Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton AG vs NordVPN
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Proton AG |  NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | from 140 | 150 |
| No-logs audit | Securitum, 2026 | Independent no-logs verification, first in 2018 and verified four more times since; auditor not named on the page |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | OpenVPN, NordLynx, NordWhisper |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Kill switch, Split tunnelling, Multi hop, ObfuscationCovers more |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android TV, TvOS |
| Owner | Proton AG | Nord Security |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 months | 27 monthsHigher |
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | €14.99 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €3.49 |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | €139.08 |
| Jurisdiction | CH | Not confirmed |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Devices (10), Money-back period (30 days).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Proton AG scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Protocols: only Proton AG offers WireGuard.
- Protocols: only NordVPN offers NordLynx, NordWhisper.
- Features: only NordVPN offers Multi hop, Obfuscation.
- Platforms: only Proton AG offers Chromebook, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV.
- Platforms: only NordVPN offers Edge, TvOS.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at NordVPN: 27 months vs 24 months.
- Support channels: only Proton AG offers Community.
- Founded is lower at NordVPN: 2012 vs 2014.
- Features: only NordVPN offers Travel.
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.
NordVPN
NordVPN suits people who want broad server reach and a no-logs policy under independent audit, and who can commit to a long plan. The catch is entry price: €14.99 a month on the monthly plan, with €139.08 due at renewal.
Score breakdown
| Area | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 8.7Monthly plan runs at €14.99 and the longest plan at €3.49 a month, with €139.08 billed on renewal. |
| Offer | 9.4Term choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. | 9.6HigherCovers 150 server countries, 10 devices and features including kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop. |
| Privacy | 8.9 | 9.0Higher |
Which one suits you
Pick Proton AG if cost matter most.
Pick NordVPN if features and longest plan (months) matter most.
Feature by feature
| Features | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunnelling | Yes | Yes |
| Multi hop | No | Yes |
| Obfuscation | No | Yes |
A third option
PureVPN has longest plan (months) at 60 months, against 24 months for Proton AG and 27 months for NordVPN.
PureVPN reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 26 of 232 | 1 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 24 of 280 | 1 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 12 of 63 | 1 of 63 |
| Secure cloud storage and backup | 8 of 70 | 1 of 70 |
| Free VPNs | 22 of 189 | 1 of 189 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Business | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | Nord Security |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Lithuania |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | €14.99 |
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Free plan limits | No data or speed limits, no ads, no time limit, 1 device, servers in 10 countries randomly selected, medium speed. | Not confirmed |
| Logging policy | No activity logs | No logs: VPN servers keep no logs, with independent no-log audits |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Ad blocker |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Pass Family: up to 6 users, 6 Pass Plus accounts, admin panel | Not confirmed |
| Passkeys | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Security audit | Independently audited by third-party experts; audit reports public | Regular independent third-party security audits; ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 |
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, 256-bit AES-GCM vaults, OpenPGP with ECC Curve25519 for vault keys | Not confirmed |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Yes |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5Higher | 3 |
| Price per TB per year | Not confirmed | €77.88 |
| Compliance certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Credit bureaus monitored | Not confirmed | 1 |
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $2,000,000 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Proton AG | NordVPN | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | €14.99highest quarter | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | €3.49below the median | €3.99 |
| Devices | 10at the median | 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | from 140highest quarter | 150highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | €139.08highest quarter | €69.99 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 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.
NordVPN
Pros
- Covers 150 server countries, the highest count in the ranking, with 10 devices per account
- Features include kill switch, split tunnelling and multi hop alongside the stated no logs, streaming and travel use cases
- Protocol choice covers OpenVPN, NordLynx and NordWhisper
Cons
- Entry price is high: €14.99 a month on the monthly plan puts it near the bottom of the monthly price ranking
- There is no free plan, so the free version comparison starts with nothing to test
- Renewal is charged at €139.08, a jump from the €3.49 monthly rate on the introductory long plan
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.
NordVPN
Who it suits
- People who need coverage across 150 server countries rather than a handful of nearby ones
- Households or small teams that need 10 connected devices on one subscription
- Subscribers comfortable committing to a long plan, since €3.49 is only reached on the longest term
Who should look elsewhere
- People wanting a free tier, since there is no free plan to start on
- Anyone who needs to pay month to month on a small budget, as €14.99 a month is the priciest end of the monthly ranking
- Readers who need phone support, since the listed channels are email, chat and help centre
Current offers
NordVPN
Current offer
Discount code
75% off + 3 months extra: 75% off
Intro offer on the 2-year plan (first 27 months), VAT may apply, savings versus renewal price
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
+ 3 EXTRA months on 2-year plans: 3 extra months
Offer terms apply, additional terms apply to Ultra plan, VAT may apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Free trial for new users on Android: 3 days free
New users, Android app via Google Play; not available in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Korea
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Proton AG | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | No | Yes |
| Aland Islands | No | Yes |
| Albania | No | Yes |
| Algeria | No | Yes |
| American Samoa | No | Yes |
| Andorra | No | Yes |
| Angola | No | Yes |
| Anguilla | No | Yes |
8 of 250 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.
NordVPN
How much does NordVPN cost to start with?+
The monthly plan is priced at €14.99. Committing to the longest term, 27 months, brings the monthly figure down to €3.49. That lower rate is introductory, and the 30 money back window still applies if the subscription is not a fit.
What do I pay when the plan renews?+
Renewal is charged at €139.08 for the long term, against the €3.49 monthly rate that applies at the start. Budget for the renewal figure rather than the headline monthly number, since the per month rate is the part that is promotional. The two prices together tell the full cost of staying.
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