NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Which VPN is best?

Need help choosing a VPN? We compare NordVPN and Proton VPN so you can see which is faster, more secure, better for streaming, and better value for money. 

Choosing between top-tier VPN providers like NordVPN and Proton VPN can be daunting. The internet is filled with reviews and comments, and even after whittling down your options from dozens of competing services, it can be hard to make a final decision.

To help you choose, we've meticulously compared these two leading providers. In our NordVPN vs Proton VPN comparison guide, we've evaluated each service's capabilities for enhancing online privacy, enabling access to popular platforms such as Netflix, and ensuring secure torrenting.

Both NordVPN and Proton VPN have excellent reputations, and either service will fulfill the needs of the average home user. However, some crucial differences could sway your decision. Our comprehensive analysis covers 10 critical categories. Keep scrolling to discover which VPN is better. 

Pros and Cons

In the following section, we've included a detailed overview of the primary advantages of each VPN. NordVPN and Proton VPN are packed with a wide array of impressive features. Our quick list provides a snapshot of what you get with each VPN.

Proton VPN

• Servers in 60+ countries
• Port forwarding and split tunneling
• Solid encryption and a no-logs policy
• Live chat support
• WireGuard and OpenVPN protocol
• Secure Core servers

NordVPN

• Servers in 59+ countries
• No-logs policy and 256-bit encryption
• Split tunneling and a kill switch
• Works with Netflix and many other streaming services
• Apps for all popular platforms
• Fully audited service with diskless servers

Proton VPN vs NordVPN – Features

NordVPN and Proton VPN provide exceptional versatility and compatibility across various platforms. They each have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and even Amazon Firestick, ensuring comprehensive VPN protection on the majority of popular devices.

Proton VPN sets itself apart with a full GUI Linux app, enhancing ease of use and offering a full feature set. NordVPN's compatibility with Linux is command-line-based and allows users to access various features using commands, including server selection and connection setting customization (including a kill switch).

Both VPNs offer browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. However, while these extensions offer convenient location spoofing, they do not provide the same level of data security as the main VPN clients. Still, they come in useful if you need to use location spoofing on devices where installing a full VPN client might not be feasible, such as on a restricted work computer.

In the next section, we compare the main features of each VPN's app.

NordVPN’s features:

• 256-bit encryption
• Kill switch
• A choice of protocols (including OpenVPN and NordLynx)
• Ad blocking, tracker blocking, and malware filtering
• Split tunneling
• Double VPN (MultiHop)
• Auto connect for untrusted networks
• Rotating IPs
• Smart DNS
• Obfuscated servers
• Diskless servers
• Fast speeds
• Dedicated IP (available at a small extra cost)
• Tor over VPN
• Compatible with Netflix and other streaming providers
• Fully audited policy, network, and apps
• No-logs policy

Proton VPN’s features

• 256-bit encryption
• Kill switch
• OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols
• Strict no-logs policy
• NetShield Ad-blocker 
• Secure Core servers 
• Stealth feature to bypass firewalls and VPN blocking 
• Open-source applications
• Always-on VPN feature (auto-connect)
• Tor over VPN 
• MultiHop connections 
• High-speed servers 
• User-friendly applications for all popular devices
• VPN Accelerator technology helps increase speeds
• A basic free plan to test the service
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• 24/7 live chat support
• Works with many streaming services
• Split tunneling
• Port forwarding

Which VPN has more features?

Both of these VPNs have more features than the majority of their competitors. Although they are evenly matched in most respects, Proton VPN offers port forwarding as an extra. This is a useful feature for people who want to host servers or seed torrents. 

On the other hand, NordVPN runs on diskless servers, which helps improve security for its users.

Winner: It’s a draw

Proton VPN vs NordVPN – Pricing

When it comes to pricing, NordVPN is slightly better. Admittedly, both VPNs offer decent value for money. Some users might not mind paying extra for Proton VPN if they torrent, but most users will probably be happy with the features they get with the cheaper option.

A one-month plan with Proton VPN costs $9.99. That is extremely competitive, making Proton VPN a superb option for people who only need a VPN to go on vacation or travel for work. The same one-month plan with NordVPN costs $12.99, which is a touch pricier.

Both VPNs get substantially more affordable when you commit for a longer period, but NordVPN has better discounts. With NordVPN, a one-year plan costs $4.99 per month, and a two-year plan reduces the cost even further to just $3.99 per month. With Proton VPN, a one-year plan costs $6.49 per month, and a two-year plan costs $5.38 per month (prices are charged in Euros and are subject to exchange rates).

Proton VPN lets you connect 10 devices with your account. NordVPN is slightly more restrictive with just six connections permitted. This might make Proton VPN a slightly better proposition for larger families or people who own many devices.

Both VPNs offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means you can test them risk-free to see which one you prefer. They also let you pay via credit card card, PayPal, and cryptocurrency payments (Bitcoin).

Perhaps the most significant difference between these two services is that Proton VPN offers a basic free plan. In this review, we compared the paid versions of each VPN. However, it is worth knowing that you can use Proton VPN to connect to servers in three countries (USA, Netherlands, and Japan) without paying. The free servers are slower than the paid ones and will not work with popular streaming services like Netflix.

BEST DEAL FOR NORDVPN: Reduce the cost by 69% per month with a two-year plan.

BEST DEAL FOR PROTON VPN: Reduce the cost by 50% per month with a two-year plan.

Best value? NordVPN

Proton VPN vs NordVPN for streaming

A VPN suitable for watching TV shows and movies on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer must offer fast speeds and servers tailored for these services. Many VPNs are blocked by live TV and VoD services. 

Both VPNs have protocols designed with speed in mind. NordVPN provides a custom WireGuard fork called NordLynx. In our most recent tests, this protocol gave NordVPN an average download speed of 299 Mbps. This is an impressive result that makes it a fantastic option for gaming, torrenting, making video calls, and streaming. With Proton VPN the average download speed was 328 Mbps, which is a touch faster – but in the same general ballpark as NordVPN.

In addition to excellent speeds, NordVPN offered outstanding performance in our streaming tests. It successfully accessed a variety of US streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, ESPN Plus, and Peacock. The VPN's capabilities extended to international platforms as well, including the UK's BBC iPlayer, Ten Play in Australia, and Germany's Joyn. Impressively, NordVPN provided access to over 15 different Netflix regions, proving itself to be one of the best VPNs for streaming currently available on the market.

Proton VPN also performed admirably. It was able to access Netflix US, UK, and nine other regions. It worked with BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and ABC. However, it failed to work with CBS and Peacock. For this reason, we would recommend testing Proton VPN with your streaming platforms before the money-back guarantee expires.

• NordVPN has 5,000+ servers in 69+ countries.
• Proton VPN has 3,200+ servers in 71+ countries.

Best for streaming? NordVPN

Proton VPN vs NordVPN for China

In China, online censorship and restrictions on VPNs pose significant challenges. You need a reliable VPN service that works to access Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other Western platforms that are blocked by the Great Firewall.

Despite the great lengths that China goes to to block VPNs, NordVPN has established a strong reputation for bypassing Chinese censorship. It offers fast obfuscated servers that consistently provide access to Western websites while in China.

For users in China struggling to subscribe due to blocked VPN websites, NordVPN hosts various mirrors of its website. You can get the URL for these by sending Nord an email. This facilitates the subscription process in countries where the main website has already been blacklisted. 

Unfortunately, Proton VPN is not as useful in China. Although it has now implemented a stealth VPN protocol, the provider does not guarantee that its service will always work in the country. Some of its servers may work, but on the whole, you should not subscribe to Proton if VPN access in China is a necessity.

Best for China? NordVPN

Ease of use

Registering for either Proton VPN or NordVPN is a user-friendly process, requiring only basic details like an email address. For heightened privacy, users can choose to sign up with a burner email and fake name. You can pay for either service using Bitcoin. If this isn't for you, credit or debit cards and PayPal are available.

Downloading and installing their applications is a breeze on any compatible device, from tablets and smartphones to laptops and PCs. Desktop apps are available via their websites and mobile apps are accessible through Google Play or the Apple App Store.

We found both Proton VPN and NordVPN easy to use. They both have straightforward websites and automatic installation processes. Their settings are clear, ensuring a seamless experience even for newcomers.

Proton VPN offers a slightly higher degree of customization and more complicated features like port forwarding. These can be confusing for beginners. For this reason, we would tend to recommend NordVPN for newbies in need of a VPN that is easier all around.

With that caveat aside, we think Proton does an excellent job of explaining what each of the advanced settings is for. So, you should still be able to figure out how to use it pretty quickly. 

Best for ease of use? NordVPN

Connection speeds

Fast VPN speeds are vital for gaming, streaming, torrenting, making video calls, and other data-intensive tasks. To ensure that VPNs are up to these everyday tasks, we test VPN servers in three different locations around the world (USA, UK, and Hong Kong). 

We test each server location three times at three-hour intervals, using a high-bandwidth test machine in the USA. We use those results to get a global average download speed. The good news is that both VPNs performed exceptionally well:

• NordVPN: 299 Mbps
• Proton VPN: 328 Mbps

These results reveal that both these VPNs have ample headroom for most broadband and mobile users. This should allow the VPN to keep your internet running close to the same speed as without the VPN. Ultimately, we thought these results were too close to confidently call one of the VPNs better than the other.

Best for speeds? It’s a draw

Security

When testing VPNs, our main focus is on the ability to provide privacy and security, as this is the essential function of any VPN service. While many users want a VPN for streaming or accessing global services (and we provide lists for all of these functions) – we only recommend VPNs for these types of uses if they also excel in security.

Thankfully, both NordVPN and Proton VPN have strong reputations for data security. Both VPNs incorporate powerful AES-256 (OpenVPN) and ChaCha20 (WireGuard/NordLynx) encryption. They can defend against online threats, including government surveillance and hackers on public WiFi. 

Features like DNS leak protection, kill switches, and obfuscation tools further bolster their security. Proton VPN has self-owned servers in just over 100 locations. These Secure Servers remove any third parties from the equation. 

Proton VPN does not have diskless servers. On the plus side, it has completed a third-party security audit, which means you can trust the no-logs policy and that the apps are free of vulnerabilities.

NordVPN goes even further by not only completing regular audits of its apps, policies, and servers but also operating a self-run network of diskless servers. These servers run in RAM, which means they never store any user data on a hard disk and can be erased remotely in an emergency. 

For techy users who want to know more, we have included the OpenVPN encryption details for each provider below:

• NordVPN: 256-bit AES encryption, SHA384 for authentication, and DHE-4096 key exchange. Perfect Forward Secrecy.
• Proton VPN: AES-256 cipher, HMAC SHA-512 for hash authentication, and DHE-2048 key exchange. Perfect Forward Secrecy.

Best for security: NordVPN

Privacy

When assessing the privacy protections provided by a VPN, it’s important to consider the country where the VPN provider is based. This location influences the legal obligations and potential government monitoring that might affect the VPN provider.

In general, we recommend choosing a VPN that is headquartered in a region where user privacy is a priority and where there are no harsh laws mandating data storage or extensive government surveillance. This ensures the VPN can function independently, adhering to a rigorous no-logs policy.

Both Proton VPN and NordVPN are examples of VPNs that are based in regions that allow them to implement their service without concerns over government intervention.

NordVPN

NordVPN is headquartered in Panama. This country is free from mandatory data retention laws, allowing the VPN to implement a strict no-logging policy. We checked the policy and found that it promises not to store source IPs, VPN network IPs, connection logs, or usage data. Even if the VPN servers were to be raided, they would have no information to hand over. It also means that there is no way for the VPN to be compelled to provide information about its users’ activities at a later date.

NordVPN does collect advertising IDs on mobile devices and tracks website visitors. This information isn't shared with third parties and doesn't reveal anything about your VPN use. This data is exclusively used for tracking potential subscribers' interests in the service. 

Proton VPN

Proton VPN was developed by the company behind Proton Mail, which gives it excellent provenance. Being based in Switzerland means that the VPN is free to implement a no-logging policy. Proton VPN can never provide information about user activities, source IPs, or VPN servers used. We thoroughly checked the policy and found it collects no important data from its users. The policy has also been checked by a third-party auditing firm, which means that it has been thoroughly verified. 

Best for privacy? It’s a draw

Customer support

As with other market-leading VPNs, Proton VPN and NordVPN offer excellent support resources on their website. You can find guides and FAQs that help you with installing and using the VPN, and blog posts that cover important topics regarding online privacy and data security. 

You can get help at any time of day either by sending an email or loading the live chat support window on their websites. Proton VPN live chat support is only available if you log in to your account and search the menu in the top right.

NordVPN, by contrast, lets you ask questions even before subscribing. We found the support agents with both of these services to be well-trained and knowledgeable.

Although NordVPN and Proton VPN’s agents tend to speak English, their live chat support incorporates Google Translate for the agents. This allows them to easily cater to users worldwide. 

Best for support? It’s a draw

The verdict?

Our head-to-head battle reveals that although both VPNs excel in various aspects, NordVPN is the best VPN for most home internet users.

Our results show that Proton VPN and NordVPN matched closely in four key areas – customer support, privacy protection, connection speeds, and advanced features. These tied categories are a testament to the exceptional service and features offered by the Swiss VPN provider, Proton VPN.

When it comes to factors like security measures, user-friendliness, streaming capabilities, effectiveness in China, and overall value, however, NordVPN takes the lead. 

Our tests revealed that NordVPN was better at unlocking a wider range of streaming platforms. We liked its diskless servers, which can be erased in an emergency and limit the amount of data that is available in real-time. It is much better value for money considering how close these two VPNs are in terms of features.

• Features - Tie
• Pricing - NordVPN
• Streaming - NordVPN
• China - NordVPN
• Ease of use - Tie
• Connection speeds - Tie
• Security - NordVPN
• Privacy - Tie
• Customer support - Tie

Admittedly, Proton VPN has a slight edge in speed and offers port forwarding (a feature missing in NordVPN). This makes it a better choice for torrent seeders willing to invest a bit more.

Home users who want a VPN to stream international Netflix regions, watch home TV services while traveling, protect themselves against ISP and government snooping, and circumvent workplace internet restrictions will find that NordVPN offers the best bang for their buck.

Best overall VPN: NordVPN

• Find out more about NordVPN in our full review.
• Find out more about Proton VPN in our full review.