VyprVPN vs NordVPN: A Close 2023 VPN Battle
NordVPN and VyprVPN are among the best VPNs on the market. If you’re looking to pick one over the other, we have you covered. In this fully updated VyprVPN vs NordVPN comparison, we pitted the two VPNs against each other to set them apart based on their strengths and weaknesses.
— Last Updated: 2023-01-26T16:19:05+00:00 Facts checked by Elisabeth Ivey
Our VyprVPN vs NordVPN comparison is reminiscent of a boxing fight between the big boys and smaller boxers. Often, you’d be tempted to declare the winner before the battle even begins. In this case, NordVPN looks like a clear favorite, as was the case in our last NordVPN vs VyprVPN matchup. However, sometimes the minnows can shock the heavy-hitters.
There’s no denying that NordVPN is an industry titan. It has almost everything, from tons of features to top-notch security to competitive pricing, as you can read in our NordVPN review. However, we have a few concerns with it, like the recent server breach.
Key Takeaways:
- NordVPN delivers better performance than VyprVPN on fronts like connection speed, features, streaming, server locations and torrenting.
- However, the two VPN providers are an equal match when it comes to security and privacy, as well as customer support.
- Overall, VyprVPN comes in a distant second, but it doesn’t go down without a fight. It offers configurable security and is more user-friendly than NordVPN.
VyprVPN is also powerful in its own right, as you can read in our VyprVPN review. The VPN provider has leaped into the best VPN providers list with recent updates. That means our NordVPN vs VyprVPN matchup might not be clear cut anymore.
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10/12/2021 Facts checked
Redone comparison with up-to-date features, pricing and test results.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| $5 / month(All Plans) 30-days money-back guarantee | $3.49 / month(All Plans) 30-days money-back guarantee | |
| Review | Review | |
| General | ||
| Payment methods | PayPal, Credit card | PayPal, Credit card, Google Pay, AmazonPay, ACH Transfer, Cash |
| Accepts cryptocurrency | ||
| Simultaneous connections | 30 | 6 |
| Supports split tunneling | on mobile devices | |
| Unlimited bandwidth | ||
| Free trial available | 7 days on mobile | |
| Refund period | ||
| Worldwide server amount | 700+ in 60 countries | 5,000 servers in 59 countries |
| Desktop OSes | Windows, MacOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux |
| Mobile OSes | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
| Browser extensions | Chrome | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
| Can be installed on routers | ||
| Streaming | ||
| Can access Netflix US | ||
| Can access BBC iPlayer | ||
| Can access Hulu | ||
| Can access Amazon Prime Video | ||
| Security | ||
| Encryption types | 256-AES | 256-AES, ChaCha20 |
| VPN protocols available | OpenVPN, Chameleon, IKEv2, WireGuard | OpenVPN, IKEv2, NordLynx |
| Enabled at device startup | ||
| Allows torrenting | ||
| No-logging policy | ||
| Passed DNS leak test | ||
| Killswitch available | ||
| Malware/ad blocker included | on mobile devices | |
| Support | ||
| Live Chat | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Email support | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Phone support | ||
| User forum | ||
| Knowledgebase |
Overall, VyprVPN isn’t better than NordVPN. However, it tops NordVPN in some categories like user-friendliness. It also matches NordVPN performance in aspects such as security and customer support.
No, VyprVPN isn’t better than ExpressVPN. Its connection speed is sluggish, whereas ExpressVPN offers the fastest connection speed on the market.
In its own right, VyprVPN is a good VPN. It has a nice set of features, top-notch security and privacy and excellent customer support. It is a little pricey, though.
NordVPN isn’t the best VPN — ExpressVPN is. However, NordVPN doesn’t lag far behind, with equal performance on aspects such as features, security and privacy and user-friendliness. It also has a slight edge over ExpressVPN when it comes to torrenting and pricing.
VyprVPN vs NordVPN Comparison
Before our contenders enter the fray, we have to lay down the rules.
This is a nine-round bout, each focusing on an aspect of VPN performance. The winner of each round earns a point, and if a tie occurs, both VPNs get a point. The overall winner will be the VPN with the most points at the end of the ninth round.
Let the battle begin.
- 1
- : PayPal, Credit card
- : 30
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- 2
- : PayPal, Credit card, Google Pay, AmazonPay, ACH Transfer, Cash
- : 6
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Average speedDownload Speed92 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency3 ms
1. Speed
In our last NordVPN vs VyprVPN comparison, both providers had several issues. While NordVPN delivered fast connections, inconsistency across locations dragged it down. VyprVPN, on the other hand, had decent speeds, but inconsistency was rampant over distant servers.
This time around, both NordVPN vs VyprVPN seems to have smoothed the rough edges, thanks to their updated VPN protocols. The new NordLynx protocol has significantly improved NordVPN’s connection speeds and mitigated the pesky inconsistencies. VyprVPN now uses WireGuard protocol out of the box but recommends its proprietary Chameleon protocol.
NordVPN vs VyprVPN Speed Test Results
We did a batch of speed tests using various protocols to get a sense of how the two VPN providers compare on the speed front. To keep everything fair, we did the first speed test using the OpenVPN-UDP combination for both services.
Our speed tests suggest that NordVPN has faster download speeds and better latency than VyprVPN. However, VyprVPN claims an unexpected edge over NordVPN, thanks to its slightly faster upload speeds, but these results don’t tell the whole story.
Unlike in our previous comparison, NordVPN speeds are pretty consistent. The case is different for VyprVPN, though, as our results show a degree of inconsistency. Besides that, both providers show a direct correlation between connection speeds and distance. In other words, geographically close servers seem to post the fastest speeds.
NordLynx is more than five times faster than the Chameleon protocol on the download front. NordLynx exceeded our unprotected speeds when connecting to the U.K. and Brazil servers, which is super impressive. It also delivers nearly two times faster upload speeds than Chameleon.
Going by the results from both sets of speed tests, NordVPN is the undisputed winner in this category.
2. Features
When you look at NordVPN and VyprVPN through the lens of must-have VPN features, there’s little to separate them. The two providers have all the core features, including a kill switch, split tunneling, public WiFi protection and startup automation options. Their subtle differences manifest in how these features work and the availability of advanced tools.
To help you decide which service best suits your needs, we delve into some of the essential features.
Internet Connection Kill Switch
We’re glad that both NordVPN and VyprVPN have kill switches in their arsenals. A kill switch automatically disconnects the entire device from the internet when the VPN connection drops. Both services let you designate whether to apply this to the entire system, or just select apps (NordVPN calls the latter “app kill”).
Split Tunneling
Split tunneling lets you choose which apps go through the VPN and which go unprotected. NordVPN allows you to use the split tunneling on Android, Windows and Android TV, sidelining Mac and iOS users. VyprVPN, on the other hand, offers features on Mac and Android devices. The option is labeled as “connection per app.”
Additional Features
As far as advanced features go, NordVPN has more options than VyprVPN. The biggest standouts are its specialty servers, but we’ll go into more detail on those later. It also features CyberSec, a malware and ad blocker available on both desktop and mobile devices.
Beyond that, there’s a dark web monitor for Android, iOS and macOS operating systems. The tool looks over the dark web marketplace for data linked with your email address. If it finds any, it alerts you promptly so you can take action to avert potential cyberattacks.
Though VyprVPN doesn’t have an ad blocker, it comes with a malware blocker to thwart phishing attempts and other cyberattacks. Unfortunately, the blocker is only available on Mac and Android devices.
These two top providers are a match for each other on the sheer number of features. Their insufficiencies — such as failing to provide split tunneling on all platforms — are familiar themes for both services.
However, NordVPN has a slender advantage because of its advanced tool set, and for that reason, it claims the point in this round. Read our Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison to see how the winner stacks up against Surfshark.
3. Pricing
To get the complete picture of how the two VPN services compare on this front, you have to consider a few aspects, namely:
- Length of available plans
- Price per plan
- Payment options
- Free trials
- Refund policy
NordVPN has three pricing plans: one-month, one-year and two-year subscriptions, whereas VyprVPN has just a monthly and yearly plan.
On the monthly side of things, NordVPN sets you back $11.95 and is in the same echelon as ExpressVPN, which costs a dollar more (read our ExpressVPN review). You can bring the cost down to $4.92 per month on a one-year subscription or $3.71 per month on the two-year plan.
VyprVPN is fairly priced in the VPN world, with its one-month plan costing $10. It gets cheaper on the yearly plan too. The one-year plan costs $60 and works out to $5 per month.
NordVPN and VyprVPN Money-Back Guarantee Policies
The bad news: neither VyprVPN nor NordVPN offer a free trial. If you are interested in trying a free VPN, be sure to check out our best free VPN services roundup.
The good news is that you can take the VPNs for a spin risk-free, thanks to their 30-day money-back guarantees.
As for the payment options, NordVPN accepts all forms of payments, including straight-up cash. You can pay via credit cards, prepaid cards, PayPal, cryptocurrency, Sofort, iTunes, Google Pay and AmazonPay. On the other hand, VyprVPN accepts PayPal and credit cards only.
While VyprVPN is fairly priced, it’s still more expensive than NordVPN on its long-term plan. For this reason, we give the accolade to NordVPN.
4. Security & Privacy
In this round, we look at the VPN protocols and encryption each VPN uses and what kind of track record they have with leaks or other lapses in security. Additionally, we comb through each VPN’s privacy policies to see if anything sneaky might be hidden in the fine print.
VPN Protocols
Your internet traffic is only as secure as the VPN protocol and encryption you use. The OpenVPN and AES-256 combination is the gold standard. It guarantees top-notch security and is an option with both VyprVPN and NordVPN. However, neither of the providers use it as the default VPN protocol.
NordVPN now supports the proprietary NordLynx (a version of WireGuard) and ChaCha20 encryption as the default combination on Android, iOS, Mac and Windows devices. Though it’s relatively new, WireGuard is just as secure as OpenVPN, but it handles network changes better and is faster on mobile.
Beyond NordLynx, OpenVPN is available on all platforms, with an option to set up UDP and TCP connections. Lastly, NordVPN allows you to use IKEv2 on iOS and Mac devices. OpenVPN and IKEv2 use AES-256-GCM encryption.
Out of the box, VyprVPN uses WireGuard plus ChaCha20 encryption to create a secure VPN tunnel for your internet traffic. However, you can still manually configure that to either IKEv2, OpenVPN (UDP option only) or the proprietary Chameleon protocol. IKEv2 isn’t available on Android apps. The three use AES-256-CBC as the encryption protocol.
What Is VyprVPN Chameleon?
The Chameleon protocol is a modified version of OpenVPN that helps mask your internet traffic so that websites or firewalls cannot tell that you are using a VPN. The Chameleon technology is great for accessing geoblocked content and even makes VyprVPN one of the best VPN services for China (though NordVPN works in China, too).
VyprVPN vs NordVPN No Logs Policies
VyprVPN has a strict no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t collect, store or share user data, connection logs, IP addresses or connection timestamps. NordVPN has a no-logs policy, too. However, as per Nord’s privacy policy, the provider gathers your access logs (IP address, operating system and browser type) to improve service delivery.
The good thing is that both providers are based in countries with the most privacy-friendly laws. NordVPN is based in Panama, whereas VyprVPN’s parent company — Golden Frog — is based in Switzerland.
That said, NordVPN isn’t without a stain on its privacy reputation. The provider suffered a server breach in 2018, casting doubt on its privacy claim. Thankfully, NordVPN investigated the vulnerability and snuffed it out swiftly to prevent further damage.
Both providers have the makings of the most secure VPN. Even though NordVPN suffered a server breach some years back, it responded quickly to keep its privacy profile intact. We can tell you that NordVPN is safe to use and the breach doesn’t give VyprVPN an advantage. For these reasons, we declare a tie.
5. Streaming
Both NordVPN and VyprVPN are among the best VPN for streaming. They have server locations in popular streaming hubs like the U.K. and U.S. Besides that, they both offer unlimited bandwidth and uncapped data to help you binge-watch movies and TV shows. However, their streaming performance differs widely due to the variation in their connection speeds.
Supported Streaming Services
NordVPN has always been a streaming giant, and the NordLynx server has enhanced its performance. It gets you into streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Hulu. The only quibble is that sometimes you have to switch between servers to find one that’s optimal, especially over longer distances.
Once you get past that hurdle, videos load as if they were local sessions, thanks to NordLynx’s excellent download speeds.
On the other hand, VyprVPN is a mixed bag. It beats NordVPN in that it gets you into popular streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and Netflix on the first attempt. However, videos take a while to load and the picture quality is poor. Plus, buffering is a big issue when streaming movies on BBC iPlayer.
The two providers are pretty adept at accessing geoblocked content on popular streaming platforms. In that regard, they are an equal match. What tips the odds in NordVPN’s favor is its stellar download speeds. The provider delivers a buffer-free streaming experience and for that reason, we give the streaming accolade to NordVPN.
6. Torrenting
On paper, NordVPN has a leg up on VyprVPN when it comes to torrenting. It has peer-to-peer (P2P) servers optimized for torrenting and excellent speeds — the perfect combination for digital pirates. VyprVPN, by contrast, doesn’t have specific servers for torrenting. Instead, it relies on its regular VPN servers to get the job done.
Does NordVPN’s advantage translate to a better performance than VyprVPN? We ran torrenting tests using NordLynx and Chameleon protocols to settle the contest.
NordVPN Vs VyprVPN Torrenting Speed
NordVPN’s P2P servers proved to be the best for torrenting. They got up to speed quickly and reached a maximum speed of 0.76 MB per second. The 1GB test file took 50 minutes to download.
VyprVPN took twice as long to get the job done. It started slowly but gathered steam quickly to reach top speeds of 0.37 MB per second. Its slow speeds played a part in the sluggish performance, and the file took 101 minutes.
| VPN service: | Top speed | Download time |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | 0.76 Mbps | 50 minutes |
| VyprVPN | 0.37 Mbps | 101 minutes |
Considering we’re using a 3 Mbps internet connection, that performance is the fastest we’ve seen with any VPN and proves that NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. The P2P servers delivered faster torrenting performance than VyprVPN; thus, it takes the point in this category.
7. Server Locations
We evaluated each VPN service through the lens of server count and geographical server spread. A wide server distribution gives you more country-specific IP addresses to unblock geoblocked content. Plus, a bigger server count makes finding a server with an optimal load for excellent performance easier.
NordVPN is the undisputed winner when it comes to the server count. The provider offers over 5,200 VPN servers spread across different regions in the world. The servers are physical, or bare metal. In other words, they are physically located in the exact location of the IP address they assign to you. Read our virtual server vs physical server article to learn more.
VyprVPN offers over 700 servers, which is scant by the VPN industry standards. However, it provides over 300,000 IP addresses to make up for the small server network. Unlike NordVPN, the VyprVPN server network has virtual and physical servers.
Global VPN Server Coverage
There’s a degree of parity here as both VPN providers offer IP addresses in 60 countries. However, NordVPN has a slight edge when it comes to server locations, with 82 compared to VyprVPN’s 73.
| Server Locations: | NordVPN | VyprVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 39 | 30 |
| Asia | 11 | 14 |
| Americas | 23 | 17 |
| Oceania | 6 | 5 |
| Africa | 1 | 2 |
| Middle East | 2 | 5 |
| Total: | 82 | 73 |
NordVPN Dedicated IP Servers
In addition to the regular servers, NordVPN comes with specialty servers, namely:
- Double VPN servers, which route your traffic through two servers
- P2P servers that are optimized for excellent P2P sharing performance
- Onion Over VPN servers combine the power of VPN with the Tor network to deliver a high level of online security
- Obfuscated servers hide the fact that you’re using a VPN to bypass internet censorship
Even though the specialty servers aren’t available in all server locations, they give NordVPN an insurmountable advantage over VyprVPN. Not to mention, NordVPN gives you access to its dedicated IP servers, albeit at an extra cost.
By and large, this is arguably one of the clear-cut categories in our comparison. NordVPN offers over 4,500 more servers than VyprVPN and is the clear global server coverage winner with over 80 server locations. It also offers dedicated IP servers — an offer unavailable with VyprVPN. For these reasons, we declare NordVPN the winner.
8. User-Friendliness
In this round, we delve into the somewhat subjective realm of user experience. We’ll look at the layout of each service and how that simplifies usability — or makes it difficult.
We begin on a positive note. Both NordVPN and VyprVPN have intuitive user interfaces devoid of technical jargon. While both services offer a seamless experience, the VyprVPN client is more streamlined and easier to use than NordVPN.
The app features a very basic home screen with a blue “connect” button, a large shield that indicates your connection status and a “settings” menu in the footer. Everything is laid out on a white world map, which turns purple when you connect.
Tinkering with VyprVPN settings is a straightforward affair. The configuration options under the “customize” tab are clearly labeled, so there’s no fuffing around trying to turn on the kill switch, enable public WiFi protection, toggle auto-reconnect or change the VPN protocol.
NordVPN, by contrast, has a large home screen (more than two times the size of VyprVPN) with two distinct areas. The visually engaging world map on the right makes choosing a server location as easy as clicking the blue dots. However, if you can’t trace your preferred server location on the map, there’s a server list on the left to help you out.
The touch of a button activates the NordVPN setting options like kill switch, split tunneling and startup options. Most of the options are clearly labeled, but there are a few exceptions. For example, the option to change protocol is hidden under the “auto-connect” tab, making it hard to find.
VPN Service Mobile Apps
The NordVPN mobile app is a trimmed-down version of the desktop counterpart. The Android app provides commonplace features like split tunneling, kill switch and auto-connect options. In addition, it offers a few standout features, like the ad-blocking tool. The iOS app doesn’t provide the split tunneling and kill switch.
The VyprVPN mobile app mirrors the intuitiveness and feature set of the desktop version. On top of that, the Android offers a few extras like split tunneling and a malware blocker, two features missing on the desktop app. The iOS app sports a near-identical feature set, but doesn’t offer the split tunneling features.
Browser Extensions
NordVPN offers a VPN extension for Chrome and Firefox. However, the browser extensions aren’t as feature-rich as the other NordVPN apps. They only provide WebRTC protection, an ad blocker and a URL split tunneling. Thankfully, they allow you to connect to all NordVPN server locations. VyprVPN offers a browser extension for Chrome only and it’s still in beta version.
Simultaneous Connections
As far as simultaneous connections go, VyprVPN is the clear winner, with up to 30 simultaneous connections. With NordVPN, you can only connect up to six devices simultaneously.
We couldn’t find any conspicuous aspect in terms of user-friendliness to separate the two top VPN providers. VyprVPN surged ahead as the simultaneous connections winner, whereas the mobile apps further cemented that advantage. NordVPN couldn’t keep up, even with its superior browser extensions. As a result, VyprVPN claimed the overall crown.
9. Customer Support
Customer support with VyprVPN and NordVPN is an excellent experience. If you encounter a minor issue when using either VPN, there are multiple self-service options. NordVPN has a knowledgebase that offers FAQs, VPN setup tutorials and general information articles about its features.
VyprVPN also has a well-organized knowledgebase, but it also offers a user forum — an option not available with NordVPN. It’s not the most active forum, but there are many helpful discussions and replies from VyprVPN users.
If you can’t find solutions from the self-service option, NordVPN and VyprVPN let you escalate the issue to the customer support team via live chat or email support. The live chat is the fastest channel for both providers, but NordVPN has a slight advantage, thanks to its chatbot.
Unfortunately, neither VPN company offers phone support.
VyprVPN came out on top as the multi-platform support winner, thanks to its user forum. However, NordVPN canceled that advantage with a chatbot to send the round into a tie.
The Verdict: NordVPN vs VyprVPN
That’s it for our comprehensive NordVPN vs VyprVPN comparison. NordVPN claims the overall title with eight points, compared to VyprVPN’s tally of three. The final score is a fair reflection of the bout, and NordVPN’s victory isn’t hollow like in our last comparison.
NordVPN won the categories that matter, namely: speed, features, streaming, torrenting and server locations. However, VyprVPN gave NordVPN a run for its money in some of these categories. It also matched NordVPN’s performance in the security and privacy category, proving that it’s not a pushover. You can try both providers risk-free with their 30-day money-back guarantees.
What do you think of our NordVPN vs VyprVPN comparison? Have you used either of these VPN services before? Is there a category in which you believe either VPN provider deserved more credit? We’d like to hear about it. As always, thanks for reading.
