NordVPN stands out as one of the most comprehensive and reliable VPN services, offering extensive global coverage and a strong commitment to privacy through regular third-party audits and transparent data practices. It leverages advanced, open-source protocols like NordLynx, built on WireGuard for enhanced performance, and NordWhisper, which adds an extra layer of encryption. It also came in first place in our latest round of speed testing, earning it a PCMag Lab Award for fastest VPN. Beyond VPN functionality, Nord has evolved into a full-featured privacy ecosystem, bundling tools like NordPass for secure password management, NordLocker for file encryption and cloud storage, and Threat Protection Pro, which blocks trackers, malware, and intrusive ads. All of these features are accessible under a single subscription, delivering excellent value and convenience. For its powerful performance, robust feature set, and privacy-first approach, NordVPN easily earns our Editors' Choice award—sharing the honor with Proton VPN , a more affordable and streamlined alternative.
How Much Does NordVPN Cost?
NordVPN's Standard plan is $12.99 per month or $59.88 for the first year (renewing at $139.08), and it includes only the VPN. The Plus tier is $15.29 per month or $65.88 for the first year (renewing at $179.88) and includes NordPass, Threat Protection Pro, and data breach scanning. Next up is the Complete plan, which tacks on 1TB of cloud storage with NordLocker on top of all previously mentioned features for $18.69 per month or $83.88 for the first year (renewing at $219.48). Despite the name, the Complete tier is not the final, most comprehensive plan. That would be the Prime plan, which adds a range of identity tools under NordProtect, including dark web monitoring, credit monitoring, $1 million in identity theft insurance, and $100,000 in cyber extortion insurance. That extra protection costs $25.29 per month or $107.88 for the first year (renewing at $296.28).
It is worth noting that NordVPN has been involved in a class action lawsuit on behalf of California and North Carolina over its renewal tactics for annual plans. As of September 2025, the investigation is complete, and the case is awaiting arbitration. We'll update this review when each state announces results.
While the prices look enticing at first, if you let your subscription renew after the first year, users report upward of a 200% increase in price, early subscription charges, and little to no notification of that increase before the charge hits their accounts. While this isn't an uncommon tactic in the industry, Nord, in particular, was targeted because users of its services allege that canceling their subscriptions was unnecessarily difficult and that the terms of the renewal process weren't laid out clearly when they first signed up. You can view the pricing breakdown for every VPN we test in the chart below:
This practice is one of the reasons we recommend against purchasing long-term plans immediately. From a privacy perspective, longer plans require servicers to retain details like your payment information for much longer than for a one-time purchase. Instead, start with a short-term plan, such as a one-month plan, to try out the service. NordVPN has a short three-day free trial, but it is only available on Android. Additionally, you have to put in payment information to access the trial. All plans are backed by an industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.
NordVPN accepts payment with all major credit cards and cryptocurrencies via CoinGate, Google Pay, and PayPal. As of this writing, the average cost for a VPN service is about $10.30 per month. This puts NordVPN among the most expensive VPNs we've tested, regardless of tier or subscription length.
You can get a top VPN subscription for less . Mullvad VPN, for instance, is just 5 euros ($5.90 at the time of writing) per month. Alternatively, some free VPNs are worth considering. While all free VPNs have limitations, Proton is one of the few we've tested that doesn't limit the amount of data free subscribers can use. Speaking of which, if you're weighing the choice between Nord and Proton, we have a full comparison here .
What Do You Get for Your Money With NordVPN?
Nord supports 10 simultaneous device connections, up from six in 2024. Raising the limit to 10 is a step in the right direction, but given the high monthly subscription price, we would like to see unlimited connections. TunnelBear , Surfshark , and Windscribe allow unlimited devices to connect at once.
NordVPN provides apps for all major platforms, including Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Elementary OS, Mint, and RPM-based distros), available via a graphical user interface (GUI) or a command-line interface (CLI). For add-ons, you can purchase dedicated IP addresses for $3.69 per month as well as data removal services from Incogni for $4.49 per month. Dedicated IP addresses give you a VPN connection that isn’t subject to crowding and is more resilient against detection algorithms, and these addresses are available in 28 countries
An advanced kill switch is available, allowing you to disconnect from the internet when the VPN crashes or when you disable it manually. You can also configure the kill switch to disable certain apps when you’re connected to VPN, which is a nice addition that we haven’t seen from many competitors.
Split tunneling can be configured in the regular fashion to allow apps to bypass the VPN tunnel, or you can configure inverse split tunneling to protect only specific apps while all other traffic uses regular channels. Just be careful, especially with inverse split tunneling. It is easy to leak your sensitive data if you aren’t mindful. Additional connectivity features include the ability to allowlist Wi-Fi networks that bypass your auto-connect configuration, custom DNS servers, LAN invisibility (so local devices don't see your connection), and remote desktop compatibility.
Double VPN (also known as multi-hop) is available on Windows and Android and routes your traffic through an additional VPN server for additional security. Nord is one of the few services that support Onion Over VPN, which uses the TOR network to further anonymize your data.
Threat Protection Pro claims to be an advanced antivirus toolkit that blocks malicious sites, scans downloads for malware, and blocks trackers and ads . We'll examine this feature in detail later in this review. Other companies, such as Surfshark, have expanded into similar territory with Surfshark One , while some antivirus companies have started including VPNs with their traditional antivirus products.
Although useful, a VPN can't protect against everything. We recommend activating multi-factor authentication wherever possible, creating complex, unique passwords for each site and service using a password manager , and using antivirus software .
What VPN Protocols Does NordVPN Offer?
Nord's protocol, NordLynx, is built on WireGuard . The technology behind NordLynx is also open source and available to view on the company's GitHub page . At a glance, this protocol aims to improve upon WireGuard by boosting speeds without sacrificing privacy. Nord has a detailed blog post on the topic if you're interested in the technical aspects of the changes. Built with obfuscation and bypassing censorship in mind, NordWhisper is a proprietary protocol that aims to make your VPN activity appear as regular HTTPS traffic. Note that NordWhisper is not compatible with dedicated IPs, P2P servers, Onion Over VPN, or Obfuscated servers.
NordLynx is backed by post-quantum encryption, which aims to proactively thwart future attacks from quantum computers that could crack standard encryption algorithms. While the efficacy of this tech is unproven, we appreciate Nord's forward-thinking approach to security.
Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS users get NordLynx, OpenVPN (TCP & UDP), and NordWhisper. Notably, you cannot select WireGuard on its own. IKeV2 is available as well, but you have to add the protocol manually. Nord has instructions for Windows and other platforms in its support center.
Where Are NordVPN's Servers Located?
NordVPN has increased its server count since the last review, with 126 countries compared with 111 in March 2024. While that coverage is impressive, Nord achieves these numbers with the aid of virtual servers. The majority of servers in Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific regions are virtual. We are pleased to see that Nord is transparent about the usage of virtual servers on the website and app. Just keep in mind that you may experience significant performance drops if you’re trying to connect in a country where only virtual servers are offered. With no physical infrastructure in the country, your data may have to travel a significant distance depending on where the physical server is actually located. All servers in the US and UK are physical.
Nord has a generous set of specialized servers. Peer-to-peer (P2P) servers are optimized for torrenting and file-sharing. Obfuscated servers are slower but more private, thanks to additional encryption that removes VPN traces from your traffic.
All Nord servers are RAM-based, meaning long-term storage is functionally impossible. Data is not persistent, meaning all information gets erased whenever a server powers off or restarts. This is a step above services that still use regular HDD storage solutions that must be manually wiped, as that requirement introduces another layer of security risk.
Your Privacy With NordVPN
Nord’s privacy policy is straightforward and clear, even if it is a tad dry. It doesn’t have the quality-of-life frills and contextual formatting that Surfshark does. However, Nord’s policy is still easy to understand and details exactly what data the company tracks and why.
NordVPN does not log browsing history, traffic, or IP addresses. Connection timestamps are kept for 15 minutes after you disconnect from the VPN, and those logs only include your username and the time of your last session. Accounts are monitored for irregular activity, such as scraping, but no personally identifiable information is collected. Nord’s website uses third-party cookies for analytics, and the policy notes that social media features on the website may collect information about your IP address and the pages you visit.
While collecting user data on sites using third-party trackers is business as usual across the broader internet, such practices aren’t necessary to maintain a high-quality VPN. Windscribe, for example, does not employ third-party cookies or analytics on its site. Internal tools are to be expected, but including social media tools that may log IP addresses on a site meant to sell a tool made to prevent snooping and logging feels counterintuitive, regardless of how many competitors engage in the practice. Nord states that the company does not profit from the sale of user data or generate revenue from sources other than customer subscriptions.
If you use Threat Protection Pro, Nord stores some additional data. The cloud-based threat detection feature is optional, but Nord will retain executable files scanned by this tool for analytics. Additionally, the scam call protection feature logs incoming phone numbers and timestamps of the call.
NordVPN is incorporated in and operates under the laws of Panama. Panama has no legal requirement for companies to retain data for any given period. The company says that if it were subpoenaed, it would only respond to a court order or subpoena issued by a Panamanian court. Nord maintains offices in other countries in addition to Panama and was founded in Lithuania.
In October 2024, NordVPN received a warrant demanding the disclosure of a user’s data in connection with a criminal investigation. The company complied and handed over payment-related data, confirmation of the account’s existence, and the account email address associated with the subscription. No connection or activity data was given; however, the information provided is still enough to identify a user if care is not taken during account creation. Payment information, as well as an email address, can contain identifying details, which is why it is important to use a one-time email address and anonymous payment methods when relying on a VPN service. Nord’s transparency report page goes over every request the company has received since September 2024.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) completed two audits of NordVPN in 2018 and 2020, and VerSprite released penetration testing reports for NordVPN's apps in 2021. In January 2023, NordVPN released an audit by Deloitte confirming that it was complying with its commitment not to log user activity. A pair of audits by German cybersecurity firm Cure53, conducted in February 2023, examined NordVPN's apps and infrastructure . The company reported that all critical, high, and medium-priority issues were immediately addressed by developers and later confirmed by Cure53. Another Deloitte audit was completed in February 2025 and focused on Nord’s no-logs policy.
Audits are imperfect tools, but they are still a worthwhile measure of accountability. We are pleased to see NordVPN continue to release third-party audits and provide an up-to-date transparency report.
NordVPN Threat Protection Pro
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro has gone through some changes over the years. At one point, it existed as a standalone antivirus app, albeit a rather weak and underpowered one. When we last evaluated it, the documentation stated, “While NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro is not a full-fledged antivirus yet, it is an antivirus-like product that provides similar functions, such as scanning downloads for malware and preemptively blocking malicious URLs.” But the current version has evolved past being merely antivirus-like. The company states clearly that “Threat Protection Pro is a powerful, effective, and lightweight antivirus tool.”
To confirm its capabilities, we put the Threat Protection Pro component through our usual battery of hands-on tests. Contrary to the newfound confidence in its internal description, this antivirus performed significantly worse than it did during previous testing.
Threat Protection Pro consists of three main components: Anti-malware, Advanced browsing protection, and Ad and tracker blocking, plus an Overview page that summarizes the activity of the other three.
No Lab Test Results for NordVPN
In most antivirus reviews, we include test results from five independent antivirus labs: AV-Comparatives , AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation , AV-Test Institute , MRG-Effitas , and SE Labs . The labs don’t have infinite resources, so they must carefully consider which products to test. When several of them include a given product, you know it’s significant. It’s even better, of course, if the product earns top scores from those labs.
NordVPN Threat Protection is at a disadvantage here because it strictly checks files for malware at the time they’re downloaded to the system. Almost all lab tests involve detecting malware that’s already present on a test system, either by simply recognizing the malware file or by detecting its malicious behavior. Some tests include the opportunity to block malware at the download stage, but then expect additional layers of protection. We’re not likely to see any antivirus lab test scores for this product unless it adds real-time local malware detection.
Each lab has its own style for reporting results, some numeric, some letter-based, and some simply naming certification levels. We’ve devised an algorithm that maps each lab’s results to a scale from zero to 10 and then aggregates scores across multiple labs. All five labs included Avast, Microsoft Defender Antivirus , and Norton in their latest test reports. Avast leads the pack with an aggregate score of 9.8 points. Norton and Microsoft reached 9.6 and 9.1 points, respectively.
Tested by four labs, ESET Home Security Essential matched Avast’s 9.8-point score, as did Bitdefender Total Security and McAfee Total Protection with scores from three labs. Surfshark One, a VPN and antivirus suite similar to NordVPN, scored 8.0 points in AV-Test testing.
Download-Specific Malware Protection
The typical antivirus app builds in the ability to perform a quick or thorough on-demand scan of your PC, wiping out any malware that may be present. Scanning files with any type of access is also common, and most antivirus tools layer on some form of behavioral analysis to detect malware that evades other detection methods.
NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro does none of these things. It focuses strictly on downloads, checking every page you visit, and analyzing every file as it arrives on your computer. That means it won’t detect files that come in through, say, an infected USB drive. And it won’t clear out malware files that were present before its installation. If it doesn’t recognize a threat during download, there’s no second chance for it to block malicious behavior when the malware executes. These are some serious limitations.
On the plus side, the app’s developers are proud of their in-house malware detection engine. According to our contacts, “Threat Protection Pro uses proprietary engines developed by Nord Security—we do not use any third-party software development kits (SDKs). Developing these engines in-house gives us the independence to deliver the products that our customers need.”
Our usual malware protection test starts with opening several folders of hand-curated malware samples. Many antivirus utilities start scanning the samples immediately, while others don’t engage real-time protection until the file is copied to a new location or just before it launches. We had to modify the standard testing regimen to elicit a response from NordVPN, since it doesn’t examine local files at all. It was a simple tweak; we just downloaded the samples from cloud storage.
In every case, the results were clear-cut. Either Threat Protection interrupted the download, labeling it as dangerous, or it did nothing. It detected and eliminated 84% of the samples, leaving the other 16% completely untouched. Fortunately, none of the ransomware samples slipped past the detection filter. That performance earned it 8.4 out of 10 possible points, tying with K7 AntiVirus Premium as the lowest score among antivirus apps tested with our current malware collection.
Typically, this test continues as we launch all the surviving samples, allowing the antivirus to use behavior-based detection, heuristic detection of malware components, and any other weapons in its arsenal. Surfshark caught some samples as they tried to launch and nabbed others during initialization, detecting 94% of the samples in one way or another and scoring 9.1 points to NordVPN’s 8.4. Norton VPN Ultimate managed a near-perfect 99% detection and 9.8 points.
Looking beyond VPN/antivirus mashups to standard security suites, a couple of standouts scored even better. UltraAV and McAfee scored a perfect 10, while Malwarebytes Premium Security came close with 99%. Avast One Gold , AVG Internet Security , Norton, and Webroot Premium all detected 97% of the samples and scored 9.7 points.
That basic malware protection test confirms each antivirus product’s ability to recognize and defend against a collection of malware samples that we’ve thoroughly analyzed. However, malware in the real world is constantly evolving, so we run a separate test using a feed of very recent malware-hosting URLs supplied by the London-based lab MRG-Effitas. The goal of this test is to prevent malware downloads, either by diverting the browser away from the source or by recognizing and eliminating the malware payload. It seems like a perfect test for NordVPN, given its focus on identifying dangerous websites and downloads.
Out of 100 verified malware-hosting URLs, NordVPN caught 12% at the browser level, down from almost three-quarters when last tested. In most cases, it replaced the dangerous page with a warning page featuring a stylized ninja-like defender, though a few got a milder warning stating that the connection was not private. NordVPN caught an additional 56% by detecting malware during download, for a total of 68% protection. That’s a serious decline from the 99% protection NordVPN earned when we last ran this test.
In its most recent test, Surfshark managed 95% protection, which is quite good but not high enough to reach the winners’ circle. Sharing the top spot, Avira Prime , Bitdefender, Guardio , and Sophos Home Premium all managed 100% protection in this test. Like NordVPN, Guardio focuses on web-based threats rather than local malware, but it does so more effectively.
Phishing Detection
Even if a malware gang manages to slip an attack program past all barriers and install it on your system, that program still must contend with any local antivirus protection and the built-in protections of the operating system. Creating effective malware is hard. Phishing fraudsters eschew such toil and instead attack the weakest link in the security chain—the user.
A phishing website mimics a sensitive website as perfectly as possible. If you miss the warning signs and log in through the fake site, the phishing gang owns your account. Banking and financial sites are prime targets, but you’ll find all kinds of fakes, from webmail to dating sites to game pages.
To prepare for our anti-phishing test, we scrape reported fraud data from websites that track it. We make sure to include items that are too new to have appeared on antiphishing blacklists, as well as those verified as fakes. Next, we set up four browsers: one protected by the antivirus under test and the other three protected by the built-in protections in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. We launch each sample simultaneously in the four browsers and record how each defender handles it. If any of the four throws an error message, that URL goes on the scrap heap. We also toss any that aren’t clearly attempting to steal login credentials. After testing several hundred samples, we check the stats.
When we last put it to the test, NordVPN scored 99% in the related malware-hosting URL test, but this time around that score dropped to a dismal 68%. Something similar happened with the phishing test. NordVPN previously scored 100% detection, the best possible score. This time, it reached only 82%, the same score as Chrome and Firefox alone. Clearly, something has changed in the browsing protection system, and not for the better.
Quite a few competitors retain their 100% perfect scores, including Surfshark, Guardio, and the phishing-centric Norton Genie . AVG, Avira, McAfee, and Webroot also hold 100% scores.
Checking for Vulnerable Components and Apps
Hackers continually tinker with operating systems and popular apps, looking for security holes to exploit. Security researchers spend their time patching these holes. During the time between discovery and patch, your system is potentially exposed. Like many antivirus tools, NordVPN works to minimize that window of danger by checking for vulnerable apps multiple times per day.
On our test system, the vulnerability scan reported no findings, stating that everything was up to date. That was surprising, as we deliberately keep Chrome and Firefox a version or two behind for testing purposes. A simple version check confirmed that these two needed an update. It’s not clear why NordVPN reached a different conclusion.
When NordVPN detects an app with an outdated security patch, it simply prompts you to run an update manually. Other security apps automate the process to varying degrees. With Norton’s Software Updater component, present in Norton 360 Deluxe but not in Norton VPN Ultimate, you simply click a button to apply any missing patches. Avast One Gold goes even further, with an option to automatically apply all needed patches as soon as they’re discovered.
Additional Threat Protection Pro Features
The most important component on the Advanced Browsing Protection page is the Malicious website blocker, which steers your browser away from malicious and fraudulent websites. This page also hosts a Scam and fraud alert and a Search results safety indicator.
Scam and fraud alerts seem to be a kind of sidekick to website scanning, specifically detecting scams rather than malware-hosting URLs or phishing pages. In all our testing, we never saw this feature do anything.
The safety indicator for search results, enabled by default, does just what you’d expect. When you run a search on most popular search sites, it adds an icon for each result indicating whether it’s safe to visit. Bitdefender, Norton, McAfee, and others offer a similar service. McAfee’s WebAdvisor extends its tracking to links found on popular social media sites. Norton’s pop-up safety indicator links to a full analysis of the URL. NordVPN’s markup system is basic, but it works.
Sometimes, when you click a link to visit a page, the URL passed to that page is absolutely loaded with gibberish parameters that are used to track your online activity. If you paste the link into a social media post, it can look really gross. NordVPN’s URL cleaner feature, enabled by default, simply strips those tracking parameters from the links opened in your browsers. Naturally, it’s found on the Ad and tracker blocker page.
Every time you visit a web page, your browser sends along a surprising amount of information to help the site provide you with the best experience. That information also goes to every third-party advertisement and tracker present on that page. By aggregating information from third-party elements across multiple websites, trackers can build a detailed profile of your interests, which they can use to shape your experience. Even ads that aren’t involved in tracking can be annoying. Like ExpressVPN (you can read our comparison between NordVPN and ExpressVPN here ), Windscribe, Proton VPN, and many others, NordVPN includes the heavy-handed ability to block known ad and tracker sites at the DNS level.
Threat Protection Pro expands this protection with high-level ad and tracker blocking, a common feature in security suites and antivirus products. Bitdefender and Avira are among the many that handle this task using a browser extension. Typically, the extension’s toolbar button displays the number of trackers on the current page, with an option to click for more detailed information and control.
NordVPN doesn’t report the number of ads in its toolbar button. In fact, there’s no access through the NordVPN browser extension. However, we could easily see it in action by opening an ad-infested page on two systems, one with NordVPN active and one without. You can dig into Threat Protection Pro to see lists of ad and tracker URLs that were blocked, and you can awkwardly dig in to unblock any individual item. We prefer the more common browser extension implementation for ad and tracker blocking.
Speed and Performance
It’s almost assured that a VPN will negatively impact your performance. A VPN works by routing your traffic through an additional encrypted tunnel to a location that is likely farther away than your base ISP connection point. Distance traveled equates to performance degradation. To get a sense of how much impact a VPN has, we run a series of speed tests with and without a VPN using the Ookla Speedtest tool. (Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company. For more, see the ethics policy in our Editorial Mission Statement .) You can view our full speed test results in the chart below:
In testing, NordVPN reduced download speeds by just 1.94% and upload speeds by 5.54%. Latency increased modestly by 67.04%. These results are impressive enough to earn Nord a PCMag Lab Award for fastest VPN .
Keep in mind that speed tests shouldn't be the only factor you consider when choosing a VPN, as there are so many variables involved. You will likely have a different experience if you are farther from (or closer to) a Nord server, your base internet connection is slower (or faster), and/or your nearby servers are congested (or not).
Does NordVPN Work With Netflix?
Streaming services like Netflix block VPNs due to regional content restrictions. Netflix may have the rights to broadcast a show in the UK but not in the US. While most catalogs have some overlap, you may find yourself barred from your favorite series if the licensing deals change or expire. These sorts of moves happen all the time and can make for a frustrating experience. The best VPNs we test can easily circumvent these blocks, allowing you to keep watching no matter what.
Nord could access the entire Netflix library in an Open format when connected to all five servers we tested, including Canada, Japan, the UK, the US, and Australia. You can read more about how we qualify the Open format in our guide on unblocking Netflix with a VPN, and check out the full results of our streaming service testing in the chart above.
Hands On With NordVPN for Windows
Installing NordVPN was quick and easy on our Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Kit ('Serpent Canyon') running the latest version of Windows 11. The app interface is busy and may be confusing for new users. The left-hand side has VPN configuration options, while the right-hand side is dedicated to extras such as Threat Protection Pro, Meshnet, and a chart for weekly connection time. It’s a lot to take in. Thankfully, an onboarding wizard walks you through the VPN's features and lets you customize certain settings before you begin. Even so, the interface still took some getting used to.
You can define the circumstances in which NordVPN will connect automatically and how the kill switch will function during the setup. Of course, it also encourages you to download NordPass and NordLocker. We were also prompted to install the NordVPN browser extension.
A pause button deactivates the VPN but reconnects you automatically after five minutes, 15 minutes, or an hour. You can also use the pause button to mark your current network as trusted, so you don't need a VPN at all. Hitting the power button displays a warning that the VPN will shut down, but once the app starts again, it will resume its default automatic connection settings.
The landing page organizes servers and makes them easy to search through. It also has a full server page with a heat map showing the number of servers in each country. Most of the side tabs are dedicated to various Meshnet features, such as file sharing and managing local device connections. The settings tab is a breeze to navigate, and all advanced features have clear explanations or links to learn more on Nord’s site.
Nord’s Windows app has a lot of compelling features, but the presentation could use some adjustments for ease of understanding. Competitors like Surfshark and CyberGhost pack similar advanced features without the clutter.
Hands On With NordVPN for macOS
We tested Nord’s macOS client on a 2020 M1 MacBook Pro running Sequoia 15.5. You can download the app directly from the App Store. The interface is largely the same, with the only minor layout differences for the dashboard. The location of the disconnect and pause buttons is shifted to the top of the window, and the weekly connection time module is replaced with an expanded server map. Meshnet file-sharing options are moved back to the settings menus, with dark web monitoring taking its place
Core protocols, features, and settings are largely consistent across macOS and Windows. That includes difficult-to-implement macOS features, such as multi-hop. However, the macOS experience differs in some ways. The kill switch is basic on Mac, lacking app-specific settings. Additionally, split tunneling, obfuscated servers, and custom DNS addresses are absent.
Hands On With NordVPN for iOS
Nord’s mobile design is more straightforward than the desktop applications. We tested it out on an iPhone 14 running iOS 16.3 . The design features a map showing the general area of your connection with VPN and server settings below it.
Features are in line with macOS, which includes missing tools such as split tunneling, obfuscated servers, and DNS addresses. The full range of VPN protocols is available across every platform tested.
Hands On With NordVPN for Android
We tested Nord’s Android app using a Samsung Galaxy S23 FE running Android 14. Installing was easy, with a direct download from the Google Play Store. The layout and design are largely the same as iOS, with some minor differences. One minor annoyance we experienced is that the settings menu is located in a different place on each app version. On Android, it is tucked away on the profile page.
Split tunneling, obfuscated servers, and DNS addresses make a return. All other features and protocols present in Windows are available on Android.
Support Options
If you use software long enough, you’re bound to experience issues. A VPN is no exception. It should run seamlessly the vast majority of the time, but there should be ample resources available when an error does occur. We evaluate all available support options, including forums, help centers, ticket forms, and live chats.
Nord has a vast help center , organized into categories. Each category expands and gets more specific, with general solutions and troubleshooting steps coming before more technical solutions. There’s also a handy search bar up top if you already have an inkling of the root cause of your issue. One minor inconvenience is that you have to click through a handful of support links before the option to chat or submit a ticket comes up. Even clicking the contact link at the bottom of the site takes you to the help center hub rather than providing any contact information.
The articles are detailed without being difficult to read. Each one has links to definitions for complex terms, alternative resources, or steps for different operating systems. Most guides are text-based, but a handful supplement the steps with helpful images.
We did run into an issue with app installation. We followed the troubleshooting steps, but our Nord version still wouldn’t launch, so we reached out to chat support. The agent was friendly but could not offer a solution on the spot. They recommended we follow the troubleshooting steps in the help center. When we let them know we had already completed those steps, they told us to submit a support ticket via email.
Email support was quicker than we expected. We received a response in just under two hours and were provided an alternative download link that resolved the problem.
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