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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Proton VPN vs NordVPN

Proton VPN 4.6★ · Free to download 60
Winner NordVPN
NordVPN 4.7★ · Free + IAP 75

NordVPN generally offers more consistent performance and features for paid users, while Proton VPN struggles with reliability and speed, especially for its free tier.

Full reviews: Proton VPN · NordVPN

NordVPN and Proton VPN both face user complaints about speed and connectivity issues, but NordVPN's paid users report better overall satisfaction and fewer critical functionality problems. Proton VPN's free tier, while appreciated, often comes with significant performance limitations.

Head to head

Speed and Performance edge: NordVPNR1R12R13R22
Proton VPN Proton VPN users frequently report significant speed reductions, with internet speeds becoming very slow or even blocking all data, especially on the free version R1R12R13R22. Some paid users also experience speed issues and battery drain .
NordVPN NordVPN users also note speed reductions, with some reporting a 50% decrease or speeds dropping from 800mb to 200mb . However, many paid users describe it as fast and effective .
Reliability and Connectivity tieR7R19R24R25
Proton VPN Proton VPN users report frequent disconnections, the app turning itself off, and issues with reconnecting after network changes R7R19R24R25. It can also block certain apps and websites, requiring users to turn it off R18.
NordVPN NordVPN users also experience frequent disconnections and drops, needing to reconnect daily . Some users find it blocks essential apps or websites, requiring them to disable the VPN .
Features and Usability edge: NordVPNR14R49R50R3
Proton VPN Proton VPN's free version limits server selection, making it a 'gamble' to connect to a desired location R14R49R50. Users report issues with CarPlay when the kill switch is enabled R3 and difficulty with iOS control center commands . Account management can be confusing with separate logins for different Proton services .
NordVPN NordVPN has improved its UI, reintroducing a single button to disconnect . However, some users dislike the 'pause' option replacing a permanent disconnect and wish for a favorites list for countries . There are also complaints about cross-selling and permission escalations .
Privacy and Security tieR17R16R40R43
Proton VPN Proton VPN is praised for its no data mining policy and privacy focus R17. However, some users note that Proton VPN IP entries are listed as a VPN service, making it easy for websites to detect VPN usage R16. There are also reports of incorrect server locations being detected R40 and 'stealth mode' being ineffective R43.
NordVPN NordVPN is generally seen as providing good protection and privacy . However, it is frequently detected by websites and streaming services, making it 'useless' for certain activities .
Price and Value edge: NordVPNR2R8R11R38
Proton VPN Proton VPN is appreciated for its free tier R2R8R11R38. However, users find the paid version 'too much to pay for if you want good' and some free features have been removed R49.
NordVPN NordVPN is considered 'worth every penny' by long-term users . However, there are complaints about being overcharged , difficulty removing saved cards , and issues with refunds, especially when purchased through the App Store .
Customer Support tieR25R109R97
Proton VPN Proton VPN support has been criticized for not offering relief for repeatable issues, simply referring problems to the development team without a final outcome R25.
NordVPN NordVPN receives complaints about very poor customer service, with issues like dedicated IPs being interrupted and difficulty getting them restored R109. Users also report difficulty cancelling subscriptions, with the process being intentionally hidden R97.
Pick Proton VPN if

You are looking for a free VPN and prioritize privacy over consistent speed and advanced features, and are willing to tolerate occasional connectivity issues R2R17R38.

Pick NordVPN if

You are a paying user seeking a VPN with generally good performance, a more user-friendly interface for connecting/disconnecting, and are less concerned about occasional disconnections or specific streaming service blocks .

Evidence note: Proton VPN has a significant number of reviews from free users, which often highlight limitations and performance issues inherent to free tiers. NordVPN's reviews lean more towards paid user experiences, which tend to be more positive overall, but still reveal common VPN challenges like disconnections and detection by websites.

Frequently asked

Is Proton VPN good for free users?
Proton VPN is considered a good free option by many users, offering a VPN without a paywall, but it often comes with significant speed restrictions and limited server selection R2R11R12R14.
Do these VPNs slow down internet speed?
Yes, both Proton VPN and NordVPN have users reporting significant internet speed reductions; Proton VPN users often experience severe delays and data blocks, while NordVPN users can see speeds cut by 50% or more R1R13R22R60.
Are these VPNs reliable for streaming or accessing geo-restricted content?
Neither VPN is consistently reliable for streaming or accessing geo-restricted content; Proton VPN users report some websites blocking access despite using the VPN, and NordVPN is frequently detected by streaming services like YouTube TV and Amazon Prime R16R18R28R45.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Proton VPN 2/5 · US Too slow: App functions but restricts speed and causes severe delay in browsing and app related services.
  2. [R12] Proton VPN 3/5 · US Too Slow!: It’s the only free VPN I’d ever trust. It’s also always so slow I have to turn it off.
  3. [R13] Proton VPN 2/5 · US Slows internet speed significantly: I have 1 GB broadband subscription. The data speed becomes so slow several times a week that I end up Turing off VPN!! Proton VPN, fix the problem. Get more servers.
  4. [R22] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Throttled: My speed gets throttled when the VPN is on
  5. [R7] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Continuing to turn itself off: So frustrating as it turns itself off.
  6. [R19] Proton VPN 2/5 · US Stops passing data through after network changes: Main issue: when changing between cell towers or Wi-Fi networks, it says everything is connected, but I receive no data. Toggling airplane mode fixes it for a bit, but it is not a permanent fix. Same thing with changing the VPN server. I workshopped all the different settings with an LLM to figure out if one could be causing my issues, but none of
  7. [R24] Proton VPN 3/5 · US Hit or miss: This VPN is it's own worst enemy. Most days I have no problems. However there are days when the VPN connection speed is slow and days when the VPN disconnects, cannot connect, or randomly needs to reconnect. I probably would not use it as a standalone product but bundling it with other proton services makes things easier
  8. [R25] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Variable Reliability: When it works it works great. But too often it logs me out of my ipad Proton VPN app and says it’s been a while since you’ve logged in and I have to re-authenticate. When I do, I receive a connection error the first time. Then on the second try it connects. It’s repeatable but the support folks have offered no relief on it other than “it was referred to the development team”.
  9. [R14] Proton VPN 5/5 · US Don’t really like how they changed how we can’t see the change server on the free version: But it’s whatever idc it’s good
  10. [R49] Proton VPN 1/5 · US They keep removing features: I’ve gotta say, as they keep removing features and reducing the reliability, I have to wonder how this is the competitive option. At least in the past, the Free accounts could pick which country they were in or at least what state, but now you can’t even do that. They’re reducing the features. How many features are they going to take away and how much safety are they g
  11. [R50] Proton VPN 5/5 · US Purposely Misleading: I rated it 5 stars so people can see it first thing. In reality, this only deserves 1. Maybe it is excellent when you pay for it, but for people who are just trying to get a free VPN, it is incredibly misleading. While using the free option, you can’t actually select which server to connect to. I want to select Japan, and even though it’s a “free” server, it’s literally just
  12. [R3] Proton VPN 3/5 · US No CarPlay with Kill Switch: Wireless CarPlay can't establish connection with the Kill switch enabled. Allow LAN access must be enabled to connect to CarPlay, but then you must disable the kill switch. Dealbreaker for me. Otherwise it's awesome and I use and love and recommend their Mail and Drive services.
  13. [R17] Proton VPN 5/5 · US No Data Mining: Google mines and sells your data to a huge list of companies. If you’re tired of getting scam calls everyday and never having any phone peace download this.
  14. [R16] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Needs improvement: Can't add profiles automatically anymore. Some websites block despite trying many different servers, and reverse IP lookup shows that Proton VPN IP entries are listed as a VPN service, so it's easy for websites to see you're using a VPN. Selecting a server from the list is a hassle because you have to scroll all the way down to the US (they could've put the most commonly selecte
  15. [R40] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Incorrect Server Location: I connected to a Singapore server in Proton VPN, and the app showed that I was connected to Singapore. However, several websites and location checks detected my IP location as India instead of Singapore. This can be a problem for users who need accurate geolocation. Please investigate and fix the server location information.
  16. [R43] Proton VPN 2/5 · US stealth mode is false: claims to have a stealth mode unrecognized Nyet so Much.
  17. [R2] Proton VPN 5/5 · US hay: app miễn phí, vpn nhanh, rất đáng để dùng
  18. [R8] Proton VPN 5/5 · US Review: The best app and it's free. Thanks to the developer for this excellent program. · translated
  19. [R11] Proton VPN 5/5 · US Idk ngl: I’ve used this app for about a year and it’s pretty good and it’s not blocked by a paywall and I’ve used it for Yk and it’s been good
  20. [R38] Proton VPN 5/5 · US Oh so aughhhhhh: This is good and free!
  21. [R109] NordVPN 1/5 · US Very poor customer service: Not once, but twice, my dedicated IP has been interrupted for no reason at all; the first time the auto renew option was on, and was ignored by their system; the second time I updated the software, and when it restarted, the system thought I had no dedicated IP. After Live Chat with customer support for over an hour last night I was told they could not give me back th
  22. [R97] NordVPN 2/5 · US Worked in China, but uses shady tactics to make cancelling difficult: NordVPN is an excellent VPN that worked for me in China. However, they hide the ability to cancel your subscription in the app, on their site, and I had to go through Apple subscriptions in the browser to cancel. It was frustrating and difficult and they 100% know what they’re doing and they hope it gets you to keep paying for i
  23. [R60] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Unusable: The network disconnects when I connect to a VPN. It never connects, even after disconnecting from the VPN. · translated
  24. [R18] Proton VPN 3/5 · US Breaks to much: It’s a great VPN but unfortunately it breaks a lot of websites and apps that I use. What’s the point of having a VPN if I need to turn it off to access certain apps and websites.
  25. [R28] Proton VPN 1/5 · US Useless: Can’t watch the f1 race while vacationing in Mexico. Server doesn’t mask much
  26. [R45] Proton VPN 3/5 · GB Generally good but can be unreliable for streaming: Overall good, but sometimes unreliable in opening streams.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store