NordVPN vs Avast SecureLine VPN in 2024: Which Is Better?

By Arthur Sabayi

Last update: May 16, 2024

Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

Visit NordVPN

Winner!

NordVPN was launched in 2012, while Avast SecureLine VPN was released in 2013. Despite being only one year apart in age, the two VPNs have developed differently. One has become a fixture on our best VPNs list, while the other still lags in some key areas. This NordVPN vs Avast SecureLine VPN review puts the two under a microscope.

At first glance, NordVPN is superior, as it has a bigger server network, has been audited and is one of the fastest virtual private networks. However, we can’t prematurely write off Avast SecureLine VPN without giving it a fair chance.

Overall, I would recommend NordVPN over Avast VPN for reasons I will discuss in greater detail in this comparison review, but I know choosing a VPN is never a black-and-white affair. If you are unsure about which of the two is the better VPN, you’ve come to the right place.

1. 

   Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

   Visit NordVPN
   Money-Back Guarantee

   30 Days

   Worldwide Server Amount

   Over 5,400+ servers in 59 countries
2. 

   Overall Rating 7.6 / 10

   Avast SecureLine
   Money-Back Guarantee

   30 days

   Worldwide Server Amount

   37 countries

NordVPN vs Avast SecureLine VPN: Comparison at a Glance

Both VPNs offer online security and privacy, and have standard features like a kill switch and split tunneling. I’ll use real-time data like connection speeds, unblocking abilities and security tests to show you what separates the two. I’ll also break down the pricing plans, customer support reliability, OS support and more.

For more details on both providers, check out our NordVPN review or our Avast SecureLine VPN review. If you want to see how NordVPN stacks up against a service in its own weight class, see our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN matchup.

My Expert Opinion: Is Avast VPN or NordVPN Better?

NordVPN is better than Avast SecureLine VPN in many key areas. First is the server network. Avast VPN offers more than 700 servers, while NordVPN has more than 6,000 servers. Unblocking geo-restricted content is much easier with NordVPN, with fewer chances of landing on congested servers.

Secondly, NordVPN is compatible with PCs, mobile devices and routers. It even has smart DNS for smart TVs like Apple TV to help you unblock Netflix on any device. Avast VPN is only compatible with Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. However, you can connect a maximum of 10 devices on Avast VPN compared to only six on NordVPN. 

NordVPN is also faster than Avast SecureLine VPN, making it better for streaming, gaming and torrenting, largely due to the fast proprietary NordLynx protocol. In fact, when you pit Avast SecureLine VPN vs NordVPN, the former’s only real advantage is the 60-day free trial, which is longer than NordVPN’s seven-day trial. Read more in our article on the best VPN free trials.

I Recommend NordVPN For:

• Advanced users: NordVPN offers more security and privacy features and is compatible with more operating systems, making it beneficial to advanced users.
• Streaming: The larger server network and faster speeds make NordVPN better at unblocking content and streaming.
• Activists and dissidents: NordVPN’s key privacy and security features have been independently audited.

NordVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

I Recommend Avast SecureLine VPN For:

• First-time users: Avast SecureLine VPN is user-friendly and perfect for newbies unfamiliar with VPNs.
• Budget-constrained users: The 60-day free trial is one of the longest, with full access to all premium features.
• Large households: Avast VPN supports 10 simultaneous device connections, which is ideal for large groups of people.

Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee today.

Security

Encryption is the basic minimum for any reputable VPN. Your online traffic should be secured from unauthorized eyes, including your internet service provider (ISP). Let’s see how both VPNs fared in this category. 

NordVPN has three protocols. OpenVPN can be used over UDP or TCP ports. NordLynx was developed from WireGuard and combines fast speeds and advanced cryptography. Lastly, is IKEv2, which is best suited for unstable connections that experience network interruptions.

Avast VPN has three VPN protocols and one security protocol. There’s OpenVPN; WireGuard, which offers good speeds and reliable security; and Mimic, which is designed to step in when the other protocols experience connection problems. There’s also L2TP/IPsec, an outdated protocol only available on macOS and iOS.

Both VPNs offer a kill switch for IP and DNS leak protection. However, NordVPN for Windows has two types of kill switches: the standard internet kill switch and the app kill switch, which forces only selected apps to quit when the VPN connection is interrupted. Avast SecureLine VPN has a single kill switch button on all apps.

Another shared security and privacy feature is split tunneling, which allows you to choose what to route through the VPN’s encrypted tunnel and what to leave out. NordVPN offers split tunneling on Windows and Android, while Avast VPN only has it on Android.

To ensure that both VPNs deliver what they promise, I conducted encryption and DNS leak tests for each. Neither VPN exposed my actual IP address or displayed any information that could be used to pinpoint my location.

Privacy

NordVPN takes user privacy more seriously. It recently switched all its servers to RAM-only, meaning user data is periodically wiped, preventing any future data leaks.

I couldn’t find any evidence on whether Avast SecureLine VPN uses RAM-only servers, which puts it behind NordVPN. Additionally, NordVPN has had three independent audits, while Avast SecureLine VPN hasn’t had a single one since launching. 

Features

Let’s check out some of the features that NordVPN and Avast SecureLine offer, in addition to the security features I covered above.

The first key NordVPN feature is the dark web monitor,which alerts you if any of your sensitive data is publicly exposed online. There’s also threat protection for blocking ads, trackers and malware before they load on your device.

Meshnet, another NordVPN feature, provides a secure way of accessing your other devices remotely. You can transfer huge files very quickly, use your home computer’s IP address and connect to devices remotely without worrying about being hacked.

Avast SecureLine VPN lacks a lot of features compared to NordVPN, but a few functions impressed me all the same. Manual and smart VPN modes let you choose how you want the VPN to function when you start up your device or access certain websites or apps.

Another interesting feature is “pair devices,” which saves you the trouble of entering your login details anytime you want to use Avast VPN on another device. All you have to do is hit the “activate new device option” under “pair devices” to generate a six-digit code you can then enter on another device to log in.

Speed

I used my unprotected download speed of 40 Mbps to conduct speed tests for both VPNs. The tables below show the results.

Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

Visit NordVPN

Based on the tests displayed above, the fastest speeds I got with NordVPN came from the Perth server at 36.83 Mbps, a 7% speed drop. The slowest was Tokyo, which averaged 27.25 Mbps but still managed to stream without buffering despite representing a 31% speed drop.

Overall Rating 7.6 / 10

Avast SecureLine

As you can see from the results above, Avast VPN is atrociously slow. The best I could manage was 18.86 Mbps on the Tokyo server, which was a whopping 52% speed drop. Brazil was so slow that content kept buffering even when I downgraded the quality to SD.

Streaming

NordVPN and Avast VPN worked well with all the streaming platforms I tested. Despite Avast VPN’s unreliable speeds, it unlocked all the major streaming platforms on the first try, including Netflix and HBO Max. The same went for NordVPN, which could access Netflix and all the other test sites, as illustrated in the table below.

Server Network

NordVPN has more than 6,000 servers in 83 countries, including specialized servers. Obfuscated servers bypass networks that block VPNs, double VPN servers encrypt your VPN traffic twice, Onion Over VPN servers combine the strengths of VPN software, and Tor Browser and P2P servers facilitate torrenting heavy files.

Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

Visit NordVPN

Avast VPN has more than 700 servers in 34 countries. Like NordVPN, it has specialty servers for streaming and torrenting, with all of them in North America and Europe. The server distribution isn’t too different from NordVPN’s, as both have a huge concentration in North America and Europe. Below is a table showing all the servers and their locations.

Overall Rating 7.6 / 10

Avast SecureLine

Plans & Pricing

The most affordable NordVPN package is Essential. You get the best deal with the two-year plan for $3.99 per month, followed by the one-year subscription for $4.99 per month and finally the monthly option at $12.99 per month. You can take advantage of a seven-day free trial, and a 30-day money-back guarantee covers all the premium plans.

Avast VPN’s pricing plans are a little unconventional. Of the three it offers, the three-year and two-year plans cost the same, at $4.39 per month. The last option, the one-year plan, goes for $4.59 per month. A 30-day money back guarantee covers all three. There’s no monthly option, but Avast does offer a 60-day free trial.

Platform Compatibility

You can use NordVPN on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, tvOS, Firestick, browsers and many more. Aside from being one of the best VPNs for mobile, it comes with smart DNS for smart TVs like Apple, LG and Samsung. Additionally, you can connect a maximum of six simultaneous devices with one NordVPN account. 

Avast SecureLine VPN is only compatible with Android, iOS, Windows and macOS and has browser extension support for Google Chrome and Firefox. It also does not support router installation. This severely limits the range of devices you can use the VPN on.

This is why, despite Avast VPN offering 10 simultaneous device connections — four more than NordVPN — NordVPN is one of our best VPNs for multiple devices and Avast VPN is not. Simply offering more subscriptions isn’t enough; they have to also be versatile on various devices.

Customer Support

NordVPN offers live chat and a direct email. Other helpful options include a help center, with FAQs and links to the most common problems. NordVPN also provides tutorials covering troubleshooting guides and installation processes for different devices.

Avast VPN is also equipped with a live chat option, but only for premium subscribers. In addition, it allows direct phone calls and email tickets alongside an FAQ section that lists commonly researched problems with detailed troubleshooting guides.

Conclusion: Why I Think NordVPN Wins Overall

NordVPN outranks Avast VPN in every major category except pricing. It has a bigger VPN server network, it’s faster, it has more features and it’s compatible with far more operating systems than Avast. You will have an easier time navigating risky sites and unblocking geo-restricted content with NordVPN than with Avast VPN.

However, that doesn’t mean Avast VPN is completely useless — it does have its bright spots. The 60-day free trial is a big advantage for people who are on a budget. Additionally, the server network may be small, but it unblocks major streaming services with ease. The slow speeds and limited OS compatibility are its biggest weaknesses, but it still works.

Overall Rating 9.2 / 10

Visit NordVPN

Winner!

Our NordVPN score

• Features
  9.5 / 10
• Pricing
  8.5 / 10
• User-friendliness
  9 / 10
• Speed
  9 / 10
• Security
  9.5 / 10
• Privacy
  9 / 10
• Streaming
  9.5 / 10
• Servers
  9.5 / 10
• Service
  9 / 10
• Apps Support
  9.2 / 10

Methodology: How I Compared NordVPN and Avast VPN

Comparing VPNs requires more than just taking a surface-level look at the features. Below are the criteria I used to compare Avast SecureLine VPN with NordVPN.

Security

I looked at all the security features that both NordVPN and Avast VPN provide and conducted security tests to determine whether they deliver what they promise.

Privacy

For this criterion, I looked at each VPN provider’s policies to ensure user data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. The ideal VPN service should adhere to a strict no-logging policy that has been independently audited.

Key Features

A good VPN needs to have other features that enhance its ability to deliver security and privacy and execute other functions like streaming. I focused on bonus features like split tunneling, ad and tracker blockers, specialized servers and more. 

Connection Speeds

Fast speeds are necessary for streaming, gaming and torrenting. I conducted tests using servers from different parts of the world to get a clear picture of how each VPN performs. 

Server Locations

VPN services with bigger server networks will generally be better for unblocking more content. Availability of streaming-optimized servers and options for torrenting and gaming are all bonuses.

Streaming Performance

I tested both VPN providers with six major streaming platforms, including Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video, and paid attention to how fast they unblocked each platform. 

Platform Compatibility

I looked at the range of device support and how easy the apps are for new users. The more operating systems a VPN is compatible with, the better.

Customer Support

I checked all the available communication options each VPN provided and tested email and live chat to see how fast the responses would be. The depth of the FAQ answers and knowledgebases was another area I focused on.

Pricing Plans

I looked at the cost of all premium plans, the length of each service’s free trial and the window periods for the money-back guarantees. Cheaper VPNs that offer better value for your money are preferable.

Other VPN Alternatives I Like

NordVPN and Avast VPN aren’t the only services worth your attention. Here are some alternatives that offer competitive features.

Proton VPN: Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs, with a premium version offering more than 3,000 servers. Read this detailed Proton VPN review to learn more.

Overall Rating 8.8 / 10

Visit Proton VPN

CyberGhost: You get more than 11,000 servers with CyberGhost, a 24-hour free-trial and a long 45-day money-back guarantee. This CyberGhost review explains everything in more detail.

Overall Rating 7.5 / 10

Visit CyberGhost

ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN has reliably fast speeds, can unblock all major restricted platforms and is compatible with many devices, including smart TVs and gaming consoles. Read our ExpressVPN review to learn more.

Overall Rating 9.5 / 10

Get 49% Off ExpressVPN

FAQ: NordVPN vs VPN

• Is NordVPN the Most Secure VPN?

  NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs. It has AES-256 encryption and offers IP and DNS leak protection. Other reliable security features include obfuscation, double VPN and Tor over VPN.

• How Secure Is Avast SecureLine VPN?

  Avast SecureLine VPN is secured with AES-256 encryption and a reliable kill switch that prevents your details from leaking when your VPN connection drops.

• Is Avast VPN Better Than NordVPN?

  Avast VPN is not better than NordVPN. It has a smaller server network, only works on four platforms, is slower and hasn’t been independently audited like NordVPN has.

• What VPN Is Better Than NordVPN?

  A reliable VPN that may be better than NordVPN is ExpressVPN. It’s one of the few alternatives that’s almost as fast as NordVPN.