Proton VPN vs NordVPN (2024): Which VPN Ought to You Select?

As two privacy-focused VPNs, each NordVPN and Proton VPN provide robust options that might make it exhausting to decide on one answer over the opposite.

NordVPN supplies an throughout service with an in depth server community and reliably quick VPN efficiency. Alternatively, Proton VPN operates in privacy-friendly Switzerland and provides a beneficiant free VPN, which may entice budget-oriented customers.

On this article, we check out which VPN is finest for you and your group.

• NordVPN: Finest for many companies that desire a feature-packed VPN that gives a geographically various server suite and quick VPN speeds.
• Proton VPN: Finest for particular person customers who desire a privacy-centric VPN with a devoted free model that may very well be used long-term.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Comparability

Each VPNs embrace the identical quantity of simultaneous gadget connections and beginning worth. They do differ of their respective server suite and free trial entry.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Pricing

NordVPN pricing

NordVPN’s paid plans have three tiers, with every tier having a month-to-month, an annual and a two-year plan possibility. The tiers are NordVPN Primary, Plus and Final — with Final having probably the most options out of the bunch.

SEE: How you can Run a Cybersecurity Danger Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)

Under is an summary of pricing and have variations with every tier:

Personally, I believe the NordVPN Plus plan for one yr at $5.99 per 30 days is one of the best bundle among the many three plans. It provides you further security measures on prime of the VPN whereas nonetheless not going overboard when it comes to the month-to-month price.

Whereas I’m glad NordVPN has a seven-day free trial, I discover it unlucky that it’s solely accessible through its Android cellular app. This makes it tough for iOS and iPhone customers who’re probably excited about test-driving NordVPN. Hopefully, NordVPN makes its trial accessible for each iOS and Android customers, opening it as much as extra customers, no matter their smartphone preferences.

Fortunately, customers can attempt NordVPN on desktop after accessing the free trial on Android — which is how I examined NordVPN’s premium subscription.

If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full NordVPN assessment.

Proton VPN pricing

Compared, Proton VPN has two tiers for its paid service and a devoted free model. Its paid plans are known as Proton VPN Plus and Limitless, each with month-to-month, annual and two-year contract choices.

Whereas Proton VPN doesn’t have a free trial of its paid tiers, I like the way it supplies a full free model of its VPN service. This permits customers to get a glimpse of its VPN with none preliminary cost or subscription.

The free model itself is proscribed in that it solely provides you entry to 5 nations and slower speeds. Nevertheless, it’s beneficiant given the way it supplies limitless bandwidth and knowledge — one thing that isn’t frequent on different free VPNs. Compared, NordVPN doesn’t presently provide any kind of free model.

By way of its paid plans, I discover the Plus subscription for one yr to be one of the best worth. Whereas not probably the most reasonably priced, it’s nonetheless on par with NordVPN’s equal beginning subscription at $4.99 per 30 days. You get Proton’s VPN service, together with the total server fleet, with out the opposite Proton providers within the Limitless tier that will or will not be of use to you.

If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full Proton VPN assessment and see this information on the way to use Proton VPN.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Function comparability

Safety protocols and encryption

Winner: Tie

Each NordVPN and Proton VPN have VPN protocols that present a superb combine between pace and safety. NordVPN provides the OpenVPN protocol and its proprietary NordLynx protocol based mostly on WireGuard. Alternatively, Proton VPN carries OpenVPN, WireGuard and its personal Stealth protocol constructed to disguise VPN use.

To me, a contemporary VPN ought to no less than have the security-focused OpenVPN protocol and the speed-oriented WireGuard protocol. Luckily, we get variations of each with NordVPN and Proton VPN.

SEE: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Finest? (TechRepublic)

Each VPNs additionally include top-grade encryption algorithms, equipping their software program with AES-256 encryption. AES-256 is taken into account the usual for safeguarding person knowledge, utilized by authorities companies, banks and army establishments to maintain delicate data safe towards malicious actors.

VPN server community and places

Winner: NordVPN

For servers, NordVPN has the sting over Proton VPN. As of July 2024, NordVPN presently has 6,400+ servers throughout 111 nations. In distinction, Proton VPN provides entry to six,300+ servers in 100 nations.

Whereas the distinction in server depend is negligible, I discover extra worth in NordVPN having a further 11 extra nations over Proton VPN. That is vital as a result of one of many primary makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material.

With the upper nation depend, customers and companies could have extra location choices to select from on the subject of unblocking.

Third-party audits and observe document

Winner: Proton VPN

So far as total observe document and third-party audits go, I’m giving the win to Proton VPN. Whereas each VPN suppliers have undergone intensive and up to date impartial audits, I really feel Proton VPN supplies extra transparency to the general public on the subject of audit outcomes.

As of July 2024, Proton VPN has completed its third consecutive impartial audit, confirming its no-logs coverage. On the flipside, NordVPN has undergone 4 impartial safety audits confirming the identical.

The distinction lies in how they share their respective audit outcomes. In its most up-to-date audit, NordVPN opted to not share the total outcomes to make sure the findings weren’t “taken out of context or misunderstood” — offering full entry to the report solely to these with a NordVPN account.

SEE: 4 Finest Free VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)

Alternatively, Proton VPN supplies a full hyperlink to its 2024 Securitum safety audit. The audit outcomes are accessible to each the general public and official Proton VPN customers.

I actually commend Proton VPN right here, showcasing its robust dedication to maintaining customers knowledgeable about its service’s efficiency, good or dangerous. Whereas NordVPN’s suite of audits is stable in its personal proper, I’ve to provide this spherical to Proton VPN for its transparency.

Standout options

Winner: NordVPN

For standout options, NordVPN wins over Proton VPN. Apart from its primary VPN service, NordVPN features a ton of safety and privacy-focused options that make it a compelling safety software for companies.

For instance, it has its Meshnet function that lets customers create their very own non-public encrypted community, permitting them to share information or entry different units extra securely.

I personally like this double VPN function that routes the person’s connection to 2 totally different VPN server places, offering a further layer of safety alongside the encrypted VPN connection.

Different options embrace a built-in malware, net tracker and advert blocker, in addition to a darkish net monitor to maintain observe of compromised credentials, amongst different safety capabilities.

SEE: Does a VPN Gradual Down Your Web Pace? (TechRepublic)

That isn’t to say Proton VPN doesn’t have its personal standout inclusions. A spotlight for me is its Swiss-based privateness. Whereas not a software program function per se, Proton VPN’s operations are based mostly in Switzerland, a rustic with a few of the strongest privateness legal guidelines on the earth. Which means Proton customers received’t have to fret about their knowledge being illegally accessed.

It additionally has a singular Stealth VPN protocol that makes use of obfuscation know-how to masks your VPN visitors, making it look like you aren’t linked through a VPN. This may be essential for customers in restrictive areas that don’t essentially enable VPNs.

Total, whereas Proton VPN consists of helpful privacy-focused options, I give the benefit to NordVPN for its intensive suite of further performance on prime of its primary VPN capabilities.

Efficiency and pace

Winner: NordVPN

In relation to pace, I’ve to provide NordVPN the benefit. Throughout my testing, I linked to each VPNs and did my ordinary workflow as a author. This concerned having a number of tabs open for analysis, attending on-line video conferences, utilizing Google Workspace apps like Docs and Drive and streaming the occasional 1080p YouTube video.

Per my expertise, I had extra secure speeds with NordVPN in comparison with Proton VPN. Whereas I anticipated a lower in pace whereas linked to a NordVPN server in comparison with my web service supplier, I actually felt zero to little distinction in pace.

SEE: How A lot Does a VPN Price? + Financial savings Ideas (TechRepublic)

Compared, Proton VPN additionally supplied decently quick speeds. Nevertheless, I did really feel NordVPN had that slight edge when it comes to consistency and total reliability with its connection.

In case your precedence is having one of the best speeds, I discover NordVPN to be the higher selection out of the 2.

Ease of use and design

Winner: NordVPN

For person expertise, ease of use and design, NordVPN is my winner. NordVPN makes use of a minimalist, light-themed person interface that’s straightforward on the eyes and intuitive to navigate.

It has a sidebar on the left that neatly organizes all its vital options and helps present a clear interface that doesn’t really feel cluttered, regardless of the variety of options it homes.

In the meantime, Proton VPN adopts a darker themed desktop utility that I discover a bit much less organized in comparison with NordVPN. Whereas the app itself performs properly, I believe there’s a bit an excessive amount of happening with its desktop app that might confuse customers.

I personally suppose it may do a greater job of organizing its options into separate menus as an alternative  of its present iteration the place it has a number of buttons on a single web page. For instance, if we have a look at Proton VPN’s sidebar, we get a Nations and Profiles tab, three function buttons, a search menu and the server checklist multi function place.

Personally, I believe having all these options in a single part makes Proton VPN really feel a bit cluttered and disorganized. In distinction, NordVPN has a devoted tab for every of its options, together with its server checklist, Meshnet software and different options.

With this, I really feel it helps make NordVPN the better VPN to make use of out of the field. That is particularly vital for learners who will not be acquainted with how VPNs work.

Simultaneous gadget connections

Winner: Tie

Trying into simultaneous gadget connections, NordVPN and Proton VPN are tied. Each VPNs enable for as much as 10 units to be concurrently linked to their VPN servers.

Whereas I might have most well-liked being able to attach a vast variety of units, like Non-public Web Entry VPN or Surfshark VPN, I believe 10 units continues to be a adequate quantity for many companies and customers. This may enable most organizations to have a handful of smartphones, laptops and different units linked to a VPN server all on the identical time.

NordVPN execs and cons

Execs

• Servers in 111 nations, with 6,400+ servers.
• Effectively-designed and intuitive desktop utility.
• Consists of a wide range of security-focused further options.

Cons

• Full audit outcomes require a NordVPN account.
• Free trial solely accessible through Android.
• No free model.

Proton VPN execs and cons

Execs

• Primarily based in privacy-friendly Switzerland.
• Extra clear audit outcomes.
• Has a free model with limitless knowledge.

Cons

• Desktop app may very well be streamlined.
• Fewer nation places in comparison with NordVPN.

Ought to your group use NordVPN or Proton VPN?

For many companies, I like to recommend going with NordVPN. It has a extra intensive 111-country server community, a bevy of further privacy-focused options and an easy-to-use and well-designed VPN utility.

I additionally actually like NordVPN for its total quick and constant VPN speeds, which supplied virtually zero real-world drop in efficiency in comparison with my ISP.

This isn’t to dismiss Proton VPN. I really feel Proton VPN is an effective selection for learners who need to attempt a free VPN with none knowledge or bandwidth restrictions.

Proton VPN can be an important possibility for customers who’re notably frightened about authorities surveillance. As a Switzerland-based firm, it operates in a privacy-friendly nation that can provide peace of thoughts to companies and customers with privateness issues.

Methodology

My head-to-head match-up of NordVPN and Proton VPN concerned an in-depth evaluation of each VPN’s options, real-world efficiency and worth.

To guage every VPN, each providers had been scored on every thing from their server networks to their pricing. Specifically, I took into consideration 5 primary pillars, every having corresponding weights:

• Pricing (20%).
• Core VPN options (30%).
• Ease of use (15%).
• Buyer assist (30%).
• Knowledgeable evaluation (5%).

I additionally seemed into actual person suggestions and respected critiques to spherical out my closing suggestions for each NordVPN and Proton VPN.

For pace and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows pc and ran them by way of Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I additionally thought-about which varieties of companies or particular person customers would finest profit from both NordVPN or Proton VPN.