Proton VPN vs NordVPN (2025 Comparison)

NordVPN and Proton VPN are both great choices for users seeking a secure online experience. They are dedicated to protecting user security with features such as strict no-logs policies, a kill switch and military-grade AES-256 encryption, ensuring your data stays safe and your online presence remains anonymous. They also both provide compatibility with a range of mobile and desktop operating systems.

In terms of server network, NordVPN takes the lead with an impressive count of 6,302 servers.

While Proton VPN has a smaller network with less than half of NordVPN’s server count, it compensates for this by spreading its servers across a broader geographical area. Proton VPN also allows users to connect to more devices simultaneously, making it a better option for families.

Both VPNs offer basic security features including a no-logs policy, ad blockers and strong encryption. Both offer multiple simultaneous connections, NordVPN allows for six devices while Proton VPN allows up to 10 devices. To maintain and enhance transparency, 100% of Proton VPN apps are open source. This means anyone can examine their code. Three of NordVPN’s products—the NordVPN app on Linux, Libtelio and Libdrop—are open source.

Kill Switch

Both VPNs offer a Kill Switch feature, which automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection drops, ensuring your data remains secure.

Dedicated IP

Unlike shared IPs that are used by multiple users, a dedicated IP is a unique internet address assigned solely to a single user. A dedicated IP can help bypass scrutiny from websites that might block or limit access due to suspicious activity often associated with shared IPs. It also helps secure access to sensitive information. NordVPN offers a dedicated IP to its users as an add-on feature. The prices vary from $3.69 USD ($5.04 CAD) to $8.99 USD ($12.29 CAD) per month depending on the length of the subscription plan. Proton VPN does not offer a dedicated IP in its list of features.

Servers

NordVPN has more than double the number of servers than Proton VPN. While NordVPN has 6,302 servers, Proton VPN has 4,500-plus servers at the time of this writing. While having a large number of servers can potentially lead to quicker connections, the location of the servers is also a significant factor that influences the speed of the connection. With 90-plus locations, Proton VPN has less server locations than NordVPN with 111 locations. Both NordVPN and Proton VPN list their servers’ locations on their website.

When it comes to pricing, NordVPN is significantly more affordable for yearly plans, but more expensive for monthly plans. NordVPN offers users the choice of three paid plans ranging from $68.85 USD ($94.14 CAD) a year to $121.35 USD ($165.92 CAD) a year. The difference between the plans is the inclusion of password management and secure file storage features.

Proton VPN has one paid plan at $59.88 USD ($81.87 CAD) a year; however, unlike NordVPN, it also provides a free plan. The free plan comes with unlimited bandwidth and customer support, but is limited to 90-plus servers across the United States, Netherlands and Japan.

While Proton VPN’s yearly plan is more expensive than NordVPN’s yearly plans, those who do not want to commit to a year and prefer to use it on a monthly basis will find Proton VPN cheaper. Proton VPN’s monthly plans are $9.99 USD ($13.65 CAD) a month while NordVPN’s range from $12.99 USD ($17.76 CAD) to $16.59 USD ($22.68 CAD) a month. The monthly charge is much more expensive than the yearly plans (the two-year plan is even cheaper). Both providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for those who want to try out the VPN service before committing to a year.

NordVPN has an average of 4.2 stars with more than 30,000 reviews on Trustpilot. With just over 400 reviews, Proton VPN has a poor rating and an average of 2.3 stars on Trustpilot. Proton VPN does much better on Capterra with an average of 4.6 stars in 39 reviews. NordVPN has an average of 4.6 stars on Capterra with more than 1,300 reviews.

For an extra layer of protection, Proton VPN provides seamless Tor integration, allowing users to connect to the Tor network with just a click. To provide its users with extra protection, NordVPN offers a Double VPN technology that encrypts data twice.

IPVanish, CyberGhost and Surfshark are each unique in their offerings compared to NordVPN and Proton VPN. IPVanish caters to large households or businesses with its allowance of unlimited simultaneous devices. CyberGhost stands out with 9,807 servers in 100 countries—one of the largest server networks in the industry—making it a great choice for those needing diverse connection locations. Surfshark differentiates itself with its budget-friendly yet feature-rich service, including innovative security features such as its CleanWeb suite that blocks ads, trackers and malware.

	MAX. NUMBER OF DEVICES	DEDICATED IP	KILL SWITCH	STARTING ANNUAL PRICE
IPVanish	Unlimited	No	Yes	$41.85 USD ($57.22 CAD)
Surfshark	Unlimited	Yes	Yes	$52.35 CAD
CyberGhost	Seven	Yes	Yes	$56.94 USD ($77.85 CAD) (two years)

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Bottom Line

NordVPN may be the best choice for individuals who prioritize having a vast network of servers, high speed and competitive pricing. Given its expansive server network, NordVPN is excellent for those who desire a wide range of options for connecting to different locations worldwide. It is also a better choice for budget-conscious users.

Proton VPN might be better suited for users who appreciate a broader geographical distribution of servers. Despite having fewer servers than NordVPN, Proton VPN’s servers are distributed across more countries, making it a preferable option for those needing connections in less common locations. Its capability to support up to 10 simultaneous connections makes it ideal for large families or small businesses needing a VPN solution across various devices.

Proton VPN is best for:

• Large families or small businesses needing a VPN solution across various devices
• Users who want a broader geographical distribution of servers

NordVPN is best for:

• Budget-conscious users
• Users who prioritize having a vast network of servers