NordVPN vs ProtonVPN: Which Is Actually More Private in 2025?
Both NordVPN and ProtonVPN market themselves on privacy — but they are built very differently. We tested both for 30 days to find out which one you should actually trust.
If privacy is your main reason for using a VPN, the choice between NordVPN and ProtonVPN matters more than most comparison articles will tell you. Both are marketed as privacy-first services, but the similarities end there. One is a commercial product built for mass appeal. The other is built by the people who made ProtonMail — arguably the most trusted privacy company on the internet.
The short answer
ProtonVPN wins on trust and transparency. NordVPN wins on speed and ease of use. Which matters more depends entirely on your threat model.
Who makes them?
NordVPN is owned by Nord Security, a company based in Panama. Panama has no mandatory data retention laws, which is good for privacy. The company has been independently audited and passed, but it is ultimately a commercial product whose goal is growth.
ProtonVPN is made by Proton AG, the Swiss company behind ProtonMail. Switzerland has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. The Proton team includes former CERN scientists and their entire codebase is open source — meaning anyone can inspect it.
Logging policies
NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy that has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers. They have also had their no-logs policy proven in practice — when a server was seized by authorities, there was nothing useful on it.
ProtonVPN also has a no-logs policy, is open source, and has been independently audited by SEC Consult. Because the code is public, the no-logs claim is verifiable — not just a promise.
Edge goes to ProtonVPN purely because the open source nature makes verification possible in a way NordVPN cannot match.
Speed comparison
NordVPN is significantly faster. In our tests from the UK, NordVPN consistently delivered 400-500 Mbps on a 600 Mbps connection using NordLynx (WireGuard). ProtonVPN delivered around 250-350 Mbps on the same connection using WireGuard.
For streaming and general use, both are fast enough. If you are on a very fast connection and do not want any noticeable slowdown, NordVPN has the edge.
Price
NordVPN starts from $3.99/month on a two-year plan. ProtonVPN starts from $4.99/month on a two-year plan. NordVPN is cheaper, but ProtonVPN offers a genuinely unlimited free tier — something NordVPN does not.
Which should you choose?
Choose ProtonVPN if: privacy is a serious concern, you want to verify the code yourself, or you want a free option that does not compromise your data.
Choose NordVPN if: speed matters more than maximum transparency, you want the easiest setup experience, or you are primarily using it for streaming.
Both are excellent. Neither will let you down. But if you asked us which one we personally trust more, the answer is ProtonVPN — because trust in privacy tools should be verifiable, not just promised.
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