Open Source Alternatives to NordVPN
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NordVPN is a proprietary, subscription-based VPN with a large global server network. Client apps are closed source, pricing favors multi-year plans. Full details →
Switching from NordVPN to a provider with open source clients means you’re no longer taking a company’s privacy claims purely on faith — the app code that handles your traffic is published, auditable, and has been independently reviewed by third-party security firms. Proton VPN pairs that transparency with a genuinely usable free tier, while Mullvad goes further on the account side entirely, requiring no email or personal details to sign up at all. Both avoid the aggressive multi-year discount pricing structures common among larger commercial VPN providers.
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Open Source Alternatives
Proton VPN
VPN service with fully open source client apps
Proton VPN is a VPN from Proton AG (makers of Proton Mail) with open source, independently audited GPL-3.0 apps, plus a genuinely usable free tier.
Mullvad VPN
Privacy-first VPN with no account or email required
Mullvad is a Swedish VPN with open source, GPL-3.0 client apps that require no email or personal information to sign up — accounts are just a random number.