NordLayer review: Cloud-based business VPN, access control and threat protection, priced per user

What NordLayer does

NordLayer is a network security platform for businesses, published by Nord Security. It combines a business VPN with access control, web protection and monitoring, managed from a single control panel. Teams can connect through shared gateways in 40+ countries, or through Virtual Private Gateways with dedicated IP addresses that only the organization's own users can reach.

The feature list includes a cloud firewall for network segmentation, device posture checks that restrict non-compliant devices, IP allowlisting, split tunneling, single sign-on and multi-factor authentication. Three VPN protocols are offered, one of them NordLynx. Client apps exist for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS and Linux, and a browser extension is available. Integrations include SentinelOne and Jamf Cloud, plus identity providers such as Okta, Entra ID and JumpCloud.

Pricing is per user, and no free plan is listed. The pricing page shows Lite at $8, Core at $11 and Premium at $14 per user per month, in USD, with a 5-user minimum on each. A Monthly/Yearly toggle with savings badges sits above the plans, but the page shows only one price per plan and does not name its billing period, so the figures most likely reflect yearly billing. Core and Premium also require a Server with Dedicated IP at +$40 /month. An Enterprise offer starts from $6 per user per month for teams of 200 users or more. Each plan carries a 14-day money-back guarantee.

• Business VPN with shared gateways in 40+ countries
• Virtual Private Gateways with dedicated IPs
• Cloud firewall for network segmentation
• Device posture security
• Single sign-on and multi-factor authentication
• IP allowlisting
• Site-to-site connector
• Web protection against malicious domains

Our take

NordLayer suits businesses that want a managed VPN and access-control layer without buying hardware, especially teams that already use an identity provider such as Okta or Entra ID. It fits less well for very small groups, since each standard plan needs at least 5 users, and for anyone who wants a free tier or free trial, because only a money-back guarantee is offered. Lite covers basic web protection, while the firewall and device posture features sit in higher tiers or add-ons, so the real cost depends on which controls you need. The pricing page does not state the billing period of the shown prices, so confirm it before buying.