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SNordVPN vs Proton VPN
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
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Choose NordVPN if…
- you want the lower entry price ($2.99/mo vs $3.49/mo)
- you're in its core audience: individual consumers, families
P
Choose Proton VPN if…
- you want a free plan to start with
- you want open source you can self-host or audit
- you work on Windows, macOS, Linux
- you're in its core audience: privacy-conscious individuals, travelers and streamers
Side by side
Feature NordVPN Proton VPN
Pricing modelPaidFreemium
Starting price$2.99/mo$3.49/mo
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
Platforms—Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome
Company—Proton AG
Full feature lists
N NordVPN
- Encrypted VPN connections that hide your IP address
- Threat Protection included in all plans
- Up to 10 devices per subscription
- NordPass password manager on higher tiers
- Data Breach Scanner on Plus and higher
- 1 TB encrypted NordLocker storage on Complete
- Pay by card, crypto or PayPal
P Proton VPN
- 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
- NetShield DNS-level ad, tracker and malware blocker
- Secure Core multi-hop routing
- VPN Accelerator for up to 400% faster speeds
- Kill switch and always-on VPN
- WireGuard and OpenVPN with AES-256 or ChaCha20
- P2P/BitTorrent support on paid plans
- Up to 10 simultaneous devices
What you'd pay
The cheapest plan that fits, per month, billed yearly where the plan offers it.
NordVPN
Basic$3.49/mo on 2-year plan; $14.99 month-to-month
Complete$4.49/mo on 2-year plan; $19.99 month-to-month
Prime$7.49/mo on 2-year plan; $29.99 month-to-month
Proton VPN
Proton FreeFree
VPN Plus$3.49/mo on 2-year plan ($9.99 monthly)
Proton Unlimited$7.99/mo on 2-year plan ($12.99 monthly)
Strengths and limitations
NordVPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Covers up to 10 devices
- Higher tiers bundle a password manager and 1 TB of storage
- Accepts card, crypto and PayPal
- No free plan
- Long-term plans are billed upfront
- Prices and plan names vary by region and promotion
Proton VPN
- Free plan with no ads and no data limits
- Open-source apps and publicly available no-logs audit
- Swiss jurisdiction
- Paid plans cover 10 devices
- Free plan covers 1 device and servers in 10 randomly selected countries
- Free plan excludes streaming, P2P and the ad blocker
- Lowest price requires a 2-year commitment
More comparisons
Other options to consider
SS
Paid
E
EE
Paid
C
C
Paid
P
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices, no-logs policy and servers in 113 countries
From $2.03/mo
P
From $2.03/mo
P
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices, no-logs policy and servers in 113 countries
VPNOpen source
I
II
See site
V
VV
From $1.99/mo
Facts from each vendor's public pages. Editorial policy