- Swiss jurisdiction — strong privacy laws
- Fully open-source apps
- 4 independent no-logs audits
- Genuine free plan — unlimited data
- 18,600+ servers in 129 countries
- Secure Core multi-hop architecture
- NetShield ad/tracker/malware blocking
- Port forwarding on paid plans
- Proton Unlimited bundles mail, drive, pass
- Slower than NordVPN on long-distance servers
- No 24/7 live chat support
- Split tunneling on Windows and Android only
- Free plan doesn’t support most streaming
- Monthly pricing is higher than competitors
- Prorated refund policy (not full 30-day)
Privacy and Security
This is where Proton VPN genuinely stands out. Switzerland’s privacy laws are among the strictest in the world, and Switzerland sits outside all major international surveillance alliances including the 5/9/14 Eyes. Proton VPN is headquartered there, not just registered there — the company operates under Swiss law, which provides meaningful legal protection against data requests from foreign governments.
All Proton VPN apps are fully open-source and available on GitHub. This means the code can be independently inspected by security researchers, which adds a layer of accountability that most VPN providers cannot claim. Four independent security audits by Securitum have verified the no-logs policy and confirmed no evidence of logging user activity.
Proton VPN also offers Secure Core — a double-hop architecture that routes your traffic through servers in privacy-friendly countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden) before exiting. This protects against compromised exit nodes and provides meaningfully stronger protection for high-risk use cases.
Speed and Performance
Proton VPN’s paid plans use WireGuard with the VPN Accelerator feature enabled, delivering solid performance on nearby servers. In independent speed testing, Proton VPN achieves around 78% download speed retention and 58% upload retention — good numbers for a privacy-first VPN, though NordVPN consistently tests faster on long-distance connections.
The free plan is noticeably slower due to server load from a large number of free users. If you are using Proton VPN for video calls or large file transfers, the paid plan is worth the upgrade for speed alone.
Free Plan
Proton VPN’s free tier is one of the best in the VPN market. It includes unlimited data (no daily or monthly caps), no ads, no logging, and servers in 10 countries. The main limitations are slower speeds due to server congestion, no streaming support on most platforms, and no split tunneling. For general browsing and basic privacy protection on a budget, it is genuinely useful — not a bait-and-switch designed to frustrate you into upgrading.
Features Worth Knowing
NetShield
Available on paid plans, NetShield blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the DNS level before content loads in your browser. Similar in function to NordVPN’s Threat Protection but without the file scanning component.
Secure Core
Routes traffic through hardened servers in privacy-friendly jurisdictions before exiting to your destination. Provides meaningful additional protection if you connect through high-risk countries or networks. Available on paid plans.
Port Forwarding
Proton VPN supports port forwarding on paid plans — a feature NordVPN deliberately doesn’t offer. Useful for torrenting performance and certain self-hosted applications.
Proton Unlimited Bundle
At $7.99/month, Proton Unlimited adds Proton Mail (encrypted email), Drive (encrypted cloud storage), Calendar, Pass (password manager), and Wallet to the VPN. If you want to move your entire work setup to a privacy-respecting infrastructure, this is an exceptional value as a single subscription.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | 2-Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| VPN Plus | $9.99/mo | $3.99/mo | $2.99/mo |
| Proton Unlimited | $12.99/mo | $7.99/mo | $6.99/mo |
Prices current as of March 2026. Proton VPN frequently runs promotional discounts of up to 70% on 2-year plans. Verify current pricing on the Proton website. Refund policy is prorated — you receive the unused portion of your subscription if you cancel within 30 days.
Who Is Proton VPN For?
Proton VPN is the right pick if your primary concern is privacy and transparency rather than raw speed or feature quantity. It is especially well-suited for journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and remote workers in privacy-sensitive roles. It is also the obvious choice if you want a bundled privacy ecosystem through Proton Unlimited — encrypted email, cloud storage, and password management all under one Swiss-based subscription.
For remote workers who primarily want fast, reliable performance across all use cases with strong customer support, NordVPN is the stronger everyday choice. For those who want the deepest privacy credentials and are willing to accept slightly slower speeds, Proton VPN is excellent. See our full best VPN for remote work guide for the full comparison.
Try Proton VPN — Free Plan Available
Start free with unlimited data. Upgrade to Plus or Unlimited when you’re ready. 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
Get Proton VPN →Frequently Asked Questions
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