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NordVPN review

A VPN from nordvpn S.A. in Panama, part of Nord Security, with apps for nearly every device, a no-logs policy outside auditors have reviewed since 2018, and a desktop next-gen antivirus in Complete and higher plans.

By PrivacyTechReview Editorial Team · Editor-in-Chief: Kirill Prosandeev · Reviewed Oct 30, 2026 · Documentation-based overview

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NordVPN is run by nordvpn S.A., a company in Panama City whose terms are governed by the law of Panama; its help center names Nord Security, based in the Netherlands, as the parent company. NordVPN encrypts your connection on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV and allows 10 devices at once.

This review covers the VPN and the anti-malware feature NordVPN builds into its desktop apps. We haven't tested NordVPN ourselves, so every product fact below comes from NordVPN's own site, help center, terms, privacy policy and audit blog posts, its App Store and Google Play listings, and AV-Comparatives' site, as they read on October 30, 2026. Where those pages disagree, we say so.

The short answer

NordVPN · Audited VPN with desktop download scanning

Pick NordVPN if you want a VPN with a repeatedly audited no-logs policy and apps for nearly every device, plus download scanning on Windows and Mac in its Complete and higher plans — not if you need a full antivirus for files already on your computer, or an app on Roku or a game console.

  • No-logs policy reviewed by PwC and Deloitte since 2018
  • 10 devices, with apps for computers, phones and TVs

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Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • A no-logs policy reviewed by PwC in 2018 and 2020 and by Deloitte since 2022, most recently in late 2025
  • Apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Android TV and Fire TV, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions
  • 10 simultaneous connections on every plan, and RAM-only servers
  • Complete and higher plans add download scanning on Windows and Mac, a password manager and 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage
  • Its terms refund first purchases within 30 days

Limitations

  • The malware scanner works only on Windows and the website version of the Mac app
  • Basic gets only DNS-based blocking of ads and malicious domains while connected, not the malware scanner or the next-gen antivirus's ad and tracker blocker
  • Feature and plan names differ from one NordVPN page to the next
  • The latest no-logs report is shown only to customers who sign in
  • No phone support, and no app for Roku, Samsung TVs or game consoles

Who it’s for

  • People who want one VPN account for computers, phones and streaming boxes, with up to 10 devices at once
  • Windows and Mac users who want download scanning and scam-site blocking in the same app as their VPN
  • Anyone who wants a no-logs policy that outside auditors have reviewed more than once

Who should look elsewhere

  • Anyone who wants a full antivirus for files already on their computer; NordVPN says its next-gen antivirus works differently
  • People who need an app on Roku, a Samsung TV or a game console
  • Mac users who want the malware scanner but prefer the Mac App Store version

Is NordVPN worth it?

It depends on what you need. As a VPN, NordVPN encrypts your whole connection and has its own protocols, kill-switch protection, specialty servers and RAM-only servers that NordVPN says are wiped the moment they're powered off.

The extras need more care. The malware scanning NordVPN calls next-gen antivirus comes only with Complete and higher plans, and only on Windows and the Mac version from NordVPN's site; other devices get DNS-based blocking. NordVPN itself contrasts its next-gen antivirus with traditional antivirus software, which it says "focuses on what's already on your device."

What NordVPN includes

NordVPN's site and help center list these features:

  • Protocols: NordLynx, built on WireGuard and the default in most apps; NordWhisper, for networks that block VPN traffic; and OpenVPN. IKEv2/IPSec needs manual setup.
  • Post-quantum encryption, NordLynx only; it switches off with a dedicated IP, obfuscated servers or Meshnet.
  • A system-wide kill switch on Windows, Android 8 and later and Linux; an App Kill Switch, which closes apps you choose if the VPN drops, on Windows and the Mac app from NordVPN's website; and "VPN bypass prevention" in the iPhone and Mac App Store apps. NordVPN says the Fire TV Stick app has none.
  • Split tunneling, to keep chosen apps outside the VPN, on Windows, Android, Android TV and Fire TV. Linux has an allowlist for ports and subnets instead, and the browser extensions can exclude websites. NordVPN's help center says split tunneling isn't available on iPhone or Mac.
  • Specialty servers: Double VPN, which routes traffic through two servers; Onion Over VPN, for the Tor network without the Tor browser, available only over OpenVPN; and obfuscated servers, which NordVPN says now run on NordWhisper.
  • Servers: 7,200+ servers in 225 locations, per its Trust Center. The server list marks some as virtual locations, used where NordVPN says physical infrastructure is limited.
  • A dedicated IP, as an add-on or built into some regions' top plans. Port forwarding needs a Dedicated Server add-on.
  • Meshnet, a free, open-source feature that links your devices and other NordVPN users' devices directly, up to 10 of your own and 50 external ones.

NordVPN's next-gen antivirus, formerly Threat Protection Pro

NordVPN's anti-malware feature has changed names more than once. Its feature page says the next-gen antivirus builds on Threat Protection Pro™ and tells you to look for it in the app as "Scam, phishing, and malware protection," which the help center now calls its former name. Several help articles also call the full feature Real-time protection. The lighter, DNS-based version, once called Threat Protection, is "scam and phishing protection" on the pricing page, and the help center calls it Real-time protection too.

  • Next-gen antivirus, in Complete and higher plans: scans files as they download and quarantines or deletes malicious ones (one help article says quarantine isn't out on macOS yet; the Mac guide describes it), checks installed apps for known vulnerabilities (on Windows, per NordVPN's main help article; its Mac setup guide also lists a vulnerability scanner), blocks malicious and scam sites, flags dangerous links in Gmail and Yahoo email, and blocks ads and trackers. NordVPN says it runs even without a VPN connection.
  • Where it works: Windows 10 (64-bit) and Windows 11, though not yet on ARM-based Windows PCs, and the Mac version from NordVPN's website, which now needs macOS 14 or later. The Mac App Store version doesn't include it.
  • An optional cloud scanner, off by default, uploads suspicious executable files under 4 MB for deeper analysis. NordVPN says images, PDFs and documents are never uploaded.
  • DNS-based blocking, on every plan: filters malicious and phishing domains and ads through NordVPN's DNS servers, on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, Android TV and the browser extensions. NordVPN's feature page says it works only while you're connected to the VPN; the help center says phones are the exception, and its Android TV and Fire TV guides let you choose to block always or only while connected.
  • Lab results: NordVPN's page shows an AV-Test anti-malware certificate (2024), AV-Comparatives anti-phishing (2025) and fake-shop detection (2024) certificates, and a West Coast Labs validation, all awarded when the feature was called Threat Protection Pro. AV-Comparatives' own site also lists a 2026 anti-phishing certification for the next-gen antivirus on Windows.

NordVPN plans and how many devices

NordVPN's plan names vary by region, and its site placed us outside the US. Its September 2026 plan guide lists three plans, Basic, Complete and Prime, without saying which countries get which; its US identity-protection page sells Prime to US buyers, monthly or for 1 or 2 years, and its help center says Coveron serves US residents. What each one adds, per the plan guide:

  • Basic: the VPN, DNS-based scam and phishing protection while connected, and Dark Web Monitor for up to five email addresses.
  • Complete: adds the next-gen antivirus with its ad and tracker blocker and email protection (desktop only), call and message protection, Dark Web Monitor Pro, the NordPass password manager and 1 TB of NordLocker encrypted cloud storage.
  • Prime: everything in Complete plus Coveron, which the plan guide says adds credit monitoring, credit freeze assistance, and identity theft and cyber extortion insurance. NordVPN's US page names the insurer as the HSB Group, part of Munich Re.
  • Elsewhere the top plan may be Ultra (with Incogni data removal), Ultimate Max or Complete Max; the pricing page NordVPN served us listed Basic, Complete and Complete Max.
  • Every plan covers 10 devices at once. NordVPN's terms count each proxy connection as a slot, and a router set up with NordVPN uses one slot for everything connected to it.
  • Plans renew automatically; NordVPN's subscription terms say it sends a renewal reminder 30 days before charging, except on monthly plans.

NordVPN on PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, TVs and routers

Where each NordVPN app comes from, per its help center:

  • Windows PC: an installer from NordVPN's website, for Windows 10 (64-bit) and 11, with legacy versions for Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 32-bit.
  • Mac: two versions, one from NordVPN's website and one from the Mac App Store, both for macOS 14 or later. Only the website version has the full next-gen antivirus and custom DNS.
  • iPhone, iPad and Apple TV: "NordVPN: VPN Fast & Secure" in the App Store, from developer Nordvpn S.A., for iOS and tvOS 17 or later. Apple TV can also use NordVPN's Smart DNS.
  • Android: Google Play (listed under Nord Security), the Samsung Galaxy Store, the Amazon Appstore, or an APK from NordVPN's website, for Android 9 and up; Android 7 and 8 need the website version. Chromebooks can use the Android app or the Chrome extension.
  • Android TV, Nvidia Shield and Fire TV: the app from Google Play, NordVPN's website or the Amazon Appstore. NordVPN says the oldest Fire TV Sticks can't run it.
  • Linux: command-line and graphical apps for Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora and Raspberry Pi OS, from NordVPN's install script or the Snap Store. NordVPN says their source code is public.
  • Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge, from the Chrome Web Store, Microsoft Edge Add-ons or, for Firefox, NordVPN's download page. They're proxies that protect only browser traffic.
  • Routers: manual setup on firmware with an OpenVPN client, such as ASUS, DD-WRT, OpenWRT, pfSense and TP-Link, or routers sold with NordVPN by its partner FlashRouters. NordVPN says routers from your internet provider probably won't work.
  • Roku, Samsung TVs, older Chromecasts, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch: no app. NordVPN suggests a VPN router or a computer sharing its VPN connection.

Privacy, logging, audits and who runs NordVPN

NordVPN's terms and privacy policy, both last updated August 10, 2026, name nordvpn S.A. of Panama City as the company you contract with and the data controller. The privacy policy says law-enforcement requests must follow Panama's legal process, such as a mutual legal assistance treaty.

  • Not logged, it says: your activity while connected, bandwidth used, traffic, IP addresses and browsing.
  • Kept: your email and payment details; your last session, deleted within 15 minutes after it ends, to cap simultaneous sessions; whether you used the VPN in the last 90 days, to prevent abuse and dispute chargebacks; and basic app data such as login status, device model and app version, which NordVPN says doesn't identify individual VPN users. Analytics and advertising data collection in the apps is optional, its privacy notice says.
  • How long: billing and payment records for 10 years after your last transaction; account data until you delete your account.
  • Stored for some features: a dedicated IP or Dedicated Server is linked to your account, and Smart DNS requires NordVPN to store your IP address.
  • App-store labels: Apple's lists contact info and identifiers as linked to you and usage and diagnostics data as not linked; Google Play's says no data is shared with third parties and lists data collected, including email, financial info, app activity and optional crash logs and device IDs.
  • No-logs reviews: PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland in 2018 and 2020, then Deloitte. In the latest, between November 10 and December 12, 2025, Deloitte Lithuania concluded that NordVPN's systems were designed and implemented in line with its no-logs statement. The full report is shown only to customers who sign in.
  • Security testing: in 2025 Cure53 assessed NordVPN's apps, extensions, malware scanning, accounts and servers and found no critical vulnerabilities; NordVPN says the high-severity issues were fixed and rechecked.
  • Also cited: a bug bounty program and quarterly transparency reports on government requests and DMCA notices.
  • The 2018 incident: NordVPN says a rented server in Finland was accessed around March 2018 through a remote-management account the data center added without telling it. It says it learned of this on April 13, 2019 and held off telling the public until it could be sure the attack couldn't be repeated elsewhere; its account was posted on October 21, 2019. It says no credentials or activity logs were exposed, and the intruder took a TLS key that had already expired and couldn't decrypt VPN traffic.

Is NordVPN legit and safe?

It's a paid VPN service from a named company. nordvpn S.A. publishes terms, a privacy policy and a separate NordVPN privacy notice. Support is 24/7 by live chat, starting with an AI chatbot, and by email; there's no phone support.

There is outside evidence, with limits. NordVPN commissioned its no-logs reviews and the 2025 Cure53 assessment, and submitted its product for its lab certificates; each covers a point in time, and the app-store privacy labels are NordVPN's own statements. Its terms provide the service "as is."

Get the apps only from NordVPN's website or the official app stores. NordVPN warns about fake apps and look-alike sites and lists its only website domains as nordvpn.com, nordvpn.org, nordauth.com and nordaccount.com.

Limits to know before you subscribe

  • Names vary: some help articles still require "Plus or Ultimate" plans that NordVPN's current plan guide doesn't list.
  • Audit count: NordVPN's no-logs page says "In all six cases" in one paragraph and "All five independent assurance reports" in another.
  • P2P: the help center says every standard server now supports P2P traffic, while the server list page still points to P2P specialty servers.
  • Streaming: NordVPN says it works with major streaming services, but its help center has fix-it pages for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and others, and its terms bar illegal use.
  • Feature clashes: NordWhisper doesn't work with dedicated IPs, Meshnet or Onion Over VPN, and a dedicated IP allows one NordLynx connection at a time.

NordVPN free plan, free trial and refund window

There's no free VPN plan: the apps are free to download, but connecting needs a subscription, and only Meshnet is free. NordVPN's pages describe the trial differently:

  • Help center: a 7-day free trial for new customers in the US and 14 other countries, on 1-year and 2-year Prime, Ultimate Max, Ultra or Complete Max plans, paid by card or PayPal. The plan then starts automatically.
  • Help center: a separate 3-day trial for first-time Android users who install from Google Play.
  • Money-back and download pages, as NordVPN served them to us from outside the US: only the Android trial. The 7-day trial isn't offered in every country, so these pages may read differently in the US.
  • Terms of service: a refund within 30 days of your initial purchase, not for renewals unless the law requires it; App Store, Google Play, Amazon and retailer purchases follow those sellers' terms.
  • Check whether a trial is offered at checkout before you enter a card.

NordVPN alternatives

Our verdict

On paper, NordVPN is a thorough VPN: its own NordLynx and NordWhisper protocols, kill-switch protection on desktop, mobile and Linux, specialty and RAM-only servers, 10 devices at once, and a no-logs policy PwC and Deloitte have reviewed since 2018. But feature and plan names change from page to page, and the latest no-logs report is visible only to customers. The Complete and Prime plans suit Windows and Mac users who want download scanning and scam-site blocking next to their VPN.

Bottom line

NordVPN · Audited VPN with desktop download scanning

Pick NordVPN if you want a VPN with a repeatedly audited no-logs policy and apps for nearly every device, plus download scanning on Windows and Mac in its Complete and higher plans — not if you need a full antivirus for files already on your computer, or an app on Roku or a game console.

  • No-logs policy reviewed by PwC and Deloitte since 2018
  • 10 devices, with apps for computers, phones and TVs

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Sources · checked Oct 30, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Is NordVPN legit?
It's a paid VPN service from nordvpn S.A., a company in Panama City that publishes terms and a privacy policy and lists its apps in the App Store and Google Play. NordVPN cites no-logs reviews by PwC and Deloitte since 2018 and a 2025 security assessment by Cure53. NordVPN commissioned those checks, each covers a point in time, and the latest no-logs report is visible only to signed-in customers.
Does NordVPN have antivirus?
Its Complete plan and the plans above it include what NordVPN calls a next-gen antivirus, formerly Threat Protection Pro, on Windows and the Mac app from its website. It scans files as they download, blocks malicious and scam sites, and on Windows checks apps for known vulnerabilities. NordVPN itself contrasts it with traditional antivirus, which it says focuses on what's already on your device. Other platforms get DNS-based blocking only.
Is NordVPN free, or is there a free trial?
There's no free VPN plan; the apps are free to download, but connecting needs a subscription, and only Meshnet is free. On October 30, 2026, NordVPN's help center described a 7-day trial for new customers in the US on 1-year and 2-year top-tier plans, paid by card or PayPal, plus a 3-day trial for Android users from Google Play. Its money-back page, as served to us from outside the US, mentioned only the Android trial. Its terms refund first purchases within 30 days.
How many devices can I use with NordVPN?
Ten at once on every plan. NordVPN's terms count each proxy connection as a slot, and its help center says devices on the same server need different protocols. A router set up with NordVPN counts as one device but covers everything connected to it.
Does NordVPN keep logs?
Its privacy notice says it doesn't monitor, record or store your activity, bandwidth, traffic, IP addresses or browsing. It does keep your email and payment details, your last session for up to 15 minutes after it ends, and whether you used the VPN in the last 90 days. A dedicated IP is linked to your email address.
Where is NordVPN based?
NordVPN is run by nordvpn S.A. in Panama City, Panama, and its terms are governed by Panamanian law. Its help center says the parent company, Nord Security, is based in the Netherlands, and NordVPN's legal representative under the EU's Digital Services Act is NordSec B.V. in Amsterdam.
Can I use NordVPN on a TV, Fire Stick or Roku?
Apple TV, Android TV, Nvidia Shield and most Fire TV devices have a NordVPN app, though NordVPN says first- and second-generation Fire TV Sticks and the Fire TV Stick Basic can't run it. Roku, Samsung TVs, older Chromecast devices and game consoles have no app; NordVPN suggests a VPN router or sharing a computer's VPN connection instead.

NordVPN — our verdict

Audited VPN with desktop download scanning

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