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Jamie Cambell

NordVPN vs. PureVPN

NordVPN vs PureVPN Comparison

NordVPN vs PureVPN Comparison

Both are known to be one of the cheapest VPNs available in the market. With that being said, do their pricing points measure up to their performance? Which can guard your privacy better? What about fulfilling your streaming needs?

NordVPN vs. PureVPN. A VPN that is known for its transparency and consistent overall performance versus a steady performing VPN with a customer base of over 3 million with an outstanding number of locations.

Which will prevail?

Before we start comparing, take the time to read our reviews for NordVPN and PureVPN to refresh your memory in full.

Good to go? Let’s find out which of the two will stand at the top!

NordVPN and PureVPN Comparison

It’s not always a walk in the park for VPN providers.

They must provide services which are not only satisfactory and feature-rich but at the same time, provide protection for the privacy of their users.

If you’re just starting out and you are unsure, we’ll be your guide. We’re going to make sure that by the time this VPN comparison ends, you’re certain to make a choice between the two.

Servers and Locations

NordVPN vs PureVPN servers

Server and Locations are one of the things you need to consider when subscribing to a VPN. It’s a no-brainer that more servers and locations to connect to means more freedom on the Internet.

Both VPNs are not to be messed with in terms of server count – you got over 5000 for NordVPN and over 2000 for PureVPN. When it comes to location reach, both are considered satisfactory, with NordVPN’s reach extending to over 60+ countries as opposed to PureVPN’s 140.

At first glance, it may seem that NordVPN has a sizeable advantage because it nearly triples the servers PureVPN has to offer. But PureVPN has servers in over 140 countries! If you want localized content wherever you are, then it PureVPN is the winner.

But… do not forget that NordVPN is particularly selective in the server category – it optimizes your browsing or streaming experience and connects you to the best server possible. On top of that, the overall quality of NordVPN’s servers is simply better (keep reading on to find out why).

Another thing is that while NordVPN offers TOR integration, PureVPN hasn’t developed on this feature.

We believe NordVPN is your best bet. That being said, if you need localized content in your region, go with PureVPN.

VPN Speed and Performance

nordvpn and purevpn speed comparison

Our test when it comes to VPN Speed and Performance is noteworthy (we test from the US and EU to the US, EU, and Asia with a 100 Mbps connection); you can get a fairly good idea of how VPNs will perform at different locations.

And when we say that a VPN is slow, it really is.

For starters, NordVPN isn’t the fastest we’ve tried, but it keeps up to its name as a fast VPN.

On the other hand, PureVPN’s promise of being the “world’s fastest VPN service” is pretty deceptive. Its connection was far from fast and it was all over the place. Some servers were fast and some were slow. It’s a clear indication that it’s not consistent, so there might be times when your connection might not work at all, which is pretty much a hassle if you’re looking for an uninterrupted browsing session.

Netflix Test

netflix availability

Countless VPNs have tried to bypass its firewalls to futility. As such, when you look for a VPN you always make sure that it’s sturdy and diligent enough to provide servers which can break through Netflix’s hard shell.

For NordVPN, it’s a breeze. Its availability in 5 regions – namely the US, UK, Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands. It is a sure-fire way to guarantee customer subscription.

Yet again, PureVPN fails in this category. Well, sort of.

It advertises itself as capable of connecting to Netflix but only in the US. It’s not much considering other VPN providers offer more, but since the majority of users in the world tend to connect to the US, it’s still bearable – or so we thought.

Like its supposedly “fast” connection, its Netflix unlocking capability is close to being certified as non-existent. As of the time of writing in May 2019, feedback from several users regarding its capability to connect to Netflix US has been mostly negative, and PureVPN brushes this off through a basic FAQ which does absolutely nothing to mend the situation.

So there you have it, NordVPN has already won this particular fight before it even started.

Torrenting Policy

torrenting policy compared

The number of VPN providers with torrent support is slowly decreasing and with copyright infringement lawsuits being rampant all over the Internet, it’s bound to decrease more.

Fortunately, these 2 VPNs are here to put up a fight. They both support safe and secure torrenting!

Both also allow unlimited torrenting on their dedicated servers which adds a little specialization to your experience.

With regard to torrenting policies, NordVPN clearly lays out all its cards on the table by informing the users about the basics and what is prohibited while PureVPN does not have any of those – which is kind of weird if you present yourself as a secure p2p connection provider.

The downside is that PureVPN blocks servers which are popular for torrenting activities which include the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.

Conversely, NordVPN re-routes your Internet traffic to a more torrent-friendly location instead of blocking it. For one thing, it makes your p2p connection more secure because it’s segregated from your other VPN activities which are still connected to your original server.

Also, you’d really want to have super fast downloads when you torrent (which PureVPN obviously cannot provide) so you’d still go with NordVPN.

Pricing and Plans

nordvpn purevpn price breakdown

For Pricing and Plans, we can say that these two are contenders for one of the cheapest VPNs on the market today.

NordVPN is priced at $2.99/month at most, while PureVPN is at $3.33/month. It’s only a 34-cent difference at this price point but what about longevity?

The price tag we previously mentioned entitles you to use NordVPN for 3 years and PureVPN for 1 year, respectively. If added up, the former can pile up to $107.64 versus the latter’s $119.88.

A $12 difference in pricing is not a big issue for some, but if you want top-notch services, you might want to reconsider your options.

Alternatively, if want to pay on a monthly basis, PureVPN is cheaper at $10.95 compared to NordVPN’s $11.95 price tag.

At the end of the day, it’s all about performance. A $1 difference in pricing can make or break your browsing experience so choose carefully.

Refund Policy

refund policies

Which begs the question – what if I’m not satisfied with the service? Can I just cancel it right away and get my money back instantly? For how long?

With both, yes, you can.

Both VPN providers have refund policies which give you lots of time to ponder if you want to stick around for their services.

As long as you do not exceed the time they provide, you can always get your money back hassle-free.

And if 30 days is not enough, PureVPN has an extra day allocated if you need a little bit of time to decide. It doesn’t make a big difference but at the very least, you know PureVPN values your time.

Payment Methods

payment methods compared

Whenever you decide to pay your VPN subscription, you may ask, is there a VPN provider which caters to every possible mode of payment available in the market? Well, good news – PureVPN has almost all of it available in their payment section.

You can pay with basically anything available – credit cards, cryptocurrency, Paymentwall, BlueSnap, and even gift cards!

The three are not available on NordVPN as of now, but it has a decent line-up of payment methods which include cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and XRP.

Gift card payments are rare to see, so it’s good to see that you can pay with those. However, we suggest that you pay with cryptocurrency to remain anonymous and to keep your identity and personal information secure.

Needless to say, the winner here is PureVPN.

Device Compatibility

device comparison

In terms of device compatibility, NordVPN is available to connect to up to 6 devices as opposed to PureVPN which can connect you to only 5 devices.

1 device may not be enough to stir you away from the other but for locations with so many users, an additional device can mean so much.

If you’re looking to set up a VPN on your PlayStation or Xbox, that option is available for both services.

If you’re too lazy to set up your own router at home, both offer pre-configured routers to ease your troubles.

Sign Up Process

signup process compared

The usual sign-up process might be tedious for some, so users tend to favor simple over complicated ones. You also need to consider the personal details you’ll be providing so you’d want to make sure that you remain anonymous even if you’re just signing up.

You’re in luck because both VPN providers offer a pretty standard (and less tedious) sign-up process. All you need to do is log-in, choose your subscription plan and payment method, then install the VPN and that’s it. You’re ready to go.

On a side note, PureVPN even asks you if you’ve connected to a good server upon logging in. If not, they prompt you to contact support for technical assistance. Strange onboarding experience.

Product Interface

nordvpn vs purevpn product interface

If you’re going to subscribe to a VPN and review its product interface, you have to consider two factors. First, its user interface (UI ) and second, user experience (UX).

Both VPNs offer a fairly decent UI, although NordVPN’s interface is slightly more appealable since its dark design tend to give it an illusion of space as opposed to PureVPN which is more cramped up.

As for UX, we’ve experienced slightly longer connecting times when we did the NordVPN vs. ExpressVPN comparison, but in this case, we didn’t see that NordVPN was outclassed in one way or another.

UI and UX may vary from one user to another so consider this a matter of personal preference.

Customer Support

NordVPN vs IPVanish customer support

24/7 chat support is a must-have for top-tier VPNs, and these two are no exception to the requirement.

For NordVPN, its good news. After all, it has one of the most commendable customer support in the VPN market, with the live agent properly responding to queries in a matter of seconds.

It’s not the case for PureVPN, though. At least for the agent’s responses.

It’s a given fact that customer service experience may vary at times, but there is a constant pattern here when it comes to negative feedbacks. Users claimed that some live chat agents are either unresponsive to the question or are just plain repetitive.

Whenever they have a query regarding technical support, agents would usually refer them to the FAQs section instead of providing a remedy readily available or guiding the user on how the problem would be solved. Also, conversations sometimes tend to get repetitive, which makes you doubt if you’re really talking to a live chat person.

Which begs the question – does PureVPN really read the feedback section they provide or is it merely there for the purpose of being there?

Product Documentation

product documentation and blogs

No questions here. Both offer basic and informative documentation on their websites.

There’s your usual FAQ Section, guides and the very handy privacy blog.

It’s perfect for starters. You’ll have little to no problem navigating through both.

Logging Policy

One which has been audited by an independent auditor versus one with a history of a privacy breach? There’s a clear choice here, folks.

Always remember that VPN providers will always keep you assured that they never keep or store information about you. There’s a reason why you can’t fully trust any VPN provider.

However, it’s a different case altogether if there’s a paper trail to back such claim.

As we all know, NordVPN has undergone an audit recently. The independent auditor they decided to hire – none other than PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In case you didn’t know, PwC is one of the Big 4 auditing companies in the world. Consequently, a certification from it proved beneficial to NordVPN as they have finally proven their no-logging policy.

On the other hand, PureVPN also claims to uphold a no-logging policy on its servers. How true does this statement hold?

log policy compared

2 years ago, PureVPN was caught in a controversy in which it helped the US government catch a supposed cyberstalking offender. Addressing the issue 1 year later, on May 25, 2018, the VPN provider said in a statement:

“We DO NOT keep any record of your browsing activities, connection logs, records of the VPN IPs assigned to you, your original IPs, your connection time, the history of your browsing, the sites you visited, your outgoing traffic, the content or data you accessed, or the DNS queries generated by you.”

They explained that while the information they have provided may have lead to the arrest of the offender, they were only doing so pursuant to their existing Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Even so, there was still a breach of privacy involved. Sure enough, their past controversy and its consequences are debatable, but you can’t deny the fact that when this happened, their policies of keeping no-logs certainly became questionable.

IP and DNS Leak Test

nordvpn purevpn no leaks

If you are cautious about leaks happening on your IP address and DNS, read down below.

It’s reassuring to know that apart from an independent audit to back their no-log policy, there has been no experience of leaks whatsoever with NordVPN. All tests on its servers came clean with no hiccups.

However, for PureVPN, it’s a varied response.

There have been issues in the past of leaks from several users so some might be hesitant to try it. But as for us, we did our own test and there were no leaks.

So there you have it, no problems on both.

Encryption and Protocols

In terms of Encryption, both VPN providers are as good as military security would provide.

vpn protocol compared

NordVPN uses the standard military grade encryption AES with 256-bit keys. PureVPN also uses the same.

Both companies offer their own ad-blockers and anti-malware solutions: CyberSec for NordVPN and Ozone for PureVPN.

There’s antivirus, IDS/IPS, URL filtering, content filtering, and ad blockers from both parties.  These components help optimize the browsing experience of users by filtering harmful content and prevent threats from entering your server.

Of course, both VPN services have addon services you can purchase like a dedicated IP and business solutions.

For protocol options, NordVPN offers IKEv2/IPsec and OpenVPN.

At the same time, PureVPN also offers OpenVPN. If you want to switch devices, there are also a lot of options ranging from SSTP, L2TP, PPTP, IKEv2, and Stealth VPN.

Kill Switch

A kill switch is the parachute when you go sky diving. It’s your lifeline, your line of defense when using a VPN. It’s a must for VPN providers.

It’s supposed to work right away without hassle because when there’s a connectivity issue from any end, it’s a matter of time before you’re detected.

kill switch

In this regard, NordVPN stands out because its kill switch is totally reliable. There has been no negative experience on the part of users in using the kill switch provided, so rest assured with this one.

For PureVPN, past user feedback revealed that in some cases of connection drops, the kill switch failed to activate. We couldn’t replicate this. But then again, user experience varies so if you’re feeling hesitant about this particular feature, feel free to drop out.

Business Acumen

One thing to note when you subscribe to a VPN service is its conduct of business. You know you’re safe if the people behind your VPN provider value their anonymity and identity.

NordVPN and PureVPN business history

PureVPN began as an experiment in 2006 by GZ Systems. It eventually succeeded and began to grow in the succeeding years – from server expansions in 2007 and 2009 to an Android and iOS app in 2011. Fast forward to 2019, the VPN is currently 3 million subscribers richer.

As for NordVPN, it was established in 2012 by Tefinkom & Co., S.A. aiming to liberate Internet experience. The name Nord is reflected in the manner that they conduct their business – they operate only at the highest standards possible. Today, NordVPN is one of the most secure and preferred VPNs in the market.

It’s standard practice for entities like these in the privacy industry to remain anonymous, and both have done their part in keeping their organizational tracks hidden. This is done in order to prevent the government from using the law to gain information that may be harmful to users of the VPN service… although PureVPN still helped the US government.

So if you’re engaging in any illicit activities, then it’s probably safer to avoid PureVPN.

Jurisdiction

Thankfully, both VPNs are outside the jurisdiction of the alliance.

PureVPN is located in Hong Kong while NordVPN is in Panama.

jurisdiction differences

For your information, there is an organization called the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Alliance which call for the sharing of data among its members.

Consequently, they adhere to their policies and the government so if there’s a certain chunk of data involved in a controversy, one court order can expose all of it away.

That’s why you always need to bear in mind the logging and privacy policies and the base of operations of the VPN provider you are using.

That said, we believe NordVPN has an edge being located in Panama opposed to Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. Panama simply is a better pick due to it being a safe haven for secretive companies.

Security and Policy Audits

You probably understand by now that for better transparency, VPN providers need to undergo audits in order to prove the truth behind their logging and privacy policies.

audits

NordVPN clearly outmatches PureVPN in this category since they have undergone a third-party audit through PwC.

There’s no clear information as to when PureVPN will undergo this process up to this day, so we can only hope and wait.

Winner: NordVPN

Finally. The inevitable conclusion.

NordVPN winner

You should probably know it by now, but NordVPN is the clear victor here. NordVPN gives you a greater sense of security over PureVPN due to the top-notch service and features they provide, while PureVPN has some nasty history and are wrapped in a lot of negative reviews…

Now, you know what standards make a VPN stand out. Should you consider subscribing to another VPN, you will know what to look out for and what to avoid.

Congratulations! Go grab that $2.99/month offer right now!

Get NordVPN

The Full Breakdown

  • An excellent number of servers and locations – Both have their own pros. NordVPN has a vast number of servers, while PureVPN stands out in terms of number of countries they cover.
  • Full support on torrenting activities – Both support anonymity and security when you torrent.
  • Cheap pricing point – Both belong to the cheapest VPNs available in the market.
  • Anonymous payment methods – Pay with cryptocurrency.
  • Amazing user interface and experience – Aesthetic interface and easy peasy browsing are present in both.

The main differentiators are listed on the sidebar.

Editor’s note: NordVPN loses out in locations – if you fall under one of those countries outside of NordVPN’s service range and require localized content (while ignoring the main differentiators), then it makes sense to get PureVPN… although we’d rather just get ExpressVPN instead for extended localizations. Curious about the comparison? Read our full comparison article if you want to know how NordVPN compares to ExpressVPN.

How to Cancel NordVPN and Get a Refund

nordvpn refund guide

nordvpn refund guide

NordVPN is known for offering a generous 30-day money-back guarantee on all their plans.

This gives new users the chance to try out the service and see if it’s the right one for them risk-free.

Although NordVPN is a leading service with millions of satisfied customers, it is not the perfect fit for everybody. So, if you sign up to NordVPN and find out that it isn’t for you, you’ll probably want to get your money back. But how?

By following a quick and simple process you can cancel your subscription and have your money sent back to your account in just days.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve purchased their monthly rolling subscription or their 3-year subscription, all NordVPN plans are covered under the 30-day money-back guarantee.

How to Get a NordVPN Refund: A Step-by-Step Guide

Unfortunately, there isn’t an automated refund process—you must follow a few steps and speak to a human for it to be processed.

Don’t be put off by this, though. NordVPN doesn’t pull any tricks and doesn’t try to force you to stay. If you want a refund and ask for it, you will get it… simple as! That is so long as you are asking for the refund within 30 days of your initial purchase, of course.

1. Head to Nordvpn.com and log in

nordvpn log in

2. Click the three dots next to ‘Change Plan’ and then click ‘Cancel automatic payments’

nordvpn refund process

3. Click ‘Confirm Cancellation’

nordvpn confirm cancel

Doing this cancels automatic payments—i.e. you will not be re-billed at the end of your current subscription—but it does not cancel the account itself. You will still be able to use NordVPN until the end of your subscription.

To get a refund from NordVPN, you have to formally cancel your NordVPN account by contacting customer support and asking them to process everything.

Canceling automatic payments alone does not cancel your account and get you a refund.

4. Contact customer support

You can either do this via the live chat or via email. Personally, we would recommend doing it via email as live chat representatives may try to entice you to stay because you are speaking with a live agent, whereas sending a cancellation request via email means there isn’t the immediate opportunity to do that. Emails are typically responded to within the hour, too, so you don’t have to wait too long.

It’s up to you, though.

5. Bonus: Refund Request Template

Whether you request a refund through live chat or email, here’s a template you can use. This works 100%—

“Hi. I would like to cancel my NordVPN account and request a refund as per your 30-day money-back guarantee. I wasn’t 100% satisfied and would simply like a full refund. This decision is final; NordVPN simply isn’t right for me. Thank you for your help!“

It’s simple, straight to the point and lets NordVPN know that you have made up your mind. It also uses some formal language and quotes their policy back at them.

Getting a refund from NordVPN is that simple.

Money-Back Guarantee FAQs

How long does the refund take to process?

This depends entirely on your bank.

NordVPN will process your refund immediately and the general timeframe for the funds to appear back in your account is one to two business days. Sometimes, though, it can take up to five.

If after five business days your money hasn’t been deposited into your account, you should contact NordVPN again just to double check that they had initiated a refund.

Are there any T&Cs attached to the money-back guarantee?

The only condition attached to their 30-day money-back guarantee is that you request it within 30 days of your initial purchase. There are no usage limits or hidden terms.

NordVPN does state that “NordVPN reserves the right to suspend or refuse service to anyone at any time for any reason…” but we have never heard of them doing this.

Can I keep using NordVPN after a refund?

Nope!

While canceling automatic payments lets you use NordVPN until your subscription expires, requesting a refund cancels your subscription altogether and you won’t be able to use NordVPN period.

That’s only fair, though—you have been given your money back and you can’t expect a free pass.

Still Looking for a Suitable VPN?

While NordVPN may not be right for you, the perfect VPN is out there.

We have spent our time comprehensively reviewing every VPN service available on the internet and we spend even more time ensuring all our reviews are current and kept updated.

Check out our list of top 10 VPNs to learn more about alternative services.

NordVPN Lifetime Access in 2019—Is It Still Available?

nordvpn lifetime deal

nordvpn lifetime deal

Some VPN providers offer lifetime access at a price that’s difficult to beat. Once upon a time, NordVPN was one of these providers and the deal was hard to resist. Now, though, it isn’t available.

Still, let’s have a look at what once was anyway. After all, this is a commonly asked question and NordVPN removed their lifetime access deal for a good reason. Plus, we don’t generally recommend spending money on lifetime access with any VPN provider.

This also prepares you for what’s ahead: perhaps NordVPN will run a special promotion with a lifetime subscription for a limited time.

The Curious Case of Lifetime VPN Subscriptions

You should take lifetime VPN subscription offers with a grain of salt. After all, the guarantee is always going to be for the providers’ lifetime, not yours. Often, providers offering lifetime deals are offering something that is simply too good to be true.

Think about it, what sort of service can truly offer a lifetime subscription?

1. Lifetime deals do not mean you’re getting a good service

To provide a lifetime deal that is worth the money, a VPN provider would need to have a massive, global network of servers and spend years building and maintaining a community around it. More often than not, VPN providers offering lifetime deals are new to the market and don’t even come close to offering a global service.

They simply want to grow their numbers today.

Do you really think that these unscrupulous providers could do this when you are paying $50 to $100, sometimes less, for lifetime access?

Of course not!

2. Lifetime VPN providers have no reason to provide a good service

Also, think of it this way—is a service that has already got your money likely to provide the same level of service as a VPN provider that has most of their subscribers on monthly or annual plans? Nope!

The former company has no reason to retain you, it’s not as if they are going to lose any money by losing you as a customer. The latter company, however, could potentially lose a monthly or annual subscriber by not providing a good product or service.

3. Your data could be at risk

So, you’ve paid $50 for lifetime access to a VPN—great! Or, perhaps not.

The VPN provider may have got your money, but your $50 isn’t going to cover the costs of providing lifetime access to you. In most cases, it won’t even scratch the service. The VPN provider needs to earn more money from you somehow, but how?

By selling your information to third-parties. We’re not talking government agencies, either, we’re talking about something far, far worse—annoying advertisers. Advertising agencies will pay top-dollar for any information they can get their hands on about consumers and VPN services are a great source of this, particularly if it is a VPN that logs your usage data.

If you are thinking of buying a lifetime deal with a VPN provider, you should probably think again.

What’s the Best Deal Now?

The best deal is never going to be a lifetime subscription.

While NordVPN did offer this once upon a time, they stopped doing it simply because it’s not sustainable for the type of service NordVPN is—a good quality one. To keep offering their lifetime deal, NordVPN would need to sacrifice service quality and user data to fund it.

So, with that in mind, what’s the best NordVPN deal now?

If you are looking for value for money and want to get more bang for your buck, we recommend signing up for one of the long-term NordVPN plans. Currently, the plans on offer are—

  • 1 year, $83.88 billed annually that works out at $6.99 per month
  • 2 years, $95.75 billed every two years that works out at $3.99 per month
  • 3 years, $107.55 billed every three years that works out at $2.99 per month

In the grand scheme of things, all these plans cost virtually nothing for the trade off—a high-quality, global service that is secure and doesn’t compromise your privacy. It’s well worth the $100 price tag for three entire years. Most people would spend that much money alone on a nice meal out.

Why not trade one single nice meal out for three years of privacy?

Why Do We Recommend NordVPN?

NordVPN Geo-Unlock

As we mentioned earlier, NordVPN is an industry-leading service that we think is better than most others out there. In fact, on our list of top 10 VPNs, it comes second only to ExpressVPN.

NordVPN ticks all the boxes when it comes to what we like to see in a VPN, including—

  • Thousands of servers located across the world
  • Lightning-fast speeds
  • No logging, NordVPN has a strict zero logs policy
  • Uses the latest security standards (AES 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN)
  • Advanced security features such as virus detection
  • The ability to use multiple devices, in NordVPN’s case this number is 6 simultaneously
  • 24/7, high-quality customer service
  • An app that’s easy to use
  • Native apps for a range of devices
  • Compatible with router installation

Among lots of other great features.

Try NordVPN Today, Risk-Free

Want to find out if NordVPN is right for you?

You can try it out today completely risk-free thanks to their 30-day money-back guarantee. This applies to all their plans—from the monthly plan to the 3-year plan—and if you aren’t completely satisfied, you can ask for your money back by contacting the NordVPN support team.

There are no strings attached to this refund policy (e.g. data usage limits) so you can take comfort in the knowledge that you can get your money back without issue… that is, if you want it.

You can read our NordVPN review if you’re wondering about what you’re getting.

If you’re already well-educated, now you know there’s no lifetime deal and the best you’ll get is the three-year deal.

Get NordVPN

NordVPN vs. IPVanish

NordVPN vs IPVanish comparison

NordVPN vs IPVanish comparison

Both are known to have high Internet speeds, torrenting support, and secure encryption. There are notable differences in most aspects. This comparison will go into details for each important feature which you should definitely consider before subscribing to a VPN service.

NordVPN vs IPVanish. One of the most reputable VPN at the cheapest pricing range vs. a lesser-known VPN which boasts 40,000+ shared IPs.

Which will prevail?

(If you have little to no knowledge on both and want a full breakdown of both VPNs, check out our review of NordVPN and IPVanish first before you proceed.)

It’s actually a fairly one-sided comparison… well, let’s read on to find out which is the better VPN (and a better decision) out of the two.

NordVPN and IPVanish Comparison

There are several factors to consider to measure how well a VPN performs. But ultimately, most casual people prefer-rich VPNs while hardcore privacy advocates prefer VPNs that can safeguard their identity and privacy.

VPN reviews may help you dive deep into one specific service, but it’s a smart idea to compare one service from another to easily see the differences between your options.

Make no mistake, both options may seem dependable. But at the end of the day, there can only be one winner between the two.

Servers and Locations

NordVPN vs IPVanish servers comparison

One measure of a “good” VPN depends on the number of servers that it can offer to its users. After all, you would want to connect to different servers around the world with freedom. It’s a given and must-have feature for VPNs. The bigger the server count, the more resources a VPN provider has to manage them. That’s a good thing.

Fortunately, when it comes to servers, both offer good numbers – NordVPN with over 5,000 and IPVanish with over 1,300 which includes 40,000+ shared IPs! Localization, in general, is also not an issue with both being available in 60+ countries.

Both VPNs have around 50% of their servers in the US and UK alone. If you always connect to either one then there’s no problem with that.

Given these stats, NordVPN outperforms IPVanish on this section based on the number of servers and the variety of countries available.

Another bonus that you can get with NordVPN is TOR integration. On the other hand, IPVanish doesn’t necessarily promise this feature. They have an article on their website saying they received “feedback” from an IPVanish user indicating TOR integration works. That’s not really reliable.

Clearly, NordVPN wins this one with a higher server count, locations and TOR integration.

VPN Speed and Performance

NordVPN vs IPVanish speed

In case you didn’t know, we value VPN speed and performance. Whenever we review a VPN, we always take the time to test its speed out using from three continents using a 100 Mbps connection. Essentially, what’s the use of subscribing to a VPN if it’s not fast?

Both offer fast Internet speeds, but you can clearly see who has the advantage.

IPVanish optimizes its Internet speed through the use of tier-1 optic fiber servers. This is possible because its parent company, Highwinds Network Group, is a premium Content Delivery Network provider. On the other hand, NordVPN uses a smart routing system which connects you to the fastest server available based on your location.

These features give both VPNs an edge. But IPVanish’s speeds were slightly slower (~5%)  according to our speed tests.

NordVPN wins, only if you’re a speed queen.

Netflix Test

NordVPN offers Netflix

Netflix is, apart from high speeds, one of the primary reasons you need to consider when subscribing to a VPN. Geo-restricted content is the norm nowadays and even if you want to watch your local content, Netflix may have blocked your VPN’s IPs.

So, how do the two VPNs fare up?

Remember what we said earlier about IPVanish having servers that are mostly located in the US and UK? You’d probably think that with its vast access to both regions, there is also a big probability that you can access content which is only restricted to that region.

Well, we’ve got bad news. Unfortunately, IPVanish does not support Netflix. The streaming giant has blacklisted most of IPVanish’s servers, and it seems that the company has given up in trying to unblock Netflix. It’s hard to believe that a VPN at this pricing range would not have the capability to access Netflix. On rare occasions, you might connect to a server that works. But this is rare.

But even if that’s the case, IPVanish still offers some websites with geo-restricted content you might want to access, such as HBO, NBC Sports, and CBS All Access, among others. Still, Netflix is on top of the priority list for most people, including us. If you care about this above all else, then you can just rule out IPVanish here.

As for NordVPN… you quickly realize how they’ve amassed such a huge customer base. The VPN is one of the best out there with unlocking capabilities for the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Japan. What more can you ask for?

To sum up, NordVPN KOs IPVanish with this one.

Torrenting Policy

torrent policies compared

We are pretty strict when it comes to torrenting policies – we simply do not condone pirating of copyrighted content. (That’s our legal statement!)

That’s why we always make sure to clearly lay out the torrenting policies of the VPNs we review. Some VPN providers’ policies can end up revealing your activities. Scary stuff.

Fortunately, both VPNs offer a secure P2P connection as well as additional points that will keep you hidden (more on this as we go down the comparison).

But naturally, when you torrent, you may want faster downloading speeds as well.

IPVanish’s Internet speeds offer a decent performance which extends even to torrenting, but unfortunately, it has no dedicated servers.

NordVPN, on the other hand, has dedicated servers to optimize your torrenting activity, which makes it faster.

Make no mistake folks, it’s another win for NordVPN.

Pricing and Plans

NordVPN vs IPVanish pricing

It’s one thing to have good download and upload speeds and anonymity on the Internet, but at what cost? Some privacy-centric folks say there is no price for freedom, but maybe you’re a budget-advocate.

Luckily for you, both are reasonably cheaper than most VPNs in the market which begs the question – which is cheaper? Which is a better deal?

Just to inform you, NordVPN is our no-brainer VPN because it’s a complete package at a low price. At $2.99/month for 3 years, no other VPN measures up. It’s like getting a filet mignon for the price of a McDouble.

IPVanish has a decent plan at $6.49/month for a year (which you can even reduce to $5.20/month through a tricky sign-up process). It’s neither cheap nor costly but so far, NordVPN has been winning in every feature comparison. Is it worth getting a more expensive VPN that has fewer features?

If we compare these two price points, NordVPN’s $2.99 is cheaper than IPVanish’s $5.20; that comes out to a difference of $2.21 which is almost another month of NordVPN’s subscription.

If you’re looking for a VPN you can use in the long run for less the money, then you’d definitely want to subscribe to NordVPN.

Refund Policy

refund policies

Subscription to VPNs is a fairly done deal, but there can be times where you’re left dissatisfied with your subscription. Often times, you would want to cancel your subscription and that’s where refund policies come in.

IPVanish’s refund policy lasts for 7 days. Some terms and conditions apply (such as where you signed up from), but the nice thing is, you don’t have to contact support to get your money back. You can simply do it all under the account dashboard once you log in.

NordVPN, on the other hand, offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s more of a hassle since you’d have to contact support and tell them about your situation, but rest assured: you will get your money back.

So, a hassle-free refund process from the IPVanish account dashboard vs. a 30-day money-back period from NordVPN… it’s a tie here.

Payment Methods

Payment methods

For payment methods, there’s a clear winner between the two.

IPVanish offers the usual payment methods which allow you to pay with your credit card or Paypal.

NordVPN offers the same payment methods and more… some of which even include various cryptocurrencies.

Just a heads up – it’s 2019 now, folks. Limited payment methods are a thing of the past, and if you don’t accept cryptocurrencies as payment then you will lose market share of privacy seekers.

We have to hand the win to NordVPN on this one.

Device Compatibility

device and compatibility

When it comes to the device compatibility, IPVanish bests NordVPN – the former offers a connection to 10 simultaneous devices as opposed to the latter’s 6.

Both provide the option and instructions on how to manually set up your router at home (or office), so you can have unlimited devices using the VPNs.

In case you’re not technically not adept, you can also opt-in to buy pre-configured routers from both VPN providers’ sites.

NordVPN, however, edges this comparison because they have more compatibility with various versions of Windows as well as various devices like BlackBerry, Raspberry Pi, etc.

Sign-up Process

sign up process between NordVPN IPVanish

If you’re paranoid about compromising your privacy, you would want to sign-up anonymously; providing a little less information than usual.

Well, you’re in luck because both offer a fair and hassle-free sign-up process. In addition, IPVanish offers a little bit of a discount on your subscription in case you take too long to decide whether you want to go with it or not – it pays you forward for being indecisive. Cool beans.

It’s as easy as 1-2-3 for both. Just remember that you remain a bit more anonymous with NordVPN since they accept cryptocurrencies.

Product Interface

intuitive product nordvpn ipvanish

It’s difficult to be objective in this particular area since users have their own preferences.

But, if you’re looking for a VPN that’s easy to use on the outside, you can rest easy knowing that both offer an amazing user interface and experience.

There’s your usual sign-in page, server list and connect button for both. For NordVPN, there are quick launch buttons available to connect to the fast server possible and even some recommendations on what to watch on Netflix!

Alternatively, if you’re into visuals, IPVanish’s beautiful interface provides a graph that is readily accessible. It’s cool to visually see how your connection measures up with all the green and light green waves.

As for user experience, both do not disappoint. This varies from one user to another, so at the end of the day, it’s all a matter of personal preference.

Customer Support

VPN customer support

Not all people know how to use a VPN initially (even though it’s fairly easy). On top of that, your identity is always at risk. As such, 24/7 customer support is a must for a VPN provider available in the market.

Satisfyingly, both provide outstanding customer support. Both have real representatives waiting on the other line for inquiries.

As for waiting time, NordVPN outmatches IPVanish on this one, since you might have to wait up to 2 to 3 minutes as opposed to NordVPN’s almost instant response. To be fair, it may not be as fast as NordVPN but it is commendable.

We would take a second or even a couple of minutes in live chat delay as opposed to email and ticket support.

Product Documentation

NordVPN and IPVanish documentation

Apart from the usual inquiry on customer service, VPN providers usually document information regarding the services they provide, instructions on VPN use or other things of concern.

There is a huge range of content you can go through with both NordVPN and IPVanish.

As expected, you can find some privacy issues being discussed on both so that’s another plus. You get to know what’s going on in the industry in addition to all the bulk of technical guides.

Logging Policy

NordVPN vs IPVanish no log policy

Do you value privacy greatly? If your answer is yes, you might want to focus reading on this one.

Most VPN providers nowadays claim to have a no-log policy on their website. But if you’re wary and you like to be cautious, you know that there’s always more than what meets your eyes.

You can never be 100% safe with VPNs. Promises are great but if they fail to protect your anonymity, where’s the good in that?

No-log policies mean that your activity or your connection is not monitored and recorded. This means, in theory, you are safe to log into important services and browse the web without watching your back at all times.

The safety of NordVPN’s no log policy has been “verified” – it’s been audited and tested to be free from logging by PwC. The recently-acquired PwC certification is sure to give you a certain sense of security as it did with us.

As for IPVanish, we cannot say the same.

For starters, it’s based in the US. As you may know, the country has one of the strictest privacy laws around the world (in fact, the US is the founding party of the Five Eyes Alliance). They may claim to honor their flawless no-log policy, but is it really the case?

Years ago, IPVanish lead the US Homeland Security to an arrest of a Comcast user. This goes to show that while they may have vocally expressed their desire to uphold their no-logging policy, this incident clearly falls short of that promise.

Fast forward to the present, the company went under major ownership change and promised the same thing again.

Both may advertise no-logging but words and representation alone without proof is simply not enough. When you take that into consideration, NordVPN boots IPVanish out of this category.

IP and DNS Leak Test

leak test

If your VPN provider clearly shows leaks in your IP and DNS information, do yourself a favor and just throw your subscription away.

You can rest assured because both showed no leaks – tried and tested.

Always remember that if your IP and DNS is leaked, you risk exposing yourself to possible intrusion and privacy invasion. The least you can do to prevent that from happening is to get a premium VPN.

Encryption and Protocols

secure encryption nordvpn ipvanish

Most encryption and protocol standards are safe for the average user. Usually, it’s down to preference.

Keeping your information safe means encrypting all the data. Most VPNs offer the standards; both offer 256-bit AES encryption.

If you’re looking for the real deal, you got it.

In addition, NordVPN also offers IKEv2/IPsec as protocol choices so you’re not out of options. This goes the same with IPVanish, which offers IKEv2/L2TP. Both also offer OpenVPN which is pretty much the industry standard as far as open-source goes.

You can feel confident in whatever your online activities may be since both VPN providers will encrypt your data even when you’re connected to public networks.

Kill Switch

both VPNs offer kill switch

If you’re paranoid about detection through the leaks of any kind, don’t worry – both VPNs utilize a kill switch.

The kill switch is readily available so your connection will drop immediately as soon as there are issues between you and the VPN server.

Just make sure your kill switch is enabled and you’re good to go.

Jurisdiction

nordvpn strong jurisdiction

As a VPN user, you must ensure that your VPN provider stays away from trouble. Five, Nine, Fourteen Eyes – you always have to check where your VPN operates.

We are pleased to inform you that NordVPN operates in Panama, so it’s 100% certain that it operates outside of the jurisdiction of any surveillance alliances.

A little trivia: Panama operates independently and is often non-compliant with privacy or transparency laws so there’s no chance of intrusion to your privacy.

But for IPVanish, this does not look too well. Being based in the US means a lot of things – and investigations.

Security and Policy Audits

third party audits

There are numerous reasons to subscribe to a premium VPN and one of those reasons in 2019 should be transparency. If your premium VPN provider is willing to undergo an extensive audit regarding its services, great. But if not, there are other ways to prove it. Take PIA‘s court defense for example.

As expected, NordVPN has an answer. They have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers AG, one of the “Big 4” auditing firms in the world. What’s more convenient is that the audit documents are available for public viewing, thus solidifying its claims with transparency.

IPVanish, on the other hand, does not have an independent audit to boast but they made a statement about their continuous commitment to privacy and other precedents.

In their blog, they’ve stated that:

“Prior to the acquisition, the StackPath team performed an independent audit on the IPVanish platform to ensure that no previous traffic records or VPN logging systems existed. No history of logging was found during this audit.”

There might have been an audit of some sort prior to its acquisition, but it pales in comparison to NordVPN. Also, given its past controversy, users might have reservations subscribing to IPVanish. It’s hard to trust your VPN when you know there’s some history of privacy breach involved and its new owner claiming it didn’t happen.

Business Acumen

business comparison

When you weigh down these two VPNs based on their business practices, it almost seems like an unfair comparison.

NordVPN was founded by Tefinkom & Co., S.A. in Panama sometime in 2012, and there’s no question that it’s one of the best VPNs available in the market today.

IPVanish, on the other hand, was founded by a subsidiary of Highwinds Network Group in Florida in the same year. The company was acquired later acquire by StackPath in 2017.

VPN companies tend to work in the shadows where they don’t share information about their employees – especially their founders or officers. With NordVPN, this is the case.

StackPath (IPVanish) is a private company as well, but their officers’ names are publicly known.

One major downside to IPVanish is its history and the Internet does not forget.

IPVanish was asked by the US Government (asked, with no warrant) to provide the IP address and timestamps of a Comcast user. Users were left disappointed because while IPVanish claimed to provide utmost anonymity to their users, they kept extensive logs of all activities. While this was before the acquisition by StackPath and its new CEO claiming that there are no logs, how do we go about verifying and trusting this information post-factum?

Winner: NordVPN

NordVPN winner

Our final say?

It’s an overwhelming victory for NordVPN.

NordVPN has more servers vs. IPVanish, 100% Netflix unblocking, dedicated torrent servers and proven transparency with audit documents from a well-respected auditor.

IPVanish may have tried to put up a fight, but it comes nowhere near the top-tier VPN in this comparison.

With all these facts we’ve given, you now have all the information you need to make a smart decision.

Get NordVPN


The Full Breakdown

  • Safe torrenting – You can torrent all you want without detection on both.
  • User interface – Both visuals and experience are user-friendly and satisfactory.
  • Product documentation – It’s the usual basic tips and instructions for both, but it helps.
  • Surf the net securely and without prying eyes – Both offer no IP or DNS leaks. Also, a kill switch for both is readily available.
  • Customer support – Superb, responsive live chat on both. Even though IPVanish’s customer response is a little bit slower than NordVPN, it still keeps up.

The main differentiators and why NordVPN is the winner vs. IPVanish are on the sidebar.

Is NordVPN Safe?

is nordvpn safe?

is nordvpn safe?

One of the biggest questions on anyone’s lips when looking for a VPN is one of safety—Is NordVPN safe? How can I be sure?

Today, we are going to look at NordVPN and go over what makes it one of the safest (and overall best) VPNs available anywhere on the market today. When assessing a VPN’s general safety and trust, the areas you should be looking at are—

  1. Cyber security around the VPN service itself (encryptions, protocols, overall quality)
  2. Terms of Service, Privacy Policies, Logging Policies
  3. The business behind the VPN—who they are, where they are located

Let’s dig deeper and look at each of these in turn.

NordVPN Security Features

nordvpn features
NordVPN goes above and beyond when it comes to safety features within their VPN itself. Not only do all their servers have secure AES 256-bit encryption as standard and provide safe protocols including the industry-favored OpenVPN protocol, other safety features include—

A Kill Switch—this is a must-have security feature that completely terminates your internet connection if your NordVPN session drops (meaning if you lose connectivity with NordVPN). Without a kill switch, suddenly losing connection to a VPN server will expose your data and information; however, a kill switch prevents this by instantly halting all your internet traffic when a drop occurs.

CyberSec—this is NordVPN’s built-in anti-malware and ad blocking tool. It keeps a constantly-updated list of malicious websites and prevents you from visiting them when it is enabled and you are connected to a NordVPN server.

Double VPN Servers—Nord’s double VPN feature routes your traffic through two different servers for double encryption and maximum security. It does this without slowing you down, too!

Obfuscated Servers—these servers are specially designed to be used in a country with heavy censorship—e.g. such as China where VPNs are blocked—so that full and free internet access can be gained by users living under strict authoritarian regimes.

IP/DNS Leak Protection—one thing that can kill our would-be positive opinion about any VPN service is leaks of any kind. Both IP leaks and DNS leaks are security flaws that could potentially bring you harm. IP leaks would reveal your location and DNS leaks allows DNS requests to be revealed to your ISP and other third parties. NordVPN automatically protects against this and we have never come across leaks of any kind in all our time using their service daily. It definitely helped to keep the kill switch on at all times.

Terms, Policies, and Other Official Documents

It’s not just the VPN and features themselves that you need to be looking at to determine whether a VPN is secure. In fact, and we have seen it several times; an otherwise good VPN can be completely let down by a lax Privacy Policy or bad Terms of Service.

VPN providers are notorious for painting a pretty picture of their service with all its features, strong encryption, and seemingly strong stance again surveillance, only for their legal documents to expose the fact that they record your information and retain the right to disclose it to third-parties.

That’s not a good thing! What’s the point of a secure end-to-end VPN when your traffic is being monitored and recorded from within? It eliminates the point of using a VPN in the first place.

The thing is, anybody can access this information—it is always freely available on providers’ websites—it must be by law. Often, though, people choose not to look at these documents and this is when people get caught out.

strict no logs policy

With NordVPN, you don’t need to worry about any of this. Their Privacy and Logging Policies clearly state that—

  • They have a zero-logging policy. Absolutely nothing is collected activity-wise, not even information about the device you are using to use the VPN.
  • The only information collected is that required for providing their services to users, for example, your email address and payment method (handled and processed externally by third-party in some cases).
  • No information will ever be disclosed to authorities or government organizations if it is requested or there is an attempt to force NordVPN’s hand.
  • Other information that isn’t logged includes time stamps, bandwidth usage, traffic logs, or IP addresses.

They do, however, collect some technical information for service optimization—

  • Server load information (i.e. at what capacity is a server running)
  • Information from customer services encounters (i.e. tickets and live chat)
  • Cookies (Google Analytics cookies, affiliate cookies, and site cookies)

None of this can be used to personally identify you, connect you to NordVPN as a user of its services, or find out what you are doing while connected to NordVPN.

In short—you are perfectly safe, nothing is collected, and you can use NordVPN in complete confidence.

The Business Behind the VPN

nordvpn

It’s important to know who you’re dealing with.

In most cases, a VPN service is owned by a parent company and it is important to find out who this is, where it is registered, and what other services it is connected to, if any.

All you really need to watch out for here is that the company is legitimate, that they’ve not had bad press, and they are registered in an optimal location. An optimal location is any country that isn’t on this list—

  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Canada
  • New Zealand
  • Australia

These countries are part of the “5 Eyes” alliance (the UKUSA Agreement). It is a multilateral agreement for cooperation and the sharing of intelligence and data. If a company is registered in a 5 Eyes country, any information obtained about it or its customers, including VPN usage data, can be shared with foreign governments to aid surveillance and bolster their monitoring efforts.  

There are 9 other third-party participants to this agreement (including France and Germany) and so it is sometimes referred to as “14 Eyes“.

So, what about NordVPN?

nordvpn jurisdiction

NordVPN’s parent company is Tefinkom & Co., S.A. based out of Panama where 5 Eyes does not apply. It is run by “nominee directors” meaning the true owners of NordVPN is not information that is publicly available.

NordVPN’s business practices are also clean. They haven’t helped any governments and they’ve gone as far as to invite third-party auditors to check over their policies.

Namely, PricewaterhouseCoopers—one of the biggest auditing firms in the world.

The audit conducted went over NordVPN’s privacy policy as well as their logging policy; the VPN architecture was thoroughly inspected to make sure that there were no issues on the tech-side.

Want to Try Out NordVPN?

nordvpn privacy serious
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you have 30 whole days to try out NordVPN and all its premium features without having to lose any money if you don’t like it.

While we are sure you’ll be impressed, getting a refund is as simple as sending an email—customer service is quick, and they will send your money back to your original payment method with no questions asked.

Want to learn more about NordVPN? Read our full NordVPN review.
You can sign up for NordVPN here.

How to Install NordVPN on Windows

nordvpn log in

NordVPN is an industry-leading VPN service used by millions of people worldwide each day. There are plenty of reasons for this, one being that it is an immensely simple VPN to install and begin using.

Today, we are going to walk you through the process of downloading and activating a NordVPN subscription and installing the software on your Windows PC or laptop.

Creating a NordVPN Account

Before you install NordVPN, you have to create an account and have an active subscription.

If you are a brand new user of NordVPN, you can take advantage of their 30-day money-back guarantee here. This provides you with protection by giving you the right to get a refund if you are dissatisfied with the NordVPN service, all you need to do is email Nord’s customer support and ask for it.

This means there is zero risk of you losing out on your hard-earned cash by paying for a service that isn’t suitable for you.

Feel free to read the NordVPN review to first understand what you’re signing up for.

1. Visit NordVPN’s registration page

To use NordVPN, you need to create an account and have an active subscription. Although you must pay for this subscription, remember that you are backed by their 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. Choose a plan

nordvpn pricing

You have 4 different options here. We recommend buying a 3-year plan since this has the most value attached to it. $2.99 per month for a top shelf VPN is an absolute steal. All plans are protected by the 30-day money-back guarantee, too.

3. Activate your account via email

When you have selected and paid for your plan, NordVPN will send you a confirmation email with an account activation link.

You must activate your NordVPN account via email otherwise the VPN won’t work when you download and install it.

Downloading and Installing NordVPN on Windows

Once you have created your account and activated your free account, you are ready to install NordVPN onto your Windows PC or laptop.

1. Log in to the NordVPN UCP (link will be given once you pay)

nordvpn log in

2. Click on ‘Downloads’ then click the Download button under the Windows section

nordvpn windows download

3. Run the NordVPN Setup File

You should see a file called NordVPNSetup.exe appear at the bottom of your web browser. When it’s finished downloading, simply click on it to launch the NordVPN installation wizard.

nordvpn installer

If your computer asks if you would like to let NordVPN make changes to it, simply click on ‘Agree’ or ‘Yes’.

4. Go through the installation process

On Windows, this is simply a case of clicking ‘Install’ and letting the program do its work.

installation wizard

5. That’s it! You’re done

Once the installation wizard has done its thing, you are ready to begin using NordVPN. You should see this screen if everything has worked as it should have—

NordVPN UI

This is the main NordVPN screen where you control everything from.

How Do I Use NordVPN?

If this is the first time you have used a VPN service, you may be a little confused about what you need to do. Don’t worry—we all had to get to grips with VPNs at one point or another.

Luckily, NordVPN is incredibly easy to use. Connecting to a secure and encrypted server is as simple as a few clicks of a mouse, literally!

You have five ways of connecting to a server—

1. Press ‘Quick Connect’ and let NordVPN choose your most optimum server

quick connect

2. Click the blue tabs on the map to connect to a server in that country

pin drop

3. Click on a country on the left-hand-side to connect to its best server (it was UK for us at the time of testing)

NordVPN UK

4. Click the three dots (…) next to a country’s name to choose a specific server

server picking

5. Click on one of the ‘Specialty Server’ options optimized for specific use

specialty server option

Where you choose to connect is entirely up to you. Although some servers are optimized for certain activities (e.g. P2P servers for torrenting files), all of them can be used for any purpose. All Nord’s servers are fast, secure, and follow the same standards when it comes to encryption and data handling.

Finally, Take a Look at NordVPN’s Settings

Before you start using NordVPN, you should look at the app’s settings.

nordvpn general settings

Here are the settings we recommend—

  • CyberSec: On
    CyberSec is Nord’s anti-malware and ad-blocking feature.
  • Auto-Connect: On
    NordVPN will automatically connect and remain connected to the network
  • Start NordVPN On Startup: On
    You won’t need to worry about manually booting up NordVPN
  • Internet Kill Switch: On/Off, dependent on preferences
    Turn this to ‘On’ if you want to only use the internet when connected to a VPN
  • Invisibility on LAN: On/Off
    This is largely redundant since most connections are via Wi-Fi
  • App Kill Switch: On—you must turn this on for complete protection
    A kill switch blocks your internet connection if your VPN connection drops
  • Notifications: On
    Be notified when NordVPN connects, disconnects, or something important happens
  • Start Minimized: Off, but turn to ‘On’ when you get comfortable with the app

There are a whole bunch of additional settings under ‘Show advanced settings’ but you should leave these alone unless you know what you are doing.

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Need help understanding what a VPN does and how it can help you? Read our guides:
What is a VPN?
What is TOR?
What is the Five Eyes Alliance?

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