In the VPN and privacy sectors, NordVPN and ProtonVPN are both well-known and recognised services.
NordVPN is still one of the most prominent VPNs on the market, with a huge server network, fast speeds, and a variety of privacy options. In terms of features, performance, and streaming ability, it consistently surpasses competing VPNs.
ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN that focuses on privacy and security. However, it has fewer servers, less features, a higher fee, and limited access to major streaming sites.
So, in our NordVPN vs. ProtonVPN comparison, who comes out on top?
We’ll go over each of the categories we evaluated the VPNs against in detail, and mention the results below.
NordVPN vs. ProtonVPN: A Face Off!
| NordVPN | ProtonVPN | |
| Trustpilot Rating: | 4.4 | 2.6 |
| Servers: | 5600+ servers in 59 countries | 1700+ servers in 63 countries |
| Logs policy: | No logs | No logs |
| Pricing: | Starts from $3.49/month | Starts from €4.99/month |
| VPN protocols: | OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, Nordlynx | OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec, and WireGuard |
| Streaming Compatibility: | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Hulu, and more | Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and more |
| Platforms: | Linux, Windows, Firefox, Chrome, macOS, iOS, and Android | iOS, Mac, Windows, and Android |
| Simultaneous connections: | 6 devices | 10 devices |
| Support: | knowledge base, FAQs, 24/7 live chat, email support | knowledge base, email support |
Speed comparison: NordVPN vs ProtonVPN
We conducted a NordVPN vs ProtonVPN speed test on a variety of these VPNs’ servers and protocols. The testing was based on our formula: 100 Mbps download speed/100 MBps upload speed.
We chose the fastest protocols for each VPN service for this comparison: OpenVPN UDP for ProtonVPN (since it provides a lot of options to increase speed), and NordLynx for NordVPN.
| Protocols | NordVPN | ProtonVPN |
| Nordlynx/OpenVPN UDP | 86/57 | 78/60 |
It’s evident that both companies are outstanding in this situation. ProtonVPN does not decline at this stage, despite the fact that NordVPN’s unique NordLynx protocol (a bespoke version of WireGuard) is far ahead of many others supplied by other top VPNs.
When connecting to the most remote servers, for example, the ProtonVPN’s speed declines from 78 percent to 97 percent. NordVPN, on the other hand, can keep rather consistent speeds regardless of the region to which you’re connected.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Netflix and streaming platforms; Which one unblocks more?
As for NordVPN vs ProtonVPN streaming capabilities, both are excellent at accessing streaming platforms. Both companies use ways to avoid being identified while circumventing various geo-restrictions.
NordVPN claims to be able to unblock more than 400 different streaming services. ProtonVPN is only interested in unblocking more than 30 popular streaming providers.
We were able to unblock BBC iPlayer, Netflix US, and Youtube while using ProtonVPN. DAZN, on the other hand, was adamant about not giving up.
Remember that you can only utilize the servers that are optimized for unblocking streaming sites if you have the Plus or Visionary subscription. Furthermore, ProtonVPN does not provide SmartDNS.
Meanwhile, NordVPN provides all of its users with access to streaming platforms, and unblocks more platforms, along with offering the SmartDNS feature, which allows users to stream geo-restricted content on devices that don’t support VPN connections.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Torrenting
When torrenting, it’s best to utilize a VPN so that your ISP can’t track your activities (this is quite useful if your country restricts torrenting).
So, which of our two VPN contenders should you pick? Let’s look at it more closely.
ProtonVPN’s premium plans all support P2P file sharing. All you have to do now is find a torrent-friendly server.
Torrenting is also possible with NordVPN. It, like ProtonVPN, provides dedicated servers for P2P traffic. In addition, if you try torrenting while connecting to a server that isn’t P2P-friendly, the VPN will immediately switch you to one that is.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Features overview
Even if extra features aren’t normally a VPN’s main selling point, it’s always wonderful to have more control over your VPN connections. Let’s look at a few features NordVPN and ProtonVPN offer to determine which is a better option:
Double VPN
Both ProtonVPN and NordVPN have a function called Double VPN. It provides an extra degree of privacy by allowing you to connect through two separate VPN servers. Remember that your internet speed will be significantly slower.
ProtonVPN calls this feature Secure Core, and it is only accessible with ProtonVPN’s Plus and Visionary subscriptions.
Split tunneling
The Split tunneling feature of ProtonVPN is quite advanced. There are numerous configuration options available, including the ability to include and exclude apps as well as IPs from the VPN tunnel. The feature is accessible in ProtonVPN’s Windows and Android apps.
Split tunneling with NordVPN is also quite configurable: you may disable and enable VPN connections for the apps you choose. You cannot, however, set it with IP addresses. NordVPN’s Windows and Android apps contain this feature, just like ProtonVPN’s.
SmartPlay
NordVPN is the only provider that offers SmartPlay. It’s also known as SmartDNS, and it improves your chances of being able to access streaming platforms and get around geo-restrictions.
It also lets you to watch geo-restricted movies and shows on devices without a NordVPN app. SmartPlay is even compatible with devices that don’t support VPN connections, such as game consoles.
Specialty servers
Most VPNs provide dedicated servers for certain purposes. ProtonVPN, for example, uses Tor over VPN. Before connecting to a VPN server, it reroutes your connection over the Tor network. This is especially useful if you’re connecting from a country where the government is oppressive.
Similarly, NordVPN offers Onion over VPN, which is practically the same thing. The VPN also has specialist P2P servers that provide the fastest torrenting speeds.
CyberSec
CyberSec is a feature of NordVPN that will keep you safe online. Just enable it in the General tab, and the VPN will ensure that unsafe websites are blocked, as well as all annoying ads that appear on various pages.
Keep in mind, though, that a VPN isn’t an antivirus, and you’ll still need an anti-malware to keep your devices safe.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
NordVPN vs ProtonVPN: which is more secure?
Both VPN providers are outstanding in terms of NordVPN vs ProtonVPN security. These VPNs are among the safest on the market, thanks to military-grade AES-256 encryption, no-logs policy, secure tunnelling protocols, and independent audits.
Encryption and tunneling protocols
Both NordVPN and ProtonVPN protect your data with AES-256 encryption. Because this sort of encryption is nearly impossible to crack, utilizing either of the services is absolutely risk-free.
When comparing the tunneling protocols, however, some disparities emerge. NordVPN has a slightly larger selection of them. NordLynx, OpenVPN TCP and UDP, and IKEv2/IPsec are all options.
ProtonVPN, on the other hand, supports OpenVPN TCP and UDP and IKEv2/IPsec. WireGuard would be a welcome addition, however there are presently no plans to integrate it.
Logging
When it comes to NordVPN vs ProtonVPN logging policies, the former is an excellent example of a well-executed no-logs policy. Nothing personal is logged by the VPN, including bandwidth usage, connection timestamps, session information, IP addresses, and so on.
App diagnostics data and Crash error reports are the only kinds of data it saves. You can, however, just opt out of this.
Aside from that, NordVPN is situated in Panama, which is a privacy-friendly jurisdiction with no laws requiring data retention. Finally, NordVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently verified twice, demonstrating its reliability.
ProtonVPN is also extremely dependable. It is open-source, for starters. Furthermore, SEC Consult has independently audited ProtonVPN.
Everything appears to be in order when it comes to the no-logs policy. ProtonVPN, on the other hand, maintains the timestamp of your last login, unlike NordVPN.
Finally, ProtonVPN is situated in Switzerland, which is known for its privacy.
Kill Switch
A well-functioning kill switch should be included in any reliable VPN. Otherwise, if your VPN suddenly dies, your true IP address may be exposed.
Fortunately, ProtonVPN provides a reliable kill switch. The feature successfully switched off the internet connection throughout our tests. However, getting the internet back online on the Windows app was a bit of a challenge.
NordVPN includes two kill switches: an Internet kill switch and an App kill switch. When it comes to the latter, you can create a list of all the apps you wish to prohibit if your VPN connection is compromised.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Plans pricing
| Prices and Plans | NordVPN | ProtonVPN |
| Periods | 1 month | 1 month |
| 1 year | 1 year | |
| 2 years | 2 years | |
| Special offers and discounts | 70% off on the 2-year plan | – |
| Lowest price per month | $3.49/month | €4.99/month |
| Highest price per month | $11.99/mo | €9.99/mo |
While ProtonVPN’s one-month subscription is somewhat less expensive than NordVPN, the latter’s long-term plan is simply twice as affordable. And, let’s be honest, if you’re serious about utilizing a VPN, you’ll need a long-term subscription.
ProtonVPN, on the other hand, is the only one that provides a completely free plan, which NordVPN does not. Regardless of how much we enjoy freemium VPNs, we still consider NordVPN to be the winner in this area, as its price is not only more reasonable, but also less complicated.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
China and countries with restricted internet access
The Great Firewall is a set of web-filtering tools used by the Chinese government to limit what its citizens can read online. Normally, you’d be able to get around these restrictions by using a VPN, but most big providers are completely blocked.
ProtonVPN is one of them. Until recently, this service was truly functional on the mainland. Recent improvements to the Great Firewall, however, appear to have spotted it. Normally, a service would identify a remedy in a matter of days, however ProtonVPN’s post addressing the issue hasn’t been revised since 2019.
On the plus side, NordVPN functions flawlessly in China. Users don’t have to do anything special, which is fantastic.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Server locations
While both services serve a similar number of countries, NordVPN has a significant network size advantage. In fact, it has nearly five times the number of servers as ProtonVPN i.e. 5600+ servers in 60 countries (ProtonVPN offers 1700+ servers in 63 countries).
This may increase the likelihood of consumers finding a low-load server, albeit this is dependent on a variety of factors, including the total number of users and even the time of day.
Furthermore, even if some NordVPN servers are blocked by a geo-restricted service, there are plenty others to select from.
NordVPN isn’t the only VPN offering a server network this vast. A VPN that can beat this network size is PIA. Get more details about it in our PIA VPN vs NordVPN comparison.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Interface & Ease of Use
| ProtonVPN | NordVPN | |
| OS supported | Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android |
| Other devices and operating systems | Fire TVs & Android TVs | Kodi, Fire TV devices, and Android TVs |
| Browser extensions | Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera | Chrome & Firefox |
| Simultaneous connections | Ten | Six |
When it comes to NordVPN vs ProtonVPN device compatibility, both VPNs have done their homework. You will be able to download a high-quality app regardless of the device you use.
Desktop apps
ProtonVPN’s desktop applications are excellent, particularly the Windows version. Apart from looking slick and modern, it has the majority of the extra features. The main window shows a map as well as a wealth of data about your connection.
You can view the connection time, the bandwidth you used in the previous 60 seconds, and the connection duration, for example. The server load is also visible. It simply displays the load of the server to which you are now connected.
Meanwhile, some functions, such as Alternative Routing and Split Tunneling, are missing from the macOS application. ProtonVPN for Linux has a very minimal user interface and a terminal.
In terms of features, NordVPN’s desktop apps are a touch more unified than its mobile versions. Both the Windows and macOS applications show a map to make it easier to select the country you require. The Mac version, on the other hand, still lacks the split tunnelling capability.
Furthermore, the Linux version of NordVPN lacks a user interface, forcing you to use the command line terminal.
Mobile apps
ProtonVPN and NordVPN are available for download on both Android and iOS devices. The question is, which VPN provides the best mobile apps?
As a result, ProtonVPN’s mobile apps are nearly identical, which is a pleasant surprise. Normally, the iOS app is inferior to the Android app when it comes to VPNs, but not in this case.
In the meantime, the Android version of NordVPN is superior to the iOS version, as the iOS app lacks features like auto-connect and split tunneling.
Overall, iOS users may choose ProtonVPN, while Android users will be satisfied with any VPN.
Final Result: ProtonVPN is the Winner!
Customer support
Both of these services feature a large knowledge base where you can look for answers to your concerns. However, only NordVPN offers a live chat support desk, which is unexpected given that most premium VPN services do.
Instead, ProtonVPN requests that users contact them using a ticket system, which has a one- to two-day response time.
Given that email is the primary method of communication for ProtonVPN consumers, you’d expect staff to respond more quickly.
NordVPN is a wonderful illustration of this: it offers 24/7 assistance and yet responds within five hours on average.
Final Result: ProtonVPN is the Winner!
NordVPN vs. ProtonVPN – The Winner?
Now that we’ve reached the end, the real questions we’re about to answer are: Which is better: NordVPN vs ProtonVPN? Which VPN takes the lead?
Well, NordVPN is the clear winner in this comparison. Although ProtonVPN has some appealing features, such as a free subscription, its overall pricing cannot compete with NordVPN.
To make matters worse, ProtonVPN’s split tunneling cannot compensate for the difference in the sheer number of features offered by NordVPN, like better speeds and user-friendliness.
FAQs
Is ProtonVPN cheaper than NordVPN?
While ProtonVPN’s one-month subscription is somewhat less expensive than NordVPN’s, the latter’s long-term plan is twice as affordable. And, let’s be honest, if you’re serious about using a VPN, you’ll need a long-term subscription.
Is ProtonVPN secure?
Yes, ProtonVPN is quite secure. The VPN has a rigorous no-data-logging policy, so even if someone asks for your data, it won’t provide it to them. It also has Tor integration and SecureCore servers for added security.