Our verdict · 8.3/10 Excellent
A straightforward way for small teams to add secure access and dedicated IPs. Compare feature tiers carefully.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Remote teams.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (8.8/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (7.6/10).
- Price: From around $8–10 / user / month.
- Watch out for: Dedicated servers add cost.
What is NordLayer?
NordLayer provides managed business VPN, dedicated gateways, zero-trust access features and threat protection in a central admin panel. It is designed to be deployed quickly by small IT teams.
NordLayer is made by Nord Security and is reviewed here as a business VPN. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.3 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose NordLayer if
- Remote teams
- Dedicated IP allow-listing
- Small IT teams
Not for you if
- Organisations needing full SASE suites
Key features
Static IPs for your team.
Check devices before connecting.
DNS filtering and blocking.
Identity provider integration.
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Okta
- Google Workspace
Pros & cons
What we like
- Quick deployment
- Central management
- Dedicated gateways
- Zero-trust features
Watch out for
- Dedicated servers add cost
- Feature tiers can confuse
- Minimum users may apply
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | ≈ $8 / user / mo | Billed annually; minimum seats apply |
| Core | ≈ $11 / user / mo | Billed annually |
| Premium | ≈ $14 / user / mo | Billed annually |
Pricing watch-out: Dedicated servers cost extra.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 30, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- No free plan or trial. Ask for a demo account, a pilot or money-back terms before committing.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 30, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 8.2 | 2.10 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 8.8 | 1.30 | |
| Value for money | 15% | 7.8 | 1.20 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 8.0 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 30% | 8.6 | 2.60 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 5% | 7.6 | 0.40 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for security products | 8.3 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Nord Security |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for NordLayer against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Nord Security’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any business VPN
Check NordLayer against the same list we use for every business VPN — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Central admin console
- Dedicated IP / gateway options
- SSO and user provisioning
- Device posture checks
- Clear logging policy
See every ranked option in Business VPN & Zero Trust.
NordLayer alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- CheaperTTwingate≈ $50/mo vs $80/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative)
- Has a free plan
Cloudflare Zero TrustNordLayer has no free plan; Cloudflare Zero Trust does - Better integrationsCloudflare Zero TrustIntegrations score 8.6 vs 7.6
- Stronger on securityCloudflare Zero TrustSecurity & privacy score 9.2 vs 8.6
- Higher overall scoreCloudflare Zero TrustOverall 8.7 vs 8.3
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as NordLayer. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
A fast consumer VPN suited to individuals and very small teams on public Wi-Fi.
Featured in: Best Business VPN for Small Business
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
NordLayer FAQ
Is NordLayer the same as NordVPN?
Both come from Nord Security; NordLayer is the business product with central management.
Does NordLayer have a free plan?
No, NordLayer does not offer a permanent free plan. Pricing starts at From around $8–10 / user / month (indicative).
Who is NordLayer best for?
NordLayer is best for: remote teams; dedicated IP allow-listing; small IT teams.
How much does NordLayer cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Lite) works out at roughly $80 per month, or about $960 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the NordLayer score calculated?
The 8.3/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for security products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to NordLayer?
Popular alternatives include NordVPN. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.