NordProtect review 2024

Identity theft and online privacy protection are two of my primary cybersecurity fields, so I immediately seized the opportunity to try out and review the new NordProtect identity theft protection service. Better known for the NordVPN app, the Nord Security experts now safeguard US citizens from cyberextortion, personal data leaks, and associated financial damages.

In this NordProtect review, I overview what NordProtect offers and compare it to other identity theft protection services on the market. I also evaluate its user-friendliness, pricing plans, and security.

If you haven't used a personal data safety app, by the end of this NordProtect review, you’ll know whether NordProtect identity theft protection is for you.

⭐ Rating:	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🥇 Overall rank:	#1 out of #6
💵 Price:	From $7.89/month
✂️ Free version:	No
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
💰 Credit monitoring:	Yes
🔒 Insurance:	Yes
🔥 Coupons:	Get 74% OFF + 3 months free

Visit NordProtect

NordProtect pros and cons

How can you get NordProtect?

You can get NordProtect with the NordVPN Prime bundle, currently available to US users only. It does not yet serve the New York and Washington areas but works in all other states and the District of Columbia.

If you reside elsewhere in the world, fret not. According to Nord Security’s press release, the company plans to introduce NordProtect to other markets in the first half of 2025. The statement also confirms that NordProtect should be available as a standalone product in the near future.

Although NordProtect cannot be obtained outside of a Prime subscription, I recommend its numerous features to anyone concerned about cybersafety.

The NordVPN Prime bundle is available with 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year plans. The 1-year and 2-year plans also come with extra 3 months for free. The bundle includes a premium VPN, password manager, secure cloud storage, and identity threat protection. Additionally, you will get anti-malware protection, an ad block, an anti-tracker, a data breach scanner, and a dark web monitor. NordVPN Prime is a feature-rich bundle for a fair price oriented toward all aspects of online data safety, and it now includes NordProtect.

How to set up NordProtect

1. Go to the official NordVPN website
2. Click on Get the Deal button
3. Click on Get Prime (available only in the US)
4. Input your email and billing details to finalize the purchase

Get NordProtect

NordProtect features

So what is NordProtect exactly, and how does it compare to other identity theft protection services? From my research, NordProtect outperforms others regarding data safety features and price but lacks a few benefits, like parental locks or antivirus. On the other hand, its VPN and password manager are significantly ahead of the competition. Let's take a closer look.

Identity theft recovery

NordProtect offers an identity theft recovery of up to $1,000,000, which is industry standard, the same as Aura and Norton LifeLock. On its website, I noticed a disclaimer that a third-party HSB Specialty Insurance Company covers identity theft expense recovery, which is one of the most experienced US insurance businesses. Simultaneously, using a professional third-party insurer is also standard among software development companies.

I verified HSB insurance policies and whether NordProtect is actually using them. Here's what kind of reimbursement you can expect:

• Identity theft recovery of up to 1 million
• Reimbursement includes legal costs
• Up to $5000 in lost wages and child and elder care expenses
• Up to $1000 of mental health counseling
• Up to $1000 in additional costs

This is an insurance package that covers most identity theft losses. However, I must pinpoint that there is a $100 deductible fee per occurrence, which is minimal compared to possible identity fraud losses.

Filing an insurance claim for ID theft is relatively easy. All you have to do is fill out the provided form to start the process, and HSB will then contact you regarding your case. You can expect access to the identity restoration case manager as well.

Although having the chance to file a claim via NordProtect makes the process easier, I am disappointed that it doesn’t offer proactive measures or tools to prevent identity theft or financial crimes. Instead, it only provides data after the fact and then assists you in resolving the matter.

Cyberextortion protection

Similarly to NordProtect identity theft protection, cyberextortion also issues financial reimbursement. In this case, victims will be compensated for up to $100,000 in the following circumstances:

• Cybercriminals demand payment and threaten to damage, limit access to, or delete the victim's information from the device or share it with others
• Cybercriminals demand payment to restore access to the victim's information or restore functionality to the affected device

The first case is inherent to cyberbullying, while the latter is often part of a ransomware attack. NordProtect extortion protection is a unique benefit. For example, the IDShield identity threat protection includes scanning social media for damaging content, but NordProtect offers reimbursement if such information has been used in cyberextortion.

To be more precise, NordProtect will cover the payments made in response to the attack, the negotiation and processing of payment fees, and the expenses of professional help to facilitate a quick and efficient solution.

Dark web monitoring

NordProtect Dark Web Monitoring scans the dark web for personally identifiable data leaks. It checks black markets, criminal forums, and data dumps for email, SSN, phone number, address, and name and surname data leaks.

With NordProtect, you can add up to 10 assets to monitor – 5 email adresses and 5 phone numbers. When adding them, each asset must be verified with a code to confirm ownership.

I tested the feature with 3 email addresses, and it picked up 19 instances of data leaks. Dark web monitoring provided extensive information on the data breach incidents – I could see when and the types of incidents that occurred. I also uncovered what kind of information had been breached, such as plain or hashed passwords, usernames, and even IP addresses.

From my point of view, NordProtect’s dark web monitoring is an exceptionally well-developed tool for monitoring data breaches. If you’re as invested in cybersecurity as I am, you will find the comprehensive information about security incidents provided informative.

I also uncovered that NordProtect’s dark web monitoring provides an action plan for restoring security after a data breach.

That said, I think the dark web monitoring lacks a few criteria like Surfshark's Alert, which checks for credit card and ID leaks.

I'd also like to see the vehicle license plate number added to the scan, as it can be used to obtain other registration details, like name and address. On the other hand, the Prime bundle includes a NordPass password manager, which has a Breach Scanner that checks for credit card leaks. NordProtect users can rely on this alternative until more scanning criteria are added.

Credit monitoring

When you subscribe to an identity theft protection service, its credit monitoring capabilities are essential. Currently, NordProtect works with 1 of the 3 major US credit bureaus, TransUnion, while Experian and Equifax still need to be added. I suggest considering alternatives like Aura, which works with all 3 if you are particularly mindful about your credit reports.

Otherwise, a credit report from TransUnion is sufficient to detect fraudulent activities. NordProtect will issue swift alerts whenever it notices suspicious activities, like new accounts in the user's name, unauthorized credit card access, and new credit file inquiries.

It's worth noting that NordProtect credit monitoring may take a few days to kick in. Firstly, you have to validate your identity with TransUnion, which often requires an SSN. Second, TransUnion uses the VantageScore 3.0® credit scoring model, so your credit must have sufficient history details to use this service.

Credit freeze assistance

If the worst has happened and your credit report is full of red flags. One of the first things to do is to freeze your credit to prevent unauthorized access and criminals from opening loans or taking out credit cards in your name. You can start contacting each credit bureau one by one or leave it up to NordProtect.

In this case, NordProtect identity theft protection assigns a professional identity restoration case manager. This specialist will not only assist with credit freezing but also advise on an identity recovery plan and steps on fixing your credit score records. The restoration case manager will be appointed after the victim files a claim with HSB regarding identity theft or cyberextortion damages.

How does NordProtect look for data leaks?

NordProtect combines a few methods to ensure efficient data leak protection. The discussed TransUnion credit monitoring notifies of dubious credit activities, like unauthorized access attempts, strange new accounts and inquiries. This way, victims can take action quickly if their stolen identity is already being used for financial scams.

Simultaneously, the NordProtect Dark Web Monitoring keeps an eye out for personal information leaks. Currently, users can add an email, phone, SSN, address, or name and surname details. NordProtect then scans the dark web, like illegal black markets, unlawful forums, and stolen data collections, for the selected information exposure.

I like this two-way approach because it minimizes identity theft risks while altering the victim if the crime is already in progress. However, I'd like to see credit card and vehicle licensing plate number leak protection because these details can also be used for identity fraud.

NordProtect plans and pricing

Now that we have the technicalities out of the way, let's jump into NordProtect pricing. It is only available on the NordVPN Prime bundle at a fair price, considering the abundance of features. Take a look at the table below for a side-by-side comparison.

	Basic	Plus	Ultimate	Prime
Price (2-year plan)	Starts from $2.99/month	Starts from $3.89/month	Starts from $5.89/month	Starts from $7.89/month
NordVPN	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Threat Protection	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
10 simultaneous connections	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Threat Protection Pro	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
NordPass password manager	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Data breach scanner	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
1TB of secure cloud storage	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
$1,000,000 identity theft recovery	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
$100,000 cyberextortion protection	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Dark Web Monitoring	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
TransUnion credit monitoring	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
Identity restoration case manager	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes
30-day money-back guarantee	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Get NordProtect Identity Theft Protection

The tiered plan strategy is straightforward and lets you choose the exact bundle of services you require. For example, the Plus plan is sufficient if you don't need credit monitoring but want to enjoy identity theft recovery and cyberextortion protection.

There are numerous additional benefits included in the VPN, password manager, and cloud storage apps. For instance, the VPN also offers ad-blocking services, and NordPass has a secure password generator. On the downside, I'd like to see identity theft protection services as a stand-alone subscription for those who have their cybersecurity essentials already covered.

Compatibility and ease of use

Unlike Nord Security's VPN and password manager, the NordProtect features are located on the NordAccount website, not on the app. This way, the Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS users get the same experience working on the same NordAccount dashboard. After subscribing to the service, you must create a NordAccount, which displays all active subscriptions.

Currently, NordProtect follows the same simplistic layout that is the signature of the Nord Security app family. Overall, I had no trouble navigating NordProtect, and I found it straightforward. Everything is conveniently laid out, so I had no trouble locating any of the services available. There’s also the alerts and notifications section, where all important information and updates are placed for convenience.

To use all NordProtect services, you have to enable multi-factor authentication on your NordAccount. You must also verify your identity and provide your social security number to activate credit monitoring services.

How does NordProtect compare with other identity protection services?

NordProtect establishes itself as an all-in-one solution and stands out among other identity protection services. For instance, ExpressVPN’s proprietary Identity Defender does not offer cyberextortion insurance, while NordProtect does. Given that victims are compensated for up to $100,000 in cyberextortion cases, this is a superior feat that sets NordProtect apart.

Moreover, NordProtect, unlike ExpressVPN’s Identity Defender, has credit score monitoring with monthly credit score updates, credit alerts, and summaries of all activities. Given these differences, I highly recommend opting for NordProtect – a nicely rounded ID theft protection tool covering different aspects of personal information safety.

Another core reason for subscribing to NordVPN’s Prime bundle and getting NordProtect is the availability of other Nord Security products for maximum security. With NordVPN’s Prime bundle, you get one of the best VPNs on the market, an excellent password manager, and one of the most reliable encrypted cloud storage services.

The tools available are superior to those in the Aura subscription package. For example, with Aura, the VPN you receive provides the bare minimum, given that the service licenses the server network from Hotspot Shield rather than offering its own true-and-tested VPN services, such as NordVPN. In my opinion, grabbing NordVPN’s Prime bundle provides more worth for money.

Customer support

The NordProtect customer support has some room for improvement, which is unsurprising for a new service. Right now, the only way to contact 24/7 support is via an email address, as displayed in the picture below.

I have reached out and inquired regarding the NordProtect Dark Web Monitoring criteria variety, namely the absence of license plate number and credit card scanning. While the agent confirmed that credit card details scanning is on the way, they couldn't verify whether the license plate number is coming anytime soon. Overall, the experience was pleasant but very limited.

Final thoughts on NordProtect

The new NordProtect identity theft protection is a developed service with a promising future ahead. I liked the variety of NordProtect Prime bundle services, like one of the best VPNs and elaborate personal data leak protection, strengthened by advanced encryption algorithms. This bundle is also cheaper than what I currently see on the identity theft protection market, like the $19.99/month Norton LifeLock Ultimate Plus subscription.

However, NordProtect only works with TransUnion. Meanwhile, Norton and Aura monitor all three (including Equifax and Experian), so their reports are more accurate. Additionally, I would like to see NordProtect 24/7 live chat support launched sooner because identity theft protection requires timely assistance.

To summarize, the NordProtect service is great for users who require all-encompassing online safety, going beyond identity theft protection. NordVPN Prime bundle offers data leak safety, online privacy protection, and even cyberextortion insurance, so it is definitely something worth considering.

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