NordVPN Review – Is It Still Worth It in 2025?

What is NordVPN?

Launched in 2012, NordVPN is a virtual private network service that greatly improves user’s online privacy and anonymity. Through the platform’s services, the user’s internet connection, activities, and location are encrypted so that their IP address and other data can be kept hidden. 

NordVPN’s goal is to “keep the internet as free as possible.” They are owned by Nord Security, the parent company which is based in the Netherlands. However, NordVPN operates out of Panama, meaning they are under their jurisdiction and can take advantage of the fact that Panama does not have mandatory data retention laws. This means they don’t have to keep logs of their user’s data and therefore users have an extra layer of anonymity. 

NordVPN’s user base is spread across the globe, as are their server locations. As of this writing they have a huge network of 7,600+ servers in 118 locations, and growing. With so many servers to choose from, customers worldwide will have plenty of options available to them.  

Is NordVPN Safe and Trustworthy in 2025?

The biggest reason to use a VPN is for privacy and anonymity. Is NordVPN good at protecting your data and user information? All signs seem to point to yes. They have a strict no-logs policy that is regularly audited by third parties for compliance. In fact, they recently completed their 5th assurance report, verifying their privacy claims. 

An often-overlooked feature of a VPN service is where the company is legally registered. If a VPN is in a region with poor privacy regulations or strict data retention policies, your own privacy could be in danger. Some governments have regulations in place that allow agencies to take data from VPNs without notifying customers.

Another consideration is the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes surveillance agreements. Many countries in the western world share information with each other to circumvent domestic privacy laws. This means choosing a VPN located outside of these surveillance areas is important to protect your privacy.  

As mentioned earlier, NordVPN’s jurisdiction is Panama, a country with no affiliation to any of the nations in the Five, Nine, or Fourteen Eyes agreements. Nearly all data requests will not apply to NordVPN or its customers. Their zero-logging policy further protects user data. 

NordVPN Features Overview

Here are some important features to be aware of in our NordVPN review. Choosing any VPN provider, regardless of who they are, should at least have wide device compatibility, compatibility with browser extensions, as well as the following capabilities. 

Security protocols 

Robust security protocols are an absolute must with any VPN service. One of NordVPN’s greatest strengths are their security and privacy efforts. Here is a quick overview of why we love them: 

• 256-bit AES encryption on all data: This industry standard is incredibly safe without being too sluggish. It scrambles user’s browsing data so that no third-parties can decipher it and is so unbreakable that it is considered military grade encryption. 
• OpenVPN: By default, the custom software uses the OpenVPN encryption protocol, connecting through the UDP port for optimal speed. There’s an added option you can turn on called “obfuscated servers” that makes it easier to connect to the internet in restricted locations, i.e. China, Turkey, Russia, and the UAE. 
• TCP protocol: Short for transmission control protocol, this is the most common kind of connection used in VPNs. TCP protocols are used to move data between your computer, tablet, phone, etc. and the internet.
• UDP protocol: UDP, on the other hand, does not work by establishing a connection between the two areas that it’s transferring information between. UDP, or user datagram protocol, is therefore a lot faster than TCP, but data can sometimes get lost while it’s traveling. 
• NordLynx: Based on the popular WireGuard protocol, NordLynx offers the same benefits of increased speeds and great security, but enhanced by NordVPN for even greater benefits. It is NordVPN’s default protocol for their apps and it is fast enough to handle speed-reliant online activities, such as gaming. 

Kill switch

A kill switch means that the VPN severs your connection if the VPN unexpectedly drops due to software issues or other problems. This means that you won’t accidentally expose your personal/identifying information if the VPN unexpectedly disconnects. 

Threat Protection 

NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro provides the following protections: 

• Blocks phishing and suspicious websites
• Ad blocking capabilities
• Anti-malware tools
• Dark Web Monitor to see if your personal data has been leaked
• Prevents third-party trackers
• Blocks malicious downloads

Split tunneling

A VPN split tunneling feature allows you to route some of your online traffic through the VPN, but other applications stay separate. This means you choose which traffic to secure and encrypt, and which traffic connects to the internet per usual. This is helpful when you want to access certain apps or perform certain online activities without the possible slowdown of a VPN. 

Meshnet

Meshnet is a free feature for NordVPN users. It allows them to link up to 60 devices, which is great for: 

• Joint or group projects
• Sharing files
• Gaming and LAN/multiplayer parties
• Increased device security

Double VPN

With a double VPN, your data is encrypted locally then passes through two servers where it is encrypted again, making it extra secure. Be aware that double encryption does slow down your speeds more than a single encryption connection. 

Onion over VPN

The onion network, made popular by services such as Tor, is a method of wrapping data in multiple layers of encryption and passing it through a series of servers to dramatically boost anonymity. Just be aware, while extremely private, onion servers are notoriously slow. 

NordVPN Performance – Speed & Reliability

Any VPN service you use will be a little slower than a basic, unsecured connection due to encryption overhead,  the physical distance between you and the VPN’s servers, and the quality of the company’s network. Lastly, your own ISP provider speeds can make a difference. 

Our Methodology 

There are variables when testing internet speeds, including local hardware, server load, and ISP variance. To make sure our numbers are as reliable as possible, we deployed three tests:

• VPN Speed Test #1: We downloaded a series of files ranging from 1 to 16 MB in size, all of which were served by a content delivery network that automatically detects and adjusts location.
• VPN Speed Test #2: A ten-minute test where we downloaded a single 100 MB file from the same server once every 60 seconds.
• VPN Speed Test #3: A quick speed test that connects to a single server to record the best upload and download speeds.

NordVPN Speed Test Results: 

NordVPN had some of the least variable results we’ve seen in our VPN tests, which is great! Connecting to recommended servers consistently produced speeds between 70-86% of our ISP’s max. Remember that the actual numbers vary from person to person and time of day, which means your speeds could be vastly different. Meanwhile, here are our results: 

Multi-file download (Test #1):

• Highest recorded ISP speed: 15.42 mb/s
• Highest recorded NordVPN speed: 12.9 mb/s

100 MB repeated download (Test #2):

• Local ISP – 6.12 mb/s (low) – 7.56 mb/s (high) – 7.73 mb/s average
• NordVPN- 3.91 mb/s (low) – 6.32 mb/s (high) – 5.45 mb/s average

Single burst test (Test #3):

• Best ISP speed (single server): 41.21 mb/s download, 5.82 mb/s upload
• Best NordVPN speed (single server): 35.8 mb/s download, 5.52 mb/s upload

Because of these fast speeds, it makes using a VPN for gaming and streaming media accessible. Slow VPNs cause too much lag to consistently enjoy these activities. 

NordVPN Pricing – What Does It Really Cost?

NordVPN cost, as of this writing: 

Another aspect of NordVPN costs are hidden upsells or fees, including add-on threat protections, additional features, and higher renewal fees. If you decide to cancel your plan before it renews, give them tons of advance notice or you may be stuck paying a lot more than you want to. Also, be aware that NordVPN has some of the best features in the VPN market, but other competitors, such as Surfshark or ExpressVPN, may suit your budget and needs too. So shop around.   

Real User Reviews – What Are Customers Saying?

Most people love NordVPN, however, some common complaints are that loyal returning customers are charged far more than new ones, and that canceling auto renewal is a struggle. That said, the majority of users praise their customer service and blazing speeds, which allows them to use the VPN for media streaming and gaming with little to no lags or slowdowns.  

Pros and Cons of NordVPN

Is NordVPN Good for You? Final Thoughts

If you want top-tier encryption, lots of security and privacy features, threat protections and zippy speeds, NordVPN is hard to beat. Especially in terms of sheer server and location numbers. That said, if you are on a tighter budget or want unlimited connections, consider alternatives such as VyprVPN or Surfshark.  

FAQs About NordVPN

Can I be tracked while using NordVPN?

There’s really no such thing as complete and perfect anonymity. A quality VPN can do a lot to keep you anonymous. However, third-party cookies, browser fingerprinting, spyware, or malware are some examples of ways you could potentially be tracked. Fortunately this is rare. 

Is NordVPN legal?

VPNs are legal in most countries. However, certain highly restrictive regions, such as North Korea, have made it illegal. If you live in such a region, be aware that sometimes even just using a VPN can have legal consequences. For the majority of countries, however, it’s completely legal.  

Does NordVPN work in China?

It often can. However, China is a highly restrictive country when it comes to VPN use and they are constantly finding ways to block them, including NordVPN. You may have to do some troubleshooting to get it to work. Try the following to use a VPN in China: 

• Be sure to use the NordLynx protocol
• Try moving to different servers and server locations
• If necessary, try using the NordWhisper protocol, which can mimic regular web traffic and make it more difficult to detect
• Make sure to use the Kill Switch feature to protect your anonymity if the VPN unexpectedly drops

How many devices can you use with NordVPN?

You can have 10 simultaneous devices at once with NordVPN. It’s actually pretty generous for a VPN provider, though some VPNs, such as Surfshark, offer unlimited connections.

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Alex Ion

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