NordVPN vs Virtual Shield in 2024

NordVPN is a well-known VPN (Virtual Private Network) service with multiple other cybersecurity products. It grew to a behemoth of the industry thanks to its blazing-fast connectivity, airtight security, and reliable privacy.

Meanwhile, VirtualShield is a relatively new service on the market. Whether it makes waves or disappears into obscurity remains to be seen.

However, we can judge its potential by comparing NordVPN vs Virtual Shield in several VPN-relevant categories. Then we’ll see if it has what it takes to win over potential customers.

NordVPN vs Virtual Shield: specifications

We believe a VPN shouldn’t be selected based on one or two factors and must be analyzed in detail. Hence, check what each VPN offers and familiarize yourself with all the core features to thoroughly explore and proceed with the purchase.

It shouldn’t be surprising, though, that NordVPN is the better choice. Let’s dig deeper.

NordVPN vs VirtualShield: pricing

The two services offer fairly standard pricing options. Customers can choose full-priced monthly plans or discounted long-term subscriptions. However, they can also utilize free trials and money-back guarantees to get familiar with the providers.

Although VirtualShield has lengthier free trial and money-back periods, the ultimate defining factor is subscription price. And in that regard, NordVPN is the better and more affordable option.

NordVPN pricing

NordVPN has loads of pricing options to suit buyers’ needs. If you just want the standalone VPN options, these are your three subscription options:

• $12.99/month for the monthly plan
• $4.59/month for the annual plan
• $2.99/month for the two-year plan

These are referred to as the Standard options. However, the Plus plan includes the NordPass password manager and all of its benefits. Lastly, the Complete subscription tops everything off with 1 TB of NordLocker cloud storage. You can find a detailed breakdown of all possible prices in the table below.

If you’re not 100% certain about this provider, you should get a free NordVPN trial on the Google Play Store. It lasts seven days and requires an Android device, but once you’ve claimed the offer you can install the VPN on other devices too. Plus, you can technically extend the testing period thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee.

With NordVPN, the best discount you can get is 74% off. Buyers can ensure the best possible deals by utilizing NordVPN coupons. Finally, payment options include credit cards, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, various cryptocurrencies, and even cash if you buy the VPN at a retail store.

VirtualShield pricing

You can sign up for an Individual Virtual Shield VPN plan by picking one of the following pricing options:

• $12.99/month for the monthly plan
• $8.99/month for the annual plan
• $6.99/month for the bi-annual plan

Meanwhile, the Family plan increases the price significantly to these choices:

• $29.99/month for the monthly subscription
• $17.99/month the annual subscription
• $14.99/month for the bi-annual subscription

The difference between the two? The Individual plan supports one user, while the Family plan can be used by five. However, either one can be used on an unlimited number of devices, so to me, it seems like a hard sell. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also VPN Plus, a bonus subscription service that costs $12.99/month and unlocks extra features.

In any case, discounts cap out at 55%, and all purchases are protected with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, potential buyers can start off with a 30-day free trial. Lastly, payment methods are limited to credit cards and PayPal.

Speed comparison

NordVPN is hailed as one of the fastest VPNs currently available. It earned this title with its proprietary NordLynx protocol. This technology is an improved version of WireGuard, a modern and open-source protocol gaining popularity and skyrocketing VPN connectivity.

On the other hand, VirtualShield does not openly disclose what VPN tunneling protocol it uses. We had to reach out to customer support to find out that OpenVPN is the primary protocol. At least it’s not something old and outdated like PPTP.

Still, OpenVPN is not an ideal solution if speed is a priority. Not to mention that Virtual Shield has a significantly smaller server network, which we’ll elaborate on further below.

Curious how other VPN services fare in terms of connectivity? Check out our VPN speed test and see the latest performance data.

NordVPN vs VirtualShield: which is more secure?

A secure VPN needs three essential components to be considered viable for digital protection. These critical features are:

• AES-256 encryption
• VPN kill switch
• IP and DNS leak protection

Without them, your online activities are prone to exposure. Luckily, NordVPN and Virtual Shield include these essentials. However, NordVPN is based in a privacy friendly jurisdiction, has an audited no-logs policy, and utilizes RAM-only servers. It’s a much safer VPN.

Privacy

NordVPN is known as one of the best VPNs for staying anonymous online. It’s based in Panama, a country with no data retention laws and zero tolerance for foreign government interference with its businesses.

VirtualShield is located in the US, a founding member of the Fourteen Eyes alliance. It’s not exactly the best location to base your operations from since the US government can pressure VPNs into collecting user data. Furthermore, the service has no RAM-only servers to make data logging impossible.

Logging

NordVPN conducted multiple independent audits of its no-logs policy to verify excellent data retention practices. And there will be no digital footprints if you utilize one of the many anonymous payment methods NordVPN supports.

VirtualShield touts a no-logs policy and assures customers their data is secure with them. So far, we have no reason to doubt that, but a third-party audit would convince us entirely. Sadly, there’s no option to pay for the subscription anonymously.

Servers location

A VPN provider’s server fleet is like the bread and butter of a sandwich. It influences how good the service is in terms of versatility, speed, and foreign content unblocking. Users will be stuck connecting to suboptimal servers if there aren’t enough location options. Plus, a small number of options results in traffic congestion.

NordVPN boasts an expansive network of 7000+ servers across 118+ countries. All servers utilize RAM-only technology to avoid long-term data storage on hard drives. Additionally, no virtual locations allow users to predict possible connection speeds accurately.

VirtualShield doesn’t share many details about what’s happening under the hood. As far as I can tell, there are 1000+ servers in 20+ countries, an abysmally-small server fleet. Naturally, it’s also unclear what the underlying technology is like. As such, VirtualShield stands no chance against NordVPN.

Features

NordVPN has many more extra benefits, which makes it a more reliable alternative. VirtualShield, in the meanwhile, offers more functionality if you get VirtualShield+, which costs extra. And this is a problem when the standard plans already are pricey.

Smart DNS

NordVPN offers the Smart DNS feature called SmartPlay. It helps users bypass geo-restrictions and access a wider range of content on devices that don’t support VPN software natively. VirtualShield lacks a Smart DNS.

Ad & malware blocker

VirtualShield provides users with ad and malware blocker only if they get the VirtualShield+ add-on. In contrast, NordVPN has a dedicated feature called Threat Protection. It blocks adware, user trackers, and malicious websites and additionally scans downloads (up to 5GB) for viruses.

Split tunneling

NordVPN offers split tunneling on Windows, Android, and Android TV applications. Users can choose which websites or apps use the VPN connection. Virtual Shield also supports split tunneling.

Specialized servers

NordVPN offers additional specialty hardware, such as:

• Obfuscated servers. Restrictive networks use DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) to discover VPN traffic and block it. With Obfuscated Servers, your activities appear as regular HTTPS traffic and remain undetected. Thus, you are able to use the VPN in internet-restrictive countries, like China.
• Onion over VPN. The Tor Network uses a worldwide fleet of volunteer-operated computers to maintain privacy. You can use Onion over VPN to combine this network with a VPN connection for maximum anonymity.
• Double VPN servers. It lets you connect to two VPN servers instead of one, encrypting your traffic twice for double the protection. It comes at the cost of performance, so keep that in mind before enabling it.
• P2P-optimized servers. Optimized for torrenting, boosting your download and upload rates.

Other features

NordVPN also comes with a SOCKS5 proxy, Invisibility on LAN, Dark Web Monitoring, and Meshnet. Meanwhile, VirtualShield Plus unlocks features like ad-blocking, unrestricted streaming, and priority phone support. It’s difficult to recommend this service when such essential elements are paywalled.

Netflix and streaming comparison

Users frequently opt for streaming VPNs because they’re best suited for a popular use case – unblocking geographically restricted movies and TV shows. So how do NordVPN and VirtualShield fare in this scenario?

NordVPN is the undisputed leader in this matchup. It has loads of servers for unlocking a diverse range of content and 4K-capable speeds with NordLynx. Plus, customers will have no trouble enjoying their favorite shows in any home theater, thanks to the abundance of apps and SmartPlay.

VirtualShield has none of that. It works with Netflix US, and that’s about it. Other libraries and platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO Max did not bend to the VPN’s will. Moreover, the small selection of servers will result in poor connectivity and difficulty unblocking future content.

Device compatibility

Both providers are compatible with widely-used desktop and mobile devices. However, only NordVPN has apps for Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, Roku, and Kodi. And if you’re not a fan of dedicated apps, you may use Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Opera browser extensions.

Another key difference is that NordVPN is compatible with routers. This allows customers to get the benefits of a VPN even on devices that don’t support VPN software. And the absence of router configuration and apps for other home entertainment devices makes Virtual Shield less versatile than NordVPN.

Desktop applications

NordVPN’s desktop interface is intuitive and user-friendly. It features a large map with pins representing server locations, where you can click on these pins to connect or select a country from a list on the side. The settings and features like Threat Protection, Double VPN, and Tor over VPN are easily accessible.

VirtualShield’s desktop applications are also straightforward. It has a clean interface with a central connect button. Server locations can be chosen from a dropdown list, while settings and options are available separately.

Mobile applications

NordVPN’s mobile app is simple and it retains the interactive server map. There’s also a quick connect button and a list of countries to choose from. Additionally, the settings and special features are neatly organized into a menu.

The mobile version of VirtualShield is minimalistic as well. It primarily features a connect button. Manual server selection and modification of settings can be done through the menu, which enhances usability.

Torrenting

Using a VPN for torrenting is crucial when sharing files with P2P technology. For starters, many networks restrict BitTorrent traffic and leave your downloads stalled. Worse, some countries deem this technology illegal due to its frequent use to download copyrighted content.

Luckily, both VirtualShield and NordVPN permit P2P traffic in all possible locations. However, NordVPN takes it a step further and provides special torrenting-optimized servers. Plus, customers can use the SOCKS5 proxy to enhance the security of their torrenting client. Lastly, split tunneling gives the option to customize your connection and limit the VPN connection to specific apps, for example, your torrent client.

Sadly, VirtualShield doesn’t have much P2P-oriented benefits, apart from split tunneling. As such, it once again loses to NordVPN.

China

A less common but vital VPN use case is circumventing digital censorship and surveillance in countries like China. Using a virtual private network allows travelers to access blocked foreign services while locals can stay hidden from monitoring. However, a good VPN for China needs exceptional features to combat Deep Packet Inspection.

NordVPN is well-equipped for such obstacles with obfuscated servers and Onion over VPN at its disposal. Customers can cycle between both to effectively deal with the Great Firewall of China. On the other hand, Virtual Shield has nothing like that and will leave users in China stranded.

Customer support

Tech-savvy users can usually deal with potential issues themselves. However, there might always come a time when you’ll need expert assistance. This is why a virtual private network service must always have customer support agents available.

NordVPN users can expect help anytime because customer support is available 24/7 via live chat. Alternatively, you can reach them via email or troubleshoot issues yourself in the self-help section.

Virtual Shield is in the same boat and provides 24/7 live chat, email communication, and an extensive knowledge base for manual problem-solving. And while it does technically have phone line support, keep in mind that it’s only for VirtualShield+ members.

NordVPN vs VirtualShield – which is better?

This NordVPN vs Virtual Shield comparison has concluded, and no one should be surprised that NordVPN emerged on top.

It was a flawless victory with all categories being dominated, leaving VirtualShield without a single redeeming quality. It’s expensive, barren of features, and relatively slow. Maybe it’s worth considering if you need protection for an unlimited number of devices, but there are better services for that, such as Surfshark VPN.

But if you need airtight security and reliable streaming performance, go with NordVPN.

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FAQ

Is NordVPN better than Virtual Shield?

NordVPN is better than Virtual Shield as it offers better security features, faster speeds, and broader device compatibility. Furthermore, it’s a cheaper service with great streaming & torrenting capabilities.

Which is faster – NordVPN or Virtual Shield?

NordVPN is faster than Virtual Shield. It utilizes a better tunneling protocol called NordLynx and offers more servers globally.