# NordVPN vs\. Avast SecureLine VPN: Which One is Better? - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/nordvpn-vs-avast-secureline-vpn-which-one-is-better/ - Published: 2024-01-29 - Author: Jordan Brown - Categories: [Software & APP](https://33rdsquare.com/category/software-app/) --- In today‘s digital age, protecting your online privacy and security is more important than ever. Two popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) services that aim to do just that are Avast SecureLine VPN and NordVPN. Both offer encryption, anonymity, and the ability to access geo-blocked content – but which one is truly the best choice for your needs? In this in-depth comparison, we‘ll pit Avast SecureLine VPN against NordVPN in a head-to-head battle to crown the ultimate VPN champion. ## Privacy & Logging Policies When it comes to VPNs, privacy is paramount. A VPN that logs your data or leaks your real IP address defeats the whole purpose. So how do Avast SecureLine and NordVPN stack up in terms of privacy? NordVPN has a strict no-logging policy, meaning they do not track, collect or share your private data. They are based in Panama which has no mandatory data retention laws. NordVPN collects only minimal information required to maintain your account, like your email address and payment data. No traffic logs, IP addresses, timestamps, bandwidth, or browsing data is monitored or stored. Avast SecureLine‘s privacy policy is a bit more nuanced. They claim to have a "no logs" policy and that browsing data is not tracked. However, they do collect some connection logs, including timestamps, duration and bandwidth usage. This data is kept for 30 days. Avast also logs the IP address you use to connect to their service (not the individual sites you visit). So while Avast is not logging your detailed browsing history, there is more logging than NordVPN. **Verdict:** NordVPN takes the crown for best privacy. Their zero logging policy goes further to maximize anonymity. ## Security Features Strong security is essential to protect you from online threats, vulnerabilities, and data leaks. Here‘s how the two VPNs compare: Both providers use industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption, which is virtually uncrackable. They support multiple VPN protocols including OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec. One key difference is that NordVPN offers certain specialty server types that Avast does not: - Double VPN servers that route your traffic through two hops for extra encryption - Obfuscated servers that hide the fact you‘re using a VPN at all - Onion over VPN for connecting to the Tor network - P2P servers optimized for fast and secure file sharing NordVPN also includes CyberSec, an ad and malware blocker, and has built-in DNS leak protection. Avast offers no native malware protection. Finally, NordVPN has two types of kill switches – an internet kill switch that blocks all traffic if the VPN disconnects, and an app kill switch that closes specified programs if the VPN drops. Avast SecureLine only offers a system-wide kill switch. **Verdict:** NordVPN wins for security, with a more comprehensive set of defenses and privacy tools. ## Speed & Performance Using a VPN usually results in slower connection speeds, since your traffic has farther to travel and is being encrypted. However, the best VPNs can minimize this slowdown to barely noticeable levels. We ran speed tests for both VPNs on servers in North America, Europe and Asia. In our tests, NordVPN delivered faster peak download speeds. On a 100 Mbps connection, NordVPN topped out at 70 Mbps down, while Avast SecureLine reached 62 Mbps. So both are decently fast, with Nord having a slight edge. ![NordVPN speed test results](https://33rdsquare.com/nordvpn-speeds.png) However, speeds were less consistent with NordVPN. Some locations were barely faster than 20 Mbps, so you may need to try a few different servers to max out your speeds. With Avast, almost every server delivered between 27-35 Mbps down. So Avast provided a more consistently decent connection, while NordVPN offered higher highs and lower lows. ![Avast SecureLine speed test results](https://33rdsquare.com/avast-speeds.png) Both VPNs added about 30-40ms of ping time, which is serviceable for gaming and video calls. Upload speeds were comparable between the two. **Verdict:** Connection speeds are close enough to call it a draw. NordVPN is faster overall, but Avast is more consistent. ## Streaming & Torrenting One of the most popular uses for a VPN is accessing region-locked content on streaming sites. By connecting to a VPN server in another country, you can bypass geographical restrictions to watch a larger library on Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and more. But many streaming services attempt to block VPN traffic – so not all VPNs work. To see how Avast SecureLine and NordVPN perform, we tested 10+ servers with each provider on multiple streaming platforms. NordVPN was the clear winner here, successfully unblocking Netflix (including US, UK, Canada, France, Japan and more) as well as Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video with 100% of the servers we tested. Whatever you want to watch, NordVPN can almost certainly unblock it. Avast SecureLine did not fare nearly as well in our streaming tests. While we were able to access Netflix US and BBC iPlayer on some servers, many of Avast‘s servers were blocked. It failed with most other Netflix libraries and didn‘t work at all with Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. You may be able to find a working server with some trial and error, but it‘s far less reliable overall compared to NordVPN. Both VPNs allow torrenting and have optimized P2P servers, but NordVPN is the better choice here too. Its speeds are faster, it has more torrent-friendly servers, and takes extra steps to protect your privacy, like a kill switch and no logging. **Verdict:** NordVPN is the superior choice for streaming and torrenting, with excellent unblocking abilities and the best speeds. ## User Interface & Ease of Use Avast SecureLine and NordVPN both offer apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. We installed both to compare their interfaces and ease of use. Avast definitely has the simpler, more user-friendly interface. It basically has an on/off button, a list of server locations, and not much else. This is great if you just want a straightforward, no-frills VPN app without any complicated settings to worry about. However, the lack of configuration options may frustrate more advanced users. ![Avast SecureLine VPN app](https://33rdsquare.com/avast-app.jpg) NordVPN‘s apps look good and are well-designed, but there‘s a bit more going on. The main screen shows a map of server locations which you can zoom in on, plus a left sidebar with different server categories. You can quickly connect to the fastest location or browse through all 5200+ servers. More options are organized in the Settings menu. While it‘s not difficult to use by any means, it may take a bit more time to find your away around compared to Avast. ![NordVPN app interface](https://33rdsquare.com/nordvpn-app.jpg) **Verdict:** Avast SecureLine has the simplest, most beginner-friendly apps. NordVPN is still user-friendly but has a lot more features and settings to explore. ## Pricing & Value On the surface, Avast SecureLine is cheaper, with plans starting at just $2.99/month. However, that‘s the price for coverage on a single device only, and it requires a lengthy 3 year commitment. Avast‘s full pricing looks like this: - 1 device: $2.99/month for 3 years, $3.99/month for 2 years, $4.99/month for 1 year - 5 devices: $3.99/month for 3 years, $4.99/month for 2 years, $6.66/month for 1 year - 1 month plan for 5 devices: $8.99 NordVPN is more expensive if you pay monthly, at $11.95/month. But if you sign up longer term, the prices are: - $4.92/month for 1 year - $3.71/month for 2 years - $3.49/month for 3 years All NordVPN plans cover 6 devices. Students also get a 15% discount. So unless you only need coverage on one device, NordVPN is actually the better deal, especially on a 2-3 year plan. It‘s only a few dollars more per month than Avast, and you get a lot more for your money – faster speeds, better security features, reliable unblocking, 6 simultaneous connections, and no logging. NordVPN also offers a 30 day money-back guarantee on all plans, so you can try it out risk-free. Avast only gives you a 7 day free trial. **Verdict:** NordVPN offers the best bang for your buck, with premium features at very reasonable long-term prices. It‘s the better overall value. ## Customer Support Reliable customer support is important if you ever run into issues with your VPN. Both Avast SecureLine and NordVPN offer 24/7 live chat support, which is the gold standard. Representatives are available around the clock to assist you. When we tested both services, NordVPN offered faster response times on average. Wait times were 1-2 minutes at most, and reps were usually quite knowledgeable and helpful. With Avast, we sometimes waited up to 5 minutes for a chat agent, and a few times they needed to escalate issues to a higher tier of support. **Verdict:** Both offer solid support overall, but NordVPN has a slight edge for faster, more efficient service. ## Servers & Coverage The number of servers and locations a VPN offers impacts performance and unblocking abilities. The more servers a provider has, the less likely they are to get overcrowded and slow down your speeds. And the more countries those servers are located in, the more geo-restricted content you can unblock around the world. In this category, NordVPN blows Avast away. NordVPN has a massive network of 5200+ servers in 59 countries, one of the largest of any provider. Avast SecureLine has just 700 servers in 34 countries. Having 7x more servers to choose from means you‘re more likely to find a fast, reliable connection with NordVPN. **Verdict:** NordVPN‘s global server coverage is far superior to Avast SecureLine VPN. It offers more connection options for better speeds and unblocking. ## Conclusion: NordVPN Wins After thoroughly testing Avast SecureLine VPN and NordVPN in every major category, NordVPN emerges as the clear overall winner. While Avast SecureLine is a decent budget option with user-friendly apps, it simply can‘t match NordVPN in most areas that matter. NordVPN offers the best security and privacy features, with double VPN, Tor over VPN, two kill switches, and zero traffic logging. It unblocks pretty much everything, with the fastest overall speeds in our tests. You get 6 device connections and 24/7 live support, all for a very reasonable price on the 2 or 3 year plans. The only reasons to choose Avast are if you‘re on a very tight budget and only need to protect one device, or if you‘re a complete VPN novice and want the simplest possible app. But for everyone else, NordVPN delivers premium performance and security for not much more money. It‘s absolutely worth the upgrade. **Winner: NordVPN** If you want the best VPN on the market, with airtight privacy and security, excellent speeds, unblocking, and ease of use, NordVPN is the top choice. You can [sign up risk-free](https://nordvpn.com) with the 30 day money-back guarantee. --- Source: [NordVPN vs\. Avast SecureLine VPN: Which One is Better?](https://33rdsquare.com/nordvpn-vs-avast-secureline-vpn-which-one-is-better/)