Detailed side-by-side comparison based on our March 2026 testing. Which VPN comes out on top?
| Feature | NordVPN | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 9.7/10 | 8.9/10 |
| Price (Best Plan) | $3.39/mo | $4.49/mo |
| Servers | 6,300+ | 4,600+ |
| Countries | 111 | 110 |
| Simultaneous Devices | 10 | 10 |
| Download Speed | 890 Mbps | 810 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 480 Mbps | 400 Mbps |
| Latency | 12 ms | 17 ms |
| Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard (Stealth), OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM | AES-256-GCM |
| Kill Switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split Tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| No-Logs Policy | Verified | Verified |
| Streaming Support | Yes | Yes |
| Torrenting | Yes | Yes |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | Switzerland |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
In our March 2026 speed tests, NordVPN achieved download speeds of 890 Mbps compared to ProtonVPN's 810 Mbps. This gives NordVPN a clear speed advantage, although both VPNs are fast enough for 4K streaming and gaming.
Upload speeds tell a similar story: NordVPN at 480 Mbps versus ProtonVPN at 400 Mbps. For latency-sensitive tasks like gaming, NordVPN's 12 ms average ping beats ProtonVPN's 17 ms.
Both NordVPN and ProtonVPN offer AES-256-GCM encryption and maintain no-logs policies. NordVPN is based in Panama while ProtonVPN operates from Switzerland. Both passed our DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leak tests without issues.
While both are excellent VPNs, NordVPN edges ahead with a 9.7/10 rating compared to ProtonVPN's 8.9/10. NordVPN offers faster speeds, more servers, and better value at $3.39/mo.
That said, ProtonVPN is still a strong choice, especially if you value best for privacy. You cannot go wrong with either option.