Our Verdict
I’ve used almost all of the well-known VPNs, and NordVPN is consistently the most reliable service I’ve found yet. It is fast, unobtrusive, and as useful for P2P and Netflix streaming as it is for online gaming. NordVPN is also affordable, especially if you take a long-term contract, although you are limited to 10 simultaneous connections.
- Simply the best VPN service around in terms of speed, reliability, and privacy
- Great mobile UI, aiding swift connection to VPN
- NordVPN often pioneers new features
- Limited to 10 simultaneous connections
- iOS version does not support split tunneling
- NordVPN has suffered privacy breaches (2018/2019)
It may not be immediately obvious to everyone, but using a VPN on your mobile device is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your privacy. Public Wi-Fi may have improved, but overall there are still risks. This means that when you’re trying to save on mobile data, and switching to a free Wi-Fi service, you could be compromising your privacy. Encrypting your connection with a virtual private network (VPN) like NordVPN is a smart step.
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First launched in 2012, NordVPN provides client apps for almost any platform you can think of, from mobiles and PCs to smart TVs. This VPN also has dedicated DNS options for consoles. The client apps encrypt and route your connection via any of NordVPN’s servers, enhancing privacy and enabling you to access the internet as if you were in another country. You might use this to save money with online shopping, or access game servers that normally wouldn’t be available in your area.
NordVPN has a good reputation as one of the best mobile VPN apps, though its history is a little chequered. In March 2018, for instance, a cyberattack monitored traffic on a server in Finland, an event that was not reported until almost 18 months later.
With support for up to 10 simultaneous connections, it is ideal for use on smartphones and tablets, and just about any other device you might want to use it on. If you’re considering NordVPN, it is available with a 30-day money-back guarantee, although no free trial is available. I’m looking at NordVPN for Android in this review, installed on a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 running Android 14.
Specs
NordVPN specs:
NordVPN’s privacy features
As one of the main names in the VPN industry, NordVPN is often first with new features. The most recent of these is NordWhisper, a new protocol for its Android, Windows, and Linux clients, which is designed to avoid limits on VPN traffic. At the time of writing, this wasn’t available to test, but it is pleasing to see continuous new additions added to the service.
Specific tools are included in the mobile version of NordVPN. The unsafe Wi-Fi detection feature is optional, but once enabled will inform you that a connection is unsecured. This is useful, particularly if you’re at a cafe, restaurant, shopping center, or similar, where you might have a limited 4G connection, but would still want to get online for the daily rewards in your favorite free mobile games. Using a VPN in these places can sometimes also result in faster speeds than browsing without a VPN as internet service providers (ISPs) may be strictly limited bandwidth in a way that VPNs can avoid.
NordVPN mobile also includes Tapjacking Protection. I think this is a really important inclusion, which proves the developers have really considered the risks of using the mobile client. Tapjacking – a trick used by scammers to fool you into tapping security controls – is a big risk, particularly with low-grade apps and ad networks. If you’re playing games on your phone, tapjacking should be something you’re aware of. Using NordVPN can offer you a degree of protection against this.
If you need to select a specific server, this is also possible by expanding the list of countries and cities. The P2P, Onion Over VPN, Obfuscated server, and Double VPN options can also be quickly toggled via the app. Note that as with the desktop client, there is no Netflix-friendly streaming server category – fortunately though, all NordVPN servers should let you view overseas streaming libraries. If this doesn’t happen, you can just switch to another server and try again.
Perhaps the most unique of NordVPN’s features is Meshnet. This uses NordLynx encryption to create secure routes between two or more devices running the NordVPN app. This has several advantages, from secure file sharing to using a PC (or other device) as a VPN server. That could be useful if you need to access online banking on your mobile while abroad, for example, as some banks block access to overseas connections. Meshnet is also free to use to anyone using the NordVPN mobile app, making it useful for encrypted data transfer, as well as being a canny sales tactic from NordVPN.
Switching on Meshnet is really easy in the app – you simply enable it, then invite other users or devices. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is easier to set up in the mobile app than on the desktop app, where the process is slightly more complicated.
NordVPN uses AES-256 encryption, but if you think this isn’t enough, you can use the client to enable double encryption mode. This basically encrypts your traffic twice, which is a useful feature to have in some scenarios. NordVPN also includes post-quantum encryption, intended to protect data from quantum computers and their ability to break traditional encryption. Note that this isn’t something you would ever need to rely on for mobile gaming, but it’s good to have for other, more sensitive, phone activities (especially those involving money or private information).
Something that might be useful, however, is split tunneling. This lets you connect to one app via the VPN, and another app without using it. It might turn out useful for connecting to a game server overseas while conducting online banking at home.
How well does NordVPN work on a smartphone?
While I like the NordVPN app, other VPN apps are comparatively simpler, which might be preferable if you’re not hugely experienced with them.
The features available on the mobile app are pretty much identical to the desktop client. However, there is some difference in how specific actions are achieved, best illustrated with the shiny Quick Connect button. There is also a widget for quick connections, and when NordVPN is running, you can connect, pause, and disconnect from the Android notification panel with minimum effort.
As enabling a VPN connection is really slick, it’s easier to take that brief moment to enable it when you’re on free Wi-Fi in your local coffee shop, or perhaps staying at a hotel. However, it’s important to keep in mind that if you’re using your phone as a hotspot, the VPN does not encrypt data from connected devices. You’ll need to ensure you have a VPN client installed on anything connected for internet sharing.
Unsurprisingly, the client app resembles the desktop version quite closely. The only real difference is the display form factor and input type. All options are in the same menus, the same servers are available – it’s easy to switch from PC to mobile and back again with this app.
Performance
I’ve always found NordVPN to be pretty quick on my smartphone. To check this, I installed the Speedtest app by Ookla (the mobile version of www.speedtest.net) and checked speeds while connected to servers in the UK, USA, and South Korea. This was conducted using a Vodafone fiber broadband connection.
- Baseline: 43.5Mbps/4.66Mbps
- UK Server (Manchester): 32.1Mbps/4.6Mbps
- US Server (New York): 29.6Mbps/4.16Mbps
- South Korea (Seoul): 30.1Mbps/4.42Mbps
Unsurprisingly, the internet connection took a bit of a hit when I used the VPN. Once connected, however, you can see that each of the servers offered very similar speeds.
In terms of battery life, NordVPN doesn’t seem to have too much of an impact. Naturally, more intensive activities will demand more resources. As a useful point of comparison, I was surprised to find that the Speedtest app used more power than NordVPN itself.
Your mileage may vary with this, of course, especially with older phones or tablets. Similarly, the app’s overall performance might be impacted with a lower-spec device. An unresponsive app is typically evidence of this – but running a mobile game while connected to a VPN server could also result in either app hanging.
You’re also likely to experience some mixed ping rates as well as jitter. Some NordVPN users have observed that US servers in particular seem to be prone to jitter, which can result in latency issues.
Fortunately, NordVPN has servers at 20 locations in the US, so it’s relatively easy to switch to a more responsive one.
International privacy laws
Using a VPN isn’t just about finding the right server for your online game or streaming the latest Netflix hit from the USA. They have an important role to play in privacy and security around the world. In the west, we enjoy them as they improve entertainment, but in oppressive nations, VPNs play a part in the expression of free speech (and freedom).
Some VPNs will hand over logs of your activity to law enforcement and government security services on request. Others will not. NordVPN does not retain logs, and operates a strict no logging policy. Meanwhile, NordVPN servers are driverless, which means there is no permanent storage to be audited (or hacked).
NordVPN is based in Panama. This means it is not subjected to any data retention laws, as these don’t exist in Panama. Additionally, Panama is not part of any intelligence alliances (unlike the US, Canada, and the UK), so cannot be compelled to share logs or other data with these nations. We hasten to clarify that we are not rendering the use of NordVPN to cover the tracks of criminal activity.
Final verdict
With so many VPN services to choose from, you might wonder what makes NordVPN any different to the others. After all, it has been around for a while, and some might argue that newer providers with a lower monthly subscription are a better option.
I don’t think that is true. The basic monthly price for NordVPN is just over £10, making it among the cheapest on a rolling contract (Private Internet Access (PIA) is currently £9.99 a month). But if you take a long-term deal, you can get NordVPN for a fraction of that price.
As for its relative age, NordVPN is in my view a far superior option to other long-running VPNs like Tunnelbear and PIA. The only competitor that comes close is ExpressVPN, and it can be no coincidence that both of these VPNs offer reliable performance, servers suitable for streaming, P2P, mobile gaming (or desktop), and Tor. They’re also both notable for supporting split tunneling and double encryption options, have developed their own protocols, and pioneered new features.
No one wants to sign up to a service and end up with buyer’s remorse. But having tried all of these VPNs over the years, NordVPN is the one I would choose again and again for personal use.