The decision in one minute
Buy a business VPN only when you can name the traffic or internal resource it must protect. For a team that needs managed access to private applications or a fixed company IP, compare NordLayer Core with Proton VPN Professional. For managed internet access without a private gateway, compare NordLayer Lite with Proton VPN Essentials. Neither entry plan should be priced as though it includes every private-access feature.
If employees only use Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and other cloud apps, first check whether your existing identity provider, multifactor authentication, device controls and application access policies solve the problem. A VPN subscription alone will not fix stolen accounts or unmanaged devices. Our free assessment can help identify the control gap before you shop.
| Need | Start with | Avoid if |
|---|---|---|
| Centrally managed VPN for internet access | NordLayer Lite or Proton VPN Essentials | You need a dedicated IP or access to a private network on the entry plan |
| Fixed IP or segmented access to private resources | NordLayer Core or Proton VPN Professional | You have not budgeted for a required dedicated server |
| Complex site connections or granular network policies | A scoped NordLayer Premium or Check Point Harmony SASE evaluation | You only need to protect a few SaaS accounts |
| No private resource or traffic-routing requirement | Existing identity and device controls | A vendor has not shown a specific new capability |
This is a documentation-based buying guide, not a hands-on performance test. Sources and US list prices below were checked September 24, 2026. Confirm the selected plan, billing term, tax, renewal price and any extras at checkout.
What the published plans actually cost
NordLayer's pricing page lists five users minimum and these per-user monthly equivalents with annual billing: Lite $8, Core $11, and Premium $14. The page says Core and Premium require a server with a dedicated IP at an additional $40/month. Do not compare Core's $11 headline rate with a plan that already includes every required component.
Proton's business VPN plan explanation lists Essentials at $6.99/user/month, Professional at $9.99/user/month, and a required dedicated server for Professional at $39.99/month. Its current plan comparison shows a two-user minimum for Essentials and Professional. The live pricing selector does not expose a reliable USD rate in every page view, so treat the support-page prices as a planning reference and verify the checkout term and total before purchase.
| Published plan | 10 users/month equivalent | 25 users/month equivalent | 50 users/month equivalent | Cost basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordLayer Lite | $80 | $200 | $400 | $8/user, annual billing |
| NordLayer Core | $150 | $315 | $590 | $11/user plus one required $40 dedicated-IP server, annual billing |
| Proton VPN Essentials | $69.90 | $174.75 | $349.50 | $6.99/user; confirm billing term at checkout |
| Proton VPN Professional | $139.89 | $289.74 | $539.49 | $9.99/user plus one required $39.99 dedicated server; confirm billing term |
These are arithmetic examples for one server, before tax, add-ons, implementation or extra gateways. A second site or separate access boundary may require more than one server. Monthly billing and renewal prices may differ. Ask for an itemized quote if your rollout depends on dedicated infrastructure, SSO, provisioning or specific log retention.
Which capabilities require a higher plan?
NordLayer's plan matrix lists SSO and connection activity reports on Lite. Its Core plan adds a private gateway with a dedicated IP, IP allowlisting, split tunneling and category-based DNS filtering; site-to-site and more granular segmentation belong to higher plans. Automated user provisioning is shown as an add-on, so do not assume it is included in the Lite or Core seat rate.
Proton's business VPN comparison lists central administration and organization-wide two-factor enforcement on Essentials. Professional adds dedicated servers and private gateways, SSO, SCIM and activity monitoring. Essentials is a managed business plan, but its shared-server access is not the same as a fixed company IP. Proton's dedicated-server setup guide explains that private gateways need a dedicated server first.
Both vendors describe privacy features, yet an administrator still needs appropriate sign-in and connection records for offboarding and incident review. Ask each vendor what its plan logs, how long records remain available, and whether the resulting evidence meets your policy. Vendor statements about GDPR, HIPAA or security certifications do not make your organization compliant by themselves.
When to choose each option
Start with NordLayer Lite when five or more people need centrally managed internet access and your identity provider works with its published SSO support. Move to Core only after a pilot proves that a dedicated company IP, private gateway or its additional filtering controls solve a real requirement. The five-seat minimum and mandatory Core server are material for small teams. The NordLayer plan review details the rollout test.
Start with Proton VPN Essentials when a small team wants central user management and VPN access through shared servers. Choose Professional when you need private gateways, a dedicated IP, SSO, SCIM or the listed monitoring features, and include its server in the cost. Proton's separate consumer VPN subscription is not a substitute for a managed team plan. The Proton business VPN review explains the plan boundaries.
Evaluate Check Point Harmony SASE separately if your requirement extends into private application access, site connectivity or broader secure-access policy. Perimeter 81 joined Check Point; current contracts and features should be checked under the present Harmony SASE offering. Do not use an old Perimeter 81 list price to budget a new contract. Request a current written quote.
A two-week pilot that answers the buying question
- Name the resource and owner. List the applications, servers or traffic that need protection, where they live, and who approves access. Check what your current identity and device tools already enforce.
- Pick the smallest eligible plan. Confirm minimum seats, dedicated-server requirements, supported operating systems and the exact SSO or provisioning entitlement. Obtain the renewal terms in writing.
- Test with real roles. Have an administrator, normal employee and departing-user test the same workflow on managed and unmanaged devices. Verify MFA, least-privilege access, revocation and connection records.
- Test failure cases. Check behavior when the tunnel drops, a device is lost, or a remote worker cannot connect. Record help-desk effort and whether split tunneling changes which traffic is protected.
- Compare total operating cost. Price all seats, required gateways, support, rollout time and ongoing administration. Use the budget worksheet for actual quotes, then buy only the configuration that passed the test.
If the pilot cannot show a safer or simpler access path than your existing setup, postpone the purchase and complete the missing identity or device control first.
Sources and disclosure
This guide uses NordLayer's published plan matrix, Proton's business pricing comparison, Proton's plan explanation and Proton's dedicated-server documentation. Checked September 24, 2026. Features, taxes, promotions and renewal terms can change. We have not independently tested throughput, support or deployment time.
Use the official NordLayer pricing page and Proton VPN for Business pricing page to verify the current purchase path. These direct vendor links are not presented as commission-earning offers. Valydex may earn from other links on the site; see the affiliate disclosure and research methodology.