NordVPN vs Proton VPN: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
Both allow 10 devices and refund within 30 days. Proton VPN has a free plan, port forwarding on paid plans, a Swiss base, the most recent audit (2026) and 6,015 US servers in 22 cities; NordVPN covers more US cities (55), bundles antivirus and identity tools on its upper tiers, and has no free plan or port forwarding.
Option A
Option B
$9.99/moVPN Plus
Official price before tax: $9.99
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Proton Free
Proton VPN price and plansWe compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes (1 device) |
| US servers | 2,435 in 55 cities | 6,015 in 22 cities |
| Port forwarding | No | Yes (paid) |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | Switzerland |
| Latest audit | 2025 | 2026 |
| Devices | 10 | 10 (Free: 1) |
NordVPN is the big commercial name; Proton VPN comes from the privacy company behind Proton Mail. Both are outside the 14 Eyes.
If you don’t want to read further
Free to start, port forwarding, or Swiss jurisdiction — Proton VPN. More US cities and antivirus or identity protection in the same plan — NordVPN.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Is there a free plan?
NordVPN
No.
Proton VPN
Yes — one device, no data limit, no ads; the country is chosen for you.
You can try Proton without paying.
Port forwarding?
NordVPN
No.
Proton VPN
Yes, on paid plans, on P2P servers (Windows, macOS, Linux).
For torrent setups that need it, Proton.
US coverage?
NordVPN
2,435 servers in 55 cities.
Proton VPN
6,015 servers in 22 cities.
Proton publishes more servers; Nord covers more cities.
Jurisdiction and audits?
NordVPN
Panama; six audits, the latest in 2025.
Proton VPN
Switzerland; latest audit in 2026.
Both are outside the 14 Eyes.
Tax on the price list?
NordVPN
Sales tax added at checkout depending on your state.
Proton VPN
The price list doesn’t say; checkout asks for your tax residence.
Check the checkout total with both.
Linux?
NordVPN
Command-line app; Kill Switch by command.
Proton VPN
App with or without a graphical interface; standard and advanced kill switch.
Prefer a Linux app with buttons? Proton VPN.
TV apps?
NordVPN
Fire TV Stick app – without Kill Switch there.
Proton VPN
Android TV, and Apple TV on a paid plan with tvOS 17.
No app for your TV? A VPN router covers it.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
10 devices on paid plans
Both allow 10 at once.
30-day money-back
Both refund within 30 days.
Outside the 14 Eyes
Panama and Switzerland.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You don’t want to pay yet | Proton VPN Free | One device; no country choice. |
| You need port forwarding | Proton VPN Plus | On P2P servers, desktop apps. |
| You want a server in a smaller US city | NordVPN | 55 US cities. |
| You want antivirus in the same plan | NordVPN Complete | Plus a password manager and cloud storage. |
- NordVPN adds sales tax at checkout depending on your state.
- Proton’s 2-year price covers 24 months; NordVPN’s covers 27.
- Proton Free doesn’t let you choose a US server.
- NordVPN has no port forwarding.
Where the facts come from
Sources: NordVPN’s and Proton’s US price lists, server lists and Proton’s port forwarding page. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: NordVPN or Proton VPN
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “VPN services” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — port forwarding: Proton VPN VPN Plus
NordVPN Basic: no (1,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: yes (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — free way to try it: Proton VPN VPN Plus
NordVPN Basic: refund within 30 days (3,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: free version (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — what’s included in the same plan: Proton VPN VPN Plus
NordVPN Basic: ad blocking, split tunneling (2 of 3) (3,7/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: ad blocking, tracker blocking, split tunneling (3 of 3) (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — price jump at renewal: Proton VPN VPN Plus
NordVPN Basic: 11,59 USD/mo — 3,3× more expensive (2,5/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 6,99 USD/mo — 2,0× more expensive (3,0/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: NordVPN Basic
NordVPN Basic: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 4,6 out of 5 (4,6/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: