We have tested both NordVPN and Proton VPN extensively. We have compared these VPN providers in several categories. Let’s take a look at the winners for each category:
- Streaming: NordVPN
- Torrenting: Proton VPN
- Privacy: NordVPN
- Security: NordVPN
- Speed: NordVPN
- Price: NordVPN
- Ease of use: tie
- Customer service: NordVPN
As you can see, NordVPN has the most victories, making it the best choice in most cases. However, don’t underestimate ProtonVPN: this provider is a very good runner up.
NordVPN
NordVPN is a renowned VPN service provided by Nord Security. This company has been on the cybersecurity market since 2012 and offers several other cyber security products, such as password manager NordPass en cloud service NordLocker.
ProtonVPN is part of the Switzerland based company Proton AG, which also offers Proton Mail, Proton Cloud en Proton Pass. They launched their VPN service in 2017. Now they are an established company on the VPN market.
If you want to purchase a VPN, we can imagine you might want to compare these two no logs-VPNs. Both are excellent VPN providers that keep your data safe and secure.
We have compared the streaming abilities, torrenting abilities, speed, privacy, safety, price, ease of use and the customer service of these two VPNs. You can read the result of this comparison below.
NordVPN vs Proton VPN: A Comparison
Let us first sum up the general features of NordVPN and Proton VPN:
| Editor’s Pick | ||
| VPN |  |  |
| Score | 9.3 | 8.3 |
| Servers | 5000+ | 3000-5000 |
| Torrent options | ||
| Netflix | ||
| Compatibilities |        | |
| Connections | 10 | 10 |
| Operating systems | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard |
| Logs | Zero logs | Zero logs |
| Price | $ 3.39 | $ 3.59 |
| Money-back guarantee | Money-back guarantee, 30 Days | Money-back guarantee, 30 Days |
| Visit NordVPN | Visit Proton VPN |
Streaming: Which VPN Is Best At Unblocking?
Both providers offer the infrastructure needed to unblock international streaming platforms, such as a large server network.
Proton VPN has 4,500+ VPN servers in 90+ countries, which will be more than sufficient for most users. Proton VPN offers a smart protocol to bypass georestrictions. This smart protocol switches automatically between VPN protocols if a specific protocol is blocked due to censorship.
NordVPN has 6441 VPN servers in 111 countries, enabling even more streaming options than Proton VPN. NordVPN offers dedicated IPs and obfuscated servers, which come in handy to bypass restrictions.
Knowing this, we have put NordVPN and Proton VPN to the test. We have tested if the VPNs are able to unblock the following streaming platforms:
| Streaming service | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix (US) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Netflix (UK) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Disney Plus (EU) | ✔ | ✖ |
| BBC iPlayer (UK) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Prime Video (EU) | ✔ | ✖ |
| HBO Max (EU) | ✔ | ✖ |
Verdict: NordVPN Is Best for Streaming
It is clear that NordVPN is the best option for unblocking international streaming services. NordVPN offers additional features such as obfuscated servers to help you unblock streaming services and that clearly made the difference. NordVPN was able to unblock everything during the actual test!
NordVPN is our #1 streaming VPN. Check out our complete list with the best VPNs for streaming.
Torrenting: Which VPN Is Best for Downloading?
NordVPN and Proton VPN have enough speed, enabling you to download large files. Both of them offer P2P-servers which allow P2P-traffic. Of course, we have tested these VPNs while torrenting, and both VPNs allowed us to visit popular streaming sites such as The Pirate Bay. Downloading went quick and without any problems.
However if you want to share files with peers, Proton VPN is the best choice. This VPN supports port forwarding, allowing you to share (seed) your content with others. This wil supercharge your download speed, since P2P-protocols tie download speed to upload speed. The more you seed, the faster you can feed!
Verdict: ProtonVPN Is Best for Torrenting
Since NordVPN does not support port forwarding and Proton VPN does, Proton VPN is the better match for torrenting. Both seeding and feeding are possible, giving you the best torrent experience.
Privacy: which VPN keep your data most secure?
Both NordVPN and Proton VPN are part of our list with the best secure VPNs. When it comes to privacy, NordVPN and Proton VPN offer the following:
- Both providers have strict no log policies and do not save any data about the traffic of their clients.
- The providers are audited regularly. ProtonVPN has been audited in 2024 by Securitum, NordVPN has been audited at the end of 2023 by Deloitte.
- NordVPN is based in Panama and Proton VPN in Switzerland. Both countries aren’t part of the 5, 9 of 14-eyes alliance. This means they do not have to store or share information about their clients.
- NordVPN uses diskless RAM-only servers, that don’t even have the possibility to store customer data. Many premium VPNs use diskless VPN servers, but Proton VPN does not yet.
Verdict: NordVPN has the best privacy policy
Your data will be safe with both providers, but it is obvious NordVPN has taken a larger effort to protect your data by using diskless VPN servers.This means their infrastructure is set up in a way your privacy just can’t get scrutinized and that’s a big plus.
Security: Which VPN Is Safer?
When it comes to protocols and encryption, the providers offer very similar security. We can conclude the following:
- NordVPN offers OpenVPN, IKEv2 (for mobile) and the WireGuard based VPN protocol Nordlynx. ProtonVPN offers OpenVPN, WireGuard and a custom Stealth protocol for mobile use. OpenVPN and WireGuard are the safest VPN protocols currently available.
- Both providers use either AES 256 bit encryption or ChaCha20, based on the protocol you choose. These are military grade encryption levels that keep your data safe.
When it comes to encryption the providers are equally safe. There is a difference, however, in the additional security features the providers offer. This table below gives an overview:
| Security feature | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ✔ | ✔ |
| Split tunneling | ✔ | ✔ |
| Obfuscated servers (to bypass censorship) | ✔ | ✔ (Stealth protocol) |
| Double VPN | ✔ | ✔ (Secure Core) |
| DNS leak protection | ✔ | ✔ |
| VPN over Tor | ✔ (Onion over VPN) | ✖ |
| Protection against malware | ✔ (Threat Protection) | ✔ (Net Shield) |
| Dark web monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
Proton VPN for sure has its basics right. Proton VPN offers all essential security features a general user of a VPN would like. The kill switch and DNS leak protection make sure your IP address is always hidden. Split tunneling is very handy during daily use, for example if you like to do online banking with your own IP address without shutting down the VPN.
Proton VPN’s protection goes beyond the scope of a standard VPN. Proton VPN’s Net Shield can protect you against trackers, malware and ads. It can be compared to NordVPN’s Threat protection-feature. We appreciate these options very much since they offer allround security.
Both providers have double VPN servers in which your VPN traffic is encrypted twice. Proton VPN calls their Double VPN servers ‘Secure Core Servers’. Proton VPN recommends these Secure Core Servers if you want a VPN connection with a country with broad surveillance powers such as the USA.
NordVPN however has even more to offer. The Onion over VPN gives you the opportunity to access the Tor-network in a safe way. This features is unique for NordVPN.
Verdict: NordVPN Is the Safest Option
Although the security of Proton VPN is definitely not bad, NordVPN has more to offer. We are very fond of NordVPN’s Onion over VPN servers. With this feature NordVPN distinguishes itself for other VPNs when it comes to security. As a result, NordVPN beats Proton VPN again, although it is a close call!
Speed: Which VPN Is Faster?
To see which VPN is the fastest, we have tested the speed of each of them from our headquarters in the Netherlands. First, we have tested the speed without a VPN connection. After that, we have done speed tests with a server nearby (e.g. a server in the Netherlands) and a server further away (e.g. a server in the U.S.).
The results without a VPN are:
- Download speed: 204,86 Mbps
- Upload speed: 247,73 Mbps
- Ping: 3
The table below shows the speed tests results. The fastest speed is printed in bold.
| Test | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Download speed Dutch server (in Mbps) | 195,3 | 193,36 |
| Upload speed Dutch server (in Mbps) | 144,21 | 236,06 |
| Ping Dutch server | 4 | 10 |
| Download speed American server (in Mbps) | 183,21 | 146,06 |
| Upload speed American server (in Mbps) | 39,33 | 67,62 |
| Ping American server | 93 | 174 |
When it comes to servers close by, NordVPN en Proton VPN perform pretty similar. When we look at the download speed for the U.S. server, it becomes obvious NordVPN is the best choice for long distance VPN connections. Proton VPN, however, has an advantage when it comes to upload speeds.
Verdict: NordVPN Wins the Race
Since most people will spent most of their time online downloading, NordVPN in general is the best choice when it comes to speed. The speed NordVPN offers on servers further away is perfect to unblock and watch international streaming services.
That does not mean that Proton’s speed is low. If you want to do a lot of uploading, Proton VPN is actually the better choice. Interested in other fast VPNs? Check out our list with fastest VPNs.
Pricing: Which VPN Has the Most Bang-for-Bucks?
If you want a monthly subscription, Proton VPN is the cheapest. If you would like a subscription for a longer period of time, NordVPN is the best choice. All prices are listed below:
- NordVPN 24 months $ 3.39mth Deal View offer
- NordVPN 12 months $ 4.99mth View offer
- NordVPN Monthly $ 12.99mth View offer
- Proton VPN 24 months $3.59mth Deal View offer
- Proton VPN 12 months $4.99mth View offer
- Proton VPN 1 month $9.99mth View offer
We should note that Proton also offers a free plan. Proton VPN Free can be used on 1 device and offers servers in 5 different countries. Unlike many other free VPNs, it doesn’t have a data limit. Consequently, Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs. On top of that, Proton VPN’s Android app can be used for free without creating an account.
Verdict: NordVPN Has the Best Price (But Proton VPN Has a Free Subscription)
If you want to purchase a premium VPN for a longer period of time, NordVPN is the best choice. Especially NordVPN’s subscription for 2 years can save you a lot of money compared to Proton’s paid plans.
Ease of Use: Which VPN Is Best for Beginners?
To say something about the ease of use of both VPN providers, we will take a deeper dive into the installation process and the desktop apps.
Installation
NordVPN is available for Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android TV and several browsers. The apps can be easily downloaded from the NordVPN website or the app stores for mobile apps.
Proton VPN is available for Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android TV and Chromebook. Proton does not offer a browser extension. The apps can be easily found on the Proton website or app stores and installed immediately.
Apps
NordVPN offers a comprehensive app. The homepage of the Windows-app gives you the opportunity to turn the VPN, Threat protection and Meshnet (file sharing) on. The buttons in the menu on the left lead to more detailed settings. We especially like the map view, since it enables us to connect quickly and effortless with servers around the world.
Although the number of options NordVPN offers seems overwhelming at first, the app is very beginner friendly. Each option in the app is accomplished with a small sentence explaining more about it.
ProtonVPN’s app offers a map view as well. The homepage gives you all basic options. You can select a server on the map on the right and enable functions such as a kill switch and port forwarding in the left part. The hamburger menu enables more advanced settings. All settings are explained, making this app very beginner friendly as well.
Both providers support 10 simultaneous connections. This number of simultaneous connections is in most households sufficient to protect all devices.
Verdict: Both VPNs Are User Friendly
For this category, there is no clear winner. Both VPNs offer user friendly apps for a big range of device and operating systems. So, this is a tie.
Customer Service: Which VPN Has the Best Support?
The providers offer the following ways to support their customers:
| Service | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| FAQ and user manuals | ✔ | ✔ |
| Live chat | ✔ | ✔ (for paid users) |
| ✔ | ✖ | |
| Telephone | ✖ | ✖ |
| Online community | ✖ | ✔ |
NordVPN offers a larger range of ways to connect to support and makes it very easy to talk to a employee if you encounter any problem with their service. Proton VPN has a live chat, but only for paying customers. They do have a large community on channels such as Reddit and Mastodont, which might prove very useful to get your questions answered.
Of course we have contacted both customer services. In both cases the employee was polite and helpful and provided us with a quick and useful answer to our questions.
Verdict: NordVPN Has the Best Support
We appreciate the many options NordVPN offers for customer support. They are easy to reach and the employees are knowledgeable and able to answer any question you might have. Although Proton VPN’s customer support is not bad, the victory goes again to NordVPN.
Final Verdict: NordVPN vs Proton VPN?
Proton VPN and NordVPN are both very good VPN providers who offer excellent service. Both providers will keep you safe and anonymous online, however NordVPN has a slight advantage. Let’s have a small recap and see in which categories which VPN is best:
- Streaming: NordVPN
- Torrenting: Proton VPN
- Privacy: NordVPN
- Security: NordVPN
- Speed: NordVPN
- Price: NordVPN
- Ease of use: tie
- Customer service: NordVPN
NordVPN has many additional features, such as obfuscated servers and Onion over VPN, making it in general the best VPN. Excellent download speeds and great unblocking abilities make NordVPN the winner in this comparison.
However, do not underestimate Proton VPN. For categories such as security it has been a close call, since Proton VPN definitely does offer top level encryption. Proton VPN is even the best choice for torrenting, especially if you want to feed. Port forwarding and great upload speeds set Proton VPN apart.
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Do you want to know more about NordVPN and ProtonVPN? Check out our extensive reviews:
Are you interested in other comparisons between VPNs? Check out these articles:
Do you have any questions about the comparison between NordVPN and ProtonVPN? Read our frequently asked questions.
Proton VPN is an excellent and trustworthy VPN provider. It offers good speed and a secure connection. However, compared to NordVPN, it’s the runner up. NordVPN is better in unblocking streaming services and has many additional security features, such as obfuscated servers and dedicated IPs.
According to our thorough speed test NordVPN has better download speeds, both on servers nearby and far away. However, if you are looking for a VPN with great upload speeds, Proton VPN is the better choice.
Although Proton VPN is a good and trustworthy VPN service, NordVPN has more to offer. We especially appreciate NordVPN’s additional features such as obfuscated servers and dedicated IPs. It is also our preferred VPN for streaming.
Proton VPN is an audited no log VPN based in Switzerland. Proton VPN uses military grade encryption and trustworthy protocols such as OpenVPN and WireGuard. You can read more about this provider in our Proton VPN review.
