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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN 2024

Table of Contents

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard

    Senior Writer

    There are some striking similarities between NordVPN and Proton VPN. They both form part of larger security suites, and both offer specialty servers for P2P, Tor, and double VPN. Plus, each one is designed to be as easy to use as possible, even for complete VPN beginners. Still, there are some key differences to consider before making a choice.

    NordVPN offers more servers and has faster speeds than Proton VPN. Plus, I found it’s a far better choice for gaming, thanks to its low ping rates, even over long distances.

    You can try NordVPN for free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy for any reason, you can easily get a refund and check out Proton VPN instead.

    Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

    NordVPN Proton VPN
    Overall Rating Our Score: 9.57/10

    nordvpn.com

    Our Score: 9.17/10

    protonvpn.com

    💲 Lowest Monthly Price $3.09/month for a 2-year Standard plan $4.49/month for a 2-year Plus plan
    🗓️ Price on Renewal $99.48 per year
    (subject to change)
    $71.88 per year
    (subject to change)
    🤑 Coupons NordVPN 74% Off (24-month plan) Proton VPN 55% Off (24-month plan)
    💸 Money-Back Guarantee 30 days 30 days
    📺 Streaming Works with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Max, BBC iPlayer, and more Works with most popular platforms, but speeds can be slow on all but the nearest servers
    🌍 VPN Servers 111 countries with 6,293 servers 112 countries with 8,162 servers
    Speed 2% speed drop on nearby servers, up to 40% on faraway servers 9% speed drop on nearby servers, up to 48% on faraway servers
    🎮 Gaming Performance Optimal speed and low ping for high-speed gaming Low ping rate on nearby servers, but sluggish over distance
    🧑‍🤝‍🧑 P2P Support Yes, on all servers, plus specialty P2P servers Yes, specific servers optimized for torrenting
    🔐 Security Protocols NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec WireGuard, IKEv2, Stealth, OpenVPN
    🔌 Kill Switch Yes Yes
    IP/DNS Leak Protection Yes Yes
    🏢 Based in Country Panama Switzerland
    ⚠️ Does VPN Keep Logs No No
    Works in China No No
    #️⃣ Number of Device Connections 10 10
    💻 Device Compatibility Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Raspberry Pi, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Fire devices, Roku, Chromecast, Kodi, routers, and more Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire devices, Kodi, routers, and more
    🔧 Customer Support 24/7 live chat, knowledge base, FAQs, and email 24/7 live chat, knowledge base, FAQs, and email
    Best alternative to NordVPN

    Our Score: 9.9

    If you can’t choose between these services, ExpressVPN is a great alternative. Its unique Lightway protocol was built from the ground up to cater to the needs of commercial VPN users. It offers fast speeds for optimum streaming, downloading, and gaming, along with highly advanced security.

    Streaming — NordVPN’s Fast Speeds Steal the Win

    Important: Although with a VPN, it's hypothetically possible to access content that's not available in your region, such action goes against most platforms' T&Cs and copyright law. The vpnMentor team and I oppose copyright infringement. We only recommend VPNs with strict no-logs policies, so no one can track your data. That means it’s your responsibility to respect the copyright laws and the terms of use for the streaming platforms you use.

    Both VPNs offer reliable connections for popular streaming platforms. From my location in the UK, I could safely watch BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video with both VPNs. My international colleagues reported similar results for popular platforms in the US, Japan, and Italy when tested from their respective regions but found that each VPN was unreliable for a couple of regional providers.

    NordVPN didn’t work with Disney+ Hotstar, the popular streaming platform for India, Singapore, and Canada. Meanwhile, Proton VPN didn’t work with RTE, the national broadcaster in Ireland. So, that could be the deciding factor if you’re in these countries, but otherwise, NordVPN wins this round with its superior streaming speeds.

    Streaming Platform NordVPN Proton VPN
    Netflix ✅ Yes, including popular Netflix
    libraries like the US, UK, Canada,
    Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland
    ✅ Yes, but speeds can be poor on all but the nearest servers
    Disney+ ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    ESPN ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    (HBO) Max ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    Hulu ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    Sky ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    Amazon Prime Video ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    BBC iPlayer ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    ABC ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    CBS ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
    NBC ✅ Yes ✅ Yes

    Screenshot of the NordVPN app connected to a server in London over a browser streaming NetflixNordVPN has 4 UK locations compared with Proton VPN’s 2

    NordVPN’s fast speeds allow for seamless streaming. I binge-watched Seinfeld on Netflix UK lag-free, and episodes loaded almost instantly. I didn’t even have lag when watching non-restricted YouTube videos on long-distance servers. Meanwhile, episodes loaded slower with Proton VPN, and the same YouTube videos on long-distance connections had a few minor instances of buffering.

    Screenshot of the Proton VPN app connected to a UK server over a browser streaming NetflixProton VPN was fast enough for HD streaming on nearby servers

    Winner
    NordVPN steals the win by offering faster streaming speeds that let me binge-watch in HD lag-free. Otherwise, they’re evenly matched in terms of streaming compatibility.

    Server Network — NordVPN Wins With More Servers

    NordVPN Proton VPN
    Total Countries With Servers 111 112
    Number of Servers 6,293 8,162

    NordVPN’s vast fleet of servers gives it an easy win. More servers mean lighter server load, offering faster speeds for streaming, gaming, and downloading. But Proton VPN isn't too far behind with the numbers.

    Both NordVPN and Proton VPN are pretty evenly matched. They offer a significant and relatively equal network of specialty servers. These cover P2P, Double VPN (or Secure Core), and Onion (or Tor) Over VPN, with NordVPN also offering Dedicated IP servers if you’ve paid extra for a unique address.

    Winner
    NordVPN’s more extensive network of servers offers faster speeds, handing it an easy win in this round.

    Speed — NordVPN’s NordLynx Secures the Win

    NordVPN is the fastest of the two VPNs. Our UK-based speed tester ran speed tests against several servers in the US, UK, and Japan throughout the day using the best available protocol. This was WireGuard for Proton VPN and NordLynx for NordVPN. NordLynx is the VPN’s proprietary protocol that’s built around WireGuard and optimized for speed.

    Screenshot of the NordVPN app connected to a server in New York over an online speed testThese tests are from a server in New York, over 5,500km away from our speed tester’s location in the UK

    Proton VPN offers a VPN Accelerator feature to improve your speeds on long-distance servers, but NordVPN was still faster across a comparable distance. I was still impressed by Proton VPN’s speeds, though — I’ve definitely seen worse speed drops on UK to US connections.

    Screenshot of the Proton VPN app connected to a server in New York over an online speed test

    In short, NordVPN beats Proton VPN in 11 out of 12 of our speed tests, with download speeds a comfortable win:

    Speed Tests NordVPN Average Download Speed Proton VPN Average Download Speed NordVPN Average Upload Speed Proton VPN Average Upload Speed
    Connected to a US server 112.45Mbps 97.79Mbps 11.53Mbps 17.26Mbps
    Connected to a UK server 122.85Mbps 113.83Mbps 18.05Mbps 14.56Mbps
    Connected to a Japan server 85.71Mbps 79.87Mbps 10.10Mbps 9.67Mbps
    Winner
    NordVPN’s faster speeds are thanks to a combination of more servers (reducing overcrowding) and its proprietary NordLynx protocol. However, Proton VPN isn’t significantly slower.

    Gaming — NordVPN’s Server Fleet Takes You to Another Level

    Ping measures how quickly devices and servers respond to your requests, so it’s an essential metric for gaming. A ping of under 100ms is recommended for smooth gameplay, but the faster, the better. As you can see from the table below, NordVPN offers considerably more responsive speeds in all tests, making it the clear choice for gamers.

    NordVPN (NordLynx) Proton VPN (WireGuard)
    Quick Connect 8ms 35ms
    Connected to a US server 74ms 77ms
    Connected to a UK server 8ms 35ms
    Connected to a Japan server 232ms 324ms

    Screenshot of the NordVPN app connected to a UK server over Rocket League playing on a browserThe NordLynx protocol also means you’re less likely to face bans from online games

    Winner
    NordVPN’s ping rates are significantly lower on all servers, making it the best choice if you’re looking to secure your connection and play with friends internationally.

    Torrenting — NordVPN Wins With Faster Speeds and a Proxy Alternative

    NordVPN grabs another win here as its entire server network is P2P friendly, it offers specific P2P servers, and you’ll also get a proxy connection option.

    Proxies are faster than VPNs because they don’t encrypt your data, but for the same reason, they’re less secure. So, you may prefer the VPN, but it’s good to have the choice. I configured it to Vuze in under a minute, and it was just a few Mbps below my base speed.

    The only downside is that NordVPN doesn’t support port forwarding (unlike Proton VPN), but this feature can introduce more security vulnerabilities, so I don’t see that as a major loss.

    In comparison, not all of Proton VPN’s servers are P2P friendly. The vast majority are, but there are a handful of regions that don’t allow torrenting. Unfortunately, this isn’t super clear in the app — I only found this out from Proton VPN’s website.

    Like NordVPN, it also offers specialized torrenting servers, but I only found these by setting up a P2P profile (effectively a quick connect rule). That said, it’s still a speedy torrenting option, even if it is a touch slower than NordVPN.

    Winner
    NordVPN’s P2P-friendly server network and proxy connection for faster torrenting gives it the win in this section. Meanwhile, Proton VPN lets itself down with its app that isn’t clear which regions allow torrenting.

    Security — Draw

    NordVPN’s proprietary protocol fixes a security issue with WireGuard, the industry-standard protocol built for speed. With WireGuard, everyone using a specific server will get the same IP, which can cause some sites and services to block you. NordLynx uses Double NAT technology to give every user a unique IP. Proton VPN uses the standard WireGuard protocol.

    NordVPN also offers OpenVPN (often regarded as the most secure protocol) in both UDP and TCP. UDP is generally faster, but TCP can be more reliable on unstable networks. Proton VPN offers it too, plus it also has its own Stealth protocol. However, I don’t recommend it as it slowed my speeds by over 70%, so it’s not practical for everyday use.

    Security Feature NordVPN Proton VPN
    Encryption level AES-256-GCM
    ChaCha20
    SHA2-384
    AES-256-GCM
    ChaCha20
    SHA-384
    Kill Switch Yes Yes
    DNS/IP Leak Protection Yes Yes
    Protocols NordLynx, OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), IKEv2/IPSec WireGuard, IKEv2, Stealth, OpenVPN
    Split Tunneling Yes Yes
    Private DNS servers Yes Yes
    Tor Over VPN servers Yes Yes
    RAM-only servers wipe data Yes Yes
    Ad & malware blocker Yes Yes
    Double hop servers Yes Yes
    Dedicated IP addresses Yes (but for business users only) Yes
    Obfuscation technology Yes Yes

    If you’re an Android user, you’ll also get some extra security with NordVPN’s built-in tapjacking protection on its smartphone app. This sends you a warning if it detects an overlay that could trick you into tapping a malicious link. It’s a pretty unique feature I’ve not seen with any other VPN, but it’s a shame it’s not available on iOS too.

    NordVPN offers a highly customizable ad, tracker, and malware blocker, allowing you to tailor your online content. The problem is it blocked only 11% of ads in my tests, whereas Proton VPN’s one-click NetShield blocked 75% of ads and malicious content.

    Winner - draw
    /
    NordVPN’s protocol options far outweigh those of Proton VPN, yet the latter’s ad blocker is better by some distance. A lop-sided draw.

    Privacy — A Privacy Breach By Proton Mail Gives NordVPN the Win

    Proton first came to prominence with its popular encrypted email client, offering it trust and credibility in the field of privacy. However, in 2021, Proton Mail provided a user's IP and keyboard fingerprinting upon request by the Swiss authorities. The account belonged to Youth for Climate, a group of environmental activist schoolchildren in Paris.

    Proton said it could not legally refuse the request and pointed out that “email and VPN are treated differently, and Proton VPN cannot be compelled to log user data.” Still, this raises concern and makes Proton’s base in Switzerland not so assuring. NordVPN can also boast more independent audits, including that of its no-logs policy.

    You also get NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor, one of many quirky and unusual features the VPN offers. It continuously scans the dark web for data breaches and will notify you immediately if your email address leaks. You can then take action to secure your account before too much damage is done.

    Winner
    An unfortunate privacy breach by Proton hands this round to NordVPN.

    Works in China — Neither Is Reliable, So a Draw

    Our VPNs are regularly tested for use in China, and neither of these makes the grade. China uses some of the most advanced VPN blocking in the world, and most services don’t have the resources or the inclination to stay ahead. That’s the case with these providers.

    Winner - draw
    /
    These VPNs aren’t recommended for use in the region, but you can check out our top-rated VPNs for China here.

    Installation & Ease of Use — Both Are Generally User-Friendly

    NordVPN is easy to use, with intuitive features and servers grouped by usage for easy access. However, the app is a little clunky, with no simple or basic view. Proton VPN is a little confusing at first. The servers have tiny logos beside them to denote usage, which aren’t as easy to navigate. But, once I got used to it, I preferred Proton VPN’s slick design.

    Both VPNs have a handy feature to configure your settings for different sites or activities — NordVPN calls this Presets, while Proton VPN’s is called VPN connection profile. However, NordVPN only offers this for macOS. NordVPN also has a unique Meshnet feature that allows you to create a mini-VPN network between all your devices.

    Winner - draw
    /
    Both VPNs are easy to install on any popular device or OS. NordVPN is a little easier to use at first, but Proton VPN is more compact and sleek once you’ve got the hang of it.

    Reliability & Support — NordVPN Offers Live Chat Without a Subscription

    Customer Support Features NordVPN Proton VPN
    24/7 Live chat Yes, responds in a few minutes Yes, but for paying customers only
    Email support Yes Yes
    Phone support No No
    Step-by-step setup guides Yes Yes
    Searchable knowledge base Yes Yes
    Exhaustive FAQ section No No

    Proton VPN has a live chat feature, but you can only use it if you have a paid subscription. It’s also not the easiest to find on its website — you have to first log in and then click Subscription in the side panel. However, when you open the live chat, its knowledgeable agents reply within minutes.

    Anyone can use NordVPN's live chat feature. You don’t have to sign in or even have an account to get assistance. You do have to go through a chatbot before holding for an agent, though, which is a little annoying. This usually takes a minute or two to get connected.

    The knowledge bases each VPN offers on their websites are less extensive than with some providers but will answer most questions.

    Winner
    NordVPN wins this round with a live chat feature that anyone can access.

    Tips on Choosing Between NordVPN and Proton VPN

    • Smooth streaming. Seamless video streaming is crucial for watching your favorite local content online. I tested this by streaming a 4K video available in my country and noting loading times and quality consistency.
    • Fast speeds. Speed is critical for browsing, downloading, and other online activities. Our speed tester in the UK tried several servers in various regions throughout the day to gauge average speeds.
    • Server networks. A comprehensive server network provides better connectivity options. Both VPNs offer a diverse range of global servers to ensure fast connections worldwide.
    • Robust security features. Strong security protects your data online. I evaluated this by checking encryption standards, kill switches, and the ability to block ads and malware.
    • Respectable privacy practices. Privacy policies ensure trust. I checked that both VPNs have no-logs policies and transparency reports, ensuring your online activities remain confidential.
    • Easy to use. User-friendliness enhances your VPN experience. I assessed this through the ease of installation, interface intuitiveness, and the availability of customer support.
    • Trustworthy money-back guarantee. This shows confidence in service quality. I verified this by checking the refund processes myself, ensuring straightforward and risk-free trial periods.

    NordVPN vs. Proton VPN — Reddit Opinions

    I saw multiple posts claiming that Proton VPN puts its resources into its products and NordVPN into its advertising. Hence making Proton VPN more reliable, NordVPN more famous, and both popular. The testing that my colleagues and I did doesn't completely match this, as NordVPN proved more reliable than Proton in some categories. NordVPN does get some credit from Redditors for its streaming capabilities, however.

    Our Score

    Features 9.6/10
    Pricing 9.1/10
    Ease of Use 10.0/10
    Reliability & Support 9.5/10
    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 8.6/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 9.0/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.6/10

    On the surface, NordVPN looks like a really impressive service. It claims to have a huge global server network, a speedy and reliable connection, and iron-clad security and privacy features. Plus, you can get it all for just $3.09/month. That all sounds great, but is there a catch? To find out, we did an in-depth analysis of NordVPN. The team and I tested its speeds and how well it performs whe...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    2
    210493Lu
    10.0/10
    The Best of The Best

    I simply tested all VPNs looking for cutting-edge online security, I tested the most expensive and the...  most talked about virtual anonymity, none made me as happy as NordVPN, it stands out for several reasons that the much more expensive ones it doesn't have, its double encryption, dedicated IPs, onion VPN, makes NordVPN unique, with almost 6,000 servers around the world and 12 million customers like me, you can see that NordVPN is not playing games with its customers and their online security , it always innovates to keep you more secure day after day, for a fair price in the long term and without sacrificing the speed of your connection, recently Nord is developing a new VPN protocol, Nordlynx a version still under construction derived from the Wireguard protocol, if you want to have a VPN of last security that think how it will make you more secure in the next month NordVPN is the right choice, I am completely thankful for being a customer and for finding what to me is the perfect VPN.More

    Latest negative user review
    S
    SAM
    2.0/10
    BUYER BEWARE!

    BUYER BEWARE! If you purchase NordVPN, it will throttle your interned speed/connectivity by 50%, like ... it did to mine. I pay $100/month to get speeds of nearly 600mbs. With NordVPN turned on, my speeds decrease to 250mbs. Nord’s “customer support” is useless and unprofessional, and, after nearly 3 weeks of endless “try this, try that”, they were unable to resolve the issue and blamed it on everything under the sun except their product, when it is OBVIOUS that, since I have zero speed issues with Nord turned off, and ONLY experience the issues with Nord turned on, it is NordVPN that is causing the issue. When I asked them for a refund of my one year subscription paid in advance and in good faith, they refused, and have now decided to ignore me. So, YOU’VE BEEN WARNED. Their VPN will devastate your internet speeds, their “support” is ridiculous, they are in denial, and they will not refund your money, even if their product is a failure…More

    Review by our expert
    Our Score: 9.2/10

    Proton VPN, from the creators of Proton Mail, claims to prioritize your online privacy, even on its free tier. However, an IP logging controversy with Proton Mail has raised doubts about the company’s overall privacy stance. Given this, can you still trust this VPN to keep you safe online? To determine this, I thoroughly analyzed Proton VPN, exploring its privacy policy, ownership, and secur...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    ProtonVPN Transparent

    I have used many VPNs but ProtonVPN is more convenient because of its transparency. Support, Valuing t... he Community, Answering Questions is what makes me trust them. For the technical side, I haven't found any problems. I tested many servers, all using DNSSec. The Stealth invisibility feature is very useful I have tried it in one of the countries I visited (some providers block vpn networks).More

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Anonymously
    6.0/10
    My Proton VPN Review

    I can say that ProtonVPN is better than other VPNs, it is fast, connect up to 10 devices, a no-log pol... icy that is very secure, and unblock Netflix and Hulu. I don't need Support very much, because I can do everything by myself and on Google. 123More

    Pricing

    NordVPN Proton VPN
    Starting Price $3.09/month $4.49/month
    Price (On Renewal) $99.48 per year
    (subject to change)
    $71.88 per year
    (subject to change)
    Money-Back Guarantee (Days) 30 days 30 days
    Number of devices per license 10 10
    Router Setup (for Unlimited Devices) Manual setup with extensive how-to guides Manual setup with extensive how-to guides

    NordVPN's lowest price is a bit cheaper than Proton VPN currently. As is the case with most VPNs, the renewal price for both is higher than the initial discounted price. Unfortunately, NordVPN only has public info about the renewal price of its 1-year subscriptions, and it's generally more expensive than Proton VPN.

    Proton VPN also offers a free version, but it’s very limiting. It only covers one device, and the servers don’t support streaming or downloading, so I don’t recommend it.

    Winner
    NordVPN's renewal price is higher, but it does offer better value. So, Proton VPN comes out on top as it’s cheaper in the long run. Plus, it offers a basic free plan.

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    NordVPN is better thanks to its more extensive server network offering faster speeds for streaming, gaming, and downloading. It has some features no other provider offers, yet it’s easy to grasp. Plus, its long-term plan is one of the best value deals on the market.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    NordVPN is far better for torrenting because of its faster download speeds. Its specialty P2P servers are grouped and easy to access, and it even offers an alternative proxy connection that’s easy to configure with most download clients.

    Best VPN for Windows

    NordVPN is better because it’s so easy to use and install on all Windows OSs. You get Double VPN, P2P, and Onion over VPN (Tor) servers, as well as the unusual Dark Web Monitor and Meshnet features.

    Best VPN for Android

    NordVPN is better since its app is cleaner and smoother. Proton VPN’s layout is a bit more technical, which is fine on the desktop version but a little harder to navigate on mobile.

    Best VPN for Mac

    NordVPN is better because you can configure multiple custom Presets for specific websites or activities. Plus, it has all the server options and features that the Windows app offers.

    Best VPN for iOS

    NordVPN wins this category because the app is clean and minimal, and the specialty servers are even easier to locate than on the desktop version. Plus, the dark mode saves battery and reduces glare.

    Best VPN for USA

    NordVPN has more US server locations than Proton VPN. Plus, it offers reliable connections for every US streaming platform my US colleagues tested it with, including Netflix US, Hulu, Disney+, and more.

    The Bottom Line

    NordVPN is better for streaming, downloading, and gaming thanks to its larger network of 6,293 servers. It has some fun and unusual features, yet it’s easier to grasp.

    Proton VPN isn’t without merit. The app design is sharp, and it’s better than most VPNs for streaming. However, NordVPN isn’t one of them; its proprietary NordLynx protocol is ideal for watching your favorite platforms in Ultra HD-friendly quality. You can try NordVPN for free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s easy to get a refund if you’re not happy.

    FAQ

    Is NordVPN better than Proton VPN?

    Yes, NordVPN outperforms Proton VPN in several key areas. NordVPN offers a more extensive server network, which is crucial for reliable and fast connections. That makes it better for all online activities, but particularly data-heavy ones like streaming, gaming, and torrenting.

    Security features such as Double VPN and Onion over VPN provide enhanced protection but without sacrificing as much speed as Proton VPN’s Stealth protocol and Secure Core double-hop servers.

    Is NordVPN faster than Proton VPN?

    Yes, NordVPN is faster than Proton VPN. Our speed tester recorded download and upload speeds on both VPNs across various global servers over several weeks. NordVPN consistently showed higher speeds. That’s likely due to its larger server network, which reduces load and improves speed. Additionally, NordVPN's NordLynx protocol is optimized for speed without compromising security.

    Does NordVPN or Proton VPN offer any deals?

    NordVPN typically offers more attractive deals than Proton VPN, with plans available for as little as $3.09/month. Both offer various discounts and promotional offers throughout the year, especially during holidays and special events. These deals often include reduced prices for longer subscription plans, making it a more cost-effective option in the long run.

    Can’t I just use a free Proton VPN account?

    While you can use a free Proton VPN account, I don’t recommend it. It has limitations, such as reduced speeds and fewer servers that don’t support streaming or file sharing. You can try NordVPN for free with its money-back guarantee, and it offers significant advantages.

    NordVPN's paid service provides full access to its extensive server network, higher speeds, and advanced features like Double VPN and Meshnet. Plus, every server supports streaming and P2P. For a comprehensive and secure online experience, NordVPN's paid version is a more robust choice.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    James conducts rigorous hands-on research and testing to evaluate dozens of VPNs for his articles. He's an advocate for digital freedom.