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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

NordVPN vs FastestVPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.4/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 6.2/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Anneke van Aswegen
    Anneke van Aswegen

    Managing Editor

    FastestVPN is a little cheaper than NordVPN, but does that mean you should pick it automatically? Not necessarily. When it comes to choosing between these two VPNs, you get what you pay for.

    They both scored high when it came ease-of-use, offering clear apps and simple interfaces. Both VPNs also offer great customer support.

    Each VPN also has some frustrating connection issues. NordVPN can sometimes take ages to connect to a server. Some of FastestVPN's servers wouldn't connect at all, leaving me no choice but to restart the app.

    But the two apps diverge when it comes to speed. NordVPN's speeds far surpassed FastestVPN, while Fastest's speeds were ironically inconsistent during my tests.

    FastestVPN doesn't have the largest network either, with just 500 servers in 41 countries. NordVPN boasts a network of 6,339 servers in 111 countries across the globe, making it far superior in this category.

    That explains why NordVPN is slightly better at unblocking geo-restricted content. It helped me access my accounts on Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Disney+. Although, interestingly FastestVPN can unblock Netflix and NordVPN doesn't consistently do so (though that's about all FastestVPN can unblock...)

    Read on to find out how these services perform on different devices, and to see which one came out as the clear winner.

    Our Score

    Features 9.4/10
    Pricing 7.5/10
    Ease of Use 10.0/10
    Reliability & Support 10.0/10
    Features 6.2/10
    Pricing 8.2/10
    Ease of Use 6.0/10
    Reliability & Support 6.3/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Angela Jovanoska
    Angela Jovanoska

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 9.4/10

    On the surface, NordVPN looks like a really impressive service. It claims to have a huge global server network, a speedy and reliable connection, and iron-clad security and privacy features. Plus, you can get it all for just $5.99/month. That all sounds great, but is there a catch? To find out, I did an in-depth analysis of NordVPN. I tested its speeds and how well it performs when you’re str...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    2
    210493Lu
    10.0/10
    The Best of The Best

    I simply tested all VPNs looking for cutting-edge online security, I tested the most expensive and the...  most talked about virtual anonymity, none made me as happy as NordVPN, it stands out for several reasons that the much more expensive ones it doesn't have, its double encryption, dedicated IPs, onion VPN, makes NordVPN unique, with almost 6,000 servers around the world and 12 million customers like me, you can see that NordVPN is not playing games with its customers and their online security , it always innovates to keep you more secure day after day, for a fair price in the long term and without sacrificing the speed of your connection, recently Nord is developing a new VPN protocol, Nordlynx a version still under construction derived from the Wireguard protocol, if you want to have a VPN of last security that think how it will make you more secure in the next month NordVPN is the right choice, I am completely thankful for being a customer and for finding what to me is the perfect VPN.More

    Latest negative user review
    S
    SAM
    2.0/10
    BUYER BEWARE!

    BUYER BEWARE! If you purchase NordVPN, it will throttle your interned speed/connectivity by 50%, like ... it did to mine. I pay $100/month to get speeds of nearly 600mbs. With NordVPN turned on, my speeds decrease to 250mbs. Nord’s “customer support” is useless and unprofessional, and, after nearly 3 weeks of endless “try this, try that”, they were unable to resolve the issue and blamed it on everything under the sun except their product, when it is OBVIOUS that, since I have zero speed issues with Nord turned off, and ONLY experience the issues with Nord turned on, it is NordVPN that is causing the issue. When I asked them for a refund of my one year subscription paid in advance and in good faith, they refused, and have now decided to ignore me. So, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED. Their VPN will devastate your internet speeds, their “support” is ridiculous, they are in denial, and they will not refund your money, even if their product is a failure…More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Our Score: 6.2/10

    When I tested FastestVPN's first iteration, I wasn't impressed. It wasn't great for streaming, and its security features were lacking.  So can its latest overhaul change my mind? Yes. FastestVPN has undoubtedly improved, including better streaming capabilities, security options, and increased protocol support. However, the VPN still has a few issues that need attention. It’s a good service,...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    C
    Cory Inglis
    10.0/10
    Good and Easy-to-Use VPN

    FastestVPN's updated apps with an easy to use interface have made a positive impact on my VPN experien... ce. Its improved connectivity, enhanced privacy features and overall user friendly design have solidified its place as one of my best VPN choices.More

    Latest negative user review
    L
    Leonid
    2.0/10
    Very bad

    I bought a lifetime license over a year ago, but they blocked it and make me pay again! When I bought ... the license they had two or three servers per country, but now they have one server per country and the number of servers has decreased! Don't believe them - they are scammers!More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $5.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Starting price $1.66/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 15 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    NordVPN is better because it has exceptional speeds and managed to unblock most of the streaming platforms I tested. FastestVPN couldn’t unblock as many platforms as Nord, but it did manage to access Netflix, which is impressive. NordVPN also offers great security and 24/7 customer support. FastestVPN has military-grade 256-bit encryption, simple apps, and a solid privacy policy. But NordVPN offers the same features with a bigger server network for the low price of $3.71/month.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    NordVPN is better because it's P2P friendly and has a selection of optimized servers for torrenting. FastestVPN excludes torrenting on its servers in US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and India so it is more limited. NordVPN also provides lightning-fast speeds for smooth seeding and a strict no-logs policy that keeps your online activity private.

    Best VPN for Windows

    NordVPN is better because its Windows app offers split tunneling. That means you can choose which of your traffic you route through the VPN. I used it to unblock content using my browser, while accessing my Steam app with my normal IP address. Its Threat Protection feature also blocks annoying ads and malicious links.

    Best VPN for Android

    NordVPN is better because its Android app is easy to use and also offers split-tunneling. You can also set the app to auto-connect, meaning the VPN is launched as soon as you connect to the internet. The VPN even gives you the ability to try it out for 7 days first, with its Android-only free-trial.

    Best VPN for Mac

    NordVPN is better because its Mac app gives you plenty of additional security features. DoubleVPN routes your traffic through 2 VPN servers, instead of one — giving you enhanced protection against tracking and monitoring. There are also 2 versions of the app (one with OpenVPN and one with IKEv2) so you can choose which one suits your needs.

    Best VPN for iOS

    NordVPN is better because its iOS app supports the NordLynx protocol. This is a secure tunneling protocol, built on WireGuard, that gives you excellent speeds on your iPhone, iPad, and other Apple devices. Like the Android app, Nord's iOS app also supports auto-connect.

    Best VPN for USA

    NordVPN is better because it has a huge network of 15 servers in the US. It quickly unblocked streaming platforms such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max. That said, it can't reliably unblock Netflix US, while FastestVPN can.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    FastestVPN has a lot of things going for it, including strong security measures, Netflix access, and user-friendly apps. However, NordVPN wins out thanks to its blazing-fast speeds and ability to unblock more streaming platforms.

    Neither VPN can help you access all your streaming accounts though. For that, you need ExpressVPN. It's even faster than NordVPN and unblocked every site I tested — including Netflix. You can also try ExpressVPN risk-free. It's backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee so if you don't like it you can get your money back.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with NordVPN
    Go with FastestVPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is NordVPN better than FastestVPN?

    Yes, NordVPN is better overall than FastestVPN. It has 6339 servers in 111 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $5.99 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between NordVPN and FastestVPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then NordVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is NordVPN faster than FastestVPN?

    Yes, NordVPN is faster than FastestVPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do NordVPN or FastestVPN offer any deals?

    Both NordVPN and FastestVPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    As a Managing Editor at vpnMentor, Anneke van Aswegen helps readers quickly master VPNs. She aims to solve problems, whether accessing streaming platforms or protecting your data, without needing a computer tech.