NordVPN vs TorGuard 2024

Agnieszka Stec

Cybersecurity Researcher

While both NordVPN and TorGuard are high-quality services with many shared features, they have key differences. TorGuard is more tailored for tech-savvy users with a focus on customization, whereas NordVPN caters to a broader audience with more general needs.

We conducted a thorough comparison of both services in terms of speed, streaming capabilities, ease of use, privacy, and security to help you choose the best option. No need to worry about technical jargon here!

It was a close competition in some areas, but in the end, NordVPN emerged as the winner. Its fast speeds, extensive server network, streaming support, and strong privacy policy give it an edge over TorGuard.

Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

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Streaming — NordVPN Allows Streaming on All Plans

NordVPN is a much better option for streaming. It supports streaming on all its plans and reliably works with the most popular platforms. TorGuard, on the other hand, recommends getting a Streaming Bundle for the best results, starting at $10/month (with the annual plan).

NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature is excellent for streaming. It combines smart DNS with VPN capabilities for secure access to streaming services from anywhere. Since it’s built-in, there’s no need to enable a feature or manually configure it.

We tested NordVPN with many popular platforms from across the globe and it provided reliable HD access. With its excellent streaming speeds, there was no buffering as we streamed Disney+.

After connecting to NordVPN, we started streaming “Ratatouille” on Disney+ in no time

TorGuard’s streaming bundle feature includes 2 dedicated streaming IPs in the US, UK, and Japan. While its regular servers should also be able to safely access a lot of content, I recommend checking with support to make sure they will work with your desired platforms.

When we tested TorGuard’s standard plan with various streaming platforms, we couldn’t always get it to work. So, unfortunately, you can’t get around purchasing the Streaming Bundle add-on if you want to reliably stream the most popular platforms with TorGuard. That said, there were a few platforms it happened to work with, including a couple of Netflix libraries.

Unfortunately, without a streaming IP, we couldn’t get Disney+ to load

Winner

NordVPN is the best choice for streaming since it can safely access popular content from anywhere. TorGuard, on the other hand, charges a lot extra for streaming capabilities.

Server Network — NordVPN Has Better Global Coverage

NordVPN offers more flexibility with about double the amount of servers and locations. These are most prominent in Europe and North America. Conversely, TorGuard comes with fewer options which can lead to congestion and performance issues during peak times.

TorGuard offers a wide range of dedicated IP options at an extra cost, including regular dedicated IPs, streaming-optimized IPs, and residential IPs. The regular dedicated IPs are available in 38 locations globally. Residential IPs are available specifically for the US and UK, and they make it appear as if you’re connecting to a home network in these countries.

NordVPN also offers dedicated IP addresses at a lower cost but with fewer options. These are in a few locations (such as the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, and France), but it doesn't provide the streaming and residential IP options that TorGuard does​.

Both VPNs offer a range of specialty servers catered to protecting your online privacy. For instance, NordVPN has Double VPN and Onion over VPN connections. Each VPN also provides a selection of P2P-optimized connections and obfuscated servers.

On top of that, both VPNs offer colocated (self-owned) servers, while NordVPN is actively working to extend this across its entire network. This is great for privacy purposes, as it eliminates the middleman that comes along with servers being rented from a third party.

Winner

NordVPN gets a nod with a larger server network and more affordable dedicated IP add-ons. TorGuard isn’t too far behind, though, offering plenty of dedicated IP add-ons and specialty servers.

Speed — NordVPN Has Faster Speeds

To compare the speed of the 2 VPNs, we ran tests on both nearby and distant servers, including locations in the US, UK, and Japan. We used the NordLynx protocol for NordVPN and WireGuard for TorGuard, as these are their fastest available options. The tests were conducted from the UK, where the average download speed was 270 Mbps and the upload speed 24 Mbps.

NordVPN consistently delivered fast speeds, but TorGuard didn’t perform well in our tests. It was slow on both the nearby and distant servers, with an average speed drop of 70-80%, which is a very noticeable slowdown.

Winner

NordVPN was faster and more stable than TorGuard, so there was no doubt about the winner here.

Gaming — Both VPNs Are Good For Gaming

NordVPN and TorGuard are both good choices for gaming, offering low ping rates of under 100 ms on nearby servers, making them suitable for fast-paced games. That being said it’s worth mentioning that NordVPN delivered much faster speeds, which gives it an edge over TorGuard.

When playing Stumble Guys on nearby servers, we didn’t encounter any lag. However, as the distance to the server increased, latency also became more noticeable with both services. It’s a common issue, and it can be challenging to find a VPN that works perfectly on long-distance servers. Overall, I was satisfied with the performance of both.

My character quickly responded to all my commands

Winner - draw

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NordVPN and TorGuard are good for gaming on nearby servers, and both struggle with latency on long-distance servers, but that's the case with almost all VPNs since the data has to travel longer.

Torrenting — NordVPN Wins With Better Speeds and Privacy

NordVPN offers faster overall torrent speeds on its P2P-optimized servers. I was able to download a 1GB copyright-free file in 40 seconds. Unfortunately, with TorGuard downloading the same file took a little over 3 minutes.

TorGuard supports port forwarding, which can help boost your torrent seeding and speeds, which is good since TorGuard can be pretty slow on some servers. NordVPN lacks this feature, but its fast speeds help make up for it.

NordVPN and TorGuard provide SOCKS5 proxies. Both VPNs work with most torrenting sites, but in case you can’t access torrenting sites safely, you can switch to proxies. They can also enhance your speed because they don’t encrypt your data, which always causes some slowdowns.

Both VPNs offer essential security features to protect your online activity. However, NordVPN stands out with extra security and privacy measures, which we'll explore below. These additional safeguards provide even greater security and privacy for your torrenting activities.

TorGuard does not allow torrenting on its US servers due to a legal settlement. This restriction came into place after TorGuard was sued by several movie studios over copyright violations, forcing it to block torrenting traffic on all servers located in the United States. However, you can still use TorGuard's non-US servers for torrenting, which remain unrestricted for P2P traffic​.

Winner

NordVPN has a slight edge over TorGuard with better speeds and privacy features. However, for those looking for more control, TorGuard delivers more options with port forwarding.

Security — NordVPN Wins With More Features

Both NordVPN and TorGuard offer robust security features, but NordVPN wins with more features available by default, whereas TorGuard requires more manual configuration.

Both VPNs offer fast protocols, including WireGuard and NordLynx — NordVPN’s proprietary protocol based on WireGuard but bolstered by double NAT technology for added security. However, TorGuard provides a wider selection of stealth protocols to help overcome different types of blocks.

TorGuard also offers a unique Scripts feature that allows advanced users to customize their VPN connection. You can do this by writing scripts to automate actions before and after connecting, or after disconnecting from the VPN.

Each VPN provides solid protection against DNS/IP leaks, but NordVPN automatically includes IPv6 leak protection without manual intervention.

NordVPN also owns its DNS servers, which are used by default. TorGuard lets you select different DNS settings from a list; however, if you wish to change your DNS settings with NordVPN, you need to add the server address manually.

To turn on the firewall, IPv6 leak protection, and the kill switch, navigate to "Settings" > "Network"

NordVPN also offers Onion Over VPN servers, which let you access .onion websites on any regular browser eliminating the need for the Tor browser. I also like NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor, which notifies you if your data has been leaked on the dark web.

NordVPN will notify you about a possible data breach

Both VPNs support obfuscation — NordVPN offers 100+ dedicated obfuscated servers with the OpenVPN protocol, whereas TorGuard uses a variety of Stealth options to choose from. In summary, these are OpenConnect, Stealth VPN, and AnyConnect.

The default OpenConnect option is the easiest way to use Stealth VPN. However, if you want to benefit from double-layer encryption, set up Stealth VPN following the guide available on TorGuard’s website. If you're unable to download the main TorGuard VPN app from the app store or your browser, try switching to AnyConnect — the fast SSL version of VPN.

NordVPN's Threat Protection offers a comprehensive suite of security features, including malware scanning, phishing protection, and ad blocking. In contrast, TorGuard's ad-blocking capability is primarily focused on DNS-based ad blocking, which, while effective for blocking ads and pop-ups, doesn't offer the same level of advanced threat protection as NordVPN's solution.

Winner

Both VPNs provide strong security features, but NordVPN makes them easily available in the native app. TorGuard, on the other hand, requires a lot of manual configuration.

Privacy — NordVPN Has Undergone Independent Audits

Both VPNs claim strict no-logs policies, but only NordVPN has undergone multiple third-party audits. TorGuard, though also claiming a no-logs policy, has not been audited in the same way. The other advantage NordVPN has over TorGuard is its headquarters — it’s located in Panama, a country outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. TorGuard’s jurisdiction is in the US, which is not the most privacy-friendly country.

When it comes to data privacy, NordVPN’s RAM-only servers guarantee that all data is wiped after every reboot. TorGuard relies on traditional servers, which don’t inherently clear data in the same way.

Winner

NordVPN’s full adoption of RAM-based infrastructure gives it an edge over TorGuard. Unlike TorGuard, NordVPN was also independently audited, and its headquarters are based in a privacy-friendly country.

Works in China — Both Might Work but Not Guaranteed

According to their customer support agents, both NordVPN and TorGuard might be capable of working in China. They have obfuscation and stealth features designed to safely access the internet under heavy restrictions. However, due to the heavy restrictions implemented by the Chinese government and constant updates to the Great Firewall of China, the VPNs don’t guarantee reliable connections.

To use NordVPN in China, you should set up a manual IKEv2 connection. I recommend reaching out to the support agents who will be able to guide you through the process. The TorGuard support agent confirmed that the VPN works in China, but didn’t provide any additional steps for a correct setup.

It’s hard to find a VPN that works in the country with no issues. If you’re looking for a VPN capable of reliably working in China, take a look at our list of the best VPNs for China.

Winner - draw

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The support agents confirmed that both VPNs currently work in China. That said, they might not be super reliable, so it’s good to reach out to support to get additional troubleshooting tips.

Installation & Ease of Use — NordVPN Has More Intuitive Apps

Both NordVPN and TorGuard are compatible with a wide range of platforms, but NordVPN is better pre-configured and easier to use. TorGuard’s more customizable setup can be appealing if you want greater control. However, it requires more effort to configure on certain platforms.

You can look for servers using the search bar or an interactive map

The installation process on both is straightforward, but NordVPN has the advantage of a faster, more lightweight install. You can set it up with just a few clicks, while TorGuard, though still easy, may require more customization depending on your preferences. NordVPN’s smaller app file size also means quicker installation on mobile devices, which is useful if your phone has limited storage.

If you need APK files, both VPNs provide them on their websites, but NordVPN makes it easier to locate and install. While TorGuard offers customization through its APK, you might find the additional steps more cumbersome, especially if you’re unfamiliar with manual setups.

When it comes to usability, NordVPN offers a more intuitive interface with fewer steps required to connect or adjust settings. TorGuard’s interface provides more customization, but that comes at the cost of simplicity. I found NordVPN faster to operate without needing to spend time adjusting settings frequently.

It looks like all the settings are cramped together

Winner

NordVPN wins because of its user-friendly apps. It also installs faster and has more pre-configured features available.

Reliability & Support — NordVPN Wins With the 24/7 Live Support

NordVPN provides 24/7 live chat, which is invaluable if you need immediate help at any time, while TorGuard’s live chat isn’t consistently available around the clock. Both VPNs offer email support, but NordVPN’s always-on live chat gives it an advantage in urgent situations.

After exploring the knowledge bases, I found out that NordVPN offers more comprehensive and visually guided support articles. Its FAQs are organized so even beginners can easily find what they’re looking for, while TorGuard’s knowledge base feels more technical and, in my opinion, is more suited for advanced users.

Winner

NordVPN wins with 24/7 live chat, faster response times, and a more user-friendly knowledge base.

Pricing

	NordVPN	TorGuard
Starting Price	$2.99/month	$9.99/month
Price (On Renewal)	$99.48 per year (subject to change)	$51.33 per year (subject to change)
Money-Back Guarantee (Days)	30 days	7 days
Number of devices per license	10	12
Router Setup (for Unlimited Devices)	Manual setup	Manual setup

When it comes to pricing, both services are pretty close, but NordVPN wins by providing better value for money. Although its monthly price is a little bit higher, it’s worth noting that TorGuard requires the purchase of additional add-ons for streaming, which drives its cost up.

Both VPNs provide great deals and discounts, so the final decision depends on what you need. If you are looking for a VPN whose primary focus is on security and torrenting, you can’t go wrong with TorGuard. On the other hand, NordVPN gives you more features for a decent price. It also offers a longer, 30-day money-back guarantee, whereas TorGuard gives you only 7 days before you commit.

Winner

NordVPN wins with more value for money and a longer money-back guarantee of 30 days.

Our Methodology for Testing NordVPN vs TorGuard

When comparing NordVPN and TorGuard, we focused on speed, servers, streaming support, privacy and security features, and more. We ran extensive tests to make sure each category was covered in detail to give you a complete overview of each service's strengths and weaknesses.

Our international team of experts carried out an extensive testing process to ensure precise results across different regions. We encourage you to visit our detailed methodology page, where we outline each testing phase step-by-step. This will provide valuable insight into assessing VPNs for performance, reliability, and security and guide you in conducting your own tests.

NordVPN vs. TorGuard — Reddit Opinions

Both VPNs have their supporters and opponents among Redditors. NordVPN is praised for its general reliability, good speeds, and ease of use. However, the lack of port forwarding makes it less popular among people who torrent frequently. TorGuard on the other hand is popular mainly in a torrent community, although it’s sometimes criticized for slow speeds and unstable connections.

Redditors have mixed opinions about both VPNs