NordVPN vs PureVPN in 2026: Which One Deserves Your Money?

NordVPN and PureVPN both sell themselves as do-everything VPNs with huge networks and aggressive long-term discounts. On paper they look close. In our scoring database they are not: NordVPN sits at 4.63/5, PureVPN at 3.46/5, and the gap comes almost entirely from privacy and security.

The short answer

Pick NordVPN if you care about privacy, streaming or speed, which covers most people buying a VPN. Pick PureVPN only if you want the cheapest possible 2-year commitment or you need a server in one of the more obscure countries NordVPN doesn’t cover.

That’s the whole verdict. The rest of this article shows where the 1.17-point gap comes from, because it is not spread evenly.

NordVPN vs PureVPN: head-to-head table

All figures come from our comparison database, scored out of 5.

Privacy and security: where PureVPN loses the fight

Both providers have had their no-logs policy audited, NordVPN by PwC and PureVPN by Sec Consult. On that single line they tie at 5/5. Everything around that line is where they split.

Jurisdiction. NordVPN is based in Panama, outside the Five, Nine and Fourteen Eyes alliances. PureVPN is registered in Hong Kong, which we score 2/5 because the territory is flagged as under surveillance by press freedom monitors. If a government ever leans on your VPN provider, where that provider sits matters.

The 2017 case. PureVPN’s history is the thing most buyers never hear about. In 2017, connection records it provided helped the FBI identify a man accused of a long cyberstalking campaign, as The Register reported at the time. PureVPN was advertising a no-logs service when that happened. The company has since been audited, and we credit that audit in full. But our leak protection score also tracks proven user data leaks, and that one drags PureVPN down to 2/5. We cover the whole story in Does PureVPN keep logs?

RAM-only servers. NordVPN runs its whole network on RAM-only servers, which wipe on every reboot. PureVPN doesn’t, and scores 0/5 here. A disk-based server can keep data around by accident. A RAM-only server can’t, by design.

Encryption. Both use AES-256 for the tunnel. NordVPN adds ChaCha20 and an RSA-4096 handshake. PureVPN’s handshake tops out at RSA-2048, which is why it sits at 2/5 on our encryption criterion.

Put those together and NordVPN’s security subtotal is a perfect 5/5, against 2.2/5 for PureVPN. That is the single biggest reason the overall scores are so far apart.

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Speed: NordVPN is clearly faster

NordVPN scores 5/5 on speed in our testing, PureVPN 3/5. NordLynx, NordVPN’s WireGuard-based protocol, is the main reason. PureVPN supports a wide list of protocols (OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP and IPSec variants, even PPTP), but it doesn’t support WireGuard in our protocol data, and that shows on fast fibre connections.

If you mostly browse and stream in HD, PureVPN’s speed is fine. If you download large files, game, or stream 4K on a gigabit line, you’ll notice the difference.

PureVPN’s long protocol list does have one upside: it’s more likely to work on older routers and legacy devices that only speak L2TP or IKEv2. But PPTP, which it still supports, is an outdated protocol with known weaknesses. If you choose PureVPN, stick to OpenVPN or IKEv2 and leave PPTP switched off.

Streaming: not much of a contest

NordVPN gets 5/5 on streaming. In our tests it rated Excellent on Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video, HBO Max and Peacock, and Very Good on Hulu.

PureVPN gets 3.5/5. It rated Good on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and Prime Video, but only Variable on BBC iPlayer, HBO Max and Peacock. “Variable” in our scoring means it works some evenings and not others, which is exactly what you don’t want at 9pm with the family on the sofa.

Server network: PureVPN’s real advantage

This is the one area where PureVPN beats NordVPN on raw numbers. PureVPN lists 6,500+ servers in 140+ countries. NordVPN has 6,274 servers in 104 countries. Both score 4/5 or better on this criterion, but if you need an exit IP in a smaller market, PureVPN is more likely to have it.

Don’t overrate this. For streaming and everyday use, what counts is how well the servers in the countries you actually use perform, and that’s where NordVPN’s higher speed and streaming scores matter more than 36 extra flags on a map.

Price: it depends on how long you commit

The two are almost identical month to month: $12.99 for NordVPN, $12.95 for PureVPN. On the 1-year plan NordVPN is actually a little cheaper ($68.85 versus $69.95).

PureVPN pulls ahead on the 2-year plan: $58.00 in total, roughly $2.42 a month, against $83.43 for NordVPN, roughly $3.48 a month. Over two years that saves you about $25. That’s real money, but it’s also the price of giving up RAM-only servers, a stronger jurisdiction and better streaming for 24 months.

NordVPN also gives you twice as long to change your mind: a 60-day money-back guarantee versus 31 days for PureVPN. Prices shift often, so check the live figures on our comparison page before you buy.

Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.

Apps, extras and support

Both cover Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox and smart TVs. PureVPN scores a notch higher on availability (5/5 against 4/5). Both include an ad and tracker blocker (5/5 each), both offer 24/7 live chat (5/5 each), and both run a public bug bounty program.

Payment options are one more small privacy point for NordVPN: it accepts crypto and even cash, while PureVPN is limited to cards and online payment services in our data.

For getting around restrictive networks, NordVPN has obfuscated servers, Tor-over-VPN and dedicated IPs (4/5). PureVPN offers obfuscation and dedicated IPs (3/5). If you travel to countries that block VPNs, NordVPN is the safer bet.

Three real-world scenarios

You travel to countries that restrict VPNs. NordVPN, comfortably. Its obfuscated servers and Tor-over-VPN option give it 4/5 on getting through restrictive networks, against 3/5 for PureVPN, and its RAM-only servers matter more when you are connecting from somewhere with an aggressive government.

You share one subscription with a family that streams every evening. NordVPN again. The streaming gap (5/5 against 3.5/5) shows up exactly in this situation: several people, several platforms, and nobody wants to troubleshoot a “proxy detected” screen before the film starts.

You want a cheap VPN for public Wi-Fi and the odd geo-blocked website, and you’ll commit for two years. This is PureVPN’s best case. Its 2-year price is the lowest of the two, its apps cover every platform (5/5 on availability), and an audited no-logs policy is still better than many budget VPNs offer. Just go in knowing that its jurisdiction and disk-based servers put it in a lower privacy tier.

Who should choose which?

Choose NordVPN if you:

• want audited no-logs plus RAM-only servers and a privacy-friendly jurisdiction
• stream regularly from several platforms
• have a fast connection and want to keep that speed

Choose PureVPN if you:

• want the lowest price on a 2-year plan and accept the privacy trade-offs
• need an IP address in a country NordVPN doesn’t cover

For a deeper look at each one, read our NordVPN review and our PureVPN review.