NordVPN vs Norton VPN Review — Which Is is Better in 2024

With Norton’s excellent reputation in the antivirus industry, I was curious to see how well its standalone VPN service stacked up against top competitors like NordVPN. Both competitors claim to provide rock-solid performance, security, and privacy.

To evaluate these claims, I tested Norton Secure and NordVPN across 13 categories to see which one came out on top. The results were clear — NordVPN won in almost every category, though Norton also performed decently.

NordVPN’s extra features like dark web monitoring, malware protection, and double VPN servers make it excellent value for money despite being pricier than Norton Secure. You can try NordVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

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No Time? Here’s a 1-Minute Summary

Pricing	It’s pricier but offers better value for money with extra features	Relatively cheaper with tiered pricing options based on simultaneous connections
Streaming	SmartPlay lets you stream on incompatible devices	Lets you stream only on devices it has an app for
Servers	6,300+ servers in 111 countries with specialty Double VPN, Onion over VPN, and P2P connections	Has servers in only 29 countries with no specialty connections for streaming or torrenting
Speed	Offers fast speeds for UHD streaming with maximum drops of 14% on distant servers	Offers fast speeds for data-intensive tasks with maximum drops of 19% on distant servers
Security	Includes Norton’s features plus Meshnet, dark web monitoring, LAN Invisibility, and a password manager	Includes 256-bit encryption, leak protection, split tunneling, and an ads & trackers blocker
Torrenting	Has special P2P servers that support lightning-fast torrenting with SOCKS5 proxy support	Doesn’t have P2P servers or SOCKS5 proxy support, with limited torrenting capabilities
China	Works in China thanks to its obfuscated servers	Doesn’t work in China, nor does it have obfuscated servers
Gaming	Provides low ping on distant servers for lag-free gaming	Provides slightly higher ping but still ensures lag-free gaming
Device Compatibility	Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Kodi, Amazon Fire Stick, smart TVs, and routers	Only works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Extra Features	Has Double VPN servers, dark web monitoring, tap jacking protection, Meshnet, dedicated IP addresses, and protocol choices	Has WiFi protection for online safety and an ad and tracker blocker
Privacy Policy and Jurisdiction	Based in Panama, so your data isn’t subject to retention laws	Headquartered in the US, which is part of the 5 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance
Payments and Refunds	Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans	Offers a 14-day refund guarantee on monthly subscriptions and 60 days on annual plans
Customer Support	Support options include live chat, email, and an extensive knowledge base	Support options include live chat, phone, a knowledge base, and a community forum

13 Categories of Comparison for NordVPN vs Norton Secure VPN

NordVPN beat Norton in all categories except payments and refunds, while the customer support round was a draw. Overall, NordVPN is better due to its extra features, faster speeds, and a much more extensive server network with specialty connections for tasks like torrenting.

1. Pricing — I checked each VPN’s plans and what they included to evaluate which one offers better value for money.
2. Streaming — I used each VPN for streaming and looked for any lag, slowdowns, or buffering on nearby, midrange, and distant servers.
3. Servers — I accounted for each contender’s network size and server features.
4. Speed — I ran several speed tests and compared the performances of each competitor across nearby and distant servers.
5. Security — I gauged NordVPN and Norton Secure on the number of security and privacy features they offer and their efficacy.
6. Torrenting — I compared the download times while torrenting public-domain files with both VPNs and dug out any P2P-specific features.
7. China — I contacted each VPN’s live chat support team to confirm if it works in China. I also asked if the VPN has obfuscated servers that enable access in restrictive countries.
8. Gaming — I played multiple online games using each VPN’s servers and compared the lag to assess which was better for gaming.
9. Device Compatibility — I used various apps of each VPN to evaluate their user-friendliness and noted the range of platforms they work with.
10. Extra Features — I compared and tested each VPN’s additional features to check their utility.
11. Privacy Policy and Jurisdiction — I read transparency reports to evaluate how safe my data would be while using each VPN.
12. Payments and Refunds — I tested both competitors’ money-back guarantees and compared the ease of submitting a request and the time it took to get my refund.
13. Customer Support — I compared each contender’s customer service by the number of support options and response times.

1. Pricing — Norton is Cheaper, But NordVPN Provides Better Value for Money

NordVPN offers better value for money even though it’s a bit more expensive than Norton Secure VPN. However, I liked that Norton Secure offers flexible subscription options — you can choose the number of devices you want to protect and get tiered pricing. With NordVPN, you’ll get fixed 10 simultaneous connections. Here’s a chart detailing the pricing of each:

If you want Norton Secure VPN, go for a long-term subscription, as the renewal prices are significantly higher. This isn’t a problem with NordVPN, so I’d suggest getting its 2-year + 3 months plan to avail of its 74% discount at just $3.09 per month despite it being one of the most affordable monthly VPNs.

Overall, NordVPN provides much better value due to its long-term cost savings and feature-richness. You won’t find advanced features like Threat Protection with Norton Secure VPN.

2. Streaming — NordVPN’s Smart DNS Feature Lets You Stream on Incompatible Devices

After extensive testing, NordVPN’s streaming abilities outperformed Norton’s, but it was a close competition. Its Smart DNS feature was the winning factor, letting you stream on incompatible devices like Apple TV and gaming consoles. Note that Smart DNS is a proxy, not a VPN, so it doesn’t encrypt your data like a VPN would.

Both contenders performed reasonably well in my streaming tests. I watched nature documentaries like Life of Birds and Amazing Wildlife of Botswana in UHD without buffering. On Norton Secure’s distant servers, I noticed slight buffering at the start but none throughout the video playback — this didn’t happen with NordVPN.

Overall, NordVPN’s streaming capabilities are slightly better, but I wish it had optimized servers for streaming like CyberGhost that made movie marathons much more seamless and fun. That said, I never felt something missing when streaming with NordVPN.

3. Servers — NordVPN Has a Bigger Network and Specialty Servers

NordVPN has much better network coverage than Norton Secure VPN. With 6,300+ servers in 111 countries, NordVPN provides multiple IP addresses in most countries. This lets you access your usual financial and other accounts at home securely while traveling.

While neither competitor offers virtual servers, NordVPN compensates for this with its obfuscation. Obfuscated connections disguise data as regular traffic to bypass firewalls and network restrictions by hiding that you’re using a VPN. It’s pretty useful for IP-sensitive tasks like online banking while traveling. In addition, NordVPN’s specialty servers include:

• Double VPN — encrypts your data twice by routing it through 2 different servers, making your online activities nearly impossible to trace.
• Onion over VPN — routes your traffic through the Tor network after encrypting it through the VPN, enhancing your online privacy.
• P2P servers — optimized for torrenting traffic, and NordVPN automatically connects you to one when you torrent something

Besides lacking NordVPN’s server options, Norton Secure VPN also lags behind when it comes to accessing streaming services. You can expect the following results with each competitor:

In summary, NordVPN has a better and more diverse network and offers different types of specialized servers.

4. Speed — NordVPN Averaged Faster Speeds on Distant and Nearby Servers

I ran multiple speed tests and found that NordVPN was slightly faster than Norton Secure. My baseline speeds of 100Mbps didn’t drop by more than 20% with each competitor, even on distant servers in the US. Streaming shows, movies, and documentaries in UHD was seamless, as indicated in the test chart below:

Besides streaming, I torrented a 10GB public-domain file with each contender. The download time didn’t differ by much. However, NordVPN’s nearby P2P servers accelerated the download by almost 14%. I suggest using its proprietary NordLynx protocol, built around the efficient WireGuard.

While Norton Secure supports WireGuard and IKEv2, it doesn’t let you manually select a protocol. I found this odd and restrictive. Overall, NordVPN wins this round due to faster speeds and protocol flexibility.

5. Security — NordVPN Offers More Advanced Security Features

I was satisfied with both VPNs as they check all the boxes for basic security, but NordVPN offers more advanced features to protect you from online threats. Covering the basics first, you’ll find the following features on both NordVPN and Norton Secure:

• 256-bit encryption — turns your internet traffic into unreadable code to hide it from third parties, snoopers, and hackers.
• Split tunneling — lets you use some apps with the VPN and some without, so you can stream global content and access local news simultaneously.
• Ads and tracker blocker — blocks ads and prevents websites from profiling you via trackers (though NordVPN goes a step further and keeps you safe from malware).

Now, for the differences. NordVPN’s Meshnet creates a secure private network with up to 50 devices. This is great for accessing devices remotely, sharing files, and playing online games with your friends via LAN. If you want to go off-grid, enable Invisibility on LAN — this makes your device invisible to others on the same network.

NordVPN’s dark web monitoring informs you of any data leaks. It regularly monitors your email address for any vulnerabilities so you can change your credentials immediately when required. It also has an in-built password manager that stores all your passwords and keeps them safe from potential keylogger attacks.

I was pleased that both competitors passed my IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests. However, I’d pick NordVPN over Norton Secure due to the numerous extras it offers. Here’s a summarized chart of the additional value you’d get with NordVPN.

6. Torrenting — NordVPN’s Special P2P Servers Enable Super-Fast Downloads

NordVPN is my preferred choice for torrenting as it has special P2P servers optimized to prioritize torrenting traffic before anything else. With 5,000+ specialized connections for torrenting, I had no shortage of finding nearby servers for blazing-fast downloads.

Norton Secure VPN doesn’t have dedicated P2P servers, but it prompts you to connect to a torrent-friendly region when it detects such traffic. Open the drop-down list in the VPN region and select Torrent Optimized Region. This will automatically connect you to a server in a P2P-friendly location.

Unlike Private Internet Access, neither VPN has port forwarding that lets you connect with torrent peers directly. Port forwarding opens a specific port on your router and forwards incoming traffic to your computer, making it easier for peers to connect to you. This improves download and upload speeds.

In my tests, NordVPN’s P2P servers were considerably faster than Norton Secure. I downloaded copyright-free movies like Metropolis, Nosferatu, and Night of the Living Dead in under 12 minutes. The same downloads took about 17 minutes with Norton Secure.

While both VPNs are decent for torrenting, NordVPN has the edge due to its P2P-specific servers and SOCKS5 proxy support, which ensures torrent peers can only see the IP address of the proxy server. Before torrenting, make sure the file you’re downloading is copyright-free. I don’t condone breaking copyright laws.

7. China — NordVPN Works in China But Norton Doesn’t

NordVPN is one of the few VPNs that can work in China, whereas Norton Secure can’t. NordVPN offers features that can improve its reliability in China — particularly its obfuscated servers. These servers disguise VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic, which increases the chances of a successful connection. However, I don’t condone violating any laws or bypassing government-imposed restrictions.

Having said that, NordVPN might sometimes not work in China for various reasons. ExpressVPN is the only reliable VPN that works consistently in China. However, you still have to install it on your device beforehand.

8. Gaming — NordVPN Averaged Lower Ping Than Norton Secure

NordVPN is a better option for gaming as its servers gave me lower latency in my tests. It’s one of the best VPNs for playing fast-paced games like Call of Duty: Warzone. While Norton Secure VPN isn’t on this list, it’s pretty decent. I noticed no lag while playing CS:GO, Krunker, and Hell Let Loose. However, your experience may differ depending on your baseline speeds.

Overall, NordVPN wins this round by a slight margin but can’t compete with CyberGhost’s gaming-optimized servers. These special servers reduce packet loss considerably on distant servers. For instance, its gaming server in the US provided a ping of just 38ms — this can make all the difference when playing intense online matches where every moment counts.

9. Device Compatibility — NordVPN Works on a Greater Range of Platforms

While both VPNs are beginner-friendly, NordVPN supports a wider range of platforms. Besides the usual Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, you can use NordVPN on Amazon Fire Stick, Kodi, and a range of smart TVs. Unfortunately, Norton Secure isn’t compatible with smart TVs, Chromecasts, routers, and media consoles.

Installing NordVPN on my Windows PC, MacBook, iPhone, iPad, and Android took less than 8 minutes. The interface is similar across all apps with map- and list-based servers, so there’s no learning curve when switching between apps. Linux users have download packages for different distros, but I wasn’t too worried about that as I don’t use Linux.

Norton Secure’s installation process was also pretty simple and seamless. Its intuitive interface with a central activation button and a list-based server menu makes selection easy. You can customize settings and enable features like the kill switch and split tunneling, but you can’t tweak protocol selection or view ping time info.

NordVPN is the better option due to its wider compatibility range and browser extensions. The extensions are proxies that spoof your location but don’t encrypt your data. Both competitors can be set up on routers to protect incompatible devices. Setting them up on your router is a bit complicated and might require help from customer support.

10. Extra Features — NordVPN Offers Many More Extra Features Than Norton Secure

NordVPN wins this round as it includes a lot more extra features. For starters, Norton Secure only has 2 protocol options — IKEv2 and WireGuard, whereas NordVPN includes NordLynx, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPSec. Plus, you get the flexibility of tweaking protocols for different activities. Here’s a list of NordVPN’s extras that Norton lacks

• Double VPN — routes your internet traffic through two different VPN servers in separate countries, providing an extra layer of encryption and anonymity.
• Dark web monitoring — notifies you if your credentials appear on the dark web so you can protect your online accounts before it’s too late.
• SOCKS5 proxy servers — spoof your location for accessing global content, but they don’t encrypt your data (I suggest using these only to boost your speeds).
• Tapjacking protection — guards against malicious apps attempting to steal sensitive data by detecting and alerting you to screen overlay attempts.
• Meshnet — securely connects up to 50 devices through encrypted VPN links, facilitating private networks for gaming or remote device access.
• Dedicated IP addresses — provide the same IP address to bypass reCAPTCHAs and ensure uninterrupted access to online banking that usually blocks shared VPN IPs.

Norton Secure VPN’s WiFi protection feature scans WiFi networks for your online safety. This was handy when accessing my social media and bank accounts from airport WiFi. I also appreciate the online anonymity it provides by preventing profiling me via trackers. Overall, NordVPN’s sheer number of extra features outweighs Norton Secure by a considerable margin.

11. Privacy Policy and Jurisdiction — NordVPN Has More Privacy-Friendly Policies and Location

NordVPN is more privacy-centric than Norton Secure. It’s headquartered in Panama, outside any intelligence-sharing alliance like the 5- or 14-Eyes. In contrast, Norton Secure is based in the US with data-retention laws. Also, its privacy policy explicitly states that Norton may gather personally identifiable information like your IP address and device.

I felt more secure using NordVPN as its no-logs policy has been audited by a renowned name like PwC. In addition, all its 6,300+ servers in 111 countries run on volatile memory and are physically incapable of storing your data in the first place. These RAM-only servers are further proof of NordVPN’s commitment to customer privacy.

12. Payments and Refunds — Norton Offers a Longer Refund Period on Annual Plans

I was pleased with both competitors in terms of their refund policies. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans, while Norton provides a 14-day refund guarantee on monthly subscriptions and 60 days on annual plans.

Getting my refund with both NordVPN and Norton Secure was pretty simple. I submitted a refund request via live chat, provided my subscription details for verification, and got a confirmation email after the support agent approved it. Norton’s support agent persuaded me by offering me 3 free extra months on my subscription but proceeded with the refund after I declined.

In both cases, I got my money back in 5 working days. Norton wins this round because it offers a better money-back period on long-term plans.

13. Customer Support — Both VPNs Provide Fast Support and Comprehensive Troubleshooting Guides

I was pleased by each VPN’s customer support response times. The only noticeable difference is that Norton lacks email support but makes up for it with phone support (only in the US), which NordVPN doesn’t offer. Norton Secure also has a vibrant community forum where you can find answers to technical issues unavailable on FAQ guides.

NordVPN’s quality of live chat responses was much better, but I had to ask follow-up questions for more technical queries to extract my answer. This happened more frequently with Norton’s live chat representatives as they were more sales-oriented than technically sound.

Both contenders have comprehensive FAQ guides with easy-to-understand setup tutorials. However, Norton goes a step further with its blog posts and community forums, where you can find answers to problems not mentioned in the official knowledge base.

NordVPN’s guides were easy to follow as they’re loaded with screenshots, so you know exactly what to do when troubleshooting. I’d consider this round a draw, as my experience with each VPN’s customer support was nearly flawless.

And the Winner Is… NordVPN

After extensively testing both VPNs across several categories, NordVPN is the clear victor of this showdown. While it’s a bit pricier, it offers much better value than Norton Secure in terms of performance and extra security and privacy features like Double VPN servers, obfuscation, and dark web monitoring.

• Pricing: NordVPN
• Streaming: NordVPN
• Servers: NordVPN
• Speed: NordVPN
• Security: NordVPN
• Torrenting: NordVPN
• China: NordVPN
• Gaming: NordVPN
• Device Compatibility: NordVPN
• Extra Features: NordVPN
• Privacy Policy and Jurisdiction: NordVPN
• Payments and Refunds: Norton Secure
• Customer Support: Draw

While NordVPN was the better choice across almost all categories, Norton Secure VPN is by no means a bad choice. In most areas, its performance was close to NordVPN. You should get Norton Secure alongside the entire antivirus suite if you want to have all security and privacy features under one umbrella.

As a standalone app, I suggest getting NordVPN. Its extensive server network, lightning-fast speeds, and a wide range of security and privacy features make it excellent value for money. You can try NordVPN risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.

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