Comparison of PureVPN vs NordVPN 2021

Winner: NordVPN

PureVPN vs NordVPN – Well there’s not much that differentiates PureVPN and NordVPN from each other. These providers rank high in terms of performance and features.

A question that often asked by internet users that which one is better PureVPN or NordVPN?

To make it easier for you to distinguish all the differences between both the contenders, I’ve created plenty of tables with useful information. So you can decide according to your requirements.

Setting up a fight: PureVPN vs NordVPN

To find the winner, we have tested both PureVPN and NordVPN on a side-by-side comparison. Both the VPNs have competed on the following criteria:

NordVPN is the winner!

Here are all the factors which make NordVPN better than PureVPN.

• Logging: NordVPN keeps no logs
• Speed:  91 Mbps
• Servers: 5500+ servers in 59+ countries
• Features: CyberSec, WireGuard, Onion over VPN, DoubleVPN
• Jurisdiction: Panama (safe jurisdiction)
• Price: $3.30/mo
• Support: 24/7 Live Chat

A Quick Comparison of PureVPN and NordVPN

To find out which one offers better value for money in this PureVPN and NordVPN comparison, I’ve created a brief table below with all the major differentiating features. Check it out and you’ll know exactly which VPN is right for you.

Detailed Comparison

if we talk about presence, PureVPN is obviously much more renowned than NordVPN. After all, while PureVPN debuted in 2007, NordVPN made its presence in the VPN industry sometime in 2012.

As we speak, both providers are quite renowned because of their overall performance. If you’re interested in reading more in-depth information about these VPNs then I would suggest that you should go for PureVPN review and NordVPN review.

1. Pricing Plans: NordVPN vs. PureVPN

Result: PureVPN is slightly cheaper than NordVPN

PureVPN – It costs $3.33/mo whereas NordVPN is priced at $3.30/mo. Both providers are reasonably priced considering the vast range of features they offer. However, if you get into the nitty-gritty, PureVPN is a bit cheaper than NordVPN.

Even if you compare the best plans of both providers, PureVPN is around $0.38 cheaper. Therefore, PureVPN is the winner in this round due to the lower cost. However, if you compare it with other VPNs, both are very affordable.

View our VPN comparison chart for 2021 to check out other budget-friendly VPNs.

Payment Methods & Refund Policy

PureVPN – It accepts a larger variety of payment options. PureVPN also accepts slightly more payment options than NordVPN, including Credit cards, Alipay, cryptocurrencies, and more. It also offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

NordVPN – On the other hand, accepts Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and even ACH transfer. Overall, PureVPN is slightly better. Similarly, NordVPN has a validity of 30 days – just one day short.

2. Speed Results

Result: NordVPN is slightly faster than PureVPN as per my testing.

NordVPN and PureVPN delivered good connection speeds, but NordVPN was faster in comparison. To test the speed of both services, I used Ookla’s speed test tool and my 100 Mbps base internet connection.

Speed Test #1 USA server

On its US server, NordVPN gave a download speed of 93.5 Mbps and an equally good upload speed of 94.92 Mbps. Therefore, my connection speeds were barely degraded at all with NordVPN.

Next up, we ran the speed test while connected to the Miami – United States server of PureVPN. This time it managed to deliver a download speed of 51.67 Mbps and an upload speed of 65.42 Mbps with very high pings at about 299 ms.

Speed Test #2 UK server

On the UK server, NordVPN gave a download speed of 92.84 Mbps and an upload speed of 97.67 Mbps with 265 ms pings. Pings were quite high as compared to other locations.

Similarly, on the London-UK server, PureVPN performed a bit better as compared to the US server, as it delivered a download speed of 74.59 Mbps and80.09 Mbps upload speed. This time the ping maxed out at just 128 ms.

Speed Test #3 Australia server

On the Australian server, NordVPN again managed a consistent download and upload speed of 91 Mbps and pings were about 131 ms. Therefore, it performed quite well.

Similarly, PureVPN delivered a speed of 76.75 Mbps on its Australian server which was better as compared to other server locations. The upload speeds (86.84 Mbps) were again higher than the download speed.

You can also check out our PureVPN speed test and NordVPN speed test for more details.

3. Unblocking Strength: NordVPN or PureVPN

Result: NordVPN has excellent unblocking capabilities as compared to PureVPN. 

4. Setup and Interface: NordVPN and PureVPN

Result: Both PureVPN and NordVPN have a great app interface and easy setup. 

NordVPNs app covers a lot of space on the desktop because it offers two options to select the server locations i.e. users can search the desired location by typing, or use the map to select the server location instantly. The mobile application also features a similar map, proportional to the mobile screen, which is very different from other VPNs.

PureVPN also offers a user-friendly app interface for a variety of devices. Its apps are lightweight and clutter-free which makes it easier to use and navigate around.

You can easily select the server location you want to connect to from the side menu or connect to any of the recommended servers. Overall, PureVPNs apps are quite good with a lot of white space, but some functionalities and features lack explanation for a better understanding of its users.

5. Servers in Countries

Result: NordVPN has 5500+ servers in 59 countries whereas PureVPN has 6500+ servers in 140+ countries.

NordVPN has a larger cluster of servers, PureVPN holds the advantage of covering significantly more ground in terms of server locations. However, many servers in PureVPN’s network are virtual, whereas NordVPN exclusively uses physical servers (to the best of my knowledge).

6. Features: NordVPN and PureVPN

Result: NordVPN offers more features as compared to NordVPN. 

NordVPN Feature 

NordVPN offers a lot of features as it is equipped with CyberSec (ad/website blocker), DoubleVPN (multi-hopping), and Onion over VPN. Similarly, the NordVPNs kill switch is very advanced as it offers two different modes:

• Enable kill switch to cut off the internet connection at the system level in case the VPN connection drops.
• Enable kill switch to cut off the connection of selected apps in case the VPN connection drops.

Another great feature of NordVPN is that it has dedicated servers for different uses:

• Obfuscated servers come in handy if you want to bypass restrictions and get around blocks.
• Double VPN servers that pass your online traffic through two VPN servers for maximum security.
• P2P servers for torrenting and file-sharing.
• Tor-over-VPN for an added layer of security on Tor network.

NordVPN also offers a CyberSec feature that is an adblocker and malware detector. It boosts your loading speeds as it blocks ads, trackers, phishing sites, malware, and more.

PureVPN Features

PureVPN on the other hand also offers a variety of features including split tunneling. It creates a two-way tunnel, so you can have both encrypted and unencrypted traffic. It also offers an Internet Kill Switch for extra security. However, it doesn’t include an ad-blocker like NordVPN.

7. Streaming & Torrenting: NordVPN vs. PureVPN

Result: Both providers are equally good for streaming & torrenting.

Streaming: PureVPN vs NordVPN

PureVPN and NordVPN are efficient VPNs for unblocking popular SVoD services around the world.

PureVPN – It is one of the best VPN for efficient unblocking of popular streaming services and works with Netflix US, Germany as well as other streaming platforms. Best of all, PureVPN has a built-in mode dedicated to streaming. With PureVPN, you can unblock Hulu, Plex, Disney+, and more.

NordVPN – It can unblock multiple Netflix content libraries including the US, UK, and more as you can see in NordVPN vs TorGuard comparison. It instantly unblocked US Netflix from abroad within seconds. In addition, it efficiently bypasses geo-restrictions on BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, and many more.

Torrenting: NordVPN vs PureVPN

Both providers offer many p2p-optimized servers. Coupled with the fact that PureVPN and NordVPN are based in safe jurisdictions with good logging policies and fast download speeds, both of these VPNs can be trusted to offer secure torrenting sessions.

NordVPN Torrenting – NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting because of its fast-speed servers and safer jurisdiction. During our testing, NordVPN managed to deliver good download and upload speeds for torrenting. You can also enable NordVPNs kill switch for added protection.

PureVPN Torrenting – PureVPN supports torrenting on most of its servers. However, you won’t be able to download torrents with server locations like UK and USA because of strict anti-torrenting laws in these locations. PureVPN does offer leak protection to make sure none of your activity gets leaked.

In terms of speed, PureVPN offered a good download speed of 8.5 Mbps which was faster than NordVPN.

If you need extra protection, you can utilize killswitch that is featured in both NordVPN and PureVPN apps. This will ensure that your identity remains hidden and doesn’t leak through the private tunnel in case a connection drop occurs. Therefore, both VPNs are excellent for torrenting.

8. PureVPN vs NordVPN: Security & Encryption

Result: Both providers use strong encryption and VPN protocols to guard user privacy/security from online threats. But NordVPN is the winner as it also offers WireGuard protocol. 

PureVPN– It uses AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, IKEv2, and SSTP protocols for VPN tunneling. In addition, it utilizes RSA-4096 keys for handshakes. The VPN is also equipped with a kill switch that instantly cuts your internet connection in case of interruptions in the VPN session.

NordVPN – It uses OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocol. For encryption, it also uses AES-256. It also offers a kill switch as a protection against accidental identity leaks. Overall, both providers are nearly identical when it comes to security. However, NordVPN takes the lead by offering the WireGuard protocol that is better than OpenVPN. 

Leak Protection

Both PureVPN and NordVPN offer IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection. Both VPNs passed the leak test without leaking any information whatsoever. I conducted DNS leak testing on dnsleaktest.com and the results were amazing. NordVPN comes with built-in leak protection and did not leak any information when we tested it on its US server:

Similarly, we also performed DNS leak tests on PureVPN to see if it leaks any data. As you can see from the image below, PureVPN protected the real DNS address and showed the French server DNS that was connected during the testing. Therefore, we did not identify any leaks with both NordVPN and PureVPN. 

Security Audits

PureVPN’s no logs policy was audited back in 2019. However, keep in mind that they provided information and user logs to the FBI for solving the case of a cyberstalker from Newton, Massachusetts back in 2017. Therefore, it raises red flags.

Unlike PureVPN, NordVPN has been audited three times by PWC in 2019, and 2020. It also underwent an audit for its application and infrastructure conducted by VerSprite.

Server Security

NordVPN servers are running on RAM-disk mode and on physical hardware, meaning they dont have any virtual server, thus offering maximum privacy and security. NordVPN is also one of the few VPNs in the industry with colocated servers (self-owned), meaning it doesn’t use any third-party or rented servers like PureVPN.

PureVPN, on the other hand, does not use RAM-mode for its servers, and most of its servers run on virtual hardware.

9. Device Compatibility

Result: Both NordVPN and PureVPN offer great app compatibility. 

In terms of device compatibility, both NordVPN and PureVPN are highly compatible with various operating systems and platforms. Both offer dedicated apps for various devices. NordVPN can be used on various platforms including Windows, Smart TVs, routers, PS4, Roku, Firestick, and Kodi. It also offers Chrome and Firefox extensions, so you can use NordVPN on your browser.

While PureVPN allows 10 simultaneous connections on a single subscription, NordVPN on the other hand only supports 6 multi-logins. Both PureVPN and NordVPN offer dedicated apps for Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and more. You can also configure both VPNs on routers. Similarly, you can also set up PureVPN on Roku, Kodi, and Firestick. Other highly compatible VPNs include IPVanish and ExpressVPN.

10. Logging policy

Result: NordVPN has a better and verified logging policy, including a clean slate. 

Does PureVPN keep logs?– It is located in Hong Kong, a location that has no mandatory data retention laws for ISPs/VPNs to follow. Nor is Hong Kong a part of the Five Eyes, a group of domestic intelligence-sharing countries. PureVPN has an overall good logging policy and keeps no records of user activities or connections.

PureVPN logging user data for FBI

However, PureVPN has a bad history of logging user data for state agencies. Back in 2017, PureVPN helped the FBI to catch a cyberstalker. In the FBI case report, it was revealed that PureVPN kept user logs that were used by the FBI to catch the criminal. According to the report, PureVPN logged the real IP address of the criminal, which goes against their privacy policy that claims “You are invisible.”

Does NordVPN keep logs?– It is based in an even safer jurisdiction i.e. Panama. The country has laws that respect individual privacy. Furthermore, the logging policy of NordVPN refrains from storing any personally identifiable information relating to their customers. It has no privacy issues in the past like PureVPN.

Jurisdiction is very important when you are deciding on a VPN for yourself. You don’t want to purchase a VPN provider like Private Internet Access, which is operating from the US, and risk your online privacy and data. Speaking of PIA, even though it is a competitive VPN provider on many levels with ExpressVPN, due to its jurisdiction, it is not a favorite. Check out how it performs against top-tier VPN in ExpressVPN vs PIA

11. Customer Support

Result: Customer support is an area where both PureVPN and NordVPN excel remarkably.

Both providers offer support through live chat and have a good response time. In addition, you can also forward your complaints and queries to the support team of either provider through emails.

PureVPN – It has strong customer support as they also offer a live chat feature. You can contact them any time and get a response from their support team. As a test, I asked PureVPN customer support about the best server to use for watching U.S. Netflix, and they immediately replied.

NordVPN – NordVPN also offers great customer support like PureVPN as it is fast and 24/7. We tried NordVPNs live chat feature and got a response within 3 seconds which was amazing. The response was not automated at all. Here is a screenshot:

FAQs

Which one offers the better value: NordVPN or PureVPN?

To see which one offers a better value for your money, let’s compare both NordVPN and PureVPN on three key VPN characteristics that are: speed, security, and privacy. In terms of these factors, NordVPN comes as a winner because:

• NordVPN is faster than PureVPN
• NordVPN offers more security features and protocols
• NordVPN is more secure in terms of privacy as it doesn’t have any history aiding government agencies and providing them with valuable user data like in the case of PureVPN.

Based on these three big criteria, NordVPN offers more value as compared to PureVPN.

Final Verdict: NordVPN is the Winner

NordVPN is the winner in this comparison. Even though NordVPN and PureVPN came to a tie in multiple categories, NordVPN still managed to outshine PureVPN.

This was an extremely intense competition and both providers are equally effective in most departments. However, it is the lower cost of PureVPN that ultimately gives it an edge over NordVPN.

But make no mistake, PureVPN is every bit as good as NordVPN, especially with its cool features like Open VPN, Internet kill switch, and a wide server network. Nonetheless, if your decision hinges on the factor of pricing, then NordVPN is the winner of the day. For more information about each of these VPNs, you can consult PureVPN review and NordVPN review.

Also, if you want to check other comparisons that we’ve covered, you can visit our VPN comparison chart consisting of 60+ providers.

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