NordVPN is sounding a clarion call to the virtual private network industry, urging a fundamental shift in how providers measure and market their services. For years, VPN server count has been a dominant, easily digestible metric for consumers comparing services. Now, NordVPN argues it’s time to prioritize VPN server quality – the factors that genuinely impact user experience – over sheer quantity.
The prevailing wisdom, often touted in marketing materials by many of the best VPN providers, suggests that more servers automatically equate to a better service. NordVPN’s Chief Technology Officer, Marijus Briedis, directly challenges this notion. “The idea that the more VPN servers you have, the better you are, is basically not very true. So, we have to start talking about this,” Briedis told TechRadar.
This initiative aims to move the conversation beyond impressive but potentially misleading server numbers, focusing instead on aspects like server bandwidth, speed, reliability, and strategic network design.
VPN Servers: Why Quality Trumps Sheer Numbers
VPN servers are the backbone of any VPN service. When you connect, your internet traffic is rerouted through these servers, masking your IP address and encrypting your data. While broad worldwide coverage is important for accessing international content, NordVPN contends that a massive server list means little if the user experience is subpar.
Briedis uses a compelling analogy: “Think of it like roads. More roads don’t solve traffic problems if they’re in poor condition or badly planned. What matters more is having high-capacity lanes and well-planned routes, so millions of cars can move without getting stuck in traffic.”
He further suggests thinking of a VPN provider more like an Internet Service Provider (ISP). “ISPs they don’t say how many servers have around the world. What they are talking is about how much network capacity do they have, what kind of connection quality do you have, and so on,” Briedis explained.
So, what constitutes a “good” VPN server according to NordVPN? They highlight several key factors:
Network Capacity: This is the total amount of data the network can handle. NordVPN, for example, offers an impressive 70 Tbps for each server, but stresses this figure alone isn’t the whole story.
Bandwidth and Load Management: Beyond raw capacity, how a provider manages data flow across its infrastructure is crucial. NordVPN, for instance, aims to cap the maximum load on any server to 30% to prevent overloads, even during peak usage, ensuring a consistent experience.
Speed and Reliability: Ultimately, users demand fast and stable connections. NordVPN asserts this is achieved through high network capacity and smart load management, not just a high server tally.
Geographic Distribution: The strategic placement of servers is vital. “The more strategically distributed the servers are, and the better the infrastructure is designed to handle global traffic, the smoother your VPN experience will be,” Briedis noted.
A Real Shift or Just Smart Marketing?
The VPN industry has long relied on server count because it’s a simple, quantifiable number for users to grasp. Quality, being multifaceted, is harder to convey succinctly. But is NordVPN’s push for a quality-focused narrative truly a breakthrough?
TechRadar’s Lead Security Reviewer, Mike Williams, offers a pragmatic perspective. He suggests the idea isn’t entirely new and might not drastically alter how providers market themselves. “The reality is that the number of servers, overall capacity and most network details won’t tell us very much. To get a proper feel we would need stats based on usage, but I doubt anyone will tell us those because they’re commercially sensitive,” Williams commented.
While agreeing that server numbers can be misleading, Williams added, “I doubt most providers will replace them anytime soon. We have to applaud Nord for trying, though. Even if it doesn’t replace the number server as a benchmark, giving users extra details to consider has to be a positive move.”
Responding to these points, Briedis reiterated NordVPN’s commitment: “Every company has its own rules how much they are trying to squeeze from the VPN server, but for us not having more than 30% of load is one of the key quality components to make sure that our user has the best quality in that location.”
Ultimately, NordVPN believes, “We have to talk about the user experience in general. This is one of the key strategic areas that we can move forward.”
While the industry might be slow to abandon the server count shorthand, NordVPN’s initiative could empower consumers to ask more informed questions and push all providers to be more transparent about the true quality of their infrastructure.
