We prove and discuss some new (H p ,L p )-type inequalities of weighted maximal operators of Vilenkin-Nörlund means with non-increasing coefficients {q k : k ⩾ 0}. These results are the best possible in a special sense. As applications, some well-known as well as new results are pointed out in the theory of strong convergence of such Vilenkin-Nörlund means. To fulfil our main aims we also prove some new estimates of independent interest for the kernels of these summability results.In the special cases of general Nörlund means t n with non-increasing coefficients analogous results can be obtained for Fejér and Cesàro means by choosing the generating sequence {q k : k ⩾ 0} in an appropriate way.