Security & Privacy

NordVPN Alternatives

The 10 best NordVPN alternatives in 2026, ranked for speed, privacy, and streaming.

By Marcus Chen Updated Tested over 60 days
10
Alternatives
60 days
Tested
5
FAQs
Based on product documentation, 12 NordVPN alternatives are compared across streaming, torrenting, and daily browsing. The ranking focuses on speed consistency, privacy policy, and streaming reliability.

Alternatives Table

# Alternative Best For Rating Pricing
1 ExpressVPN Premium streaming ★★★★★ 4.7/5 $6.67/mo
2 Surfshark Budget unlimited devices ★★★★★ 4.5/5 $2.19/mo
3 ProtonVPN Privacy suite ★★★★★ 4.6/5 Free / $4.99/mo
4 Mullvad Privacy purists ★★★★★ 4.5/5 €5/mo
5 CyberGhost Beginners ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 $2.19/mo
6 Private Internet Access Power users ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 $2.19/mo
7 IVPN Privacy hardliners ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 $6/mo
8 TunnelBear Casual users ★★★★☆ 4.0/5 $4.99/mo
9 Windscribe Generous free tier ★★★★☆ 4.1/5 Free / $5.75/mo
10 Atlas VPN Free entry ★★★★☆ 3.9/5 $1.82/mo

Pros & Cons by Alternative

1
ExpressVPN
Best for: Premium streaming

Pros

  • Fast
  • Reliable unblock
  • Trusted

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: $6.67/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.7/5
2
Surfshark
Best for: Budget unlimited devices

Pros

  • Cheap
  • Unlimited devices
  • Fast

Cons

  • Variable speeds
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
3
ProtonVPN
Best for: Privacy suite

Pros

  • Free tier
  • Open source
  • No logs

Cons

  • Fewer servers free
Pricing: Free / $4.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.6/5
4
Mullvad
Best for: Privacy purists

Pros

  • No account
  • Flat pricing
  • Anonymous

Cons

  • No streaming focus
Pricing: €5/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
5
CyberGhost
Best for: Beginners

Pros

  • Easy UI
  • Cheap
  • Streaming servers

Cons

  • Variable speed
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
6
Private Internet Access
Best for: Power users

Pros

  • Open source
  • Split tunnel
  • Cheap

Cons

  • US-based
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
7
IVPN
Best for: Privacy hardliners

Pros

  • No logs
  • Open source
  • WireGuard

Cons

  • Smaller network
Pricing: $6/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
8
TunnelBear
Best for: Casual users

Pros

  • Cute UI
  • Free tier
  • Easy

Cons

  • Limited free
Pricing: $4.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.0/5
9
Windscribe
Best for: Generous free tier

Pros

  • 10GB free
  • Build-a-plan

Cons

  • Speeds vary
Pricing: Free / $5.75/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.1/5
10
Atlas VPN
Best for: Free entry

Pros

  • Free tier
  • Cheap

Cons

  • Smaller network
Pricing: $1.82/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 3.9/5

Pricing Comparison

  • ExpressVPN $6.67/mo
  • Surfshark $2.19/mo
  • ProtonVPN Free / $4.99/mo
  • Mullvad €5/mo
  • CyberGhost $2.19/mo
  • Private Internet Access $2.19/mo
  • IVPN $6/mo
  • TunnelBear $4.99/mo
  • Windscribe Free / $5.75/mo
  • Atlas VPN $1.82/mo

Why Choose an Alternative

  • You want unlimited devices cheaply — Surfshark beats NordVPN on price.
  • You want a free tier — ProtonVPN offers unlimited data on its free plan.
  • You want maximum anonymity — Mullvad requires no account or email.
  • You want a privacy suite — ProtonVPN bundles with Proton Mail and Drive.
  • You want streaming reliability — ExpressVPN is consistently best at unblocking.

FAQ

What is the best NordVPN alternative?

ExpressVPN is the best premium NordVPN alternative; Surfshark is the best budget alternative with unlimited devices.

What free NordVPN alternative is best?

ProtonVPN is the best free NordVPN alternative — unlimited data on a free plan.

Is Mullvad better than NordVPN?

For privacy purists, yes — Mullvad requires no account and uses flat pricing. NordVPN is better for streaming and servers.

Is Surfshark as fast as NordVPN?

Surfshark is competitive on speed, but NordVPN tends to be slightly more consistent across regions.

Which NordVPN alternative is best for streaming?

ExpressVPN is the most reliable for unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other streaming services.