NordVPN

US PRODUCT RESEARCH

NordVPN

NordVPN is an individual VPN with optional protection bundles. Complete adds desktop download scanning and other tools; Complete Max includes a dedicated-IP option in the reviewed plan table. NordLayer is a separate business service and its workforce controls are not credited here.

Checked Oct 20, 2026 · 4 official sources · Desk research

VPN for individual professionals

A GOOD FIT WHEN

Individual remote workers needing a VPN and optional browsing protection.

Broad device support
Optional download protection
Dedicated-IP option

LOOK MORE CLOSELY WHEN

An employer requiring central employee access policies, SSO and offboarding in this consumer subscription.

Different features across operating systems
Regional pricing and renewals vary
Consumer plan lacks verified workforce administration

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC EVIDENCE

Capabilities, controls and depth.

Scores combine core capabilities and workflow depth. Full support earns full points; limited support earns half. Unverified features create a range, and paid-plan requirements are shown in the evidence. How scoring works →

VPN for individual professionals · 28 features

58–98/100 documented fit

Core capabilities24–32 / 32 pts7/10 checks with established status

Workflow depth33.6–65.6 / 68 pts7/18 checks with established status

Show checksShowing fewer rows does not change the score.

VPN for individual professionals · 28 weighted capability checks
Feature / weight	Support, evidence & points
Core capabilityEncrypted tunnelDocument modern encrypted VPN protocols. 4 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate encrypted tunnel with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4 / 4 pts Modern encrypted VPN protocols are documented. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityKill switchBlock traffic if the VPN tunnel fails. 4 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate kill switch with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4 / 4 pts A kill switch is documented. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkDNS leak protectionPrevent DNS requests escaping the protected connection. 6 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate dns leak protection with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported6 / 6 pts DNS leak protection is documented. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkMulti-hop routingRoute through multiple VPN locations with documented conditions. 6 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate multi-hop routing with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported6 / 6 pts Double VPN routing is available on supported apps. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityDesktop applicationsOffer native apps for major desktop platforms. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate desktop applications with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Desktop applications are offered. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityMobile applicationsOffer apps for both iOS and Android. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate mobile applications with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts iOS and Android applications are offered. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkSplit tunnellingRoute selected apps or destinations outside the VPN, with platform limits stated. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate split tunnelling with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Limited2.4 / 4.8 pts Split tunnelling is platform-dependent; confirm support on the intended OS. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkRestricted-network modeProvide a documented obfuscation or censorship-resistant connection method. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate restricted-network mode with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Obfuscated server options are documented. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityPublished logging policyExplain which connection or activity data is retained. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate published logging policy with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts A published no-logs policy is linked. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityPublished external auditLink a named external audit or report rather than an unsupported badge. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate published external audit with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–3.2 / 3.2 pts The named audit report was not reviewed in this evidence set. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkAuditable application sourcePublish application source for the major client platforms. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate auditable application source with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–4.8 / 4.8 pts Open source across all major client platforms is not established. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkLocation selectionChoose the country or server location on the compared paid plan. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate location selection with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Paid plans allow server-location choice. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityMalicious-site blockingBlock known malicious destinations. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate malicious-site blocking with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts Basic includes DNS-based malicious-site blocking. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityMultiple concurrent devicesDocument the allowed number of simultaneous connections. 3.2 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate multiple concurrent devices with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported3.2 / 3.2 pts The plan table specifies 10 concurrent devices. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkMalware download scanningInspect downloaded files, with OS restrictions stated. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate malware download scanning with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Complete includes desktop download scanning. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkDedicated IP optionOffer a dedicated address and disclose the extra plan or charge. 4.8 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate dedicated ip option with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Supported4.8 / 4.8 pts Complete Max lists dedicated IP; verify local availability. Official documentation · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityDocumented AI threat detectionDocument an actual machine-learning threat detection capability. 2.4 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate documented ai threat detection with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.4 / 2.4 pts Automated detection alone does not establish a specific AI method. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Core capabilityAI incident explanationExplain a detected incident using contextual AI output. 2.4 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate ai incident explanation with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.4 / 2.4 pts AI incident explanations were not documented. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkAI-specific controlsDocument controls or limitations specifically for AI threat processing. 3.6 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate ai-specific controls with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–3.6 / 3.6 pts AI-specific controls were not established. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkAI decision traceExpose a reviewable explanation or audit record of AI security decisions. 3.6 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate ai decision trace with our own account and explain limits, permissions and the required plan. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–3.6 / 3.6 pts An AI decision audit trail was not established. Not verified · Oct 20, 2026Source
Depth checkExport a WireGuard configuration for another clientDemonstrate: Export a WireGuard configuration for another client. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Export a WireGuard configuration for another client. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkConfigure inbound port forwardingDemonstrate: Configure inbound port forwarding. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Configure inbound port forwarding. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkChoose a custom DNS resolverDemonstrate: Choose a custom DNS resolver. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Choose a custom DNS resolver. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkApply automatic connection rules per networkDemonstrate: Apply automatic connection rules per network. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Apply automatic connection rules per network. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkControl local-network access while connectedDemonstrate: Control local-network access while connected. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Control local-network access while connected. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkCarry IPv6 traffic through the VPN tunnelDemonstrate: Carry IPv6 traffic through the VPN tunnel. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Carry IPv6 traffic through the VPN tunnel. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkRevoke a lost device's active VPN sessionDemonstrate: Revoke a lost device's active VPN session. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Revoke a lost device's active VPN session. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source
Depth checkDeploy VPN protection on a supported routerDemonstrate: Deploy VPN protection on a supported router. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. 2.5 points maximum Ask for a demonstration Demonstrate: Deploy VPN protection on a supported router. State the plan, limits and behaviour on failure. Test on a controlled network and document reconnection behaviour. A scenario to run with the supplier; not a completed product test.	Not verified0–2.5 / 2.5 pts This specific check has not been verified. Missing evidence does not mean the capability is absent. Ask for a demonstration in the proposed plan. Not verified · Oct 21, 2026Source

Compare in VPN for individual professionals →

AI CAPABILITY CHECK

What does its AI actually do?

Not independently verified

Automated threat protection is documented, but the reviewed sources do not establish all AI-specific checks.

Official AI source

Documented capabilities

Limits to check

Rule-based blocking is not automatically AI
Separate NordLabs experiments are not credited as VPN functionality

Understand the full price

Price is region/term dependent; the reviewed page rendered a different local currency. Verify the US or UK checkout and renewal rather than relying on a converted estimate.

Billing basis: monthly. Unit: account / month. Currency: USD.

Verify current pricing with the vendor

Integrations and deployment

Security claims require the relevant agreement and technical evidence. This is a review of public documentation.

US buying context

English-language service with international purchasing. Confirm regional tax, billing currency and required location in the offer.

The evidence record

Modern encrypted VPN protocols are documented.

Plan	Published price	Documented inclusions	Limits and conditions
Basic Plan source ↗	Confirm price Monthly · account / month	VPN DNS-based malicious-site blocking	10 simultaneous devices
Complete Plan source ↗	Confirm price Monthly · account / month	Desktop malware-download scanning Additional bundled products	Additional protection is OS-specific
Complete Max Plan source ↗	Confirm price Monthly · account / month	Complete features Dedicated IP in reviewed table	Country and term conditions apply

NordVPN

Individual remote workers needing a VPN and optional browsing protection.

An employer requiring central employee access policies, SSO and offboarding in this consumer subscription.

Capabilities, controls and depth.

What does its AI actually do?

Documented capabilities

Limits to check

Understand the full price

Integrations and deployment

US buying context

The evidence record

Source library

Keep your options open.

Proton VPN

Plans and feature boundaries