NordVPNvsProton VPN

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NordVPN70/100
Try
Pick it if you are:
Streamers unblocking other regions; Privacy-conscious everyday users
Top complaint:
Why is NordVPN renewal so expensive?
Price:
From $3.49/mo
9 NordVPN errors & fixes →
Proton VPN71/100
Try
Pick it if you are:
Privacy-focused users and journalists; People who need a free VPN
Top complaint:
Why does Proton VPN renewal cost so much more?
Price:
Free plan, paid from $9.99/mo
10 Proton VPN errors & fixes →

Score Comparison

70
Overall
71
48
Pricing
55
80
Usability
78
84
Performance
72
55
Support
50
70
Reliability
66
80
Onboarding
82
76
Mobile
70
84
Security
86
NordVPNProton VPN

Signals Comparison

Pricing

NordVPN

  • Why is NordVPN renewal so expensive?(8/10)
  • NordVPN auto-renewed without warning(8/10)
  • NordVPN refund not possible for App Store purchases(6/10)
  • NordVPN 10 device limit(4/10)
  • NordVPN upsells: Complete, Prime and paid add-ons(4/10)

Proton VPN

  • Why does Proton VPN renewal cost so much more?(7/10)
  • Why is Proton VPN so expensive month to month?(5/10)
Support

NordVPN

  • NordVPN refused refund after renewal(8/10)
  • NordVPN support gives generic answers(5/10)

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN refund taking too long(6/10)
  • Proton VPN has no 24/7 live chat(5/10)
Reliability

NordVPN

  • NordVPN keeps disconnecting or won't connect(7/10)
  • NordVPN not working with Netflix (proxy error)(6/10)

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN not connecting or stuck on Connecting(7/10)
  • Proton VPN not working with Netflix (proxy error)(5/10)
  • Proton VPN Stealth not working in restrictive countries(6/10)
Usability

NordVPN

  • NordVPN Threat Protection blocking websites(5/10)
  • No internet after disconnecting NordVPN(6/10)

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN free plan limits: one device, no country choice(5/10)
  • Proton VPN causes constant Google CAPTCHAs(5/10)
Onboarding

NordVPN

  • NordVPN login not working or stuck in a login loop(6/10)

Proton VPN

No signals

Integrations

NordVPN

  • NordVPN Meshnet shutdown scare(5/10)

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN port forwarding changes every reconnect(5/10)
Performance

NordVPN

  • Why is NordVPN so slow on some servers?(5/10)

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN free servers slow at peak times(6/10)
  • Why is Proton VPN so slow with Secure Core?(4/10)
Mobile

NordVPN

No signals

Proton VPN

  • Proton VPN keeps disconnecting on Android(6/10)
Security

NordVPN

No signals

Proton VPN

  • Is Proton leaving Switzerland? Surveillance law uncertainty(5/10)
  • Proton CEO political post backlash(3/10)

Pricing Comparison

NordVPN

Basic (2-year)
$3.49/mo

Users: 10

Limits: No antivirus, password manager or cloud storage

Billed upfront (about $94 for the first 27 months). Renews at $139.08/year plus tax; auto-renewal is on by default
Complete (2-year)
Popular
$4.49/mo

Users: 10

Storage: 1 TB

Billed upfront (about $121 for the first 27 months). Renews at $219.48/year plus tax
Prime (2-year)
$7.49/mo

Users: 10

Storage: 1 TB

Limits: Identity features mainly aimed at US users

Billed upfront; renews at a much higher yearly rate (reported around $296/year). Third-party sources disagree on the exact intro price
Basic (monthly)
$14.99/mo

Users: 10

More than 4x the 2-year intro rate; Complete monthly is $19.99
Dedicated IP add-on
$3.69/mo
Starting price on a 2-year plan; extra on top of any VPN plan

Proton VPN

Proton Free
Free

Users: 1.0

Limits: 1 device only, no country or server choice (random server with a Change server cooldown), no streaming-optimised servers, no P2P/torrenting, no Secure Core, no port forwarding, medium speed, no live chat support

Constant upgrade prompts (e.g. $1 for the first month, then $9.99/month). Free servers slow down at busy times
VPN Plus (monthly)
$9.99/mo

Users: 10.0

Limits: Proton Pass, Drive and Mail stay on their free tiers

Auto-renews monthly. Refund only within 30 days of first purchase, once per user
VPN Plus (1-year)
Popular
$2.99/yr

Users: 10.0

Limits: Proton Pass, Drive and Mail stay on their free tiers

Billed $35.88 upfront for the first 12 months, then renews at $83.88/year (about $6.99/month). Intro price seen on the pricing page in November 2026; a 2-year term also exists but its price was not shown
Proton Unlimited (monthly)
$12.99/mo

Users: 10.0

Storage: 500 GB

Auto-renews monthly
Proton Unlimited (1-year)
$6.49/yr

Users: 10.0

Storage: 500 GB

Billed $77.88 upfront for the first 12 months, then renews at $119.88/year (about $9.99/month)

Feature Comparison

FeatureNordVPNProton VPN
Core
NordLynx (WireGuard-based) protocol

Fastest option; OpenVPN also available

10 simultaneous devices

Paid plans

Split tunneling
Smart Protocol

Cycles through WireGuard, OpenVPN and Stealth automatically

Obfuscated servers

For restrictive networks; slower

Dedicated IP

Paid add-on

Unlimited devices

10 simultaneous devices

Pricing
Free plan with unlimited data

1 device, random server in about 10 countries

Free plan or free trial

30-day money-back guarantee instead

Security
Kill switch

Windows has app-level and internet-level modes

Secure Core multi-hop

Paid plans; about 35% slower in tests

Stealth protocol

Anti-censorship; Settings > Protocol

Threat Protection

Ad/malware/phishing blocking; can cause false positives

Double VPN / Onion over VPN

Large speed loss

Kill switch and advanced kill switch

Advanced mode blocks internet whenever the VPN is off

NetShield ad and malware blocker

Paid plans

Networking
Meshnet

Shutdown announced for Dec 2025, then reversed

P2P
Port forwarding

P2P servers on Windows, macOS (early access) and Linux only

Performance
VPN Accelerator

On by default

Streaming
Smart DNS for TVs and consoles

Not offered per security.org

Support
24/7 live chat

Live chat about 9 AM-midnight CET, paid users only

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NordVPN vs Proton VPN 2026 - Problems & Comparison | Try or Bye