NordVPN vs Proton VPN (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN and Proton VPN are both audited no-logs providers at the same $3.49 long-plan price, and the honest split is jurisdiction and structure, not performance — we have not measured either. Proton is Swiss, foundation-owned, runs open-source audited apps, and has fought data requests in court and won — real pressure-test evidence NordVPN doesn't have. Proton also includes port forwarding, which NordVPN doesn't offer at any tier, and has the only free plan on this site with no data cap. NordVPN's servers are RAM-only where Proton's are not, and it's been audited four times to Proton's one. We have not measured speed or streaming for either.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityTieNordVPN 9.5 · Proton 9.5
- SpeedTieNordVPN 0.0 · Proton 0.0
- StreamingTieNordVPN 0.0 · Proton 0.0
- Apps & easeNordVPNNordVPN 9.4 · Proton 8.8
- ValueProton VPNNordVPN 6.5 · Proton 7.8
Sub-scores are provisional for NordVPN and Proton VPN — published audits, jurisdiction and public record rather than our own measurement; see the review; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose NordVPN if…
- You want RAM-only servers on every connection, not disk-based ones
- You want Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro and a dedicated-IP option
- You want a provider audited four separate times rather than once
Choose Proton VPN if…
- Privacy credentials matter most: Swiss jurisdiction, foundation ownership, a real court fight over a data request
- You torrent and want port forwarding — NordVPN doesn't offer it at any tier
- You want a free plan with no data cap before committing to anything
NordVPN vs Proton VPN: the numbers
 NordVPN |  Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.7provisional — not tested by us | 8.9provisional — not tested by us |
| Rank · badge | Not ranked · Widest server network | Not ranked · Best free tier |
| 2-year price / mo | $3.49 | $3.49 |
| 1-year price / mo | $5.49 | $4.99 |
| Monthly price | $14.99 | $9.99 |
| Renewal | Billed $94.23 for the first 27 months, then renews at $139.08 a year | Billed $83.76 for the first 24 months, then renews at $83.88 every 12 months |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | 10 |
| Avg download speed | Not tested by us | Not tested by us |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | Switzerland |
| Owner | Nord Security | Proton AG (Proton Foundation) |
| No-logs audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 | Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 7,400+ in 118 countries | 12,000+ in 117 countries |
| Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers | P2P allowed on P2P servers (paid plans) |
| Free plan | No | no data cap, no ads, 1 device, auto-chosen country |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | email, help centre, live chat (paid plans) |
| Visit NordVPN | Visit Proton VPN |
Full reviews: NordVPN · Proton VPN
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| NordVPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $3.49 | $3.49 |
| Then renews at / mo | $11.59 (+232%) | $6.99 (+100%) |
| First term, up front | $83.76 | $83.76 |
| Total over 3 years | $222.84 | $167.64 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $6.19 | $4.66 |
| Money-back | 30 days — 30 days, published — we have not claimed one yet | 30 days — 30 days, published — we have not claimed one yet |
| Check NordVPN price | Check Proton VPN price |
The cheaper sticker price is not the cheaper VPN here. NordVPN has the lower introductory rate, but over three years Proton VPN costs $55.20 less once both renewals are counted — which is the number you actually pay. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Neither VPN has been speed-tested by us yet, so there is nothing to chart here.
NordVPN and Proton VPN have not been through our speed rig yet, so there is no region-by-region chart for this pair. Speed figures other people have published are on the NordVPN and Proton VPN review, attributed to whoever measured them.
Streaming, service by service
| NordVPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) |
| Netflix US | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix UK | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix JP | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix CA | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix AU | n/r | n/r |
| Prime Video | n/r | n/r |
| Disney+ | n/r | n/r |
| Hulu | n/r | n/r |
| Max | n/r | n/r |
| Paramount+ | n/r | n/r |
| Peacock | n/r | n/r |
| BBC iPlayer | n/r | n/r |
| ITVX | n/r | n/r |
| DAZN | n/r | n/r |
| n/r — no published result found | n/r — no published result found |
Security features
| NordVPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
- Proton VPNHeld
Fought data requests in court. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 · Switzerland
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- NordVPN16 categories
- Proton VPN2 categories
No data cap, no ads, no logs, open-source apps on every platform. Limits: one device, an auto-chosen country, no streaming or P2P.
Questions
Is Proton VPN better than NordVPN?
For privacy, arguably yes — Swiss jurisdiction, foundation ownership, open-source apps, and a data request Proton fought in court and won. NordVPN counters with RAM-only servers, where Proton's aren't, and four separate no-logs audits to Proton's one. Both are legitimate audited providers; the honest tie-breaker is which structural risk matters more to you.
Is Proton VPN's free plan better than paying for NordVPN?
Proton's free plan has no data cap and no ads, which makes it one of the few worth using long-term. It does not do streaming or torrenting and is limited to one device. If you need either, NordVPN's 30-day refund is the cheaper way to try the real thing.
Which is faster, NordVPN or Proton VPN?
We have not measured this. NordVPN's servers are RAM-only across the board; Proton's paid tier adds a VPN Accelerator feature aimed at throughput, but the honest way to compare them is on your own line — both offer 30-day refund windows to test that.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the scoring rubric before any commercial consideration. Disclosure