Which NordVPN Plan is the Best? Basic, Plus, Prime, Complete

Picking the right NordVPN subscription plan isn’t straightforward. With four different tiers available, you can easily overpay for features you’ll never use or miss critical security tools. This guide breaks down each plan so you can figure out what actually makes sense for you.

I’ve been using NordVPN since 2022. I tested every single plan, switched between them based on my needs, watched renewal pricing happen (and survived the shock), and used it across my laptop, phone, tablet, and streaming devices. I’ve also personally compared it to Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN over the past 4 years. This guide reflects that real experience, not just theory.

How Much Does NordVPN Cost?

NordVPN pricing starts at $3.39 per month on a two-year commitment and tops out at $25.29 for month-to-month billing. The longer you commit upfront, the less you’ll pay each month. Here’s what the different plans cost:

Over a two-year period, the price difference between Basic and Prime comes to roughly $48 total. Whether that extra cost is worth it really comes down to whether you’ll actually use the additional features. Pay for stuff you won’t use, and you’re just throwing money away. Skimp on features you need, and you’re going to be frustrated.

Currently, NordVPN is offering up to 74% off on long-term subscription plans, plus 3 bonus months. This makes the two-year deals extremely competitive compared to other VPN providers.

1) NordVPN Basic Plan: Core Privacy

The Basic VPN plan works for casual users and people who want to test out a VPN service. At $3.39 a month on a two-year plan, it’s the cheapest option without compromising on core security features.

You get access to 9,000+ servers in 130+ countries, Threat Protection that blocks ads and trackers, ten simultaneous connections, and AES-256 encryption. Speed is solid and servers stay stable even during peak hours.

From my experience

I started with Basic in 2022 when I first tested NordVPN. It was genuinely fast. I streamed Netflix on my laptop while my phone was running simultaneously without any slowdown. Servers were reliable. The apps felt clean and simple. If you’re just casually browsing and not doing anything that requires extra features, Basic is legitimately all you need. I actually went back to Basic once for 3 months to save money, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything critical.

The downsides: no password manager, cloud storage, or identity theft monitoring. If you’re juggling multiple accounts or storing sensitive files, Basic won’t cut it. But if you already have strong password security practices, Basic covers everything you need.

2) NordVPN Plus Plan: Password Manager

Plus throws in NordPass, NordVPN’s password manager, for just $3.89 a month. That’s 50 cents more than Basic. That’s legitimately great value because password managers typically cost $30-40 per year on their own.

NordPass keeps all your login credentials in one place across your devices, so you’re not constantly resetting forgotten passwords or hunting through recovery emails. If you’re managing Twitch, YouTube, Discord, PayPal, and a bunch of other accounts, this is a real lifesaver. You also get better anti-malware protection.

Real talk from 4 years of using this

I upgraded to Plus in late 2022 because I was managing like 20+ online accounts. NordPass actually saved me time. I wasn’t hunting for passwords or resetting stuff constantly. The autofill worked across my laptop and phone seamlessly. And honestly? That 50-cent difference is invisible on your bill but super valuable in daily life. I’ve kept Plus ever since because I never want to go back to password chaos.

The anti-malware protection also caught something suspicious on my laptop once (turned out to be a PUP, potentially unwanted program). Nothing major, but it felt good knowing it was working.

Missing feature: no cloud storage. If you need encrypted file backup, you’ll want Complete instead.

3) NordVPN Complete Plan: Cloud Storage

Complete includes everything in Plus, plus 1TB of encrypted cloud storage through NordLocker. At $5.39 a month, that’s only $1.50 more than Plus, while cloud storage alone typically costs $10-20 monthly elsewhere.

For digital nomads and people who travel a lot, this is essential. If your laptop gets stolen or your phone dies while you’re traveling, your files are already safely encrypted and backed up. You can access them from any device instantly.

The security features also block malicious WiFi networks from snooping on you.

When I tested Complete

I upgraded to Complete for 6 months in 2024 when I was considering more travel. The cloud storage was genuinely useful. I had all my important documents, spreadsheets, and even some sensitive photos backed up. The peace of mind was real.

If your laptop suddenly dies (happened to a friend), you’re not panicking about lost files. That said, after 6 months I realized I wasn’t traveling as much as I thought I would, so I downgraded back to Plus. But if you’re someone who actually travels regularly or works remotely across locations, Complete is worth every penny.

The one limitation is no identity theft monitoring, which is fine for most travelers.

4) NordVPN Prime Plan: Full Protection

Prime puts together everything: the VPN itself, password manager, cloud storage, plus NordProtect for identity theft monitoring. At $7.39 a month, that’s still cheaper than buying all those services separately (which would run you $60-80 monthly).

NordProtect watches for data breaches and sends you a heads-up within hours if your information shows up in one. If identity theft does happen, you also get help dealing with it. Prime is really more like security insurance than a necessity for everyone.

My take after 4 years

I’ve never personally needed Prime’s identity theft protection (knock on wood). I tested it for 2 months in 2023 and didn’t feel like the monitoring added anything to my life.

But I also handle mostly personal stuff, not sensitive business data. If you run a business, manage client information, or you’ve been burned by identity theft before, Prime makes sense. The peace of mind is real. But for average users? Probably overkill.

NordVPN Plans Price Comparison

Here’s what different user situations cost annually with the most appropriate NordVPN subscription plan:

The difference between cheapest and most expensive is about $48 per year. That’s four dollars monthly, essentially two cups of coffee. Whether it’s worth it depends on whether you actually use the features included in higher-tier subscription plans.

Which NordVPN Plan for Different Users

Gamers should choose Plus for speed and password protection. Streamers and content creators benefit from Complete if they back up streams and recordings to the cloud.

Business owners handling sensitive data should consider Prime. Remote workers and digital nomads need Complete for secure file backup. Budget-conscious users: Basic covers privacy needs, but Plus at 50 cents more often delivers better value.

NordVPN Plans vs Competitors

NordVPN is competitively priced compared to other major VPN providers, but it’s not the absolute cheapest. Here’s how NordVPN subscription plans compare:

Surfshark undercuts NordVPN at $1.99 monthly on two-year plans. Proton VPN sits slightly lower at $2.99. What you’re paying extra for with NordVPN is consistency, speed, server reliability, and a fully integrated privacy ecosystem.

NordVPN delivers consistently fast speeds even on distant servers, maintains a massive server network, and polishes every aspect of the VPN experience. If you’re streaming, torrenting, or accessing geo-blocked content like Netflix or BBC iPlayer, NordVPN performs reliably where budget alternatives sometimes struggle.

From my personal testing (2022-2026) 

I’ve legitimately used all of these, and here’s my honest breakdown:

Surfshark is genuinely excellent. Unlimited simultaneous connections is a real advantage if you have a big family or manage multiple devices. The speeds are consistently good, and for the price ($1.99/month), it’s honestly the best value on the market. I’ve had it work flawlessly for months. The main reason I stick with NordVPN is personal preference for their interface, not because Surfshark is worse.

ExpressVPN is legitimately fast. In some regions, it’s noticeably faster than NordVPN. Their apps are polished and the customer support is excellent. The downside is the price jumps significantly after the intro offer (which is true for all VPNs, but ExpressVPN’s standard price is higher). It’s a premium service for a reason.

Proton VPN deserves credit for their free tier, which is genuinely usable. Most VPN free tiers are basically unusable, but Proton’s actually works if you need basic privacy. Their paid plans are solid too. If you’re budget-conscious and don’t mind slower speeds, Proton is legitimate competition.

CyberGhost has an excellent user interface and works reliably. Their streaming optimization is genuinely good. I tested it and had no real complaints. The interface design is actually more intuitive than NordVPN’s in some ways.

NordVPN isn’t objectively “better” than all these. It’s just what works best for me personally after 4 years. Your best choice depends on what matters to you: unlimited connections (Surfshark), speed in specific regions (ExpressVPN), privacy focus (Proton), or user interface (CyberGhost).

For pure price, Surfshark wins. For value and performance combined, NordVPN remains my stronger choice for most users, but that’s subjective.

Can You Change or Switch NordVPN Plans?

You don’t need to get this right today. You can upgrade or downgrade anytime during your billing cycle. If you start with Basic and realize you need password management, upgrade to Plus.

If you try Plus and never use the password manager, downgrade. NordVPN adjusts the price proportionally. No penalties, no hassle. Real-world usage is better than guessing based on marketing.

Common Mistakes When Choosing NordVPN Plans

Mistake #1: Upgrading for features you won’t touch. Prime has identity protection included, but if you never actually open the alerts, you’re paying for nothing.

Mistake #2: Staying with Basic when Plus would save you money overall. Plus costs 50 cents more per month (that’s $6 a year), but a password manager on its own runs $30-40 yearly. The math doesn’t add up.

Mistake #3: Ignoring what happens when your subscription renews. The price you see at signup is promotional pricing. When renewal comes around, a two-year Basic that started at $81.36 jumps to around $139 a year. Turn off auto-renewal before it happens.

Mistake #4: Overlooking the 30-day money-back guarantee. You can try any plan completely risk-free and get your money back if it’s not what you wanted.

Is NordVPN Worth It?

None of these plans are inherently bad. They’re just designed for different types of people. Basic gives you solid privacy without breaking the bank. Plus hits the sweet spot for most users. Complete is basically necessary if you travel or need cloud backup. Prime is your best bet if you’re handling sensitive data.

The real trick isn’t finding the “best” plan overall. It’s picking the one that actually matches your lifestyle and habits. And even if you pick wrong, you can always switch later.

Want to give it a shot? All of NordVPN’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Pick one, try it out, and see if it works for you. If it doesn’t, you get your money back.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Guides to Read

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• Need a US IP? I Tested 2448 NordVPN Servers in 2026
• I Tested NordVPN Vietnam on Real WiFi – Here’s the Truth
• NordVPN Turkey Review: The Truth No One Tells You
• Is NordVPN Better Than CyberGhost? My Full Review

Petr

I'm Petr, and the online world has been my playground for more than 25 years. I've been working in IT since 2005, moving through development, project management, and eventually building my own services and online businesses. I create websites, launch projects, test new tools, figure out what actually works and what doesn’t, and share practical tips that save people time, money, and stress. I’ve also been actively investing since 2016. I enjoy digging into the markets, trying different platforms, and looking for long term opportunities that make real sense. For me, investing naturally fits into everything I already do online: analyzing, testing, learning, and optimizing. On this site, you’ll find straightforward articles, honest insights, and a bit of humor or irony here and there. When I’m not at the keyboard, I’m usually out on a bike trail or checking out a new golf course. And when I’m not doing that, I’m somewhere on the road with my wife and our two sons.

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