By now you know that you NEED to have a VPN for travel or remote work. But what is the best VPN for digital nomads? Check out my NordVPN review and learn about the pros and cons of this VPN provider and if it is the right service for your needs.
Table of Contents
What Is a VPN?
Without getting too much into technical details, a virtual private network (VPN) creates an encrypted tunnel between an external server and your device and directs all web traffic through this tunnel. This has quite a few advantages. Just to mention a few:
- Not even people, who are using the same network as you, can see your data.
- Malicious operators can’t tap your information.
- Malicious operators can’t route you to phishing pages.
- Online advertisers have a harder time tracking and profiling you.
- You can access sites that are normally blocked due to government censorship.
When you work online with sensitive data, such as your banking information, without any type of protection you put yourself and your clients at high risk. That’s why every traveler and digital nomad should always use a VPN service.
Ever heard of Skyroam? That device gives you unlimited internet anywhere in the world. Check out the linked article for more info.
NordVPN Review 2023: The Features
There are countless VPN providers out there and you are probably wondering, why I think that NordVPN is the best VPN for digital nomads. Of course, they all have more or less the same features. But NordVPN goes a bit further.
Is NordVPN Safe?
The company prides itself on its excellent reputation for security. And it’s true. They are using the best and latest technology out there, which makes them one of the safest VPN services on the market.
For example, NordVPN uses a double VPN system, which means they encrypt your internet traffic twice. VPN servers are chained together so that your data is routed between them while it moves between you and the internet. This adds another layer of protection that not many other VPN services provide.
Moreover, NordVPN also has a nice little feature called the automatic kill switch. Just in case your VPN connection drops out, it will shut down any predefined websites. So there is absolutely no chance your sensitive data is exposed.
Does NordVPN Protect Your Privacy?
Maybe the best part: NordVPN has its jurisdiction in Panama. This is the perfect country for data security since it doesn’t require data retention. There is zero government surveillance, no censored internet and it is under no direct influence of the NSA.
Although I strongly assume that you don’t do anything online that would be of interest to them, it’s nice to know you are safe anyway.
NordVPN hides your actual IP address from the outside world. In case you need a static IP address for whatever reason, simply buy one for a NordVPN server in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, or the USA.
Does NordVPN Keep Logs?
Another great reason why I think they are the best VPN service out there: NordVPN does not collect log data. They have a strict zero-log policy. They don’t monitor, record, or transfer your data to any third party. Simply put, they don’t interfere with the customer’s web traffic at all. Thumbs up for that.
How Many Devices Can You Connect with NordVPN?
Whereas most other VPN providers support just three to four devices simultaneously, NordVPN allows you to connect up to six devices at the same time. Just in case you want to share your account with your partner or family if they are traveling with you, you can do so.
NordVPN Servers
An additional and fairly unique feature is their specialized servers, for example for using BitTorrent and P2P. Other services offer only selection tools to solve specific problems. NordVPN goes one step further and uses a more specified solution.
As more general info, NordVPN has about 2,092 servers in 61 countries, which means that you have 61 options for spoofing your location. If you want to have a look at the exact NordVPN server list, you can check it at any time in your NordVPN account or on their website.
That’s definitely a very decent number and particularly important for digital nomads. Since we travel around quite a bit, we prefer servers close to us in all parts of the world.
The closer you are to a server, the better your VPN performance. The fewer people connected to the same server, the more bandwidth you get. So another great reason why NordVPN is one of the best VPN services for digital nomads.
Watch Netflix NordVPN
I guess this feature will make NordVPN instantly the best VPN service for many digital nomads ;)
Netflix is not available anywhere in the world and it also blocks all types of VPNs very aggressively. I know many of my digital nomad friends are slightly addicted to Netflix and can’t imagine living without it. But fear no more!
NordVPN got you covered. They have several US servers keyed so that you can stream it without difficulties. This workaround is not only super smart but also super unique. Most VPNs are not able to get a connection to Netflix. So in case you are one of the addicts, Netflix NordVPN is definitely the best VPN service for you.
NordVPN Compatibility
NordVPN is compatible with most systems so the chances that it will work for you are very good. Check out the NordVPN availability:
- Android
- Windows
- iOS
- Mac
- Firefox extension
- Chrome extension
- Android TV
- Linux
NordVPN Speed & Performance
Since VPNs add physical distance to your internet connection, it is normal that they usually slow it down a little bit. In the past, NordVPN used to be a bit slower than average services. But they have worked hard on that issue and improved their speed immensely in 2017.
Today NordVPN manages to reach extremely good results in terms of latency and is even better than most other VPN services.
It might not be the industry leader in speed, but then again, it all depends on your needs. I’m obviously using the internet all day long but my job doesn’t require me to do any extensive and heavy downloads. So to me personally, NordVPN’s speed is more than sufficient.
But there might be a few of you who would prefer having the fastest VPN on the market.
If you want to learn tips on how to increase your WIFI speed in any network, check out the linked article.
How To Use NordVPN? – 3 Steps to Set Up Your NordVPN Account
As already mentioned, NordVPN is very user-friendly and straightforward. This is particularly important for people like me, who have absolutely no clue about the technical part and have no intention to spend much time with it. I only want it to work properly without much hassle. And that’s exactly what NordVPN does.
Using this provider for the first time doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes. This is what you need to do:
- Step 1: Go to the NordVPN website, decide what plan you want to go for, and register.
- Step 2: Once you have signed in, you only need to download the NordVPN app on your computer and/or phone.
- Step 3: After that, you only need to click on “Quick Connect” and NordVPN will connect automatically. Alternatively, you could also pick a country you want to get connected to. For instance, if you are currently in Germany but want to watch Netflix services in the USA, simply click on the USA on the map and you get connected.
If you want to, you could also adjust the settings to your preferences. For example, get NordVPN to start automatically as soon as you start your laptop. Or make your device invisible when you are in a public WIFI network.
You can easily change these settings with only a few clicks but most certainly don’t have to. If you leave everything as it is and only connect to the VPN when you need it, you are absolutely safe!
NordVPN Customer Service
In case you have any questions or difficulties you can contact customer support 24/7 via their web form, email, Facebook, or Twitter. During about 4 years of using NordVPN, I have never had any issues and therefore, never contacted the team. So, unfortunately (or luckily) I can’t review this part.
NordVPN Costs
Like most VPN services, NordVPN gives you a few options. You can either pay monthly or buy a 1-year, or 2-year plan.
I have to admit that buying monthly is fairly pricy in comparison to other VPN providers, e.g. PureVPN. It’s an extra 1-3 USD a month. On the other hand, if you buy it for 1 or 2 years it is actually one of the cheapest plans you can find.
They currently have a huge sale where you can get a 2-year plan for USD 3.71 per month! Absolutely amazing! You won’t get that type of quality VPN for that price again so don’t miss this offer! So here are your current options:
- USD 11.95 per month / 1-month plan
- USD 4.92 per month / 1-year plan
- USD 3.71 per month / 2-year plan
To me, this is a no-brainer. I got a 3-year plan years ago (they used to offer 3-year plans back then) and ever since simply renew my account. It’s so easy to use, important, and reasonably priced that I don’t even think about my renewals twice.
The payment methods are the usual credit or debit card and PayPal. To make the whole process even more anonymous, you can also pay with bitcoins.
Is there a NordVPN Free Trial?
No, there is no NordVPN free trial. However, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. Just in the unlikely case, you struggle with it and NordVPN doesn’t work for you, you simply need to text them and they are going to give you a full refund. That’s basically just as good as a risk-free trial.
NordVPN Customer Experiences
I am not the only one loving and praising NordVPN for being the best VPN service for digital nomads. There are many others who feel exactly the same.
This is what Ariel Hochstadt (Ex-Google, International Tech Speaker) has to say about them:
“It’s no big secret that NordVPN is reputed as the best VPN out there. It has excellent reviews nicely propped on the homepage from very happy customers, as well as links to articles by big wig industry publications like PC Mag, Forbes etc. […] NordVPN really speaks to its users. It’s an entire package of unbeatable specs that pretty much places it at the top of the market. […] I would definitely purchase the one-year plan if their service is going to stay like this!“ – Ariel Hochstadt
The popular tech website PC Mag says about NordVPN after reviewing the service:
“NordVPN is a robust virtual private network with an excellent collection of features, wrapped in a slick client that secures your online activities. Earning a rare 5-star rating, it’s our top pick for VPNs.”
And the website VPN Mentor ranks NordVPN 1st from 290 VPNs with overwhelming 4.9 stars out of 5. You can find the VPN ranking here.
Pros of NordVPN
Since that was a lot of explanatory text, let’s talk about the VPN pros and cons. Here are the biggest advantages of using NordVPN:
- Server variety. More than 2,000 servers in more than 60 countries.
- Panama based. A perfect country for online privacy as it doesn’t require data retention.
- Ad and web threats blocking. It blocks very reliable unwanted ads and potential threats.
- Double encryption. NordVPN adds another layer of security with this unique feature.
- No log policy. They don’t collect log data or monitor or record your online activities.
- Several connections. You can have up to 6 simultaneous connections with one account.
- Excellent speed. After recent improvements, their speed is now better than most other VPNs.
- Netflix. NordVPN has a unique technology that makes watching Netflix abroad possible.
- System support. You can use NordVPN on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
- User-friendly. Easy to set up and use.
- Accepts bitcoins. Many digital nomads are using bitcoins.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
Cons of NordVPN
No service is perfect for everyone. Even NordVPN has its downside:
- Pricy monthly plan. Their monthly plan is more expensive than many other VPN services. But then again, if you go for a 1- or 2-year plan, it becomes super cheap.
Is NordVPN the Best VPN for Travel?
In my opinion: Yes, NordVPN is the best VPN for travel. It comes with all features that you need when you are traveling internationally. It not only protects your sensitive data when accessing foreign WIFI connections, but it also allows you to access locally restricted websites and services, such as Netflix.
All of that at a very affordable rate and with great usability.
NordVPN Reviews Conclusion: Best VPN For Digital Nomads and Travelers
There is a reason why NordVPN is most of the time rated in the top 5 VPNs. It is a fantastic solution to protect your data and privacy on the internet, that covers every area of interest for digital nomads. I have been using them for 2 years now and haven’t had any issues with online security ever since.
As you can see from this NordVPN review, I am convinced that NordVPN is a great, if not the best VPN for digital nomads.
And yes, they are not the cheapest option if you pay monthly. But their powerful core service justifies the slightly higher prices. And again, if you buy the 1- or 2-year package, you will end up even cheaper than most other VPN services.
I can only recommend NordVPN’s service as the best VPN for digital nomads and I’m sure you will love them, too.
Absolutely agree, Luke!
Using a VPN really helps with privacy and security!