Which is cheaper, Proton VPN or PureVPN?

PureVPN, at $2.15/mo against $4.49/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.

Which one has been audited more recently?

Proton VPN, most recently in 2026 against PureVPN’s 2023.

Does jurisdiction differ between them?

Yes. Proton VPN operates from Switzerland and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.

Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026

Proton VPN vs PureVPN

Is Proton VPN or PureVPN better?

Proton VPN scores higher, 90.0 against 70.0 out of 100, a gap of 20 points. It wins 5 of the seven criteria to PureVPN's 1. The best-documented security stack of the four, and the only one you can test properly without paying.

Both are scored on the same seven criteria from the same sourced dataset, so this page and the main ranking can never disagree. The margin is worth reading past: PureVPN still wins 1 of the seven outright.

Proton VPN

90.0

The best-documented security stack of the four, and the only one you can test properly without paying.

From: $4.49/mo
Based in: Switzerland
Devices: 10
Audits: 5

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PureVPN

70.0

Cheap, broadly capable, and carrying a 2017 logging incident that no later audit erases.

From: $2.15/mo
Based in: British Virgin Islands
Devices: 10
Audits: 3

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We earn a commission if you subscribe through this link. It does not change PureVPN’s score.

Criterion by criterion

Proton VPN wins 5, PureVPN wins 1, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.

Weighted criterion scores, Proton VPN against PureVPN
Criterion	Weight	Proton VPN	PureVPN	Winner
Independent audit	20	10/10 (20.0)	7/10 (14.0)	Proton VPN
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	9/10 (13.5)	6/10 (9.0)	Proton VPN
Protocol and crypto stack	15	9/10 (13.5)	9/10 (13.5)	Tied
Leak protection	15	9/10 (13.5)	7/10 (10.5)	Proton VPN
Transparency	15	9/10 (13.5)	4/10 (6.0)	Proton VPN
Price and refund terms	10	7/10 (7.0)	9/10 (9.0)	PureVPN
Platform coverage	10	9/10 (9.0)	8/10 (8.0)	Proton VPN
Total	100	90.0	70.0	Proton VPN

Where each one actually wins

Proton VPN is ahead on

Independent audit. Five consecutive annual no-logs audits by Securitum, 2022 through 2026, with every full report published rather than summarised.
Jurisdiction and ownership. Switzerland sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, and the parent company is majority-owned by a non-profit foundation.
Leak protection. Kill switch across all platforms, with a permanent mode on desktop that blocks traffic before the app starts.
Transparency. Every client is open source with published audit reports; signup still requires an email address.
Platform coverage. Native apps including Apple TV and Android TV, plus router support and 10 simultaneous devices.

PureVPN is ahead on

Price and refund terms. Effective $2.15/month on a two-year term with a 31-day refund window, the longest here.

Choose Proton VPN if

Readers who want auditable software and a free option to try before subscribing.

Choose PureVPN if

Readers who want port forwarding at a low price and are satisfied by the current audit arrangement.

Reasons to pick neither

Skip Proton VPN if: You want the cheapest possible long-term plan. Proton is priced as a security product, and even the 2-year rate is double what the budget options here charge.

Skip PureVPN if: Past conduct matters to you. The 2017 incident is a matter of public record, and a provider’s history is a legitimate input even after new management and new audits.

Questions

Is Proton VPN or PureVPN better?: Proton VPN scores higher, 90.0 against 70.0 out of 100, a gap of 20 points. It wins 5 of the seven criteria to PureVPN's 1. The best-documented security stack of the four, and the only one you can test properly without paying.
Which is cheaper, Proton VPN or PureVPN?: PureVPN, at $2.15/mo against $4.49/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
Which one has been audited more recently?: Proton VPN, most recently in 2026 against PureVPN’s 2023.
Does jurisdiction differ between them?: Yes. Proton VPN operates from Switzerland and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.

Related comparisons

Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.