Avast VPN vs. NordVPN 2024: Which One Is Better? by Gjurgjica Panova

Gjurgjica Panova

Updated on: October 14, 2024
Writer

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs on the market, and Avast SecureLine VPN is a reliable VPN offered by Avast, which is a pretty good antivirus software program. They have great torrenting support and come with user-friendly apps for most major platforms.

Both VPNs come with industry-standard security features, like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. However, only NordVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited.

Moreover, Avast SecureLine VPN and NordVPN also come with:

• Perfect forward secrecy.
• Obfuscation.
• Split-tunneling.
• DNS leak protection.

However, NordVPN is the superior choice. It includes more extra features, like an ad blocker, dedicated IP addresses, and smart DNS. It also has a larger server network with 6,371 servers in 111 countries, faster speeds, and better streaming, torrenting, and gaming support. Avast SecureLine VPN lacks some advanced security features, like full leak protection, and can’t match NordVPN’s extra features. It also has 700 servers in only 34 countries, slower speeds, and poor gaming support.

I used different metrics to compare Avast SecureLine VPN and NordVPN, including security, additional features, privacy, servers, speeds, streaming support, P2P support, gaming, bypassing censorship, ease of use, plans and pricing, and customer support. NordVPN is definitely better than Avast SecureLine VPN overall, but I recommend reading the whole article to determine the best VPN for you.

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Avast SecureLine VPN vs. NordVPN — Quick Overview

Security — Both VPNs Have Strong Security Features

Both VPNs are great at securing and protecting your data. They come with essential security features, including:

• 256-bit AES encryption. Makes all your data unreadable, making it difficult for third parties to spy on it. Banks and militaries also use this encryption level.
• No-logs policy. A security feature that prevents the VPN from storing your browsing history and IP address.
• Kill switch. Disables all internet access if your VPN connection drops to prevent traffic leaks.

I’m a big fan of NordVPN’s app-based kill switch, which shuts down selected apps if the VPN connection drops. I tested it with 5 P2P apps, and it shut down every app when I disconnected from the NordVPN server.

Only NordVPN’s no-logs policy is independently audited by a third party to verify it doesn’t keep logs. Also, only NordVPN has protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks — Avast SecureLine VPN only has DNS leak protection. That said, I ran tests on 5+ servers from each VPN, and I never experienced any leaks.

Moreover, only NordVPN has RAM-only servers. These servers write data to the RAM instead of the hard drive. This means with each server reboot, data is deleted. Both VPNs come with perfect forward secrecy, which is an advanced security feature that changes the encryption keys for each session. This minimizes the amount of data potential hackers could access.

Both providers give access to secure and fast protocols like OpenVPN. Avast VPN also has WireGuard, which is a popular and fast protocol, and Mimic, which is an obfuscation tool that is designed to bypass restrictions. NordVPN comes with NordLynx, which is based on WireGuard and very fast.

I like that both VPNs have two-factor authentication — this prevents third parties access to your account by requiring you to verify each login attempt using a security key or a time-sensitive code.

Extra Features — NordVPN Has More Extra Features

NordVPN has more additional features than Avast VPN, but they have some similar extras — I also like how Avast VPN has a couple of cool extra features for Android.

Both VPNs come with a split-tunneling feature, which allows you to choose which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which apps or sites use your local network. However, Avast VPN only has split-tunneling on Android, while it’s available on Android and Windows with NordVPN.

Both VPNs have obfuscation, which makes VPN traffic look like normal internet traffic. Unfortunately, neither VPN works in restrictive countries like China or Russia. That said, it still hides your VPN usage from entities like your internet service provider and a business or school network.

Moreover, only NordVPN has a security tool called Threat Protection Pro. It blocks ads, ad trackers, and malicious sites. Plus, Threat Protection Pro also protects you from malware-infected downloads, and it detects outdated apps and alerts you about them. I also like that you don’t need a VPN connection for the feature to be active.

I like that both VPNs offer Tor support. Before accessing the dark web, you can first connect to its servers for even better privacy. NordVPN also has Onion Over VPN servers, which automatically route your traffic through the Tor network without having to download the Tor browser — I like how I can use my Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browsers.

Only NordVPN has a smart DNS, which allows you to use it on devices that don’t have a native VPN app, like a smart TV or gaming console. In my tests, I watched Netflix on my smart TV without any problems.

NordVPN has a lot more extra features that Avast VPN lacks:

• Double VPN. NordVPN’s Double VPN servers send your data through 2 VPN servers, providing an extra layer of encryption.
• Dark Web Monitor. This security feature alerts you if it detects that your login credentials associated with your NordVPN have been leaked.
• Tapjacking protection. This feature is only available on Android devices and informs you if shady apps have added screen overlays that might compromise your personal data.
• Meshnet. This feature allows you to host virtual LAN parties and securely share files between devices. It also lets you connect up to 60 devices over encrypted VPN connections.
• Dedicated IP addresses. NordVPN can provide you with a unique IP address, which is only used by you. These dedicated IP addresses are convenient for avoiding reCAPTCHAs and accessing bank websites, which usually block VPN IP addresses.
• SOCKS5 proxy support. These proxy servers provide you with faster speeds by changing your IP address. However, they don’t encrypt your traffic.

Avast SecureLine VPN comes with some features that NordVPN doesn’t have (only available on Android):

• Wi-Fi Threat Shield. When you aren’t connected to the VPN, Avast SecureLine VPN scans to check the safety of your Wi-Fi network. If it detects a threat and the Wi-Fi Threat Shield is enabled, the VPN automatically turns on to protect your privacy.
• Local Network Bypass. This feature allows you to access local devices, like printers and Chromecast, while connected to the VPN.

Privacy — NordVPN Is the Winner

Both VPNs offer great privacy — NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy that was independently audited multiple times. Unfortunately, Avast VPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited, so it’s not as trustworthy or transparent as NordVPN’s. Plus, it stores connection logs, which show when you connected and disconnected from a server, how long you were connected, and how much bandwidth you used (most VPNs don’t log this metric).

I like that NordVPN also underwent other security audits — its mobile and desktop apps were audited in 2019, and no issues were found. Moreover, the NordLynx protocol, the browser extensions, and the Threat Protection Pro feature also passed an independent security audit in 2022.

Both VPNs are located in privacy-friendly countries. NordVPN is headquartered in Panama, while Avast VPN is based in the Czech Republic. These countries aren’t part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, which is a group of countries that share surveillance data.

NordVPN’s Linux app is open-source, which means that anyone can inspect the code to detect any vulnerabilities. Plus, only NordVPN accepts cryptocurrency payments, which provide better privacy than standard payment options like credit cards.

Servers — NordVPN Has a Larger Server Network

NordVPN has a larger server network with 6,371 servers in 111 countries, while Avast VPN has 700 servers in 34 countries. With a vast server network, it’s less likely that you’ll encounter an overcrowded server that will slow down your speeds. It’s also easier to find the fastest server while traveling in other countries.

Each VPN allows P2P traffic on its servers. NordVPN has a bigger P2P network of 4,500+ servers in 45+ countries, while Avast VPN only has 8 P2P-optimized server locations in France, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, the US, and the UK.

What’s more, both VPNs have obfuscation on most or all servers. NordVPN has 100+ obfuscated servers in 15+ countries, while Avast has obfuscation on all of its servers through its Mimic protocol.

Only NordVPN allows double VPN connections — the VPN provider has double VPN servers in 5+ countries, which provide more security. It also provides Onion Over VPN servers in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

NordVPN also offers dedicated IP addresses for a small cost. The provider allows you to get a dedicated IP address from 5+ countries, including the US, the UK, and Japan.

Speeds — NordVPN Has Faster Speeds

I experienced significantly faster speeds with NordVPN, which isn’t a surprise as NordVPN is one of the fastest VPNs on the market.

NordVPN provided me with fast speeds across all servers. On nearby servers, websites HD and 4K videos loaded instantly, and it took me 11–12 minutes to download a 20 GB file. On distant servers, there were minor slowdowns — websites loaded instantly, HD videos played after 1–2 seconds, and 4K videos loaded in 4 seconds with minor buffering in the beginning. Moreover, it took me 18–22 minutes to download the same 20 GB file.

Avast SecureLine VPN slowed down my speeds significantly. On nearby servers, websites loaded in 3 seconds, HD videos started playing after 4–5 seconds, 4K videos loaded in 9–10 seconds, and it took me 20–24 minutes to download a 20 GB file. On distant servers, the slowdowns were even more noticeable — websites loaded in 5–6 seconds, HD videos played in 6 seconds, and 4K videos loaded in 12–14 seconds with interruptions. The same 20 GB file took 29–32 minutes to torrent.

Streaming — NordVPN Has Much Better Streaming Support

NordVPN has significantly better streaming support, as it reliably works with 10+ streaming sites. Avast VPN’s reps couldn’t give me an exact number, and it didn’t work with many of the sites I tested.

NordVPN reliably works with Netflix and can access 10+ Netflix libraries. Avast VPN works with Netflix, but it only has streaming-optimized servers in 3 countries: the US, the UK, and Germany.

NordVPN also works with BBC iPlayer, Max, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. Avast VPN can’t access any of these.

Only NordVPN comes with a smart DNS feature, which allows you to use the VPN on devices that don’t have a native VPN app, like gaming consoles and smart TVs. What’s more, NordVPN has SmartPlay on all of its servers, which uses VPN and smart DNS technology and provides extra encryption.

Torrenting — NordVPN Is a Better Option for Torrenting

I recommend NordVPN for torrenting as it has a much larger P2P server network of 4,500+ servers in 95+ countries. Avast SecureLine VPN has 8 P2P-optimized server locations in the Czech Republic, Germany, France, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands.

I like that both providers work with popular P2P clients, such as qBittorrent, Vuze, and Deluge. I ran tests on 5+ P2P apps while connected to both providers, and I never had any issues. Only NordVPN has SOCKS5 proxy support — these servers change your IP address but don’t encrypt your traffic, so you get significantly faster speeds for torrenting.

Both providers have strong security features for torrenting. They both come with a kill switch feature, DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy. However, only NordVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited. Moreover, NordVPN has Threat Protection Pro, which blocks ads on P2P sites, prevents connections to malicious torrenting websites, and protects you from malware-infected torrents.

Gaming — NordVPN Is Much Better for Gaming

I had better experience gaming with NordVPN, as the VPN provided me with fast speeds and low ping on nearby and distant servers while playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. There was a minor lag on distant servers, but it wasn’t game-breaking. Avast VPN had a higher ping on nearby and distant servers with noticeable lag.

NordVPN also has a Meshnet feature, which lets you connect up to 60 devices over VPN connections. This way, you can secure your connections to your friends’ devices when hosting a virtual LAN party.

Only NordVPN has router support. This allows you to game securely on devices that don’t have a native VPN app, like Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

However, neither VPN has cloud gaming support. So, you won’t be able to use them to access online services that stream video games to portable devices.

Bypassing Censorship — Neither VPN Is a Good Option

	Obfuscation	Works in China	Works in Russia	Works in Iran	Works in Indonesia	Works in Saudi Arabia
NordVPN	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Avast SecureLine VPN	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

I don’t recommend either VPN for use in restrictive countries — even though both VPNs have obfuscation, they don’t work in restrictive countries like China, Russia, Iran, Indonesia, or Saudi Arabia.

Instead, I recommend purchasing ExpressVPN, as it consistently works in restrictive countries.

Apps & Ease of Use — Both VPNs Are User-Friendly

NordVPN and Avast VPN both have apps for most major platforms — iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. However, only NordVPN has apps for Linux, FireTV, Android TV, and Chromebook, and offers router support.

Both VPNs have great mobile apps, as they’re very easy to navigate and have quick-connect features that automatically connect you to the fastest server for your location. Plus, they have helpful explanations for all settings.

Each VPN’s desktop app is also user-friendly — but NordVPN has 2 different macOS app versions and a more feature-rich desktop app. Avast VPN’s Windows app has a Smart VPN feature that allows you to set smart rules on when to launch the VPN. You can also choose which websites can enable a Smart VPN connection.

Plans & Pricing — Both VPNs Are Affordable

Both VPNs are quite affordable. In addition, Avast SecureLine VPN offers a 60-day free trial during which you can test out the VPN’s features. However, it does require you to sign up with a credit card first.

Both providers offer multiple simultaneous connections — NordVPN offers 10 connected devices, while Avast VPN offers 10 simultaneous connections.

NordVPN has a 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year plan for several tier-based subscriptions. The Basic subscription comes with almost all VPN features — it lacks Threat Protection Pro and only provides access to Threat Protection (only blocks malicious and phishing domains, and some sites). The Plus subscription, which costs £3.09 / month, adds Threat Protection Pro and NordPass, which is a password manager. The Ultimate subscription adds a cloud encryption service called NordLocker and also includes protection against identity theft and cyber extortion.

Avast VPN has a 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year plan — its longest plan provides the best value and starts at £1.88 / month. It’s also available with some of Avast’s antivirus suites.

Both VPNs accept credit/debit cards and PayPal — only NordVPN accepts cryptocurrencies. Avast VPN also accepts payments via Wire Transfer, PaySafeCard, and PayU. Moreover, both VPNs back their purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Customer Support — Both VPNs Have Good Customer Support

I’m a big fan of NordVPN’s and Avast SecureLine VPN customer support. I always received detailed replies from their live agents, and I never waited for more than 10 seconds to connect with a representative.

I tested both VPNs’ email support at random times of the day. I received replies in less than a day, and the answers were informative.

Both VPNs provide access to helpful support libraries, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), setup tutorials, and troubleshooting guides.

Only Avast VPN has phone support, and I only waited on hold for a few minutes before a helpful representative answered. Plus, they were very friendly while solving my issue.

Overall Winner: NordVPN

NordVPN includes tons of extra features, is faster, has a large server network of 6,371 servers in 111 countries, works with 10+ streaming sites, and has excellent torrenting and gaming support.

Avast VPN has decent security features, user-friendly apps, and affordable plans. It also has 700 servers in 34 countries and is one of the few VPNs that offer phone support.

Although both VPNs are good, I think that NordVPN provides much more value — it has way more extra features than Avast VPN, provides a larger server network, maintains much faster speeds, and has better streaming support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NordVPN better than Avast SecureLine VPN?

Yes, according to my extensive tests and research. NordVPN has more extra features, better privacy features, a larger server network, and faster speeds. It also works with more streaming sites, has a larger P2P server network, and has better gaming support. That said, both VPNs provide good value when it comes to security features, ease of use, plans and pricing, and customer support.

Is NordVPN faster than Avast SecureLine VPN?

Yes, NordVPN had faster speeds in my tests. NordVPN had fast speeds for browsing, streaming, and torrenting on nearby servers, with minor slowdowns on distant servers. Avast VPN had noticeable slowdowns on distant servers.

Do NordVPN and Avast SecureLine VPN work with Netflix?

Yes, but I think NordVPN is a better choice for Netflix. It works with 10+ Netflix libraries, including Netflix US, Netflix UK, and Netflix Japan.

Overall, NordVPN has better streaming support because it reliably works with other 10+ streaming sites, including Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+. Avast VPN only works with Disney+.

Are NordVPN and Avast SecureLine VPN safe to use?

Yes, both VPNs come with strong security features. Each VPN comes with industry-standard VPN security features, such as 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch to prevent traffic leaks, and a no-logs policy. Moreover, both providers have secure VPN protocols and perfect forward secrecy.

Read more about the best VPNs in 2024