Software · head to head
NordVPN vs ProtonVPN
NordVPN
Software
The best online VPN service for speed and security
- From
- $3.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only ProtonVPN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: NordVPN the App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.; ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time
- They diverge on capability: NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, ProtonVPN covers Secure Core.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which NordVPN and ProtonVPN actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in NordVPN
- Military-grade encryption
- Double VPN
- Onion over VPN
- Threat Protection
- Meshnet
- Chrome extension
- Firefox extension
- Edge extension
Only in ProtonVPN
- Secure Core
- DNS leak protection
- Tor over VPN
- NetShield ad-blocker
- VPN Accelerator
- Tor network
- Swiss privacy laws
- Open source audited
Both cover
- No-logs policy
- Kill Switch
- Split tunneling
- AES-256 encryption
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Desktop support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
NordVPN
- Vpnnot ProtonVPN
- Privacynot ProtonVPN
- Online Securitynot ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN
- Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot NordVPN
- Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot NordVPN
- Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot NordVPN
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
NordVPN
- The App Store listing states the app is free to download but is non-functional without purchasing a subscription first; no price figure appears anywhere in the listing itself, only the requirement to buy a plan before VPN access works.
ProtonVPN
- Free plan limited to one device at a time
- Free plan restricted to 10 countries with random selection
- Pricing amounts not clearly published; shown as variable
Pricing, plan by plan
NordVPN
$3.99/month- Standard$3.99/month
- 6 devices
- 5,500+ servers
- Threat Protection Lite
- Plus$4.99/month
- All Standard features
- Threat Protection Pro
- NordPass password manager
- Complete$5.99/month
- All Plus features
- NordLocker 1TB encrypted cloud
- Identity theft protection
ProtonVPN
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN review.
Which should you pick?
Choose NordVPN if
- You need military-grade encryption.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want double vpn.
Choose ProtonVPN if
- You need secure core.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- You also want dns leak protection.
Questions people ask
- Is NordVPN or ProtonVPN better?
- Neither clearly leads. NordVPN starts at $3.99/month and ProtonVPN at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NordVPN or ProtonVPN?
- ProtonVPN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for NordVPN and Free for ProtonVPN.
- Does NordVPN or ProtonVPN run on more platforms?
- NordVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api. ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
- Yes. ProtonVPN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NordVPN starts at $3.99/month.
- What is NordVPN best used for?
- NordVPN is most often used for vpn, privacy, online security. Of those, vpn and privacy are not what ProtonVPN is typically brought in for.
- What can NordVPN do that ProtonVPN cannot?
- NordVPN covers Military-grade encryption, Double VPN, Onion over VPN, Threat Protection. ProtonVPN covers Secure Core, DNS leak protection, Tor over VPN, NetShield ad-blocker. Both handle No-logs policy, Kill Switch, Split tunneling, AES-256 encryption.