Norton VPN Logo

Alternatives to Norton VPN

VPN services from Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands with verified no-logs policies, open-source clients and a European legal framework. Compare privacy architectures, pricing and transparency reports for teams migrating from Norton VPN.

4 European providers GDPR compliant

Context

Norton VPN compared to European VPN services

Norton VPN is a product of Gen Digital Inc. (formerly Symantec, then NortonLifeLock), a US company. As a US company, Gen Digital is subject to the CLOUD Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Stored Communications Act. US authorities can compel the disclosure of user data under these laws. VPN use protects against tracking by third parties, but not against legally compelled data requests to the VPN provider itself.

Norton VPN's privacy policy contains provisions for the collection of connection metadata such as connection duration, bandwidth and usage statistics. European VPN providers such as Proton VPN and Mullvad have had their no-logs policies independently verified through external audits. Proton VPN has been audited multiple times by SEC Consult and Securitum, Mullvad by Cure53. Comparable independent audits of Norton VPN's no-logs policy are not known.

Gen Digital (Norton) is a US conglomerate that also owns additional security products (Avira, Avast, CCleaner, AVG). In 2022 there were reports of data incidents connected to the Norton ecosystem, including credential-stuffing attacks on Norton Password Manager accounts. European VPN providers such as Proton VPN (Switzerland) and Mullvad (Sweden) are independent companies without such corporate entanglements.

Mullvad VPN offers an unusual anonymity model: no email address required, payment by cash or cryptocurrency possible, no linking of accounts to personal data. The price is a flat €5 per month with no annual discount model. Proton VPN has a free tier with no data limit. F-Secure VPN and GOOSE VPN offer European support and transparent corporate structures within the EU legal framework.

European alternatives

4 alternatives in detail

Proton VPN Logo

Proton VPN

Switzerland

Open-source VPN service with Secure Core architecture

  • Verified no-logs policy through independent audits
  • Open source, all apps publicly accessible
  • Over 5,900 servers in 91 countries
Open Source

Free (limited) · VPN Plus from €3.99/mo · Unlimited from €9.99/mo

Mullvad VPN Logo

Mullvad VPN

Sweden

Anonymous VPN service from Sweden with no account binding

  • No account required, complete anonymity
  • Payment by cash, crypto, or credit card
  • Strict no-logs policy, independently audited
Open Source

Flat rate 5 €/month, no annual subscription, no discounts

F-Secure VPN Logo

F-Secure VPN

Finland

VPN with integrated tracking and malware protection from Finland.

  • Up to 5 devices simultaneously
  • Kill switch prevents unprotected connections
  • Integrated tracking and ad blocker

From €49.99/year (1 device) · 5 devices from €79.99/year

GOOSE VPN Logo

GOOSE VPN

Netherlands

Dutch VPN service with local support

  • Unlimited number of devices per subscription
  • No-logs policy, independently audited
  • Servers in over 25 countries

From $4.99/mo (annual) · Unlimited devices included

Frequently asked questions

Are European VPN services genuinely no-logs?

Proton VPN and Mullvad have had their no-logs policies verified through independent audits. Proton VPN has been audited multiple times and has demonstrated in court proceedings that no user data was available. Mullvad was searched by Swedish authorities in 2023 and was unable to hand over any data, as none existed. F-Secure VPN and GOOSE VPN have transparent privacy documentation under EU law.

Does an EU VPN offer better protection against surveillance?

A VPN provider headquartered in the EU is subject to the GDPR rather than the US CLOUD Act. This means that legally compelled access by US authorities is not possible. Proton VPN (Switzerland) is subject to Swiss data protection law, which independent experts rate as very strong. Mullvad (Sweden) is subject to EU data protection law.

Are the alternatives suitable for businesses?

Proton VPN Business offers team features, central management and reliable SLAs for enterprises. F-Secure VPN for Business is targeted at corporate devices. GOOSE VPN offers business plans with centralised management. For teams requiring full control, Proton VPN Business with zero-trust network architecture is the most appropriate option.

Which European VPN service is the most anonymous?

Mullvad is the most anonymous provider in this comparison, thanks to its account-number-based system requiring no email address and the option to pay in cash. Proton VPN enables anonymous registration without personal data. GOOSE VPN and F-Secure VPN require an email address for registration.

Do EU VPNs work for streaming services?

It depends on the specific service and server location. Proton VPN runs dedicated streaming servers that support Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ among others. Mullvad prioritises privacy over streaming compatibility and only unblocks part of the catalogue. F-Secure VPN and GOOSE VPN are suitable for occasional streaming but are not specifically designed to bypass geo-restrictions.

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