NordVPN Review (2025) — Fast Speeds, Meshnet & Some UX Issues
Short summary: NordVPN is an excellent, top‑five VPN overall. It delivers industry‑leading speeds, strong encryption with no DNS/WebRTC/IPv6 leaks in testing, and standout extras like Meshnet, NordWhisper and Threat Protection Pro. That said, its apps/UI need polish (inconsistent design, confusing FAQs) and we saw one streaming anomaly (a Nigeria server that didn’t change Netflix’s library).
Findings at a glance
- Speed: Extremely fast — download drop averaged ~6.4% worldwide; upload and latency among the best.
- Security: No DNS/WebRTC/IPv6 leaks on tested servers; NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2 supported; NordWhisper added for obfuscation.
- Features: Meshnet (device-to-device NordLynx tunnels), Threat Protection & Threat Protection Pro (antivirus-like scanning for paid tiers), specialty servers (Double VPN, Onion Over VPN), Dark Web Monitor, post-quantum option.
- UI/UX: Functional but inconsistent across platforms; map-heavy interfaces can be clunky; browser extensions are concise and useful for split-tunneling by URL.
- Pricing: Best value: Basic 2‑year for $81.36 ($3.39/mo). 30‑day money‑back guarantee; be mindful of auto‑renewal rates.
Security & testing
Leak tests and packet captures showed plaintext before connection and encrypted ciphertext after — no evidence of IP/DNS/WebRTC/IPv6 leaks on tested servers. NordLynx (WireGuard-based) with NordVPN’s session abstraction performed well. NordWhisper is available on Windows/Android/Linux for obfuscation; use it when necessary.
Notable features
- Meshnet: Unique peer-to-peer feature to connect your devices directly via NordLynx tunnels — great for file access across devices.
- Threat Protection Pro: File scanning and broader malware protection for Plus/above tiers; basic Threat Protection blocks dangerous domains.
- Post-quantum encryption: Forward-looking option but currently unnecessary and may slow connections.
Limitations & concerns
- App UI inconsistency and some distracting notifications.
- Conflicting information in FAQ/support pages; one Netflix test (Nigeria) didn’t change library despite connection.
- About 40% of listed locations are virtual — typical for broad geographic coverage but worth noting.
- Privacy policy collects some app usage/device info by default (can be disabled in settings) though independent audits support the no-logs stance.
Verdict
NordVPN is a fast, secure, and feature-rich VPN that’s easy to recommend for most users, especially if you value Meshnet or enhanced malware protection. If you want the smoothest UI experience possible, competitors like ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN may have a slight edge. Overall: strong choice.
Useful links
Note: This post summarizes recent 2025 updates (NordWhisper, Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro) and testing results. Original reporting appeared on an external review site; this post omits links to that site per policy.