PureVPN vs. NordVPN (2020): Which is the Better Choice?
Hundreds of VPN services out there that market themselves as the best. It is important to be aware of these scams and always compare them against one and other.
Today we pit NordVPN vs PureVPN against one another to determine the better choice among the two. So, without further ado, look below for their complete comparison.
Which VPN is the Better Choice?
NordVPN’s recent hacking scandal has resulted in it losing all its credibility and reputation. This makes PureVPN the safer option, as it has never been hacked nor does it store logs (audited by AltiusIT). It offers a huge list of features as well. Affordable option priced at: $1.99/mo for 2-Years (73% OFF).
PureVPN vs. NordVPN: Overview
| NordVPN | PureVPN |
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Pricing and Discounts: PureVPN vs. NordVPN
When it comes to pricing, no one is more budget-friendly than PureVPN. And that’s not just when we compare it to NordVPN, but the same holds true across the VPN industry.
| Special offer | 68% Discount on a 2-Year Plan | 86% Off on a 5-Year Plan |
| Highest price per month | $11.95 | $10.95 |
| Lowest price per month | $2.91 | $1.48 |
| One-Year Price | – | $69.72 |
With regards to money-back guarantees, both PureVPN and NordVPN offer a 30-day refund, which you can leverage if you are not satisfied by either provider.
Features: PureVPN vs. NordVPN
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Simultaneous Connections | 6 | 5 |
| Operating System Apps | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Kodi, and Fire TV |
| Manual Install Devices | Set-Top Boxes, Routers, and Linux | Some Routers, Set-Top Boxes, and Linux |
| Split Tunneling | Not Available | Yes (All Apps) |
| Free Extras | Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, CyberSec, DoubleVPN, SmartPlay | Official Kodi addon, ad-blocker, malware-scanner, browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox |
In terms of features, both NordVPN and PureVPN go the extra mile in delivering extra security and protection to users on a myriad of devices and platforms.
Both VPNs offer native apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Apple TVs, and a pre-configured router app. PureVPN adds to the list a dedicated add-on for Kodi too.
NordVPN and PureVPN both offer browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. If we compare them both, I’d say PureVPN offers better security.
Their add-ons are also the only in the industry to unblock streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and Hulu directly from the browser. In fact, I would suggest you read this guide on how to set-up & use NordVPN on Apple TV to unlock top-of-the-line media platforms.
Split Tunneling is unavailable for NordVPN, but found on all apps of PureVPN. You can establish 5 simultaneous connections with PureVPN and 6 with NordVPN.
Unblocking Capabilities
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Netflix | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu | Yes | Yes |
| Sky Go | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Prime | Yes | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
| ABS | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| ITV | Yes | Yes |
| Channel 4 | Yes | Yes |
For the most part, NordVPN and PureVPN are equally matched in most aspects. In terms of unblocking, both successfully bypass geo-restrictions on famous VoDs and streaming platforms. In fact, I would recommend you read how you can unblock BBC iPlayer with PureVPN.
The only difference is that where NordVPN fails at unblocking these VoDs via their browser extension, PureVPN manages to succeed which shows its technology is superior.
I am still waiting to test a VPN service that offers the same unblocking capabilities as PureVPN, particularly via their browser extension, as that is quite a unique selling point.
As far as NordVPN is concerned, you can get a list of “working” servers from the support team. However, I did test servers excluding those, and Nord still worked smoothly on all channels.
China
Since PureVPN has its headquarters in British Virgin Islands, it works better for both: Chinese expats and those residing in the country. However, it does not offer a dedicated Chinese page.
NordVPN, on the other hand, does offer a Chinese page that allows residents in the country for accessing their apps and subscribe to a suitable payment plan.
Sadly, they do not offer servers in China. Whereas, PureVPN does offer 12 servers in the country, with 6 located in Shanghai and 6 in Beijing.
Users in China can download NordVPN users from here: http://nord-for-zh.com/
Setup and Interface
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Automatic Setup Wizard | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux, | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV |
| Main Location Selection | Map-based | List-based |
| Extra Settings Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Friendly | Yes | Yes |
NordVPN boasts a neat and clean appearance, across all their native apps. They boast a similar appearance with just a few design tweaks on different platforms and devices.
For instance, the Windows app launches by displaying a dynamic map. Whereas the Mac even offers the ability to select servers by region and country.
Both apps nevertheless offer a “specialty” panel, where you choose servers for specific tasks like getting a dedicated IP, indulging in p2p/file sharing, and enabling DoubleVPN.
Clicking on “Settings” will further provide you a list of features you can enable/disable. These include Invisibility on LAN, Internet Kill Switch, and the infamous CyberSec.
On the other hand, PureVPN utilizes a different design for their desktop and smaller-screen counterparts. The interface on Windows and Mac is larger and offers a myriad of options.
The best thing about PureVPN’s desktop apps though is that they are catered for rookie and expert users. You have plenty of configuration options helping techies get the desired security.
Conversely, rookies have the ability to leverage protection based on different modes like streaming, file sharing unblocking, browsing, etc. Select one that best suits your needs.
Mobile versions are more clutter-free but do not compromise on features. Similarly, browser extensions adopt a compact design, but can unblock Netflix directly within the browser!
Servers: PureVPN vs. NordVPN
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Server Countries | 58 | 140 |
| Total Number of Servers | 5,200+ | 2,000 |
NordVPN used to host the largest server network up till a few months ago. Now, CyberGhost takes the lead offering more than 5,700+ servers in over 90 countries worldwide.
As far as speeds are concerned, NordVPN is incredibly fast and barely suffers any downtimes. I experienced no trouble in streaming in Ultra HD or getting maximums speeds while torrenting.
PureVPV, on the other hand, offers 2,000+ servers. Although this count is lesser than NordVPN, they make up for it by adding servers in more than 140 countries around the world.
Speeds are also quite reasonable, touching the same averages as delivered by NordVPN. Both even successfully unblock streaming platforms and work in China.
Security: PureVPN vs. NordVPN
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| VPN Protocols | PPTP, L2TP, IKEv2, OpenVPN | PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, IKEv2, OpenVPN |
| OpenVPN Data Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| OpenVPN Control Channel Encryption | RSA-2048 | RSA-4096 |
| Cloaking Technology | Obfsproxy | None |
| Extra Protection | Double-Hop Routes and Onion over VPN | Split Tunneling and NAT Firewall |
| App Security | Kill Switch, Wi-Fi, DNS/WebRTC/ IP Leak Protection | Kill Switch and DNS/WebRTC/ IP Leak Protection |
| DNS Status | PrivateDNS | Private DNS |
NordVPN offers support for all updated protocols, including IKEV2, L2TP, and the industry-standard OpenVPN. It uses AES-256-CBC ciphers with HMAc SHA256 on the data channel.
For its control channel, NordVPN uses the same encryption and authentication above, with the inclusion of RSA-2048. Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) is setup using the strong DHE-4096 key exchange.
Their mobile apps, on the other hand, particularly iOS use IKEv2 with AES-256-GCM cipher and HMAC SHA2-384 data authentication. PFE is provided by a DHE-3075 exchange.
PureVPN, on the other hand, adds SSTP and IKEv2, to the list of supported protocols. SSTP is mostly used on Windows devices and IKEv2 is a useful addition for mobile devices.
It utilizes AES-256-CBC cipher with HMAC SHA1 hash authentication for the data channel and AES-256-CBC cipher with HMAC SHA384 hash authentication and RSA-4096 handshake encryption for the control channel.
If we talk about security overall though, PureVPN definitely tends to be stronger. Unlike NordVPN that was recently hacked, Pure is still secure from any such vulnerabilities.
Privacy
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Headquarters | Panama | British Virgin Islands |
| Connection Logs | None | None |
| Activity Logs | None | None |
| Sign Up Information | Email Address | Email Address |
| Anonymous Payment Methods | Monero, Dash, Gridcoin, Rpple, ZCaas, Ehterum, Litecoin, Bitcoin | Various Crpytocurrencies |
NordVPN and PureVPN both have their headquarters in safe jurisdictions, away from the prying eyes of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Alliances that indulge in Mass Surveillance.
Where NordVPN is located in the highly secure Panama, PureVPN has its HQ in British Virgin Islands. Both locations are free from mandatory data retention and invasive laws.
As such, you can expect them to be more defensive than those VPNs, located in the US, Canada, Australia, etc, which have to comply with gag orders and requests from the government.
With regards to anonymous payment methods, NordVPN accepts Monero, Dash, Gridcoin, Rpple, ZCaas, Ehterum, Litecoin, Bitcoin, and others, while PureVPN approves and adds more options to the list.
Configurations
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Address Allocation | Shared/Static | Shared/Static |
| Static IPs | 40+ Locations | 10+ Locations |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | None |
| NAT Firewall | Yes | Yes |
For configurations, NordVPN and PureVPN both support dynamic and static IP addresses. Where Nord offers more in the way of locations, Pure adds extra security features.
For instance, NordVPN supports dedicated IPs in more than 40+ locations around the world. PureVPN is currently only offering static IPs in 10+ locations and adds DDoS protection.
Dedicated IPs are available as an add-on, meaning you will have to pay extra for them, with features like DDoS protection costing you more.
Customer Service: PureVPN vs. NordVPN
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
| Video Guides | Yes | Yes |
| Searchable Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | No | No |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Average Email Response Time | 30 Minutes | 39 Minutes |
| Ticket Support | Yes | Yes |
| Live Chat Support | Yes | Yes |
Both (PureVPN Vs NordVPN) go the extra mile in offering customers amazing support for technical and general queries. They support live chat, email, and a ticket system.
At the same time, they offer a dedicated troubleshooting page along with FAQs for helping users receive instant support for their questions if the live chat is unavailable.
I even conducted a test on the response times from each provider on email support. The process included sending both providers four questions via email. See the statics for each VPN below:
NordVPN
| Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
| Does NordVPN work with Netflix? | 12 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| Is NordVPN good for Torrenting? | 40 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| What encryption does NordVPN use? | 38 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| How to activate NordVPN’s obfuscated servers? | 30 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
PureVPN
| Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
| Is PureVPN good for Torrenting? | 25 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| Does PureVPN work with Netflix? | 39 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| Can I Install PureVPN on LibreELEC | 50 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| How to setup PureVPN on Firestick? | 44 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
The Winner: PureVPN
There is no doubt that NordVPN is equally as good as PureVPN. Sadly, the recent scandal of it being hacked has resulted in it losing all its credibility and reputation.
This is why I recommend going for the much safer and reliable option, PureVPN, as it has never been hacked nor does it store logs (verified and audited by Altius IT).
The VPN is an all-rounder service that unblocks all popular VoDs, works in China, and offers amazing speeds for streaming and torrenting, all while being incredibly budget-friendly!
