NordVPN vs VPNAccounts 2019

The NordVPN website is well laid out and easy to navigate. Downloading and installing the NordVPN apps is also a straightforward process, and I was connected within four minutes of getting a subscription. In every version (desktop or mobile), the menu makes it simple to choose between servers in different countries and select from the specialty servers.

There’s also a map feature, which allows you to pick a server by clicking on a pin. However, this feature is somewhat limited. For instance, Europe has so many servers that there are pins everywhere and you have to zoom-in a long way to work out which one is where. It’s a nice visual, but picking from the list of countries is much more practical.

 

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The mobile apps are very similar to the desktop version, the only difference being that you access the list of servers by swiping up if you’re on mobile.

The one exception to NordVPN’s user-friendliness is the Linux version, which is command-line only. Then again, if you’re using Linux, you probably know your way around the command line so this may not be an issue.

Another app that we’ve used that still needs improving is the Fire TV app. When I first started testing NordVPN, it didn’t have a native app for Fire TV, and I had to jailbreak my Fire Stick to install it. Since then, NordVPN has released an app that works with Hulu, ESPN, HBO, and more.

But there are still slight inconveniences with the Fire TV app that could be improved on. For example, if you want to choose a server other than the default, you have to know the server number. You can’t search a list or by region like you can on the desktop and mobile apps. Additionally, it won’t automatically connect to that same server each time you log in, which means that you’ll have to either remember the server number, or hope to get lucky and find a good one the next time.

Does NordVPN Keep You Anonymous?

DNS leak protection

You can rest assured that NordVPN makes sure your true IP address remains hidden. I ran five different IP and DNS leak tests, and each time the IP address and location of the server were displayed instead of my own.



Since it’s based in Panama, NordVPN isn’t required to retain any data about its users, which allows it to have a strict no-log policy. Its privacy policy states that it doesn’t keep IP addresses, session information, traffic logs, or other data. It does store your email address and payment information, but many other VPN services do this as well.

NordVPN also offers auto-connection to the VPN when you start up your device, and the option to make your device invisible on the LAN.

Kill switch

NordVPN has a number of other security features too, like double VPN servers and a kill switch. The kill switch works by disconnecting you from the internet if the VPN stops working, making sure your traffic remains private. You also have the option of setting the kill switch to only stop certain programs or apps if the VPN goes down. Unlike with some services (e.g. ExpressVPN), the feature isn’t enabled by default, but it’s very straightforward to use. You can activate it with one click in the “Settings” section of the app.



One disadvantage is that the Mac OS OpenVPN client doesn’t have an internet kill switch, only an application-level switch. That means the apps you specify will be blocked from the internet if the VPN goes down, but not all your traffic will be hidden. So NordVPN may not be right for you if you want to use the internet kill switch with this client. However, It’s worth noting that the Mac OS IKEv2 client does have both types of kill switch.

CyberSec feature

Another feature NordVPN has is CyberSec, which blocks ads, pop-ups, and DDoS attacks, as well as protecting you from malware and suspicious websites. I tested ten ad-heavy sites with and without CyberSec, and it blocked all the ads and pop-ups every time. This included YouTube ads, which is a big plus!

Tunneling protocols

For most applications, NordVPN uses the protocol OpenVPN with highly secure AES-256-CBC encryption. You can choose between the UDP and TCP versions — UDP is the default, and should work faster. On Apple devices, IKEv2/IPSec with AES-256-CGM encryption is used instead. AES-256 is the industry standard and the strongest encryption available.

Additionally, NordVPN uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, meaning the encryption key changes for each session. This avoids the security issues that can occur due to stolen keys. NordVPN uses Diffie-Helman keys — 2048-bit for OpenVPN and 3072-bit for IKEv2/IPSec.

Older protocols like L2TP/IPSec and PPTP aren’t supported, but since they use weaker encryption and have known security vulnerabilities, they’re generally best avoided. Overall, it’s difficult to fault NordVPN’s encryption.

 

VPNaccounts.com can be configured on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Xbox, and Boxee. You need to set the VPN manually, and there are guides available on the website. There are step-by-step instructions and screenshots to help you out.

Once you subscribe to their service, they will send you the configuration files required to set up a manual connection. Installation is simple and can take up to 5 minutes.

If you’re a privacy-conscious user, you’ll be disappointed to know that they don’t support OpenVPN.

They offer an FAQ section where you can find answers to some of the most common problems. If you’re unable to find an answer to your questions in the FAQ section, you can contact the customer care team by opening a ticket. They generally reply within 24 hours.