NordVPN Review: The Best Way to Surf the Web Safely

We put this “powerful” VPN to the test to find out if it really does provide the online protection you need.

Nick Broughall

6 min read

October 13, 2025 - 12:34PM

NordVPN will protect you online. Picture: TikTok/@nordvpn

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The past few years have seen both larger and more significant data breaches hit Australian businesses. From Optus to Qantas, personal data is becoming increasingly difficult to keep private.

One tool you can use to help manage your privacy is a Virtual Private Network, or VPN. They act as an intermediary between you and the Internet, making it harder for websites to track you, while also protecting you from malware and ads.

NordVPN has been offering VPN services since 2012, and is widely regarded as one of the best VPN products available today. It offers apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, as well as Android and iOS, with subscription plans that include not just the VPN, but also malware protection and a dedicated password manager.

So, can this actually make your digital life more secure without requiring an IT degree to use effectively? After weeks of testing across multiple devices and real-world scenarios, I’ve got some answers that might surprise you.

JOIN UP TO NORDVPN HERE

ONE MINUTE REVIEW

NordVPN

NordVPN. Picture: Nick Broughall

HOW I TESTED NORDVPN

I spent three weeks with NordVPN installed on my main work MacBook Air, my iPhone, and a separate Windows Surface Pro tablet to see how it worked across multiple devices. I mostly used it running through an Australian server for the benefits of privacy but the speed of a regional server, but also experimented with servers in the US and UK. I used the Ookla

Speedtest tool to measure speeds.

HOW TO SET UP NORDVPN

NordVPN is super easy to set up. Picture: Nick Broughall

If you were worried that setting up a VPN would require you to dive deep into the dark depths of your computer or phone’s settings, rest easy. The signup and installation processes are surprisingly easy.

After you sign up online, you’re sent an email with links to download the components of your subscription, which will include the VPN and potentially also a password manager.

Once you’ve downloaded and signed in on your devices, you’re ready to browse the Internet safely and securely.

NordVPN’s user interface is easy to understand and control, featuring a single “Quick Connect” button that simplifies the activation process. You may have to enter your password or PIN code during the set up stage to enable NordVPN access to the right settings, but once it’s set up, you don’t need to worry about it again – the app just works.

HOW DOES IT’S SPEED AND PERFORMANCE STACK UP?

Running your Internet connection through a VPN does slow things down but you still get solid speed with NordVPN.

By default, the app will automatically connect you with the fastest server available, so you don’t need to spend time chopping and changing when you get started.

Connecting to a server is quick. It takes just a few seconds to connect via the app, and you’re all ready to go.

In terms of speed degradation, it can be significant, but that’s not to say that the connections aren’t fast. My NBN connection is now a 500/50 Mbps plan, and you can notice the speed impact of using the VPN when you compare the speeds below:

VPN	DOWNLOAD SPEEDS	UPLOAD SPEEDS
No VPN connected	405.54	47.13
AU Server	191.41	45.01
US Server	229.43	38.09
UK Server	131.16	27.1

All speeds came from the Ookla Speed test website and were taken on a Friday afternoon.

The reality is that traffic speeds vary depending on the time and congestion of the network, so these speeds are an example only.

While there’s a big decline in download speed across continents with the VPN connected, it’s important to point out that even the slowest download speed is still fast enough to playback 4K video from YouTube without any real buffering required.

Switching between servers is efficient, particularly from within the NordVPN app. I did find that I needed to restart my browser occasionally when switching between VPN servers across borders, but it was still connected and working within a minute.

BEST SECURITY AND PRIVACY FEATURES

While there are plenty of reasons to want to use a VPN, privacy and security are one of the biggest reasons to sign up.

NordVPN encrypts all your data so that nobody – not criminals, your ISP, or even your government – can see or use your data in any way. It uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (or AES) with 256-bit keys, which means it has 2^256 possible combinations, which makes it effectively impossible to crack.

Nord also offers post-quantum encryption, which promises to help protect your data even as more advanced quantum computers become more common.

While the security of your data is assured using NordVPN, the thing I liked most was the level of custom control available.

NordVPN "adds a layer of privacy and security to your Internet experience". Picture: Nick Broughall

If you travel a lot and use a lot of free public Wi-Fi, a VPN is essential to protect your data. You can easily set Nord to auto-connect whenever you connect to a new Welcome to VPN “untrusted” network, but not connect when you are on your home or work Wi-Fi, for example.

There’s also a Kill Switch function, which tells the VPN software to automatically shut down apps when the VPN is disconnected. This guarantees that no data from those apps will travel on an unsecured network.

However, the software isn’t equal across all platforms. For example, Split Tunnelling, which lets you route traffic from certain apps through the VPN but not other apps, is only available on Windows and Android devices, not Apple products.

For most people, though, the simplicity of being able to automatically connect to a VPN to enjoy the security that it brings will be enough.

One of the added benefits of the NordVPN subscription is the inclusion of the NordPass password management software. This cross-platform app lets you easily create secure passwords for all your apps, as well as get notified if your personal details have been shared or impacted by a breach. You’ll get prompted to update your password in those cases.

PRICING AND PLANS

There are three plans to choose from:

BASIC

FEATURES:

VPN for 10 devices
5,800+ servers in 60+ countries
Threat Protection
No-logs policy
24/7 customer support
30-day money-back guarantee

COST:

Monthly: $17.99 | One-year: $6.89 per month (56 per cent off), $82.68 for 1st 12 months,

renews: $191.88 | Two-year: $4.29 per month (73 per cent off), $115.83 for 1st 27 months, renews: $431.73

PLUS

FEATURES:

Everything in Basic
Cross platform
NordPass password manager
Threat protection Plus (ad and tracker blocker)
Data breach scanner
Anti-malware protection

COST:

Monthly: $19.29 per month | One-year: $8.29 per month (59 per cent off) $99.48 for 1st 12 months, renews: $247.08 | Two-year: $5.49 per month (73 per cent off), $148.23 for 1st 27 months, renews: $555.93

COMPLETE:

FEATURES:

Everything in Plus
NordLocker encrypted cloud storage (1 TB)

COST:

Monthly: $20.69 | One-year: $9.69 per month (61 per cent off), $116.28 for 1st 12 months, renews: $302.28 | Two-year: $6.89 per month (72 per cent off), $186.03 for 1st 27 months, renews: $680.13

VERDICT: IS NORDVPN WORTH THE INVESTMENT

NordVPN is a comprehensive, powerful VPN app that adds a layer of privacy and security to your Internet experience.

But the best part about Nord is that it’s just so easy to use: you don’t need to dive into the deepest sections of your computer or smartphone’s settings to use it. Once it’s installed, it can automatically secure your online experience every time you turn on your device.

If you do need a bit more flexibility or want a bit more control, then Nord offers that too. There are plenty of advanced features, like split tunnelling, double VPN, and kill switch, though not all services work on all platforms. But with fast servers located all around the world, NordVPN does an impressive job with next to no effort at all.

The biggest concern with Nord is that there is a significant price increase once the initial launch offer expires, in some cases over 3.5x the initial price. While that’s a good reason to sign up for the extended 2-year offer, it also means that you could face significant bill shock when that initial window is done.

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Nick Broughall has been reviewing the latest technology and gadgets for over two decades. He’s edited leading Australian technology publications like Gizmodo, TechRadar and Finder; was a co-founder of gadget site EFTM, and currently runs BTTR.reviews. He is a regular finalist in the Australian IT Journalism awards and won the Best Reviewer award in 2016. These days, he tries to balance his gadget addictions with board games and bushwalking.

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