Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton AG vs Kaspersky
Proton AG vs Kaspersky: the differences
| Compare |  Proton AG |  Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | from 140 | 93 |
| No-logs audit | Securitum, 2026 | SOC 2 Type II audit by an independent accounting firm, 2026 |
| Jurisdiction | CH | RU |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPNCovers more | WireGuard |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Screen time, Web filter, Location |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime VideoCovers more | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TVCovers more | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux |
| Owner | Proton AG | Privately owned; CEO Eugene Kaspersky |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Devices (10), Money-back period (30 days).
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Key differences
- Kaspersky scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Protocols: only Proton AG offers OpenVPN.
- Features: only Proton AG offers Kill switch, Split tunnelling.
- Features: only Kaspersky offers Screen time, Web filter, Location.
- Streaming services: only Proton AG offers Hulu.
- Platforms: only Proton AG offers Chromebook, Chrome, Firefox.
- Support channels: only Proton AG offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Kaspersky offers Phone.
- Founded is lower at Kaspersky: 1997 vs 2014.
- Features: only Proton AG offers No logs.
Our verdict on each
Proton AG
Proton AG suits readers who want a published no-logs audit, a free tier and a bundled privacy suite rather than a bare tunnel, with the company based in Switzerland. Paid plans reach servers in from 140 countries and cover 10 devices, alongside free storage of 5 GB.
Kaspersky
Kaspersky suits households and small businesses who want one subscription covering antivirus, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls. Its bundles span 10 devices and Windows, macOS and Android, with server reach across 93 countries and a SOC 2 Type II audit behind SOC 2 Type II audit by an independent accounting firm, 2026.
Score breakdown
| Area | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | Not confirmed |
| Offer | 9.4Term choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. | 9.7Higher |
| Privacy | 8.9 | 9.0Higher |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Switzerland |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 10 | 10 |
| Server countries | from 140 | 93 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
Pick Proton AG if, pick Kaspersky if
Pick Proton AG if protocols, streaming services, and platforms matter most.
Pick Kaspersky if offer matter most.
Where these facts come from
Proton AG
- protonvpn.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- proton.me: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Kaspersky
- kaspersky.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- usa.kaspersky.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 26 of 232 | 4 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 24 of 280 | 3 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 12 of 63 | 3 of 63 |
| Free VPNs | 22 of 189 | 3 of 189 |
| Authenticator apps | 13 of 55 | 1 of 55 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | Streaming, Travel |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | AO Kaspersky Lab |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Switzerland |
| Founded | 2014 | 1997Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Phone, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan limits | No data or speed limits, no ads, no time limit, 1 device, servers in 10 countries randomly selected, medium speed. | Free antivirus version for Android only; premium VPN, identity protection and password manager require a paid plan |
| Logging policy | No activity logs | Not confirmed |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Ad blocker |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Pass Family: up to 6 users, 6 Pass Plus accounts, admin panel | Security plan licence shareable with family members in one account |
| Passkeys | Yes | Yes |
| Security audit | Independently audited by third-party experts; audit reports public | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, 256-bit AES-GCM vaults, OpenPGP with ECC Curve25519 for vault keys | AES-256-bit, key derived from master password with PBKDF2 |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | The VPN connection from the user's device to Proton's servers; Proton also markets Proton for Business with end-to-end encryption. | Not confirmed |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | Not confirmed |
| Compliance certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Proton AG | Kaspersky | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devices | 10at the median | 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | from 140highest quarter | 93above the median | 62 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 monthsabove the median | Not confirmed | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Proton AG
Pros
- No-logs claims are audited rather than asserted: Securitum's audit (Securitum, 2026) sits behind a No activity logs policy.
- Free limits come with no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit.
- 10 simultaneous devices, above the ranked VPN median of 8.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, and there is no phone line among them.
- The free plan limits put you on a single device at medium speed with randomly selected countries, so constant use points at a paid plan.
- End-to-end encryption is marketed for Proton for Business, while the consumer plan encrypts only the connection from your device to Proton's servers.
Kaspersky
Pros
- Bundles a VPN, password manager and parental controls with antivirus in a single subscription.
- Covers Windows, macOS and Android, with VPN server reach across 93 countries.
- Password manager uses AES-256-bit, key derived from master password with PBKDF2 encryption and supports passkeys.
Cons
- The free antivirus build covers Android only, and the premium VPN, identity protection and password manager need a paid plan.
- The provider is Privately owned; CEO Eugene Kaspersky, with a AO Kaspersky Lab legal entity in a RU jurisdiction.
- Price at renewal is separate from the entry price, and long term plans sit at €3.97 a month against a €7.89 monthly median.
Who each suits
Proton AG
Who it suits
- Readers who want a VPN, a passkey vault and encrypted storage under a single account instead of separate subscriptions.
- Families sharing storage, since Pass Family covers several users and Pass Plus seats through a single admin panel.
- Teams buying under a business audience (business) who need GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001 certifications on file.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone needing more devices on a single account: Proton covers 10, while ESET Brasil plans run 3 to 25 devices.
- Readers choosing purely on server spread: AVG lists from 100 countries, a base close to Proton's from 140.
- Readers who want a different audit trail to compare: Session Technology Foundation lists Quarkslab 2021 against Proton's Securitum, 2026.
Kaspersky
Who it suits
- Households that want antivirus, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls in one place.
- Small businesses that need a single security bundle rather than separate tools.
- Travelers and streamers who value streaming and travel VPN coverage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., which covers Apple platforms such as iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS and watchOS and fits people already inside its ecosystem.
- Comodo (Xcitium), which runs on Windows and Linux and suits buyers who want protection on Windows and Linux only.
- ESET Brasil, whose coverage of Windows, Windows Server and macOS suits buyers in Brazil who need a local store listing.
Current offers
Kaspersky
Current offer
Bonus
Kaspersky Safe Kids free for 1 year with Standard, Plus and Premium plans (limited time offer): Kaspersky Safe Kids 1 year free
Marked as a limited time offer; shown alongside the Standard, Plus and Premium plans; 30-day money-back guarantee applies
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Kaspersky Standard free trial: 30 days free
Free 30-day trial of Kaspersky Standard; compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Proton AG | Kaspersky |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | No | Yes |
| Argentina | No | Yes |
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Brazil | No | Yes |
| Bulgaria | No | Yes |
| Canada | No | Yes |
8 of 47 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Proton AG
What does Proton VPN cost, and how long are the commitments?+
The longest plan runs 24 months, the service is listed on a free model, and paid plans carry a 30-day money-back window. Across the ranked VPN field, monthly pricing has a median of €7.02 and long-term pricing a median of €3.97, which frames any quote you see.
Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?+
Yes. The free plan has no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit. It runs on a single device, reaches servers in a randomly selected group of countries and delivers medium speed, so the paid tier, which covers 10 devices, is the practical step for constant use.
Kaspersky
What does Kaspersky cover in a single subscription?+
A paid plan bundles antivirus with the extras Kaspersky lists as vpn, password manager and parental controls. That means the VPN, password manager and parental controls come in the same subscription, and parental controls add screen time, web filter and location tools such as screen time and location limits.
Is there a free Kaspersky antivirus?+
Yes, but the free build is limited. The free antivirus version covers Android only, and the premium VPN, identity protection and password manager require a paid plan. The password manager does have a free plan, and passkeys are supported there.
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