TYO Reach vs NordVPN
Different tools for different jobs. NordVPN tunnels everything through one of thousands of servers worldwide. Reach routes only the browser or apps you pick through the exit you pick — Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe, the US or Australia — and leaves the rest of your connection alone. Knowing the difference saves you buying the wrong one.
Gateway vs full-tunnel VPN
This distinction matters more than any feature list.
TYO Reach — selective gateway
Routes only the browser, app, or domain you choose. Your other traffic — video calls, file sync, local network — stays completely unaffected. The gateway handles only what you tell it to.
NordVPN — full-tunnel VPN
All your internet traffic goes through NordVPN's servers, including every app, background process, and system update. Nothing bypasses the tunnel unless you configure split tunnelling explicitly.
Side by side
| Feature | TYO Reach | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Selective / per-app routingNordVPN: split tunnelling available but full-tunnel by default | ✓ Yes | Partial |
| Full system-level tunnel (all traffic)Reach is browser/app selective; NordVPN is system-wide | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Australian-hosted identity & accountNordVPN is a Panama-registered company | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Static egress IP for your teamNordVPN: Dedicated IP add-on, personal only | ✓ Yes | Partial |
| Team / business gatewayNordVPN Teams exists but is full-tunnel VPN model | ✓ Yes | Partial |
| MFA on login | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Central policy for team devices | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Works on managed machines (no driver)NordVPN installs a system-level VPN adapter | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| No slowdown for non-proxied appsFull-tunnel VPN affects all traffic speed | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Personal plan (bandwidth-metered)NordVPN is subscription-based, no free tier | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Free tier | yes (2 GB) | ✗ No |
| DNS leak protectionReach: DNS follows routed traffic; system DNS unaffected | Partial | ✓ Yes |
| Kill switchNordVPN drops all traffic if VPN disconnects | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| P2P / torrent optimised servers | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing | Personal from free; teams per-seat | ~$5–$13/user/month |
When to choose which
Choose Reach if…
You need selective routing — proxy your work browser while keeping personal apps local, or give your whole team a shared exit IP without slowing down every file upload and video call. Also the right choice if you can't install a system VPN adapter on your machine.
Choose NordVPN if…
You need all your traffic anonymised — P2P, torrenting, public WiFi protection where every connection must go through an encrypted tunnel. Or if you want a kill switch that drops your connection if the VPN fails. NordVPN is purpose-built for full-tunnel privacy.
Does Reach hide my IP address like a VPN?
For the traffic you route through Reach, yes — the destination sees the gateway's IP, not yours. But unlike a full-tunnel VPN, traffic from apps you haven't routed through Reach goes out on your real IP. Reach is not an anonymity tool; it's a selective gateway.
Why can't I install NordVPN on my work laptop?
Most corporate endpoint management tools block or flag system-level VPN adapters. Reach installs without admin rights via a standard NSIS installer on Windows and doesn't require a kernel driver, so it works on machines where NordVPN would be blocked by IT policy.
Does Reach let me browse from another country like NordVPN does?
Yes, with a narrower menu. Reach has six exits — Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe, US-West and Australia — so a browser you route through Reach appears from the region you pick (an overseas one from Australia, or the Australian one from abroad). What Reach doesn't offer is NordVPN's pick-any-of-60-countries list or streaming-optimised servers: if you specifically need a US Netflix catalogue or a UK IP, NordVPN is the better fit. If you want a non-Australian IP for a single browser, or to keep Google, WhatsApp and your work tools working from inside mainland China, Reach does that without tunnelling everything.