shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use NordVPN?

Not disclosed - nordvpn.com

Worth it. Buy if you're an individual wanting a fast, well-reviewed VPN and can commit to a 2-year plan. Skip it if you need managed team access (use NordLayer) or refuse to accept a breach-history provider.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 50+ public sources across reviews, pricing pages, CVE databases, and news coverage.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Basic

from $2.99/mo (2-year); $4.99/mo (1-year)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo
Ultimate$5.99/mo (2-year); $15.99 monthly

Best for

  • Privacy-focused individuals
  • Frequent travelers on public Wi-Fi
  • Budget buyers committing to 2-year plans

Not for

  • Businesses needing managed team VPN — use NordLayer instead
  • Month-to-month subscribers — pricing gets steep
  • Anyone demanding a zero-breach-history provider
  • Free-tier hunters

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Advertised $2.99/mo requires a 2-year commitment; monthly runs to $16.59

medium

Refund and credit-card billing disputes reported by users

low

Only a 7-day free trial via app stores — no permanent free tier

low

Keys sold via marketplaces like G2A fall outside official purchase channels

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Ranked a top 2026 VPN for speed by multiple independent reviewers
  • AES-256-GCM encryption with NordLynx, a WireGuard-based protocol
  • 9,300+ servers worldwide
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • 4/5 overall rating on Trustpilot

Cons

  • Monthly plans cost up to $16.59/month
  • Confirmed 2018 breach of a third-party datacenter server
  • Windows client has multiple CVEs, including privilege escalation
  • Users report the worst support when fixing billing issues
  • App connection can sometimes take too long

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/21/2026 - 8 sources - Strong AES-256-GCM encryption today, but a confirmed 2018 server breach and several Windows client CVEs are on record; 2026 breach claims were denied.

official x1review x3security x2news x2
  • 2018 datacenter breach, Attacker accessed a rented third-party datacenter server; disclosed in 2019.
  • CVE-2018-10170 — Windows privilege escalation, NordVPN for Windows suffered a SYSTEM privilege escalation flaw.
  • Denial-of-service CVEs in Windows client, Multiple DoS bugs, e.g. CVE-2018-25368 and CVE-2019-25572.
  • January 2026 breach claims, NordVPN denies new breach claims, saying attackers had 'dummy data'.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • from $2.99/mo (2-year); $4.99/mo (1-year)

    Starting price

  • 8

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. From $2.99/mo on 2-year terms; monthly tops $16.59
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Reviewers call it fast; occasional slow connects
  • Feature depth: 4/5. More than just a VPN; antivirus bundles available
  • Support quality: 3/5. 24/7 live chat exists; billing complaints recur
  • Security posture: 3/5. AES-256-GCM today; 2018 breach, client CVEs on record
  • 4/5 Trustpilot rating Trustpilot customer reviews
  • $2.99/mo Starting price 2-year term; monthly up to $16.59
  • None Free tier 7-day free trial only
  • $100M raised Funding $3B valuation, led by Warburg Pincus

Pricing

Basic

from $2.99/mo (2-year); $4.99/mo (1-year)

  • Core VPN service
  • 9,300+ servers

Ultimate

$5.99/mo (2-year); $15.99 monthly

  • Adds next-gen antivirus
  • Full NordVPN bundle

Security

Strong AES-256-GCM encryption today, but a confirmed 2018 server breach and several Windows client CVEs are on record; 2026 breach claims were denied.

  • 2018 datacenter breachAttacker accessed a rented third-party datacenter server; disclosed in 2019.
  • CVE-2018-10170 — Windows privilege escalationNordVPN for Windows suffered a SYSTEM privilege escalation flaw.
  • Denial-of-service CVEs in Windows clientMultiple DoS bugs, e.g. CVE-2018-25368 and CVE-2019-25572.⁴
  • January 2026 breach claimsNordVPN denies new breach claims, saying attackers had 'dummy data'.⁶

What users say

Reviewers and users broadly praise speed and reliability (4/5 Trustpilot), while billing support and refunds draw the loudest complaints.

“Yes, NordVPN is a good VPN if you want fast”
VPNMentor review
“NordVPN has it all: excellent performance, lightning-fast sp”
PC World review
“Nord VPN has the WORST customer support experience if your credit card”
Reddit, r/vpnreviews

Alternatives

Compare NordVPN with each alternative.

  • ExpressVPN

    Top-ranked competitor in CNET's 2026 VPN testing

Full analysis

Based on 50+ public sources across reviews, pricing pages, CVE databases, and news coverage.

Fast, cheap on 2-year plans (from $2.99/mo), widely praised — but monthly pricing stings and the 2018 breach lingers.

Methodology

Based on 50+ public sources across reviews, pricing pages, CVE databases, and news coverage.

Sources

  1. Read Customer Service Reviews of nordvpn.comtrustpilot.com
    review
  2. NordVPN plans and pricing in 2026 explainednordvpn.com
    official
  3. NordVPN Pricing in 2026: Subscription Tiers and Term Pricingsecurity.org
    review
  4. CVE-2018-25368: NordVPN DoS Vulnerabilitysentinelone.com
    security
  5. Virtual(ly) Private Network: NordVPN's Breacheff.org
    security
  6. NordVPN hack claims — what really happenedforbes.com
    news
  7. VPN provider Nord Security raises $100M at $3B valuationsiliconangle.com
    news
  8. NordVPN Review 2026: Still the Best? (Full Test)vpnmentor.com
    review

Rate this review

Anonymous. You can change your vote.

Loading votes…

Comments

One queue. No nested comments. Give a display name first. Limit: 200 words per comment and 7 comments per day. You can edit or delete yours.

Save a name to write a comment.

0 / 200 words

No comments yet.