Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Norton vs Proton
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Norton |  Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 10 to 20Higher | 10 |
| Server countries | from 100 | 140 |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Protocols | Mimic, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsecCovers more | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Features | Kill switch, Multi hop, ObfuscationCovers more | Kill switch |
| Streaming services | Streaming | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chrome extension, Edge extension, Firefox extension | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Owner | Gen Digital Inc. | Proton Foundation |
| Monthly price | €2.08 | Not confirmed |
| No-logs audit | VerSprite, July 2025 (Technical Privacy Impact Assessment) | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | $49.99 to $99.99 | Not confirmed |
| Jurisdiction | Not confirmed | CH |
Same on both: Longest plan (months) (24 months).
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Key differences
- Norton scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Devices is higher at Norton: 10 to 20 vs 10.
- Protocols: only Norton offers Mimic, IPsec.
- Features: only Norton offers Multi hop, Obfuscation.
- Streaming services: only Norton offers Streaming.
- Streaming services: only Proton offers Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+.
- Platforms: only Norton offers Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV.
- Platforms: only Proton offers Linux, Web app, Command line interface.
- Support channels: only Norton offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
Norton
Norton packs a VPN, password manager, parental controls and identity monitoring into a single subscription, so it suits households already paying Gen Digital for security. The Deluxe bundle opens at $19.99 for a first year, and the renewal figure is what decides the real cost.
Proton
Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.
Score breakdown
| Area | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherEntry price of €2.08 a month is low, but the bundle renewal of $49.99 to $99.99 pulls the axis down. | 9.2Entry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.3 | 9.5Higher |
| Privacy | 9.9Higher | 9.1 |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 10 to 20 | 10 |
| Server countries | from 100 | 140 |
| Money-back period | 60 days | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 24 months |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 19 of 232 | 13 of 232 |
| Password managers | 11 of 69 | 8 of 69 |
| Free VPNs | 15 of 189 | 9 of 189 |
A third option
ESET Brasil has devices at 1 to 25, against 10 to 20 for Norton and 10 for Proton.
ESET Brasil reviewWhere these facts come from
Norton
- us.norton.com: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- ie.norton.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- norton.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
- proton.me: 17 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | NortonLifeLock Ireland Limited | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1982Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Antivirus
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| First-year price | $19.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free version | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Extras | VPN, Password manager, Parental controls | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Credit bureaus monitored | 1 to 3 | Not confirmed |
| Insurance amount | $1,050,000 to $3,000,000 | Not confirmed |
| Family plan price | $18.75 to $52.50 | Not confirmed |
| Free trial length | 7 days | Not confirmed |
Password managers
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $9.99 | $4.99Lower |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Family plan | Not confirmed | Pass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel |
| Passkeys | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Security audit | Not confirmed | Independently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty |
| Encryption | Encrypted online vault; data stored encrypted in the cloud | End-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys |
| Open source | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
Parental controls
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | $49.99 | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring |
| End-to-end encryption | Not confirmed | All fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot |
| Custom domains | Not confirmed | Yes |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | Not confirmed | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | Not confirmed | $95.88 |
| Compliance certifications | Not confirmed | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Norton | Proton | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €2.08lowest quarter | Not confirmed | €7.99 |
| Devices | 10 to 20highest quarter | 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | from 100highest quarter | 140highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | $49.99 to $99.99above the median | Not confirmed | $12 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 monthsabove the median | 24 monthsabove the median | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Norton
Pros
- Bundle plans put the VPN, password manager and parental controls on one subscription, as vpn, password manager and parental controls shows.
- The no-logs policy carries an external review, recorded as VerSprite, July 2025 (Technical Privacy Impact Assessment).
- Device allowance of 10 to 20 runs above the site median of 7.
Cons
- Renewal sets the real cost: $49.99 to $99.99 on renewal against a first year of $19.99 on the Deluxe bundle.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community, so email and live chat sit outside the listed channels.
- Split tunnelling is absent from kill switch, multi hop and obfuscation, which lists a kill switch, multi hop and obfuscation.
Proton
Pros
- A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
- Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
- Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
- Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
- Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.
Who each suits
Norton
Who it suits
- Households wanting a VPN, a password manager, parental controls and identity monitoring on one bill
- Families with several phones, laptops and smart TVs sharing an account of 10 to 20 devices
- Existing subscribers to the Deluxe bundle paying $19.99 for a first year who want the VPN added
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., at $0.99 a month, for readers who want a standalone service instead of a bundle
- ESET Brasil, covering 3 to 25 devices, for households shopping mainly on device count
- Sinew Software Systems, at $1.99 a month, for passwords alone
Proton
Who it suits
- Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
- Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
- Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
- Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
- EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.
Current offers
Norton
Current offer
Discount code
50% off first year on Norton VPN Standard: 50% OFF: EUR 24.99 first year against EUR 49.99
Ireland storefront; Norton VPN Standard 1 device; 1 Year plan; renews at EUR 49.99/year; price subject to change
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Norton VPN 7 Day free trial: 7 days free
Payment method required; paid subscription starts at EUR 24.99/year and automatically renews at EUR 49.99/year
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Norton | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Yes | No |
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Brazil | Yes | No |
| Cambodia | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Chile | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
8 of 58 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Norton
How much is Norton at entry, and can I try it first?+
The Norton VPN plan starts at €2.08 a month, and the longest term runs 24 months. A free trial of 7 days is offered on downloads, and the money back window of 60 days covers a longer evaluation on a paid plan.
What does Norton cost when the subscription renews?+
Renewal is where the price moves. The first year of the Deluxe bundle is listed at $19.99, while renewal prices run $49.99 to $99.99. A separate yearly Norton Family plan sits at $49.99, so weigh the renewal figure against what follows the introductory period.
Proton
How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+
Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.
What does the free plan leave out?+
The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.
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