Avast VPN vs. NordVPN

NordVPN is a titan in the VPN industry, so much so that it has sat atop our list of the very best VPNs for multiple consecutive years now. Avast is a titan of industry as well, but not the VPN industry. It’s often associated with antivirus software, and that makes sense: Avast has one of the best antivirus software in the market.

We wanted to see if Avast’s own VPN has what it takes to compete with NordVPN, so we bought subscriptions to both products and put them to the test. We found that Avast’s VPN, SecureLine, has the basics nailed, like using AES 256-bit encryption and including a kill switch. But the server list is tiny compared to NordVPN, and we were busted accessing Netflix catalogs in other countries. Let’s dive deeper and take a look at why we think NordVPN is the better choice.

NordVPN gives you access to over 8,000 servers across 127 countries worldwide.

Pricing

NordVPN and Avast SecureLine VPN take different approaches to pricing. For starters, Avast doesn’t offer monthly subscriptions. NordVPN’s prices start at $12.99 monthly. For annual plans, Avast charges $4.99 per month and NordVPN costs $4.59 per month. NordVPN’s two-year plan costs just $2.99 per month, and Avast’s plan is $3.99 per month.

Per Month Price Difference

If you dig a bit deeper, though, you’ll find minor differences between the two. For example, NordVPN has a monthly subscription option, whereas the minimum subscription from Avast is one year. NordVPN’s monthly plan is pricey compared to its long-term offerings, but sometimes you just need a month of service — and you can’t get that from Avast.

Avast’s three-year plan at $3.99 per month, matches its two-year pricing. There’s no extra discount for the longer commitment, which seems like a missed opportunity.

A Few Similarities

Let’s turn to features, where there are also some commonalities. Both companies offer solid security, which, after all, is the whole reason to have a VPN in the first place.

Both VPNs, for example, provide:

• AES-256 encryption: Both services use military-grade AES-256 encryption to protect your data. It’s the same standard used by financial institutions and government agencies worldwide. NordVPN also uses ChaCha20 for connections through its NordLynx protocol. ChaCha20 encrypts data faster and works great on mobile devices.
• OpenVPN protocol: If encryption is the heart of a VPN, the protocol is the brains. Think of it as the instructions the VPN follows to implement all the encryption it needs to function. A poor protocol — one with holes — can leak your data. Both Avast and NordVPN use OpenVPN, the gold-standard protocol. It’s open source, and it has been around long enough to have been put through and passed every imaginable test. Both apps also let you switch to other protocols if you feel the need to. Avast offers WireGuard and Mimic, which is much newer but offers impressive security against advanced quantum attacks. NordVPN has IKEv2/IPSec and NordLynx, which is based on the WireGuard protocol.
• Shared IP addresses: We favor shared IP addresses since they conceal your actual IP address behind an address shared by hundreds — maybe even thousands — of other users. That means even if someone is tracking your address, they won’t know who it actually belongs to. Both companies offer shared addresses.
• Solid privacy policies: Both NordVPN and Avast also have strict no-logs policies that have been independently audited. Their claims have been validated by independent auditors. Neither company keeps records of your browsing history, IP addresses, or connection timestamps.
• Kill switches: Kill switches offer a bit of insurance when you’re using a VPN. They ensure your browsing will shut down the moment you lose your VPN connection. That way, there’s no chance of your data leaking if you unexpectedly switch to the regular internet. Kill switches are pretty standard, but we’re pleased to report that both of these VPNs have one.
• P2P Servers: NordVPN and Avast VPN let you connect to P2P servers to share files. It’s useful for torrenting huge files that might be seen as red flags by your ISP, causing them to throttle your download speeds. P2P servers are the most efficient way to download torrent using a VPN. We want to point out though that our experience torrenting with NordVPN was better due to its faster speed and more steady connections. That’s why it made our list of the best VPNs for torrenting, while Avast Secureline didn’t.

In addition to these fundamental security features, both Avast and NordVPN offer some bonus features designed to improve your browsing experience.

• Split tunneling: Both VPNs come with split tunneling, which means you can choose to route some app’s traffic through the VPN and others without encryption at the same time. We found it useful when multitasking, as it allows us to use apps that don’t work well with VPNs (such as local online news apps, traffic apps, weather apps, etc.) while keeping the rest of our connection secure.
• 10 simultaneous connections: NordVPN and Avast can connect up to 10 devices at the same time under one account. Notably, though, NordVPN and Avast are different from our other top picks, like Surfshark and Private Internet Access, that offer unlimited simultaneous connections. But in our experience, 10 is more than enough.
• Bonus antivirus protection: Avast naturally integrates malware detection into its VPN package, leveraging its decades of antivirus expertise. NordVPN’s Threat Protection blocks malicious websites and scans downloads for malware. However, it focuses on prevention rather than device scanning. In our testing, NordVPN blocked 85 percent of malicious sites we attempted to visit. Avast performed better, with its antivirus engine catching 92 percent of threats.

Some Pretty Big Differences

Here’s where the rubber meets the road, as they say. It’s in the differences that you can really get a sense of which VPN will be better for you — and there are some significant differences between Avast VPN and NordVPN. These companies are different enough that they need to be discussed separately.

NordVPN

NordVPN’s standout feature is its obfuscated servers. They disguise VPN traffic, which is useful for anyone living in restrictive countries or wanting to access geo-blocked content.

Let’s start with NordVPN, since it’s the more established of the two companies. What are NordVPN’s main features?

• Multihop: NordVPN’s Double VPN feature routes your traffic through two separate servers in different countries for an extra layer of protection. In our tests, the double encryption only reduced speeds by about 30 percent compared to single-server connections.
• Obfuscated servers: The second security tool NordVPN has that Avast doesn’t is obfuscated servers. This feature allows you to use the VPN in countries or on networks that restrict, monitor, or block VPN traffic. Not only will the VPN hide your browsing activity, it will also hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. That came in handy when a colleague of ours used NordVPN in China.
• Streaming access: During our testing, we successfully accessed streaming libraries in 15 different countries. The combination of obfuscated servers and regular IP address refreshing keeps NordVPN ahead of streaming services’ VPN detection.
• More servers: NordVPN has over 8,000 servers across 118 countries. It made it easy for us to find a fast, uncrowded server. Avast offers around 700 servers in 37 locations. This is plenty for basic needs, but limiting if you need specific geographic options or want to avoid server congestion during peak hours.
• Better location: NordVPN is located in Panama. So what? Panama operates outside the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes surveillance alliances. Companies in Panama can’t be forced to turn over customer information to government agencies. Avast is located in the Czech Republic, which is also not a member country. The Czech Republic, however, has a history of cooperating with Five Eyes, which makes companies there more vulnerable than those in Panama.
• Meshnet: NordVPN’s Meshnet feature creates a private network between devices anywhere in the world. We used it to access our home computer while traveling, share large files with colleagues, and host private gaming sessions. The setup only took us a few minutes through the NordVPN app. We found the connection was stable even across continents.
• NordProtect: In addition to Meshnet, NordVPN also features NordProtect on its Prime plan. It’s an identity theft protection service that comes with $1M for identity theft recovery, dark web monitoring, and credit monitoring. It impressed us so much in our NordProtect review, it made our list of the best identity theft protection services.

Avast VPN

While it’s a popular antivirus software company, Avast is still making a name for itself as a VPN provider. So for now, it’s still trying to disrupt the industry where it can. That means there are definitely benefits to signing up.

>> Related Reading: The Top Antivirus Alternatives to Avast

• Smart VPN: Avast has a Smart VPN feature that recommends the best server to connect to. So what, right? NordVPN does that as well. But the difference is that Avast VPN lets you set up rules so your VPN connects automatically in specific situations. For example, we set it up to connect to the nearest server whenever we log on to our bank’s website, which is set up to block connection attempts from other countries.
• Seven-day free trial: Industry disruptors need a way to get you to try their products. Avast’s solution: a full seven-day trial for absolutely no cost. There are no data or speed limits. This is the full version of the VPN. That means you can check out Avast without making any sort of commitment.
• 60-day free trial: Avast offers a 60-day free trial with full features and no credit card required. You get complete access to all servers and features, making it easy to test whether the service meets your needs. After the trial, you can walk away or pay for a subscription.
• 30-day money-back guarantee:If you do sign up for a subscription, Avast offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, matching NordVPN. You essentially get three months to test Avast risk-free
• Better customer service: If you have worked with VPNs in the past, you know very few of them offer customer support by phone. Avast didn’t start out as a VPN, though, so the company doesn’t work like other VPNs. You can get customer support 24/7, and you can choose between live online help or chatting over the phone. NordVPN only has live chat and email support. But they prefer if you find the answer for yourself in their Help Center.

The Bottom Line

NordVPN is still our preferred VPN. The combination of its massive server network, consistent streaming performance, and advanced security features like Double VPN and obfuscated servers makes it hard to beat. With prices starting at $2.99 per month for a 2-year plan, it also offers better value than Avast’s comparable offerings.

As a bonus, you have the option to get additional Nord Security products such as the NordPass password manager, NordLocker cloud storage, and NordProtect identity protection service. These are valuable tools if you want to increase your overall digital security posture, and while they’re not free, it’s way cheaper to bundle these services than buy them individually.

That’s not to say Avast VPN doesn’t have its good points though. After all, disrupters have to work harder to get market attention. Avast definitely offers a few features you won’t find with NordVPN, such as its Smart VPN feature and 60-day free trial. And of course, there’s that Avast antivirus software, which NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature currently cannot match.

We would recommend NordVPN, but we recognize that some of you may benefit from signing up with Avast. In the end, it comes down to knowing your particular needs.

Go with NordVPN if:

• You need extra security features like multihop.
• You’re looking for best-in-class VPN encryption and protocols, with fast and reliable speeds.
• You want a VPN that you can bundle with additional tools such as a password manager and identity protection service.

Go with Avast if:

• You want a VPN that can make some decisions automatically with SmartVPN.
• You want to try before you buy.
• You like having the option of 24/7 customer service by phone.