NordVPN

NordVPN

It's hard to beat NordVPN's sheer number of protection protocols. The company is also located in Panama, whose laws protect your privacy even more.

Super Safe

Because NordVPN is physically based in Panama, it is not subject to the EU and US data-collection rules that prevail over some other providers. As a result, NordVPN only retains your username and session time – but only for 15 minutes after you disconnect from the server.

Although the company is headquartered in Panama, it offers its users about 5,200 servers located in over 62 countries, making it a top VPN in terms of server inventory.

NordVPN

One of the ways in which NordVPN truly stands out as one of the best VPN services is the fact that it has specialized servers, which facilitate the usual activities such as using BitTorrent over VPN, but it also takes things a step further by allowing you to connect to the TOR Network. For those who don't now, TOR is an anonymous browser that hides your activity and also allows you to access the dark web. While connecting to a VPN and a TOR browser might be overkill to most, those who are extremely worried about anonymity will welcome this feature.

Adding to its suite of protection protocols is what NordVPN calls "Double VPN," meaning your connection to the internet is routed through two different remote servers. So if somehow one of them failed or was breached, you'd still be safe behind the other one.

NordVPN also offers browser plug-ins for Chrome and Firefox to secure things at the browser level, as well as something it calls "CyberSec," a feature that blocks ads and warns you about malware-hosting sites.

In terms of device connectivity, NordVPN is on par with most other VPN services, allowing up to six devices to connect at once.

Some reports have said that NordVPN servers can be a bit sluggish, but that might just be the price you pay for such high levels of security. Indeed in our own speed tests, NordVPN's download speeds were near the bottom of our list, while the upload speeds were quite competitive.

However, in April 2020 the company introduced NordLynx, their version of the WireGuard protocol. WireGuard is the Next Big Thing in VPN services, providing lean and secure tunnels that dramatically increase surfing speeds. According to tests by the company and others, NordLynx should rocket the provider to the top of the list of VPN services in terms of speed.

Finally, NordVPN offers the opportunity to buy a static IP address. One of the issues with using a VPN is that your IP address will constantly change. This is what keeps your browsing anonymous, but it's also what can trip up some security protocols. If you connect to your company through the internet, for example, you can buy a static IP so that it can be whitelisted so that you can always gain access. What's more, a static IP makes you look "stable" to financial companies that might otherwise lock you out if they notice you are constantly signing in from IPs around the world.

Pros

Not subject to US and EU reporting requirements

Exceptional security protocols

Specialized servers for activities like BitTorrent

Six multiple connections

Kill switch for when VPN drops

NordLynx speed booster

Double VPN

Can purchase static IP addresses

Cons

Monthly plan is pricey

No split tunneling

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