Norton Secure VPN vs NordVPN: extensive comparison (2026)

In the ever-changing digital landscape, protecting your online identity is paramount. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide an extra layer of security, ensuring your data is confidential. Naturally, you may wonder which VPN is right for you when so many options are available.

In this article, we’ll compare two well-known VPNs on the market – Norton Secure VPN and NordVPN. We’ll take an in-depth look into each one and delve into the features, pricing, security protocols, ease of use, and customer service.

Which VPN is the winner?

Here’s an overview of the key differences between the two VPNs.

• NordVPN's desktop and mobile apps offer more features and a smoother experience.
• NordVPN is the more secure and privacy-focused option of the two.
• You'll get vastly better connection speeds with NordVPN and its NordLynx protocol.
• NordVPN offers a range of advanced settings and more customizing options.
• The streaming and torrenting performance of NordVPN is better.
• Norton Secure VPN is cheaper and offers a greater variety of subscription options.

Winner

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Norton VPN vs NordVPN: a general comparison

Norton Secure VPN and NordVPN provide excellent security and privacy for their users. They come with various features designed to suit different needs. Here’s a general overview of the most important details that should help you decide between NordVPN vs Norton VPN.

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Servers and performance

Norton Secure VPN has an impressive network of over 2,000 servers across 65 countries.

On the other hand, NordVPN has a staggering number of over 9,200 servers in 137 countries. This is critical because the more servers a VPN has, the more options you have for fast and reliable connections.

NordVPN also automatically connects you to the optimal server to maximize speed. This is an excellent feature for users who need top performance during data-intensive activities. Speaking of which, both VPNs support streaming and torrenting on all servers.

Keep in mind that the connection quality depends on many factors, including location, internet service provider (ISP), and the VPN server you’re connected to.

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Server specification

Both Norton Secure VPN and NordVPN are reliable for private data transfer. Both offer unlimited bandwidth and P2P support, meaning you can enjoy torrenting without restrictions. NordVPN even provides double VPN servers in specific locations, allowing you to encrypt your data twice. Meanwhile, the dedicated IP addresses supplied by NordVPN are also ideal for streaming services like Netflix.

NordVPN provides fast and secure protocol options, most notably OpenVPN and NordLynx. These protocols are easily configurable, making it easy to tailor your connection settings. Conversely, Norton Secure VPN download offers limited protocols, including IPSec and OpenVPN.

Download speed

At first glance, NordVPN is clearly in the lead due to its inclusion of the NordLynx protocol, while Norton VPN lacks anything similar. However, we had to conduct download and upload speed tests to be certain which provider is faster.

Unsurprisingly, NordVPN offers higher average download speeds across the board. On the other hand, Norton VPN had issues connecting over long distances and delivered slower but still adequate connection speeds.

Remember that various factors like the distance between you and the server affect your download speed.

Upload speed

Our upload tests concluded that your uploaded speeds will also be better with NordVPN. Naturally, they aren’t as impressive as download speeds but that’s an issue that many users face with any VPN service.

Norton Secure VPN isn’t that far behind, but the gap is noticeable in longer-distance connections. The ping time is also lower on NordVPN, making it the better choice for gamers.

If you need faster download or upload speed over long distances, NordVPN is the better choice. It offers faster speeds with fewer speed losses over long distances compared to Norton Secure VPN.

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VPN plans and pricing

Norton Secure VPN and NordVPN provide multiple plans to suit different user needs. They both have a basic plan suitable for casual users and an advanced plan if you need more cybersecurity tools.

Norton Secure VPN customers can choose a subscription plan based on how many devices they want to secure with one account. For example, the cheapest plans start at $9.99 and allow 1 simultaneous device connection. Meanwhile, you can protect 10 gadgets by investing $59.99.

NordVPN, on the other hand, offers a range of plans with varying prices. Their basic monthly plan is priced at $12.99/month, with malware protection, high-speed VPN, and an ad blocker included.

For an additional $1/month, you can get their Plus plan with the addition of a data breach scanner and cross-platform password manager. The most advanced option, the Complete Plan, costs $18.69/month, and you will get full access to all advanced security features. Naturally, signing up for long-term plans reduces these prices significantly.

So if you want a VPN with more features and better pricing options, NordVPN is the obvious choice. However, Norton VPN wins in the pricing category for offering extremely affordable subscription options for customers with minimal needs.

NordVPN vs Norton VPN: security and privacy

NordVPN and Norton Secure VPN have many features that keep your data secure and private.

Like most VPN services, Norton provides data encryption, malicious website blocking, and identity protection to secure your personal information. It also hides your IP address and offers a “no log” VPN, meaning they do not store online activity logs.

Meanwhile, NordVPN offers more advanced security features such as Double VPN, dedicated IP, and Obfuscated Servers. Double VPN is a feature that encrypts your data twice, the first time when it leaves your computer and the second time when it reaches NordVPN’s servers.

Obfuscated Servers hide your activity even from your ISP, so your ISP won’t know you’re using a VPN. NordVPN also offers a kill switch which will disconnect you from the internet if your connection to the VPN is lost.

Most notably, NordVPN’s dark web monitor will alert you if your personal information is leaked online, while the Threat Protection feature blocks suspicious websites and scans downloaded files for malicious software. Finally, the unique Meshnet feature allows you to create a secure LAN between your devices for remote file access.

While both services offer good security tools, NordVPN offers more advanced features and better security and privacy protection. So if you need a security-focused VPN, NordVPN is the clear winner.

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Streaming performance

NordVPN and Norton Secure VPN claim to be able to unblock multiple streaming services.

In terms of streaming performance, Norton Secure VPN is slightly behind NordVPN. While it can unblock Netflix and other streaming services, it doesn’t have the same level of consistency as NordVPN.

Meanwhile, NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for streaming and works with Netflix and Hulu without a hitch.

Crucially, NordVPN has the unique SmartPlay feature that makes streaming effortless using dedicated apps. It utilizes Smart DNS in the background to change your DNS requests, making bypassing geographical restrictions easier.

Norton Secure VPN lacks specialized features like SmartPlay, so you may face issues trying to remove geo-blocking. Norton VPN Netflix is also not supported. Overall, NordVPN is a winner for streaming performance, offering faster speeds and better reliability.

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Torrenting

NordVPN has features that make it suitable for the task of torrenting. For starters, it offers specialized P2P servers optimized for high-speed and reliable downloads, making it one of the best VPNs available for torrenting.

Norton Secure VPN also provides strong encryption and security features that make it acceptable for torrenting. However, it does not offer the same protection or connection performance level as NordVPN.

Norton Secure VPN has no specialized servers for torrenting, and its download speeds are significantly lower than NordVPN’s. These slower speeds can cause your torrenting to be slow and may even limit the number of files you can download simultaneously.

For those of you looking for a VPN optimized for torrenting, NordVPN is the winner. The P2P-friendly servers, fast speeds, and reliable encryption make it the best choice for torrenting.

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VPN interface and setup

NordVPN vs Norton VPN have both invested time into creating easy-to-use apps that are intuitive and feature-rich.

Regarding setup, both VPNs have straightforward software that can be installed on any device. However, the devices you use will be the deciding factor regarding which VPN you go with.

NordVPN's clean, modern interface makes connecting and customizing your connection settings easy. Norton Secure VPN has a similar look and feels to NordVPN but is missing some of the more advanced settings that NordVPN offers.

NordVPN has a one-click connect feature for quickly finding servers, while Norton Secure VPN requires a few more steps to get connected. Both services are user-friendly and easy to use, but NordVPN wins out on the setup side.

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Desktop apps review

Norton vs NordVPN offer highly-functional apps for Windows and Mac.

NordVPN’s desktop app is easy to use and provides a smooth experience. The interface is clean and features a range of customization options, allowing you to tailor your connection settings. It also offers easy-to-use tools for checking your connection status, managing your account settings, and accessing customer support. The country list, maps, and server load feature are also helpful for quickly navigating the service.

For Norton Secure VPN, the desktop app is a bit more basic. It offers an easy-to-use interface but limited customization options. The app does provide connection status and customer support, but the features are few compared to NordVPN's app.

Mobile apps review

NordVPN and Norton Secure VPN offer mobile apps for Android and iOS devices.

NordVPN's mobile app has a modern, easy-to-navigate design. It provides all the same features as the desktop app, including connection status monitoring, account customization options, and customer support. The best part about the app is its enabled kill switch, which will disconnect your phone from the internet if your connection to the VPN fails.

Norton Secure VPN's mobile app is a bit simpler. It provides connection status monitoring and customer support but lacks the customization options that NordVPN offers. The app setup has a few extra steps, and the design is not as user-friendly as NordVPN.

Customer support services

Both NordVPN and Norton Secure VPN offer customer support services to assist with any technical issues you may have.

The knowledgeable and helpful customer support team at NordVPN is available 24/7, and they can help you with complicated setup issues or technical questions. The live chat feature is handy for quickly getting help. The ticketing system and support page are also helpful for more detailed or technical questions.

Norton Secure VPN's customer support is also available 24/7, but contacting a support representative for more complicated issues can be challenging. The support page is limited, and the ticketing system is not user-friendly.

Which VPN is better?

It should come as no surprise that NordVPN is overall the better VPN of the two. It grants better performance regarding speed, a greater arsenal of security features, and more reliable privacy. You’ll also have better results while bypassing geographical restrictions on streaming services. Plus, the service is compatible with more devices, making it easier to protect your entire household.

Meanwhile, the only upside to Norton VPN is that it’s cheaper than NordVPN. However, the price isn’t significantly better, while the features you get are quite abysmal. Therefore, we can’t recommend Norton VPN over NordVPN in any scenario.

Winner

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FAQ