NordVPN VS Smart DNS Proxy Comparison

UPDATED Apr. 2024
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Smart DNS Proxy and NordVPN both fall into the category of top-tier VPN providers, which is why it is not a least bit surprising that so many people have a hard time deciding which of these two VPNs to sign up for. One way to decide is to look at specific areas of service and see which of them does better.

Smart DNS Proxy
Best For Avid Streamers
VS
NordVPN
Best For General Users

Highlights

Smart DNS Proxy
Smart DNS Proxy offers an interesting combo of Smart DNS and a VPN. The Smart DNS service is there to provide blazing fast speeds while streaming and the VPN allows you to stay safe and anonymous with strong encryption and zero logs.
  • Excellent speeds
  • Rather affordable
  • 14-day free trial
  • Allows torrenting
NordVPN
NordVPN has some of the best speeds in the VPN business and plenty of attractive features to offer to its clients, including an excellent security suite and various dedicated servers in more than 60 countries across the globe.
  • Double encryption
  • P2P-friendly
  • Netflix servers
  • 5,100+ servers

Compare Prices

Company
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
2 Years
Smart DNS Proxy
1 Month
$4.90
3 Months
$4.30
6 Months
/
1 Year
$3.32
2 Years
$2.08
NordVPN
1 Month
$11.95
3 Months
/
6 Months
/
1 Year
$6.99
2 Years
$3.99
* The prices shown represent the cost of one month within different subscriptions. To see all available plans and pricing options, check individual reviews.

Compare Features

Smart DNS Proxy
Based In
Poland
Number Of Servers
29
Number Of Countries
40
Protocols
OpenVPN, STP, IKEv1, IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP
Encryption
AES-256
Simultaneous Connections
5
Logs Policy
no logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS
NordVPN
Based In
Panama
Number Of Servers
3557
Number Of Countries
61
Protocols
OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP and IPSec
Encryption
256-bit AES (double encryption)
Simultaneous Connections
6
Logs Policy
no logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS

Supported Devices

Smart DNS Proxy
Windows
OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Xbox
Router
NordVPN
Windows
OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Router

Compare Ratings

Smart DNS Proxy
FINAL RATING
9.4/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money
NordVPN
FINAL RATING
9.8/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money

Compare User Reviews

Smart DNS Proxy
  • Submitted By paul on 10/13/2019
    iam not in my 3 year with smart DNS proxy in canada were i live i have only one choice of a internet , that onlu gaves me 15 MPS and smart dns proxy works verry good for me on all my devices and on my 65 inch sony android smart tv i even get 4k shows andmovies
  • Submitted By Gordon andrade on 03/15/2019
    They started off having access to a whole load of netflix regions but now it's only the US. I am unable to understand why their service is unable to work on my smart tv or fire stick.. works perfectly on my ps3.. their support though 24/7 says change router.. seriously.. I've been with them for 3 years. Time to change.. I'm sure there are better ones
  • Submitted By Jon Beckson on 10/26/2018
    Unstable and unreliable. I e had nothing much more than problems with this service. I just wanted something simple that allowed me to view Netflix and various UK tv catch up services. What I’ve got is a system that constantly fails to obscure my location. I co tact the support and am told to go into my router and change all manner if settings, I’m not computer geek!. I’ve do e this twice at their behest and now it’s stopoed workojg again and they want me to change a load more settings . I give up,with it, it’s very poor and not what I expected.
  • Submitted By Bilou on 01/11/2018
    Review: I've tested many DNS proxy and VPN providers for hours to test features & VPN configuration over different protocols in order to reach the best streaming performance from South Africa and SmartDNS proxy turned out to be the fastest but also the easiest to set up on a DD-WRT based router whether for basic DNS proxy or VPN using the standard DD-WRT openvpn client interface. For me the advantages / limitations noticed are as follow: SmartDNS proxy (proxy only) pros: - easy to set up - automatic update features available for DD-WRT routers - works with netflix (intermittent disruptions due to Netflix ban engine probably that kicks in sometimes) - works with europe / us tv channels cons: - intermittent disruptions noted on Netflix which "detects proxy" SmartDNS proxy using their VPN engine: pros: - fastest & stable of all VPN providers tested - easy and straightforward OpenVPN protocol configuration on DD-WRT - app on iOS does 100% the job - works 100% with European TV channels (better and faster than using just a DNS proxy despite the encryption involved) cons: - does not work with Netflix (when using OpenVPN)
NordVPN
  • Submitted By Yaretzi Peterson on 12/04/2019
    Usually, I stick to what I know and nordVPN happens to be just one of the examples of a reliable company that always delivers what’s promised. I really didn’t want to waste time or money on trying out some unknown brand and possibly ending up with a bad product. But what made me choose Nord yet again is that I use multiple brand devices and platforms for my job and Nord supports every one of them… it was really a no brainer.
  • Submitted By Al Gonzalez on 11/29/2019
    I moved from ExpressVpn to Nord to save money and got the 1 year deal. Initially Nord has good performance in the first three-four months. Then there servers started disconnecting frequently sometimes the servers would stop working and you had to reconnect to a new one. This can be inconvenient if do stream or download a lot. After the security fallout with Nord where they had one of their servers hacked for almost an year, more Nord servers started having issues such as a missing password or otherwise you couldn't connect to them. The US servers were alright but they can sometimes stop working after a period of time. Express never had this problem. I spent nearly a month in one of their servers. With Nord you'd be hard pressed to stick with the same server for a day or two. Overall Nord is okay. The Kill Switch works. I did checks with Ipeaks both on my computer and phone Ive seen no DNS leaks so far. Comes with anti-adware/malware and it works. Autoconnect on phone is like the kill switch. Has potential overall to recover from the embarrassing security gaffe but Nords biggest challenge will be server stability. This seems to be a problem with a lot of new name and affordable vpns. Nord been in the game for a while but longevity of servers is very important. Hope they get their game together or otherwise might have to go back to Express or an equally good alternative.
  • Submitted By Magnus on 10/26/2019
    Since the beginning of October, NordVPN does not work in Hangzhou AT ALL! I can't vouch for other cities. Their support team is polite but useless. They conceded they needed to *invent* a new protocol to get their VPN to work here. Even though a refund was requested by me within 30 days (for a renewal--they were great for a year!), they refused to answer my request and kept stalling my support ticket. I'm still awaiting my refund. USE THEM AT YOUR PERIL IF YOU LIVE IN CHINA! Caveat emptor!!
  • Submitted By Sammi on 09/17/2019
    Love these guys even after having it for 2 years. Super fast and makes me feel safer online.

Winner

NordVPN is widely known as one of the best services on the market thanks to its impressive features, bulletproof security setup, and knowledgeable 24/7 customer support. Read more in this honest review.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.