NordVPN

Virtual private networks — better known as VPNs — enable you to encrypt your internet traffic and route it through another location in the world, making websites believe you are actually visiting a website or using a service from that location. VPN software is actually pretty handy. If you’re in a foreign country, for example, you can use it to connect to a VPN server in the United States and ensure you are served the U.S. version of a website. If you are entering sensitive information — like a credit card number — a VPN keeps that data locked down so no one can snoop on it.

NordVPN is one of the best-known VPN services on the market. Today, we’re going to be looking at what you get with a NordVPN subscription, what features the service has, how much it costs, and so much more.

What Do I Get With NordVPN?

NordVPN is an all-in-one solution for protecting yourself online using a highly encrypted virtual private network. You use an app on your PC or mobile device to connect to a server in a remote location. And there are tons of servers: At current count, NordVPN has 2,510 servers in The Americas; 2,168 servers in Europe; 122 servers in Africa, the Middle East and India; and 674 servers in Asia Pacific. You should never have trouble finding a server in a particular place.

Once you’re connected to one of NordVPN’s servers, all of your internet traffic will be routed through that server. On top of that, your traffic is encrypted, which helps protect any sensitive data. If at any time you want to go back to normal browsing, you can simply flip the switch in the NordVPN app.

The service NordVPN provides is useful in a number of scenarios. If you’re shopping online while on airport Wi-Fi, a VPN can help keep your credit card numbers hidden. If you’re outside your home country, you can view a website as though you’re back home by connecting to a VPN in the area. There are countless other ways you could use a VPN to more effectively browse the web and get things done. The usefulness of a VPN is why so many of them are so popular.

NordVPN Features

• 5,476 servers in 59 countries
• Fast connections
• “No-logs policy”
• Support for many different platforms
• Ability to use the service on up to six devices at once

What Can I Watch Using NordVPN?

To start, we should warn you that using a VPN to get around regional restrictions on streaming services is usually against the Terms of Service for that particular service. That said, it can be done. People do it. If you want to take fate into your own hands and join those rebels, there’s nothing we can do to stop you.

Some streaming services can recognize VPN programs and block their use. With NordVPN, though, you won’t encounter much resistance. Netflix reportedly works, as does Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC, Disney Plus, and DAZN. Other services may be hit or miss, depending on what you try. But the services listed here are the ones NordVPN itself says will function without issue.

How Private is NordVPN?

For some, privacy is the most important reason to get a VPN service. If you want zero snooping on your activity and zero logs kept of what you do, you’ll want that guarantee from a VPN service before you sign on. Fortunately, NordVPN seems to take this topic very seriously.

NordVPN has what it calls a “Strict no-logs policy,” which means the service will not “track, collect, or share your private data.” All of the data you send across your NordVPN connection is also encrypted, which helps protect you further. And should you lose connection to a NordVPN server for even a brief moment, the service’s “Kill Switch” feature will disable your internet connection so no traffic travels through unencrypted.

What Devices Does NordVPN work on?

Your choice of VPN provider might depend on which devices you can use with the service. After all, signing up for a VPN won’t do you any good if you work on an iPad and can’t use the service with it, right? The good news is that NordVPN supports a plethora of devices, some with native apps. In this category, at least, you shouldn’t have to skip out on NordVPN because it doesn’t work with what you have.

NordVPN currently has apps for Windows PC, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV. You can also install a NordVPN plugin for your browser — either Chrome or Firefox — and use a VPN with just that and nothing else on your computer. NordVPN supports other platforms, too, including some game consoles. However, in most instances, you’ll want to use the NordVPN app. It provides the most turnkey solution to get connected and get protected quickly.

How Much Does NordVPN Cost?

If there’s one thing you should know about VPN services, it’s that they like to lock you in for the long term. You’ll almost always end up paying more for a single month than you would if you bought a whole year in advance. The longer the subscription you pay for ahead of time, the better deal you’ll get. In this, ExpressVPN is no different than its competitors.

One month of NordVPN will run you $11.95 per month. Bump that up to a one-year subscription, however, and suddenly you’ll only be paying $4.92 per month (a grand total of $59 per year). Take things even further with a two-year subscription, and your monthly cost drops to just $3.71 per month (for a total of $89 for two years). If you can afford to pay more upfront, getting a one- or two-year subscription will net you the best value. Of course, if you’re just trying out NordVPN to see if it’s right for you, a one-month subscription might be the better choice.

NordVPN’s website lists its prices in U.K. pounds, but we’ve converted those prices to U.S. dollars for this guide. Keep in mind that there may be small fluctuations as the exchange rate changes. (We’ll update our conversions regularly, but you can always just run the numbers yourself.)

How to Get a NordVPN Free Trial

There’s some bad news and some good news when it comes to getting a trial from NordVPN. Let’s start with the bad news first: NordVPN does not have a free trial in the traditional sense. If you want to give this VPN provider a shot, you’ll have to pay up for the privilege. There’s no getting around it.

What’s the good news, you ask? The good news is that NordVPN offers a fairly gracious 30-day money-back guarantee. If you try the service out and decide it doesn’t meet your needs, you can get a full refund anytime before those 30 days are up. The company calls it “risk-free,” and in the sense that you can easily get your money back if you want, it kind of is.

Does NordVPN require a contract?

Some online services require you to sign a contract before they’ll do business with you. It’s their way of ensuring they’ll get some recurring revenue. If you find out later that particular service isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, well, you’re stuck. You’ll still be paying for service, even if you end up taking your business somewhere else.

NordVPN exudes a little confidence here with its lack of contracts. Instead, the company goes about things in a different way. The one- and two-year bundles are NordVPN’s way of making you a long-term customer, but nothing is stopping you from trying the service out first with a one-month deal. If you like it, you can pay upfront for a longer package and pay less overall. If you don’t, you can simply move on without feeling burned by a contract.

Is NordVPN Worth Getting?

It’s tough to find a better VPN provider than NordVPN. Between its multitude of available servers, its bountiful selection of apps on mobile devices and PC, and its refreshing way of doing business, this service gave us a lot of positives to highlight in our review (not that we weren’t as tough as always — check out our NordVPN review for all the details).

Even if you decide NordVPN isn’t doing it for you, you can ultimately get by without spending a penny. The money-back guarantee is solid, and there’s no contract holding you down.

It’s a tough deal to beat in terms of cost, too. If you’re willing to pony up for two years of service, you’ll get it for just $89 total. That equates to $3.71 per month — an incredibly small sum for a very impressive and reliable VPN service.

If you’re on the hunt for a great VPN provider, you’d be remiss not to try NordVPN. It’s arguably the best deal in town.