Chrome extensions make life easy. No need to download large files. They free up your RAM and make you access to web apps with ease. Unfortunately, extensions can’t protect you from hackers, malware, and prying Internet spies.
The best tool to secure your connection as you use the Internet is a VPN. NordVPN, one of the largest and best-rated providers in the industry, has one of the most popular Chrome extensions. Here is a review of the virtual private network.
User Interface
A simple app design, the chrome extension is designed for ease of use. Once installed, the VPN shows you the nearest, most suitable server for you. If you don’t like the server location, you are asked to choose one from 62 countries. You can also set a few favorite locations for your convenience.
With a server location set, the VPN runs automatically to establish a stable connection. That’s it. You can then browse the Internet securely. However, more intuitive features are locked under the settings category. Find the details at the NordVPN review.
Whether you want to use the Tor browser or increase your security and customize the app, the settings feature makes things easy. You can search the best servers for p2p or set servers that obfuscate your address so that no one can know you are using a VPN.
Server Distribution
Panama-based, NordVPN boasts of 5,026 servers in 62 countries. In Australia, the top-rated vendor has 206 servers. A total of 162 servers are situated in Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong.
In Europe, you can use any of NordVPN’s 1000+ servers and an additional 537 located in the UK. US-based users have access to 1900+. Their dozens of servers in South America, India, and the Middle East as well.
With so many servers to choose from, you can browse the Internet securely irrespective of where you visit around the world. Some of the servers are obfuscated, meaning you can surf without anyone knowing you are using a virtual private network.
Security & Privacy
The VPN has an intuitive interface and lots of servers. Is it secure? NordVPN’s location in Panama guards it against interference with its services. The company does not keep logs. You can browse, download or do anything using the VPN with no security breach from the company.
Your IP address and DNS details are safe as long as you use NordVPN. Using a unique double encryption technique, your PC’s data is encrypted twice for better protection. The VPN uses 256-bit AES for encryption, which is the industry standard. In addition to AES-256, the Panama-based provider also uses IKEv2, a data encryption method that can’t be cracked.
For tunneling, the vendor uses OpenVPN. It’s secure and together with a kill-switch, ensures you are safe even if your Internet connection is disrupted.
Speed
When the NordVPN Chrome extension came out, critics opposed it claiming it was slow. Things have improved and almost every review about the provider appreciates its speedy connections. In the US, NordVPN exceeds speeds of 60 MBs for both downloads and uploads. The provider is faster in Europe where you can download files at speeds of up to 70MBPs.
In Asia and Africa, where most VPNs perform poorly in speed, NordVPN averages download speeds of 10MBPs. Compared to other clients; the Panama-based provider is conveniently fast. Only a few other vendors beat NordVPN in speeds. And in most cases, the companies lag behind in every other way.
Netflix & YouTube
NordVPN is hands down one of the best VPNs for unblocking Netflix and YouTube. The vendor’s Chrome extension doesn’t exactly claim it can unlock streaming services for you. But if you try unblocking content locked through geo-targeting, it works like a charm.
Where many VPNs are unable to unblock Netflix outside of the US, NordVPN unblocks the streaming network globally. Accessing YouTube is painless. BBC iPlayer is the hardest to unblock with most services. NordVPN unblocks the streaming channel with ease both in Europe and the US.
P2P File Sharing (Torrents)
Many VPNs tend to shy away from p2p services. Not NordVPN, which clearly gives you the option to customize servers for torrenting. The provider also has a feature for integrating the Onion Browser. You can also choose a dedicated IP address. If you want unparalleled security and anonymity, shared IP addresses are better.
With the option to obfuscate your connection and choose Torrent-friendly servers, NordVPN is the best provider for file sharing. The only competitor that nears its services is ExpressVPN, and it is slightly pricier.
Customer Support and Knowledgebase
The easiest way to contact NordVPN is through their live chat feature. You communicate with a real human being who quickly helps you out with any problems. If you prefer email contacts, you can reach out to the provider through support@nordvpn.com.
The availability of reliable support is important. You never know when you will need to speak with the VPN provider. Whether it’s to troubleshoot or any issue with payment, quick, support services are crucial in the industry. NordVPN is quick to help even where you need answers to questions in their Knowledge Base section.
Nord VPN Price Plans
VPNs keep changing their prices for promotions’ sake. At the time of writing, NordVPN charges $11.95 for a single month plan. The vendor’s best plan costs $88.88 for one year of services. You also have the option of paying for six months of services. All plans attract a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Are there cheaper VPNs? Yes, you can find cheap and free VPN extensions. Are they as good as NordVPN? In most cases, they are worse. The best VPN providers offer paid services. Considering that NordVPN provides all the services you would want, their plans are justifiable. To complete the payment, PayPal and credit cards are accepted. The company also accepts cryptocurrencies and a few more electronic payments.
To Conclude
If you love browser extensions, NordVPN offers a good solution to keep you secured as you use the Internet. The company is one of the most popular providers in the world. It ranks highly in reliability, security, speed, and customer support. It’s not the cheapest vendor but a highly recommended extension for your Chrome browser.
