NordVPN keeps getting faster: here’s why

Why is a VPN's speed so important?

Browsing on an unencrypted, high-speed connection is effortless – pages load instantly, videos stream in high quality, and large downloads are complete in seconds. When it all slows down – for whatever reason – we notice.

Using a VPN means inevitably adding some extra steps in the data transfer process. A poorly configured VPN can be one of the many causes of a slowdown, and if it is, people will be less likely to use it.

At NordVPN, we believe that you shouldn’t have to choose between privacy and speed. Why not have both?

How fast is NordVPN?

In 2020, leading tech reviewers have put NordVPN’s enhanced speeds to the test, time and time again. The results? We consistently rank among the fastest VPNs on the market.

The swathe of improvements we've implemented this year has really cemented our position as a leader in the VPN space. As long-established security experts, it’s great to now see our speed and stability getting the recognition they deserve.

NordVPN is faster than ever because our engineers and tech-heads never stop raising the bar. One of our major speed breakthroughs in 2020 was the development of NordVPN’s newest protocol: NordLynx.

NordLynx

This major update began with the skeleton of the WireGuard protocol. Wireguard offers unprecedented speeds and is widely seen as a game-changer in the VPN space.

Its surprisingly lean coding infrastructure makes it easy to implement and maintain, but it's not perfect. This protocol is still in development, and on its own it fails to meet the high standards of security and privacy NordVPN users expect. That’s where NordLynx comes in.

We combined WireGuard with our own double NAT (Network Address Translation) system. This allows us to establish a secure VPN connection without storing any identifiable user data, a core principle for NordVPN. This groundbreaking combination became NordLynx; a protocol that offers speed without compromising security.

On almost all fronts, NordLynx outmatches both OpenVPN and IPSec, the previous market-leading protocols. We carried out more than 250,000 speed tests, but NordLynx stands alone as the fastest protocol we’ve ever implemented. After a trial period on Linux, we’ve now rolled it out across Android, Windows, iOS, and macOS.

What sets NordVPN apart?

NordLynx is just one of NordVPN’s protocols, of course. We're continuously working to improve all aspects of our service. Here are just a few of the updates we've rolled out in recent months:

• Faster long-distance data transfer. Improving our server infrastructure has allowed us to make data transfer even faster. We've managed to reduce the time it takes for TCP packets to travel between your device, our VPN server, and the website you want to interact with. This is a particular breakthrough for long-distance users who need to access international servers.
• Enhanced security with our Pause function. Users can now “pause” their VPN instead of switching it off, allowing them to reconnect automatically as soon as they “unpause”. Switching your VPN off entirely will disable the auto-connect feature, and that could leave users exposed. With the Pause option, you can effectively turn your VPN off and on, without worrying about resetting your auto-connect.
• A simpler experience with Nord Account. We've also made the user experience simpler and more streamlined, thanks to Nord Account. This unified interface allows you to enjoy our expanding suite of services without having to jump between profiles. Nord Account comes with a centralised control platform, so you can manage all your subscriptions from one location, with one login.
• Updates and improvements for every operating system. We consistently maintain and improve apps on all our operating systems, adding new features and fixes. Whether it’s the tapjacking protections we recently added to Android, the NordLynx killswitch on Linux, or the automated reconnection service on macOS, we continue to look after our users.

Borderless browsing, robust security, control over your own data: these are rights we believe every internet user should enjoy.

Fast, private, secure browsing is just a click away.