute your internet connection using certain applications outside of your VPN. This is most commonly used for trusted applications and sites.

It is a very important and popular feature, instantly adding many positives to NordVPN Android users' reviews.

Surfing in China

The Great Firewall of China prevents people from freely browsing the web, blocking most of the popular sites.

A truly great VPN would be able to bypass it. To preserve its high rating, NordVPN did exactly that.

But one should be careful when avoiding censorship in China—there are numerous reports of authorities setting up surveillance apps.

Proxy

Naturally, NordVPN also comes with a proxy that lets you change your IP address and avoid a geolocation blocker.

NordVPN Security

You would expect that one of the best VPN services would have numerous security features.

And you’d be right—NordVPN took good care of that.

Logging Policy

NordVPN has Panama jurisdiction.

Since there are no mandatory data retention laws there, NordVPN avoids logging, enforcing a zero-log policy.

Security Protocols

This VPN relies on NordLynx—its own tunneling protocol based on WireGuard. However, you can still use OpenVPN or IKEv2/IPsec.

Regarding point-to-point tunneling (PPTP) connection, there is a reason why hardly any NordVPN review will mention it— it’s not supported.

But since it’s severely outdated, that is a good thing.

CyberSec

This is one of the most impressive security features this VPN service offers. If you’re concerned about your cybersecurity, too, you’ll really appreciate it.

NordVPN uses CyberSec to review a website’s domain name system (DNS).

This way, it can protect you from phishing attempts, malware, and malicious sites in general.

Another great thing about it is that it comes with all pricing plans.

Automatic Killswitch

Nearly all VPN providers have this feature, so we were keen to review the NordVPN killswitch as well.

The automatic killswitch blocks all traffic, protecting your IP address if a server suddenly goes down.

VPNs that don’t have this feature leave you exposed in such situations, posing a huge cybersecurity risk.

Encryption

NordVPN is the best VPN service in terms of security, as it gives you nothing but the strongest protection.

The provider uses AES-256 encryption, also known as military-grade encryption—the best method currently available.

Bitcoin Payments

An increasing number of VPN users rely on cryptocurrency payments to further protect their online footprint.

Judging by their numerous reviews, NordVPN users certainly appreciate the possibility of using cryptocurrencies to pay for their monthly subscriptions.

Speed

With its speed, NordVPN sets an example for other providers.

Calling it a fast VPN is an understatement as it’s widely considered the quickest solution on the market. So much so that it’s anecdotally reported to increase the download speed by a slight margin. The reality is that it usually decreases it, but only by a fraction.

A review of the NordVPN speed reveals that it is faster than the other virtual private networks that often appear on the top 10 VPN services lists.

One of two things might happen when using distant servers—the speed will drop more severely, or the ping will go sky-high.

We tested the remotest locations available to us, and even then, NordVPN remained faster than most.

Torrenting

As we’ve already mentioned, NordVPN has P2P servers that are specifically intended for torrenting.

With hundreds of these servers readily available, chances are you won’t have any issues.

All this, plus its incredible speed, makes NordVPN perfect for torrenting.

Streaming

50% of users turn to VPN services to access better entertainment content. It’s not an exaggeration to say that one of the biggest questions about any private network provider has to do with streaming.

Does NordVPN work with Netflix? To everybody’s delight, it does!

Better yet, it tackles all other streaming services without any problems, including BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, HBO GO, and Hulu. That way, it lets you stream content in Ultra HD.

Netflix USA might be known for its advanced geo-blocking, but it’s also worth mentioning that NordVPN can access its library, so you can stream its entire content.

Although some user reviews claim the inability to stream on iPlayer and certain Netflix libraries, such cases are the exception, not the rule.

How to Use NordVPN?

It only takes a few minutes to set up, install, and download NordVPN. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

It’s very easy to navigate through the settings and find any server location and type you need.

The Quick Connect feature is especially useful in this regard, as it automatically connects you to the best nearby network.

On top of that, NordVPN can update automatically—another thing you don’t have to bother with.

This goes for all versions of the service except the Linux one.

Plans & Pricing

Unfortunately, there isn’t a free NordVPN version (although it does offer something similar.) Thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can get a refund if you’re not completely satisfied with the service. 

You still need to pay up beforehand, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The lack of a free version means that developers spend more time improving the speed and quality of the core service.

Additionally, the NordVPN price is quite reasonable. The plans include all the features you can imagine, such as a killswitch and specialty servers.

The only major difference between them is that you can connect only one device with the monthly plan, while the yearly plans allow up to 6 devices.

If you’re willing to commit to this provider for a longer period, opting for one of the yearly plans will save you a lot.

Support

The NordVPN support section is sizable. To help you navigate through the page, a search bar appears on the top of the page and information is divided into categories. Still, these can be somewhat confusing, especially for beginners.

This sounds like a small issue because it really is. (Then again, the service is so good that this probably remains one of the biggest NordVPN problems!)

Alternative means of support include a chatbot, live 24/7 chat, and a ticketing system. Too bad there’s no phone number, but we’d come off as greedy if we asked for more. There’s also an official NordVPN Reddit group with over 27,400 members (something that most VPN providers are lacking.)

As far as customer service comments go, most users seem to be very satisfied. Around 80% of all Trustpilot NordVPN reviews seem to be positive—NordVPN employees are helpful, fast, and kind. The only legit complaint regarding the quality of support is that email responses take a bit longer. But this is understandable since NordVPN users are numerous.

Let’s see what else they have to say about the service in general.

NordVPN User Reviews

One of the main issues with most VPN services is the conflicting reviews. NordVPN is no exception. Despite that, finding rave NordVPN reviews in 2022 is a piece of cake.

People love its speed, price, and the low amount of time it takes customer support to reply (especially via chat.) Users are aware that NordVPN is not the cheapest service on the market, but it offers so many features they don’t seem to mind.

Inhabited with somewhat more advanced users, NordVPN reviews on Reddit aren’t always positive. But this seems to be an exception.

Even there, complaints aren’t that serious. Somebody mentioned that this might not be the best option for torrenting because of the slight decrease in speed. This might be true for some, but our experience was flawless.

If you don’t mind using the P2P servers, you won’t be having any issues with the NordVPN slow speeds while torrenting.

When to Use NordVPN

NordVPN is suitable for practically any online activity.

It is packed with useful features, delivers very fast and secure connections across numerous locations, and has a great customer support team.

NordVPN Alternatives

If, for whatever reason, you aren’t impressed with this provider or are instead looking to download a free VPN, consider some of its alternatives.

NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield

Everything that Hotspot Shield can do, NordVPN can do too, but better.

Their features aren’t all that different, but NordVPN is much faster and even more secure.

Still, Hotspot Shield has a free version and can work on many more devices simultaneously. If this sounds tempting to you, read our Hotspot Shield review to find out more.

NordVPN vs ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN manages to trump NordVPN in some aspects (most notably—security), but it is slightly more expensive.

Its six-month plan costs nearly as much as NordVPN’s 12-month plan.

In all other regards, the services are very identical.

NordVPN vs Hola VPN

There isn’t a point of comparison where Hola VPN can stand up to the likes of NordVPN.

It’s not as safe or reliable, and it’s not even suitable for streaming or torrenting.

NordVPN just straight-up blows it out of the park, beating it in every way, even from a pricing standpoint.

Still, Hola VPN has some advantages, thanks to its unique architecture. If you’re interested to find out more, you can read our Hola VPN review.

Final Verdict

All things considered, is NordVPN legit?

Well, you probably already know the answer…

Not only is it great overall (and, yes, totally legit,) NordVPN is, without a doubt, one of the best VPN service providers on the market. It offers a variety of useful features and does so at a lower price than most of its competitors.

It is good to the point where it’s hard to find any NordVPN complaints.

If we were to be picky, we’d mention that there is no free trial or version. Some users reported issues with a few streaming services.

Still, the chances are that the support team will help you sort these out promptly.