See how these two compare side by side below:
Servers
NordVPN has a substantially larger server network than TorGuard—around double in both server count and scope of coverage. This gives NordVPN users access to more servers in more locations across the globe than TorGuard customers.
More server numbers means that users are less likely to encounter overcrowded servers, which can result in slower speeds and a frustrating experience. Furthermore, NordVPN has servers in more countries—meaning its users have access to more global streaming content than can be provided by TorGuard.
Obfuscation
When you use a VPN, your IP address is masked and your data is encrypted; however, internet providers, streaming services and restrictive governments may see that you’re using a VPN. Obfuscation in VPNs masks your VPN activity to make it look like normal traffic—enabling you to use a VPN in places where VPNs are blocked, such as a workplace or restrictive parts of the world. Obfuscation can also make it possible to stream from certain providers that actively try to prevent VPN usage.
TorGuard and NordVPN both offer obfuscation in different ways. NordVPN provides its users with special obfuscated servers that users choose to connect to in order to bypass VPN restrictions. TorGuard has a stealth protocol called Shadowsocks built into it, as well as other stealth protocol options to choose from such as OpenVPN obfuscation and AnyConnect/OpenConnect.
Security and Privacy
Both VPN providers use industry-standard, military-grade encryption as well as super-secure protocols. Additionally, both are equipped with full leak protection so your IP address doesn’t leak while surfing the web.
However, NordVPN provides more security features than TorGuard. With NordVPN, you can boost your security and privacy using its Double VPN feature, which routes your traffic through two VPN servers instead of just one. NordVPN also comes with Threat Protection—a tool that behaves like antivirus to block ads and trackers and scan files for malware.
Torrenting
NordVPN supports torrenting, and users are able to choose from special servers designed for this task. NordVPN also provides SOCKS5 proxy servers, which can be used to increase speeds for tasks such as torrenting (at the cost of encryption).
Since TorGuard was sued for copyright infringement, it now blocks all BitTorrent activity on its U.S. servers. If you are located in the U.S., this could be inconvenient as you now need to use distant servers outside of the U.S. for your torrenting, which inevitably results in slower transfer speeds.
Streaming
NordVPN is great for streaming. It can securely unblock services including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and more. NordVPN also includes SmartPlay—a smart DNS feature that lets you stream on smart TVs and other devices that do not natively support VPNs.
In order to access streaming services other than YouTube on TorGuard, users need to pay an additional $7.99 per month for a dedicated IP specifically designed for streaming. Users can choose from 30-plus dedicated IPs in fixed locations including London, Paris, New York and Tokyo.