NordVPN Pricing Plans

NordVPN has developed into a tiered system of security products, and the four plans available — Basic, Plus, Complete, and Ultra (also referred to as Prime) — offer a range of options to meet the level of digital paranoia and storage needs that users have. The lowest tier is the Basic plan — this is the core VPN engine that provides an encrypted tunnel, and also offers the high speeds required for streaming or hiding one's IP address; however, it does not include any of the specialized security features that the other three plans offer.

At the next tier up is the Plus plan, in which NordVPN introduces two tools that will likely be used regularly by the average user. These include NordPass (a password manager), and Threat Protection Pro, which is a lightweight version of an antivirus tool that scans downloaded files, and kills ads. Moving to the Complete plan adds 1 TB of secure, encrypted cloud storage. And, at the top end is the Ultra plan — which includes all of the previous features plus data removal services, and actual cyber insurance for identity theft — and is often referred to as the "full bodyguard" plan.

From our point of view, we believe that the best choice for most users will be the Plus plan — since the tools provided for malware protection and password management are likely to be used daily. We see the Basic plan as being a bit bare-bones, while the upper-tier plans may provide more than what many users would need — unless they require a dedicated location to store their encrypted backups. From this perspective, we recommend that users start with the Plus plan, and then move to a higher tier only when they find themselves needing to utilize a specific service such as additional cloud storage. Before committing, it’s also smart to check whether a current NordVPN promo is available, as long-term discounts can significantly narrow the price gap between plans.

NordVPN is a little odd when it comes to business, as although it is considered a “consumer” type of service, it has many features which are attractive to solopreneurs and small, nimble teams. We believe that the biggest advantage that draws us to NordVPN, is Meshnet. Meshnet allows you to create a private virtual network over the Internet among various devices across the globe with out having to go through the complexity of setting up a server. This is a large advantage to small businesses as it will allow them to access employee files located on a work computer from home, as well as local development environments as if they were actually sitting at their workstations, all with out having to set up a corporate fire wall.

Another feature that we believe is a major draw to NordVPN for businesses is the Dedicated IP option. To us, this is a non-negotiable for companies that are using “allow listing” to protect their internal applications such as a CRM or AWS management console. With a dedicated IP, the company’s systems know where the traffic is coming from and can therefore allow or deny access based on the user’s identity. The Plus plan includes a password manager for securely managing credentials; this along with the above two options makes for a solid starting point.

However, we believe that small businesses should be realistic about their needs. As soon as there are more than 5 people working for a company, the lack of an administrative center to manage users and policies on the basic plans becomes unmanageable. In our opinion, NordVPN is ideal for the “hustle” stage of a business, however once you want to monitor who logged into what system at what time etc., it is time to look into the actual enterprise version of NordVPN, called Nordlayer.

Teams that typically will be able to utilize NordVPN the best, would be small agile teams, rather than large corporate departments. Creative Agencies and Small Remote Teams tend to be the two main beneficiaries when utilizing NordVPN. Because NordVPN has an allowance of up to 10 simultaneous connections, a very small team can protect all of their devices with a single setup and no need for a complicated IT infrastructure. I think the Meshnet feature is a little known secret for these teams; allowing developers or designers to connect to each other's local machine or a central "office" workstation as if they were physically connected via a local area network (LAN) can be a game changer for secure file transfers and web build testing.

I believe Journalists, Researchers, and Marketing Teams also find great value in the specialty servers available through NordVPN. When conducting market research in Tokyo but based in London, being able to switch your IP address in an instant is absolutely non-negotiable. That being said, I do recommend exercising caution if your team is growing rapidly. In my opinion, once you reach the 5-10 member threshold, your team will outgrow the Personal Plans due to a lack of a central dashboard to control how all employees' access.

For those larger "Corporate" Squads, I would recommend considering NordLayer instead. As I see it, NordLayer is designed for the "Big Leagues" of Team Management.

In many ways, whether a business would find NordVPN to be worth investing in as a VPN is dependent upon how large their business is. As a solopreneur, or very small team of people working together, we think this is a tremendous value. You get enterprise-level encryption and features such as Meshnet, which will allow you to build a private and secure network between remote computers, all for the cost of two cups of coffee per month. We feel that the Plus plan is where you really win because the included password manager (NordPass) takes away the problem that most small teams have of trying to figure out "where did we put that login?"

We do encourage you to be realistic about your business' future, however. We feel that for companies with more than five to ten employees, the consumer plans offered by NordVPN may not be a good long term business investment. The reason for this is due to the fact that each account is tied to an individual; therefore, you don't have central control. It's difficult to onboard a new employee, or remove access from an employee after they've left, unless you are going to have to share a password.

If you need a dedicated account manager or if you need to have some way to bill centrally, we think you should take a closer look at NordLayer. While we feel that the consumer version of NordVPN has the fastest speeds available, and provides individual users with the best possible security, it does lack the administration support that a growing company needs.

The basic plan is an obvious choice for the very basics of VPN service - but the plus plan is where most folks are going to end up in order to have all the features they need to keep the web less painful (such as the password manager and the malware blocker). Most people we see don't want to manage 12 different passwords/subscription services, and bundling the two together will help reduce clutter.

We believe the Basic plan will be the runner-up, mainly due to the "purist" crowd that simply wants to bypass a geo-block on netflix or hide their ip when torrenting. We also think that the Complete and Ultra plans will be a much more niche sale, and only recommend the 1tb storage plan if you're currently searching for a secure dropbox alternative, otherwise you'll be paying for digital attic space that you'll probably never use.

We believe the psychology of the "middle option" will win out in this case. We believe that most users will feel that the Basic plan is a little too bare-bones, while the Ultra plan is overkill, which leaves us with the plus plan as the most rational, expert approved default for users who just want to feel safe on the web, without having to over-think it.

When it comes to the tips that help teams make the most effective use of a NordVPN subscription, the secret isn't just about having the tool—it’s about optimizing how you deploy it to keep your workflow smooth and your overhead low. For small, agile teams, getting this right can mean the difference between seamless remote collaboration and a constant IT headache.

Here are our top recommendations for getting the most out of your setup:

1. Master the Meshnet feature: Instead of just using the VPN for privacy, we think teams should leverage Meshnet to create a secure "virtual office." It lets you link team members' devices directly, making it incredibly easy to share files or access local staging servers without a complex corporate setup.

1. Audit your needs and switch your pricing plan: Don't pay for what you don't use. If you realize your team doesn't actually need the 1 TB of cloud storage in the Complete tier, we recommend moving to a more affordable pricing plan like Plus. It still keeps the password manager but cuts the fat from your monthly bill.

1. Ditch the extensions: While browser extensions are convenient, we believe they can be limiting. We suggest sticking to the desktop or mobile apps whenever possible to ensure your entire device’s traffic is encrypted, not just the browser.

1. Commit to longer cycles: Paying monthly is a massive drain on your budget. By choosing to pay annually rather than monthly, you can lock in significant savings.

1. Use the promo code wisely: To grab these rates, simply head over to NordVPN’s promo page to get 60% off for 1 year or a massive 74% off for 2 years.

When looking at how NordVPN and Surfshark compare in terms of cost, you’re essentially looking at two different philosophies of "value." Both belong to the same parent company now, but they still fight for different types of wallets. Surfshark is almost always the budget king for long-term users, while NordVPN positions itself as a premium service where you pay a bit extra for specialized bells and whistles.

Here’s the breakdown of how they stack up against each other:

1. Long-term commitment: If you’re willing to lock in for two years, Surfshark is significantly cheaper, often starting around $1.99/mo, whereas NordVPN’s basic entry point usually hovers around $2.99/mo to $3.39/mo.

1. Short-term flex: Interestingly, if you only need a VPN for a single month, NordVPN is actually often the cheaper choice (around $12.99) compared to Surfshark’s steep monthly rate which can climb over $15.

1. Device value: This is the big one. Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning one subscription covers your entire extended family. NordVPN caps you at 10 devices, which is plenty for most, but less "infinite" than Surfshark.

1. The "renewal trap": In our opinion, you have to watch the renewal rates. As we’ve noted in our detailed NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison, Nord’s price can jump significantly after the initial promo period ends, while Surfshark’s hike is usually a bit more modest.

We think that if you have a massive household with dozens of gadgets, Surfshark is the obvious winner. However, we recommend NordVPN if you don’t mind the extra dollar a month to get access to their faster NordLynx protocol and a much larger server network.