BullGuard VPN vs NordVPN

VPN services throttle internet speeds. Choosing between a good VPN service and an unsuitable one depends on how much they throttle your internet connection. As a user, especially if you are doing online streaming and torrenting, you require a VPN service that guarantees optimum speeds.

To get a sense of the average speeds of each VPN service, we performed a series of speed tests using a Speed test by Ookla on a 10Mbps internet connection. In terms of protocols, we used UDP and OpenVPN. Of both services, the download speed was consistent across the board. On average, BullGuard slowed our internet connection by 15%, while NordVPN slowed it by 11%. Still, these speed tests are perfect for streaming digital content in HD.

A simple search on Reddit confirmed that NordVPN offers excellent speeds compared to other VPNs. In a post made around 20 days ago and received 21 upvotes and 19 comments, most users agreed that NordVPN offers good and stable speeds.

Some comments from Reddit users regarding the above post

The average ping rate when using NordVPN increased by nearly 15 times, while it increased more than twentyfold when on BullGuard. Lastly, there is bad news if you were looking to use BullGuard for P2P file sharing. There was a significant drop in upload speed (about 25%), which means larger files will take longer to upload. NordVPN also returned inconsistent results on upload speeds, but its drop rate was less than that of BullGuard.

The number of VPN servers is also a factor in matters of connection speeds. The wider the network, the higher the speeds. With 5000+ VPN servers in 60+ countries, NordVPN has the widest network coverage by far. On the other hand, BullGuard servers are only available in around 16 countries. In both cases, the closer the VPN server is to your actual location, the faster your connection will be.

The sole purpose of a VPN service is to keep your online activities private. That means they must invest in solutions that prevent anyone from monitoring your private activities or stealing your private information. We will discuss the security features in this BullGuard VPN vs. NordVPN comparison: encryption protocols, logging policy, DNS leak protection, and kill switch.

Strong encryption is a must-have for any VPN service. Without it, there is a good chance your online activities and data can be compromised. Both NordVPN and BullGuard have invested in strong encryption features – they both use AES 256-bit encryption techniques to protect user data transferred via its network. In addition, both VPN providers use OpenVPN, which is the industry’s most stable and secure protocol. NordVPN uses NordLynx as an extra VPN security feature, making it among the most secure services.

We also run a series of DNS leak tests to determine if either VPN had IP or DNS leaks. On OpenVPN, we did not experience any IP or DNS leaks on both services, which is not surprising since OpenVPN is among the most secure protocols. Everything was fine with NordLynx, too.

When it comes to logging policies, both NordVPN and BullGuard insist that they do not monitor, collect, or share connection timestamps, traffic logs, the session information, or IP addresses of its users. However, note that BullGuard ties your account with an IP address during registration. In addition, BullGuard is based in the UK, a member of the Five Eyes alliance, which means it can be forced to share its user information. NordVPN, on the other hand, is based in Panama, a country with the best privacy laws and regulations. The provider cannot, therefore, be obligated to share its users' information.

An extra analysis regarding NordVPN on Reddit revealed that NordVPN collects user data. This was revealed in a post that a user observed that they could not connect NordVPN on their Android mobile phone when they enabled AdGuard DNS. To indicate how critical this issue is, this post received over 23k upvotes and over 700 comments.

Another user also claimed that they were hit with a DMCA by their ISP while torrenting and connected to the internet using NordVPN.

This simply means NordVPN might be collecting and sharing customer data.

And just like any other technology, VPNs are not immune to failures or disruptions. These failures include anything from sending your traffic over the unsecured connection to total disconnect without warning. When that happens, your online activities and information are vulnerable. A kill switch is a security mechanism that kicks in at that moment to protect your activities and information. It does so by disconnecting you from the internet when it detects a problem with your VPN connection. Both BullGuard VPN and NordVPN have built-in kick switches that are very effective.

Different users use different operating systems, devices, and browsers. A suitable VPN service supports all these platforms. Most VPN services, therefore, have applications that support leading operating systems like Android and Windows. Some also offer support for Linux. A select few offer applications that can be installed in game consoles and routers, and others used as browser extensions.

NordVPN has custom applications for all the leading operating systems and devices. That means the VPN service supports Windows, Android-iOS, and macOS. It also has an application that can be installed on routers. Additionally, it comes with browser extensions for Chrome en Firefox. As for BullGuard, it also supports the major operating software: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. However, the service is not available as a browser extension.

In this technological era, there is more than one device in a household. In fact, it is common to find one person with more than one device, for example, a smartphone and a smart TV. Therefore, there is usually no need to limit yourself to using a VPN service with just one device. And for families or users who need to share a subscription with their friends, there is a need for more than three connections.

Different VPN services offer a different number of simultaneous connections. Back to our BullGuard VPN vs. NordVPN comparison, NordVPN allows for simultaneous connections of up to six devices. This makes it an excellent choice for both personal and family use. You can also connect up to 6 devices at the same time on a single BullGuard subscription.

Most users subscribe to VPN services for their streaming and torrenting needs. With a VPN service, you can access streaming content you otherwise be prohibited from. Additionally, a VPN service allows you to bypass geo-blocking technology employed by streaming services.

Disclaimer: Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws. The regulation about the use of VPN services varies per country; If the Law of your country forbids or limits its usage, don’t download. Any unlawful behaviour of this software is not permitted. You are solely responsible for any use of the service.

When it comes to torrenting, your ISP provider may not be kind enough to allow it. But a VPN service will allow you to torrent conveniently and safely. BullGuard allows for torrenting and P2P connections in all of its servers. On the other hand, NordVPN does not allow torrenting in all of its servers, but it offers optimized servers dedicated to P2P traffic.

A search on Reddit revealed users use NordVPN for torrenting but their main worry is that NordVPN does not support port forwarding.

Reliable and responsive customer support is important for your good VPN experience and for instantly addressing any VPN connection issue you might run into. However, not all VPN services offer good customer support services to their users. BullGuard VPN and NordVPN are among those VPN services with effective customer support.

Both NordVPN and BullGuard provide customer support through email and live chat. The addition of a chatbot to its live chat tool was a game-changer to NordVPN's support service. The tool is very important for redirecting users to useful resources. For example, when you type in an issue you face, let's say 'Features,' the chat box offers basic relevant information about the topic. When it comes to BullGuard VPN, the service offers support in multiple languages. It used to offer 24/7 customer support, but that option is no longer available. Today, it offers live chat support from Monday to Sunday.

Both of these VPN services also offer support via guides and help centers where important resources are shared. Compared with BullGuard, NordVPN’s help center contains more resources touching on various topics. However, as compared to NordVPN, BullGuard VPN's overall support is slower – its email support is a bit unresponsive and takes longer to get replies, and its live chat is not a 24/7 service.

Pricing also plays a major factor when choosing a VPN service to use. Different VPN services offer different subscription plans. BullGuard VPN and NordVPN’s pricing plans are among the fairest in the market. When you visit BullGuard VPN’s pricing page, you are greeted with three different subscription plans: one year, two years, and three years. All its pricing plans come with unlimited bandwidth and simultaneous connections of up to six devices. As for NordVPN, it has subscription plans of a month, a year, and two years. The following is a BullGuard VPN vs NordVPN pricing comparison.

Both VPN providers offer discounts for long-term subscriptions. For instance, NordVPN gives more than a 100% discount for annual subscriptions – In the sense that if you go for a one-month subscription, you pay $11.95, but if you opt for a one-year plan, you pay a monthly fee of $4.92. The same goes for BullGuard VPN; it offers nearly a 50% discount for its annual subscription. Furthermore, both NordVPN and BullGuard VPN offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.