- NordVPN faces new US lawsuit over auto-renewal pricing
- The complaint accuses the company of using “dark patterns” to trick users.
- This is not the first time Nord Security has faced similar legal complaints
Nord Security, the company that develops and operates NordVPN, has been the subject of another class action lawsuit in the United States.
The lawsuit – filed on April 10, 2026 in the state of Virginia – accuses the cybersecurity giant of “unlawful, unfair and deceptive” practices regarding its auto-renewal pricing, arguing that such a system makes it “intentionally” and “excessively” difficult for users to cancel their subscriptions.
Although the complaint is filed on behalf of plaintiff Craig Schnappinger, the class action seeks to represent all Nord Security customers in Virginia and North Carolina who have used Nord’s services. These include its virtual private network (NordVPN), password manager (NordPass), and encrypted cloud storage (NordLocker).
Auto-renewing pricing systems are popular in the broader subscription services industry. Most VPN services actually follow similar practices, with a few exceptions such as Mullvad and Windscribe.
NordVPN — and a few other names, including Surfshark and ExpressVPN — have been the subject of similar lawsuits in recent years.
Between 2024 and 2025, Nord Security was targeted by at least four complaints for similar reasons. In 2026, we found details of at least two more class-action lawsuits filed against the company – one in March and one in February.
What the lawsuit against Nord Security is about
Wise Law Firm, PLC, Bryson, Harris, Suciu and Demay, PLLC and Wittels McInturff Palikovic are the law firms behind the class action against NordVPN SA and Tefincom SA d/b/a NordVPN.
The primary allegation is that Nord Security may use deceptive “opt-in” billing and “dark patterns” (manipulative website designs) to “trap” consumers into “unwanted, expensive,” auto-renewing subscriptions, according to the class action complaint.
Specifically, the law firms accuse Nord Security of failing to clearly disclose the terms of its automatic renewals or how to cancel at the time of registration – which could run afoul of Virginia’s Consumer Protection Act and North Carolina’s automatic renewal law.
The complaint also challenges Nord Security’s practice of billing users 14 days before the subscription expires, arguing that the warning email does not explain that users must cancel the recurring subscription 14 days before that date to avoid being billed.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Craig Schnappinger was charged with unwanted renewals in 2023, 2024 and 2025 because he allegedly struggled to figure out how to overturn those charges.
The lawsuit seeks class certification for affected consumers in Virginia and North Carolina. It also demands an injunction to stop Nord Security’s deceptive practices, as well as compensatory damages of at least $100 million.
NordVPN’s response
We requested a response from Nord Security, but the company said it was unable to comment on all of the specific allegations in the complaint, given that this is active litigation.
However, the company says, two complaints previously filed in North Carolina were entirely dismissed by the courts last year. TechRadar has not been able to verify this claim.
Regarding auto-renewal and billing practices, Laura Tyrylyte, privacy advocate at NordVPN, told TechRadar that the company has been “very clear” about the recurring nature of its services.
“Subscription terms, including auto-renewal, are clearly presented to users at the time of purchase. We also send fee reminders to customers with long-term recurring subscriptions 30 days before renewal, giving them complete clarity and ample opportunity to manage their subscription,” Tyrylyte said.
Tyrylyte also added that the team is “committed to making account management, including cancellation, simple for our users.”
When asked if NordVPN’s February update to its terms and conditions was a direct result of previous dark pattern lawsuits, Tyrylyte responded: “These updates are part of our ongoing commitment to providing customers with clear and accessible information about our services and meeting regulatory requirements.”
Tyrylyte concluded by emphasizing that Nord Security “takes its legal obligations seriously and believes that its practices comply with applicable consumer protection laws.”
NordVPN users can check how much time they have left on their subscriptions by going to the Account menu in the app.
We also have more detailed information on how to cancel NordVPN and get a refund, if possible.
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