# Alternatives to NordVPN

Large commercial VPN with RAM-only servers.

NordVPN ranks #4 of 9 in Personal VPNs, with an Alt Score of 89. It is proprietary, sold by subscription from $3.49 per month and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/nordvpn/
Category: Personal VPNs

## Where NordVPN stands out

- **Dedicated IP option** — 4 of 9 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Everyday internet users and privacy-conscious travelers who want to hide their IP address, secure their traffic on public Wi-Fi, or access geo-restricted content without configuring anything technical.
- **What you get**: A large global server network (thousands of servers across 100+ countries) accessed via NordLynx, NordVPN's own WireGuard-based protocol built for speed, plus an independently audited no-logs policy and a kill switch. Threat Protection blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites even when the VPN is off, and Meshnet lets you link your own devices into a private encrypted network. Higher-tier plans (Plus/Complete) bundle extras like a password manager, data breach scanner, and encrypted cloud storage.
- **How it works**: Install the NordVPN app on a device, log in, and pick a server location (or use Quick Connect for the fastest available one) to route your traffic through an encrypted tunnel. One subscription covers up to 10 devices simultaneously across desktop, mobile, and router apps.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Pricing model**: Subscription (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Starts at**: $3.49 per month (verified 2026-07-11)
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-11)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Private Internet Access](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/private-internet-access.md) | 100 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 2 | [Windscribe](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/windscribe.md) | 96 | GPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [Surfshark](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/surfshark.md) | 93 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 4 | [ExpressVPN](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/expressvpn.md) | 85 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 5 | [Proton VPN](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/proton-vpn.md) | 85 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 6 | [Mullvad](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mullvad.md) | 78 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 7 | [IVPN](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/ivpn.md) | 66 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 8 | [Cloudflare WARP](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/cloudflare-warp.md) | 51 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Personal VPNs checklist | NordVPN | Private Internet Access | Windscribe | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription | Freemium | Subscription | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starts at | $3.49 per month | $1.33/mo | $1.00 per location/month (Build-A-Plan, $3 minimum); Pro from $5.75/month billed yearly | €2.29/mo. | $3.49/month | $11.99/month (VPN Plus, monthly; cheaper on annual terms) |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary | GPL-2.0 | Proprietary | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Independent audit published | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No-logs policy jurisdiction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WireGuard support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Server count / countries | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Simultaneous devices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Port forwarding | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Dedicated IP option | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| P2P allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| RAM-only servers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Anonymous payment accepted | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## Sources

Sources for NordVPN. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: Proprietary — <https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-no-logs-assurance-engagement-2025/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “© 2026 Nord Security. All rights reserved”
- **Pricing model**: Subscription — <https://nordvpn.com/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Renews at $139.08/year.”
- **Starts at**: $3.49 per month — <https://nordvpn.com/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “$3.49 per month”
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension — <https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-no-logs-assurance-engagement-2025/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Available VPN apps
Windows
macOS
Linux
Android
iOS
Chrome
Firefox
Edge
Android TV
Apple TV”
- **Status**: active — <https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-no-logs-assurance-engagement-2025/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NordVPN Q2 2026 roundup: New additions, recognitions, and repositioning”
- **Independent audit published**: Yes — <https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-no-logs-assurance-engagement-2025/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NordVPN has successfully passed its sixth independent no-logs assurance engagement, once again confirming that we don't track, collect, or store our users' connection data.”
- **No-logs policy jurisdiction**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19441152966161-Where-is-NordVPN-based> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NordVPN is based and operates under the jurisdiction of Panama. Since NordVPN operates under Panama's jurisdiction and there is no mandatory data retention law in Panama, we do not need to store logs”
- **WireGuard support**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19564565879441-What-is-NordLynx> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NordLynx is NordVPN's revolutionary technology built around the WireGuard® VPN protocol.”
- **Server count / countries**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19383127694225-Where-can-I-find-the-NordVPN-server-list> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “NordVPN has over 8,400+ servers in 167+ countries around the world.”
- **Simultaneous devices**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19476515228305-How-many-devices-can-I-use-with-NordVPN> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “You can connect up to 10 devices to a single NordVPN account at the same time.”
- **Kill switch**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19509682644369-NordVPN-Kill-Switch-how-does-it-work> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “a feature that helps prevent unprotected access to the internet when your traffic doesn't go through a NordVPN server”
- **Split tunneling**: Partial — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19618692366865-What-is-Split-Tunneling-and-how-to-use-it-with-NordVPN> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Split tunneling is an option that allows you to have a specific part of your internet connection rerouted outside of the VPN.”
- **Port forwarding**: No — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19483392309649-Does-NordVPN-offer-port-forwarding> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Unfortunately, at the current moment, we do not offer port forwarding, as multiple customers are using the same servers.”
- **Dedicated IP option**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19507808024209-Dedicated-NordVPN-IP-addresses> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “if you purchase a NordVPN dedicated IP, you will get an IP address that belongs to you and you alone”
- **P2P allowed**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/45840292778897-I-can-t-find-NordVPN-P2P-servers> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “All standard NordVPN servers now support P2P activities, including gaming and other peer-to-peer applications.”
- **RAM-only servers**: Yes — <https://nordvpn.com/blog/ram-based-servers/> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “Why do we run only RAM-based servers?”
- **Anonymous payment accepted**: Yes — <https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19685782821265-What-payment-methods-does-NordVPN-accept> (verified 2026-07-11)
  - Quote: “You can pay with a credit card, cryptocurrency, PayPal, Sofort (Klarna), bank or”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/