You've just moved abroad, or you're on holiday, or you simply want to watch something that's inexplicably blocked in your country — and someone tells you to "just get NordVPN." But is it still worth it in 2026? Or has everyone just been recommending it out of habit? We've been testing it properly for the past few months, and here's the honest picture.
Quick verdict
NordVPN is still the most well-rounded VPN on the market for people who mostly want to watch stuff that isn't available where they live. It's fast, it works on pretty much every device you own, and it handles Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and a dozen other services without much fuss. Customer support has genuinely improved since 2024.
The weaknesses? It's not the cheapest anymore, especially on a monthly plan. And if you're a privacy absolutist who wants to audit every line of code, you might prefer something more niche. But for 90% of RegionFree readers? It does the job, and it does it well.
RegionFree score: 8.5 / 10
What we tested and how
We ran NordVPN across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and a Fire TV Stick over a period of about ten weeks. Our test locations included the UK, US, Germany, Australia, and Japan — which covers most of the streaming libraries people ask us about.
For streaming, we tried to connect to each service cold — no pre-configured settings, just the app and the server list — to simulate what a normal person with limited patience would experience. We ran speed tests at different times of day using multiple server locations. And we dug into the privacy policy, the audit history, and the company's ownership situation so you don't have to.
We also tested what happens when things go wrong. Connection drops, app crashes, customer support response times. Because a VPN that works flawlessly until the moment you really need it is basically useless.
Streaming performance
This is why most of you are here, so let's get into it.
Netflix
NordVPN unblocks Netflix reliably across multiple regions. We accessed US Netflix, UK Netflix, and Japanese Netflix without any issues. The US library in particular is huge compared to most other countries, so this alone is worth something if you're outside America and frustrated by what's available at home.
Occasionally — maybe once every two weeks in our testing — a server would throw up an error. Switching to a different server in the same country fixed it within 30 seconds. Annoying, but not a dealbreaker.
BBC iPlayer
Works. Consistently. This is a big deal because iPlayer has historically been one of the harder services to crack with a VPN. NordVPN gets in almost every time with a UK server, and the quality is good enough to watch in HD without buffering. If you're a British expat or just a fan of BBC content living outside the UK, NordVPN handles this well.
Disney+
Also solid. US, UK, and Australian Disney+ all worked in our tests. Worth noting that some regional Disney+ libraries carry content the others don't — particularly around sports via ESPN+ in the US — and NordVPN lets you hop between them without much hassle.
Sports streaming
This one matters a lot to a chunk of our readers. If you're an American football fan living in Europe, or a Premier League supporter stranded in the US, NordVPN handles sports services reasonably well.
- DAZN — worked in most regions we tested
- Peacock — US servers got in without issues
- Sky Sports / Now TV — UK servers worked, though we'd recommend their "Obfuscated" servers if you hit a block
- ESPN+ — no problems with US servers
Live sports can occasionally stutter if you're on a slower connection to begin with — that's not really NordVPN's fault, but it's worth knowing. If you're somewhere with genuinely poor internet, no VPN is going to fix that.
What it struggled with
Amazon Prime Video was inconsistent. It worked maybe 70% of the time in our tests — sometimes the US library loaded fine, sometimes it detected the VPN and gave us a generic error. This has been a known weak spot for NordVPN for a couple of years now. It's not hopeless, but it's not reliable enough to count on for Prime specifically. If Prime is your main reason for getting a VPN, we'd take a look at ExpressVPN or Surfshark as alternatives.
Hulu was also hit-or-miss. Some days: fine. Other days: blocked. Something to be aware of.
Speed and reliability
Speed is where NordVPN has genuinely improved over the past couple of years. Their NordLynx protocol — built on WireGuard — is fast. We're talking average download speeds of around 400–500 Mbps on nearby servers, which is more than enough for 4K streaming, video calls, and everything else you're likely to do.
On longer-distance connections — say, UK to Australia — speeds dropped to around 80–120 Mbps. Still totally usable for streaming HD content, though you might notice a slight delay if you're gaming or on a video call.
Connection times are quick. We averaged about 3–5 seconds to connect, which sounds trivial but makes a real difference when you're toggling the VPN on and off throughout the day.
We had two unexpected disconnects over the ten weeks. Both times the kill switch kicked in, which means our real IP address wasn't exposed — more on that below. The app reconnected automatically within a few seconds. Not perfect, but acceptable.
Privacy and security
Here's where we need to be a bit honest about the elephant in the room: NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, which is a Lithuanian company with roots in Panama. The Panama thing used to be a big selling point because of lenient data laws — but they've since moved their primary operations and are now based in Europe, subject to GDPR. Some privacy-focused users prefer providers based in jurisdictions with no mandatory data retention laws at all. That's a legitimate concern.
What we can say: NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited multiple times — most recently by Deloitte in 2023, with a follow-up audit completed in 2025. They don't store your browsing history, your IP address, or your traffic. The audits back this up.
They use AES-256 encryption (the gold standard), support OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and have a kill switch on all platforms that actually works — as we confirmed the hard way during those two disconnects.
Threat Protection is their built-in feature that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites. It's not a replacement for proper antivirus, but it's a nice extra that works reasonably well in practice.
One thing they do that we appreciate: they've published a transparency report. They've received data requests from governments and have consistently said they had nothing to hand over because they don't store the data. That's exactly what you want from a VPN provider.
Apps and ease of use
The apps have improved a lot. The desktop experience — both Windows and macOS — is clean and genuinely easy to use. You open it, you pick a country, you connect. The map interface is a bit gimmicky but you can switch to a list view if you prefer.
The mobile apps (iOS and Android) are similarly polished. Quick-connect works well, and the specialty servers (P2P, Double VPN, Obfuscated) are clearly labelled so you know what you're getting.
The Fire TV app is decent. Better than some rivals. The interface is a little clunky when you're navigating with a remote, but it's functional. If you're running it through a Smart TV or a router, the setup is more involved — NordVPN has guides for this, but it's not a five-minute job if you've never done it before.
One honest frustration: the Meshnet feature (which lets you set up private networks between devices) is interesting if you're technically minded, but it clutters the interface for people who just want to watch The Bear without it being geoblocked. A cleaner separation between power-user features and everyday use would help.
You get six simultaneous connections on one subscription. That's good for a household, but some rivals now offer unlimited connections, so it's worth knowing.
Pricing and value
This is where it gets a bit complicated. NordVPN's pricing depends heavily on which plan you pick.
- Monthly rolling plan: $12.99/month (about £10.30 / €12). Flexible, but expensive long-term.
- 1-year plan: around $4.99/month (about £3.95 / €4.60) billed as one payment of ~$59.88 (about £47 / €55).
- 2-year plan: typically $3.39/month (about £2.70 / €3.13) billed as ~$81.36 (about £64 / €75) for the full term.
The 2-year plan is where you get the best value — but that's a chunky upfront payment, and two years is a long time to commit. Prices also often include extras like a password manager (NordPass) or encrypted storage (NordLocker) depending on which tier you go for. Whether those extras are worth anything to you is a personal call.
They do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is real — we've seen readers use it without issue. So you can test it properly before committing.
Is it worth the money? On the 2-year plan, yes, easily. On the monthly plan, it's harder to justify when competitors like Surfshark offer unlimited devices for a similar monthly price. If you're going monthly, shop around first.
Who it's best for (and who should look elsewhere)
NordVPN is the right call if you:
- Want to access Netflix, iPlayer, or Disney+ from outside those regions
- Are a sports fan abroad trying to watch your home league
- Want something that just works without messing around with settings
- Travel regularly and want one solution that covers most countries
- Care about privacy but aren't a security researcher — the audit history is genuinely reassuring
You might want to look elsewhere if:
- Amazon Prime is your main streaming service. NordVPN's Prime performance is inconsistent. Try ExpressVPN or Surfshark instead.
- You need unlimited simultaneous connections. Surfshark covers unlimited devices on one subscription. NordVPN caps you at six.
- You're on a very tight budget. Surfshark is meaningfully cheaper on longer plans and nearly as good for streaming.
- You're an advanced user who wants maximum control. ProtonVPN or Mullvad might suit you better — they're more technically rigorous and Mullvad in particular has a strong privacy pedigree.
Final verdict
NordVPN in 2026 is still one of the best VPNs you can buy. It's not the runaway winner it once was — the competition has genuinely caught up in some areas — but it remains the one we'd recommend to most RegionFree readers without hesitation. It's fast, it unblocks the most important streaming services reliably, and it's not going to compromise your privacy.
If you're just getting started with VPNs and want something that works without a learning curve, start here. If you've been using NordVPN for a while and it's been working for you, there's no compelling reason to switch. And if Prime Video is your thing, just be aware you might hit some walls — it's the one area where NordVPN genuinely frustrates.
But as an all-rounder for watching what you want, wherever you are? Still the benchmark.
RegionFree final score: 8.5 / 10
