In the wide world of VPNs, NordVPN stands out. It’s one of those rare products that does almost everything well — performance, privacy, server count, compatibility, and more. In fact, based on our testing, we’ve found NordVPN to be one of the best VPNs on the market.
StrongVPN, on the other hand, is a less widely known VPN that you may not have heard of. How does this underdog stack up to the venerable NordVPN? Let’s find out.
NordVPN vs. StrongVPN at a glance
NordVPN is our favorite overall virtual private network. Its Basic plan offers excellent performance at a great price, and NordVPN includes tons of extra features — a password manager, ad blocker, data breach scanner, anti-malware browsing protection, dark web monitor, and identity theft recovery — with the more premium Plus and Ultimate plans.
StrongVPN is a simpler VPN without a ton of bells and whistles, but it still offers decent performance and security. There’s not much to say about its plans or offerings because there’s only an option to purchase a monthly or annual subscription, and both are the same. Plus, it only offers the bare minimum of what a good VPN provider should, including a no-logs policy, strong encryption, a kill switch (albeit limited to Android devices), and split tunneling features.
NordVPN: Best overall VPN
StrongVPN: Best for users that value simplicity
How do NordVPN and StrongVPN compare?
How we test and rate VPNs
We complete standardized hands-on tests for each VPN we review so we can put their claims to the test. This includes vigorous third-party testing by comparing our internet speed while connected to different servers, checking for DNS leaks, making sure the kill switch actually works, and more. We also make sure we can comfortably access popular streaming sites, like Netflix, and still do our day-to-day work without interruption.
Once we’ve completed the testing, our editorial rating is calculated by taking into account key features you’d expect from a good product. We score each VPN in the following categories and use a weighted average to calculate the final rating out of 5 stars: price, server count, speed, security, and features.
To learn more about how we test, check out our full VPN methodology here.
NordVPN pros and cons
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market today, if not the best. In fact, it’s our pick for the best VPN overall. We love it for its reliably fast speeds, strong privacy, and relatively affordable pricing. It also includes a ton of extra features like a password manager, dark web monitoring, and even identity theft insurance, all of which help further enhance your privacy and security online.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and that includes NordVPN. It’s not expensive by any means, but there are a lot of really strong options that come in at a lower price, like Surfshark and Private Internet Access (PIA). NordVPN’s plan selection can also be a little confusing. There are three tiers of service available (Basic, Plus, and Ultimate), and then three subscription lengths for each service (monthly, one year, and two years). It requires some work to decide which specific plan and subscription is right for you.
These are relatively minor issues, though, and neither outweighs the positives. NordVPN is a great VPN choice for nearly anyone.
StrongVPN pros and cons
StrongVPN features hit the VPN basics relatively well: it has a reasonable server count, allows you to connect a large number of devices at once, and offers good device compatibility. It’s also a simple service. While we love features, sometimes VPNs can add on so many that they become complex and confusing. StrongVPN focuses on the basics.
However, if you’re going to limit your service to the basics, you really need to execute them well, and StrongVPN falls short in some key areas. First, the feature set is a little too limited, and some key features, like the kill switch and split tunneling, aren’t available on every platform. The user interface is difficult to navigate, which is odd considering the lack of features. Finally, the price is rather high for what you get. There are a ton of better options for less money, including NordVPN.
All this makes StrongVPN tough to recommend. It’s not that it’s bad, necessarily. It could just be so much better. Still, some users who just want a simple VPN with a simple plan structure might appreciate StrongVPN.
Price-wise, NordVPN has both the lowest price and highest price of the two. It starts at $3.39/mo (billed every two years) for the Basic two-year plan and can get as high as $14.99/mo for the monthly Ultimate plan.
In our opinion, the best value plan is the Basic plan that’s billed biennially. It’s got all the essential features of a VPN at a really solid price. Runner-up would be the Plus plan at $4.39/mo (billed every two years). It adds some extra features like malware protection and a password manager to the VPN platform.
StrongVPN only has two plans: the annual plan $3.97/mo (billed annually) and the monthly plan at $11.99/mo. The annual plan is definitely the best value (it’s the same plan for less money) and the one we would recommend.
Neither provider offers a free trial, but both offer 30-day money-back guarantees. That means you can try them risk-free. However, note that StrongVPN only offers this on its annual plan.
Payment options
Payment options may seem like an arbitrary rating category, but the reality is that VPNs are privacy tools. Users need to be able to pay in a way that can preserve their privacy (if they choose). NordVPN offers more options, including cryptocurrency.
NordVPN payment options
Credit or debit card
PayPal
Google Pay
Cryptocurrencies
StrongVPN payment options
Credit or debit card
PayPal
Alipay
Which VPN is faster?
We test VPN performance for every VPN we review. Due to how they work (routing your traffic through additional servers), VPNs tend to reduce performance. To help quantify that, we perform speed tests with our “plain” internet connection and then repeat the test connected to VPN servers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia. The table below shows how much faster or slower each VPN was compared to the plain connection.
NordVPN really surprised us here. It actually increased our internet speed, which is basically unheard of in the VPN world. StrongVPN performed more typically with slightly slower speeds in the U.S. and larger drops in the U.K. and Australia. These bigger performance hits are due to proximity to the servers — the further the signal has to travel, the more of a slowdown the user experiences.
Which VPN is more secure?
NordVPN and StrongVPN both have similar security features, including strict no-logs policies, military-grade encryption, and a choice of VPN protocols. However, there are a few notable differences.
Servers: NordVPN has far more servers available in far more server locations and countries than StrongVPN. This is important for two reasons: it provides more redundancy to prevent overloaded servers, and it allows you to really fine-tune where your VPN connection appears to come from, which can be good for VPN privacy. NordVPN also has specialty servers for torrenting and other specific use cases.
VPN protocol: NordVPN uses its own customized version of the WireGuard protocol, which it calls NordLynx. This may account for the faster speeds.
Platform-specific features: Some of StrongVPN’s features are only available on certain operating systems or with certain security protocols. This includes split tunneling (which only works on the Android app) and the kill switch (which doesn’t work with WireGuard on macOS).
Ad blocker: NordVPN offers Threat Protection, which includes an ad blocker, on the Plus and Ultimate plans. StrongVPN doesn’t offer one at all.
Finally, NordVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited and verified multiple times, while StrongVPN’s has not been audited at all. This means you just have to trust that the company is following through on its promises, which can be a big deal when it comes to private data.
NordVPN vs. StrongVPN: Compatibility and customer support
Both providers offer apps for the biggest platforms. Again, NordVPN has broader compatibility.
StrongVPN lacks a native Linux app, and there are no browser extensions. StrongVPN’s interface is also not very user-friendly, which is odd for a VPN with so few extra features. Certain features, like the kill switch, are difficult to find. The only part of the interface that really makes sense is the server selection list.
Both providers offer 24/7 customer support, which is good. They also have similar customer service options, including live chat. We don’t really have any complaints about support from either provider. We had positive experiences with both when reaching out to representatives via live chat.
