NordVPN vs Free VPNs: Does premium performance beat free alternatives?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt your online traffic and hide your IP for years all for less than you’d pay for your regular coffee order. For only a few dollars a month, you can keep your online activity almost completely private.

Free VPNs might seem tempting to cut this tiny cost, but the chances are high that you’ll face ads, reduced server capacity, or strict device restrictions that make the experience more of a faff than it's worth.

For less than $5 per month, the same price as a single Starbucks latté, a top VPN like NordVPN removes these restrictions, blocking ads effectively, increasing the number of devices you can protect, and never leaving your performance restricted for streaming, browsing or more.

So just how big a difference is there between a premium provider and free alternative? We’ve compared NordVPN, TechRadar’s best VPN overall, to what you might expect from a free VPN to show just how big a gulf in performance you could expect.

• Free VPNs, while simple to find, can quickly leave your data at risk or cause you more hassle than they’re worth due to limited no-logs policies, use of ads, or limited performance
• NordVPN’s RAM-only servers, audited no-logs policy, AES-256 bit encryption and NordLynx protocol all solve these issues by ensuring your privacy is airtight and your VPN performance never falters.
• NordVPN offers more simultaneous connections (10) alongside proven security credentials that many free VPNs can’t match
• NordVPN’s streaming performance and additional features offer functionalities most free VPNs can’t offer. SmartPlay specifically ensures you’ll rarely face streaming blocks while inclusions such as Meshnet allow you to secure more than just your online connection.

NordVPN vs free VPNs: is it worth it?

How many servers do I get on a free VPN compared to NordVPN?

NordVPN's server network is larger than that of almost any other VPN currently available, paid or free. It spans over 7,700 RAM-only servers worldwide, across over 224 locations.

Because NordVPN’s RAM-only servers wipe everything on reboot, there’s no data to be logged and sold. This means that if you needed to access your banking app from a public network while travelling, you could do so on a local server, knowing that your data wasn’t being collected. .

NordVPN also has a strict no-logs policy, which is six-times-audited to prove nothing is stored whatsoever. These independent inspections by services such as Deloitte verify that servers, code, and access logs physically prevent the recording of any user IP addresses, browsing activity, or timestamps.

By comparison, free VPNs offer far fewer servers. Often with only hundreds of servers across tens of locations, you can quickly find yourself without a nearby connection option depending on the provider you choose. Some free VPNs also remove the ability to choose the server to connect to, and many run disk-based servers that could store small amounts of your data.

Free VPNs can also have tiny privacy policies that, in fact, outline just how much data they collect while you use the app. This data could be used to identify you regardless of whether you used a VPN or not, rendering the free VPN’s ‘secure’ connection pointless. For example, a free VPN that serves ads to replace the monthly fee might send your device information, email address, or personal information to advertisers. Were this advertiser to be breached by bad actors, this data would be available to them and could be used to expose you to phishing attacks via email or text.

How fast is a free VPN compared to NordVPN?

NordVPN remains among the fastest VPNs we’ve tested. It achieved over 1200 Mbps using NordLynx, and over 600 Mbps using OpenVPN. Free VPNs are nowhere near as quick, rarely achieving over 1000 Mbps, plus when they do, the speeds are far less reliable or subject to data limits.

Of TechRadar’s 20 fastest VPNs, only two are free. One of these uses ads to run its service, resulting in your data being collected while you use it; the other enforces a strict 10GB data limit. This means you can’t enjoy high-intensity tasks such as streaming or gaming for long before having your secure connection cut.

We’ve also found while testing VPNs in regions such as China, where internet access is restricted, free VPNs rarely have the technology required to bypass the imposed blocks.

Without advanced technology, basic free VPNs leave social media, streaming sites, and even some Google services impossible to use. Meanwhile, paid VPNs such as NordVPN proved reliable thanks to greater server capacity and speeds, as well as proprietary protocols for these environments, such as NordLynx.

NordLynx takes traditional WireGuard and adds a double-NAT system on top to eradicate several WireGuard vulnerabilities. Given WireGuard’s smaller code base, it’s also a great solution for streaming when partnered with NordVPN’s SmartPlay technology.

Can a free VPN unblock streaming services like NordVPN can?

NordVPN’s SmartPlay employs traditional smart DNS tactics alongside the added security benefits of a VPN to ensure you don’t face geo-restrictions, and our testing proved it works.

By contrast, free VPNs aren’t up to the task when it comes to unblocking streaming services. Not only do their reduced server capacity and fewer locations put them at greater risk of detection, but since many enforce data caps, you’ll hardly be far into your binge-watch before your connection is cut regardless.

We tested NordVPN against all the major streaming services, including the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube, BBC iPlayer and more. It performed near-flawlessly, unblocking the likes of Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and worldwide Netflix libraries with ease. It struggled slightly with US YouTube and Prime Video in Australia, but these services proved problematic for almost every VPN we tested this time around.

What features are on offer from free VPNs and NordVPN?

NordVPN offers unlimited bandwidth across 10 connections, alongside a plethora of additional tools to secure you outside of the VPN tunnel.

On the flip side, free VPNs make up for their lack of cost in several ways: we’ve already mentioned ads; there’s also the issue of often only getting one simultaneous connection; but the biggest is a lack of features.

You often lose any form of customization to your VPN connection you might want - such as multi-hop, P2P optimisation, or split tunneling. Instead, you can choose just your location and whether your VPN is on or off.

Dark Web Monitoring warns you if your personal information is found on the dark web after a data breach, NordVPN can give you the best password manager we’ve tested, NordPass, and you get protection against scam and phishing threats thrown in too, with Coveron cyber insurance and NordVPN's next-gen antivirus that protects you from trackers and malware.

Many of the services included with NordVPN could be bought with separate subscriptions. However, few others give you all these tools in one app, for one cost. Each would cost roughly the same as NordVPN ($3-4 per month), leaving you potentially quadrupling your monthly outgoings on privacy for exactly the same tools.

By choosing NordVPN you have complete control of your personal data online, without having to flit between apps depending on the scenario you face. What’s more, NordVPN’s subscription is cheaper than picking up separate subscriptions too.

So which is better: NordVPN or free VPNs?

NordVPN is by far a superior choice over free VPNs if you’re focused on your online privacy. NordVPN offers better performance, greater security credentials, and far more additional features, and that’s before considering the greater risks posed by truly untrustworthy free VPNs.

If you want to discover everything NordVPN can do to protect you online, read our full NordVPN review, or head to the NordVPN website to find out more.

FAQs

Is NordVPN worth paying for if I mainly want to stream?

Yes, NordVPN is worth it if your main use will be streaming because it is one of the fastest and most reliable VPNs for bypassing regional geo-blocks. Free VPNs often impose strict data caps, that you could use up with a few HD episodes, while NordVPN offers unlimited bandwidth, access to servers in 224 locations and built-in SmartPlay DNS technology. NordVPN is proven to bypass blocks on major platforms including Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ and SmartPlay helps mask VPN usage to prevent errors on streaming apps. If you just want to stream, though, you’ll get the features you need from the Basic tier. It is worth considering the value of higher tiers for the included password manager, cloud storage and next-gen antivirus protection.

Is NordVPN good value for gaming?

Yes, NordVPN is a great choice for gaming because it helps you avoid game-breaking lag. The ultra-fast NordLynx protocol helps you maintain low ping and prevents throttling during peak hours. It also masks your IP address, which shields you from DDoS attacks in competitive matches and grants you access to geo-restricted game lobbies.

Is NordVPN good value for working remotely?

Yes, NordVPN is worth it if you work remotely, particularly if you use public Wi-Fi or need a more reliable connection when travelling, because it encrypts your traffic when on coffee shop, airport and hotel Wi-Fi, offers fast speeds thanks to NordLynx and has Meshnet, which allows you to link your remote devices into a secure private network, and is included with all NordVPN plans. NordVPN also protects sensitive company data by blocking malware and trackers in real-time, if you get the Complete or Ultimate Max plans with next-gen antivirus and extras that would cost you more as separate services, like 1TB of encrypted cloud storage and a cross-platform password manager.