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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

ProtonVPN vs Tenable Nessus

ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Security & Cybersecurity

High-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your privacy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable Nessus logo

Tenable Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

Network vulnerability scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time; Tenable Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • They diverge on capability: ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ProtonVPN and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where ProtonVPN and Tenable Nessus differ
AttributeProtonVPNTenable Nessus
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidWindows, Linux, Macos, Cloud
Founded20142002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & Cybersecurity).

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 ProtonVPN

  • No-logs policy
  • Secure Core
  • Kill Switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Tor over VPN
  • Split tunneling
  • NetShield ad-blocker
  • VPN Accelerator

Only in Tenable Nessus

  • Network scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Configuration assessment
  • Malware detection
  • Compliance checking
  • Cloud security assessment
  • Mobile scanning
  • API access

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ProtonVPN

  • Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot Tenable Nessus
  • Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot Tenable Nessus
  • Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot Tenable Nessus

Tenable Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning of servers, network devices and web applicationsnot ProtonVPN
  • Configuration and compliance auditing against hardening benchmarksnot ProtonVPN
  • Point in time assessments by consultants and penetration testersnot ProtonVPN

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Tenable Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • Support beyond the base entitlement costs an extra $400 per year for Advanced Support with 24x365 phone and chat access
  • The on demand training course is a separate $275 purchase for a single person for one year
  • Multi year discounts require paying for two or three years up front

Pricing, plan by plan

ProtonVPN

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN review.

Tenable Nessus

Free
  • Nessus EssentialsFree
    • Up to 16 ips
    • Network scanning
    • Vulnerability assessment
  • Nessus Professional$2600/year
    • Unlimited targets
    • Enterprise features
    • Advanced analytics
  • Nessus Expert$5200/year
    • All Professional features
    • Cloud integration
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose ProtonVPN if

  • You need no-logs policy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want secure core.
ProtonVPN review

Choose Tenable Nessus if

  • You need network scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Tenable Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is ProtonVPN or Tenable Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. ProtonVPN starts at Free and Tenable Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ProtonVPN or Tenable Nessus?
ProtonVPN starts at Free and Tenable Nessus at Free.
Does ProtonVPN or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Tenable Nessus runs on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ProtonVPN best used for?
ProtonVPN is most often used for privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost, multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices, integrated access to proton email and cloud services via unlimited plan. Of those, privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost and multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can ProtonVPN do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Secure Core, Kill Switch, DNS leak protection. Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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