NordVPN vs Proton VPN: 2026 March comparison

When it comes to private and secure VPNs, it doesn’t get better than NordVPN and Proton VPN. The two VPNs tick all the right features. They don’t store any logs, they are located in privacy-friendly regions, and they have been audited by outside companies.

The VPNs also come with advanced features such as Tor over VPN and Double VPN.

But, which one is better? In this NordVPN vs Proton VPN review, we compare the two VPNs based on key features like speed, security and overall features to help you determine which to choose.

Proton VPN vs NordVPN – key features compared

As you will see as we go through this comparison, NordVPN outshines Proton VPN in almost every aspect.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN speed rates

Speed is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a VPN and this is where you will notice the first major difference between NordVPN and Proton VPN.

It’s always expected that a VPN will lower your connection speeds due to encryption and the fact that your internet traffic now has to pass through the VPN servers before reaching its destination. The key is to find a VPN that does not cause major drops in your connection speeds.

Both NordVPN and Proton VPN are great choices when it comes to speed but from our tests, Proton VPN had a higher speed drop rate than NordVPN.

We did a speed test by connecting to VPN servers across different regions and here were the results.

Our download speeds before connecting to a VPN server averaged at 350 Mbps.

Server location	NordVPN	Proton VPN
Recommended server (Quick Connect)	321 Mbps	311 Mbps
US	304 Mbps	279 Mbps
UK	285 Mbps	255 Mbps
Canada	318 Mbps	298 Mbps
Japan	235 Mbps	199 Mbps

Note that this is not a direct representation of how each VPN will affect your speeds. That will depend on your internet connection, how far you are from the server, the server load, and tunnelling protocol, among other factors.

Still, NordVPN had better performance in all the locations we tested which makes it the winner in this category.

Proton VPN has a VPN Accelerator feature that is supposed to make your internet speeds up to 4x faster by overcoming CPU limitations that affect how VPN protocols are processed. However, it was no match for NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol.

Admittedly, the difference is relatively small and may not matter if you have high internet speeds. However, if your internet speeds are below average, you always want to go for the VPN with the least effect on your speeds so that you can still enjoy high-quality streaming and lag-free gaming when connected to the VPN.

VPN interface comparison

Before we can get to NordVPN vs Proton VPN interface comparison, we first need to install the VPNs. Both NordVPN and Proton VPN are quite easy to set up and configure.

First, you pick the plan that most suits you and then create an account. Next, download the specific app for your device. You can either download the apps from the official VPN page or from your device’s app store.

After launching the VPN, log in to activate it.

Now, when it comes to the user interface, both NordVPN and Proton VPN are organised in almost the same way. They both have a list view and a map view of their servers and all their buttons are intuitively labelled so you never have to guess the right button to click.

Additionally, both VPNs allow you to easily access some of their key features directly from the home interface without having to go to the Settings menu.

For NordVPN the features include their specialised servers and their ad and malware blocker. With Proton VPN you get more options on the home page including the kill switch and port forwarding.

It also gives you key insights into your VPN usage by providing data such as the time you connected to the server, the total duration you have been connected, bandwidth consumed in the last 1 hour, and the server load.

As you switch between different devices, you will notice that some features are missing from certain apps but the organization of the interface mostly remains the same. For instance, the iOS versions of both NordVPN and Proton VPN don’t have a configurable kill switch.

But, overall, both VPNs are very intuitive and don’t require any special skill to operate. They also feature pop-up guides the first time you use them to help you get started.

Review and comparison of the features

Every VPN comes with its own set of unique features that helps it stand out from its competitors. Here is how NordVPN and Proton VPN stack against each other in terms of features.

Server locations

	NordVPN	Proton VPN
Servers	9,200+	19,500+
Countries	137	145
Virtual locations	No	Yes, India
Specialty servers	Yes	Yes

Both VPNs have done a great job in ensuring that they have wide server coverage. Proton VPN is available in 7 more countries than NordVPN but the latter balances that with a significantly higher number of servers.

Both VPNs offer specialized servers for different purposes including P2P sharing, Tor over VPN, and Double VPN.

They also operate physical servers for all their locations except Proton VPN’s Indian servers which are located in Singapore. NordVPN no longer operates in India.

Split tunnelling

The feature is available for both VPNs and allows you to either choose specific apps that you don’t want to be routed through a VPN server or specific apps that you want to pass through the VPN servers.

Proton VPN goes an extra step and allows you to choose IP addresses that you don’t want to pass through the VPN.

Split tunnelling is available only on Windows and Android for both VPNs.

Stealth mode

Stealth mode is a VPN’s ability to disguise VPN traffic to look like normal traffic. It’s great for avoiding detection when using a VPN on networks that ban VPN usage.

But while both VPNs pack obfuscation servers, NordVPN is more effective in bypassing firewalls without getting blocked. It’s one of the few VPNs that can bypass the Great Firewall of China.

Threat protection and Dark Web monitoring

Both NordVPN and Proton VPN offer threat protection. Proton VPN has NetShield which blocks ads and helps guard you against malware as well as website trackers.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection is a bit more advanced and helps protect you against phishing domains and infected files that you might have downloaded.

NordVPN also comes with Dark Web Monitoring to notify you if any personal information such as your email, passwords, or contacts has been involved in a data breach and exposed on the dark web.

Dedicated IP address

This is a feature that is only available on NordVPN. It comes as an add-on which means you have to pay extra for it but, you get additional benefits which include improved speed, security, and reliability.

Since you are the only one using the IP address you don’t have to worry about it being flagged when you use it to access streaming platforms or even your online financial accounts.

Smart DNS

Smart DNS is a feature that helps you change your IP address and unblock streaming platforms like Netflix on devices that don’t have dedicated VPN apps such as your smart TV or PlayStation.

Unfortunately, only NordVPN supports smart DNS. Their feature is called SmartPlay, which combines the unblocking of smart DNS and the protection of a VPN.

Meshnet

Again, this feature is only available on NordVPN. It helps create your own encrypted private network where you can communicate and share files safely with other devices.

When it comes to NordVPN vs Proton VPN features comparison, NordVPN is the clear winner. Not only does it pack more features but it also performs better when their similar features are compared. For instance, both have obfuscation servers but only NordVPN works in China.

Security, encryption and privacy features

A VPN’s main selling point is its ability to protect your online privacy and security. This is one area where NordVPN and Proton VPN are very closely matched.

Logging, transparency, and anonymity

To start with, both VPNs have a strict zero logs policy that has been verified by an independent body. Proton VPN was audited by Securitum in April 2022 while NordVPN completed and passed its third no-logs audit by PwC in early 2023.

Still, in the spirit of transparency, all code by Proton VPN is open source. This means that anybody including experts can view the code on GitHub to try and identify any vulnerabilities and verify that data is processed as claimed.

NordVPN and Proton VPN are headquartered in Panama and Switzerland which are both privacy-friendly countries with no mandatory logging requirements. The countries are outside the Fourteen Eyes intelligence alliance and can’t legally force the VPN providers to spy on their users.

Additionally, NordVPN uses diskless servers. Consequently, if any of the servers were seized by authorities, they would not find any information on it because data is deleted after every reboot. Proton VPN, on the other hand, uses full disk encryption to ensure that any data stored on the servers is inaccessible to third parties.

Both VPNs accept Bitcoin payments if you want a more private account. But if you want to go truly anonymous, youc an buy NordVPN with a gift card. In the meantime, Proton VPN accepts cash.

Encryption protocols

Both VPNs use AES-256 encryption which coupled with the OpenVPN connection protocol creates a virtually unbreakable security wall. You can also switch to other connection protocols which include IKEv2 and WireGuard to enjoy better speeds. NordVPN uses an in-house NordLynx protocol, which improves WireGuard even further.

IP and DNS leak protection

Both VPNs help guard against IP and DNS leaks by ensuring that your traffic always passes through VPN DNS servers. Additionally, both NordVPN and Proton VPN have a kill switch that will disable your internet to prevent unencrypted data from leaking in case the VPN disconnects accidentally.

NordVPN also comes with an app kill switch that will block just a particular app from sending any data if the VPN disconnects accidentally.

You cannot go wrong with either NordVPN or Proton VPN when it comes to privacy and security.

Advanced security features

On top of the standard security both NordVPN and Proton VPN support Double VPN and Tor over VPN connections.

While I don’t recommend these two features for everyday use, they will be perfect for journalists, whistleblowers or for anybody whose anonymity is a matter of life and death.

Compatibility with different platforms and services

Another major selling point for a VPN is its ability to support different use cases such as streaming, gaming, torrenting and unblocking geo-blocked websites. Here is an overview of how both NordVPN and Proton VPN performed for each task.

Streaming services

The good news is that both NordVPN and Proton VPN can unblock multiple Netflix libraries without getting detected. In our tests, we managed to stream Netflix US, UK, Spain, and Germany.

I also didn’t have a problem watching BBC iPlayer although I’m located outside the UK. The same was true for accessing Hulu which is only available in the US and Japan.

Other popular streaming services that we tested include Amazon Prime, HBO, and Disney+. And in all cases, none of the VPNs was blocked.

The are no specialized servers for streaming so you just connect to any server in the country you want to unblock. Unfortunately, with Proton VPN you can’t use it to easily unblock streaming platforms on your smart TV or Playstation since it doesn’t support Smart DNS. You can configure the VPN on your router but, that’s a technical process and not all routers support VPN installation.

Online games

Using a VPN for online games has its benefits including access to geo-blocked games and protection from security threats such as DDoS attacks and doxxing. A VPN can also help prevent internet throttling by your ISP since it prevents your ISP from spying on you.

I tested both VPNs while playing VALORANT and it didn’t affect my gameplay in any major way. However, as expected based on our speed tests NordVPN had a lower ping compared to Proton VPN. For the best performance, I advise that you connect to a VPN server closest to the game server you normally use.

I also tested to see if both VPNs can unblock FanDuel which is not available in my region and they worked perfectly.

Torrenting

As we have already established, both VPNs will help unblock any restricted website including torrenting sites. However, when it comes to P2P sharing it’s also important that the VPN packs the right balance between speed and security to ensure you remain anonymous without compromising download and upload speeds.

The good news is that both NordVPN and Proton VPN have special servers that have been optimised specifically for P2P sharing. If you want better speeds, you can use the SOCKS5 proxy which will hide your real IP address without encrypting your traffic.

Additionally, Proton VPN supports port forwarding which enables you to seed your P2P files behind a firewall and consequently enjoy faster download speeds. The feature is not available on NordVPN but this did not stop the VPN from registering better download speeds than Proton VPN.

Plans, pricing & refunds

Plan	NordVPN	Proton VPN
1-Month	Standard - $12.99/month, Plus - $15.29/month, Complete - $18.69/month	Proton VPN Plus - $9.99/month, Proton Unlimited - $12.66/month
1-Year	Standard - $4.99/mo, Plus - $5.49/mo, Complete - $6.99/mo	Proton VPN Plus - $3.99/month, Proton Unlimited - $10.55/month
2-Years	Standard - $3.49/mo, Plus - $3.59/mo, Complete - $4.99/mo	Proton VPN Plus - $2.99/month, Proton Unlimited - $8.44/month

Both VPNs are available in three plans but have different packages based on the features you want. For this review, we have been comparing NordVPN Standard plan vs Proton VPN Plus.

Seeing as how NordVPN came out on top in almost all categories, one would imagine that it will be costlier than Proton VPN, but it’s the opposite. With NordVPN you get better speeds and more features but at a smaller cost than Proton VPN.

On the upside, Proton VPN has a completely free plan. Unfortunately, they only allow you access to three servers and also limit your speeds so that you have a reason to upgrade to the premium plans.

Both VPNs come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can try them out for 30 days and if they don’t meet your expectations, you can request a refund. NordVPN Android users also get a 7-day trial that works on all devices after registration.

Proton VPN allows you to secure up to 10 simultaneous devices with one license while NordVPN supports up to 6 devices.

However, you can configure the VPNs on a router which will protect every other device connected to that router. This counts as one device.

Customer support

This is another area where NordVPN wins hands down. That’s because the VPN service offers 24/7 live chat support that responds to customer queries in minutes. NordVPN is also available via email and gestures a huge knowledge base full of guides and solutions you can leverage to solve various issues without support.

Proton VPN also has a knowledge base but, unfortunately, its customer support is only available through email. To make matters worse, when we contacted both NordVPN and Proton VPN email support to try and get answers to some queries, NordVPN responded faster than Proton VPN.

You may have to wait an average of 8-12 hours to get assistance from Proton VPN support.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN – Reddit users' recommendations

As usual, we always include other users’ experiences using the VPNs we are comparing to give you the most accurate picture of what to expect. Here is what other users are saying about NordVPN and Proton VPN on Reddit.

NordVPN – the good and the bad

This NordVPN user of over two years has the VPN installed on Linux, Android, and Fire TV and he has nothing to complain about.

The issue of streaming services detecting VPN IP addresses is not uncommon and reconnecting to a different server will almost always resolve the issue. If you can’t get any server to work just contact customer support and they will promptly assist you.

Proton VPN – the good and the bad

A happy Proton VPN user says that because of the WireGuard connection protocol, Proton VPN is now able to compete with other top VPNs in terms of speed. Still, it has not been enough to beat NordVPN’s NordLynx protocol.

A dissatisfied Proton VPN customer says that VPN causes pages to freeze when browsing, requiring a browser restart. The customer also reported issues with Proton VPN performance on their phone.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN – final verdict

So, which one wins the NordVPN vs Proton VPN battle? Well, apart from privacy and security where the VPNs are closely matched, NordVPN beats Proton VPN in all the other categories.

To begin with, it has extra features such as Smart DNS, Meshnet, and dedicated IPs which Proton VPN lacks. Additionally, NordVPN is faster which makes it the better option when it comes to streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

But, the price is the tipping point. Even with the extra features, better speeds and overall performance, NordVPN is still cheaper than Proton VPN which makes it the obvious choice.

	NordVPN	Proton VPN
Speed	✔️	✖️
Features	✔️	✖️
Protection	✔️	✔️
Streaming	✔️	✖️
Torrenting	✔️	✖️
Servers	✔️	✖️
Price	✔️	✖️
Ease of use	✔️	✔️
Customer support	✔️	✖️

Protect yourself with NordVPN

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