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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

NordVPN vs Tenable Nessus

NordVPN logo

NordVPN

Security & Cybersecurity

The best online VPN service for speed and security

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable Nessus logo

Tenable Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

Network vulnerability scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tenable Nessus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NordVPN the App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.; Tenable Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • They diverge on capability: NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NordVPN and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where NordVPN and Tenable Nessus differ
AttributeNordVPNTenable Nessus
Starting price$3.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Mobile, ApiWindows, Linux, Macos, Cloud
Founded20122002

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in NordVPN

  • Military-grade encryption
  • No-logs policy
  • Kill Switch
  • Split tunneling
  • Double VPN
  • Onion over VPN
  • Threat Protection
  • Meshnet

Only in Tenable Nessus

  • Network scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Configuration assessment
  • Malware detection
  • Compliance checking
  • Cloud security assessment
  • Mobile scanning
  • API access

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

NordVPN

  • Vpnnot Tenable Nessus
  • Privacynot Tenable Nessus
  • Online Securitynot Tenable Nessus

Tenable Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning of servers, network devices and web applicationsnot NordVPN
  • Configuration and compliance auditing against hardening benchmarksnot NordVPN
  • Point in time assessments by consultants and penetration testersnot NordVPN

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

NordVPN

  • The App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.

Tenable Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • Support beyond the base entitlement costs an extra $400 per year for Advanced Support with 24x365 phone and chat access
  • The on demand training course is a separate $275 purchase for a single person for one year
  • Multi year discounts require paying for two or three years up front

Pricing, plan by plan

NordVPN

$3.99/month
  • Standard$3.99/month
    • 6 devices
    • 5,500+ servers
    • Threat Protection Lite
  • Plus$4.99/month
    • All Standard features
    • Threat Protection Pro
    • NordPass password manager
  • Complete$5.99/month
    • All Plus features
    • NordLocker 1TB encrypted cloud
    • Identity theft protection

Tenable Nessus

Free
  • Nessus EssentialsFree
    • Up to 16 ips
    • Network scanning
    • Vulnerability assessment
  • Nessus Professional$2600/year
    • Unlimited targets
    • Enterprise features
    • Advanced analytics
  • Nessus Expert$5200/year
    • All Professional features
    • Cloud integration
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose NordVPN if

  • You need military-grade encryption.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want no-logs policy.
NordVPN review

Choose Tenable Nessus if

  • You need network scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Tenable Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is NordVPN or Tenable Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. NordVPN starts at $3.99/month and Tenable Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NordVPN or Tenable Nessus?
Tenable Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for NordVPN and Free for Tenable Nessus.
Does NordVPN or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
NordVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api. Tenable Nessus runs on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
Can I use Tenable Nessus for free?
Yes. Tenable Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NordVPN starts at $3.99/month.
What is NordVPN best used for?
NordVPN is most often used for vpn, privacy, online security. Of those, vpn and privacy are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can NordVPN do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, No-logs policy, Kill Switch, Split tunneling. Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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