The Short Answer
NordVPN’s 2-year plan costs $3.39 USD/month with the current deal. That is about $4.75 CAD/month — or roughly $114 CAD for two years.
The regular price is $14.99 USD/month. Do not pay that. Always buy on a sale. NordVPN runs them constantly.
Good speed. Good privacy policy. Well-tested. More expensive than Mullvad and Proton VPN for what you get.
Do You Actually Need a VPN?
Most Canadians do not need a VPN for most things. Be honest about why you want one.
You do need a VPN for:
- Public Wi-Fi — airports, coffee shops, hotels. Your data is not encrypted on these networks. A VPN fixes that.
- Accessing content from other countries — US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Hiding your browsing from your internet provider (Bell, Rogers, Telus)
- Journalists, researchers, activists handling sensitive information
You do not need a VPN for:
- General home internet use — your home connection is already reasonably private
- “Protecting yourself from hackers” in a vague sense — this is marketing, not real threat protection
- Making yourself “anonymous” — a VPN hides your IP, not your identity. Google still knows who you are when you are signed in.
Be clear about your goal. A VPN is a tool. It solves specific problems.
Speed Test: Canada Results
We tested NordVPN from Toronto servers.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Download speed (no VPN) | 940 Mbps |
| Download speed (NordVPN, Toronto server) | 810 Mbps |
| Download speed (NordVPN, US server) | 650 Mbps |
| Speed loss (local server) | ~14% |
| Speed loss (US server) | ~31% |
14% speed loss on a local server is good. Most VPNs lose 20–30%. For streaming and downloads, you will not notice a 14% drop.
Switching to a US server slows things down more. That is expected. The data has to travel further.
Privacy: What NordVPN Actually Does
NordVPN is registered in Panama. Panama has no mandatory data retention laws. That matters.
They have had two independent audits confirming their no-log policy. Their servers do not store what you browse.
In 2018, one of their servers was breached. No user data was exposed because no user data was stored. The company disclosed it. That is actually a good sign — transparency after an incident is more trustworthy than silence.
For Canadians worried about Bell or Rogers monitoring their traffic: NordVPN works. Your ISP sees an encrypted connection to a NordVPN server. That is it.
The Real Cost for Canadians
The 2-year deal is the only price that makes sense.
| Plan | USD/mo | CAD/mo (est.) | CAD total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-year (with deal) | $3.39 | ~$4.75 | ~$114 |
| 1-year | $4.99 | ~$7.00 | ~$84 |
| Monthly | $14.99 | ~$21.00 | ~$21/mo |
Never buy monthly. The price difference is massive. Two years at the deal price is a better value than 8 months at the monthly rate.
Add 2.5% FX fee from your bank — or use a no-FX card and skip it.
NordVPN vs The Competition
| VPN | Price (2yr, CAD est.) | Speed | No-log audit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | ~$114 | Excellent | Yes |
| Mullvad | ~$130/yr flat | Excellent | Yes |
| Proton VPN | ~$72/yr | Good | Yes |
| ExpressVPN | ~$180/yr | Good | Yes |
Mullvad and Proton VPN are cheaper per year and equally private. Mullvad accepts cash payments for maximum anonymity. Proton is Swiss-based and trusted by journalists worldwide.
NordVPN wins on marketing and brand recognition. For actual performance, Mullvad is the better pick for privacy-first users. Proton VPN is best if you also use ProtonMail.
Who Should Buy NordVPN
Buy it if:
- You travel and use public Wi-Fi regularly
- You want to access US streaming content
- You want a trusted, audited VPN from a brand with a clear privacy record
- The current deal price fits your budget
Skip it if:
- You only use home internet and do not travel much
- You want maximum privacy — consider Mullvad
- You are already a Proton user — Proton VPN is the better bundle
The Verdict
7.8 / 10. NordVPN works well. The speed is among the best in the industry. The privacy policy is legitimate and audited. The 2-year deal price is reasonable.
It is not the cheapest. It is not the most private. But it is reliable, widely tested, and the 69% off deal makes it competitive.
If you want a VPN and you do not want to research alternatives: get NordVPN at the deal price. If you are willing to do the research: look at Mullvad or Proton VPN first.
FAQ
Does NordVPN work with Canadian Netflix? Yes. It also works with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and most major streaming platforms.
Is NordVPN legal in Canada? Yes. VPNs are completely legal in Canada. Using one to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming services may violate those services’ terms of use — but it is not illegal.
How many devices can I connect? Up to 10 devices on one account.
Does it work on mobile? Yes. iOS and Android apps are available. Setup is straightforward.