As two privacy-focused VPNs, each NordVPN and Proton VPN provide sturdy options that might make it arduous to decide on one answer over the opposite.
NordVPN offers an throughout service with an intensive 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: Greatest for many companies that desire a feature-packed VPN that provides a geographically numerous server suite and quick VPN speeds.
- Proton VPN: Greatest for particular person customers who desire a privacy-centric VPN with a devoted free model that might be used long-term.
ESET PROTECT Superior
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Firm Dimension
Any Firm Dimension
Options
Superior Risk Protection, Full Disk Encryption , Fashionable Endpoint Safety, and extra
ManageEngine Log360
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Staff), Small (50-249 Staff), Medium (250-999 Staff), Giant (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Micro, Small, Medium, Giant, Enterprise
Options
Exercise Monitoring, Blacklisting, Dashboard, and extra
Graylog
Staff per Firm Dimension
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Giant (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Medium (250-999 Staff), Giant (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Medium, Giant, Enterprise
Options
Exercise Monitoring, Dashboard, Notifications
NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Comparability
Each VPNs embrace the identical quantity of simultaneous machine connections and beginning value. They do differ of their respective server suite and free trial entry.
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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 choice. The tiers are NordVPN Primary, Plus and Final — with Final having probably the most options out of the bunch.
SEE: Tips on how to Run a Cybersecurity Danger Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)
Beneath is an summary of pricing and have variations with every tier:
| Primary | Plus | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month-to-month | $12.99 per 30 days | $13.99 per 30 days | $15.99 per 30 days |
| 1 12 months | $4.99 per 30 days | $5.99 per 30 days | $7.99 per 30 days |
| 2 years | $3.99 per 30 days | $4.99 per 30 days | $6.99 per 30 days |
| Options | Consists of predominant VPN | All Primary options plus anti-malware and looking safety, advert and tracker blocker and knowledge breach scanner | All Plus options plus 1TB encrypted cloud storage, cyber extortion safety and identification theft restoration profit |
Personally, I believe the NordVPN Plus plan for one 12 months at $5.99 per 30 days is the perfect package deal among the many three plans. It provides you extra security measures on high of the VPN whereas nonetheless not going overboard when it comes to the month-to-month payment.
Whereas I’m glad NordVPN has a seven-day free trial, I discover it unlucky that it’s solely out there through its Android cell app. This makes it tough for iOS and iPhone customers who’re probably excited by test-driving NordVPN. Hopefully, NordVPN makes its trial out there 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 evaluate.
Proton VPN pricing
Compared, Proton VPN has two tiers for its paid service and a devoted free model. Its paid plans are referred to as Proton VPN Plus and Limitless, each with month-to-month, annual and two-year contract choices.
| Proton VPN Free | Proton VPN Plus | Proton Limitless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month-to-month | Free | $9.99 per 30 days | $12.99 per 30 days |
| Annual | Free | $4.99 per 30 days | $9.99 per 30 days |
| 2 years | Free | $4.49 per 30 days | $7.99 per 30 days |
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Whereas Proton VPN doesn’t have a free trial of its paid tiers, I like the way it offers 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 offers you entry to 5 international locations and slower speeds. Nevertheless, it’s beneficiant given the way it offers limitless bandwidth and knowledge — one thing that isn’t frequent on different free VPNs. Compared, NordVPN doesn’t presently provide any form of free model.
By way of its paid plans, I discover the Plus subscription for one 12 months to be the perfect 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 is probably not of use to you.
If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full Proton VPN evaluate and see this information on how one can use Proton VPN.
NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Characteristic comparability
Safety protocols and encryption
Winner: Tie
Each NordVPN and Proton VPN have VPN protocols that present a superb combine between velocity 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 a minimum of have the security-focused OpenVPN protocol and the speed-oriented WireGuard protocol. Fortuitously, we get variations of each with NordVPN and Proton VPN.
SEE: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Greatest? (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 consumer knowledge, utilized by authorities businesses, banks and navy establishments to maintain delicate data safe in opposition to 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 international locations. In distinction, Proton VPN provides entry to six,300+ servers in 100 international locations.
Whereas the distinction in server depend is negligible, I discover extra worth in NordVPN having a further 11 extra international locations over Proton VPN. That is necessary as a result of one of many predominant makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material.
With the upper nation depend, customers and companies may have extra location choices to select from with regards to unblocking.
Third-party audits and observe file
Winner: Proton VPN
So far as general observe file and third-party audits go, I’m giving the win to Proton VPN. Whereas each VPN suppliers have undergone in depth and up to date unbiased audits, I really feel Proton VPN offers extra transparency to the general public with regards to audit outcomes.
As of July 2024, Proton VPN has completed its third consecutive unbiased audit, confirming its no-logs coverage. On the flipside, NordVPN has undergone 4 unbiased 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 Greatest Free VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Alternatively, Proton VPN offers 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 sturdy dedication to holding 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. Except for its predominant 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 personal encrypted community, permitting them to share recordsdata or entry different units extra securely.
I personally like this double VPN function that routes the consumer’s connection to 2 completely different VPN server places, offering a further layer of safety alongside the encrypted VPN connection.
Different options embrace a built-in malware, internet tracker and advert blocker, in addition to a darkish internet monitor to maintain observe of compromised credentials, amongst different safety capabilities.
SEE: Does a VPN Gradual Down Your Web Velocity? (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 number of the strongest privateness legal guidelines on the planet. Which means Proton customers received’t have to fret about their knowledge being illegally accessed.
It additionally has a novel Stealth VPN protocol that makes use of obfuscation expertise 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 permit VPNs.
Total, whereas Proton VPN contains helpful privacy-focused options, I give the benefit to NordVPN for its in depth suite of extra performance on high of its predominant VPN capabilities.
Efficiency and velocity
Winner: NordVPN
In the case of velocity, I’ve to provide NordVPN the benefit. Throughout my testing, I linked to each VPNs and did my traditional 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 velocity whereas linked to a NordVPN server in comparison with my web service supplier, I truthfully felt zero to little distinction in velocity.
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 general reliability with its connection.
In case your precedence is having the perfect speeds, I discover NordVPN to be the higher alternative out of the 2.
Ease of use and design
Winner: NordVPN
For consumer expertise, ease of use and design, NordVPN is my winner. NordVPN makes use of a minimalist, light-themed consumer interface that’s straightforward on the eyes and intuitive to navigate.
It has a sidebar on the left that neatly organizes all its necessary 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 occurring 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 listing 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 listing, Meshnet software and different options.
With this, I really feel it helps make NordVPN the simpler VPN to make use of out of the field. That is particularly necessary for learners who is probably not acquainted with how VPNs work.
Simultaneous machine connections
Winner: Tie
Trying into simultaneous machine connections, NordVPN and Proton VPN are tied. Each VPNs permit for as much as 10 units to be concurrently linked to their VPN servers.
Whereas I’d have most well-liked being able to attach an infinite variety of units, like Personal Web Entry VPN or Surfshark VPN, I believe 10 units continues to be a adequate quantity for many companies and customers. It will permit 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 international locations, with 6,400+ servers.
- Properly-designed and intuitive desktop utility.
- Consists of quite a lot of security-focused extra options.
Cons
- Full audit outcomes require a NordVPN account.
- Free trial solely accessible through Android.
- No free model.
Proton VPN execs and cons
Execs
- Based mostly in privacy-friendly Switzerland.
- Extra clear audit outcomes.
- Has a free model with limitless knowledge.
Cons
- Desktop app might 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 in depth 111-country server community, a bevy of extra privacy-focused options and an easy-to-use and well-designed VPN utility.
I additionally actually like NordVPN for its general 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 efficient alternative for learners who need to attempt a free VPN with none knowledge or bandwidth restrictions.
Proton VPN can also be an amazing choice for customers who’re significantly anxious about authorities surveillance. As a Switzerland-based firm, it operates in a privacy-friendly nation that may provide peace of thoughts to companies and customers with privateness considerations.
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 have been scored on all the things from their server networks to their pricing. Specifically, I took under consideration 5 predominant pillars, every having corresponding weights:
- Pricing (20%).
- Core VPN options (30%).
- Ease of use (15%).
- Buyer assist (30%).
- Knowledgeable evaluation (5%).
I additionally appeared into actual consumer suggestions and respected evaluations to spherical out my last suggestions for each NordVPN and Proton VPN.
For velocity and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows pc and ran them by Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I additionally thought of which kinds of companies or particular person customers would finest profit from both NordVPN or Proton VPN.