VPN · Comparison

NordVPN vs Proton VPN in 2026: Price, Free Plan and Privacy Compared

Proton VPN has a free plan: one device, servers in 10 countries, no data or time limit. NordVPN has none. For 10 devices on the Swiss pages of 23 September 2026, Proton VPN Plus costs CHF 3.49 a month (CHF 83.76 for 24 months, then CHF 83.88 a year) and NordVPN Basic CHF 3.29 (CHF 88.83 for 27 months, then CHF 133.08 a year). Proton adds port forwarding. NordVPN pays us a commission.

Proton VPN Free, our pick to start with (no affiliate link) → NordVPN offer page, the runner-up →

Affiliate link: the NordVPN button is an affiliate link and NordVPN pays us a commission if you buy through it; the price you pay is the same either way. The Proton VPN button is a plain link; we have no partnership with Proton.

Written and checked by , Promo Code Network, Switzerland

NordVPN vs Proton VPN price and plans, free plan included

PlanPriceAfter the first termDevicesWhat the provider lists
Proton FreeCHF 0, no card neededStays free1Servers in 10 countries, randomly selected; no ads; no data or time limits; streaming and P2P not included
Proton VPN Plus, 2 yearsCHF 3.49 a month; CHF 83.76 for 24 monthsCHF 83.88 a year1020,000+ servers in 140+ countries; streaming, P2P, ad and malware blocker
NordVPN BasicCHF 3.29 a month; CHF 88.83 for 27 monthsCHF 133.08 a year10VPN, scam and phishing protection while connected
NordVPN CompleteCHF 4.19 a month; CHF 113.13 for 27 monthsCHF 209.88 a year10Adds malware scanning, password manager, 1 TB encrypted cloud storage
NordVPN UltraCHF 6.19 a month; CHF 167.13 for 27 monthsCHF 259.08 a year10Adds Incogni data removal

Pricing pages of Proton VPN (Swiss francs, 2-year tab: “Billed at CHF 83.76 for the first 24 months, then renews at CHF 83.88 every 12 months”) and NordVPN (Switzerland), both read 23 September 2026. NordVPN notes that VAT may apply; it renews yearly after the first 27 months.

Start free, then look at the renewal. Proton Free costs nothing and has no data cap, so it shows whether one device is enough before you spend anything. If you need more, NordVPN Basic is CHF 0.20 a month cheaper in the first term, but Proton VPN Plus renews at CHF 83.88 a year against NordVPN’s CHF 133.08, CHF 49.20 a year less.

Devices and refund conditions at NordVPN and Proton VPN

CriterionNordVPNProton VPN
Devices at once10 on every plan; a router uses one slot and covers every device behind it1 on Free, 10 on VPN Plus
Refund window30 days from the first purchaseFull refund if you cancel within 30 days of the initial purchase; cancellation and request both inside the 30 days
LimitsInitial purchase only; not after a renewal unless local law requires itOnce per user; direct purchases through Proton’s website and apps only; cash and bank transfers not refundable
RenewalYearly after the first 27 months; email before the chargeAutomatically; the terms say for the duration first chosen, the pricing page shows the 2-year plan renewing every 12 months
How to askLive chat, then the Refund button in Nord AccountProton’s support form

NordVPN refund policy, device-limit article and pricing-page terms; Proton pricing page and terms of service (last modified 23 June 2026); all read 23 September 2026.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN on jurisdiction and audits

CriterionNordVPNProton VPN
Operator and baseSays it is based in Panama; nordvpn.com is published by Nord SecurityProton AG, Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland; its terms apply Swiss law and name the courts of Geneva
No-logs reviews, as publishedPricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland in 2018 and 2020, then Deloitte, the latest in 2025Securitum; Proton reports a fifth consecutive annual audit and links the full report for each year from 2022 to 2026
Open codeMeshnet, by NordVPN’s accountAll Proton apps, by Proton’s account
Network, as published7,887 servers in 150 countries, 225 locations20,000+ servers in 140+ countries on paid plans; 10 countries on Free

Proton gathers its Securitum reports in one blog post, updated 16 June 2026, with a link to each. NordVPN’s no-logs page links posts about its reviews but gives a different total from its servers page, so this page states no count for NordVPN.

Features: Secure Core and port forwarding against Meshnet and Threat Protection

Proton VPN. Secure Core first routes traffic through Proton-owned servers in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden, kept in high-security data centres with full-disk encryption, and then to an exit server in another country. Port forwarding is included on all paid plans for any BitTorrent client: in the Windows and Linux apps, and on macOS as an early-access feature, while connected to a server marked P2P.

NordVPN. Every plan includes scam and phishing protection through NordVPN’s DNS servers, active only while connected. Complete and Ultra add the next-gen antivirus built on Threat Protection Pro: download scanning plus ad and tracker blocking on desktop, also without a VPN connection. Meshnet links up to 10 of your own devices and 50 external ones, and NordVPN calls it free. Specialty servers include Double VPN, Onion Over VPN and obfuscated servers. NordVPN does not offer port forwarding, because customers share its servers.

Verdict: NordVPN or Proton VPN?

Proton VPN is our pick in this comparison, starting with its free plan, and we have no affiliate relationship with Proton; NordVPN, the runner-up, pays us a commission if you buy through this page. Proton wins the two criteria that separate the pair: a free plan at CHF 0 against none, and port forwarding on paid plans against none. Devices are a draw at 10 on paid plans, and so are refunds at 30 days. Both name their auditors; Proton links a report for each year. Price splits: NordVPN Basic is cheaper in the first term at CHF 3.29 against CHF 3.49 a month, Proton VPN Plus after it at CHF 83.88 against CHF 133.08 a year.

When to choose NordVPN instead. If you want malware scanning of downloads outside the VPN tunnel, that is NordVPN Complete at CHF 4.19 a month (CHF 113.13 for 27 months, then CHF 209.88 a year). If you rely on Double VPN or Onion Over VPN servers, those are NordVPN features. Decide inside the 30-day window either way.

NordVPN vs Proton VPN: common questions

What are the limits of Proton VPN’s free plan?
Proton Free covers one device at a time and connects to servers in 10 countries, randomly selected. Proton says it has no ads and no data or time limits and needs no card; streaming and P2P are reserved for paid plans. NordVPN has no free plan.
Does NordVPN or Proton VPN offer port forwarding?
Proton VPN does, on all paid plans: in the Windows and Linux apps, and on macOS as an early-access feature, while connected to a P2P server. NordVPN states that it does not offer port forwarding because multiple customers use the same servers.
How much does Proton VPN Plus cost in Switzerland?
On Proton’s pricing page on 23 September 2026 the 2-year VPN Plus plan was CHF 3.49 a month, billed CHF 83.76 for the first 24 months and then CHF 83.88 every 12 months. NordVPN Basic was CHF 3.29 a month, CHF 88.83 for 27 months, then CHF 133.08 a year.
What is Proton’s Secure Core?
Secure Core sends traffic first through Proton-owned servers in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden, housed in high-security data centres with full-disk encryption, before it leaves through an exit server in another country. NordVPN’s two-server option is Double VPN, listed among its specialty servers.
Do both give my money back if I change my mind?
Yes, within 30 days. Proton refunds in full if you cancel and ask within 30 days of the initial purchase, once per user and for direct purchases only; cash and bank transfers are excluded. NordVPN refunds within 30 days of the first purchase, but not after a renewal.

Sources

  1. NordVPN: pricing (Switzerland); refund policy; device limit; no-logs page; servers; next-gen antivirus (Threat Protection); Meshnet; port forwarding. Read 23 September 2026.
  2. Proton VPN: pricing (VPN Plus 2-year price and renewal in CHF, plan limits); free VPN page; terms of service (refunds, renewal, Proton AG, Geneva). Read 23 September 2026.
  3. Proton VPN: Secure Core; port forwarding; no-logs audits by Securitum, updated 16 June 2026. Read 23 September 2026.