Avast is quite a familiar name which is known for giving us not just a very prolific anti-malware software application, but various other products as well, one of which is the Avast SecureLine VPN -Avast's VPN software. In this article, I'm going to compare two strong VPN service providers - Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN. The VPN's are compared with each other on five different parameters. I have begun every section by giving a brief idea of what we look for, the warning signs, and how the VPN performs in that specific category. Read on to know which VPN service provider outperforms in all the areas.
Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN 2022: (Side By Side Comparison)
What we look for in this area is the kill switch and a way of connecting to a VPN automatically. These 2 features are quite vital and have a great impact on security. Any VPN not having either one or both these features is deemed almost unusable. Besides these two important features, features such as ad-blockers or even split tunneling make the service worth it.
Avast SecureLine VPN Features
Avast SecureLine VPN has a barren-looking interface. The settings have three tabs, and these have a few checkboxes. The general tab has an option to switch on and off the software notifications, a checkbox indicating whether it is run by a client on startup and an option to either opt-in or opt-out of the beta updates. This specific beta feature can damage the VPN's stability, which has been pointed out by Avast itself. The second tab "network security" gives a few options on automatic connection to the VPN. The security page of the network is where you will find the kill switch, which is by default, turned off.
For those using the SecureLine VPN, it is suggested to ensure this switch is turned on so as to maximize the security as, without it, the VPN could even get disconnected without being noticed, and you would be making online buys or even checking out private data without any security. The final tab has no checkboxes, however, it provides the users with a one-click method of installing the SecureLine browser extensions. Avast only covers these bare-minimum features and does not have any additional features beyond the mandatory ones.
NordVPN Features
NordVPN is not exactly the best when you look at features, but it has quite some good features. NordVPN has a very strong kill switch which is much more than a checkbox. The internet kill switch is similar to that of Avast SecureLine and other switches, and it blocks internet traffic when your VPN is disconnected. Additionally, it also has the app kill switch, which allows you to define the program list which will be closed by NordVPN in case the VPN connection is lost. There are auto-connect options as well which enable connection to the VPN when the app starts or even detection of untrusted networks which is good especially when using public WiFi. In contrast to Avast SecureLine VPN, the NordVPN allows you to select where the VPN is linked when it gets connected automatically.
In case you do not have particular locations, you can choose any region to connect and a fast server will be picked by NordVPN automatically. NordVPN has added a new feature recently called the CyberSec, that keeps you secure by blocking malware sites or any phishing attempts. This feature acts like an ad-blocker too. It might not be a very effective dedicated ad-blocker, however, it is good to have the feature. NordVPN also comes with the option of using obfuscated servers, that permits people in those places where the use of VPN is restricted, to connect to NordVPN.
Winner: NordVPN definitely is a winner here as it has an app kill switch, and options to customize the auto-connect behavior. Additionally, it has an ad-blocker, malware-blocker, and obfuscated servers.
Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN: The Pricing Battle
When we shop for any product or service, what we check out is the price in addition to the features. In addition to this, we also have a look at the refund policy offered and any free trials offered by the brand. Furthermore, the next aspect underpricing is the options of payments, the plans, and the number of simultaneous connections allowed.
Avast SecureLine VPN Pricing
Avast SecureLine VPN definitely comes with many unwanted numbers of plans as well as pricing options. Also, there is an option of getting just one single-device license either for an Android device or any single iPad or an iPhone, which comes at just a few bucks for a month.
You have the choice to either get just the single-device license for the laptop or the desktop (Windows or macOS). These plans cannot be offered in the monthly time frame. You have to just buy the 1, 2- or 3-year duration plans. The monthly cost for these plans is almost the same. Finally, you can also buy a plan which can cover 5 devices - including mobile, macOS and Windows. The plans are decently priced. In terms of payment options, Avast SecureLine VPN will accept credit cards or PayPal, however, it does not accept any form of cryptocurrency. It also gives potential users a free trial for a period of 7 days. It also has a refund policy of 30-days.
NordVPN has very simple plans in comparison to that of Avast SecureLine VPN. It has just one plan, that is offered in four different time frames.
The plans include Unlimited GB Bandwidth, 6 devices and bitcoin payment option
The annual plan brings the monthly cost in sync with the annual pricing of Avast SecureLine VPN. NordVPN's 2- and 3-year plans reduce the pricing further, thereby making it a budget-friendly option in contrast to the single-device Windows plan or the Mac plan of Avast. All plans of NordVPN include six simultaneous connections. Though there are no free trials offered, it matches the refund policy of 30 days of Avast SecureLine VPN. It also has a lot more payment options than Avast SecureLineVPN accepts - credit card, UnionPay, PayPal, Alipay and bitcoin.
Winner: NordVPN is a clear winner here, though the pricing is not very great, but it is quite budget-friendly and has a lot more payment options
Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN-
Ease of use is quite important. A software tool that is well-constructed can make any complex tasks simple and easy, whereas a poorly designed tool can make even a simple task time consuming and frustrating. Here the VPN layout is described and issues are identified.
Avast SecureLine VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN has a minimalist approach in terms of its UI. Its window is a little large in contrast to other VPNs, however, there is quite less to fill this space. About two-thirds is occupied by just a toggle switch to connect and disconnect the VPN. Beneath this, it indicates if the IP is unprotected, along with the protected IP as well as connection time when the VPN is switched on. The bottom third part has the country flag indicating which country has been selected along with its name. A button titled "change location" expands into the complete server list, and it takes the whole window once it is opened. It is organized well. All the locations can be browsed either in the alphabetized list or you can choose the tab, where the locations have been grouped continent-wise. The settings are very easy to locate. The various options have been explained in short which is good for first-timers. When you need to move the window around, there is a very strange effect of a low frame rate. The window moves much slower than your mouse and does not move smoothly.
NordVPN
The interface of NordVPN is better than that of Avast SecureLine VPN. Two-thirds of the window is covered by a map indicating locations available in blue markers. All you need to do is click the desired connection location. You can also check the server list. NordVPN does not come with grouping options which are found in Avast SecureLine VPN, however, there is a search bar that sorts the problem. NordVPN has a lot of settings than what Avast SecureLine VPN has, but they are quite manageable. There are just three setting tabs and one tab for account information.
The three tabs for settings include "general," the "auto-connect" tab and the "advanced" tab. The "general" page has a lot of its features which most of the users do not require. The "auto-connect" tab has all the necessary settings for the automatic connection of the VPN.
The "advanced" tab contains options of protocol and DNS which users need not worry about. The client of NordVPN is well optimized. It just needs a few system resources. There were no crashes or any issues with NordVPN. It is quite smooth.
Winner: NordVPN is a winner as repositioning the window isn't an issue here and it has a better layout.
Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN- Speed Comparison
To test the VPN's speed, the ping time, the download speeds and the upload speeds of both the VPNs are measured in five different places, ranging from next door locations across the world.
Avast SecureLine VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN needs some time to connect, about 5-10 seconds. Once it is connected, the performance varies from country to country. A good performance was seen in the UK and the US with very low ping times and good download speeds. But in Brazil and Japan, the performance was pretty bad. Though the ping times here were reasonable, the download speed was unimpressive, given the distances. Websites and videos take additional 2-3 seconds to begin loading, however, once the loading begins, it functions normally. Post the initial time of loading, the videos defaulted to about 1080p and buffering was not needed.
NordVPN
NordVPN has issues related to consistent speeds. In the past, be it server to server, even in the same location, the speed can vary from being excellent to unusable. Most of the time, you just have to disconnect and reconnect to another server to solve the problem. However, this time, there were no such issues, which is an indicator that NordVPN could be sorting this issue. The speeds this time were amazing and every location had great download as well as upload speeds. The performances are pretty good as well, whether it is a distant server like Japan. There was a very less perceptible delay prior to loading. We could watch 1080p videos, at 60fps, easily without any buffering. The sole complaint here is that just like the Avast SecureLine VPN, even NordVPN could take a few seconds to establish the connection.
Winner: NordVPN is the winner, due to the improvements in speed and performance this time.
Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN: Security & Privacy
In this area, we look into the VPNs protocols and encryptions. We test for issues like DNS leaks. We also check the history of VPNs to understand any cases of security or background of the breach. We also look into the privacy policies to understand the information collected by them and how they use it.
Avast SecureLine VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN does not offer users a lot of options, so the protocol, as well as encryption, are locked and it depends on devices being used. For people using Android and Windows devices, the OpenVPN protocol is being used which is highly trusted and it is an open-source protocol. Those people using the macOS and iOS devices, will have the IKEv2, and it is less secure in contrast to OpenVPN however, it still offers some protection. For encryption, both protocols are paired with AES-256, which is the best encryption. Avast has one privacy policy that covers all its products as well as services. This makes the policy quite long, extensive and goes on for 39 pages. Avast SecureLine VPN collects data, including the operating system you use, a section of the IP address and the server you use. It is also indicated that the information gathered is being shared with many third parties by Avast.
NordVPN
NordVPN doesn't give any real choices to the users in terms of encryption and protocol. Instead, the users are locked into a combination of AES-256 and OpenVPN. This combination gives you the best of performance and VPN security. However, you must be aware of the recent security breach, where a TLS key was stolen and the hackers were able to launch an attack. This has stained the track record of NordVPN permanently, though they ensure such incidents will not occur in the future. In terms of their privacy policy, the policy is concise and avoid excessive legal terminologies. The only information it requires from its users is that they have to set up their account using their email address. It does not gather any other identifying data. The information collected is related to your usage of the VPN and is limited to areas like server load, that is used for maintaining the network.
Winner: There is a tie between NordVPN and Avast SecureLine VPN.
Customer Reviews & Testimonials
Avast SecureLine VPN Testimonials
Quick Links NordVPN Testimonials
Conclusion: Avast SecureLine VPN vs NordVPN Comparison2022
NordVPN has proven to be a winner in most of the rounds and this indicates why it is amongst the prolific VPNs available on the market these days. I was amazed as It has outpaced the Avast SecureLine VPN in terms of offering higher speeds, extra features, and a user-friendly interface.
Both VPN interfaces have their advantages and disadvantages but NordVpn has an edge over Avast SecureLine VPN in many aspects. In the end, I would say the selection of the VPN entirely depends on your requirements and location. So I hope you select accordingly.
I hope this comparison between Avast SecureLine VPN Vs NordVPN makes your decision on these two VPN's much easier!