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vsNordVPN

Proton VPN vs NordVPN

Last updated August 2026

Looking for a European alternative to NordVPN? Here's how Proton VPN compares, on EU hosting, GDPR and what it does.

Our pick for a European buyer: Proton VPN. We weight data residency, GDPR and EU jurisdiction above everything else — that is the constraint this directory exists to solve.

Proton VPN
NordVPN
What it is
Swiss VPN with open-source apps and a free plan
not established
Headquarters
🇨🇭 CH
No
EU data residency
not established
not established
DSGVO / GDPR
No
not established
Certifications
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II
not established
Price from
$4.99/month/yr
not established
Free plan
Yes
not established
Open Source
Yes
not established
Ratings
No
No
Integrations
Proton Mail, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, Proton Calendar, Firefox +5
not established

We have not yet completed our own research on NordVPN; rows above show only what we can evidence. Check the vendor for specifics.

Where each one wins

Proton VPN

Strengths

  • +Strong privacy credentials with a verified no-logs policy and Swiss jurisdiction
  • +Open-source applications with transparent security audits
  • +Intuitive interface with Quick Connect and one-tap options
  • +Best-in-class free plan with unlimited bandwidth and no ads
  • +Reliable streaming and torrenting support with P2P-optimized servers
  • +VPN Accelerator feature boosting speeds by over 400%
  • +Secure Core (double-hop) and Tor over VPN for enhanced privacy
  • +Competitive long-term pricing starting at $2.99/month for the 2-year plan

Limitations

  • −Inconsistent speeds during peak hours and on long-distance connections
  • −Limited server coverage in regions like Africa and poor performance in China
  • −10-device connection cap restricts flexibility for larger users

NordVPN

Review sentiment not yet compiled.

Data residency & compliance

Proton VPN
NordVPN
EU data residency
not established
not established
Transfer mechanism
not established
not established
DPA
not established
not established
Sub-processors
not established
not established
Certifications
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II
No

Pricing

Proton VPN

  • Proton Free Free no time limit1 device · Medium VPN speed · Servers in 10 countries (randomly selected)
  • VPN Plus $4.99/month billed annuallyUp to 10 devices · Highest VPN speed · 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries
  • Proton Unlimited $9.99/month billed annuallyAll VPN Plus features · Premium access to Proton Mail, Drive, Pass, Calendar · Up to 500 GB storage (Mail + Drive)

Prices may vary based on promotional offers and billing cycle. Free plan has no trial requirement.

NordVPN

No published pricing we could verify.

Features

Proton VPN

Privacy and Security
Masks real IP address to prevent tracking, Strict no-logs policy under Swiss law, AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption with forward secrecy, Supports WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols
Anti-Censorship and Access
Alternative routing via third-party networks (e.g., AWS), Stealth VPN protocol to evade detection and bypass blocks, Tor over VPN support for .onion sites, Unblocks content in countries without internet censorship
Performance and Usability
High-speed servers up to 10 Gbps, VPN Accelerator (up to 400% speed increase), Supports up to 10 simultaneous devices, Port forwarding for improved P2P performance
Additional Features
NetShield (DNS filtering ad-blocker for ads, trackers, malware), Live chat support for paid plans

NordVPN

Feature breakdown not yet compiled.

See Proton VPN →More NordVPN alternatives