Summary
NordVPN is once again recognized as the top VPN of the year. For nearly a decade, ExpressVPN was considered the absolute leader in the market. However, complacency became its downfall, and while ExpressVPN was resting on its laurels, NordVPN steadily grew, patiently waiting for the right moment to claim the top spot.
Ultimately, the battle was lost due to NordVPN’s precise strategy and innovative advancements. The 10-year reign was over, and by the time ExpressVPN realized the need for change, the gap that NordVPN had quietly built over the years would be hard to close anytime soon. Both companies are considered the safest due to their jurisdiction, but NordVPN offers more features and a higher level of security at half the price. There’s really no reason not to choose NordVPN right now.
- Best download speeds
- Extensive server network
- Ultra-fast multi-hop
- Meshnet
- NordLynx (WireGuard’s drawbacks addressed with Double NAT)
- Unrestricted OTT streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, and more)
- Beautiful and user-friendly apps
- Broad OS and device support – Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web browser Extensions, TVOS, Fire TV, Routers and more
- Offers more value than all other VPNs, yet at a lower price
Secret Coupon
If you want to sign up for NordVPN at an exclusive lowest price, simply click on https://nordvpn.deal
I referred to it as the “Secret coupon” to make it easier to remember, but in fact, it’s more like a small bug on the NordVPN site. It doesn’t apply every time, but if you copy that link, open a private window(inPrivate or Incognito depending on the web browser), paste that link and enter, you might see a higher discount. If you see the same discount rate, that means it’s the best price available.
NordVPN Review
Most news or review sites, and tech magazines have business relationships with VPN companies, so they tend to minimize or downplay any downsides or critical opinions. This makes it difficult to find reviews that offer a neutral and realistic perspective. In contrast, NordVPN is the opposite. Some of the large review sites that appear at the top of Google search results for VPN-related queries are owned by or affiliated with NordVPN’s competitors, so they often rank NordVPN in second or third place.
I am using a 2-year plan for NordVPN. Most of my friends have switched to NordVPN or Surfshark based on my recommendation. If I had to choose a VPN again and pay for it, I would choose NordVPN without hesitation.
🌐 Server
When you visit the websites of VPN companies, they often boast about having thousands of servers, but in reality, that number doesn’t mean much. For example, NordVPN claims to have over 6,800 servers in 111 countries, yet it’s faster than many VPN companies that have over 8,000 servers. Why is that?
Imagine you have a high-end computer with an AMD Ryzen 7 9700X CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a GTX-4090 GPU, while I have a low budget PC that around $200~300. We both have one computer, but the performance difference would be huge. The same goes for VPN servers.. what matters more is the quality of the servers you own or lease, not just the number.
Some VPN companies claim to have over 10,000 servers. I’ve tried that VPN myself and was disappointed by the slow download speeds and I ended up requesting a refund. Currently, the fastest VPNs I’ve personally experienced are NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN. These companies don’t focus on boasting about the size of their server network.
In short, the reason NordVPN is so well-reviewed in the market and its subscriber base is growing rapidly is because it’s secure and fast.
Virtual Server?
You don’t need to know this, but it’s helpful if you do. Most VPN servers are ‘physical servers’ For example, if you want to use a U.S., Japan, or China IP address, you need to connect to a server physically located in that region, that’s a physical server. So why do virtual servers exist?
Recently, one of the most common virtual servers is for ‘India’ That’s because India passed a law requiring VPN companies to store customer data, forcing many VPN companies to withdraw to maintain their privacy policies. So, to provide IP addresses for countries like India, a virtual server is set up on a physical server in another country. This allows users to connect and use the IP address of the desired country.
👀 Privacy
This is the most important aspect for VPN users. The reason we use VPNs is to hide ourselves, right? Every VPN company says the same thing: “We are a No-Log VPN company. We never sell your information.” But we all know that there are always lies in the world. Just like we have to ‘prove’ ourselves when applying for a job, VPN companies need to prove their transparency too. Only then is it fair, right?
Using a VPN allows you to securely protect and hide your online activities from third parties like Internet Service Providers (ISPs), governments, and hackers. However, it’s important to remember that in the process, you’re entrusting all your data to the VPN provider. Choosing the wrong VPN company could turn the very service meant to protect you into an internal threat—essentially becoming a ‘digital CCTV’ that monitors your every move.
That’s why the most critical factor when selecting a VPN is understanding the company’s data collection and logging policy. Specifically, you must choose a VPN provider that strictly adheres to a No-Log policy to ensure true privacy. A secure No-Log VPN doesn’t store any records of your internet activities, meaning that even if external entities request data, there’s simply nothing to provide. Ultimately, the beginning and end of choosing a VPN comes down to finding a trustworthy No-Log VPN.
There are only two things we need to check: jurisdiction and No-Log audit. Let me explain why.
jurisdiction
Do you know why NordVPN and ExpressVPN have been recognized as the top VPN companies for the past 10 years? While marketing plays a role, it’s fundamentally because of the countries these companies are based in. NordVPN is located in Panama, and on the positive side, Panama doesn’t have data retention laws, so law enforcement, courts, or governments aren’t required to store data, which is great for protecting customer privacy. On the downside, such countries can sometimes be exploited for high anonymity, making them tax havens where money laundering can occur.
and Panama is completely outside the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance.
Panama
Are you aware that Panama is famously known as a tax haven? Its favorable tax system and strict banking secrecy laws have made it an attractive destination for individuals and companies seeking tax benefits and financial privacy. However, after the 2016 Panama Papers leak, it faced international pressure. Even though quite some time has passed, there doesn’t seem to be much change.
This legal framework isn’t limited to finance; it’s also a significant advantage for VPN companies.. though law enforcement agencies in other countries might not be too happy about it. Additionally, pressuring NordVPN to obtain even a small piece of evidence would require proving the severity of a specific user’s legal violation through the Panamanian courts, a process that is both challenging and time-consuming. Even if they succeeded, NordVPN’s RAM servers and No Log policy ensure there’s no stored data to provide.
Audit
Third-party external audits are the most reliable way to confirm a company’s policy transparency. To trust an audit report, the credibility and size of the auditing company are crucial, right? NordVPN is the VPN company that has passed the most external audits. It has been verified by reputable firms like PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers AG), Deloitte, and VerSprite, and the results are publicly available for subscribers to view after logging in.
NordVPN has verified the entire infrastructure, including the No Log policy, VPN clients, Regular servers, DoubleVPN, Onion Over VPN, Obfuscated Servers, and APIs.
and provide transparency reports(warrant canary)
Conclusion
The highest level of security and privacy protection policy and system, with more frequent audits than competitors. And with the Panamanian jurisdiction I described above, it’s the safest castle with the most layers of protection.
🔐 Security
I won’t go into detail about encryption methods like AES-256 (CBC, GCM), Diffie-Hellman keys (2048, 3072, 4096), or ChaCha20. Knowing these doesn’t make much of a difference because all VPN companies use either WireGuard or OpenVPN anyway.
DoubleVPN
The key difference between NordVPN and ExpressVPN, two companies that have been competing for the top VPN spot for over a decade, lies in this area. While ExpressVPN has a very expensive subscription cost, it still doesn’t offer additional security layers like Multi-Hop. NordVPN’s Multi-Hop servers, known as DoubleVPN, provide extra safety because even if one server is hacked or compromised, the other server continues to protect you.
Historically, the likelihood of a VPN server being hacked is very low, and over the past 10 years, server management and security technology have improved significantly, making the risk of hacking extremely minimal. With protection from two servers, the chances of your IP address and traffic being compromised are about as low as winning the Powerball jackpot.
Meshnet
This is a unique benefit of NordVPN. Meshnet is “your own personal VPN network.” With your NordVPN account, you can connect up to 10 devices within the Meshnet network, allowing all connected devices to securely transfer and share files.
One of its standout features is the ability to route your traffic through your home IP address via Meshnet, even when you’re away. This can be used in various ways, and one of my favorites is bypassing Netflix account sharing restrictions. Since my family in another city can use our home IP address through Meshnet, it’s as if we’re watching from the same household.
On top of that, you can even link with other friends who are NordVPN subscribers, connecting up to 50 external devices to share and exchange files. File transfers use a P2P system that bypasses NordVPN’s servers, making it extremely secure.
Threat Protection with Antivirus
Threat Protection Pro™ is a lightweight antivirus tool available to NordVPN subscribers, integrated into the VPN app. While NordVPN protects your online privacy, the Threat Protection feature shields you from various cyber threats, such as phishing sites, ads and trackers, and malware.
Additional security features
- Dark web monitoring : You can receive instant alerts when account breaches are detected
- Dedicated IP : helps you maintain a clean online reputation, bypass blocklists, and access IP-restricted networks with ease.
- Kill Switch
- Private DNS
- Split Tunneling
- RAM-only servers
- Incogni : Contacts data brokers on behalf of the user to request the removal of their personal information from databases. Available only to residents of the United States, United Kingdom, European Union (EU), Canada, and Switzerland.
- NordLocker : A file encryption and cloud synchronization service with 3GB of free storage included. (*With zero-knowledge encryption technology, only the user knows what is stored in their vault. No one else, not even Nord, can access the contents of the vault.)
- NordPass : Password manager
Protocol
What is VPN Protocol?
A VPN is a secure tunnel that connects two or more devices, and as you probably already know, it stands for Virtual Private Network. When you use a VPN, your traffic is routed through an intermediary server operated by the VPN provider. A VPN protocol defines how this communication happens and essentially outlines the encryption method used.
You don’t need a deep understanding of VPN protocol technology to make a decision. Just like when you buy a car, you don’t research and analyze the entire drivetrain. Instead, you consider the brand, expert reviews, and third-party evaluations. Similarly, you can rely on protocols that are widely tested and certified. Thankfully, the range of VPN protocol options is quite limited, so there’s no need to overthink it.
If you search “types of VPN protocols” on Google, you’ll find names like WireGuard, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), IKEv2, IPsec, SSTP, and PPTP. Ignore all of them except WireGuard 🙂 that’s the only one you really need to remember. If, for some reason, WireGuard isn’t an option, then OpenVPN is your next best choice. Forget about the rest.
NordLynx Protocol
You might find it odd that you can’t see WireGuard listed in NordVPN’s protocol selection menu, even though I said it’s the best. That’s because NordVPN has improved upon WireGuard’s shortcomings and integrated it into their VPN app under the name NordLynx. NordLynx is essentially WireGuard combined with Double NAT for added security. So, your top choice should always be NordLynx. If you don’t want to think about it or make a manual selection, just set it to Auto, and you’re good to go.
OpenVPN used to be the gold standard for VPN protocols, but over time, it’s started to show its age. Its massive codebase, various vulnerabilities, and relatively slower speeds have made it less appealing since the introduction of WireGuard. To help put it into perspective, think of WireGuard as the electric or hybrid car, while OpenVPN is like the Gasoline car.
DNS, WebRTC Leak Test
WebRTC leak test and DNS leak test are no longer meaningful these days. A few years ago, even some well-known companies had minor issues in this area, but I think.. that’s old story now. Today, any company ranked in the Top 10 would face massive revenue losses if a security issue were to arise. The chances of such small, technically simple security issues happening again are practically zero.
🚀 Speed
Very fast and stable. I’m satisfied with every aspect, whether it’s web surfing, torrenting, file downloading, or 4K/8K streaming. The NordLynx (WireGuard) protocol connects to and switches servers faster than OpenVPN. With a great protocol, excellent servers, and a proven system for security and privacy protection, everything about it meets my expectations.
I’ve used NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark in both the US and Japan, and when it comes to download speed, I can confidently say that you’ll be satisfied no matter which one you choose. A few years ago, there were noticeable speed differences between companies, but since around 2022, many providers have significantly improved their speeds. The top three companies mentioned above offer almost identical, top-tier speeds, making it hard to distinguish any major differences.
SpeedTest
NordVPN has VPN servers in 111 countries, which makes testing all of them nearly impossible. So, I only tested a few well-known countries based on my preferences. I tried it in the US and Japan, and both tests were conducted a few months ago.
Out of the top 15 countries by GDP, I tested 12, excluding three. The reasons are that China is a censorship-heavy country where testing is impossible, India introduced a censorship law, leading VPN companies to withdraw their physical servers, and as for Russia.. well, you already know.
I use both Windows and macOS also use both Android and iOS smartphones(Google Pixel 8 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro) and there’s no significant difference in VPN speed between the each two operating systems.
in United States
I’m using Google Fiber 1 Gig plan and the average speed before connecting to a VPN is between 600-800 MBps.
| Country | Download Speed |
|---|---|
| United States | – |
| Japan | 438.51Mbps |
| Germany | 342.88Mbps |
| UK | 378.12Mbps |
| France | 350.33Mbps |
| Canada | 488.31Mbps |
| Italy | 318.51Mbps |
| Brazil | 280.81Mbps |
| Australia | 371.19Mbps |
| S. Korea | 417.71Mbps |
| Mexico | 391.35Mbps |
| Spain | 337.91Mbps |
Speedtest results are relative. There are many variables at play, such as where you live, ISP, whether you’re using Fiber-Optic, Cable, or Satellite plans, the modem and router setup in your home, and even rare cases like having a 1G internet plan but using a CAT.5 Ethernet cable.
In conclusion, everyone’s environment is different, but products and services that are widely used, like the iPhone, have a reason for their popularity. About 80% of my friends use NordVPN, and the rest seem to use Surfshark.
in Japan
I don’t know what my internet contract is for office in Japan, and it’s usually measuring around 450-500Mbps.
In Japan, I didn’t think of testing various countries since my business trips there are usually short. I mainly connect to U.S. VPN servers, and when connecting to NordVPN’s San Francisco server, I usually measured speeds of over 400 Mbps.
🆘 Customer support
I’ve been using NordVPN for over 5 years without a single issue, so I never had the chance to evaluate their customer service. From a consumer’s perspective, that’s the ideal scenario. Out of curiosity, I asked them a random question, and just as other reviewers have noted, I received a fast and accurate response. You can test it yourself now, NordVPN’s 24/7 live chat and email support are both quick, and their tech team is quite competent.
😦 Plan and Package
| Basic | Plus | Complete | Prime | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPN | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| NordPass (Password) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| NordLocker (Encrypt Files) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| NordProtect | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
The choice is simple.
- Just need a VPN?: Basic
- Don’t have a password manager?: In today’s world, it’s an essential app. The foundation of account security is to create unique and lengthy passwords for every site. NordPass is easy to use and very well-designed. Go with Plus.
- Have files that must never be leaked?: Complete. With zero-knowledge encryption, No one can see inside your box. NordVPN, CIA, FBI, hackers, or any government.. no one can decrypt your encrypted files in NordLocker. Additionally, it supports cloud synchronization, allowing you to access your files across multiple devices.
- Want insurance against identity theft?: Prime
- Identity and SSN monitoring with alerts
- Credit monitoring services
- Identity theft insurance of up to $1,000,000
- Cyber extortion insurance of up to $100,000
All these services can be easily used on almost any device, including Windows(x86 and ARM), macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, web browser extensions, Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, and routers.
🤑 Money, Money, Money
That’s right.. price is just as important as security and anonymity. No matter how safe it is, a high subscription cost can be a deal-breaker. Fortunately, the competition in the VPN industry is so fierce that the prices are reasonably low, making protection accessible to everyone.
The VPN industry has been completely shaken up recently by NordVPN and Surfshark. Their services are far superior to competitors, yet their subscription costs are significantly lower, so many users are choosing these two companies. This influx of users allows them to leverage economies of scale, build even better infrastructure, and continue offering more affordable pricing.
If you can buy a Mercedes Benz or BMW cheaper than a Toyota, what would you choose? There’s really no need to think about it. That’s exactly what’s happening in the VPN industry right now.
You can pay with Credit/Debit card, PayPal, Google Pay, AmazonPay, cryptocurrencies via CoinGate(many types of coins) and the payment localization is very good, supporting popular platforms used in each country.
No need to think twice. Grab NordVPN before the official promotion ends.