We put these VPNs to the test to find out which is the best!
I was impressed with the powerful privacy and security measures of Proton VPN and NordVPN. Both include a wide range of features, such as double VPN servers, kill switch, DNS leak protection, and split tunneling. Proton VPN is even backed by the renowned cybersecurity company Proton Technologies, which owns the encrypted email service ProtonMail (made popular by journalists and activists).
NordVPN’s long-term subscription is cheaper, but you can only connect 5 devices at once. At just a slightly higher price, a single Proton VPN account protects double the number of devices. This makes it worth the subscription if you want to share Proton VPN with your family and friends.
NordVPN has better speeds than Proton VPN. However, I found Proton VPN was still fast enough for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and surfing the internet.
In addition, both VPNs had consistent and reliable server connections.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Download speed reduction | 10% (UK) | 31% (UK) |
| Upload speed reduction | 14% (FRA) | 99% (FRA) |
| Ping time to google.com | 2ms | 217ms |
| Average time to connect (sec.) | 9ms | 6.7ms |
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| Visit Site | Visit Site |
Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.
Both NordVPN and Proton VPN have servers spread across a similar number of countries. However, NordVPN’s network is larger overall with more server IP addresses to choose from.
Even though Proton VPN has the smaller network, I could easily unblock Netflix US, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming platforms. I didn’t have any problems with NordVPN either.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Server Locations | 6300 | 1520 |
| Server Countries | 111 | 65 |
| IP Addresses | 5,201+ | 698 |
| Dynamic Server Switching | ||
| Visit Site | Visit Site |
The ratio of servers to countries is an important factor to look at when choosing a VPN. Only paying attention to location or number of servers can get you in trouble. More servers generally means faster speeds, but if VPN X has a few more servers than VPN Y but twice as many users, VPN X will typically have slower speeds. Ideally, you want a VPN that has a lot of servers in every location. This way you won’t have to worry that server/country that you want will be overburdened and running slow.
NordVPN has superior customer support thanks to their 24/7 live chat team.
Both NordVPN and Proton VPN provide users with comprehensive set up and troubleshooting guides as well as lots of other important information. However, Proton VPN fails in that they do not provide live chat support. The only way you can reach the team is by sending an email or filling a form on the website. This will take quite a number of hours before you can get a reply.
NordVPN on the other hand lets you talk to an agent within a few seconds. They have a live chat support team that operates 24/7, and so you can always reach out to them whenever you need assistance.
| VPN vendor |
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|---|---|---|
| Email Response Time | 3 | 2 |
| 24/7 Support | ||
| Live Chat | ||
| Knowledge Base | ||
| Video Tutorials | ||
| Visit Site | Visit Site |
We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.
Setting up NordVPN is a fast and uncomplicated task that can be accomplished in just a few minutes. After creating your account, logging in with your newly generated credentials is a breeze. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to go. To connect to a server, you can simply click on one of the choices shown on the map located on the main screen.
The VPN provides a range of customization choices accessible through the settings tab. From there, you can enable different VPN features and have control over how your VPN connects. Although the VPN caters to advanced users with its extensive features, it also maintains a user-friendly interface for those who are new to this technology.
Whether you are using NordVPN on a desktop or mobile device, it’s safe to say that you won’t face any issues with it.
Proton VPN makes it easy to create an account and get started with the VPN. Their VPN apps are brilliant on the eye and just as easy to use. Like NordVPN, Proton VPN apps have a map on the main screen that lets you connect to a server easily.
A standout feature of the VPN is the ability to establish a profile tailored to your preferred settings, servers, and features – those you frequently use. This simplifies connections based on your specific tasks, eliminating the need to repeatedly configure everything from scratch.
From the settings page, you can also customize your connection and activate the features that you desire. The VPN’s smartphone apps are just as impressive and easy to use.
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