PureVPN vs NordVPN (2023): Which is the Better Choice?

Last updated: January 8, 2024
William Sams
William Sams
Read this in-depth comparison guide of PureVPN Vs NordVPN from BestVPN.co and learn which provider emerges victorious!

purevpn-vs-nordvpn-comparison-in-USA

PureVPN vs NordVPN debate often pops up. Luckily, I have taken up the comparison of the two most widely popular VPN services available today in this blog.

To put it clearly, there’s not much difference between PureVPN and NordVPN. Both VPN services are based in VPN-friendly locations with NordVPN in Panama, and PureVPN in the British Virgin Islands. PureVPN subscribers can protect up to 10 devices at the same time, whereas NordVPN only allows 6 simultaneous device connections.

In terms of pricing, both VPNs have affordable monthly and yearly subscription plans. Additionally, NordVPN is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee while PureVPN offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

I’ll contrast PureVPN and NordVPN in terms of speed, functionality, security, compatibility with streaming services, and more. If you’re split between these two VPNs, then read on!

Which VPN is the Better Choice?

PureVPN is the Winner

NordVPN is the better choice because it offers unmatched connection speeds and an expansive server network of 6000 servers in 61 countries across the globe.

PureVPN vs NordVPN: Overview

NordVPN PureVPN
  1. 6000 servers in 61 countries
  2. AES-256-CBC Encryption
  3. 6 Simultaneous Connections
  4. Unblocks All Streaming Platforms
  5. Audited No Logs Policy
  1. 6500 servers in 78 countries
  2. Dedicated IPs available
  3. 10 Simultaneous Connections
  4. Apps for All Platforms/Devices
  5. Verified No Logs Policy (Audited)

NordVPN is the Winner!

Following are all the factors that make NordVPN the ultimate winner:

  • Logging Policy: Adheres to a strict no-logs policy
  • Connection Speed: Over 91 Mbps
  • Server Network: 6000 servers in 61 countries
  • Advanced Features: Onion over VPN, WireGuard, DNS leak protection, DoubleVPN, Next gen encryption, Threat Protection
  • Safe Jurisdiction: Panama
  • NordVPN Cost: US$ 3.99 /mo - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend
  • Customer Support: 24/7 chat support available

Pricing and Discounts: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: PureVPN

When it comes to pricing, PureVPN takes the trophy home. If we compare PureVPN’s subscription plans to NordVPN and other VPNs, they are still quite pocket-friendly. However, you do not get a PureVPN or NordVPN free trial. You can only leverage the money-back guarantee to test the service risk-free. You can check out NordVPN Free Trial in USA Guide.

NordVPN PureVPN
1-Month $11.99/mo $10.95/mo
1-Year $4.99/mo $3.24/mo
2-Year US$ 3.99 /mo - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend (+ 3 Months Free) US$ 3.29 /mo (24+3 Months Free)
5-Year $1.49/mo
Free Trial Unavailable Unavailable
Free Plan

Payment Methods

Winner: PureVPN

Although PureVPN and NordVPN accept common methods of payment including credit cards, PureVPN wins because it accepts slightly more payment methods.

Payment Method PureVPN NordVPN
Credit Card Yes Yes
Debit Card Yes Yes
PayPal Yes Yes
Alipay Yes Yes
Payza Yes Yes
Visa Yes Yes
Liberty Reserve Yes (on Credit/Debit card purchases) No
Crypto Currencies Yes Yes
AmazonPay Yes Yes
Google Pay Yes Yes
Mastercard Yes Yes
American Express Yes Yes

You can select from the following payment methods on NordVPN:

payment-methods-for-nordvpn-cost-in-USA

You can pay for NordVPN using any of the available payment methods.

For PureVPN, you can use any of the following payment methods:

payment-methods-for-purevpn-price-in-USA

Acceptable payment methods on PureVPN.

Refund Policy

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is the undisputed winner in this comparison because it comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee, whereas NordVPN lags behind with a 30-day refund guarantee.

Features: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Here’s a rundown on the most prominent NordVPN and PureVPN features:

NordVPN PureVPN
Jurisdiction Panama British Virgin Islands
Number Of Servers 6000 6500
Number Of Countries 61 78
Protocols IKEv2/IPsec, OpenVPN, NordLynx WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec protocols
Encryption  AES-256-GCM encryption algorithm with a 4096-bit DH key AES-encryption
Logs Policy Strict no-logs policy Strict no-logs policy
Simultaneous Connections 6 10
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
Dedicated IP Yes Yes
Kill Switch Yes Yes
DNS Leak Protection Yes Yes
Allows Torrenting Yes Yes
Torrenting Servers P2P-optimized servers available P2P-optimized servers available
SmartDNS Yes Yes

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 and NordVPN also offer a dedicated add-on for Kodi. PureVPN DNS leak tests were a success too, which suggests that PureVPN is a considerably secure VPN service.

NordVPN and PureVPN offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. But if we compare them both, I’d say NordVPN offers better security.

Their add-ons are also the only in the industry to unblock streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, MLB TV, 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.

Unblocking Capabilities: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN PureVPN
Netflix US, UK, Canada, Australia,
Japan, Netherlands
Germany, US
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. But NordVPN performed more consistently during my tests.

PureVPN, I recommend unblocking BBC iPlayer with PureVPN. It is not a reliable VPN to bypass the geo-restrictions on Netflix.

I am still waiting to test a VPN service that offers the same unblocking capabilities as NordVPN, particularly via their browser extension, as that is quite a unique selling point. With NordVPN, you can even get a list of “working” servers from the support team. However, I did test servers excluding those, and NordVPN still worked smoothly with many streaming services.

China

Since PureVPN has its headquarters in the 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.

NordVPN users in China can download NordVPN from here: http://nord-for-zh.com/

Torrenting: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: NordVPN
PureVPN NordVPN
Unlimited Bandwidth Yes Yes
Obfuscation Yes Yes
Leak Proof Yes Yes
Split Tunneling Yes Yes
Port Forwarding Yes (Add-on) No
Fast Speeds Fast Extremely fast

After having a thorough look at the features offered by PureVPN, you may also get answers to ‘Does PureVPN allow torrenting?‘ With dedicated high-speed servers optimized for P2P sharing, PureVPN offers robust encryption and privacy features, making it a top choice for torrent enthusiasts seeking security and anonymity while downloading their favorite content for streaming.

NordVPN and PureVPN offer unlimited bandwidth making them ideal for P2P streaming and torrenting. Additionally, you also get dedicated servers for downloading torrents. You can check out how to use PureVPN for different devices.

To ensure user privacy, NordVPN does not support the port-forwarding feature. However, NordVPN benefits from its uber-fast servers making it a better option for torrenting files.

Setup and Interface: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: Tie
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 its 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 with a list of features you can enable/disable. These include Invisibility on LAN, Internet Kill Switch, and the infamous CyberSec.

nordvpn-windows-app-interface-in-USA

NordVPN has a sleek app interface on all its apps.

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 to rookie and expert users. You have plenty of configuration options to help 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

Winner: Tie
NordVPN PureVPN
Server Countries 61 78
Total Number of Servers 6000 6500

NordVPN used to host the largest server network up till a few months ago. If we compare NordVPN and PureVPN, then PureVPN has a larger server network. Check out our detailed PureVPN review and NordVPN review for more details.

Speed Test: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: NordVPN

NordVPN is faster than PureVPN.

I tested on my 100 Mbps internet connection and used Ookla to determine each VPN’s speed. The NordVPN speed test shows that it rarely buffers. I experienced no trouble streaming in Ultra HD or getting maximum speeds while torrenting. When choosing a VPN, speed is an important factor.

However, PureVPN gives you the option to improve speeds by reducing the encryption to AES 128-bit from AES 256-bit. But I’d suggest gaming with NordVPN because it offers faster connection speeds.

I recorded super-fast connection speeds while connected to NordVPN:

nordvpn-speed-test-in-USA

NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs I have tested to date.

With PureVPN, I got the following connection speed:

purevpn-speed-test-results-on-ookla-in-USA

PureVPN delivers decent connection speeds on most of its servers.

I also tested the connection speed on different server locations and recorded the following:

NordVPN PureVPN
USA 88.48 Mbps 72.46 Mbps
UK 90.23 Mbps 82.31 Mbps
Germany 89.42 Mbps 87.22 Mbps
Australia 91.23 Mbps 76.43 Mbps

NordVPN and PureVPN speeds are excellent, but NordVPN performed faster in my speed tests.

Security: PureVPN vs NordVPN

Winner: 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 Available 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 set up using the strong DHE-4096 key exchange. NordVPN stands out as an excellent choice for those seeking the best VPN for dedicated IP.

Note: furthermore if you’re looking to enhance your online security on your Android device, NordVPN Android in USA offers robust protection. Learn how to set up NordVPN on your Android device in our comprehensive guide.

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. Despite the NordVPN scandal, NordVPN is still better in security.

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
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-dedicated IPs are available in some locations. PureVPN is currently only offering static IPs 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

Winner: Tie
NordVPN PureVPN
Video Guides Yes Yes
Searchable Knowledge Base  Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Average Email Response Time 30 Minutes 39 Minutes
Ticket Support Yes Yes
Live Chat Support Yes Yes

Both NordVPN and PureVPN have prompt customer support with a 24/7 chat support feature. Besides the real-time support, you will also find comprehensive how-to tutorials and troubleshooting guides on each VPN’s official website. Both VPN services 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 tested the live chat feature of PureVPN and NordVPN at different time intervals and got instant responses. You can also contact the support team any time and get quick fixes.

For PureVPN, I questioned about a server to stream different Netflix libraries and got a reply within a minute. The support agent asked me a few questions before suggesting the best possible solution. I tried the recommended solution and it worked.

purevpn-review-of-chat-support-agent-in-USA

PureVPN has an exceptional support team with sufficient knowledge.

For NordVPN support, I went for a general query and they responded almost immediately. I was connected to a live support agent who was extremely prompt with the response.

nordvpn-support-agent-in-USA

NordVPN has a prompt support team that instantly caters to your queries.

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

Rating

purevpn-logo-best-vpn-iplayer NordVPN_logo-best-vpn-bbc-iplayer
Features 3/5 4.5/5
Pricing 4.5/5 4/5
Ease of Use 3.5/5 4/5
Support & Reliability  5/5 5/5

 

FAQs

Is PureVPN better than NordVPN?

No, PureVPN is not better than NordVPN. It’s because NordVPN has better overall performance with a strong emphasis on security. Both, PureVPN and NordVPN are backed by unlimited bandwidth letting you engage in torrenting activities stress-free.

Is NordVPN worth the money?

Yes, NordVPN is definitely worth the money. It performs consistently well as a VPN, unlike many rivals that offer good performance in some departments. If you’re looking for a VPN that does everything well, then you should consider NordVPN.

Is NordVPN good for streaming?

Yes, NordVPN is good for streaming because it consistently and reliably unblocks many streaming services. The global server network also adds to its credibility as a good VPN for streaming.  

What are the cons of NordVPN?

Here are some cons of NordVPN:

  • Supports torrenting on some servers
  • Inconsistent speeds in Malaysia
  • Occasional slow app and server connections
  • Difficult OpenVPN configuration

Does NordVPN slow internet?

Yes, NordVPN slows down your internet speed. However, NordVPN does not impose bandwidth or speed limits no matter how many devices you connect to. You can expect a minimal connection drop whenever you connect to a VPN.

Why is PureVPN so slow?

PureVPN is generally slow because of the added layer of security, encryption, and protocols. You can try to speed up your VPN connection by connecting to a different server.

Is PureVPN good for Netflix?

No, PureVPN is not a reliable option to unblock Netflix as many of its servers are blocked by the platform. To successfully unblock Netflix, you need a premium VPN subscription like ExpressVPN to change your Netflix region and access geo-blocked content.

Is PureVPN legal?

Yes, PureVPN is legal. However, there are certain countries where VPN usage is banned and considered illegal, such as Turkey, China, and Russia.

The Winner: NordVPN

During PureVPN vs NordVPN NordVPN has earned itself a reputation in the VPN industry. Although PureVPN comes close to NordVPN encryption standards and other security features, it still has a long way to cover.

Military-grade encryption and even more secure protocols make NordVPN worth the money. Moreover, PureVPN’s no-logs claim is also verified and audited by Altius IT.

Additionally, NordVPN is an all-rounder service that unblocks all popular VoDs, works in China, and offers amazing speeds for streaming and torrenting, all while offering budget-friendly subscription packages.

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