Online VPN service for privacy
Visit WebsiteThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Paid plans only
Biggest pro
Large server network
Biggest con
Pricey monthly
TL;DR - NordVPN
- VPN service with 7,200+ servers, NordLynx protocol, and Threat Protection malware blocking.
- Features AES-256 encryption, no-logs policy, and support for 10 simultaneous devices.
- Basic plan from 2.99 dollars per month on 2-year subscription with 30-day guarantee.
What is NordVPN?
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Large server network
- Fast speeds
- Strong security
Cons
- Pricey monthly
- No free tier
Ratings Across the Web
NordVPN holds an aggregate rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 2,197 reviews across G2 and Capterra, last checked August 25, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Aug 19, 2026
Basic Monthly
$11.99/month
- VPN only
- 10 devices
- Threat protection
Basic 2-Year
$3.39/month
- VPN only
- 10 devices
- Best value
Plus 2-Year
$4.39/month
- VPN + NordPass
- Threat Protection Pro
- Ad blocking
Complete 2-Year
$5.39/month
- VPN + NordPass + Locker
- 1TB cloud storage
- All features
Is NordVPN worth the price?
NordVPN is the most popular consumer VPN and its 2-year pricing is genuinely competitive, $3.39/month for Basic undercuts ExpressVPN ($6.67/mo) and matches Surfshark ($2.19/mo) while offering a larger server network (8,400+ servers vs Surfshark's 3,200+).
The tiered bundling strategy is smart: Plus at $3.89/month is a genuine bargain if you need a password manager, and Complete at $5.39/month is cheaper than buying NordLocker separately. The trap is monthly billing, $12.99-25.29/month is 3-4x more expensive than the 2-year rate, and there is no free tier or trial (only a 30-day refund).
Compared to Proton VPN (which has a genuinely free tier with unlimited data), NordVPN requires a financial commitment upfront. The Prime plan at $7.39/month (2-year) for identity theft protection is US-only and harder to justify unless you specifically need dark web monitoring and $1M recovery insurance.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
The 2-year plan requires $81.36 (Basic) to $177.36 (Prime) paid upfront. The 30-day money-back guarantee is your only exit, after day 30, you are locked in for 24 months with no partial refunds.
Monthly pricing is 3-4x more expensive
Basic costs $12.99/month without a commitment vs $3.39/month on the 2-year plan. Casual users testing for a month or two pay a steep premium.
Renewal pricing may differ from promotional sign-up pricing. NordVPN frequently adjusts promotional rates, and your renewal price at the end of your term may be higher than what you initially paid. Check your account settings before auto-renewal kicks in.
Prime plan ($7.39/mo 2-year) is US-only. The identity theft protection and $1M recovery insurance through NordProtect are not available outside the United States, making the tier irrelevant for international users.
Threat Protection Pro (Plus tier and above) requires the NordVPN app to be running but does NOT require an active VPN connection. However, the basic Threat Protection in the Basic plan only blocks malicious URLs, it does not scan downloaded files for malware. The naming is confusing and upsells users who think 'Threat Protection' covers everything.
NordVPN does not offer a free tier. Proton VPN offers unlimited-data free VPN across 5 countries. If you just need basic VPN protection without paying, NordVPN is not an option.
No dedicated IP included in any plan. If you need a static IP for remote access or IP whitelisting, NordVPN charges $3.69/month extra for a dedicated IP add-on.
How NordVPN's pricing compares
At $3.39/mo, NordVPN is mid-range of its 5 direct competitors ($1.88 to $5/mo across the set).
Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Aug 19, 2026.
Reviews
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NordVPN FAQ
How does NordVPN protect user privacy?
Which teams would benefit most from using NordVPN?
How is NordVPN priced?
Can NordVPN route specific internet traffic through the VPN while other traffic remains outside?
What kind of limitations should users be aware of with NordVPN?
How does NordVPN compare to ExpressVPN in terms of server availability?
Source: nordvpn.com