NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Which VPN Is Better?
NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Which VPN Is Better? Both are paid VPNs with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the choice comes down to what you want around the tunnel. We recommend NordVPN when cashback matters: it has a page of its own with us, its three plans are clearly tiered, and one account covers up to 10 devices. Proton VPN has a free plan and says its apps are open source and independently audited, which counts if you want to test before paying. Offers change, status October 2026.
Where cashback applies
NordVPN is on our list: NordVPN at daily cashback. The current rate is shown on that page and not in this article, because it moves with the provider's campaigns. Proton VPN has no shop page with us, so a Proton subscription earns nothing from our side and costs what Proton's own page shows.
Available here with cashback
One consequence is easy to miss: Proton's free plan can never produce cashback, since nothing is bought. Cashback needs a paid order that stays paid.
How to order NordVPN so it is tracked
Open the shop page first, then pick your plan on the NordVPN site in the same browser session. Pause your ad blocker for that visit and skip other deal or comparison sites in between, because a later click from somewhere else can replace ours. The order appears as pending in your free account. After NordVPN confirms it, the amount becomes payable by PayPal.
A refund inside the 30 days ends the cashback too. If you only want to try a VPN for nothing, Proton offers a free plan; a NordVPN test means a paid order and, if you drop it, a refund request.
The plans
NordVPN lists Basic, Complete and Ultra. All three include the VPN, scam and phishing protection and Dark Web Monitor for up to 5 e-mail addresses, and each covers up to 10 devices simultaneously. Complete adds malware protection from the next-generation antivirus, an ad and tracker blocker, e-mail protection, a password manager, plus 1 TB of cloud storage that is encrypted. Ultra adds Incogni, a service that asks data brokers to remove your details. A dedicated IP is an add-on on every level. The pricing page speaks of 225+ locations.
Proton VPN has Free, VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited. Free covers one device at a time, medium speed and servers in 10 countries chosen at random. VPN Plus raises that to 10 devices, the highest speed and a free choice among 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, with streaming, P2P, malware and ad blocking and priority support with live chat. Proton Unlimited adds Proton Pass, Mail, Calendar and Drive. Proton lists no logs and no ads for every level.
Privacy statements
Proton says its VPN is open source and independently audited, and it presents itself as Swiss-based. NordVPN says on its features page that independent experts check its no-user-tracking claim every year. Both are the providers' own statements. If privacy is your main reason to choose, read the audit reports themselves.
Renewal and refund
Both show a lower price for the first term and a renewal price. NordVPN prints the yearly renewal figure right under the offer, and Proton states for its 2-year option what it renews at every 12 months. Look at both numbers before you commit to two years, and remember that VAT depends on your country.
Side by side
| Point | NordVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback with us | yes, own shop page | not listed |
| Free plan | none | yes, 1 device, 10 countries |
| Paid plans | Basic, Complete, Ultra | VPN Plus, Proton Unlimited |
| Devices at once | up to 10 | 10 on Plus, 1 on Free |
| Network | 225+ locations | 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries |
| Money-back period | 30 days on all plans | 30 days on paid plans |
| Extras | antivirus, password manager, cloud storage (Complete) | Pass, Mail, Calendar, Drive (Unlimited) |
Who should pick what
Households with many devices: phones, laptops and a TV box fit into the ten places of one NordVPN account, and Complete puts the extras in the same app.
People who want to start free: Proton VPN lets you try the service on one device before any payment, and its open-source claim is a plus for privacy readers.
Anyone after cashback: only NordVPN qualifies on our side.
Our recommendation
Take NordVPN through its shop page if you want a bundle you can set up in one afternoon and a cashback on top. Choose Proton VPN on its merits if the free start or the open-source apps decide it; it simply earns nothing through us.
Quick takeaways
- Cashback starts on the NordVPN shop page; Proton VPN is not part of it.
- Both give 30 days of money-back on paid plans, and a refund cancels the cashback.
- Ten devices per account on NordVPN, one device on the Proton free plan.
- When a purchase pays off is covered in our guide to timing a VPN or software order.
Available here with cashback