Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton AG vs Norton
Proton AG vs Norton: the differences
| Compare |  Proton AG |  Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 10 | 1 to 10 |
| Server countries | from 140 | from 100 |
| No-logs audit | Securitum, 2026 | VerSprite, July 2025 (Technical Privacy Impact Assessment) |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN | Mimic, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsecCovers more |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Screen time, Web filter, Location |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video | Streaming |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TVCovers more | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS |
| Owner | Proton AG | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | $34.99 |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | $59.99 |
| Jurisdiction | CH | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Longest plan (months) (24 months).
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Key differences
- Norton scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Protocols: only Norton offers Mimic, IPsec.
- Features: only Proton AG offers Kill switch, Split tunnelling.
- Features: only Norton offers Screen time, Web filter, Location.
- Streaming services: only Proton AG offers Netflix, Hulu, Disney+.
- Streaming services: only Norton offers Streaming.
- Platforms: only Proton AG offers Linux, Chromebook, Chrome.
- Support channels: only Proton AG offers Email, Chat.
- Support channels: only Norton offers Phone.
- Money-back period is higher at Norton: 60 days vs 30 days.
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.
Norton
Norton suits households who want antivirus, a VPN, a password manager and parental controls under one subscription, and it stays affordable after the first term. Norton Deluxe opens at $19.99 and renews at $59.99, which is still under the antivirus median of €49.95.
Score breakdown
| Area | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.6HigherNorton Deluxe opens at $19.99 and renews at $59.99, priced below the antivirus median of €49.95. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherTerm choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. | 9.1 |
| Privacy | 8.9 | 9.9Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Switzerland | United States |
Pick Proton AG if, pick Norton if
Pick Proton AG if offer and platforms matter most.
Pick Norton if cost, privacy, money-back period, and protocols matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 26 of 232 | 20 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 24 of 280 | 67 of 280 |
| Secure cloud storage and backup | 8 of 70 | 7 of 70 |
| Free VPNs | 22 of 189 | 16 of 189 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming | No logs, Streaming |
| Audience | Business | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | Gen Digital Inc. |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | United States |
| Founded | 2014 | 1982Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Phone, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | $9.99 |
| 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. | Not confirmed |
| Logging policy | No activity logs | Not confirmed |
| Open source | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker | Not confirmed |
Password managers
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, 256-bit AES-GCM vaults, OpenPGP with ECC Curve25519 for vault keys | Encrypted online vault; data stored encrypted in the cloud |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Not confirmed |
Secure email
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | Not confirmed |
| Compliance certifications | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Credit bureaus monitored | Not confirmed | 1 to 3 |
| Insurance amount | Not confirmed | $1,050,000 to $3,000,000 |
| Family plan price | Not confirmed | $18.75 to $52.50 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 7 days |
Parental controls
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | Not confirmed | $49.99 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Proton AG | Norton | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | $34.99highest quarter | $9 |
| Devices | 10at the median | 1 to 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | from 140highest quarter | from 100highest quarter | 62 |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | $59.99highest quarter | $12 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 24 monthsabove the median | 24 monthsabove the median | 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.
Norton
Pros
- Entry price of $19.99 for Norton Deluxe is well under the antivirus median of €49.95, and renewal at $59.99 still sits low.
- One subscription covers 1 to 10 across Windows, macOS and Android and bundles vpn, password manager and parental controls that would otherwise be separate subscriptions.
- A free version of the apps lets you try the security side before paying, with a free trial of 7 days and a money back window of 60 days.
Cons
- Renewal sits well above entry: Norton Deluxe jumps from $19.99 to $59.99, and many antivirus plans renew under €3.97 a month.
- The Norton Deluxe device allowance of 1 to 10 is behind the antivirus median of 10, while Apple covers more device types through iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
- Support runs on phone, help centre and community, so help is by phone, help centre and community only.
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.
Norton
Who it suits
- Households wanting vpn, password manager and parental controls bundled into one subscription rather than bought separately.
- Apple households already inside iOS, iPadOS and macOS who want protection that extends beyond their own devices.
- Buyers who want a free version of the apps, a free trial of 7 days and a money back window of 60 days before committing.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers on a strict budget who only want a password manager, at $9.99 on its own.
- Buyers who need a device allowance above the antivirus median of 10.
- People who want a US supplier replaced by a European option, since US is the stated headquarters country.
Current offers
Norton
Current offer
First period offer
Norton AntiVirus Plus limited-time offer: $19.99 first year (66% off, $59.99 renewal)
US annual subscription, auto-renews at $59.99/year unless the renewal is cancelled
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Norton 360 Deluxe limited-time offer: $29.99 first year (76% off, $124.99 renewal)
US annual subscription for 5 devices, auto-renews at $124.99/year unless the renewal is cancelled; works out as $2.50/month
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Norton 360 Standard limited-time offer: $24.99 first year (73% off, $94.99 renewal)
US annual subscription for 3 devices, auto-renews at $94.99/year unless the renewal is cancelled
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Norton free trials
A payment method is required at sign-up and will be charged at the end of the trial period, unless cancelled first
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Proton AG | Norton |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Yes |
| Canada | No | Yes |
| France | No | Yes |
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Ireland | No | Yes |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Japan | No | Yes |
| Netherlands | No | Yes |
8 of 12 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.
Norton
How much is Norton Deluxe for the first year?+
Norton Deluxe costs $19.99 for the first year. That is the introductory figure, not the ongoing one, and it sits under the antivirus median of €49.95. Several Norton products are sold separately, so the plan you choose changes the entry price.
What does Norton Deluxe cost when it renews?+
Norton Deluxe renews at $59.99, so the price roughly triples once the first term ends. That renewal is still low among antivirus plans, where comparable products sit around €3.97 a month. Budget for the renewal figure rather than the entry price.
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