NordVPN has firmly secured itself as one of the most popular VPN services in the world and if you’re looking at signing up for a VPN then it’s probably one of the services on your radar.
Apart from the obvious fact of protecting your privacy, there are 101 other uses for VPN services and it’s also likely that what you need a VPN for is specific for you and will differ from the needs of others.
It’s relatively easy to find out if NordVPN is any good as a whole, just read reviews like ours or other similar sites or check out user review websites such as TrustPilot. However, finding out if NordVPN is suitable for a specific purpose can be all the more difficult.
We wanted to answer the 12 most frequently asked questions we get asked about NordVPN, so here goes.
1) Does NordVPN keep logs?
NordVPN is a service that claims to store no-logs of what you do while connected to their service.
This includes your activity which is information like what websites you visit, what videos you watch or who you chat to.
They also claim not to store any connection logs or logs of metadata. This is information such as the times you connected and disconnected, what server you were assigned and times and dates of any messages sent or who you contacted, etc.
In 2019 NordVPN became one of the first VPN services to have their service independently audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers AG to back up their no log claims.
The report which essentially confirms their claims is available to be read by all current and future customers.
2) Does NordVPN work in China?
VPN services working in China receive mixed reports and can often depend on your location, the network you’re using and if you’re a resident or simply travelling there.
NordVPN is very hit and miss for working in China and while there are some reports that it works, many suggest it doesn’t work well. NordVPN themselves recommend using their ‘Obfuscated Servers’ option for the best results in China.
In our own tests we found the service to be unreliable in China with slow speeds. From our standpoint although NordVPN is claimed to work in China there are more reliable options like ExpressVPN and VPN.ac that work less hindered.
3) Does NordVPN work with BBC iPlayer?
If you want to watch BBC iPlayer securely from any location then NordVPN is a service that is often quoted as working with BBC iPlayer.
In our tests we found NordVPN works extremely well with BBC iPlayer and is one of the most reliable services for accessing on many different devices. It works well on Windows and Mac systems and mobile devices running Android and iOS.
NordVPN even works with BBC iPlayer on the Amazon Fire TV (or Fire TV Stick) although it doesn’t work via the BBC iPlayer app and you will instead need to use a browser such as ‘Internet’ or install Firefox.
Occasionally some servers don’t work with BBC iPlayer but NordVPN keeps an updated list of working servers so you can easily find the correct ones to connect to.
4) Does NordVPN block ads?
Online adverts have become the bain of my life. After accepting privacy policies, accepting that the site uses cookies and a whole host of other inconveniences the last thing you want is a load of adverts popping up.
Thankfully, most of NordVPN’s range of apps have a feature they call ‘CyberSec’. Not only does this block malware, phishing attempts and other cyber-nasties but it also claims to stop ads too.
Enabling ‘CyberSec’ is done by flicking a switch in the Settings area of most of NordVPN’s app range. While it may not be as good as a dedicated ad-blocker, it will offer some protection against being bombarded with online advertisement.
For Android users the Google Play Store version of the app doesn’t block ads but if you download the APK directly from NordVPN, it does include this feature.
5) Does NordVPN work with Netflix?
After numerous tests we can report that, Yes, NordVPN does work with Netflix.
NordVPN offers a unique solution in that you can connect to almost any server worldwide and you’ll be able to unblock and access American Netflix.
There are however some exceptions. If you connect to their Canada, UK, Japan, France or Netherlands locations than you’ll be able to access those specific regions of Netflix.
With such a selection of Netflix regions available and the ability to access US Netflix from any location in the world, NordVPN has one of the best Netflix unblocking solutions available.
6) Does NordVPN work with Firestick?
If you’ve got an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Fire TV or Fire TV Cube, you’ll be pleased to know that NordVPN does work with these devices.
NordVPN offers a dedicated Amazon app that can be downloaded and installed directly on your Fire TV devices or via the Amazon app store.
Using the Fire TV app from NordVPN will allow you to stream securely and unblock and access other content and apps from around the world. It’s also great if you’re going overseas because you’ll be able to take your Fire TV device with you and watch all your content from home.
7) Does NordVPN have a Kill Switch?
Yes, NordVPN desktop apps include a Kill Switch.
They offer an internet-wide Kill Switch which makes the internet as a whole unavailable unless you’re connected to one of their servers. Should your VPN connection unexpectedly drop then your internet connection would be cut until you reconnect.
They also offer an individual app Kill Switch. This allows you to continue to use the internet should your VPN connection drop but the connection to individual apps of your choosing will be cut. This is great for protecting specific apps while allowing the general internet to keep flowing in the event of a VPN disconnection.
NordVPN’s mobile apps do not offer a Kill Switch.
8) Does NordVPN accept Paypal?
Although NordVPN did accept Paypal in the past, this is no longer the case.
Unfortunately, in late 2018 NordVPN dropped support for Paypal and now only accept payment via Credit and Debit Card, Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies and a range of local payment solutions including the likes of GiroPay, Sofort and iDeal.
9) Does NordVPN allow Torrenting?
Yes, NordVPN is a completely traffic neutral VPN service which means there are no restrictions on the type of data that they allow to pass through their network.
This means you’re free to Torrent and use P2P networks freely.
The service does have a dedicated P2P server option available on their apps which offers a wide range of countries to connect to that are both optimised for Torrenting and more ‘torrent-friendly’.
10) Does NordVPN have a Data Cap?
No, there is no data-cap on the NordVPN service.
NordVPN themselves even state on their website that you can “forget about censorship and bandwidth restrictions”. So you’re free to stream, download and transfer as much data as you want while connected to NordVPN.
You can even use their service on up to 6 devices at the same time without restrictions.
11) Does NordVPN slow down internet speed?
All VPN services will slow your internet speed to some extent. This is not specific to NordVPN but is due to the high-level of encryption used to protect your connection.
In our latest review of the NordVPN service, we tested their speeds from a regular home internet connection and found that although we did lose some speed, it was minimal. In most cases we lost only between 1-3 Mbps compared to our standard connection speeds.
Even when connecting at a distance from the UK to the United States or the UK to Australia we noticed minimal slowdown. With such a small loss it would be barely noticeable for your everyday usage.
12) Does NordVPN work on Mac?
Yes, NordVPN works perfectly fine on Mac devices.
There’s a dedicated Mac OS app which allows you to connect quickly and easily. Even if you’re not the most experienced computer user you’ll be able to use their dedicated app to connect and get secure with just a few clicks.
NordVPN also offers apps for other Apple devices that run iOS such as the iPhone and iPad which you can download directly from the app store after signing up for their service.
Apple users aren’t unique though because there are further dedicated apps for Windows, Android and the Amazon Fire TV range of devices.
In Summary: Does NordVPN?
So there we have it, we’ve answered the 12 most common questions asked about NordVPN.
What these 12 important questions have found is that NordVPN is suitable for an extensive range of purposes and works across almost all devices.
NordVPN answers most questions and is suitable for many different purposes, there are one or two minor things it can’t do, but hey, no VPN service is perfect. Thankfully, NordVPN is as close to perfect as you’re going to get.
Why not check out NordVPN risk-free? They’ve got a 30-day money back guarantee if you’re unhappy with their service.
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