NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN

More and more people are coming around to the benefits of using a VPN, but there are so many VPN providers out there that it can be difficult to decide where to spend your money. That’s why we’ve put together an easy-to-read guide to two of the biggest brands on the market, NordVPN and AVG Secure VPN.

Below, we’ll show exactly which features these VPNs have, how they can help you, and how these services stack up against each other. What’s more, reading this guide and learning about common features will help you critically examine other VPNs moving forward.

Summary: NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN

NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN pricing

If you sign up for one month at a time, NordVPN costs $11.99 USD. This puts it at the higher end of the pricing scale, but given that its two long-term plans come with steep discounts, this service is clearly hoping users sign up for longer. A one-year subscription, for instance, cuts the cost to $59.88, which is just $8.33 per month — a saving of 58%. Committing to a two-year plan grants you a whopping 63% off and three months extra free, reducing the price to $3.29 per month.

There’s a huge difference in terms of these VPNs’ highest prices. That’s largely because AVG Secure VPN doesn’t offer a monthly subscription option; you have to commit to at least a year upfront. However, the two and three-year plans only reduce the average monthly cost by 10 cents, and even then, the price almost doubles after your first subscription term ends. In other words, after your first plan runs out, you’ll be paying at least $8.19 per month.

NordVPN and AVG Secure VPN both provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can try either service out for a month, and simply cancel for a full refund if you’re not impressed. AVG Secure VPN now no longer offers a free tier; that said, it does come with a seven-day free trial, and you don’t have to enter any payment information for this.

BEST DEAL FOR NORDVPN:Get 63% off by choosing NordVPN’s two-year plan.

BEST DEAL FOR AVG SECURE VPN:Get AVG Secure VPN for as little as $4.39 per month.

NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN features

These VPNs both offer apps for the most common operating systems. That said, NordVPN caters to a wider range of users since it has apps for Linux and Amazon Firestick. Further, unlike AVG Secure VPN, it can be manually installed on supported routers, which allows you to protect every device on your network. NordVPN also has a fairly standard connection limit, allowing you to protect six devices simultaneously, whereas AVG Secure VPN increases this to ten, something only a handful of other services do.

AVG Secure VPN and NordVPN both include automatic wifi protection, which allows the app to connect automatically any time you use an unsecured network. Additionally, each offers split tunneling functionality (the ability to let specific apps pass through the VPN), although AVG Secure VPN only includes this in its mobile apps, and NordVPN only has it in its Windows apps and browser extensions.

NordVPN has a couple of other features that its rival doesn’t. For instance, it can automatically block ads, trackers, and malware, which is something AVG has a whole separate paid subscription for. NordVPN also offers special servers for bypassing censorship and accessing the dark web. There’s even a MeshNet feature that allows you to securely connect to remote networks or host virtual LAN parties.

Streaming and Netflix comparison

There’s a clear difference between the two in terms of streaming ability. AVG Secure VPN wasn’t able to access most of the services we tried, although it did work with a couple of more popular Netflix libraries (though not as reliably as we’d like). On the plus side, this provider has specific servers for streaming, so at least you won’t have to rely on trial and error to find the right ones.

NordVPN, on the other hand, rose to the challenge. It was able to securely access every service we threw at it. Notably, this provider worked with multiple regional Netflix libraries, and if we chose a server for a region it couldn’t access, it simply redirected us to the US version of the site. In other words, you should be able to stream Netflix using just about any server you like.

Which of these VPNs work in China?

Chinese internet censorship is among the most pervasive in the world, with everything from foreign news outlets to pro-democracy content blocked outright. Further, the government knows that its restrictions can be bypassed with a VPN, so it has taken steps to prevent citizens from downloading these as well. Even if you do have a service installed, many VPNs’ servers have been blacklisted, and as a result, they won’t work at all in China.

AVG Secure VPN is one of these. To its credit, it seemed to have worked on the mainland until sometime in 2020. Since then, though, connectivity issues in China have been a recurring theme on the user support form, and no one has been able to find a fix. As such, you should not rely on this VPN while traveling in China.

NordVPN, however, works perfectly well in China, provided you use one of its obfuscated servers. To access these, simply click the gear icon, move to the Advanced tab, and activate the Obfuscated servers (OpenVPN(TCP)) option. Next, return to the main screen and scroll down the list on the left to find them in the Specialty servers section.

Setup and interface

Both of these services offer user-friendly apps for desktop devices. NordVPN features a split layout, with a server list on the left and a map on the right. We liked that you can access all of its specialty servers (obfuscated, P2P, Onion over VPN, or dedicated IP) directly from the main page. Despite the number of options available, navigating the menu remains simple, since everything is neatly grouped into tabs.

There isn’t a huge amount to say about AVG Secure VPN’s desktop app. The main screen is almost exclusively for a quick connect button, although you can change locations from here too. Users can’t search the server list, but they are grouped by continent. Further, you can choose to show only the P2P or streaming-optimized servers if you have a specific job in mind. There are only a handful of options to choose from, but they’re all well-labeled, letting you know exactly what each does.

NordVPN has a slightly different layout on mobile, with the server list moved to the bottom of the home screen. However, it maintains all of the functionality of its desktop apps, and even adds a couple of new features. These are tapjacking protection, which lets you know if an app is trying to trick you into clicking something other than what is shown on screen, and dark web monitoring, which notifies you if it finds your email address in leaked data on hacker forums and other unsavory sites.

AVG Secure VPN is almost exactly the same on mobile as it is on desktop PCs. That said, its mobile apps have split tunneling functionality and require you to configure the kill switch in your device’s settings, rather than having it be a simple toggle switch.

Servers and performance

It’s difficult to accurately compare the networks of these two services. That’s because AVG Secure VPN doesn’t mention how many servers it has. NordVPN, on the other hand, has one of the largest networks around, with over 5,400 servers in 60 countries. This is about the number of locations you’d expect from a paid VPN; in contrast, AVG Secure VPN’s 37 seems a little underwhelming, especially given how close these providers are price-wise.

The last time we tested AVG’s speeds, we found them adequate, if unimpressive. However, this provider has really upped its game lately and now boasts some of the highest speeds we’ve seen, averaging 433 Mbps. NordVPN, meanwhile had an average speed of 196 Mbps. In other words, both of these services are quick enough to handle anything you throw at them, from torrenting to online gaming.

Here’s a full list of the locations where NordVPN and AVG Secure VPN have servers:

AVG Secure VPN covers all of the bases, with servers in in-demand countries like the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada, plus some less commonly-seen locations like the Czech Republic and Taiwan.

NordVPN has servers in almost twice as many locations, including Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, two countries with widespread online censorship. With such a large selection of countries, there are very few limits to the content you’ll theoretically be able to access.

Security

Here’s where NordVPN really begins to shine. As well as supporting OpenVPN connections, it has its own NordLynx protocol, which is based on the extremely fast and secure Wireguard. This offers a significant speed increase when using distant servers and would be well suited for people visiting remote locations like New Zealand or Hawaii.

AVG Secure VPN, meanwhile, supports OpenVPN and WireGuard connections, as well as offering its own Mimic protocol. There isn’t a whole lot of information out there about this, though AVG’s website does state that it’s very fast and may be useful in countries that restrict OpenVPN traffic.

Both VPNs use 256-bit AES with 4096-bit RSA keys, which is effectively uncrackable (for the time being). They each have a kill switch too — this stops sending data the second you lose your connection to the VPN, preventing you from accidentally browsing the web unprotected. However, NordVPN provides this in all versions of its app, whereas AVG Secure VPN only has it on Windows and MacOS.

Privacy

The good news is that neither of these services keeps any logs of the sites you visit. In fact, NordVPN is a zero-logs provider, so it doesn’t store any record of your connection at all. More importantly, it has repeatedly been audited by well-respected companies, ensuring you don’t have to take its claims at face value. It also accepts three kinds of cryptocurrency, giving you plenty of ways to sign up anonymously.

AVG Secure VPN is a different beast though. During registration, you’ll have to provide your full name, email address, and ZIP code. Further, as it only supports credit card and PayPal payments, you can’t just enter made up information. It also stores quite a lot of information about your connection, including what time you started and finished using the VPN, as well as how much data you transferred. While this isn’t enough to identify you outright, it can be paired with data requested from other sites to effectively remove any doubt.

NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN for Gaming

Both VPNs are well-suited to gaming. They both provide exceptionally fast connection speeds, which should help to keep your internet running at its usual speed and can keep ping low.

AVG VPN was faster in our tests, but the speeds you get with NordVPN far exceed those needed for most games, so you shouldn’t have any issues gaming with NordVPN. This is worth bearing in mind because NordVPN is a better VPN overall, and is cheaper – so you could save a few bucks.

If you suspect that your ISP is purposefully throttling your connection when you play games, then you can try either of these VPNs to bypass bandwidth throttling. Be aware that all VPNs will increase your ping and lower your bandwidth to some degree, under most other circumstances.

NordVPN operates servers in 60+ countries. AVG Secure VPN only has servers in 37 countries, which gives you fewer options for accessing easier lobbies or game servers in specific regions around the world.

NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN for Torrenting

When it comes to torrenting, both NordVPN and AVG Secure VPN offer protection to prevent your ISP and local networks from detecting your downloads. Additionally, they both shield your home IP address from being exposed to other peers on the torrent swarm, significantly enhancing your security and privacy while torrenting.

Some Reddit users have expressed concerns about using AVG Secure VPN for torrenting. AVG has a one-size-fits-all privacy policy for several of its products, with its antivirus lumped in with the VPN and other services. This has raised legitimate concerns regarding how the company collects and processes user data. Specific comments and discussions on Reddit suggest that some users have lost confidence in AVG’s VPN, especially during sensitive tasks like torrenting.

Overall, we would tend to lean towards NordVPN for torrenting, which has a robust no-logging policy and split tunneling available in its desktop apps. Neither of these VPNs offers port forwarding, so if you require this feature for seeding torrents, we recommend looking for a VPN with port forwarding.

Customer service

Whichever service you choose, you’ll be able to search the help center for setup guides and answers to commonly-asked questions. They each offer 24/7 support over live chat as well, and NordVPN’s team operates in-house, so may be able to answer more complex questions than an outsourced help desk could.

In addition to its live chat service, AVG Secure VPN offers support over the phone (making it one of the few remaining providers to do so). There’s also a forum where users can raise issues, although often, administrators will mention that they’ve simply emailed the solution to the user, which kind of defeats the purpose of a support forum.

NordVPN offers video guides and privacy-related insights in several languages on its highly-active YouTube channel. Alternatively, you can send queries over email. Notably, while AVG Secure VPN goes to great pains to only provide personalized support to paid-up users, NordVPN staff are happy to answer questions from anyone.

The winner: NordVPN

Apr 2024

AVG Secure VPN has made a few changes recently (improving its speeds and adding support for additional protocols, for instance) but it’s still lagging behind most other high-profile providers where it counts. Asking users to sign up for a year at least is a sign that you’re not confident they’ll return after their short-term subscription expires, and it’s easy to see why. After all, AVG Secure VPN has a small number of server locations, poor streaming ability, and few impressive privacy features, for the same price as well-known providers that offer much more.

Take NordVPN: it’s one of the best-known services on the market, capable of accessing just about any service you ask it to, and packed to the brim with cutting-edge security features. It works almost anywhere in the world, refuses to keep any logs at all, and has a track record of pushing back against anti-privacy legislation. In short, it’s far and away the better choice for most people.

See also:

• NordVPN vs Proton VPN
• NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield
• NordVPN vs PrivateVPN

Methodology: How we compared NordVPN and AVG Secure VPN

There’s a lot that goes into comparing two VPNs. After all, they could have the exact same security tools but if one’s privacy policy is full of holes, that has a huge impact on your privacy. Our job is to dig as deep as possible into these providers and to see how well they hold up. Here are just a few of the things that we examined:

• Server network: One of the first things we look at is a provider’s server distribution. This is crucial as the shorter the average user’s distance from their nearest server, the lower their latency. Server locations also determine which country’s content you’ll theoretically be able to access.
• Performance: Our team regularly tests leading VPNs to monitor how their speeds have changed over time. To account for randomness caused by server load and other unavoidable factors, we speed test each provider nine times (using multiple servers at different times of day) before averaging the results.
• Security and privacy: A VPN that can’t keep your data secure is of no use to anyone. That’s why we make sure each offers unbreakable encryption, a no-logging policy, and safeguards such as leak protection and a kill switch. We also look into each VPNs’ audit history to see if they’ve allowed independent experts to examine their infrastructure.
• Versatility: To ensure that a VPN can handle any day-to-day task, we check how well they perform while torrenting, video-calling, playing games, and streaming. This way, you’ll know exactly whether it’s a reliable choice for watching ESPN+, catching up with friends, or both.
• User-friendliness: The more newcomer-friendly a VPN is, the better. We strongly value ease of use features like 24/7 live chat, task-specific servers, and one-click connection. Of course, we keep an eye out for anything that lowers the barrier to entry, such as a lack of connection limits or multi-platform support.
• Pricing: We don’t want you to pay a cent more than is necessary. That’s why we’ll always let you know if there’s a free plan, trial period, money-back guarantee, or discount available.

This is just a brief overview of our process. To find out more, check out our full VPN testing methodology.

NordVPN vs AVG Secure VPN: FAQs