This time, we’ll be explaining the popular VPN service, Nord VPN.
(こちらは英語版のNordVPNの解説です。日本語版のNordVPNの解説はこちら）
- What is NordVPN?
- Price
- NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to use the service virtually free for 30 days.
- How to Cancel NordVPN’s Auto-Renewal
- NordVPN’s VPN App
- Four Reasons Why NordVPN Excels in Anonymity
- Other Features of NordVPN
- Disadvantages of NordVPN
- Comparison with Competitors
- Summary
What is NordVPN?
| Country of Establishment | Panama |
| Year Established | 2008 |
| Kill Switch | Available |
| Log Policy | No-Log Policy |
| Maximum Number of Devices | 6 |
| Refund Policy | 30 Days |
NordVPN has built a massive network with 5,492 servers across 60 countries, offering high-speed connections and military-grade encryption. It is trusted by over 14 million users worldwide.
Known as a no-log VPN, NordVPN does not store user activity logs, making it highly anonymous and privacy-focused.
It offers dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, making it easy to use even for VPN beginners.
Additionally, NordVPN provides browser extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, allowing you to use the VPN directly through your browser without installing or launching a separate app.
The customer support system is robust, offering 24/7 live chat assistance year-round, so you can get help whenever you need it.
Price
Plans and Pricing of NordVPN
NordVPN offers three subscription plans based on duration: 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year options. In addition to the Standard Plan, which provides VPN access, there is a Plus Plan that includes a password manager app, and a Complete Plan that offers both the password manager and encrypted cloud storage.
| Standard Plan | 支払い料金 | 月あたりの利用料金 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $12.99 | $12.99 |
| 1 year | $59.88 | $4.99 |
| 2 years | $81.36 | $3.39 |
Plans and Pricing of NordVPN
The longer the subscription period, the lower the monthly cost. If you’re planning to use the service long-term, the 2-year plan is recommended as it offers the best value.
There is also a student discount available—students can get 15% off, making it an even better deal.
With the Complete Plan, you’ll have access to 1TB of encrypted cloud storage and a password manager app.
By default, plans are set to auto-renew, but you can turn off automatic renewal at any time.
Payment Methods
NordVPN supports a wide variety of payment methods:
Available Payment Methods:
- Credit Cards (VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover)
- Amazon Pay
- PayPal
- Alipay
- UnionPay
- Apple Pay / Google Pay
- Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple)
Because cryptocurrencies are supported, you can purchase a VPN subscription while maintaining anonymity.
Additionally, support for PayPal provides extra peace of mind when it comes to refund requests or payment disputes.
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to use the service virtually free for 30 days.
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can request a refund within 30 days of purchase if the service doesn’t meet your expectations. In effect, this allows you to try the service for free for up to 30 days!
How to Cancel NordVPN’s Auto-Renewal
To stop automatic renewal of your NordVPN subscription, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Nord Account
Go to the NordVPN website and log in to your account. - Go to the ‘Billing’ section
Once logged in, navigate to the “Billing” tab from your dashboard. - Click on ‘Manage Subscription’
Under your current subscription plan, click the “Manage Subscription” button. - Turn off Auto-Renewal
You’ll see an option to disable auto-renewal. Click it to stop your subscription from renewing automatically. - Confirm the Cancellation
Follow the prompts to confirm that you want to cancel auto-renewal. You’ll still be able to use the service until the end of your current billing period.
That’s it! Auto-renewal has been disabled.
NordVPN’s VPN App
NordVPN provides dedicated GUI applications for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android devices.
The interface is simple and user-friendly, allowing you to connect to the VPN with just one click, making it ideal for beginners. In addition to a list of VPN locations, NordVPN’s app also features a world map from which you can visually select and connect to servers, making it intuitive and convenient to use.
Four Reasons Why NordVPN Excels in Anonymity
Four Reasons Why NordVPN Excels in Anonymity
- Its no-log policy has been verified by independent third-party audits.
- Payments can be made using cryptocurrencies.
- It offers Double VPN, a feature that enhances anonymity by routing traffic through two servers.
- NordVPN’s headquarters is located in Panama, a country with strong privacy laws.
Reason 1: No-Log Policy Verified by Independent Third Parties
NordVPN declares that it operates under a strict no-log policy, clearly stating that it does not collect any logs that could identify its users.
Logs that NordVPN does NOT collect:
- Incoming and outgoing IP addresses
- Connection dates and durations
- Amount of data transferred
- VPN servers used
- Websites visited
- Files downloaded
- Software used
None of this information is collected, shared, or provided to any third parties.
NordVPN’s No-Log Policy Is Verified by Independent Third Parties
Many VPNs claim to have a no-log policy, but the crucial question is, “Are they really no-log?” In this regard, NordVPN is trustworthy because it has been officially certified by reputable external organizations.
Since 2018, NordVPN has undergone three audits conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the world’s “Big Four” auditing firms. These audits verified that NordVPN operates under a strict no-log policy, proving that it does not store, share, or provide any connection or traffic logs—including customers’ IP addresses—to third parties.
PwC’s audit reports are publicly available to NordVPN users, allowing anyone using the service to review the verification details.
NordVPN’s no-log policy, verified by PwC—one of the world’s Big Four auditing firms—is widely recognized in the industry as highly trustworthy. Because of this strong commitment to privacy protection, NordVPN is especially attractive to privacy-conscious customers and has become one of the most popular VPN services available.
Reason 2: Payment with Cryptocurrencies is Available
NordVPN accepts cryptocurrencies as one of its payment methods, making it a great option for users who prioritize anonymity.
Moreover, even when paying with cryptocurrencies, you are still eligible for the 30-day money-back guarantee!
Reason 3: Double VPN Feature Available
NordVPN offers a privacy feature called Double VPN.
With this feature, instead of connecting to the internet through a single VPN server as usual, your connection passes through two VPN servers. This significantly enhances your anonymity and privacy.
One indirect method to reveal anonymity is through log correlation. For example, imagine you access a website called cyber-bu.com using an anonymous VPN. By comparing the access logs of cyber-bu.com and the logs from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as NTT or NURO, it may be possible to infer that you accessed cyber-bu.com via a VPN. The advantage of this method is that it does not require direct access to the VPN server’s connection history.
- The IP address recorded in cyber-bu.com’s access logs: VPN Server A
- The IP address recorded in your ISP’s logs: VPN Server A
By matching these two logs, anonymity can be indirectly revealed.
However, with Double VPN, the IP address visible in cyber-bu.com’s logs is that of the second VPN server B, while your ISP’s logs only show a connection to the first VPN server A. This makes log correlation-based tracking impossible.
- IP in cyber-bu.com access logs: Second VPN Server B
- IP in your ISP’s logs: First VPN Server A
Log correlation is typically used in situations involving tracking a specific individual’s actions. For most users, Double VPN may be an unnecessary privacy feature, but it is very useful for those who need an extra layer of protection.
Double VPN is easy to use.
In the following screenshot, you can see Double VPN in action. By clicking the red-highlighted [Double VPN] button, the connection automatically routes through Double VPN, with the first VPN server located in the Netherlands and the second VPN server in Sweden.
In this way, NordVPN stands out by allowing anyone to easily use advanced anonymity technologies.
Reason 4: NordVPN’s Headquarters is Located in Panama
Have you heard of the “Five Eyes” alliance?
The Five Eyes is an international intelligence-sharing alliance between the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. These countries monitor users’ online activities through ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and other online trackers, and collect data via phone tapping. In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, leaked classified documents revealing that the Five Eyes operate numerous secret surveillance programs that illegally monitor citizens’ most private moments.
Simply put, in Five Eyes member countries, governments actively monitor communication records.
There are also expanded versions called the “Nine Eyes” and “Fourteen Eyes,” which include additional countries that conduct varying degrees of surveillance (though not as extensive as Five Eyes).
- Five Eyes countries: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia
- Nine Eyes countries: Five Eyes countries plus Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway
- Fourteen Eyes countries: Nine Eyes countries plus Germany, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Spain
Other well-known VPN providers, such as ExpressVPN, headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, and Private Internet Access, headquartered in the United States, cannot fully guarantee immunity from Five Eyes surveillance.
In contrast, NordVPN’s headquarters is located in Panama, a country that is not a member of Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes alliances, offering greater peace of mind regarding privacy.
If you want to learn more about Five Eyes, NordVPN has published detailed articles on the topic that you can refer to.
Other Features of NordVPN
Besides Double VPN, NordVPN offers a variety of useful features.
NordVPN Offers a Dedicated TOR VPN!
NordVPN features a connection method called “Onion Over VPN,” which adds an extra layer of anonymity by routing your traffic through the Tor network.
With Onion Over VPN, you can access websites through the Tor network without using the Tor browser, providing a higher level of anonymity than a regular VPN connection.
NordVPN Offers Servers Optimized for P2P, Making It Ideal for Torrent Users!
While several VPNs offer high data transfer speeds, only a few provide servers specifically optimized for P2P activities.
NordVPN has VPN servers tailored for P2P, enabling fast and anonymous file sharing via torrents.
If you want to use a VPN for torrenting, NordVPN is highly recommended.
Disadvantages of NordVPN
So far, I’ve focused on the advantages of NordVPN, but now I’d like to mention some drawbacks or disadvantages.
To be honest, there aren’t many major downsides. If I had to point out two, they would be:
- Fewer servers in the Asia region compared to ExpressVPN and PIA.
- Often unable to post on 5ch (a popular Japanese forum).
Regarding Asia servers, NordVPN does not have servers in countries like India, the Philippines, Laos, or Cambodia. ExpressVPN and PIA have servers in those countries, so in terms of server selection in Asia, NordVPN is slightly behind.
However, NordVPN does have servers in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, so you’re unlikely to struggle due to lack of server options in Asia.
Secondly, NordVPN often cannot be used to post on 5ch because 5ch restricts posts coming from VPNs. Popular VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN tend to be blocked more frequently due to their large user base, while minor VPN providers may have an easier time posting. This is an unavoidable downside of using a popular VPN, but some users get around this restriction by purchasing a “Ronin” (浪人) service.
Comparison with Competitors
Comparison with ExpressVPN and PIA
VPN services with high levels of anonymity similar to NordVPN include ExpressVPN and PIA. These are also very popular VPN providers with third-party verified no-logging policies.
There is no significant difference in the no-log policies among these three companies, but NordVPN is the most popular of them. This is likely because it offers unique features that other VPNs don’t have, such as Double VPN and Onion Over VPN.
Additionally, in terms of connection speed, NordVPN is comparable to ExpressVPN, which is known for its fast performance.
Here is the English translation of NordVPN’s advantages and disadvantages:
NordVPN’s Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Most popular VPN service with a large user base
- High discounts on long-term plans
- Fast speeds, making streaming from abroad smooth
- Dedicated P2P servers for comfortable torrenting
- High-quality, stable servers
- Customer support available in Japanese
- No-log policy verified by an independent auditing firm
- Headquarters located in Panama (outside the Five Eyes alliance)
Disadvantages
- Fewer servers in the Asia region compared to ExpressVPN and PIA
- Often unable to post on 5ch (a popular Japanese forum)
Summary
NordVPN is a popular no-log VPN service alongside ExpressVPN and PIA. With third-party verified no-log certification and features like Double VPN, it offers excellent anonymity.
At the same time, it provides fast connection speeds and affordable pricing, making it a great value.
With a 30-day money-back guarantee, it’s also easy to try out risk-free.
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