Compare OctoVPN and Proton VPN on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.
Both listed as alternatives to: ExpressVPN
Norway· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist when you need a Norwegian-operated WireGuard/OpenVPN with claimed DDoS-protected exits and optional private dedicated IPs for gaming or small-group use. Skip when independent no-logs audits, enterprise SSO/fleet controls, or strict EU-only egress are mandatory—consider Mullvad or Proton VPN instead.
Switzerland· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist Proton VPN when you want a Swiss Proton AG VPN with open-source clients, publicly linked Securitum no-logs infrastructure audits, Secure Core/Stealth, a real free tier, and optional Business SSO/SCIM inside the Proton suite. Skip when you need anonymous numbered accounts without email (prefer Mullvad) or first-class remote port forwarding/DDNS (prefer AirVPN).
Highlighted rows differ between the two products.
| Feature | OctoVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Norway | Switzerland |
| Category | VPN Services | VPN Services |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
| Headquarters | Norway | Switzerland |
| Legal entity | OctoSEC AS (org. no. 926185918), Bosmyrkollen 9, 4620 Kristiansand S | Proton AG (Route de la Galaise 32, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva); EU rep Proton Europe sàrl (Luxembourg) |
| Governing law | Laws of Norway; Kristiansand tingrett (per ToS), subject to mandatory consumer rules | Switzerland (vendor privacy/legal framework) |
| US parent / control | No known US parent | No known US parent |
| CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Medium | Medium |
| Hosting / residency | Multi-region VPN exits (EU and non-EU, including multiple US cities). Payments via Stripe (US). Private-server DDoS marketed with Cloudflare Partner. Hosting providers not fully listed publicly; third-party maps associate some PoPs with OVHcloud, Linode/Akamai, BuyVM, and others. No complete official subprocessor register found. | VPN/account infrastructure: Proton-owned/controlled servers; account data stated in CH/DE/NO; Secure Core owned in CH/IS/SE; global VPN exits with full-disk encryption. Support/payments processors include US-group Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal (and HubSpot for sales forms) per privacy policy—not the VPN tunnel path. |
| Summary | Norwegian (OctoSEC AS) WireGuard/OpenVPN service focused on DDoS-protected exits, low-latency gaming use, and optional private dedicated servers—not an audited enterprise fleet VPN. | Swiss Proton AG VPN with open-source clients, Securitum-audited no-logs infrastructure, Secure Core/Stealth, free unlimited-data tier, and Business SSO/SCIM packaging. |
| Tags |
| At a glance | OctoVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| HQ / entity | OctoSEC AS (926185918), Kristiansand, Norway; founded 2020-11-25 | Proton AG, Plan-les-Ouates (Geneva), Switzerland |
| Protocols | WireGuard; OpenVPN TCP/UDP | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Locations | Over 40 claimed (NA, EU, APAC); multi-region including US | Not listed |
| Shared plan sessions | 1–3 concurrent devices by tier (vendor site) | Not listed |
| Private servers | Dedicated IP, multi-user, optional Cloudflare Partner DDoS | Not listed |
| Independent audit | No public no-logs audit found | Not listed |
| Commercial model | Subscription + optional private servers (see vendor site) | Not listed |
| Payment processor | Stripe (per privacy policy) | Not listed |
| Governance | Not listed | Primary shareholder: non-profit Proton Foundation (vendor claim) |
| Network (vendor) | Not listed | 20,000+ servers, 140+ countries (re-check live) |
| Free tier | Not listed | 1 device, unlimited data, limited countries, no ads |
| Paid consumer devices | Not listed | Up to 10 simultaneous (typical Plus packaging) |
| Open source | Not listed | Official clients yes; not a self-host server product |
| Business | Not listed | SSO, SCIM, dedicated IPs/gateways, DPA published |
| Key capabilities | OctoVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Norway-operated (EEA) | Yes | Not listed |
| WireGuard + OpenVPN | Yes | Not listed |
| DDoS-protected exits (claimed) | Yes | Not listed |
| Private dedicated servers | Yes | Not listed |
| Zero-logs (claimed) | Yes | Not listed |
| Swiss-operated (Proton AG) | Not listed | Yes |
| Open-source clients | Not listed | Yes |
| Securitum no-logs audits | Not listed | Yes |
| Secure Core double-hop | Not listed | Yes |
| Free unlimited-data tier | Not listed | Yes |
| Business SSO / SCIM | Not listed | Yes |
DDoS-protected shared VPN exits
All published shared locations are marketed with enterprise-grade DDoS protection on the exit path, aimed at absorbing IP-targeted attacks common in multiplayer gaming while keeping WireGuard/OpenVPN tunnels available. Confirm current coverage and mitigation scope with the vendor for high-risk use.
WireGuard and OpenVPN on every location
Every plan includes both WireGuard (speed/latency focus) and OpenVPN over TCP or UDP for restrictive networks. Protocol choice is productized for mixed device fleets rather than WireGuard-only stacks.
Private dedicated VPN servers with exclusive IP
Optional private servers provide an isolated host, dedicated IP, live resource monitoring, region changes, multi-user management with expiry, and higher concurrent connection limits than shared tiers. Private-server marketing includes Cloudflare Partner anti-DDoS capacity (claimed high-capacity protection).
Gaming-oriented routing and CoD DNS helper
Positioning and server placement target low ping near major exchanges. CoD VPN is a separate DNS-based Call of Duty matchmaking product (not a full-tunnel VPN) that can be combined with OctoVPN when users want both lobby routing and encrypted general traffic.
Cross-platform clients with tight device caps
Official materials list Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and router support under a single subscription model. Standard shared tiers allow only one to three concurrent devices depending on plan—plan capacity carefully for households or small teams.
Audited no-logs on Proton-owned VPN infrastructure
Strict no-logs policy for VPN session activity (no traffic content, destination, or session metadata that identifies a user to a server, per published Securitum infrastructure reviews). Account data lives on Proton-controlled servers in Switzerland, Germany, or Norway; Secure Core machines are Proton-owned in CH/IS/SE. Suits privacy officers who need public audit PDFs, not NDA-only claims.
Secure Core double-hop via CH, IS, or SE
Paid Secure Core routes traffic through hardened Proton-owned entry servers in Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before the exit country—extra hop against network-level attacks if an exit were compromised. Adds latency; best for high-threat models, not every streaming session.
Stealth protocol and free-tier censorship tools
Stealth obfuscates the tunnel (TLS-over-TCP style) to reduce DPI/VPN-block detection and is available on Free as well as paid apps. Free plan: one device, unlimited data, no ads, limited country set, kill switch; paid unlocks multi-device, streaming profiles, Secure Core, and full NetShield packaging.
Open-source clients across major platforms
Official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and browser extensions are open source on GitHub (ProtonVPN org) with third-party app security reviews published over time. Server-side VPN stack is not a public full OSS product—inspect clients and audit reports, not the entire backend.
NetShield DNS filtering and multi-protocol stack
NetShield is Proton's DNS-based blocker for ads, trackers, and malware domains (feature depth varies by plan). Protocols include WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Stealth; kill switch and leak protections are first-class client features for untrusted Wi-Fi.
Business org controls: SSO, SCIM, dedicated IPs
Proton VPN for Business adds organization admin, private gateways, dedicated servers/IPs, enforced 2FA, SSO, and SCIM provisioning (docs cover Okta/Google examples). Fits SMB remote access and policy control—not a numbered-account anonymity product.
| Assurance & compliance | OctoVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Independent no-logs / security audit | Not found Privacy policy claims zero VPN activity logs; no public third-party audit PDF or firm engagement found on official pages. | Verified Multi-year Securitum infrastructure no-logs audits published with downloadable reports (see no-logs audit blog). Client app security reviews also published over time. |
| ISO 27001 | Not found | Vendor claimed Proton announces ISO 27001 (May 2024) and links a certificate from the Trust Center; re-validate scope/certificate for your ISMS. |
| SOC 2 / SOC 3 | Not found | Vendor claimed Trust Center and company blog assert SOC 2 Type II; obtain the report under your vendor process if required. |
| GDPR / EU data protection | Vendor claimed Norwegian EEA entity; privacy policy cites GDPR and Personopplysningsloven; Datatilsynet complaint path listed. | Vendor claimed Swiss operator claims GDPR alignment; EU representative in Luxembourg; Swiss FADP also applies. |
| US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Partial No known US parent (Norwegian AS). Medium indicative exposure: Stripe payments, Cloudflare Partner DDoS for private servers, multi-region exits including US hosts; hosting subprocessors not fully published. Not legal advice. | Partial No known US parent (Proton AG / Foundation). VPN designed no-logs on Proton paths. US-group processors for support/payments (Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal; HubSpot sales) raise indicative exposure for account identity data. Not legal advice. |
| Data processing agreement (B2B) | Not found Consumer ToS/privacy only on public site; no productized B2B DPA flow found. | Vendor claimed Public DPA published at proton.me/legal/dpa; confirm countersignature/process for your business SKU. |
| EU AI Act | Not applicable Connectivity/VPN product; not an AI system under typical procurement framing. | Not applicable VPN connectivity product; separate Lumo AI offering is out of scope for this VPN entry. |
| Considerations & known limitations | OctoVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| No public independent no-logs audit | High Zero-logs is first-party only. If vendor risk requires audit letters or ISO/SOC, treat as a blocker until evidence is obtained offline. | Not listed |
| Incomplete public subprocessor / hosting list | Medium Stripe and Cloudflare (private servers) are named; full server-host inventory is not published. Third-party PoP maps are incomplete leads. Demand a written subprocessor list for procurement. | Not listed |
| US-linked processors and multi-region exits | Medium No US parent found, but Stripe, Cloudflare commercial DDoS, and US PoPs/US VPS brands create a non-zero indicative CLOUD Act / US process path versus pure EU hosting. Not legal advice. | Not listed |
| User-selected non-EU exits | Medium Traffic can exit in the US and other non-EU countries. Strict residency policies need operational controls (allowed server lists), not HQ location alone. | Not listed |
| Low concurrent device caps on shared plans | Low Shared tiers advertise 1–3 devices. Households and teams may need private servers or multiple subscriptions. | Not listed |
| Norwegian jurisdiction (Nine Eyes) | Low Norway is often grouped in Nine Eyes intelligence cooperation discussions. Policy claims zero activity data to hand over; still a jurisdiction factor for some threat models. | Not listed |
| US SaaS for support and payments | Not listed | Medium Privacy policy lists Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal (and HubSpot for sales) as processors. This is not VPN traffic logging, but billing/support identity can leave the Swiss-only path—map to your transfer assessment. |
| Global exit nodes outside EU/CH | Not listed | Medium Large multi-country network means traffic can exit outside the EU depending on server choice. Strict residency policies need operational controls (allowed countries, Secure Core preferences), not HQ alone. |
| Free tier capacity and country limits | Not listed | Low Free is one device and a limited country pool; shared free capacity can mean slower peaks. Not a full substitute for paid multi-device org rollout. |
| Account identity vs numbered anonymity | Not listed | Low Standard Proton account (email or external address options) is not the same threat model as cash/number-only VPN accounts. Cash/Bitcoin payment options exist for paid plans but account recovery fields may still apply. |
| ISO/SOC scope verification | Not listed | Low ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II are vendor-asserted on Trust Center; procurement should confirm certificate/attestation scope covers the VPN services in use. |
When: You prioritise audited no-logs and minimal identity over gaming DDoS features
Consider: Mullvad
Mullvad is stronger on the public privacy/audit narrative; weaker on marketed exit DDoS and private gaming servers.
When: You want a broader European privacy suite (VPN plus mail/storage ecosystem) or a free tier
Consider: Proton VPN
Different product scope; confirm DDoS and dedicated-IP needs separately.
When: You need remote port forwarding and open-source clients
Consider: AirVPN
AirVPN is stronger for inbound ports and GPLv3 Eddie; different eligibility constraints apply.
When: You need a large commercial consumer brand with maximum server footprint
Consider: NordVPN or ExpressVPN
Trade small Norwegian operator transparency for scale and packaging; re-check audit and ownership facts for each.
When: You need maximum account anonymity (no email identity)
Consider: Mullvad
Numbered accounts and cash/crypto-friendly privacy posture; less suite/Business packaging.
When: You need remote port forwarding and Dynamic DNS as core features
Consider: AirVPN
Technical inbound reachability; different product emphasis than Proton Free/Plus.
When: You want a large consumer network with different brand/jurisdiction tradeoffs
Consider: NordVPN or catalog peers such as CyberGhost
Re-check ownership, audit publication model, and streaming for your regions.
When: You need enterprise zero-trust mesh rather than a privacy VPN
Consider: Tailscale, NetBird, or self-hosted WireGuard
Different product class from consumer/privacy VPN.