NordVPN was hacked last year in March, after which the popular VPN company came forward and confirmed the violation. The company claims that the violation was limited to a single server in Finland. However, as they have been silent for so long, I do not know if we should trust them implicitly.
Whatever the truth, as a consumer, you should be wary of data breaches that could potentially reveal your identity online.
Thus, if you are a NordVPN user, you should switch to a secure VPN offering the highest level of security without compromising user data. In this article, I shared the 10 best NordVPN alternatives, known for their reliability and flawless security protocols.
Best alternatives NordVPN in 2023
Here I mentioned 10 VPNs as NordVPN, which offer outstanding protection and various warranties for your data. For example, I favored VPNs offering various security protocols, ready-to-use encryption, no jurisdiction over your data, a large number of servers, and so on.
That said, you will still have a fast Internet speed similar to that of NordVPN, so do not worry. Now, without further ado, let’s get right to the action.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a premium virtual private network that surpasses NordVPN in all aspects, from security to country coverage. It has more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries (NordVPN has more than 5,000 servers but is only available in 59 countries) around the world and the company is extending its reach regularly.
In terms of security, ExpressVPN also uses the strictest OpenVPN and L2TP / IPSec security protocols, which is excellent.
In addition, you also benefit from AES 256-bit encryption and automatic shutdown switch to stop your Internet traffic in case the VPN disconnects abruptly.
The best thing about ExpressVPN is that its headquarters are located in the British Virgin Islands, so it is out of reach of the United States or any other country.
If you want an alternative to NordVPN and you do not pay a premium to protect your privacy, ExpressVPN is a solid choice.
2. Private Internet Access (PIA)
One of the world’s oldest VPN networks, private Internet access, is recognized in the virtual private networks sector to protect user privacy for a decade.
He has not seen any major breaches in the past and has consistently implemented different security protocols to protect his more than 3,000 servers.
It uses the two most advanced security protocols, OpenVPN and L2TP / IPSec, to protect your Internet traffic. Apart from that, PIA offers AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption options, which can be selected based on your performance needs.
That said, the best thing about PIA VPN is that it allows you to connect to 10 devices without losing speed. The only disadvantage for some users could be that the company is based in the United States and is subject to US laws .
Anyway, if you want to replace NordVPN, you can definitely consult PIA. Whether you get the monthly or yearly package, it’s a lot cheaper than NordVPN.
3. Mullvad
Mullvad is a kind of niche VPN that few people know. It is one of the oldest VPN networks launched in 2008 and based in Sweden. The reason I recommend this VPN despite its darkness is that it makes no compromises with security.
All major VPNs on the market, including NordVPN, use the OpenVPN or L2TP / IPSec security protocols and, frankly, they are quite good.
However, a modern VPN protocol called Wireguard has been developed that uses advanced cryptography and is much better than OpenVPN in terms of security and performance.
Mullvad is one of the first VPN providers to implement the Wireguard protocol in their servers , making it the best VPN on the market.
You can easily replace NordVPN with Mullvad and I’m sure you’ll see a huge leap forward in the areas of Internet speed and security. Mullvad has 409 servers in 39 countries.
4. TunnelBear
TunnelBear is my favorite because it offers a reliable service and does not record your Internet activity, even with the free package.
You receive 500 MB of free data every month, which is not enough, I know, but you can switch to the paid plan and enjoy all the benefits without any limitation. The monthly package is cheaper than NordVPN and the service has adequate servers in 22 countries.
Admittedly, its coverage is not as wide as that of NordVPN, but if you are based outside the countries covered, TunnelBear is a much better proposition than NordVPN.
You get 256-bit AES encryption and the OpenVPN security protocol. I would say that just try TunnelBear as part of the free plan and if that sounds good, opt for the premium plan.
5. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is another important VPN that really rivals NordVPN in terms of servers and geographical coverage. It has more than 5,200 servers in 61 countries around the world. It’s more than the 5000 NordVPN servers and it’s just great.
You can also share your VPN with 7 other devices with no speed limit. Apart from that, CyberGhost is based in Romania, which respects the EU privacy laws but rejects the data retention policy.
All that means is that your data will not be kept for future compliance by any regulation or government. In addition, in terms of security, you have OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec and PPTP protocols with Automatic Kill Switch and 256-bit encryption.
Considering all the points, CyberGhost seems to be one of the best alternatives to NordVPN and you can certainly try it.
6. PureVPN
If you want a faster Internet speed while connected to a VPN, PureVPN is a good choice because of its large server pool and country coverage. The company has more than 2000 servers in 180 countries around the world .
So, if you are a person who travels a lot, this VPN will perfectly replace NordVPN. You’ll get a high-speed private network no matter where you go.
Apart from that, PureVPN supports six different security protocols, but comes with IPSec by default. For many users, this may not be the best security protocol, but you can manually configure OpenVPN or any other security configuration as you see fit.
In addition, the VPN is equipped with an automatic kill switch, which is excellent. To conclude, if you are looking for an alternative to NordVPN that can cover as many cities around the world, PureVPN is a wise choice.
7. Surfshark
Surfshark is a relatively new VPN that is very popular among Redditors because of its affordability and flawless security. Its headquarters are located in the British Virgin Islands, so your data is protected from the activities of any government .
Apart from that, Surfshark has more than 1040 servers in more than 61 countries, which is pretty good.
Regarding security, it deploys two main protocols: OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and IKEv2 with AES-256 encryption over it. In addition, the VPN comes with a kill switch similar to NordVPN that stops all activity of the network in case of sudden disconnection of the VPN.
It helps you protect your IP address and your online identity. Overall, Surfshark is a serious candidate in the VPN race and can be a great alternative to NordVPN.
8. IPVanish
If you use NordVPN for torrent or P2P traffic, IPVanish is the ideal replacement you can choose. It has more than 1400 anonymous servers in 60 countries, offering excellent performance and no downtime.
On the security side, IPVanish has implemented 256-bit encryption and you can choose your protocol from IKEv2, OpenVPN (TCP and UDP), L2TP and PPTP.
I would say go with the OpenVPN protocol for maximum protection and performance. In addition, this VPN allows the network tunneling of 10 devices, which can be very useful if you have a family and want to share your private connection.
Strictly speaking, IPVanish is an excellent VPN and an appropriate alternative to NordVPN if you are from the United States or Canada.
9. ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is another interesting alternative to NordVPN that offers solid performance and high-end security. The VPN provider is based in Switzerland and your Internet data is always protected by the strict EU privacy laws.
Apart from that, ProtonVPN has 526 servers in 42 countries and is known for its faster speed and faster response time.
It uses two security protocols, IKEv2 / IPSec and OpenVPN for different devices, which is excellent. In case you do not know, the confidentiality ProtonMail is developed by the company that created ProtonVPN. It is therefore clear that ProtonVPN is one of the foundations of confidentiality and that you can rely on its service with confidence.
10. Windscribe
Windscribe is one of the best freemium VPNs offering 10GB of free data for a month. However, I would recommend using the paid plan for better online protection and a lack of logging of your Internet traffic.
In terms of coverage, it’s not as big as NordVPN, but offers its servers in more than 60 countries around the world and promises no downtime.
VPN also supports multiple security protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2, and SOCKS. You can also configure the VPN according to your security preferences. You also get AES-256 encryption with the IKEv2 security protocol.
In summary, Windscribe is a valid alternative to NordVPN and you can opt for it, but be sure to try the free plan before you jump.