NordVPN 4 / 5 Very good pros and cons Pros Checks all the VPN boxes of reliability, performance, and features
The NordLynx protocol has fast and secure connections worldwide, and features like specialty servers, an antivirus (offline malware scanner for PCs), and a Dark Web Monitor are welcome. Cons There is no split tunneling feature on iOS, and it doesn't have the IKEv2/IPSec protocol on most (if not all) devices. View now at Nordvpn
2026 NordVPN Fastest VPN for traveling Buy Now
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
You will come across NordVPN quite often when shopping around for the best VPN service. The VPN appears in almost every recommendation list, not by luck or chance, but because it's truly a top contender, and ZDNET's pick for the best VPN overall, and was the fastest VPN for travel in our lab testing, earning it a ZDNET Lab Award badge.
Also: We tested the most popular VPNs in New York, London, and Tokyo - this one is the best for traveling
This review is solely to put NordVPN in the spotlight. If you want a sneak peek before committing financially to the service, we have all the details. I'll cover the experience on NordVPN connection speeds, server network, streaming/gaming/torrenting capabilities, protection and privacy, user-friendliness, and more.
I'll also review the pricing and let you in on which NordVPN deal plan has the best value proposal. (Read more about how we test and review VPNs here.)
Many server locations, but which one should you choose?
NordVPN has 6,400+ servers spread across 111 countries, slightly more than ExpressVPN or Surfshark. A good server distribution network means easy access to secure IP addresses for watching content anywhere or finding nearby servers with better connections (the shorter the distance to the server, the faster the speed).
... continue reading