NordVPN vs Proton VPN: which one should you pick?
Both are mainstream VPNs with repeated independent no-logs audits. Pick Proton VPN if you want a genuinely free plan, open-source apps and a Swiss company; pick NordVPN if you want a paid all-rounder with lots of extras and do not need a free tier.
By the editors of ProtectYour.com Last reviewed 5 min read
Affiliate disclosure: this guide links to NordVPN. If you sign up through those links we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, and that does not change what we recommend. Free options come first, and we say where a competitor is the better fit. How we make money
Key takeaways
- Free: only Proton VPN has a free plan, with no data or speed limits according to Proton, on one device.
- Audits: NordVPN says Deloitte has assessed its no-logs claims six times, most recently in late 2025; Securitum has audited Proton VPN's no-logs policy four years running, most recently in 2025.
- Code: Proton VPN's apps are open source. NordVPN's are not fully open source.
- Ownership: NordVPN belongs to Nord Security (which also owns Surfshark) and is based in Panama; Proton VPN belongs to Proton AG in Switzerland.
- We earn a commission from NordVPN, not from Proton VPN. Neither fact changes the comparison below.
NordVPN and Proton VPN at a glance
NordVPN vs Proton VPN on the factors that matter for trust
| NordVPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Nord Security (also owns Surfshark) | Proton AG (also makes Proton Mail, Pass, Drive) |
| Based in | Panama | Switzerland |
| No-logs audits | Six Deloitte assessments, latest reported December 2025 | Four annual Securitum audits, 2022 to 2025 |
| Free plan | No | Yes, one device, no data cap |
| Open-source apps | Not fully | Yes |
| Sign-up | Email account | Proton account |
| We earn from it | Yes (affiliate) | No |
Facts come from each company's published material and the auditors' reports, read in October 2026. We did not run speed tests: results swing with your location, your connection and the server you pick, so try either one yourself inside its refund window or, for Proton, on the free plan.
Logging and audits: both have done the work
A VPN's whole promise is that it does not keep a record of what you do. The only way an outsider can check is an audit, and both services have repeated theirs.
NordVPN says Deloitte Lithuania carried out its sixth no-logs assurance engagement at the end of 2025, under the ISAE 3000 standard, covering its standard, Double VPN, obfuscated and Onion Over VPN servers, with the report issued on December 12, 2025 (NordVPN's announcement). Earlier assessments ran in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The full report is available to customers through their Nord Account rather than published openly.
Proton publishes its auditor's report. Securitum's 2025 audit, its fourth consecutive annual review of Proton VPN, included on-site work in Zurich and access to randomly chosen production servers, and found no evidence of activity logging or connection metadata storage contrary to the policy (Securitum report). Securitum says the policy applies to free and paid users alike.
Our read: on audits, this is a tie with a slight edge to Proton for publishing the report in full. An audit covers what was examined at the time, so the fact that both repeat theirs matters more than any single one.
The free plan is the biggest real difference
Proton VPN's free plan "has no data or time limits," according to Proton's free VPN page, shows no ads and covers one device. Paid plans add more devices (up to 10), many more countries and features such as Secure Core. For someone who needs a VPN occasionally, on hotel or cafe Wi-Fi, the free plan may be all they ever need.
NordVPN has no free plan. It offers a money-back window on paid plans; check the current terms on its site before buying, along with the renewal price, since introductory and renewal prices differ across the VPN industry.
Free step
Apps and extras
NordVPN leans on features. Its apps cover Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Linux and smart TVs, it uses its WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol by default, and it bundles extras such as a malicious-site and ad blocker (Threat Protection), Double VPN and Onion Over VPN servers, and higher plans that add Nord's password manager and other products. It suits a household that wants one paid app on every device.
Proton VPN leans on transparency. Its apps are open source, so outsiders can read the code, and paid plans include Secure Core: your traffic goes through an extra server in a privacy-friendly country first. Higher Proton plans bundle the VPN with Proton Mail, Pass and Drive, a good deal if you wanted encrypted email or a password manager anyway.
Both offer a kill switch and split tunnelling on the main platforms. Whichever you choose, turn the kill switch on and confirm on a what-is-my-IP site that the address shown is the VPN's, not yours.
Ownership and jurisdiction
NordVPN is based in Panama and owned by Nord Security. Nord Security merged with Surfshark in 2022. If you were weighing NordVPN against Surfshark to spread your trust across two companies, you would not be: they share a parent. Proton VPN is made by Proton AG in Geneva, Switzerland, whose main shareholder is the nonprofit Proton Foundation according to Proton.
Jurisdiction matters less than marketing suggests. A VPN that keeps no logs has little to hand over wherever it is based. That is why the audits above matter more. But Switzerland's privacy law and Proton's open reporting appeal to people who weigh this heavily.
Which one to pick
- You want free, or want to try before paying: Proton VPN.
- You care about open-source apps and a published audit report: Proton VPN.
- You want one paid subscription with lots of extras on every device in the house: NordVPN.
- You want the least personal data on file: neither. Mullvad signs you up with a random account number. See our five-VPN comparison.
A VPN is one layer. If your worry is people finding your address, a VPN does nothing about that: see removing yourself from data broker sites. For travel, read travel security, and for the full picture of your setup, take the self-check. You can also go straight to NordVPN's plans.
Common questions
Is Proton VPN better than NordVPN?
For free use and transparency, yes: Proton VPN has a free plan with no data cap, open-source apps and publicly published audit reports. NordVPN has no free plan but offers more bundled extras on its paid plans. Both have had their no-logs claims audited repeatedly.
Does NordVPN have a free plan?
No. NordVPN is paid only, with a money-back window on its plans. Proton VPN is the mainstream VPN with a free plan, limited to one device.
Who owns NordVPN and Proton VPN?
NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, the parent of Surfshark too, and is based in Panama. Proton VPN is made by Proton AG in Switzerland, whose main shareholder is the nonprofit Proton Foundation according to Proton.
Have NordVPN and Proton VPN been audited?
Yes. NordVPN says Deloitte has assessed its no-logs claims six times, most recently in December 2025. Securitum has audited Proton VPN's no-logs policy every year from 2022 to 2025 and Proton publishes the reports.
Your next step
If you want a paid toolAffiliate link
NordVPN
Best for: People who want a polished paid VPN with apps on every device and a large server network.
Not for: Anyone who wants a free VPN, or the most anonymous sign-up possible (Mullvad needs no email).
Visit NordVPNRelated guides
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