NordVPN icon

NordVPN

Fast, privacy-first VPN with AI-powered Threat Protection Pro

vs
Osano icon

Osano

US cookie consent and data privacy compliance platform built for transparency

NordVPN
80%Strong
20/25
Osano
64%Moderate
16/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionNordVPNOsano
Data Residency
Where is your data stored and processed?
NordVPN: Panamanian incorporation places the company outside Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes jurisdictions. Server infrastructure spans 111 countries. Users can select server location for data egress.
Osano: Primarily US-hosted; no dedicated EU data residency option; SCCs available for GDPR compliance
4/5
2/5
Legal Jurisdiction
Which laws govern the company and your data?
NordVPN: Incorporated in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention laws and is not party to major intelligence-sharing agreements. One of the most favourable VPN jurisdictions for user privacy.
Osano: US Delaware corporation; CLOUD Act applies; DPA and SCCs available for EU customers
5/5
2/5
Data Retention & Training
Is your data used for model training?
NordVPN: Audited no-logs policy independently verified by PwC (2019, 2020, 2022) and Deloitte (2023). No connection timestamps, IP addresses, traffic data, or session duration retained.
Osano: Privacy-first ethos; no training on customer data; strong contractual commitments; SOC 2 verified
5/5
5/5
Certifications
ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.
NordVPN: ISO 27001 certified. No-logs policy independently audited. Lacks SOC 2 Type II, which would provide additional assurance for enterprise procurement teams.
Osano: SOC 2 Type II certified; ISO 27001 in progress as of 2025; GDPR-aligned DPA available
3/5
3/5
Regulatory Fit
Suitability for regulated industries and professional services
NordVPN: Strong fit for privacy-conscious individuals and organisations. GDPR-compliant for EU customers. Not certified for regulated industry verticals (healthcare, finance) beyond general network privacy.
Osano: Purpose-built for GDPR compliance; vendor privacy scoring adds unique value for Article 28 due diligence
3/5
4/5
Total Score
20/25
16/25

Best For

NordVPN iconNordVPN

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Osano iconOsano

Best for regulated industries (ICO, CNIL); privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget.

Detailed Comparison

NordVPN vs Osano: Trust & Compliance Comparison

NordVPN (Nord Security, PA) scores 20/25 overall with a Silver (Strong) trust badge. Fast, privacy-first VPN with AI-powered Threat Protection Pro. Osano (Osano, US) scores 16/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. US cookie consent and data privacy compliance platform built for transparency.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

NordVPN leads with 4/5 vs 2/5.

NordVPN (4/5): Panamanian incorporation places the company outside Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes jurisdictions. Server infrastructure spans 111 countries. Users can select server location for data egress.
Osano (2/5): Primarily US-hosted; no dedicated EU data residency option; SCCs available for GDPR compliance

#### Legal Jurisdiction

NordVPN leads with 5/5 vs 2/5.

NordVPN (5/5): Incorporated in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention laws and is not party to major intelligence-sharing agreements. One of the most favourable VPN jurisdictions for user privacy.
Osano (2/5): US Delaware corporation; CLOUD Act applies; DPA and SCCs available for EU customers

#### Data Retention & Training

Both score equally at 5/5.

NordVPN (5/5): Audited no-logs policy independently verified by PwC (2019, 2020, 2022) and Deloitte (2023). No connection timestamps, IP addresses, traffic data, or session duration retained.
Osano (5/5): Privacy-first ethos; no training on customer data; strong contractual commitments; SOC 2 verified

#### Certifications

Both score equally at 3/5.

NordVPN (3/5): ISO 27001 certified. No-logs policy independently audited. Lacks SOC 2 Type II, which would provide additional assurance for enterprise procurement teams.
Osano (3/5): SOC 2 Type II certified; ISO 27001 in progress as of 2025; GDPR-aligned DPA available

#### Regulatory Fit

Osano leads with 4/5 vs 3/5.

NordVPN (3/5): Strong fit for privacy-conscious individuals and organisations. GDPR-compliant for EU customers. Not certified for regulated industry verticals (healthcare, finance) beyond general network privacy.
Osano (4/5): Purpose-built for GDPR compliance; vendor privacy scoring adds unique value for Article 28 due diligence

Certifications at a Glance

CertificationNordVPNOsano
ISO 27001YesNo
SOC 2 Type IINoYes

Overall Verdict

NordVPN has a clear trust advantage, scoring 20/25 compared to Osano's 16/25. NordVPN particularly excels in data residency, legal jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, NordVPN or Osano?

NordVPN has a TrustKit score of 20/25 while Osano scores 16/25. NordVPN currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do NordVPN and Osano compare on data residency?

NordVPN scores 4/5 for data residency (Panamanian incorporation places the company outside Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes jurisdictions. Server infrastructure spans 111 countries. Users can select server location for data egress.), while Osano scores 2/5 (Primarily US-hosted; no dedicated EU data residency option; SCCs available for GDPR compliance).

Are NordVPN and Osano GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. NordVPN has a regulatory fit score of 3/5 and Osano scores 4/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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