Born in 2012 as a modest project, NordVPN has become one of the most complete and popular VPNs on the market. Currently, this VPN provider (whether fortunately or unfortunately) is competing to be one of the leading VPNs in China, which is quite possibly the hardest test of the reliability of any VPN service.
Below you will find a complete review of NordVPN.
Features
- Encryption protocols: OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPsec and IKEv2/IPsec
- Simultaneous connections: 6 simultaneous connections.
- Number of countries with servers and server count: 5,118 servers in 62 countries, including 2,314 in the USA, 2,319 in Europe, 461 servers in Asia and the Pacific and 50 servers in Africa, the Middle East and India.
- Server changes: Unlimited.
- Applications: Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and iOS.
- Customer service: Service 24/7/365 through live chat, support tickets and contact forms.
- Free trial period or guaranteed money back: It offers guaranteed money back for 30 days.
- Extras: Dedicated IP addresses, Smart DNS, DDoS protection and web proxy extensions. It also offers the CyberSec function (which helps to block suspicious websites and malware) and the Double VPN function (double encryption that goes through 2 servers).
The best things about NordVPN
Simultaneous connections: Nord VPN lets you connect up to 6 different devices from the same account, whereas the majority of similar VPN services offer between 3 and 5.
Easy to use: NordVPN’s applications are well-designed to be intuitive for users that aren’t experts at using VPNs.
Advanced functions such as CyberSec, Double VPN and Automatic Kill Switch: If you’re worried about security, CyberSec helps you automatically block suspicious websites, malware and DDoS attacks to keep your device safe. The Double VPN routes your connection through two servers, encrypting it twice and thus providing an additional layer of security to your connection. Last of all, the Automatic Kill Switch automatically blocks your connection or closes certain programs if you VPN isn’t connected, guaranteeing that certain pieces of data are never exposed.
The worst things about NordVPN
Customer service: Certain users complain that at times their support service isn’t exactly perfect.
Fluctuating speeds: It’s common for there to be fluctuations in connection speed, as some servers are relatively slow and the connection to certain servers disconnects frequently.
Software: Some users complain that NordVPN’s applications sometimes block their computer.
Usage recommendations
Although NordVPN’s applications are designed to be easy to use, users who need to be able to browse without restrictions in countries such as China will need to use advanced functions.
If you’re in a country with Internet use restrictions, it’s recommendable to use Obfuscated servers. To do so, go to Settings -> Show Advanced Settings, and click on the I know what I’m doing button. A bit lower down, you will see Obfuscated Servers. Set this to ON and look for the server that works the best.
Prices and plans
NordVPN offers 3 different plans:
Monthly plan: 11.95 USD per month.
Annual plan: 6.99 USD per month (83.88 USD).
Bi-annual plan: 4.99 USD per month (119.76 USD).
Tri-annual plan: 3.49 USD per month (125.64 USD).
Dedicated IP: 70 – 140 USD per year
Given that it has a 30-day period for guaranteed money back, it’s worth choosing annual or biannual plans, as they are a lot cheaper.
Recommended uses
NordVPN offers a ton of extras such as CyberSec, Double VPN and Automatic Kill Switch, which makes it an excellent VPN for people who are worried about their security when browsing the web.
It can also be useful for users who want a dedicated IP, that is an IP address that only one user use and therefore it is much more difficult to be detected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NordVPN work in China?
Yes, NordVPN works in China and as a matter of fact, at the moment it’s one of the best VPNs for China. Note that here we offer a comparison of the best VPNs for China, and NordVPN is one of them.
Is NordVPN trustworthy?
Yes, NordVPN has been in business since 2012 and over the years has built a reputation as a serious and trustworthy VPN.
Is NordVPN worth the money?
Although NordVPN is certainly not one of the cheapest VPN on the market, we think it’s worth the money, especially if you are looking for a VPN that offers dedicated IP addresses (which makes it much more difficult for others to detect your VPN).
Is NordVPN easy to use?
Yes, compared to other mainstream VPNs, we think NordVPN is quite easy to install, set up and use on a daily basis.
Is NordVPN really safe?
Yes, NordVPN increases security by offering dedicated IP addresses and advanced functions such as CyberSec, Double VPN and Automatic Kill Switch.
Which is better, NordVPN or ExpressVPN?
They are both great VPNs with a similar price! So, it really depends on what you want. In our opinion, NordVPN is more interesting for people who are looking for more security, while ExpressVPN is probably more suitable for people who just want a fast VPN that is also easy to use.
I use Nord Vpn nonw 2 Yaers. This year a cant use Nordvpn proper in China. Only problems. Sorry not good anymore for China.
Hi Rudi, most VPNs had problems this year, NordVPN is usually quite effective in solving them
Are you seriously recommending Nordvpn for China? All their servers were blocked before october 1. The company is incompetent. Express VPN is working a like a charm from China
We normally recommend Express as a first choice, NordVPN is our 3d option in the list, it has been working fine in China for a long time, and normally solve the connections problems quite fast. No VPN has been working 100% of the time this year
08/2020
I have used ExpressVPN for at least 4 years … i am less and less happy with their services, that is why i am looking for other options.
I keep seeing ExpressVPN recommended over and over for China … The service MOSTLY does not work!!
It keeps dropping … and with their killswitch (with no CLEAR notification …) you find yourself being disconnected from the internet forever, until you check out if the VPN is connected or not.
Many times, while busy working i didn’t notice my phone was disconnected from the internet, many times i have missed messages during the day (some of them were very important).
… and checking over and over if my VPN is still connected becomes quickly tiresome.
Not only that, but to connect, it takes ages! … when it does.
Simply put, before i could count on my fingers the days my VPN couldn’t connect in a year; now i can count on less than 10 fingers the number of days that VPN connects!! [I am exaggerating, but you get the idea]
Finally, China still decides whether they want VPNs to work or not!!!!! During very important national events, ExpressVPN is unable to connect at all! … the event is over, ExpressVPN works again.
I am done with this service, it gets worse and worse, asks a lot out of my CPU, and they put processes (expressvpnd.exe and NotificationService.exe) that cannot be switched off at all, and are on even if you have not launched the program!!
… Do whatever you want, but if you live in China, don’t use ExpressVPN; here, we all say the same: “What VPN do you use? because i have ExpressVPN and I’m tired of it, it never connects”
I don’t understand why you add this comment to this article, here you’ll find many alternatives to Express if you aren’t satisfied with their service. However, you won’t find any magic bullet, normally when the restrictions are increased all the VPNs become unreliable. Anyway, because a VPN is essential for our work normally we have more than one.
Also, you can also try to purchase a dedicated IP.
I’m a happy user of NordVPN for more than 3 years now :)
I completely agree with your statement “NordVPN’s applications are well-designed to be intuitive for users that aren’t experts at using VPNs.”
I started using it as a complete dumbo in tech, but it was super easy even for me.
The only thing- there could be more servers in specific countries and I wish it could be even cheaper.