Are you considering buying a vpn but are confused whether to choose NordVPN or PrivateVPN?
If you read other PrivateVPN vs NordVPN reviews online you see that PrivateVPN has faster connection speeds that NordVPN…
But how does PrivateVPN compare with NordVPN in other features like streaming and torrenting support?
In this NordVPN vs PrivateVPN today, we are going to compare these great vpns.
We’ll compare the two in terms of their connection speeds, streaming capabilities, privacy policies, security features among others.
I hope that by the end of this PrivateVPN vs NordVPN comparison you’ll be able to decide which is the best vpn for you between the two.
Let’s get started…
Here is a quick summary.
NordVPN | PrivateVPN | |
Website | nordvpn.com | privatevpn.com |
Servers | 5,800 | 150 |
Jurisdiction | Panama | Sweden |
Streaming | Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iPlayer | Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iPlayer |
Speed | 4.1/5 | 4.3/5 |
Torrenting | P2P servers | P2P servers |
Kill Switch | YES | YES |
Works in China? | YES | YES |
Devices | 6 | 6 |
Pricing | $ 3.49/month | $ 2.55/month |
About
NordVPN is a VPN company based in Panama that enables you to access the internet anonymously and securely using the latest data encryption technologies.
Here is a detailed NordVPN review.
PrivateVPN, on the other hand, is a VPN company based in Romania that enables you to browse the internet privately and access geo-restricted content on streaming sites like Netflix.
Click here for a detailed PrivateVPN review.
Server Collection
Which one has more servers: NordVPN or PrivateVPN?
If a vpn has a lot of servers, it means you’ll always have a large pool of servers to choose whenever you want to connect to a vpn server.
It may also mean that you’ll always be able to find a server that is near you in every country that you visit.

NordVPN, currently, has approximately 5,200 vpn servers that are spread over 59 different countries in different geographical regions.
PrivateVPN, however, only has a paltry collection of 150 servers that are spread over 60 different countries.
Clearly, PrivateVPN is a very small company compared to NordVPN when you consider their server arsenal.

If you are looking for a vpn with a bigger server collection and that will give you more options then I recommend NordVPN.
Streaming
Will you be able to stream content from platforms like Netflix when connected to NordVPN or PrivateVPN?
Since most people buy vpns in order to be able to unblock geo restricted entertainment content, it is important to know if a vpn will be able to let you streaming your favorite tv shows from platforms like Netflix.
NordVPN, luckily, is able to unblock content on Netflix for the different geographical regions like the US, UK and Japan.

In addition to Netflix, NordVPN will also let you stream content from other platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer.
PrivateVPN, even though a very small vpn compare is not left out of the party.
Their servers are able to unblock Netflix in different countries without you experiencing any proxy server errors.

Apart from Netflix, you’ll also be able to stream content from other platforms like BBC iPlayer, Hulu and Amazon Prime.
As you can see, PrivateVPN is really a real match for NordVPN in terms of its streaming capabilities.
If you are looking for a vpn that will enable you stream content from the most popular streaming platforms then either PrivateVPN or NordVPN will do.
Speed
I started this NordVPN vs PrivateVPN review by mentioning that PrivateVPN delivers better connection speeds than NordVPN.
But to what extent is PrivateVPN faster than NordVPN?
Let’s now dive a little deeper into this speeds comparison of these two vpns.

I tested the speeds of these two vpns by connecting to three of their servers based in the USA, UK and Hong Kong.
I then used speedtest.net to test for their download and upload speeds and compare to my original speeds before connection to the vpns.

NordVPN maintained an average of 83% of my original download speeds for all the servers that I connected to while PrivateVPN kept 86% of my original download speeds.
So even though PrivateVPN is faster than NordVPN, it is by a small margin.
If you are looking for a vpn for excellent speeds then both NordVPN and PrivateVPN are great… but PrivateVPN will always be slightly faster.
Torrenting
Most vpns don’t support torrenting on their servers.
This is because anti piracy laws are getting tougher and tougher these days and in some countries vpns are forced to block torrenting traffic in order to prevent P2P sharing of copyrighted material.

In order to protect yourself and stay safe, always ensure that you only torrent after connecting to a vpn or proxy server.
And it shouldn’t just be any vpn… it must be a vpn that keep no logs of your activities.
NordVPN supports P2P files sharing, known as torrenting, on some if its servers.
Before you start torrenting you first need to connect to the appropriate servers by clicking on the P2P servers option in the app menu.
You’ll then get a list of NordVPN torrenting optimized servers to choose from.
PrivateVPN also has specialized servers for P2P file sharing.

In the servers section, you’ll click on the Torrenting/Dedicated IP option in order to get a list of the PrivateVPN servers that are optimized for downloading torrent files.
It is completely safe and anonymous to torrenting from these servers because both vpns keep zero logs… as we’ll see in a bit.
If you are looking for a vpn that is great for torrenting that either NordVPN or PrivateVPN is a great option.
Privacy Policy
When comparing PrivateVPN vs NordVPN privacy policies, I was particular looking for a clause that mentions whether either vpns keep logs of your IP address, connection timestamp, bandwidth usage or DNS queries.
It is because with this information in the right hands, it can be possible to tie back certain activities on a particular vpn server at a particular time to you.
Most vpns bury such clauses deep inside the privacy policy document because they know you won’t even bother to read them.

NordVPN, to begin with, is located in Panama which is a privacy haven not only because it’s far from the 14 eyes countries but also because Panamanian laws don’t obligate vpns to keep user activity logs.
In addition to that, NordVPN states clearly in their privacy policy that they don’t keep logs of your IP address, connection timestamp, bandwidth usage or DNS queries.
They really are a true zero logs vpn company.
PrivateVPN, being based in Sweden, forms part of the 14 eyes countries.

These countries surveille their citizens 24/7 and share this information among each other… so Sweden is very far from being a privacy haven for a vpn company to be based in.
That notwithstanding, PrivateVPN has been able to maintain a completely zero logs policy and does not keep user logs.
It therefore means that your browsing is completely anonymous and private… at least according to their privacy policy.
However, since all vpns need some logs in order to function properly, PrivateVPN should come out and spell clearly what type of data they keep and what they don’t.
Just saying “we don’t any traffic logs” is not good enough in 2021.
If you are looking for a vpn that is located in a privacy haven and stands true to their no logs policy then I recommend NordVPN.
Encryption and Data Protection
If you transmit your data in plain text format, it will also be visible to a malicious hacker who might be listening to your network traffic through a packet sniffer like Wireshark.
It is for this reason that encryption was invented to make network traffic unreadable to any outsider.
Most vpns employ the use of the latest and strongest encryption technologies to ensure that you personal information is secure.
NordVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption to encrypt your personal information while PrivateVPN uses both 128 and 256-bit encryption technologies.
You have an option of choosing the kind of encryption you want to use in the PrivateVPN apps.
NordVPN encryption is 256-bit by default and you cannot change it.

In addition to encryption technologies, vpns also need connection protocols in order to be able to communicate between the servers and the vpn apps.
Again, while some vpn protocols have proven weak and vulnerable to attacks, there are other protocols that are fast and secure and have never been hacker before.
NordVPN supports both OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec protocols… OpenVPN is the default in the desktop and Android apps while IKEv2 is the default for iOS.

PrivateVPN, on the other hand, supports a variety of protocols including OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, L2TP and PPTP.
Even though it offers more connection protocols, protocols like PPTP have proven weak and vulnerable to attacks and should not be used under any circumstance.
If you are looking for a vpn that offers you more connection protocols then I recommend PrivateVPN.
Ad Blocker
Internet users have become blinds to ads in 2021.
For this reason, most websites and businesses have become very aggressive with their advertising to an extent that they’ve become very intrusive and annoying.
Think of those video ads that autoplay the background without your permission…

If you are like me, you probably want to block these ads once and for all.
Most premium vpn apps come inbuilt with ad blockers that enable you to block ads on these websites once and for all.
How does NordVPN vs PrivateVPN ad blocking capabilities compare?
NordVPN has a security feature called CyberSec that when turned on is able to block ads from displaying on most of the sites that you visit.
CyberSec will also protect your device from being infected by malware in case you visit a site that is known to be malware infected.
PrivateVPN, unfortunately, does not have any ad blocking capabilities in any of their applications.
A malware blocker is also missing in all their apps so it won’t keep you safe from phishing websites online.
If you are looking for a vpn with both ad and malware blockers that will protect your from scams online then I recommend NordVPN.
Dedicated IPs
Every time you connect to the internet with your vpn, you are assigned a new IP.

While this is great for your privacy and anonymity online, it doesn’t work well with some security conscious applications that can only be access using a unique IP address for security purposes.
For example, you’ll need a dedicated IP address in order to be able to access your home security camera feed remotely.

So which one between PrivateVPN and NordVPN has a dedicated IP address?
NordVPN has a dedication IP address functionality in all of its apps.
In order to connect to the internet with a dedicated IP address, click on the dedicated IP option in the app menu and then select from the list of servers that you’ll get.
PrivateVPN also has a dedicated IPs functionality that gives you an IP address that you can whitelist in your applications.
In the server list section, click on the Torrenting/Dedicated IP section and you’ll be presented with a list of servers with dedicated IPs.

You can then choose any of these servers whenever you want to connect to the internet using the same IP address.
If you are looking for a vpn dedicated IP for your personal use, then I recommend either PrivateVPN or NordVPN.
Kill Switch
A kill switch ensures that your internet access is always securely encrypted and channelled through your vpn tunnel.
Whenever you are switching servers, your vpn app disconnects from the server and there are a few seconds when your real IP is exposed.

This is bad news if you were downloading some torrent files for example.
An automatic internet kill switch ensures that anytime your vpn app disconnects from the server, like during server switching or when there is a connection drop, internet access for your entire device is cut off until the vpn reconnects again.

Both NordVPN and PrivateVPN have a vpn internet kill switch that when turned on will ensure that you still stay safe whenever your app disconnects from the server.
If you are looking for a vpn with great kill switch functionalities then either NordVPN or PrivateVPN is a fit.
Split Tunnelling
Sometimes you might want to exempt certain applications from your vpn.
A split tunnel enables you to specify certain applications to be exempted from having their traffic encrypted and channelled through your vpn.
It could be the case, for example, for speed sensitive applications like your backup software that you don’t want slowed down by the speed drops in a vpn.
NordVPN has a split tunnelling feature that will enable you to whitelist certain applications.
Once you specify these applications, they’ll have their traffic routed through your ISP as usual.
PrivateVPN, on the other hand, does not have a split tunnelling feature so you won’t be able to exempt certain applications from your vpn.
You should remember that the applications that you specify in your vpn don’t benefit from you security and anonymity that a vpn connection provides.
So all traffic through these application is visible to your ISP.
If you are looking for a vpn that support split tunnelling then NordVPN it is.
Does it work in China?
In some countries like China, UAE, Qatar, Iran, Russia etc, internet access is heavily controlled and access to certain websites is completely blocked.
However, China stands out because they have a firewall that is capable of even detecting vpn traffic and blocking it.

It is especially good at detecting OpenVPN traffic because it is the protocol most vpns use today.
So a vpn needs to be able to make its traffic look like normal https traffic in order to bypass the deep packet inspection technology that China’s firewall uses.
NordVPN will enable you bypass China’s firewall and access restricted content in China if you connect to its obfuscated servers.
In order to locate these servers, click on the obfuscates servers in the app menu and you’ll be present with a list of servers that will enable you bypass internet censorship in most countries.
PrivateVPN is also able to fly stealthily under the radar and not be detected by China’s firewall.

Again in order to be able to use PrivateVPN to access internet from China, you’ll first need to activate its Stealth Mode.
When in this mode, your app makes your traffic look like normal https traffic so that you are able to access Google.com, Facebook.com and Twitter.com which are among the blocked websites in China.
If you are looking for a vpn that will enable you access censored content in China then both PrivateVPN and NordVPN are great options.
Pricing
Let’s finish this NordVPN vs PrivateVPN review by looking at the different pricing options available.
Which is the cheaper vpn: PrivateVPN or NordVPN?

Even though most vpns have their monthly plans being rather expensive, you often get great discounts whenever you choose a longer term plan.
NordVPN has a 3 year plan that costs $ 3.49/month and this is their cheapest plan.

PrivateVPN, on the other hand, has their cheapest plan being the 2 years plan that costs $ 2.55/month.
It is therefore evident that PrivateVPN is a cheaper vpn compared to NordVPN.
If you are looking for a vpn that will save you a few bucks over the long term the I recommend PrivateVPN.
Payment Options
When comparing PrivateVPN vs NordVPN payment options I was particularly looking for the vpn that supports anonymous payment options like gift cards and crypto…
By payment through these methods, you ensure you give as little information about you as possible.

This should always be your goal.
NordVPN supports payments through all the major credit cards and payment platforms except PayPal.
Besides these payment methods, NordVPN also supports cryptocurrency payments through Bitcoin.
PrivateVPN also supports all major credit cards, payment platforms including PayPal and Bitcoin payments.

In order to give less information about you, signup with a disposable email address and pay with some Bitcoins and nobody will get to know who you are.
Even though NordVPN does not support PayPal, both vpns support some of the most popular payment methods and most importantly… Bitcoins.
If you are looking for a vpn that supports anonymous payments methods like Bitcoin, then either NordVPN or PrivateVPN is a great option.
In Conclusion
I hope this NordVPN vs PrivateVPN comparison has opened your eyes to some of the most outstanding pros and cons of NordVPN and PrivateVPN.
Are you now ready to choose the best vpn for you between PrivateVPN and NordVPN?
It is clear that both NordVPN and PrivateVPN have great connection speeds, streaming capabilities and torrenting support.
So if you are looking for a very cheap vpn that offers more vpn connection protocols and encryption technologies then I recommend PrivateVPN.
However, if you are looking for a budget friendly vpn that provides both adware and malware blocking capabilities and has great split tunnelling support then I recommend NordVPN.
Have you used either PrivateVPN or NordVPN?
Please share your experience in the comments below.
I use every day PrivateVpn to search on internet. For YouTube for streaming and it’s really amazing the servers speed !! Its very very stable and work very very fast… With my 100mb conexión I alwais get 110 and 130 MB from Finland Server.
Really good 🙂