NordVPN vs. Norton VPN 2024: Which One Is Better?

Raven Wu
Updated on: December 13, 2024 Writer

NordVPN and Norton VPN are great VPNs that provide strong security, good speeds, great streaming support, and user-friendly apps.

Both VPNs have industry-standard security features and also come with:

• Ad blocking.
• Tor (The Onion Router) support.
• Split-tunneling.

But NordVPN basically provides much better value because it comes with high-end security features, has a better no-logs policy, has a larger server network, provides faster speeds, is better for streaming, torrenting, and gaming, has apps for more platforms, and is just more affordable.

I tested both VPNs for different metrics, such as security, extra features, privacy, server network, speeds, streaming, torrenting, gaming, bypassing firewalls, ease of use, pricing, and customer support. NordVPN is my top pick, but I still recommend reading the whole comparison to see which provider would best fit your needs.

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NordVPN vs. Norton VPN — Quick Overview

Security — NordVPN Is More Secure

NordVPN and Norton VPN both have great security, but NordVPN is just better. Both VPNs include the following industry-standard security features:

• 256-bit AES encryption. This is military-grade encryption that makes your data unreadable
• No-logs policy. Neither provider keeps logs about what websites you visit or what files you download.
• Kill switch. If your VPN connection drops, this will disconnect your device from the internet to prevent data leaks.

I like NordVPN’s kill switch better. Unlike Norton VPN’s kill switch, it works on Mac, too. There’s also an app-based kill switch that shuts down selected apps if the VPN disconnects. Also, only NordVPN has full leak protection, while Norton VPN only prevents DNS and WebRTC leaks. That said, in my tests, I never experienced any leaks with either provider.

Additionally, both providers have fast and secure VPN protocols. Norton VPN offers 4 VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and its own proprietary protocol called Mimic. NordVPN has 3 VPN protocols: OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and its own proprietary protocol NordLynx. In my tests, NordLynx, NordVPN’s proprietary protocol, built around WireGuard, was slightly faster than the others.

Only NordVPN has perfect forward secrecy and RAM-only servers. Perfect forward secrecy changes your encryption key frequently, so that even if a bad actor obtained your key, the amount of data they would gain access to would be very small, and your past and future data would remain secure. RAM servers store data in volatile memory, meaning it’s wiped clean whenever the server is turned off, so there’s no information for anyone to steal.

And both VPNs have two-factor authentication. This requires you to authorize every login attempt with a time-sensitive code and/or a security key.

Extra Features — NordVPN Is Much Better

NordVPN has tons of extras, whereas Norton VPN has almost none. These extras make browsing, streaming, torrenting, and gaming with NordVPN more convenient and secure.

I like that both providers have split-tunneling, which lets you choose apps to exclude from the VPN connection. However, Norton VPN’s split-tunneling isn’t available on macOS or iOS.

Both NordVPN and Norton VPN provide obfuscation. This hides your VPN traffic and provides extra privacy because nobody can tell you’re using a VPN.

Both VPNs have an ad blocker, but NordVPN’s feature is better. NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro tool blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. Additionally, it can scan executable files for malware and works when you’re not connected to the VPN — and it also alerts you about outdated apps. Norton VPN’s Ad Tracker Blocking tool only blocks ads.

I like that both VPNs support Tor traffic, but Norton VPN’s reps don’t recommend using its service with Tor. NordVPN also has Onion Over VPN, which allows you to surf dark web sites in regular browsers.

But only NordVPN has a smart DNS tool. This lets you use a VPN on smart TVs and gaming consoles that don’t natively support VPNs.

Other features that NordVPN has over Norton VPN include:

• Dark Web Monitor. Notifies you if the login credentials associated with your NordVPN account have been leaked on the dark web.
• Double VPN. Routes your traffic through 2 VPN servers in different countries rather than just 1 to provide you with extra security.
• Meshnet. Lets you link up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections to create your own private network. You can use this to host virtual LAN parties or safely access remote devices while traveling.
• Dedicated IP addresses. You can pay extra to get an IP address that’s assigned only to you. Dedicated IP addresses are convenient since they avoid reCAPTCHAs and allow you to access banking sites, which usually block shared VPN IP addresses.
• SOCKS5 proxy servers. They change your IP address just like a VPN, but they don’t provide encryption. This helps you download files faster when security isn’t a huge concern.
• Tapjacking protection. Protects you against malicious apps that try to steal sensitive data like passwords and credit card information by adding a screen overlay. When NordVPN detects that an app has added a screen overlay, it will alert you immediately.

Privacy — NordVPN Has Stronger Privacy

NordVPN has a stricter no-logs policy than Norton VPN. Neither stores data about your online activities (information on what websites you visit and what files you download), but Norton VPN keeps records of your IP address, which puts your privacy at risk. Additionally, unlike NordVPN, Norton VPN’s no-logs policy has never been verified by an independent audit.

Also, NordVPN’s Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS apps were audited in 2019 — only minor issues were found, and these were quickly fixed.

And only NordVPN is located in a privacy-friendly country, namely Panama. This is outside of the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances, which is a group of countries that share surveillance data. Norton VPN, however, is located in the US, which is located inside the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances — if the US government requested user data from Norton VPN, it has records of your IP address.

Finally, only NordVPN lets you pay with cryptocurrencies, which provides much better privacy than paying with traditional payment methods.

Servers — NordVPN Has a Better Server Network

NordVPN has more servers in more countries than Norton VPN — with NordVPN, you get 6,371 servers in 111 countries, while Norton VPN comes with 2,000+ servers in 28 countries. This means that it may be easier to find a nearby location to connect to with NordVPN for the best possible speeds. You’re also less likely to encounter overcrowded servers.

NordVPN only uses physical servers — they’re actually located in the country you connect to. Norton VPN uses some virtual servers, which give you an IP address matching the location you connect to but are actually located somewhere else. Virtual servers are just as safe as physical servers though, and in my tests, I was always assigned the correct IP address.

What’s more, NordVPN has a larger P2P server network — 4,500+ P2P servers in 45+ countries. Norton VPN doesn’t share how many P2P servers it has, but in my tests, I was always connected to servers in the Netherlands.

Both NordVPN and Norton VPN offer obfuscation. NordVPN has 100+ obfuscated servers in 15+ countries, while Norton VPN uses its proprietary Mimic protocol to provide obfuscation.

NordVPN also has dedicated IPs, Onion Over VPN servers, and double VPN servers. Dedicated IP addresses are available in the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Japan. The provider also has Onion Over VPN servers in Switzerland and the Netherlands. Double VPN is supported on 90+ servers in 5+ countries.

Speeds — NordVPN Is Faster

Although both VPNs are fast, NordVPN performed better on distant servers.

On nearby servers, NordVPN gave me great speeds. I never had to wait for websites or videos to load and never saw any buffering. A 20 GB file took approximately 11–13 minutes to download. When I connected to a distant server, however, there was a slight drop in speeds. Webpages took 2–3 seconds to load, HD videos took 1–2 seconds to load, and 4K videos took 4–5 seconds to load. Additionally, I got some minor buffering while watching 4K videos. Downloading the same 20 GB file on a distant server took 18–23 minutes.

I also had good connection speeds on local servers using Norton VPN. Websites and videos loaded instantly and videos didn’t buffer. A 20 GB file took approximately 13–14 minutes to download. But on some distant servers, sites took 3–4 seconds to load, HD videos loaded in 2–3 seconds, and 4K videos took 6–8 seconds (and there was minor buffering). The same 20 GB file took 25–27 minutes to download on a distant server.

Streaming — NordVPN Is Better for Streaming

Both VPNs are good for streaming, but NordVPN is just better. NordVPN works with 10+ streaming services and can access 10+ Netflix libraries. On the other hand, Norton VPN doesn’t mention how many streaming services and Netflix libraries it works with.

Both NordVPN and Norton VPN work with top streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Max, and BBC iPlayer. However, Norton VPN doesn’t work with Disney+, whereas NordVPN does.

And only NordVPN has a smart DNS. This allows you to use a VPN on devices that don’t natively support VPNs, like smart TVs and gaming consoles. I’m also a fan of its SmartPlay feature, which lets you combine the security provided by a VPN with smart DNS technology.

Torrenting — NordVPN Has Better Torrenting Support

NordVPN has more P2P servers in more locations. It has 4,500+ servers for torrenting in 95+ countries. The number of P2P servers that Norton VPN has is unclear. On top of that, the VPN doesn’t let you choose a server to connect to for P2P traffic. Instead, it automatically connects you to a P2P server and in my tests, I was always automatically connected to a dedicated P2P server in the Netherlands. This means you’ll get slower download speeds if you live outside of Europe.

Both VPNs work with popular torrenting clients. I ran tests with qBittorrent, Deluge, Vuze, Transmission, and uTorrent, and everything worked as intended. Unfortunately, neither provider offers port forwarding, which increases torrenting speeds by connecting you to more peers.

NordVPN includes SOCKS5 proxy support, which lets you change your IP address without encrypting your traffic. This allows for faster download speeds when security isn’t a big concern.

NordVPN provides better security for torrenting. Both VPNs have a kill switch and a no-logs policy, but NordVPNs no-logs policy is much stricter, and it has been independently audited. Additionally, NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro can block ads and ad trackers on P2P sites, prevent access to malicious sites, and scan downloaded executables for malware. Norton VPN can only block ad trackers.

I ran leak tests on multiple servers for each provider and never experienced any leaks. Both NordVPN and Norton VPN also passed torrent IP leaks on 3 different torrent clients — the IP address displayed was always the one from my provider and not my real IP address.

Gaming — NordVPN Is Better for Gaming

Both VPNs are pretty good for gaming, but NordVPN is better. I played several rounds of Dota 2 with each one. The two of them had very similar speeds on local and distant servers. My ping was very stable with both VPNs. However, I experienced some lag when connected to distant servers.

Both providers protect you from Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks because they hide your real IP address. Still, neither provider has anti-DDoS protection on its servers. This means that while a hacker won’t be able to target you directly, it’s possible for them to DDoS the VPN server you’re connected to.

Only NordVPN has router support to game on devices that don’t natively support VPNs. You would still have to set it up manually, but the support section on its website has some easy-to-follow guides to make the process quick and painless.

Neither NordVPN nor Norton VPN have cloud gaming support — they don’t guarantee that their services will work with cloud gaming platforms.

That said, I’m a fan of NordVPN’s Meshnet feature, which can be used to game with your friends. It can link up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections, so you can use it to host virtual LAN parties.

Bypassing Censorship — Neither VPN Is a Good Pick

	Obfuscation	Works in China	Works in Russia	Works in Iran	Works in Indonesia	Works in Saudi Arabia
NordVPN	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Norton VPN	✅ (with Mimic)	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

Unfortunately, neither VPN works in restrictive countries. Instead, I recommend getting ExpressVPN, which consistently works in regions like China and Russia and is also the best VPN on the market for circumventing government censorship.

Apps & Ease of Use — NordVPN Has Better Apps

NordVPN has apps for more platforms than Norton VPN. Both providers have iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS apps, but NordVPN also has apps for Linux, Android TV, Fire TV, and Chromebook. Plus, it also supports manual router setups, and its kill switch and split-tunneling feature work on Apple devices, too (unlike Norton’s).

I think both providers have good mobile apps — they’re feature-rich and very easy to use thanks to the intuitive interface. Plus, each VPN’s mobile apps provide quick explanations for most features and settings.

NordVPN and Norton VPN’s desktop apps are great. I like that they make it very simple to manually choose a server and I’m also a fan of their quick-connect features, which let you connect to the VPN with just one or two clicks. That said, NordVPN’s desktop apps are simply more feature-rich.

But only NordVPN has router support. The provider has step-by-step guides on its site that show you how to quickly configure its service on your router.

Plans & Pricing — NordVPN Provides Better Value

Norton VPN’s cheapest deal costs less but fails to match NordVPN’s overall value. Norton VPN’s least expensive plan only covers 1 device, while NordVPN includes 10 connections, as well as router support, and comes with more extra features.

NordVPN offers monthly and yearly plans and has a tier-based subscription structure with Basic, Plus, Complete, and Prime plans. Basic comes with almost all VPN features, except Threat Protection Pro (it only has Threat Protection, which blocks just malicious and phishing domains, and some ads). The Plus subscription, which costs $3.89 / month, adds Threat Protection Pro and a password manager. Complete adds a cloud encryption service called NordLocker, while Prime adds protection against identity theft and cyber extortion (US users only).

Norton VPN offers 3 plans: Standard, Plus, and Ultimate. Standard includes core VPN features and supports 5 devices. Plus adds antivirus protection, a password manager, dark web monitoring, and 10 GB Cloud Backup. Ultimate includes parental controls, 50 GB Cloud Backup, and coverage for up to 10 devices.

While Norton VPN’s plans start at just $3.33 / month, you don’t get the same value as NordVPN, which has better security, speeds, and streaming and P2P support. It’s also very important to note that Norton VPN’s price doubles after the first year of subscription.

Both providers accept payment through credit cards and PayPal, but only NordVPN accepts cryptocurrency payments. This makes NordVPN slightly better for privacy. NordVPN backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee, whereas Norton VPN offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for its shortest plan and a lengthy 60-day money-back guarantee for its long-term plans.

Customer Support — Both VPNs Have Good Customer Support

Both providers have in-depth support libraries on their websites to help you get the VPNs set up and to answer frequently asked questions. However, I found NordVPN’s support library slightly easier to find and navigate.

I like that NordVPN and Norton VPN both offer 24/7 live chat support. I never had to wait very long to be connected to a support representative, and the agents I spoke to were friendly and knowledgeable. What I don’t like is how many steps it takes before Norton VPN lets you speak to a live chat rep — first, you have to complete a form, then you have to chat with a bot, and then finally, you’re connected to a real person.

Only NordVPN has email support. I sent them a couple of emails and was very happy with their response times. I got a reply to my first email within 5 hours and my second within a day. The responses I got were generally able to address my questions and concerns.

And only Norton VPN has phone support. This is a great support option that few other VPNs offer. Additionally, many of the 50+ countries where it’s available offer 24/7 support. Most of the agents I spoke to were able to solve my issues, but there were also one or two who failed to answer my questions.

Plus, Norton VPN offers social media support on Facebook and Twitter. This is a great alternative to live chat and email support that isn’t available for most other VPNs. When I contacted Norton VPN on their social media, I got helpful responses within half an hour.

Overall Winner: NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the top VPNs in 2024. It provides fast speeds, top-notch security, and high-end privacy features. It also has 6,371 servers in 111 countries, supports P2P file sharing on 4,500+ servers in 45+ countries, and works with major streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.

Norton VPN is also a pretty good VPN. It provides good security and privacy, maintains decent speeds on local and distant servers, has 2,000+ servers in 28 countries, and works with most major streaming sites. It also offers a wide range of customer support options not available for most other VPNs, like phone support and social media support.

Overall, NordVPN is the clear winner. It’s better in almost every area, including price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read more about the best VPNs in 2024