NordVPN Review – Pros & Cons [2023]

NordVPN continues to be one of the most trustworthy solutions for those seeking private internet connectivity. It has been featured in many publications, including CNET, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Forbes. From watching BBC outside of the UK to watching sporting events, NordVPN is engineered for a variety of users – including small to medium-sized businesses – and is compatible with many platforms.

NordVPN review
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Does it still live up to the hype in 2022, though? Let’s find out… In our NordVPN review, we’ll cover:

NordVPN: A Brief History

NordVPN was established in 2012 when four childhood friends decided to liberate the World Wide Web from censorship and surveillance. Because the company is based in Panama, it is not a part of the 5-eyes and 14-eyes alliances.

These four co-founders of the now award-winning VPN worked hard for years to set up their first VPN server and shared the prototype with several friends for feedback. They were encouraged to work harder by the positive reviews of these friends.

NordVPN has continued to innovate by expanding compatible platforms, launching a mobile app, and Google Chrome extension.

Today, in 2021, NordVPN is used by over 12 million users, on over 5,600 servers, across 59 countries. They have received many awards, including the Best VPN award at CES. Other awards include Rising Star, Great User Experience, ProPrivacy VPN awards, and many more.

Plans & Pricing

NordVPN offers one plan and three different billing terms. Like most VPN providers, the monthly cost becomes cheaper as you extend the billing term:

  • 2 year plan – $3.71/mo — Save 68%!
  • 1 year plan – $4.92/mo
  • Monthly plan – $11.95/mo

Pro Tip — click here to save 68% on their 2-year plan. You’ll save nearly $200 over a two-year period compared to the monthly subscription and you’ll be eligible for a full refund within the first 30 days.

While NordVPN doesn’t accept PayPal, we like that they offer a large variety of payment methods which include:

  • Credit cards
  • Cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin & Ethereum)
  • AliPay
  • WeChat Payments
  • Prepaid cards (Visa works best)
  • iTunes
  • Google Play
  • Cash at Fry’s Electronics and Micro Center (US only)

NordVPN Features

The main reason behind the popularity of NordVPN is its feature-packed network design. From unblocking Netflix, BBC accessibility, Bitcoin support, and malware blocking, the NordVPN meets the needs of all types of users.

The most important features of this one-stop solution for global network access are mentioned below.

Easy to Navigate Interface

While not the most elegant, the interface of NordVPN is quite easy to use by any level of user. Its main screen has a menu bar to the left and a map to the right.

The map shows several pushpins spread across the countries where NordVPN offers its services. The pins stand for the servers of these VPNs. You can click on the pin of whichever country you want to connect with and the system will automatically establish a connection with one of the listed country servers.

As soon as you connect, your chosen marker will turn green and a notification will also pop up at the bottom of the screen.

Alternatively, you can connect to a specific server by using the list of countries on the menu bar. Just hover on the country you want to connect with and an ellipsis menu icon “…” will appear. Click on the menu to select the server of your choice.

Security, Encryption, and No-Log Policy

NordVPN has strong IKev2/IPsec support which gets you AES-256-GCM for encryption that keeps changing the key. This means that even if a hacker is able to penetrate one session, they will be locked out of another.

It also ensures privacy by employing Onion over VPN technique and directing your traffic first to its own networks, then to the Onion networks before it reaches its final destination. You also get the option to encrypt the traffic twice with the Double VPN system.

Most importantly the VPN has a stringent no-log policy, thus making it impossible for them to share your personal details with a third party.

Speed

Due to its heavy-duty encryption and double-layer obfuscation, your Internet speeds may slow when connecting to their network. This happens with all VPN providers. But in return of a tad slower speed, you get impenetrable security.

Multi-Platform Compatibility

You can use NordVPN on virtually any device – from desktop to mobile. Here are the platforms it is compatible with:

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOs
  • Android
  • Blackberry

Customer Service

NordVPN offers 27/7 live chat, which is something unique in the VPN industry.

Their website also contains a massive support center. This “DIY” option walks you through common issues and resolutions.

Executive Summary

With an excellent no-logging audit and presence across servers worldwide, NordVPN leads the industry. It is easy to see why over 12 million users consider NordVPN to be one of the best VPNs of 2022.

Try NordVPN risk-free with their 30-day money-back guarantee and pay with your billing method of choice – from credit card to cryptocurrency. NordVPN is easy-to-navigate and is accessible on all popular platforms, including macOS, Windows, and Blackberry!

NordVPN Alternatives

If you’re looking for NordVPN alternatives, here are a few recommended options: