NordVPN is constantly rated as one of the best virtual private networks in the market currently, with over 4,400 servers across the globe. It really values the privacy of its customers and keeps your activity very secure. It’s available for all major operative systems and devices, and we see today how it fares on Android and Windows.
Contents
Signing up with NordVPN
First off, create an account on the official NordVPN site using your Email ID. This only comes in handy for any customer service requirements or for direct communication, so you can use a dummy ID to stay completely anonymous.
Plans
NordVPN is one of the few premium VPNs that offers 3-day trial on desktop (7-day trial on mobile). When it comes to pricing, NordVPN works out to be a tad more expensive than other VPNs when you choose the monthly payment plan, but if you prefer to pay upfront, you will be saving a lot in the long run. They also have a thirty-day no questions asked money-back policy if you’re at all unsatisfied after paying for it.
- 1-month plan: $11.95
- 1-year plan: $69 ($5.75 per month, save 51%)
- 2-year plan: $79 ($3.29 per month, save 72%)
- 3-year plan: $99 ($2.75 per month, save 77%)
Payment options include PayPal, credit cards, debit cards, a variety of crypto currencies as well as regional wallets like GiroPay, SOFORT, UnionPay, iDeal, Yandex, WebMoney and AliPay. You can directly purchase from the platform you will be using it on.
Downloading and Installation
NordVPN is compatible with almost every operating system. It provides easy to download apps for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows. What’s more, you can also set it up on a Linux system or on your Wi-Fi Router directly. It even has proxy extensions in Firefox, Safari and Chrome.
The Android version can be downloaded from Google Play Store, and the iOS version is available in the Apple App store.
Using NordVPN on Windows
The first screen you see as soon as you log in will be a world map with all their servers and locations marked. To connect to one of these randomly, just click on the power option on the middle centre of your screen and the app will choose the fastest server for you based on server load and distance.
On the upper left corner is a tab called ‘Countries’. Clicking on this opens up an alphabetical list of countries NordVPN has their servers in. Click on your country of choice to be automatically connected to a server in that country based on distance and server load. Perhaps the only time you would need this is if you were trying to access something that’s only available in certain countries, like a particular YouTube or Netflix video. You can also save servers to your favorites list if you think you will be using them frequently. If you like additional privacy and security, NordVPN has specialty servers just for this purpose. These include P2P, Double VPN, Onion over VPN, Dedicated IP and Anti DDoS.
To personalize NordVPN even more, you can click on the ‘Settings’ tab and change some of these options to suit your liking:
- CyberSec – Adblocker to protect you from online risks
- Auto-Connect – Automatically connect to the same server each time
- Internet Kill Switch – Access the internet only when the VPN is connected
- App Kill Switch – Close certain apps if VPN connection is lost
Using NordVPN on Android
The Android version is more or less the same as the Windows version. The only differences are:
- Instead of a power button, click on ‘Quick Connect’ to connect.
- To open up a list of countries, open the ‘List’ tab.
- The settings tab has fewer options, but the important security features are all still there.
NordVPN is easy to use
Downloading, installing and beginning to use NordVPN require no expertise on your part. It takes only one click to connect, disconnect or change servers. Additional settings are not complicated either, with everything well-explained and direct.
Privacy and Security
NordVPN makes it it’s #1 priority that you are protected online and respects your privacy with the best encryption tools, zero activity logging, obfuscation, DNS leak protection and more. If you’re looking for extra security, you can run everything through two servers by enabling Double VPN. You can also dish out an extra $70 if you want a dedicated IP service. NordVPN is based in Panama and thus comes under no laws to share any of your private data. It is undoubtedly one of the most secure proxy apps available currently.
Speed
Establishing a connection takes less than 10 seconds, and the speed throughout use is outstanding. It’s fastest when connected to servers closest to you, and you will experience no drops. However, if you use it for gaming, you might not really like it as the speed fluctuates a lot. Using obfuscated servers might see a larger drop in speed, but it still works well enough. Double VPN is a whole different story – it barely connects and needs a lot of work.
Main features
- 3-day trial on desktop (7-day trial on mobile) and 30-day money back guarantee
- Reasonable annual and two-year plans
- 24/7 customer service
- Secure
- Over 3400 servers in 60 countries
- Zero activity logging
- Allows up to 6 connections at a time
- – WiFiSec: NordVPN will automatically initiate a VPN connection whenever a
Wi-Fi network is joined. It can be set up to auto-connect to Nord on both
secured and unsecured Wi-Fi networks - Restricted countries: with the help of obfuscated servers, NordVPN works
in countries (China, the Middle East countries) where Internet access is
restricted and strong censorship is in place as well as in restricted local
networks - Torrenting/P2P: NordVPN allows Torrenting and P2P and has specialty servers for such activities
Bottom Line
NordVPN has everything you would want in a VPN and more. It values your privacy and security while also delivering top speeds. The monthly plan might be expensive, but the features make the annual plan worth the money. NordVPN comes highly recommended for its robust service, numerous features and superlative user experience.
