NordVPN vs Proton VPN: Which Fits You in the PH?

"Nord o Proton?" These were the two most-searched paid VPN brands in the Google Trends data our team pulled for the Philippines. Both are big, both publish independent checks of their no-logs claims, and both have apps for phones and computers. They differ on the free plan, pricing style, Philippines servers and how they share audit results. Here's a side-by-side using only what each company publishes.

We checked both companies' pages on 29 October 2026. We haven't run speed tests, so you won't find speed claims here.

VPNs.ph is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not a VPN provider or reseller. Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy through them. VPN brands we mention may not pay us anything. That never changes what we write. We make no claims about any provider's speed, privacy or security beyond what we cite, and a VPN doesn't make an illegal activity legal. Read our affiliate disclosure. As of 29 October 2026 this page has no affiliate links, and neither company reviewed it.

Side by side

All as listed on 29 October 2026. Check both sites before you buy, because plans and features change.

Free plan

Proton VPN has a free plan. Its pricing page listed: US$0, no credit card required, 1 device, "Medium VPN speed" and servers in 10 countries, randomly selected. Its free VPN page said the free plan has no data limits and no ads, and is "supported by paying users".

NordVPN's pricing page we read showed paid plans. If you want to try NordVPN without committing, the option shown was its 30-day money-back guarantee, which means paying first.

If free matters most, Proton is the one of the two with a free tier. Read our free VPN guide for what to watch out for with free plans in general.

Prices as listed on 29 October 2026

Both sell cheaper monthly rates on longer plans, with higher renewal prices. A few anchors only:

• Proton VPN Plus: US$3.49 a month on the 2-year plan, billed at US$83.76 for the first 24 months, then renewing at US$83.88 every 12 months.
• NordVPN: the lowest 2-year option we saw was US$94.23 for the first 27 months, renewing at US$139.08 a year. NordVPN noted that sales tax may apply. Its higher tiers add extras such as identity and scam protection features at higher prices.

Worked out per month, both intro prices came to roughly US$3.49 over the first term. The bigger gap was at renewal: US$83.88 a year for Proton VPN Plus against US$139.08 a year for NordVPN's lowest option we saw.

Prices were shown in US dollars on the pages we read. Your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. The renewal price is the one to budget for if you keep the service. Check the official pages, because promos change often.

Payment

NordVPN's pricing page title mentioned card and PayPal among its payment options. We didn't confirm GCash or Maya on either provider's pages. Check the checkout page before you sign up.

Philippines servers

If you want a Philippine IP address, the server setup matters.

• NordVPN says its servers for the Philippines are virtual locations. It explains that a virtual server "is not actually in the country it represents" and uses a physical server in a neighbouring country to give you a Philippine IP address.
• Proton VPN listed the Philippines with 1 city and 12 servers on its server list. We didn't confirm whether those are physical or virtual.

For everyday privacy on public Wi-Fi in the Philippines, you usually connect to a nearby server, which doesn't need to be in the Philippines.

No-logs audits

Both companies say they don't log your online activity, and both have had that checked by outside firms.

Proton said it passed a fifth consecutive annual external audit of its no-logs policy by Securitum, a European security auditing company, in a post last updated in June 2026. Proton said it publishes the full no-logs report for anyone to read, and that its apps are open source. It also said that under the current Swiss legal framework it has no logging requirements.

NordVPN said Deloitte Lithuania carried out its sixth independent no-logs assurance engagement between 10 November and 12 December 2025, under the ISAE 3000 (Revised) standard. NordVPN described it as a point-in-time assessment. It said it doesn't publish excerpts publicly, and users can read the full report by logging in to their Nord account.

An audit checks a set point in time or a set scope. It's a good sign, not a lifetime guarantee. We haven't audited either company ourselves.

Extra features

Both bundle features beyond the basic VPN tunnel. From their own pages:

• Proton VPN Plus listed NetShield, which it describes as a DNS filter that can block ads, trackers and malware, plus Secure Core servers and connection profiles.
• NordVPN described Threat Protection Pro as helping block malicious websites, stop trackers and scan downloads for malware. It also mentioned its NordLynx protocol.

These are the providers' descriptions. We haven't tested how well they work.

Which suits which user

Proton VPN may suit you if:

• You want to start free and maybe upgrade later.
• You like being able to read the no-logs audit report without an account.
• You prefer open-source apps.

NordVPN may suit you if:

• You want a paid service with bundled threat-protection features.
• You're comfortable reading the audit report after logging in.
• You may want add-ons like identity or scam protection in higher tiers.

Either may suit you if: you want up to 10 devices on a paid plan and a 30-day window to test it on your own connection.

How to test before you commit

1. Start with Proton Free, or a paid plan within the 30-day money-back window.
2. Use it on your real setup: home Wi-Fi, mobile data, and public Wi-Fi at your usual mall or café.
3. Note how your everyday apps behave: banking, messaging, work tools.
4. Walk from home Wi-Fi to mobile data and back, and check the app reconnects without you having to tap anything.
5. Try the app on both your phone and your laptop, since most people end up using it on more than one device.
6. If it doesn't suit you, request the refund inside the window, following the provider's refund terms.

Privacy basics that apply to both

Whichever you choose, the VPN company becomes the one that carries your traffic. A few habits help:

• Read the privacy policy for what account data is kept, such as your email address and payment details. A no-logs policy is about your online activity, not your billing records.
• Use a strong, unique password for your VPN account and turn on two-factor login if offered.
• Turn on the kill switch if the app has one, so your traffic doesn't leave the tunnel if the VPN drops.
• Keep the app updated from the official store.

What we didn't cover

This site doesn't cover streaming, gaming regions or getting around any service's rules, so we left those features out of the comparison. Both companies mention streaming on their sites. That's their marketing, not our recommendation.

Frequently asked questions

Is Proton VPN better than NordVPN?

Neither is better for everyone. Proton has a free plan and a publicly readable audit report. NordVPN is paid-only on the pricing page we read and bundles threat-protection features. Compare what you need.

May free plan ba ang NordVPN?

Sa pricing page na binasa namin noong 29 October 2026, puro paid plans ang nakita namin. May 30-day money-back guarantee sila, pero kailangan mo munang magbayad.

Does NordVPN have servers in the Philippines?

NordVPN offers Philippine locations, but says they're virtual servers hosted in a neighbouring country.

Which is cheaper?

As listed on 29 October 2026, the intro price per month was about the same: both came to roughly US$3.49 a month over their first term. At renewal, Proton VPN Plus (US$83.88 a year) was lower than NordVPN's lowest option we saw (US$139.08 a year). Prices change, so check both pages.

Can I use one account on my phone and laptop?

Yes. Both listed up to 10 devices on paid plans. Proton's free plan covers 1 device at a time.