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Independently verified · Quarterly re-audit
EU VETTED
Head-to-head

NordVPN vs Proton VPN

How Proton VPN, a European VPN tool, compares with NordVPN on the signals a privacy-conscious buyer actually checks: who owns it, where it hosts, and its exposure to the US CLOUD Act.

In short

Proton VPN (Switzerland — owned by the non-profit Proton Foundation, open source, independently audited no-logs, from €5/mo) is the transparency-first pick against NordVPN. Both are strong, audited VPNs, so this is not about whether they keep logs — it is about ownership and jurisdiction. NordVPN is operated by Nord Security (Lithuania, with a Panama holding) and is fast, feature-rich, and cheaper on long plans. Proton VPN's edge is structural: a non-profit foundation that cannot be sold to private equity, Swiss jurisdiction outside the 14-Eyes alliance, fully open-source apps, and Secure Core multi-hop. NordVPN's edge is raw server scale and price.

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Side-by-side

NordVPN vs Proton VPN, on jurisdiction & transparency

Ownership, jurisdiction, and independently audited no-logs — side by side. The right column is pulled live from our verified dataset.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN, on the sovereignty signals
Signal NordVPN Proton VPN
Jurisdiction Lithuania (Nord Security) EU · holding in Panama Switzerland Outside 14-Eyes
Owner Nord Security (also owns Surfshark) Proton Foundation (Swiss non-profit)
No-logs, audited Audited Audited
Servers / countries 7,000+ / 125 20,000 / 140
Devices 10 10
Price from from $3.39/mo (2-yr) from €5/mo
Visit Proton VPN → Read the Proton VPN profile →
Verdict

NordVPN vs Proton VPN: which should you pick?

NordVPN is a genuinely strong, independently audited VPN — so this is not a quality complaint, it is a question of ownership and jurisdiction. NordVPN is operated by Nord Security in Lithuania (with a Panama holding), fast, feature-rich, and cheapest on long plans. Proton VPN (Switzerland — Proton Foundation non-profit, open source, audited) wins on structure: a non-profit owner that cannot be sold to private equity, Swiss jurisdiction outside the 14-Eyes alliance, fully open-source apps, and Secure Core multi-hop.

Because both publish independently audited no-logs policies, the encryption-and-logging question is largely a tie. The real differentiators are who controls the company and under which legal system it operates.

Pick NordVPN if raw speed, the largest server network, streaming unblocking, and the lowest long-plan price are decisive. Pick Proton VPN if non-profit ownership, Swiss jurisdiction, open-source verifiability, and a genuinely usable free tier matter more — especially if you already use Proton Mail, Drive, or Pass.

Switching

Migrating from NordVPN to Proton VPN

Switching VPNs is quick — there is no data to move, just apps and billing to swap.

  1. Set up Proton VPN first. Create an account (or use the free tier to trial it) and install the apps on your devices before cancelling anything, so you are never without protection.
  2. Recreate your key settings. Turn on the kill switch, pick your default protocol (WireGuard/NordLynx-equivalent), and enable Secure Core or always-on if you used multi-hop or auto-connect on NordVPN.
  3. Confirm it works for your use case. Test the connections you rely on — streaming, P2P, or specific country servers — before you drop NordVPN.
  4. Cancel NordVPN and claim any refund. NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back window; if you are within it, request the refund. Remove the NordVPN apps once Proton VPN is running on every device.
FAQ

NordVPN vs Proton VPN — frequently asked questions

Do both NordVPN and Proton VPN actually keep no logs?
Both publish a no-logs policy that has been independently audited, which is the meaningful bar — many VPNs claim no-logs without an audit, and these two do not. So the decision is not 'which one keeps logs' but which ownership and jurisdiction you trust. Proton VPN is operated from Switzerland (outside the 14-Eyes alliance) by the non-profit Proton Foundation and ships fully open-source apps; NordVPN is operated by Nord Security in Lithuania with a Panama holding company. Both are credible; the structural transparency differs.
Why does Proton VPN's non-profit ownership matter?
In 2024 Proton's founders donated their controlling shares to the Proton Foundation, a Swiss non-profit, which now controls Proton AG. That structure permanently shields Proton from a venture-capital or private-equity acquisition — the kind of ownership change that has repeatedly altered other VPN brands' incentives. For buyers who weight long-term ownership stability and mission alignment, it is a genuine differentiator over a privately held commercial operator.
Is NordVPN based in Panama or Lithuania?
Both, in different senses. NordVPN's no-logs jurisdiction has historically been marketed as Panama via a holding company, while the operating company, Nord Security, is headquartered in Lithuania (an EU member state). We record the jurisdiction as Lithuania with the Panama holding noted, because that reflects where the business is actually run. Proton VPN is unambiguously Swiss — operated by Proton AG in Geneva under Swiss law.
Which is faster and has more servers?
NordVPN leads on raw server scale and is consistently rated among the fastest consumer VPNs, with its NordLynx (WireGuard-based) protocol. Proton VPN also offers WireGuard and a very large network, plus Secure Core multi-hop routing through hardened Swiss/Icelandic/Swedish servers for higher-threat use. For pure speed and server count, NordVPN typically has the edge; for multi-hop and open-source verifiability, Proton VPN does.
Which is cheaper?
NordVPN is usually cheaper on long (2-year) commitments, though its price rises at renewal. Proton VPN paid plans start around €5/month and it offers an unusually capable free tier (no data cap, no ads). For lowest sticker price on a long plan, NordVPN; for a usable free tier and bundling with Proton Mail/Drive/Pass, Proton VPN.
Can I use Proton VPN's free tier instead of paying for NordVPN?
For light use, often yes. Proton VPN's free tier is uncommonly generous — one device, servers in a rotating set of countries, no data limit, no speed throttling, and no ads — with the same no-logs guarantees as the paid tier. It lacks Secure Core, streaming-optimised servers, and multi-device support. NordVPN has no free tier. If you need many simultaneous devices, streaming unblocking, or top speeds, the paid comparison applies.
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METHODOLOGY

How we verified each row above.

For every product we read the public DPA, sub-processors document, hosting region declaration, and corporate ownership records. Each is timestamped. Signals are editorial, re-verified quarterly. We never accept self-attestation.

Reviewed by the EU Vetted editorial team · Editorial guidelines

Last verified June 2026

Read methodology →