NymVPN vs Proton VPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Proton VPN: it is first in our ranking of VPNs, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Proton VPN grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NymVPN
Swiss VPN with a decentralized WireGuard mode and a mixnet mode
Proton VPN
Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap
Which one is for you
Pick NymVPN if
- Fits if you want to pay with Bitcoin, Monero or cash rather than a card
- Works for people who want a mixnet option and can live with a slower connection in that mode
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, because there isn't one
- Tight if you want the trial: it's card-only, needs a payment method and ends after 7 days
- Not for you if you use Android TV, as the vendor says it isn't supported
- Watch out: all plans auto-renew and refunds are pro-rata, and only the 1-year price could be read
- Watch out: the currency you see depends on your location and payment method
Pick Proton VPN if
- Fits if you want a free VPN on one device with no data cap
- Works for Proton Mail users who want the VPN on the same bill, at $119.88 a year for Unlimited
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: one device, medium speed, and Proton picks the country from 10
- Skip it if you want ad blocking, streaming or P2P for free, as all three are paid features
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.99 a month
- Watch out: the $3.49 a month is the first 24 months only; VPN Plus then renews at $83.88 a year
- Tight if you have more than 10 devices, the VPN Plus limit
How we grade them
| 2.2GPANymVPNFair | 2.8GPAProton VPNGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$4.00 a month on the 1-year plan ($48 up front), just over the cheaper quarter's $3.99. The page crosses out $96 and shows no end date for the 50% off, and the other terms weren't readable. | CVPN Plus bills $83.76 for the first 24 months, about $3.49 a month over two years, just above the cheaper quarter of VPNs, which tops out at $3.33. It then renews at $83.88 a year, above the middle. Monthly is $9.99, and Proton Unlimited adds Mail, Drive and Pass for $119.88 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 7-day trial, but only on select plans with a card, it needs a payment method, and it can't be started with crypto. No free plan. | BFree for good with no card, no ads and no data limit, so one person could live on it. The limits are one device, medium speed, and servers in 10 countries picked for you. |
| Features | CWireGuard mode, a mixnet mode, an ad blocker on every plan, bridges for blocked networks and 10 devices. The listing names a gap: it isn't supported on Android TV. | BSecure Core routing through Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden, the Stealth protocol, NetShield blocking, port forwarding, a kill switch and open-source apps with published audits, on 10 devices with Plus. It covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. It's an app you install and connect, though the mixnet mode is slower and you pick between two modes. | B4.65 from about 120,000 App Store ratings, just under the 4.7 an A needs. On the free plan there's no card and nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. No API or integrations on record, and no Android TV app. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a VPN you can pay for in crypto or cash | a free VPN with no data cap |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: NymVPN and Proton VPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
NymVPN starts at $4 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Proton VPN starts at $6.99 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Proton VPN scores higher, and starts $2.99 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 3 score higher than NymVPN for less, and 2 score higher than Proton VPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| NymVPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4.00 per month on the 1-year plan, $48 billed yearly | $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88 |
| Free plan | None | Proton Free: 1 device, servers in 10 countries chosen at random, medium speed and no data limit. No credit card needed. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on select plans when paying by card; not available with cryptocurrency, and a payment method is required. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Nym Technologies SA | Proton AG |
| Price read from | nym.com | protonvpn.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
NymVPN
- There is no free plan; the 7-day trial is limited to certain payment types and needs a payment method.
- The pricing page also lists 1-month (full price) and 6-month (25% off) options; only the 1-year price could be read here, so check the page for the others.
- All plans auto-renew unless cancelled, and refunds are described as pro-rata.
- The vendor says NymVPN is not supported on Android TV, and the pricing page notes that currency (EUR, USD, GBP, CHF) depends on location and payment method.
Proton VPN
- The free plan covers one device and picks the server country for you from 10 countries.
- The headline $3.49 a month is the first 24 months of VPN Plus; it then renews at $83.88 a year, and the 1-year plan's $53.88 also covers only the first year.
- Ad and malware blocking, streaming and P2P are paid features; VPN Plus covers 10 devices.
Key features
NymVPN
- Two connection modes
- A faster decentralized VPN mode built on WireGuard, and a mixnet mode that adds noise to traffic for stronger anonymity.
- Anonymous payments and access
- Accepts cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bitcoin, Monero, Zcash, Taler and cash, and says its zk-nym credentials keep payment data from being linked to activity.
- Ad blocker
- Every plan includes an ad blocker the vendor says is powered by Brave.
- Censorship resistance
- The vendor lists censorship resistance in what every plan includes, and its app notes mention bridge modes for networks that block the connection.
- Open source and audits
- The site's home page says the software is open source and independently audited.
Proton VPN
- Free plan without a data cap
- Proton Free has no data or artificial speed limits, but connects one device to servers in 10 countries that you cannot choose.
- Secure Core
- Routes traffic through Proton's own servers in hardened data centers in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden before it leaves the network.
- Stealth protocol
- An obfuscation protocol based on WireGuard tunneled over TLS, meant to get past firewalls and VPN blocking.
- NetShield
- DNS filtering on paid plans that blocks ads, trackers and domains known for malware.
- Open-source, audited apps
- All apps are open source, and Proton publishes the results of the independent audits it commissions.
- Port forwarding and kill switch
- Port forwarding for P2P, plus a kill switch and always-on VPN in every app.
Plans
NymVPN
1 year$4.00
per month, billed yearly ($48 total)
All features on all plans, up to 10 devices and servers in 70+ locations. The page shows $96 crossed out and 50% off, with no end date given.
Proton VPN
Proton Free$0
One device, servers in 10 randomly selected countries, medium speed, no data limit and no ads.
VPN Plus, 1 month$9.99
per month
10 devices, 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, streaming, P2P and the NetShield blocker, billed monthly.
VPN Plus, 1 year$83.88
per year at renewal, after a first year for $53.88
The same features as monthly. The first year costs $53.88 ($4.49 a month), then it renews at $83.88 a year.
VPN Plus, 2 years$83.88
per year at renewal, after a first term of 24 months
The first 24 months cost $83.76 ($3.49 a month), shown against $9.99 a month, then it renews every 12 months at $83.88.
Proton Unlimited, 1 year$119.88
per year
VPN Plus plus premium Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive (500 GB) and Pass. Also sold monthly at $12.99.
Proton Unlimited, 2 years$119.88
per year at renewal, after a first term of 24 months
The first 24 months cost $191.76 ($7.99 a month), then it renews every 12 months at $119.88.
Ways to pay less
NymVPN
- Other savings
Up to 75% off when paying with the $NYM token
The pricing page offers up to 75% off if you pay with the $NYM token.
Proton VPN
- Other savings
VPN Plus 2-year plan: first 24 months for $83.76
The 2-year VPN Plus plan bills $83.76 for the first 24 months ($3.49 a month), then renews at $83.88 every 12 months.
- Other savings
VPN Plus 1-year plan: first year for $53.88
The 1-year VPN Plus plan bills $53.88 for the first year ($4.49 a month) before renewing at $83.88.
- Other savings
Proton Unlimited 2-year plan: first 24 months for $191.76
The 2-year Proton Unlimited plan bills $191.76 for the first 24 months ($7.99 a month), then renews at $119.88 every 12 months.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, NymVPN or Proton VPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, NymVPN is cheaper to start with: $4 a month, against $6.99 a month when paid by the year for Proton VPN. NymVPN starts at $4.00 per month on the 1-year plan, $48 billed yearly, and Proton VPN starts at $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88.
Which has a free plan, NymVPN or Proton VPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Proton VPN has a free plan. NymVPN does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do NymVPN and Proton VPN run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Proton VPN lists a browser extension. Both list macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.