NordLayer vs NordVPN: Know the difference

What is NordLayer?

NordLayer is a network security solution from Nord Security, designed to protect business data. If you know what NordVPN does, you might think that NordLayer is just a similar VPN for business. In reality, it’s more of a security suite with a remote access VPN, offering advanced access management and cloud security far beyond traditional VPNs.

NordLayer ensures that only authorized users can access company resources by using multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), and device security checks. Employees connect through an encrypted tunnel, which protects all traffic, while network segmentation, firewall rules, and traffic filtering help prevent unauthorized access.

What is NordVPN?

NordVPN is one of the most popular consumer virtual private networks (VPNs) in the world. It’s designed to protect your online privacy and security by routing your traffic through a remote VPN server. Unlike NordLayer, NordVPN is not built for businesses. But, if you check out NordVPN reviews, you can easily see that people still benefit from a VPN, whether for personal or business needs. 

Compared to NordLayer, NordVPN focuses on three tasks. First, it changes your IP and virtual location, so you can access content, gaming servers, and services from your home country while traveling. Second, it encrypts your connection and secures your traffic, preventing third parties from tracking your online habits. And finally, it protects your browsing, for example by blocking trackers and ads with the help of advanced features like Threat Protection Pro™.

Differences between NordLayer and NordVPN

The main difference between NordLayer and NordVPN is that NordLayer is a VPN for businesses, while NordVPN is most suitable for individual users. Of course, that’s not the only difference. Here’s a quick overview of the differences between NordLayer and NordVPN:

Here’s a quick summary of the differences between NordLayer and NordVPN:

• NordLayer is designed to serve business needs — provide custom servers and private gateways, secure access to the network, and allow easy control via a centralized panel. 
• NordVPN is designed for individual users. It delivers accessibility, wider global server coverage, and user-tailored security at a lower price. 

Similarities between NordLayer and NordVPN

Despite the long list of differences, NordLayer and NordVPN have some similarities, too. They both:

• Are operated by Nord Security.
• Enhance security by encrypting connections and safeguarding data from cyber threats.
• Use AES-256 encryption, the industry standard for securing online traffic.
• Support NordLynx and OpenVPN as VPN protocols. 
• Offer private DNS to prevent DNS leaks and ensure secure browsing.
• Work across multiple platforms such as Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux.

Which one should I choose: NordLayer or NordVPN?

The choice between NordLayer and NordVPN is rather straightforward. If you’re responsible for business security, get NordLayer. If you want to secure your devices at home, get NordVPN. But there are also a few caveats. 

NordLayer has a flexible pricing structure but there’s a five-user minimum. As a small, distributed team, you could still choose NordVPN rather than NordLayer. Its security features would help you stay safer online, while a dedicated IP or its free Meshnet feature could provide secure remote access to the organization’s resources. 

Can I use NordLayer and NordVPN at the same time?

It’s unlikely you’ll need to use NordLayer and NordVPN at the same time because despite different ideas behind their design, in principle, they operate in roughly the same way. They take your traffic, encrypt it, and route it through a remote server. 

But you can still benefit from both products. For example, you can secure your work network with NordLayer and use NordVPN on your home router to protect your household.