- Dedicated streaming & torrenting servers
- More simultaneous connections than NordVPN (10)
- 700+ servers in 36 countries
- Simple app interface
- Faster speeds than Avast VPN
- Obfuscated servers for China
- 5,600+ servers in 60 countries
- Premium security suite
NordVPN, established in 2004, is recognized as one of the industry’s top VPN providers.
While Avast, renowned for its acclaimed anti-malware suites, launched its Avast SecureLine VPN service in 2014. Now the question arises: how do these two VPN services compare?
To answer this question, I comprehensively evaluated both VPNs, assessing factors such as speeds, streaming, torrenting capabilities, gaming, logging policy, device compatibility, usability, and pricing.
Ready to dive into the head-to-head comparison between Avast VPN and NordVPN? Let’s begin.
Avast VPN vs. NordVPN (Overview Table)
| Avast VPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Servers: | 700 servers | 5,600+ servers |
| Speed: | 10 Mbps drop | 4 Mbps drop |
| Protocols: | Mimic, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPSec | NordLynx, IPSec, OpenVPN |
| Streaming: | Netflix US, Netflix FR | Hulu, Disney+, NRK, France.tv, BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, GE, JP, UK, AU, BR |
| Torrenting: | On all servers + 8 torrenting optimized servers | Only all servers + 4,800+ P2P specialty servers |
| Gaming: | 18 ms ping + 2.6% packet loss | 13 ms ping + 0% packet loss |
| Logs: | Unaudited no-logs policy | Verified no-logs policy |
| Security: | Kill switch, WiFi protection | Double VPN, WiFi Protection, kill switch |
| Devices: | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Smart TVs | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TVs, routers, Raspberry Pi, gaming consoles, Fire TV |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 10 | 6 |
| Customer Support: | No live chat | 24/7 live chat |
| Best Deal: | Avast VPN | NordVPN |
Server Locations
NordVPN has a miles better server library with 5,710 servers in 60 countries compared to the mere 700 servers in 36 countries offered by Avast VPN. Consequently, locating a nearby server would be much easier with NordVPN.
NordVPN and Avast VPN also boast USA, UK, Africa, Europe, and Middle East servers for bypassing geo-restrictions. However, NordVPN is better at unblocking content due to its impressive 8x larger server count and nearly twice as many available countries as Avast VPN.
NordVPN also employs RAM-only servers that run on volatile memory, ensuring that all server data is wiped clean whenever the server is restarted.
Unfortunately, Avast VPN doesn’t offer such diskless infrastructure.
Do Avast VPN or NordVPN Work in China?
The Great Firewall of China remains impenetrable to date, as it effectively blocks numerous VPN providers. In fact, both NordVPN and Avast VPN lack a server in China.
Avast VPN is also unusable in China as its Mimic protocol doesn’t apply obfuscation and can be easily detected by the Great Firewall.
In contrast, NordVPN’s OpenVPN protocol features obfuscated servers that are robust enough to go unnoticed by the Great Firewall, allowing users to bypass censorship in China.
NordVPN has 5,600+ servers in 60 countries, while Avast VPN has only 700 servers in 34 countries. Even though NordVPN and Avast VPN lack servers in China, NordVPN’s advantage lies in its ability to bypass censorship in China, thanks to its Obfuscated servers. So, NordVPN wins this round.
Is Avast VPN Faster Than NordVPN?
NordVPN is faster than Avast VPN, outperforming the latter in multiple tests I conducted using comparable servers and protocols.
This isn’t surprising, considering NordVPN has a proprietary protocol, NordLynx, renowned in the industry for lightning-fast speeds. However, its IKEv2 protocol surpassed my expectations during my tests, outperforming NordLynx.
Meanwhile, AvastVPN has its in-house protocol – Mimic, built upon OpenVPN. NordVPN offers IKEv2 and OpenVPN, while Avast VPN rounds up its collection with WireGuard (Windows), OpenVPN (Windows), and IPSec (Windows and macOS).
I performed the speed tests using the following protocols:
- NordLynx (NordVPN) and WireGuard (Avast VPN)
- IKEv2 (NordVPN) and Mimic (Avast VPN)
- OpenVPN UDP (NordVPN) and OpenVPN (Avast VPN)
- IPsec (only Avast VPN)
I used a combination of near and distant servers for these tests, and they include:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Australia
As mentioned, Avast VPN’s Mimic protocol could barely keep up with NordVPN’s IKEv2 and NordLynx protocols. The only test in which Avast VPN came close to the speed of NordLynx was on the UK server using its Mimic protocol. See the next section for a more detailed analysis of my tests!
Speed & Performance Tests
The table below illuminates the results from the 21 tests I conducted, showcasing the speed drops of each VPN across different servers and protocols.
| US Server | UK Server | Australia Server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN (NordLynx) | 5.55 Mbps drop | 5.18 Mbps drop | 2.92 Mbps drop |
| Avast VPN (WireGuard) | 14.61 Mbps drop | 9.27 Mbps drop | 22.51 Mbps drop |
| NordVPN (IKEv2) | 4.45 Mbps drop | 0.81 Mbps drop | 1.81 Mbps drop |
| Avast VPN (Mimic) | 12.15 Mbps drop | 7.88 Mbps drop | 20.29 Mbps drop |
| NordVPN (OpenVPN) | 12.42 Mbps drop | 8.89 Mbps drop | 7.13 Mbps drop |
| Avast VPN (OpenVPN) | 15.62 Mbps drop | 9.17 Mbps drop | 11.79 Mbps drop |
| Avast VPN (IPSec) | 44.14 Mbps drop | 54.56 Mbps drop | 84.07 Mbps drop |
NordVPN recorded its highest speed of 99.19 Mbps over my 100 Mbps connection via the IKEv2 protocol on the Australian server.
Avast VPN delivered its fastest speed of 92.12 Mbps over my 100 Mbps connection via the Mimic protocol on the UK server.
While Avast VPN’s OpenVPN protocol gave stiff competition to NordVPN’s OpenVPN protocol, NordVPN consistently outperformed Avast VPN’s speed across all servers and protocols, making NordVPN the winner of this round.
Streaming
Another department where NordVPN outshines Avast VPN is unblocking foreign streaming platforms. I tested the unblocking capabilities of both VPNs on several streaming platforms, including Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, NRK, and France.TV. Here’s a summary of the results:
| Streaming Service | Avast VPN | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Hulu | No | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | No | Yes |
| Disney+ | No | Yes |
| NRK | No | Yes |
| France.TV | No | Yes |
Despite having eight streaming-optimized services, Avast VPN couldn’t unblock any platforms. I also tried accessing these platforms using Avast VPN’s regular servers, but they failed to bypass the geo-blocking.
On the other hand, unblocking all these platforms with NordVPN was a breeze because all its servers are suitable for streaming. I effortlessly found the correct server for each platform on my first attempt.
NordVPN’s consistent speeds allowed me to enjoy a buffer-free streaming experience while watching content in HD and 4K resolutions on these streaming services.
Moreover, unlike Avast VPN, NordVPN features a SmartDNS option that enables convenient integration of the VPN for geo-unblocking on devices like consoles and Smart TVs without native VPN app support.
Netflix Tests
I also ran some Netflix tests to see how each VPN unblocks the regional libraries of Netflix. I chose these libraries for this test: Netflix US, UK, Germany, Japan, France, Australia, and Brazil.
Once again, NordVPN unblocked all of them, while Avast VPN could only unblock the Netflix US and France libraries:
| Unblocks: | Netflix US? | Netflix UK? | Other Netflix Libraries? |
|---|---|---|---|
| AvastVPN | Yes (Gotham City) | No | Netflix FR |
| NordVPN | Yes (USA-2) | Yes (UK - London) | Netflix GE, JP, FR, AU, BR |
To evaluate the performance of the working servers, I decided to stream The Sandman, which isn’t available in my region but can be found in the US Netflix library.
Both VPNs performed equally well when streaming in UHD resolution with no signs of buffering.
NordVPN unblocked all the streaming platforms I tested, including BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, NRK, and France TV, while Avast VPN failed to unblock any of them. NordVPN also proved far better than Avast VPN at unblocking Netflix regional libraries. So, NordVPN is the clear winner here.
Torrenting
AvastVPN and NordVPN facilitate P2P traffic on all servers and offer dedicated P2P servers. Still, Avast VPN’s meager eight torrenting-optimized servers are minuscule compared to NordVPN’s extensive network of 4,800+ P2P specialty servers.
Nevertheless, both VPNs are compatible with numerous torrent clients, like BitTorrent, Vuze, Deluge, Transmission, etc.
Additionally, although neither VPN supports port forwarding, NordVPN offers SOCKS5 Proxy that users can set up on their torrent client to reduce waiting times and enhance download speeds.
While NordVPN allows users to access torrent sites, it doesn’t encourage downloading copyrighted material. The following is NordVPN’s policy regarding torrenting:
I tried looking for Avast VPN’s torrenting policy but couldn’t find any information on its website. Likewise, contacting its customer service wasn’t an option – more on this later.
To get detailed insights into how these VPNs compare in terms of torrenting, let’s delve into my test results.
P2P Tests
I tested both VPNs’ torrenting capabilities by downloading a 220 MB file using the Transmission Mac client.
To maintain consistency, I utilized the P2P optimized UK server for both VPNs while employing the in-house protocols – Avast VPN’s Mimic & NordVPN’s NordLynx.
This is how the two compared:
| Average Download Speed | Max Download Speed | Download Completion Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avast VPN | 3.56 MiB/s | 4.15 MiB/s | 1 minute, 23 seconds |
| NordVPN | 7.16 MiB/s | 8.52 MiB/s | 0 minute, 49 seconds |
Once again, NordVPN turned out to be faster than Avast VPN.
Avast VPN’s torrenting speeds were roughly twice as slow as NordVPN.
Avast VPN’s eight torrenting-optimized servers seem insignificant compared to NordVPN’s 4,800+ P2P specialty servers. NordVPN also goes the extra mile by offering a SOCKS5 proxy and superior torrenting speeds. Therefore, NordVPN wins this round.
Gaming
I conducted ping and data packet loss tests to determine how Avast VPN and NordVPN compare in gaming. Here’s a breakdown of the results:
| Server | Protocol | Ping | Packet Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avast VPN | Australia | Mimic | 18 ms | 2.6% |
| NordVPN | Australia | NordLynx | 13 ms | 0% |
I ran the tests twice for each VPN, utilizing two games to obtain the accurate ping.
The first game chosen was a lower-end title, Rocket League, while the second was a high-end title, Apex Legends.
NordVPN dominated these tests with no packet data loss, while Avast VPN closely trailed behind with a minimal 2.6% packet data loss. My gaming experience remained smooth on both VPNs, although I occasionally encountered a few frame drops when using Avast VPN.
Avast VPN’s total packet loss results:
NordVPN’s total packet loss results:
Despite a marginal difference between the two VPNs, NordVPN exhibited minimal lag and the most negligible packet data loss. So, NordVPN wins the gaming round.
Privacy
Avast VPN is based in the Czech Republic, while NordVPN’s headquarters are in Panama. Both are privacy-friendly countries with no data retention laws. Consequently, these VPN providers aren’t obligated to share users’ data with any 5, 9, or 14 Eyes alliances.
While both VPNs retain user email addresses to send you purchase receipts and future communication, it should be noted that Avast VPN stores additional personal data according to its privacy policy. This includes collection logs and the amount of data transmitted per session.
Furthermore, Avast VPN’s privacy policy states that it collects other data, such as the app version and connection events.
In contrast, NordVPN’s privacy policy is direct and transparent.
It doesn’t collect as many details as Avast VPN and gives notably more priority to privacy.
As for payment options, NordVPN is the clear winner for accepting cryptocurrency payments, including Bitcoin, XRP, and Ethereum, which Avast VPN doesn’t.
Hence, making NordVPN the preferred choice for individuals who don’t want to share their billing information.
Additionally, NordVPN offers a comprehensive suite of privacy-centric features that Avast VPN lacks, including ad-blocking, malware protection (Threat Protection), and Dark Web Monitoring.
Logging Policies
Like NordVPN, Avast VPN doesn’t store your IP address or server location but keeps connection logs, which is a major red flag when evaluating a VPN provider.
| Traffic Logs? | Connection Logs? | IP Address? | Server Location? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avast VPN | No | Yes | No | No |
| NordVPN | No | No | No | No |
Another alarming fact is that Avast VPN’s no-logs policy has never gone through any independent audit, raising questions about its claims’ credibility.
This makes NordVPN an incredibly better option, as it has successfully undergone three audits, with the most recent one conducted in 2022 by Deloitte.
These audits have consistently confirmed NordVPN’s adherence to its no-logs policy.
Unlike Avast VPN, NordVPN ensures that users are kept informed with its Warrant Canary, which subtly notifies users if NordVPN receives a mandate requesting the release of user data.
NordVPN has a verified no-logs policy, while Avast VPN’s no-logs policy has never undergone an audit. Unlike Avast VPN, NordVPN also doesn’t store connection logs and offers the convenience of cryptocurrency payment options. Therefore, the clear winner here is NordVPN.
Security
Avast VPN and NordVPN come with industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption that works automatically across all protocols and servers.
I tested the encryption on both VPNs using the WireShark app, and the results confirmed their effectiveness. My findings revealed an intelligible blend of texts and symbols. This is precisely what a hacker attempting to pry into your encrypted VPN traffic would encounter.
Avast VPN’s encryption test results:
NordVPN’s encryption test results:
Both VPNs share another similarity: a kill switch to prevent potential IP leakage in case the VPN disconnects. NordVPN goes a step further by incorporating two kill switches on Windows. It’s worth noting, though, that the kill switch is currently not available on macOS.
In contrast, Avast VPN’s kill switch can be enabled on macOS, Windows, and Android. However, Both VPNs lack a kill switch on iOS devices.
IP and DNS Leak Protection
As demonstrated below, both VPNs aced the tests I conducted to assess IP and DNS leak protection.
Avast VPN’s IP and DNS leak results:
NordVPN’s IP and DNS leak results:
Extra Security Features
There are some unique security features that each VPN brings to the table.
The most ambitious feature on Avast VPN is its Smart VPN mode, exclusively available on the Windows and macOS app. You can toggle between manual and Smart VPN modes by navigating to the settings.
Smart VPN mode enables users to set up automation based on their desired rules.
This means that users can conveniently have the VPN automatically activated whenever they connect to a public WiFi network.
Similarly, NordVPN provides public WiFi protection with its Auto-connect feature, available across all platforms. However, this feature lacks additional Smart VPN capabilities like automating the VPN to activate when streaming videos, utilizing torrent clients, or accessing banking sites, among other possibilities.
In contrast, the “Trusted sites” feature at the bottom of the Smart VPN mode lets you select specific websites where the VPN will be enabled. However, don’t mistake this feature for NordVPN’s split tunneling since it doesn’t allow you to choose specific apps.
NordVPN retaliates with many extra features you won’t find on Avast VPN.
First, it lets you purchase dedicated IP addresses as an add-on.
These dedicated IPs prove to be helpful in bypassing restrictions imposed by websites that block shared IPs, such as Omegle.
It also offers 80+ Double VPN servers, which employ a dual encryption process to add an extra layer of protection. With Avast VPN, you’re limited to single encryption.
As mentioned earlier, NordVPN offers obfuscated servers which significantly increases your chances of bypassing geo-limitations imposed by heavily restricted countries like Iran, China, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia.
Another NordVPN feature, unavailable in Avast VPN, is its Onion over VPN servers. These specialty servers grant users access to the Tor network with heightened privacy, eliminating the need for a Tor browser.
A Dark Web Monitor also conducts regular scans of the dark web forums and sites to check for leaked information associated with your email address.
If any suspicious activity is detected, the feature promptly notifies you with an alert.
Another unique feature is its Meshnet, which allows you to link remote devices and access them over encrypted connections, regardless of location.
Meshnet proves invaluable for remote work scenarios and even facilitates hosting virtual parties to play online multiplayer games with friends, irrespective of their location.
Lastly, NordVPN provides Threat Protection to defend you from cyber threats like malware and trackers. It also acts as an antivirus, actively scanning the files you download for malware and blocking them before they infect your device.
Both VPNs have essential security features like encryption, kill switch, IP leak protection, and public WiFi protection. However, NordVPN offers superior unique security features like dedicated IPs, Double VPN servers, obfuscation, Onion over VPN servers, Dark Web Monitor, Meshnet, and Threat Protection. Therefore, NordVPN wins this round.
Devices & Connections
NordVPN is compatible with a broader range of devices than Avast VPN.
NordVPN offers a versatile range of platform compatibility, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, FireTV, Android TV, Gaming consoles, and Raspberry Pi.
On the other hand, Avast VPN can be installed on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Android Smart TVs. However, It lacks a Linux client and does not support unique platforms like Fire TV and Raspberry Pi.
NordVPN can also be installed as a Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browser extension, while Avast VPN only offers Chrome and Firefox browser extensions.
Of the two, only NordVPN provides SmartDNS support, and it worked smoothly on my Xbox One X, allowing me to effortlessly bypass regional restrictions and stream international content on platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and France.TV, and more.
Avast VPN doesn’t have Smart DNS. However, it can be easily installed on any Android TV with access to the Google Play Store, like NordVPN.
| Avast VPN | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible OS? | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android Smart TVs | Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, FireTV, Android TV, Gaming consoles, Raspberry Pi |
| Smart TVs? | Android TV | Android TV, FireTV + SmartDNS |
| Router Support? | No | Yes (Manual) |
| Browser Extensions? | Chrome, Firefox | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
Avast VPN lets you connect a maximum of 10 devices simultaneously, surpassing NordVPN, which only offers six simultaneous connections.
However, with NordVPN, you can bypass this device limit by configuring the VPN on your router. Sadly, Avast VPN can’t be set up on routers.
Although Avast VPN allows more simultaneous connections than NordVPN, NordVPN is ahead in platform support by extending its compatibility to platforms like Routers, Linux, Fire TV, Gaming consoles, and Raspberry Pi, which Avast VPN doesn’t support. Additionally, NordVPN features SmartDNS, which Avast VPN doesn’t. Therefore, NordVPN wins this round.
Customer Support
The most significant drawback of Avast VPN’s customer support is the absence of a live chat feature. This lack of real-time support made verifying specific claims made by the service extremely challenging.
While a live chat window does appear on the support page after a brief waiting period, it disappointingly only connects users to a virtual chatbot without any option to connect to a live agent.
So, the only option you’re left with is to raise a ticket. However, there’s no assurance of receiving a response, as evidenced by my experience of not receiving a reply to a ticket I raised four days ago.
NordVPN, on the contrary, offers one of the industry’s best customer support experiences. I was impressed by the quick responses from its highly skilled live agents.
All my queries were instantly addressed, and I had no complaints.
Avast VPN could learn a lesson from NordVPN’s exemplary support system.
AvastVPN’s customer support falls flat in front of NordVPN’s industry-leading live chat support. Without a doubt, NordVPN is the winner here.
Usability
Both VPNs have intuitive apps, but I observed that NordVPN’s user interface is better suited for a broader range of users, catering to both beginners and power users.
The NordVPN interface boasts a sleek and contemporary design, with prominently-labeled buttons that concisely describe each feature when hovered over with the cursor.
AvastVPN’s apps, on the other hand, are designed for novice users, with a focus on simplicity rather than advanced functionality.
The main interface displays a large toggle switch in the center, letting users connect to a server. By clicking on the selected location, users can access the server library.
I tested both VPNs across macOS, Windows, and iOS, and there were only a few differences.
While Avast VPN provides identical features for both Windows and Mac platforms, the main difference lies in protocol selection. Avast VPN’s Mac app lacks the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, whereas the Windows app doesn’t include the IPsec protocol.
Similarly, although NordVPN supports all the protocols across all platforms, some of its more advanced features, like Split tunneling, aren’t included in the Mac version.
Moreover, I tested how long each VPN app takes to connect to a server, and NordVPN was faster than Avast VPN on both iOS and macOS.
While NordVPN’s apps bring the most features, Avast VPN apps are primarily tailored toward beginners. However, NordVPN excels in simplifying complex features, making them highly accessible to users. Consequently, NordVPN wins this round.
Price & Value
NordVPN is cheaper than Avast VPN across all price plans.
Overview of Avast VPN pricing plans:
Overview of NordVPN’s pricing plans:
NordVPN allows users to choose from monthly, annual, and biennial subscription plans. AvastVPN doesn’t offer a monthly plan but instead introduces yearly plans.
In my opinion, this is a substantial commitment for a VPN service without live chat support.
As mentioned, NordVPN accepts various cryptocurrency payments, including XRP, Ethereum, and Bitcoin. In contrast, Avast VPN doesn’t support any cryptocurrency payment options.
However, you can purchase an Avast VPN subscription using credit/debit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express) or via Paypal. Meanwhile, NordVPN accepts credit/debit payments but doesn’t feature Paypal.
Note that Avast VPN offers a 60-day free trial to test the VPN without any upfront cost. However, it’ll still require your payment information during the registration process for the trial.
As of this writing, NordVPN doesn’t offer an official free trial period.
Instead, you can take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscriptions, which Avast VPN also provides.
While being cheaper than Avast VPN, NordVPN also offers monthly subscription and cryptocurrency payments, which Avast VPN doesn’t. Hence NordVPN is the winner here.
Avast VPN vs. NordVPN (Overview Table)
| Avast VPN | NordVPN | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Servers: | 700 servers | 5,600+ servers | NordVPN |
| Speed: | 10 Mbps drop | 4 Mbps drop | NordVPN |
| Protocols: | Mimic, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPSec | NordLynx, IPSec, OpenVPN | Avast VPN |
| Streaming: | Netflix US, Netflix FR | Hulu, Disney+, NRK, France.tv, BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, GE, JP, UK, AU, BR | NordVPN |
| Torrenting: | On all servers + 8 torrenting optimized servers | 4,800+ P2P specialty servers | NordVPN |
| Gaming: | 18 ms ping + 2.6% packet loss | 13 ms ping + 0% packet loss | NordVPN |
| Logs: | Unaudited no-logs policy | Verified no-logs policy | NordVPN |
| Security: | Kill switch, WiFi protection | Double VPN, WiFi Protection, kill switch | NordVPN |
| Devices: | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Smart TVs | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TVs, routers, Raspberry Pi, gaming consoles, Fire TV | NordVPN |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 10 | 6 | Avast VPN |
| Customer Support: | No live chat | 24/7 live chat | NordVPN |
| Best Deal: | Avast VPN | NordVPN |
Final Verdict
NordVPN emerges as the apparent winner in this showdown with its feature-rich offering, more reliable no-logs policy, faster speeds, and a broader server selection of servers, all at a cheaper cost than Avast VPN.
However, it’s worth acknowledging that Avast SecureLine VPN isn’t inherently poor.
It just finds itself at a considerable disadvantage compared to the industry giant that’s NordVPN.
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