Ive even seen ads on TV while watching UNC mens basketball games.

(Ill explain later how thats possible.)

Its snappy speeds wont hinder 4K video streaming, online gaming sessions or work Zoom calls.

NordVPN

Youll enjoy user-friendly apps that are easy to navigate for beginners and privacy enthusiasts alike.

All VPNs slow down your internet connection at least somewhat.

Accordingly, tunneling your web traffic through a VPN hides your publicIP addressfor extra privacy but adds another stop.

For reference,Netflix recommendsa minimum internet download speed of 15Mbps for watching 4K ultra-high-definition videos.

Proton VPN has more servers (11,400-plus) but slightly fewer countries (117).

Its large web of servers makes Nord one of the best VPNs for travel or accessing region-restricted streaming services.

Your fast, private VPN could suffer slower speeds or a data breach during that time.

NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if youre unsatisfied with your service.

There are many payment options, from the usual suspects like credit and debit cards or PayPal to cryptocurrencies.

I like how you’re able to even snag NordVPN in-store at some brick-and-mortar retailers, likeBest Buy.

Pro tip:you’re free to stack subscriptions with NordVPN to avoid a pricey auto-renewal.

There are upsides to bundling privacy and security services.

Thankfully, NordVPN is just as easy to use for a first-time VPN user or a privacy enthusiast.

I was pleased to find a largely consistent experience across devices.

Its not as minimalist as ExpressVPN, but the Nord apps arent difficult to use.

Although there is aLinux app, its command-line only, which isnt as easy to use.

Its top-notch speed loss makes Nord an excellent option for watching 4K UHD videos.

Meanwhile, its plentiful servers make geo-unblocking content a breeze.

You even use a VPN tosave money on streamingservice subscriptions.

But Id like to see both ways of split tunneling on Android.

I’d at least like a way to select all apps to exclude, then uncheck a handful.

NordVPN provides24/7 customer supportvia email and live chat, but no phone.

Many companies, including NordVPN, offer live chat via a bot first.

(If youre reading this review, hi Pedro!)

Pedro was friendly and informative, answering my queries about the process for upgrading NordVPN plans mid-subscription.

I followed its instructions for setting up a VPN hotspot using a Windows PC.

The explainers and tutorials were clear and simple to follow.

The company offers industry-standard privacy features alongside advanced options.

It has akill switchthat cuts off your internet connection in case of an unexpected internet interruption.

Nord is also debuting its proprietaryNordWhisperVPN protocol first on Windows, Android and Linux with other platforms to follow.

Each is a good option for people with critical privacy needs.

Nordsobfuscated serverstry to disguise the fact that youre using a VPN.

As quantum computers continue advancing, the threat of data breaches may increase.

In Dec. 2024,Deloitte auditedNordVPNs infrastructure, finding no evidence of logging.

This marked Nord’s fifth overall annual audit.

As of Jan. 14, 2025, Nord has disclosed limited user information once.

We do not collect or store any logs of internet traffic, or other information regarding users online behavior.

Thus, we had no such data to share.

Ensuring the security and privacy of our customers remains our top priority.

That doesnt necessarily make me hesitate to use Nord.

Because many VPN providers like Nord require email-based accounts, theres a paper trail.

Overall, NordVPNs privacy policy is pretty paint-by-numbers.

Once thats published, Ill dive in and update this section.

Its less digestible thanPIAs outstanding privacy policybut better than many Ive slogged through.

Overall, it reaffirms Nords commitment to maintaining user data confidentiality.

In these situations, Nord will continue to ensure the confidentiality of your personal data.

These instances arent entirely uncommon.

For instance, NordVPN and Surfshark merged in 2022, while Kape Technologies bought ExpressVPN in 2021.

While its privacy policy is pretty decipherable, Id like to see it become even more reader-friendly.

Despite many of its power user amenities, Nord remains intuitive enough for less tech-savvy users.