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.

Pricing

On the surface, NordVPN and Avast look remarkably similar in price. A year’s subscription to Avast costs $4.59 per month, which is identical to NordVPN. If you’d rather invest for two years, the tables turn: NordVPN’s prices are $0.80 cheaper than Avast. But hey, what’s $0.80, really? At the end of two years, NordVPN is going to save you about $20. It’s not a huge difference, so we’ll call the two equivalents when it comes to price.

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.

On the other end of the spectrum, Avast offers a three-year plan, something NordVPN doesn’t offer. There’s no real price benefit to signing up for three years, however, since Avast’s two- and three-year plans ultimately cost the same per month.

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: Your VPN is only as good as its encryption. Luckily, both of these VPNs use AES-256, an encryption method that is essentially impervious to brute-force attacks. 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: All the encryption in the world won’t help you if your VPN is collecting data about you and then selling it to someone else. NordVPN and Avast both have strict privacy policies. Neither collects any information related to your browsing experience, which means no IP addresses, no timestamps, and no record of your browsing history.
• 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: Many companies have begun offering extras with their VPNs, such as free cloud storage. As you may expect, Avast offers free malware detection as part of its VPN package. After all, antivirus is what Avast does as its day job. Turns out, though, you can get good basic antivirus from NordVPN as well, at no extra cost. We should make it clear though that NordVPN only detects malware-infected sites and downloads, and not malware on your devices. You’ll still need antivirus software.

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

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

• Multihop: NordVPN offers a couple of security features that Avast doesn’t. The first is multihop technology. When you activate multihop, NordVPN routes your internet activity through not just one but two or more remote servers. Each server provides different encryption, so your connection is encrypted multiple times for a safer online experience.
• 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: Obfuscation gives NordVPN an edge in another area, which is accessing streaming services. When a streaming service thinks you’re in the U.K. because you have a U.K. IP address from your VPN, it will let you stream content that’s only available in the U.K. But since streaming services are blocking VPN traffic, not all VPNs are good for streaming. With obfuscation, NordVPN helps you stay hidden from those VPN detectors streaming sites use.
• More servers: NordVPN maintains over 6,700 servers in 111 countries around the planet. That means you have choices all over the globe, and there’s always one that’s close enough to give you a fast connection. Avast has a healthy number of servers at 700. Last time we checked, though, 700 is less than 6,700.
• 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 has recently gone one step beyond the traditional VPN with its proprietary Meshnet software. Meshnet allows you to create a VPN network, linking multiple devices directly together. It’s like having your very own secure LAN network, and you can use it on devices no matter where they are in the world.
• NordProtect: In addition to Meshnet, NordVPN has also introduced NordProtect on its Prime plan. It’s an identity theft protection service that comes with $1M in coverage for identity theft recovery, dark web monitoring, and credit monitoring. It might not be as in-depth as the picks in our guide on the best identity theft protection services, but it’s handy to have if anyone tries to open loans in your name.

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: Industry disruptors need a way to get you to try their products. Avast’s solution: a 60-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. NordVPN doesn’t let you try their product for free, but they have a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind.
• 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

There’s a reason established VPNs are established VPNs. They have the most customers, and they got all those customers by providing a stellar product. That’s NordVPN to a T. You won’t find a more secure VPN on the market. NordVPN not only offers standard security features such as AES-256 and the OpenVPN protocol, but it also provides extra layers of protection with multihop and obfuscated servers.

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.