NordVPN for Mac Review | Macmonde

VPNs may have once seemed like a sort of secret handshake between tech aficionados, but NordVPN is as close to a household name as technology has come. This is no doubt due in part to the aggressive advertising of recent years, but it doesn’t hurt that the underlying product is also excellent.

If you’re looking for a great VPN that offers plenty of servers to connect to in a wide variety of countries, and with minimal fuss, then NordVPN might be the one for you. Wondering if and why you would want a VPN, or “virtual private network”? It turns out that asking these questions might make NordVPN the best option for you, as it’s ideal for newcomers.

At the most basic level, VPNs allow you to borrow a server in another country. This has a few benefits, but two of the biggest are the focus on privacy and bypassing geo-locked content restrictions. The first is simple: you can connect to the dodgy Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop and use a VPN to keep your data hidden from prying eyes by encrypting data sent to and from your device.

When it comes to geo-blocked content, using a VPN to tell your Netflix app that you’re in the UK when you’re in the US or vice versa will open up a different range of content options for you. You can also get discounts on certain products or shop on completely new websites.

The downside to all of this is that there is a slight drop in speed since your data now travels around the world before coming back to you, but NordVPN is actually the fastest option we found, with a drop in speed about 12%. much better than the other options.

NordVPN Features and Apps

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NordVPN can be installed on just about anything: it offers native apps for iPhone, Mac and iPad, as well as Windows and Android. It will even work on your Apple TV. You can use it on six devices at once, so it’s a great option for a family.

Malware protection is included in all plans, scanning downloaded files and warning you of any potentially dangerous sites, and you can also disable ads and trackers across devices – although Safari already does plenty of this ( if that’s your browser of choice).

Nord also offers additional options for its more expensive tiers. The Plus tier adds a cross-platform password manager, but if you already use something like iCloud Keychain or 1Password, you may not need it. More useful is the Data Breach Scanner, which monitors potential data breaches such as your email address or password appearing somewhere they shouldn’t.

The next tier, Ultimate, adds a 1TB cloud storage drive that syncs across all your devices. If you’re in the UK, this also adds £5,000 of cover for loss by scam insurance and online shopping fraud recovery, so you have peace of mind. In the US, you can apparently get $1 million for identity theft recovery and $100,000 for cyber extortion protection.

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Whatever level you choose, the app is delightfully simple to use. Once logged in and downloaded the app on your platform of choice, you can choose your server from a convenient map or simply use the menu bar icon on Mac to connect in seconds. It really is that simple, and it makes NordVPN an attractive choice for anyone new to VPN usage.

That’s not to say there isn’t something for power users either. Although gaming is less popular on Mac than on Windows, I liked how you can host a virtual LAN party with friends to play multiplayer games as if you were in the same room, hosting private matches . This is achieved through what Nord calls “Meshnet” which allows you to set up high-quality connections through the app.

If you need help, there is live chat, but it can take time to reach a person and not just a chatbot. Chat is available 24/7, but for an instant response from a real human, it lags a bit behind ExpressVPN.

NordVPN performance

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As I mentioned earlier, VPNs come at the cost of some of your internet’s download and upload speeds, but they’ve come a long way from the days of consuming half your bandwidth .

With that history in mind, the fact that Nord achieved just over 12% lost speed is quite a coup, putting it slightly ahead of competitors like ExpressVPN in terms of speed. Two protocols are offered here, the first, NordLynx, being the property of NordVPN.

This is what Nord would recommend by default as it would be more secure, but you can upgrade to OpenVPN for a bit more speed on Mac. Whichever you choose, you’ll be able to switch relatively quickly within the app and you’ll have plenty of speed at your fingertips – my broadband connection isn’t exactly the fastest, but both protocols were perfect for streaming and downloads. Me.

In fact, I was able to bypass just about any geoblocker to enjoy Netflix from any supported country. Nord servers are located in 59 different countries, all over the world. Whether you want to connect to servers in Malta, Mexico, or Moldova, NordVPN has a location for you.

I did note, however, that Google was a bit wise in changing my location when accessing YouTube, meaning that switching to certain countries offered no difference – but it will probably stop people from purchasing subscriptions cheaper at YouTube Premium.

NordVPN Privacy and Security

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Aside from checking what’s available on Netflix in North Macedonia, VPNs are only as good as the privacy they offer, and for 99% of people, NordVPN does a great job at this: the connection is end-encrypted Ultimately, there are a variety of security options. tools included, and it’s easy to enable, taking “how bad can it be if I don’t use a VPN” out of the equation.

The Dark Web Monitor works a bit like 1Password’s “Watchtower,” monitoring your information and checking to see if it (or anything close to it) appears elsewhere so you can change it.

The company is located in Panama, meaning it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Fourteen Eyes and Five Eyes intelligence partnerships. It might seem like a bit of overkill for catching up on TV shows, but it never hurts to know who manages your data — or if they manage anything at all.

In fact, NordVPN claims it operates with a “no logs” policy, meaning it doesn’t track your information, but that’s also a bit difficult to prove – although independent audits haven’t found any proof of “logging”.

NordVPN is looking to become more transparent with users when it receives official requests from law enforcement and governments, with new transparency reports offering “monthly updates on the number of government requests and DMCA requests” that the company receives, according to a recent blog.

NordVPN pricing and plans

This is where things get a little complicated, because while NordVPN is a great service, its pricing structure actually seems a little too obtuse to the point where I wonder if it’s intended to confuse users.

Monthly plans start at $12.99/£10.39, and you can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) for $13.99/£11.19. Next, the $15.99/£13.39 Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options. This is about what you’ll find with other providers, but you’ll naturally save a lot by purchasing a one or two year plan.

The two-year plan brings the base price to $3.09/£2.49 per month, while the Ultimate plan is $5.99/£5.19. Of course, bundling at a lower price is nothing new, but the VPN landscape can change in no time if a provider notices a hack, servers go offline, or new legislation comes into effect. We track prices, which seem to change all the time, in our roundup of the best VPN deals.

Committing for two years is a risk for this reason, while NordVPN can also renew at a higher cost if you check the fine print. For this reason, you may prefer to go with an option that costs more the first year, but frees you up after a year so you can shop around for a better deal rather than continuing at a higher price. In this regard, we recommend that you note the date on which the contract ends, because at that time you will benefit from the highest monthly price.

Verdict

Pricing issues aside, NordVPN is a fantastic service for almost everyone. Its powerful features, like the online LAN option for gamers, are great, but it’s the ease of use that makes it so easy to recommend.

Being able to change locations with just a few clicks and knowing that you’re not sacrificing too much of your connection speed is a huge result for anyone looking to use their first VPN, and the addition of features like malware protection, The advertisement. Blockers and Dark Web Monitor mean you can feel safe knowing it’s also working to keep you and your family’s data safe.