📋 Quick Answer
- 🏆 Fastest & best for streaming: NordVPN (92% speed, unblocks everything)
- 🏆 Best free plan & open-source: ProtonVPN (unlimited data, Swiss-based)
- 🏆 Best value for money: NordVPN ($3.09/mo on 2-year plan)
- 🏆 Best privacy/transparency: ProtonVPN (open-source, court-proven no-logs)
- For most users: NordVPN is the better choice — unless you need a free plan
Head-to-Head Score
Based on our 30-day testing of both VPNs
NordVPN Overall
9.6/10 — Winner
ProtonVPN Overall
8.8/10 — Strong
Speed Winner
NordVPN (92% vs 84%)
Privacy Winner
ProtonVPN (open-source)
Real speed tests
Streaming tested
Security audited
Prices verified
Try Both — Risk-Free
Both offer money-back guarantees · ProtonVPN has a free plan
📊 Full Comparison Table
| Feature | NordVPN | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 92% retained ⭐ | 84% retained |
| Servers | 6,400+ in 111 countries ⭐ | 3,800+ in 100 countries |
| Free plan | No | Yes (unlimited data) ⭐ |
| Starting price | $3.09/mo ⭐ | $4.49/mo |
| Streaming | Excellent ⭐ | Good (paid only) |
| Open-source | No | Yes ⭐ |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | Switzerland ⭐ |
| No-logs audit | PwC + Deloitte ⭐ | Audited + court-proven |
| Devices | 10 ⭐ | Up to 10 |
| Protocol | NordLynx ⭐ | WireGuard + Stealth |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
🚀 Speed Comparison
We tested both VPNs from the same 200 Mbps connection. NordVPN is the clear winner:
184
NordVPN (Mbps)
92% retained
168
ProtonVPN (Mbps)
84% retained
42
ProtonVPN Free
21% retained
Winner: NordVPN. Its NordLynx protocol delivers 8% more speed than ProtonVPN's WireGuard implementation. The free plan is too slow for anything beyond basic browsing.
📺 Streaming Comparison
| Platform | NordVPN | ProtonVPN (Paid) | ProtonVPN (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🎬 Netflix US | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| 📺 BBC iPlayer | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| ✨ Disney+ | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| 🎥 Hulu | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| 🎞 Max (HBO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| ⚽ DAZN | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
Winner: NordVPN. Both work for streaming on paid plans, but NordVPN is more consistent and supports more regional libraries. ProtonVPN's free plan doesn't support streaming at all.
🔐 Security Comparison
🔵 NordVPN Security
- AES-256 + NordLynx protocol
- No-logs audited by PwC & Deloitte
- RAM-only servers
- Kill switch + DNS leak protection
- Double VPN
- Threat Protection (malware blocker)
- Dark Web Monitor
🟣 ProtonVPN Security
- AES-256 + WireGuard + Stealth
- Fully open-source code
- No-logs court-proven in Switzerland
- Secure Core (multi-hop via Iceland/CH/SE)
- Kill switch + DNS leak protection
- Swiss jurisdiction (strongest privacy)
- Stealth bypasses censorship
Verdict: Tie — but different strengths. NordVPN has more audits and RAM-only servers. ProtonVPN has open-source code and Swiss jurisdiction. Both are excellent for security.
💰 Price Comparison
| Plan | NordVPN | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Not available | $0/mo — unlimited data ⭐ |
| Monthly | $12.99/mo | $9.99/mo |
| 1 Year | $4.99/mo | $4.99/mo |
| 2 Years | $3.09/mo ⭐ | $4.49/mo |
Winner: Depends. ProtonVPN wins if you want free. NordVPN wins on paid plans — $3.09/mo vs $4.49/mo on the 2-year plan, with faster speeds and better streaming.
✅ Choose NordVPN If...
- You want the fastest VPN for streaming and gaming
- You want to unblock Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+
- You want the best deal on a long-term plan ($3.09/mo)
- You need a VPN for 10 devices simultaneously
- You want Threat Protection (malware + ad blocker built-in)
Get NordVPN — Up to 72% Off
30-day money-back guarantee on all plans
✅ Choose ProtonVPN If...
- You want a free VPN with unlimited data
- You prioritize open-source transparency
- You want a VPN based in Switzerland (outside 5/9/14 Eyes)
- You're a privacy researcher or journalist
- You need to bypass censorship in China, Iran, or Russia (Stealth protocol)
Try ProtonVPN Free — No Credit Card
Unlimited data · Swiss privacy · Open-source
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
NordVPN wins on speed, streaming, and price. ProtonVPN wins on privacy, transparency (open-source), and has a free plan. For most users, NordVPN is the better choice.
Yes — it's the only major VPN with unlimited data on the free plan. It's ideal for basic privacy but too slow for streaming or gaming. Upgrade to paid for full features.
NordVPN is significantly faster. It retained 92% of base speed in our tests vs 84% for ProtonVPN's paid plan. NordVPN's NordLynx protocol gives it a clear edge.
Both are very secure. ProtonVPN has the edge in transparency (fully open-source, Swiss-based). NordVPN has more independent audits (PwC + Deloitte) and RAM-only servers.
Yes — you could use ProtonVPN's free plan for basic browsing and NordVPN's paid plan for streaming and high-speed use. Both offer 30-day money-back guarantees.
Can't decide? Try both — risk-free
Both have 30-day money-back guarantees · ProtonVPN has a free plan
Published: March 16, 2026 · Last updated: March 16, 2026 · Reviewed by VPNBestPick editorial team