NordVPN vs PureVPN (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN and PureVPN are both audited no-logs providers — Deloitte for NordVPN in 2024, an always-on KPMG programme for PureVPN — and neither has a documented pressure-test incident on file. Where they differ is price and features: PureVPN's long-plan rate is the cheaper of the two at $2.15 against $3.49, with port forwarding and a dedicated IP available as add-ons NordVPN doesn't offer at all. NordVPN covers nearly double the countries (118 against 65) and its renewal is far steeper ($11.59 against $4.00). We have not measured speed or streaming for either; on monthly billing the two are close ($12.95 against $14.99), so the price gap only really matters on a long commitment.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityNordVPNNordVPN 9.5 · PureVPN 7.0
- SpeedTieNordVPN 0.0 · PureVPN 0.0
- StreamingTieNordVPN 0.0 · PureVPN 0.0
- Apps & easeNordVPNNordVPN 9.4 · PureVPN 8.8
- ValuePureVPNNordVPN 6.5 · PureVPN 9.4
Sub-scores are provisional for NordVPN and PureVPN — published audits, jurisdiction and public record rather than our own measurement; see the review; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want the wider country spread — 118 against PureVPN's 65
- You want the stronger audit cadence: Deloitte, most recently 2024
- You want Threat Protection Pro, Meshnet and a dedicated-IP option built in rather than add-on
Choose PureVPN if…
- Lowest long-term price is the goal — PureVPN's 2-year rate is $2.15 against NordVPN's $3.49
- You want port forwarding or a dedicated IP as a cheap add-on — NordVPN offers neither
- PureVPN's audit is always-on rather than a point-in-time snapshot
NordVPN vs PureVPN: the numbers
 NordVPN |  PureVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.7provisional — not tested by us | 8.1provisional — not tested by us |
| Rank · badge | Not ranked · Widest server network | Not ranked · Cheapest over three years |
| 2-year price / mo | $3.49 | $2.15 |
| 1-year price / mo | $5.49 | $2.55 |
| Monthly price | $14.99 | $12.95 |
| Renewal | Billed $94.23 for the first 27 months, then renews at $139.08 a year | Billed $58.20 for 27 months, then auto-renews at $47.95 a year |
| Money-back | 30 days | 31 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | 10 |
| Avg download speed | Not tested by us | Not tested by us |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | British Virgin Islands |
| Owner | Nord Security | GZ Systems |
| No-logs audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 | KPMG always-on audit |
| Servers | 7,400+ in 118 countries | 6,500+ in 65 countries |
| Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers | P2P allowed on P2P servers |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit NordVPN | Visit PureVPN |
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $3.49 | $2.15 |
| Then renews at / mo | $11.59 (+232%) | $4.00 (+86%) |
| First term, up front | $83.76 | $51.60 |
| Total over 3 years | $222.84 | $99.60 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $6.19 | $2.77 |
| Money-back | 30 days — 30 days, published — we have not claimed one yet | 31 days — 31 days, published — we have not claimed one yet |
| Check NordVPN price | Check PureVPN price |
PureVPN is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $123.24 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Neither VPN has been speed-tested by us yet, so there is nothing to chart here.
NordVPN and PureVPN have not been through our speed rig yet, so there is no region-by-region chart for this pair. Speed figures other people have published are on the NordVPN and PureVPN review, attributed to whoever measured them.
Streaming, service by service
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) |
| Netflix US | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix UK | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix JP | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix CA | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix AU | n/r | n/r |
| Prime Video | n/r | n/r |
| Disney+ | n/r | n/r |
| Hulu | n/r | n/r |
| Max | n/r | n/r |
| Paramount+ | n/r | n/r |
| Peacock | n/r | n/r |
| BBC iPlayer | n/r | n/r |
| ITVX | n/r | n/r |
| DAZN | n/r | n/r |
| n/r — no published result found | n/r — no published result found |
Security features
| NordVPN | PureVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
- PureVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against PureVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: KPMG always-on audit · British Virgin Islands
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- NordVPN16 categories
- PureVPN1 category
Regular 5-year promotions at the lowest per-month price of any audited VPN; renews at the same 2-year rate.
Questions
Is PureVPN as good as NordVPN?
Not on breadth: NordVPN covers nearly double the countries and includes features (Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro) PureVPN doesn't match. PureVPN counters with a much lower long-term price and an always-on KPMG audit rather than a point-in-time one. Neither has a documented incident on record.
Is PureVPN cheaper than NordVPN?
Yes, especially on long plans: $2.15 a month against $3.49, and PureVPN's renewal is far gentler too — $4.00 against NordVPN's $11.59. Both are legitimate affiliate partners of this site; the ranking above reflects the published rubric, not the commission.
Does PureVPN work with Netflix?
We have not tested this. PureVPN and NordVPN both advertise streaming-optimised servers, but blocks change often enough that any result we published would be stale within weeks. Both offer refund windows — 31 days for PureVPN, 30 for NordVPN — to check the services you actually use before committing.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the scoring rubric before any commercial consideration. Disclosure