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NordVPN

Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links

Free trial · from $139.08/yrVPNsChecked Oct 17, 20264.7 on the App Store
Visit nordvpn.comFree guide

NordVPN report card

2.4GPA

Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 17, 2026

Best for a big-name VPN for up to 10 devices

NordVPN is the all-rounder most people have heard of: apps for every computer and phone, 10 devices on one account, ad and malware blocking, and Meshnet to link your own devices. On what we could read, it's also the dearest VPN here, renewing at $139.08 a year for Basic. Its first-term price for new customers couldn't be read.

Who NordVPN is for

  • Great if your household has up to 10 devices to cover on one account
  • Handy when you want ad and malware blocking built into the VPN
  • A treat if you want your own laptop and home PC to reach each other privately with Meshnet

Who NordVPN is not for

  • Pricey if you stay past the first term, as Basic renews at $139.08 a year
  • Skip it if you want a trial without handing over a card or PayPal
  • Not for you if you count on the money-back guarantee at renewal, as it covers the first purchase only

Why NordVPN gets a 2.4

Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.

  • DValue for moneyOnly Nord's renewal prices could be read: Basic renews at $139.08 a year, so two years on record come to $278.16, about $11.59 a month, the dearest in this category. The first-term price for new customers wasn't readable, so a first purchase may cost less.
  • DFree plan and trialA 7-day free trial of the 1- and 2-year top-tier plans, but only for new customers in the US and 14 other countries, and it needs a card or PayPal. The 30-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial.
  • BFeaturesNordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2 with a kill switch, malware and ad blocking, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, obfuscated servers, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitor and dedicated IPs. Nothing in the listing is missing from a VPN's job.
  • AEase of use4.7 from about 709,000 App Store ratings, the biggest crowd in this category. Install, sign in, tap connect.
  • BPlatforms and integrationsMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B.

What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Nord's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Nord's pricing page showed no prices to our reader when we checked it again that day. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.

Make NordVPN? Put this grade on your site
NordVPN: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA

Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges

<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/nordvpn#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/nordvpn.svg" alt="NordVPN: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>

Where NordVPN stands among VPNs

NordVPN's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.

It stands best on ease of use (A, above 15 of 16) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $11.59 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 15 of the 15 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 17 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. NordVPN’s own letter is outlined.

  • DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 16
  • DFree plan and trialAbove 6 of 16, level with 4
  • BFeaturesAbove 5 of 16, level with 11
  • AEase of useAbove 15 of 16, level with 1
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 16, level with 16

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 16 VPNs. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0$1$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessNordVPN

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart, and the best VPNs at every price

Keep NordVPN, or make your own?

Keep it

To replace NordVPN you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

It costs $139.08 a year.

What you could make

  • Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well.

What you could not

  • Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
  • Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. NordVPN’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

What is NordVPN?

NordVPN is a subscription VPN from Nord Security with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, plus proxy extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. One account covers up to 10 devices at a time. Higher tiers such as Complete bundle Nord's NordPass password manager and NordLocker file storage with the VPN.

NordVPN is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan). See every plan

Good for

  • Households covering up to 10 devices on one account
  • People who want ad and malware blocking in the VPN app
  • Linking home devices to each other privately with Meshnet

Worth knowing

  • Nord's pricing page turned away automated readers, so the first-term prices it advertises are missing here; only the US 1-year renewal prices could be read.
  • Nord's renewal list also names an Ultimate 1-year tier at $256.68 for the US; plan names vary by country.
  • The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the first purchase only; renewals are not refundable under it, and App Store purchases go through Apple.
  • The free trial is limited to new customers in 15 countries and needs a credit card or PayPal.

Key features

Protocols
Choose between NordLynx (built on WireGuard), Nord's own NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, with an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection.
Real-time protection
Scans files for malware and blocks harmful websites; the App Store listing adds tracker and ad blocking, depending on device and plan.
Specialty servers
Double VPN sends traffic through two servers, Onion Over VPN adds the Tor network, and obfuscated servers make VPN traffic look like ordinary traffic.
Meshnet
Links your own devices into a private network so they can reach each other without exposing your real IP address.
Dark Web Monitor
Watches for your email address and other personal details turning up in data leaks and alerts you when they do.
Dedicated IP
A fixed personal IP address, bought on its own or in a bundle, for services that only accept allow-listed addresses.

NordVPN pricing

Starts at
$139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan)
Free plan
None
Free trial
7-day free trial of 1- and 2-year top-tier plans for new users in the US and 14 other countries
Basic 1-year$139.08per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planThe VPN-only tier. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read, so only the renewal price is shown.
Standard 1-year$149.88per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planPriced between Basic and Plus at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Plus 1-year$179.88per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planPriced between Standard and Complete at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Complete 1-year$219.48per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planAdds NordPass and NordLocker to the VPN. First-term price not readable; this is the 1-year renewal price.
Ultra 1-year$269.88per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planOne of the top tiers that the 7-day free trial covers. First-term price not readable; this is the renewal price.
Prime 1-year$296.28per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year planThe dearest US tier on Nord's renewal list, and one the free trial covers. First-term price not readable.

Read from my.nordaccount.com on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with NordVPN before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Ways to pay less

  • EducationStudent discount for ages 18 to 26

    Nord's help center says students and apprentices aged 18 to 26 can get an additional discount. The size of the discount is not stated there.

    Stated on support.nordvpn.com

How people rate the NordVPN app

4.7

out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app

709,340 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 17, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing

NordVPN reviews, and where to read more

NordVPN alternatives

All NordVPN alternatives comparedAll VPNs

Common questions

Is NordVPN free?

No, NordVPN is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial of 1- and 2-year top-tier plans for new users in the US and 14 other countries.

How much does NordVPN cost?

NordVPN lists 6 plans. Basic 1-year: $139.08 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Standard 1-year: $149.88 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Plus 1-year: $179.88 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Complete 1-year: $219.48 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Ultra 1-year: $269.88 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Prime 1-year: $296.28 per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan. Prices were read from my.nordaccount.com on Oct 17, 2026.

What platforms does NordVPN work on?

NordVPN is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.

Does NordVPN offer any discounts?

NordVPN publicly lists the following: Student discount for ages 18 to 26.

How is NordVPN rated?

NordVPN's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 709,340 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.

Is NordVPN open source?

NordVPN is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.

Does NordVPN have a student discount?

Student discount for ages 18 to 26. Nord's help center says students and apprentices aged 18 to 26 can get an additional discount. The size of the discount is not stated there.

Who makes NordVPN?

NordVPN is made by Nord Security.

What are the alternatives to NordVPN?

The closest alternatives to NordVPN in our directory are Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with NordVPN.

How does NordVPN compare with other VPNs?

NordVPN's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3. It stands best on ease of use (A, above 15 of 16) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).

Is NordVPN good value for money?

ToolGPA grades NordVPN D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $11.59 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 15 of the 15 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Could I make my own version of NordVPN?

To replace NordVPN you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It costs $139.08 a year. What you could not make: Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 17, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.