Proton VPN vs IVPN
Both are alternatives to NordVPN. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as IVPN vs Proton VPN — same comparison, one verdict.
Proton VPN
Open-source, audited, with a genuinely unlimited free tier.
Proton VPN, from the Swiss maker of Proton Mail, was the first major provider to open-source its apps on every platform, and its no-logs policy has passed independent audits five years running (Securitum). Its free tier is the rare honest one — unlimited data, no bandwidth throttling — and the paid plans add more servers, streaming, and Secure Core routing. It's the best all-rounder for people who want strong, transparent privacy without giving up convenience.
IVPN
Open-source, anonymous signup, a true privacy purist.
IVPN is a small, privacy-first provider with fully open-source apps, a multi-year audit record with Cure53, and a publicly named owner. Signup is anonymous — no email required — and it accepts cash and crypto. It keeps no connection, traffic, timestamp, or bandwidth logs, and deliberately stays lean rather than chasing streaming features. A close cousin of Mullvad in philosophy, for people who want maximum transparency.
Side by side
| Proton VPN | IVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 86 | 85 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Local-first | No | No |
| License | GPL-3.0 (apps) | GPL-3.0 (apps) |
| Pricing | Free tier with unlimited data; paid Plus roughly $5–10/month | From about $6/month; anonymous account, no email required |
Proton VPN edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Proton VPN
Strengths
- +Fully open-source apps, audited no-logs (five years running)
- +Genuinely unlimited free tier, no throttling
- +Swiss-based, strong privacy jurisdiction
- +Part of the wider Proton privacy suite (Mail, Drive, Pass)
Trade-offs
- −Free tier limits server choice and speed
- −A hosted service you don't self-host
- −Best features are on the paid plan
IVPN
Strengths
- +Fully open-source apps, audited by Cure53
- +Anonymous signup, cash/crypto accepted
- +Publicly named owner and clear trust page
- +Strict no-logs (no connection or bandwidth data)
Trade-offs
- −Pricier than the cheap commercial VPNs
- −Not built for streaming unblocking
- −Smaller server network
More NordVPN head-to-heads
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Facts verified 2026-07-14. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.