# NordVPN vs AmneziaVPN (2026): Free Alternative to NordVPN

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/nordvpn-vs-amneziavpn
Last updated: 2026-08-10

Compare NordVPN ($14.69/mo) vs AmneziaVPN ($0/mo open source GPL-3.0 alternative to NordVPN). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | NordVPN | AmneziaVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.69/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $176/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $881/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,763/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | GPL-3.0 |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | Private keys and connection profiles are held by the Amnezia clients; protocol containers and server configuration live on the user-controlled VPS, and tunneled traffic exits through that server rather than an Amnezia-operated VPN fleet. |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ 14k |
| Code Repository | None | https://github.com/amnezia-vpn/amnezia-client |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | Amnezia gives one or a few user-owned exit locations, not NordVPN's large country fleet, streaming-optimized endpoints, rotating capacity, audited operations, or support, and the VPS still costs money. |

## About AmneziaVPN
Give it a VPS login and it builds the tunnel; you still own the server bill and blast radius.

- **Installation**: Install the desktop/mobile client, then give it root SSH access to a compatible Linux VPS so it can deploy the server
- **Setup Notes**: The unavoidable first obstacle is obtaining and paying for a public VPS, then handing the app root SSH credentials and keeping that server patched and reachable.
- **Data Storage**: Private keys and connection profiles are held by the Amnezia clients; protocol containers and server configuration live on the user-controlled VPS, and tunneled traffic exits through that server rather than an Amnezia-operated VPN fleet.
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, mobile, one-click install
- **The Catch vs NordVPN**: Amnezia gives one or a few user-owned exit locations, not NordVPN's large country fleet, streaming-optimized endpoints, rotating capacity, audited operations, or support, and the VPS still costs money.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from NordVPN to AmneziaVPN eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$176/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$881/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$1,763/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is AmneziaVPN a good free alternative to NordVPN?
Yes. AmneziaVPN is a verified open source (GPL-3.0) replacement for NordVPN. Give it a VPS login and it builds the tunnel; you still own the server bill and blast radius.

### What is the catch when switching from NordVPN to AmneziaVPN?
Amnezia gives one or a few user-owned exit locations, not NordVPN's large country fleet, streaming-optimized endpoints, rotating capacity, audited operations, or support, and the VPS still costs money.

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