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It is that time of the year. Black Friday 2025 is here, and for tech enthusiasts and students, it is the single best time to invest in digital privacy.
If you are looking for a VPN, you have likely narrowed it down to the two heavyweights: NordVPN, the reigning champion of speed and popularity, and Proton VPN, the Swiss-based challenger famous for its obsession with privacy.
At TheTechNewsEdu, we don’t just read spec sheets. We tested both services extensively to answer one question: Which one deserves your money this Black Friday?
⚡ Quick Verdict: The “Too Long; Didn’t Read”
In a rush to grab a Black Friday deal? Here is the bottom line:
- Winner for Most Users (Best Value): 🥇 NordVPN最佳性价比（用户最多）奖：🥇 NordVPN
NordVPN remains the fastest VPN we have tested. It unlocks every streaming service (Netflix, Disney+), has built-in malware protection, and offers the best price-to-performance ratio. Their Black Friday deal is currently offering huge discounts.
👉 [Click here to activate NordVPN’s Black Friday Deal (Up to 74% OFF & 3 months additional time)] - Winner for Privacy Purists: 🥈 Proton VPN
If you are a cybersecurity student, journalist, or activist, Proton’s open-source nature and “Secure Core” architecture are unbeatable. It is slightly more expensive, but you pay for transparency.
👉 [Check out Proton VPN’s Black Friday Offer]
1. Speed and Performance: Which is Faster?
Speed is crucial. Whether you are attending Zoom classes, gaming, or streaming 4K content, you cannot afford lag.
NordVPN: The Speed Demon
NordVPN uses NordLynx, a proprietary protocol built around WireGuard.
- The Result: In our US and UK server tests, NordVPN maintained 92-95% of our original internet speed. It connects instantly.
- Why it matters: You won’t even notice it’s on. Perfect for gaming and large file downloads.
Proton VPN: The “VPN Accelerator”
Proton uses a set of technologies they call “VPN Accelerator” to boost stability.
- The Result: It is very fast, especially on OpenVPN, but in raw throughput battles, NordVPN consistently edges it out by about 5-10%.
- Why it matters: It is more than fast enough for streaming, but competitive gamers might prefer Nord.
🏆 Winner: NordVPN
2. Security and Privacy: Panama vs. Switzerland
This is the core of our analysis at TheTechNewsEdu. Where is your data going?
NordVPN (Based in Panama)
- Jurisdiction: Panama (No mandatory data retention laws).
- Audit Status: Multiple independent audits by PwC and Deloitte verifying their “No-Logs” policy.
- Key Feature: Threat Protection Pro. It blocks ads, trackers, and malware before they reach your device, effectively acting as a lite antivirus.
Proton VPN (Based in Switzerland)
- Jurisdiction: Switzerland (Strict privacy laws, outside US/EU jurisdiction).
- Audit Status: Fully audited and Open Source. Anyone can inspect their code.
- Key Feature: Secure Core. This routes your traffic through a hardened server in a secure bunker (literally) before sending it to the internet. If the exit server is compromised, your IP remains hidden.
🏆 Winner: Proton VPN
(Verdict: NordVPN is secure enough for 99% of people, but Proton is for those who trust no one.)
3. Streaming & Unblocking: The Netflix Test
Let’s be honest: many students buy VPNs to watch shows that aren’t available in their region.
- NordVPN: It is a powerhouse. During our tests, it unlocked Netflix (US, UK, Japan, Canada), Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ without a single error message. The “SmartPlay” technology works automatically in the background.
- Proton VPN: The paid “Plus” plan unlocks most major services (Netflix, Disney+). However, we occasionally had to switch servers to get past Amazon Prime Video’s detection.
🏆 Winner: NordVPN
4. The Black Friday 2025 Pricing Battle 🏷️
This is where the decision becomes easier. VPN companies offer their absolute lowest prices in late November.
NordVPN Black Friday Deal
NordVPN is aggressive with pricing.
- Typical Deal: usually around $3.89/month on the 2-year plan.
- Black Friday Bonus: They often throw in 3 extra months for free or bundle in their password manager (NordPass) for pennies.
- Value Score: 10/10.
Proton VPN Black Friday Deal
Proton is a premium service and is historically more expensive.
- Typical Deal: usually around $2.99/month on the 2-year plan.
- Black Friday Bonus: They heavily discount the “Proton Unlimited” bundle (VPN + Mail + Drive + Calendar).
- Value Score: 8/10 (High quality, but higher price).
💰 Best Deal Winner: NordVPN
5. Unique Features for Students & Techies
Since our readers are tech-savvy, here are two features you should know about:
- NordVPN Meshnet: This allows you to create a private, encrypted LAN party with friends anywhere in the world. It’s also amazing for accessing files on your home PC while you are on campus.
- Proton’s Free Tier: Proton offers the only safe free VPN with unlimited data. However, it throttles speeds and doesn’t support streaming. It’s a great “trial” before you buy the Black Friday deal.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
The race is incredibly close, but they serve different masters.
🚀 Choose NordVPN if:
- You want the fastest speeds possible for gaming and downloading.
- Your main goal is unlocking global streaming content.
- You want the best Black Friday discount (getting premium tech for the price of a coffee).
- [Grab the NordVPN Black Friday Offer Here >>]
🛡️ Choose Proton VPN if:
- You are a privacy activist or journalist who needs Swiss jurisdiction.
- You want a fully open-source application.
- You are interested in the entire Proton ecosystem (Mail, Drive).
- [Grab the Proton VPN Black Friday Offer Here >>]
Proton VPN
Best for Privacy Enthusiasts. strict no-logs policy protected by Swiss privacy laws. Features Secure Core architecture and Tor integration for anonymity.
NordVPN
Best All-Rounder. Ideal for streaming, gaming, and daily browsing. Features Threat Protection against ads and malware. Fast, stable, and very easy to use.
❓ FAQ
Q: Is the Black Friday price recurring?
A: Usually, the discount applies to the first billing term (e.g., the first 2 years). It is smart to lock in the longest plan now to keep the low rate for as long as possible.
Q: Do they offer student discounts?
A: Sometimes, but the Black Friday deals are almost always cheaper than the standard student discount codes.
Q: Can I get a refund if I don’t like it?
A: Yes! Both NordVPN and Proton VPN offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can buy it now to secure the Black Friday price, test it for a few weeks, and get a full refund if it doesn’t meet your needs.
Disclosure: TheTechNewsEdu is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep our content free and high-quality.
