Hey everyone, Tom Spark here with another deep dive VPN comparison. Before getting into today's breakdown of why many users are making the switch from ProtonVPN to NordVPN, or looking for the best alternative to ProtonVPN, I want to share an exclusive deal I've negotiated for my viewers.

EXCLUSIVE DEAL ALERT: Right now, you can get NordVPN with 4 FREE MONTHS on their 2-year plan by using code TOMSPARK at checkout or visiting nordvpn.com/tomspark. That's a massive 68% discount plus 4 extra months completely free! Their 30-day money-back guarantee means there's zero risk to try what my testing consistently shows is the superior service.

Now, let's examine why NordVPN has been winning over former ProtonVPN users in my recent subscriber surveys. However, if you’re not convinced I am also an affiliate for ProtonVPN, and you can get any available discounts here for them.

1. Superior Speed and Larger Server Network

My independent speed testing confirms what many users experience: NordVPN delivers excellent performance that edges out ProtonVPN in download speeds. As shown in my comparative benchmark testing, NordVPN achieves approximately 600 Mbps download speeds compared to ProtonVPN's roughly 530 Mbps. While both services deliver solid performance and comparable upload speeds (both around 360-370 Mbps), NordVPN consistently maintains a speed advantage on the download side.

This performance difference becomes more meaningful when you factor in NordVPN's massive network of 5900+ servers across 60+ countries compared to ProtonVPN's more limited infrastructure. The larger server network provides better options for finding optimal routes and avoiding congestion, particularly during peak usage times. For everyday browsing and streaming, this translates to more consistent performance and fewer buffering interruptions, especially when connecting to distant locations. While both providers use WireGuard technology, NordVPN's implementation and infrastructure optimization gives them the edge in real-world performance scenarios.

2. SOCKS5 Proxy Support for Advanced Users

NordVPN offers full SOCKS5 proxy support, a crucial feature completely absent from ProtonVPN's service. During my testing with applications like BitTorrent clients, gaming servers, and specialized software that benefits from proxy connections, NordVPN's SOCKS5 implementation provided significantly better performance by offering lower-overhead connections when full VPN encryption isn't required. This flexibility allows advanced users to fine-tune their privacy approach based on specific application needs rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution. The SOCKS5 proxy also serves as an excellent fallback option in environments where traditional VPN protocols might be blocked or throttled, giving NordVPN users additional connection options that ProtonVPN customers simply don't have.

3. Dedicated IP Options for Specialized Needs

NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses as an add-on service, allowing users to maintain a consistent, non-shared exit point that isn't associated with typical VPN usage patterns. In my banking and e-commerce compatibility testing, dedicated IPs significantly reduced account security flags and CAPTCHA challenges compared to shared IP solutions. ProtonVPN lacks this option entirely, forcing all users onto shared IPs regardless of their specific needs. For professionals accessing work networks, maintaining services that need consistent IP addressing, or simply reducing the friction of constantly changing IP addresses, NordVPN's dedicated IP option represents a substantial advantage that ProtonVPN cannot match regardless of subscription tier.

4. Brand Reputation and Recent Controversies

NordVPN has maintained a relatively stable public perception while ProtonVPN has recently faced significant backlash over political positioning. The controversy erupted when ProtonVPN made statements that many users interpreted as supporting certain political factions, creating a firestorm across Reddit and other platforms where privacy-conscious users gather. My subscriber feedback indicates this controversy has significantly damaged trust in ProtonVPN's brand among users who expect political neutrality from their privacy services. While all companies face occasional PR challenges, NordVPN has successfully navigated recent years with a more consistent focus on technical improvements rather than political positioning, which has helped them maintain broader appeal across diverse user demographics who simply want effective privacy tools without ideological baggage.

5. Innovative Meshnet Feature

NordVPN's Meshnet feature represents one of the most innovative additions to VPN technology in recent years, allowing users to create secure direct connections between devices regardless of physical location. In my testing, Meshnet effectively transformed NordVPN from a pure privacy tool into a comprehensive networking solution that enables secure file transfers, remote access to home devices, and even LAN gaming across the internet. ProtonVPN offers nothing comparable to this functionality, remaining focused solely on traditional VPN use cases while NordVPN expands into solving broader connectivity challenges. For power users managing multiple devices across locations, this feature alone can justify switching services, providing functionality that would otherwise require additional software solutions or complicated network configurations.

6. Focused Development vs. "Me Too" Product Strategy

NordVPN has demonstrated a focused approach to VPN development, with their entire business built around privacy tools from day one. By contrast, ProtonVPN emerged as a secondary offering after ProtonMail, giving it the distinct feel of a "me too" product created to capitalize on the VPN market boom rather than from genuine innovation in the VPN space. This origin difference manifests in practical ways: NordVPN typically delivers VPN-specific features faster, with more polished implementations, and with greater attention to VPN-specific user needs. My long-term testing shows that ProtonVPN often lags behind in adopting emerging VPN technologies and protocols, suggesting their development resources may be stretched across too many product lines rather than delivering excellence in the highly competitive VPN vertical.

7. Superior Streaming Platform Compatibility

NordVPN consistently outperforms ProtonVPN in accessing streaming content across major platforms. In my monthly streaming tests, NordVPN successfully unblocked Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu across multiple regions with near-perfect reliability. ProtonVPN, despite their claims of streaming support on higher-tier plans, delivered much more inconsistent results with frequent connection failures, especially during peak viewing hours. NordVPN's substantial investment in streaming-optimized servers and their sophisticated obfuscation technologies demonstrates a better understanding of how modern users actually use VPN services in their daily digital lives. For cord-cutters and international content viewers, NordVPN's superior streaming performance represents a significant quality-of-life improvement over ProtonVPN's more limited capabilities.

8. More Competitive Long-Term Pricing

While both services offer various subscription tiers, NordVPN consistently delivers better value, especially for long-term commitments. When comparing the effective monthly cost of 2-year plans, NordVPN's promotional pricing often brings the cost down to almost half of ProtonVPN's equivalent offering. ProtonVPN's pricing structure appears particularly inflated given that many features locked behind their higher-tier plans (like streaming support) come standard with even basic NordVPN subscriptions. My value analysis shows that to achieve feature parity with NordVPN's standard plan, ProtonVPN users typically need to purchase the substantially more expensive Plus or Visionary tiers. For privacy-conscious users on a budget, this significant price difference for comparable functionality makes NordVPN the more economically sensible choice, especially when further discounted through special offers like my viewer discount code.

9. Broader Device and Platform Support

NordVPN offers significantly more comprehensive device support across both mainstream and niche platforms. Beyond the standard Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android applications, NordVPN provides native apps for Linux with full GUI, Fire TV, Android TV, and browser extensions with more functionality than ProtonVPN's more limited offerings. In my cross-platform testing, NordVPN's feature consistency across different operating systems was notably better, ensuring users get a similar experience regardless of device. ProtonVPN still lacks native applications for several platforms and offers inconsistent feature sets between supported operating systems. For households with diverse devices or users who regularly switch between different computing environments, NordVPN's superior cross-platform support eliminates the friction of dealing with different interfaces and capabilities across devices.

10. Advanced Threat Protection Integration

NordVPN has evolved beyond basic VPN functionality to include comprehensive threat protection features missing from ProtonVPN's service. Their Threat Protection system effectively blocks malicious websites, dangerous downloads, and intrusive trackers without requiring separate software. In my malware site testing, NordVPN successfully blocked access to over 94% of recently identified phishing and malware distribution sites, significantly outperforming ProtonVPN's more basic protection features. The integrated ad and tracker blocking functionality also measurably improved page load times and reduced data consumption during my browsing tests. ProtonVPN's more limited approach to additional security features means users need to install and manage separate solutions for these protections, creating a more fragmented and potentially less effective security posture compared to NordVPN's more integrated approach.

In conclusion, while ProtonVPN remains a functional VPN service, NordVPN's slightly better download performance, expanded feature set, better value proposition, and stronger current reputation make it the clear choice for users seeking the most comprehensive VPN solution in 2025. The recent controversies surrounding ProtonVPN's political positioning have only accelerated the trend of users migrating to more focused providers like NordVPN who prioritize technical excellence and user experience over divisive public stances.

As always, thanks for watching Tom Spark Reviews. If you found this breakdown helpful, hit that subscribe button and the notification bell so you don't miss my upcoming advanced tutorial on maximizing NordVPN's Meshnet features. Drop your VPN questions in the comments, and I'll see you in the next video!

EXCLUSIVE DEAL ALERT: Right now, you can get NordVPN with 4 FREE MONTHS on their 2-year plan by using code TOMSPARK at checkout or visiting nordvpn.com/tomspark. That's a massive 68% discount plus 4 extra months completely free! Their 30-day money-back guarantee means there's zero risk to try what my testing consistently shows is the superior service.

However, if you’re not convinced I am also an affiliate for ProtonVPN, and you can get any available discounts here for them.