Brave’s browser is free, but the VPN button in its toolbar isn’t. Brave Firewall + VPN is a paid add-on, operated by a US company called Guardian. Once it’s active, it covers every app on your device as well as the browser. NordVPN takes the opposite approach.
It’s a standalone VPN with its own apps for computers, phones, and TVs, plus an extension that installs in Brave. If you already browse with Brave, the choice is between paying for the button you already have or installing a separate VPN. I tested both on the same PC to see which one deserves the subscription.
Brave VPN vs NordVPN: My Verdict
I recommend NordVPN. It costs less than Brave VPN, unblocked every streaming service I tested, and lost far less speed, especially on distant servers.
- Choose NordVPN if you stream, torrent, or want apps for Linux, smart TVs, and routers, as well as your phone and computer.
- Choose Brave VPN if you already use the Brave browser, want a one-tap VPN with nothing to configure, and have no plans to watch geo-blocked shows.
Brave VPN vs NordVPN: Key Specs
| NordVPN | Brave VPN | |
| Our Current Ranking | #1 | TBD |
| Price | About $3.50 a month (two-year plan) | About $10 a month, or $100 a year |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days on every plan | None |
| Free Trial | 7 days on the website (select countries), 3 days on Android | 7 days |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | US |
| Protocols | NordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN | WireGuard, IKEv2 (iPhone) |
| Average Download Speed Loss | 7.8% | 29.1% |
| Netflix | 28 libraries unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| Kill Switch | Every platform | iPhone only |
| Servers | 152 countries, RAM-only | 300+ servers in 40+ regions |
| Devices at Once | 10 | 10 |
Brave VPN Price vs NordVPN: NordVPN Costs Less
Brave VPN has one plan and two ways to pay: about $10 a month, or about $100 a year. The yearly option is better value, yet it still works out to roughly $8 a month. New subscribers receive a seven-day free trial that requires a card.
However, Brave lists no money-back guarantee once the charge goes through, so cancel before the week ends if the VPN doesn’t convince you. By contrast, NordVPN’s plans start lower. The Basic plan costs about $3.50 a month on the two-year term, with three extra months at the start, and it covers 10 devices, the same as Brave VPN.
As with most VPNs, renewal prices are higher than the first term.
| Plan | Lowest Price | Month to Month | What It Includes | Money-Back Guarantee |
| Brave VPN | About $8 a month (yearly plan) | About $10 | VPN and firewall | None |
| NordVPN Basic | About $3.50 a month (two-year plan) | About $15 | VPN | 30 days |
| NordVPN Complete | About $4.50 a month (two-year plan) | About $20 | Basic, plus next-gen antivirus, NordPass, and 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage | 30 days |
| NordVPN Prime | About $7.50 a month (two-year plan) | About $30 | Complete, plus Coveron identity protection (US only) | 30 days |
NordVPN also refunds any plan within 30 days, and it has two free trials: seven days of Prime from its website in the US and several other countries, and three days on Android. In fact, month for month, even NordVPN’s top Prime plan costs less than Brave VPN’s yearly plan.
Winner: NordVPN
It’s cheaper on every long plan, and it comes with a refund window that Brave VPN doesn’t offer.
Streaming and Torrenting: Brave VPN Couldn’t Unblock Netflix
Streaming Results
This is where Brave VPN disappointed me most. It couldn’t unblock BBC iPlayer on any browser, server, or device I used. On Netflix, its UK server switched the account prices to pounds, yet UK-only titles never appeared.
The US library failed in the same way. It did unblock a few free channels showing F1 races, but those sites don’t look for VPN traffic.
NordVPN was the opposite. It unblocked every service in the table below, and it works with 28 Netflix libraries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Japan.
Its browser extension also masks your browser’s location, which helped me unblock Pluto TV from Europe. Full HD and 4K streams rarely buffered.
| Streaming Service | NordVPN | Brave VPN |
| Netflix US | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| Prime Video US | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| BBC iPlayer | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| Sky Sports | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| HBO Max | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| Paramount+ US | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
| YouTube TV | Unblocked | Couldn’t unblock |
Torrenting Results
Torrenting is closer. Neither VPN limits P2P to certain servers, so you can download through any location. With Brave VPN, I connected to the nearest server, opened qBittorrent, and the download started with my IP address hidden.
Its simple interface makes that a one-minute job.
Still, NordVPN finished the same downloads sooner, as its speed results suggest. It also includes a SOCKS5 proxy you can enter in your torrent client, an extra Brave VPN doesn’t have.
Winner: NordVPN
It unblocked every streaming service I tested, and for torrents, it’s the faster of the two.
Speed Test Results: NordVPN Is Much Faster
I tested both VPNs on the same wired Windows 11 PC in Europe. Each one connected to UK, US, and Japanese servers three times a day for three days. Both VPNs used their default protocols, NordLynx for NordVPN and WireGuard for Brave VPN.
Averaged across the three servers, Brave VPN’s download speed loss was almost four times NordVPN’s, at 29.1% compared with 7.8%. Some speed loss is normal with any VPN, but that much is high for a paid service. Distance widened the difference, too.
On the Japanese server, Brave VPN cut my download speed nearly in half, while NordVPN retained most of it. Uploads showed the same split. NordVPN barely lowered my upload speed, whereas Brave VPN lost about a fifth of it nearby and close to half on the Japanese server.
| NordVPN | Brave VPN | |
| UK Download | 184.73 Mbps | 162.15 Mbps |
| US Download | 181.50 Mbps | 144.92 Mbps |
| Japan Download | 160.47 Mbps | 97.77 Mbps |
| Average Download Loss | 7.8% | 29.1% |
| Average Upload Loss | 5.5% | 29.9% |
As a result, sending large files to a distant server takes noticeably longer with Brave VPN.
Security Features: Brave VPN Covers Only the Basics
The Common Ground
On the essentials, the two are close. They use 256-bit encryption, and neither leaked my IP address or DNS requests in my tests. Brave VPN connects over WireGuard, switching to IKEv2 on iPhones. NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol is built on WireGuard as well.
It also adds post-quantum encryption, which protects today’s traffic against future computers that could break current encryption. Brave VPN’s firewall blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites across the whole device. NordVPN’s next-gen antivirus does the same and also scans the files you download.
However, it requires the Complete plan, and it blocked 76% of ads and trackers on my test, which is a little disappointing for a paid security tool.
Where Brave VPN Falls Short
The kill switch, which cuts your internet if the VPN disconnects, is on Brave VPN’s iPhone app only. NordVPN has one on every platform, plus an app kill switch that closes only the apps you choose. On Windows, it blocked all traffic when I pulled the cable and when I restarted the PC.
Brave VPN also has no split tunneling, no protocol choice, and no obfuscation, which disguises VPN traffic on networks that block it. That makes it a poor choice for a trip to China or any other censored country.
Its one extra is Smart Proxy Routing, which sends traffic for some VPN-blocking sites through a proxy. NordVPN, on the other hand, includes:
- Double VPN, which passes your connection through two servers in different countries. It cost me only about 3% of my speed on a UK server.
- NordWhisper and obfuscated servers for school, office, and hotel networks that filter VPN traffic. They also help in censored countries such as China, where NordVPN doesn’t guarantee access.
- Onion Over VPN servers, which you can use with the Tor Browser to access the dark web more safely.
- Meshnet, a private network between your own devices for file sharing or LAN games over the internet.
- Split tunneling, so apps you select bypass the VPN.
Winner: NordVPN
Brave VPN handles encryption and ad blocking, while NordVPN adds a full security toolkit on top.
Privacy and Logs: Neither Records Your Activity
Neither VPN records the websites you visit, your DNS requests, or your own IP address while you’re connected. Each keeps a few operational details, such as the number of devices online, to enforce its 10-device limit.
Brave and Guardian, which operates its VPN servers, are both based in the US. Brave’s sign-in is the clever part: the VPN checks your subscription with a one-time credential tied only to proof of purchase. As a result, Brave says it can’t tell whether a subscriber has ever connected.
Assured, a Swedish security firm, audited Guardian’s apps and servers in 2024, and Brave says those audits verified its no-logs claims.
NordVPN is based in Panama, and auditors have examined its no-logs policy six times, with the latest Deloitte report issued in December 2025. Its servers also use RAM only, so a restart erases their data.
Brave VPN’s servers don’t. For that reason, NordVPN has the stronger record, even if neither has given me cause for concern.
Winner: NordVPN, narrowly
Both policies are clean, but only NordVPN backs its policy with dedicated no-logs audits and RAM-only servers.
Apps and Devices: Brave VPN Works Only Through the Browser
Brave VPN has no standalone app. You subscribe and connect from the Brave browser on Windows, macOS, Android, and iPhone, and once it’s on, it protects every app on the device. That’s an advantage over Chrome VPN extensions, which cover only the browser.
The interface is as basic as VPN apps come: a connect button and a server list. I connected with one click on every device, and the Android and iPhone versions look identical. If you’ve never used a VPN before, Brave VPN is the easier start.
On the other hand, there’s nothing to adjust once you outgrow it. Compatibility is narrow, too. There’s no Linux version, no router setup, and no app for Apple TV, Fire TV, or other smart TVs.
That’s because the Brave browser has to be installed on every device you protect. NordVPN covers Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iPhone, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, and routers.
Its Chrome extension installs in Brave because the browser is built on Chromium, so you can keep browsing with Brave under NordVPN’s protection.
My ranking of VPNs for the Brave browser compares the extensions. NordVPN’s desktop app has more menus than Brave VPN’s, with Meshnet and next-gen antivirus in a side panel. The mobile apps follow the same layout.
Winner: NordVPN
Brave VPN is easier for beginners, but NordVPN works on far more devices, and you can still use it inside Brave.
Server Network: NordVPN Covers 152 Countries
NordVPN has servers in 152 countries, including India and much of Africa, where Brave VPN has none. Brave VPN lists 300+ servers in 40+ regions, mostly in Europe and North America, with a few in Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, and Australia.
NordVPN also sells dedicated IP addresses, a fixed IP address that only you use. With one, banking sites and work networks flag your logins less often. Brave VPN doesn’t offer one.
Winner: NordVPN
Its network spans several times more countries, and it adds dedicated IP addresses.
Summary
Brave VPN charges a premium for convenience, and convenience is the only thing it offers over NordVPN. If all you want is a VPN for the Brave browser that you never have to configure, that has some value.
For anything beyond that, NordVPN is the better buy at a lower price. It’s the VPN I’d install for streaming, travel, or a home full of devices, and its extension lets you keep Brave as your browser.
Brave VPN vs NordVPN FAQ
Is Brave VPN better than NordVPN?
No. Brave VPN is simpler to use inside the Brave browser, but NordVPN costs less, unblocks more streaming services, connects faster, and supports more devices, including Linux, smart TVs, and routers.
Can you use NordVPN with the Brave browser?
Yes. NordVPN's browser extension supports Chromium-based browsers, including Brave, and the NordVPN desktop app protects Brave too by encrypting all of the computer's traffic.
Does Brave VPN work with Netflix?
Not reliably. Brave VPN can change the Netflix region shown in account pricing, but titles locked to libraries such as the US and UK usually don't appear.
Does Brave VPN offer a refund?
No. Brave VPN has no money-back guarantee. Instead, it offers a week-long free trial that requires a payment card, so cancelling before the trial ends avoids any charge.
Does Brave VPN work without the Brave browser?
No. Brave VPN is activated and managed through the Brave browser on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, although once connected, it encrypts traffic from every app on the device.