Proton VPN Evaluation 2024: The Greatest Free VPN, With an Wonderful Paid Plan

Proton VPN boasts spectacular transparency, full with open-source apps and a reader-friendly privateness coverage. Its superior options, like Tor over VPN and a Linux graphical consumer interface, or GUI, app make Proton VPN a sensible choice for superior customers, whereas its wonderful streaming efficiency means Proton works effectively for informal leisure as effectively.

Other than its feature-rich paid plans, Proton offers the very best free VPN tier — and the one no-cost choice we advocate. Not like different free VPNs, Proton doesn’t plaster your display screen with adverts, throttle your web speeds or promote your knowledge on its no-cost plan. However a big worldwide server community and beneficiant simultaneous machine coverage justify Proton VPN’s paid providing. 

In my complete take a look at Proton VPN, I ran over 250 web velocity exams and scoured its privateness coverage looking for pink flags. I additionally tried every of its obtainable apps, streamed movies on companies together with Netflix to evaluate its geo-unblocking capabilities and checked for DNS leaks. I’d like an Apple TV app, which might be handy for streaming on a wise TV, and Proton’s interface isn’t fairly as intuitive because the tremendous streamlined apps obtainable from opponents like ExpressVPN or NordVPN. Nonetheless, Proton VPN is a worthy choice for everybody from privacy-concerned customers like political activists to of us in search of a digital personal community for streaming.

Learn extra: How We Take a look at VPNs

Proton VPN velocity: A lot quick for every thing from streaming and gaming to working from house

• Common velocity loss: 21%
• Variety of servers: 4,800-plus
• Variety of international locations: Greater than 90

All VPNs decelerate your web obtain and add speeds considerably since you’re routing your internet visitors via a server, then to its app or web site vacation spot somewhat than a extra direct connection. We discover round a 25% or decrease common web velocity loss lots quick. I ran over 250 particular person web velocity exams throughout six totally different worldwide servers utilizing OpenVPN, WireGuard and the IKEv2 VPN protocols on each MacOS and Home windows. In my benchmarking, I measured a 21% common velocity loss. For comparability, that’s slower than NordVPN’s best-in-class 11% common and Surfshark’s 17%, however sooner than ExpressVPN’s 25%. Its respectable connection discount means Proton VPN is appropriate for bandwidth-intensive purposes like 4K video streaming, Zoom calls or importing movies to YouTube.

I clocked the slowest speeds on Home windows with 24.5% on WireGuard and 29.44% with OpenVPN. WireGuard is a more recent VPN protocol that sometimes offers sooner speeds than OpenVPN, so these outcomes had been as anticipated. Proton managed a blazing-fast 11.16% velocity loss on MacOS with IKEv2. Unusually, I really skilled sooner web speeds with a VPN enabled utilizing WireGuard on MacOS, which I believe is a results of ISP throttling. Circumventing throttling restrictions from web service suppliers or cellular carriers is one in every of many causes to make use of a VPN — and Proton efficiently carried out effectively in my expertise, making my connection sooner with a VPN enabled on my MacBook Air M2. 

Often, geographically distant servers trigger higher velocity loss than nearer servers. Though I discovered this to be true with Proton, even when tapped right into a server in Singapore (removed from my house workplace in North Carolina), my web connection solely dipped a mean 36%. Throughout on a regular basis use, even whereas watching 4K ultra-high-definition movies, I by no means skilled any stutters, buffering or slowdowns.

Proton offers a strong choice of servers that jostles with its opponents

Touting over 4,800 servers peppered all through over 90 international locations, Proton provides practically as many worldwide places as rivals ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Sursfhark and PIA with their 90-plus nation server fleets. Proton VPN’s intensive internet of servers is nice for normal worldwide vacationers. 

Key takeaway: Proton options a big community of worldwide servers and works effectively sufficient for day by day use, even with bandwidth-heavy purposes like gaming, 4K video streaming or hopping on Zoom calls because of a modest 21% common web velocity loss. 

Learn extra: The best way to Velocity Up Your VPN Connection

Worth: Not the costliest VPN available on the market, however not the most cost effective both

• $10 monthly, $60 for the primary 12 months or $108 for the primary two years (one- and two-year plans renew at $80 per 12 months)
• Cash-back assure: 30 days
• Fee choices: Bank card, debit card, PayPal, Bitcoin
• Apps obtainable for: Home windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android, Android TV, Chromebooks, Browsers

Pricing for Proton Plus (its standalone VPN providing) begins at $10 monthly, which undercuts most of its opponents by wherever from $1 to $5 — Surfshark is $15.45 monthly, whereas NordVPN and ExpressVPN each set you again $13 monthly. Like most different VPN suppliers, Proton’s annual and two-year plans ship even higher financial savings, working $72 yearly for 2 years. Notably, I don’t advocate shelling out for greater than a 12 months of service with a VPN supplier directly. Over the course of a 12 months, a lot can change, like your VPN supplier getting acquired by a shady firm or struggling an information breach, and shorter subscriptions offer you extra flexibility.

Proton is cheaper than ExpressVPN ($100 per 12 months or $60 for six months), and it costs practically the identical upfront as NordVPN ($69 for the primary 12 months or $100 for the primary two years, then $90 yearly), however it’s greater than the value-packed Surfshark ($42 for the primary 12 months or $60 for the primary two years, then $60 per 12 months). Finally, Proton’s one- and two-year plan costs are decidedly center of the street: You’ll pay lower than premium suppliers, however greater than many value-priced VPN firms.

Like many VPN suppliers, together with Nord and Surfshark, Proton saddles you with value hikes. I might recognize higher value transparency like Categorical’s what-you-see-is-what-you-get prices, that are a breath of contemporary air amongst all-too-common value hikes within the VPN business. It’s good not having to babysit your subscription to keep away from an costly auto-renewal. However a minimum of Proton places its cash the place its mouth is and offers wonderful worth for the value.

Other than its VPN-only Proton VPN Plus plan, the Proton Limitless bundle package deal provides an electronic mail shopper, calendar, cloud storage and a password supervisor. You’ll pay $13 every month, $120 per 12 months or $192 for 2 years for the all-inclusive Proton Limitless. 

Proton’s free plan is the very best — and solely — no-cost VPN I like to recommend, even with its limitations

Along with its paid Proton Plus and Limitless packages, Proton features a nice free plan. With quick web speeds, no adverts and limitless utilization, Proton is the one no-cost VPN we advocate. The zero-dollar choice comes with limitations, particularly a one-device restriction and entry to solely 5 servers (Japan, Netherlands, United States, Poland and Romania). 

Nonetheless, you’ll be able to’t manually choose a server; as an alternative, Proton’s free plan robotically connects you to an optimum server. Utilizing profiles helps you to customise the Fast Join settings, however as a result of that’s relegated to the premium plans, free customers are caught utilizing the default settings, which faucet into the quickest servers. 

Nonetheless, it’s robust to complain whenever you’re not paying a dime. Many free VPN plans promote your knowledge or plaster your display screen with adverts, so Proton’s free plan restrictions are acceptable trade-offs. By tunneling you thru an optimum server somewhat than letting you decide on its free tier, Proton ensures a terrific expertise with quick connection speeds with out costing you any cash — in spite of everything, servers aren’t free to function, so this answer is best than the choice, which might be promoting your knowledge or littering your display screen with ads. 

Proton VPN app efficiency

Proton options apps for practically each platform. Alongside the same old suspects of Home windows, MacOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS, Proton apps can be found for Android TV units, Linux PCs and internet browsers. Whereas many VPN suppliers reminiscent of Nord and Categorical provide command-line Linux apps, Proton boasts a full-fledged Linux graphical consumer interface utility. Its Linux GUI app stays extra user-friendly than command-line apps which require memorizing — or wanting up — the precise prompts to enter for primary duties like altering servers. Moreover, the Linux Proton app provides extra performance than most CLI apps, reminiscent of break up tunneling capabilities. Proton labored like a champ on my Kubuntu Focus M2 Linux gaming laptop computer. 

Sadly, there’s no Apple TV app, which could disappoint leisure fans ingrained in Apple’s ecosystem. However as a Proton spokesperson instructed me, an Apple TV app is in growth. Though TVOS Apple TV VPN assist continues to be pretty latest, firms together with ExpressVPN and NordVPN rolled out Apple TV apps. Nonetheless, you need to use Proton with units with out devoted apps, reminiscent of Apple TV streaming packing containers, by putting in a VPN in your router for whole-home protection — helpfully, Proton has a information to engaging in this. 

In my testing, I discovered Proton’s apps chock-full of helpful options. Fast Join faucets you into a great server based mostly in your geographic location, and in my expertise, Proton was zippy establishing VPN tunnels. There’s loads of granular management, like the flexibility to customise your connection settings utilizing profiles. With its profiles, you’ll be able to faucet a button for seamless tunneling via most popular servers. Out-of-the-box, Proton contains two profiles, Quickest and Random. However you may make your individual customized profiles, choosing choices reminiscent of most popular international locations and VPN protocols. 

Proton ran effectively on all platforms. Break up tunneling — which helps you to use a VPN for some apps however not others — labored flawlessly on my Home windows PC and Android telephone. I efficiently streamed an episode of Luther from BBC iPlayer utilizing a UK server, whereas excluding Steam from my VPN tunnel in order to expertise the quickest potential web obtain speeds whereas putting in Alien Isolation. Due to its give attention to superior customers, Proton tacks on a bevy of settings to tinker with. Whereas Proton’s huge array of settings makes it extremely versatile, it’s nonetheless fairly user-friendly. 

Throughout my hands-on evaluation, the Android app improved meaningfully, rolling out an easy-to-navigate interface. Though Proton’s apps aren’t troublesome, they’re not as streamlined because the extra intuitive albeit minimalist ExpressVPN. Put merely, I didn’t have any points utilizing Proton, however it’s not a VPN I’d set up on my non-techie dad and mom’ laptop. People with little to no expertise with VPNs might discover Proton barely concerned, although certainly not overly advanced. As an illustration, NordVPN includes a specialty servers part in its app that explains the various kinds of servers — file sharing (P2P), Double VPN, Obfuscated and Onion Over VPN. Contrastingly, Proton depends on icons that specify streaming and file sharing are allowed on servers, which aren’t as apparent to decipher. That’s to not say Proton’s apps are difficult to make use of, nevertheless different VPN suppliers’ apps — like ExpressVPN — are merely extra intuitive. 

Its Android TV app lacks break up tunneling — though a spokesperson from Proton mentioned that performance will likely be rolling out in late spring or early summer season of 2024. In all equity, most people merely in search of a VPN for watching Netflix or Disney Plus received’t want break up tunneling on a streaming machine. Except you’re working a house server off your streaming machine and wish to switch recordsdata over your property community — I’m utilizing my Nvidia Protect TV Professional as a Plex media server — or wish to watch overseas Netflix libraries with a VPN whereas downloading apps out of your area and not using a VPN concurrently, you’re most likely effective. Nonetheless, Proton’s determination to nix break up tunneling from its Android TV app is odd contemplating its give attention to energy customers, significantly when NordVPN and ExpressVPN each tout this characteristic on Android TV. 

Proton VPN is an impressive alternative for streaming service unblocking

The Swiss firm Proton — which provides a set of purposes, together with its Proton Mail electronic mail shopper and Proton Move password supervisor — concentrates on crucial privateness wants for energy customers. Whereas Proton caters to privacy-concerned customers, it’s wonderful for leisure fans with top-notch region-restricted content material unblocking capabilities. VPNs are nice for streaming for 2 particular streaming functions: accessing content material from your property nation whereas overseas and unblocking worldwide movies. Impressively, Proton unblocked each region-restricted service I threw at it. I streamed Barbie on Max (previously HBO Max) and Oppenheimer on Peacock, so if you happen to’re touring in Europe, you possibly can connect with US servers with Proton to have your individual worldwide Barbenheimmer occasion. It additionally dealt with Hulu, Sling TV and YouTube TV flawlessly, making this a terrific VPN for streaming sports activities whereas roaming internationally. 

Likewise, Proton unblocked international streaming websites together with BBC iPlayer and the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) with aplomb. I had no points accessing US and UK Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video libraries. Utilizing Proton set to a UK server, I watched The Abyss on Disney Plus (usually on Hulu within the US), The Little Issues on Netflix (a Max authentic Stateside) and Paper Women on Prime Video. In actual fact, Proton unblocked each worldwide Netflix library I attempted — together with some international locations like Egypt that rivals reminiscent of NordVPN didn’t load. Coupled with its improbable geo-restricted content material unblocking, Proton’s quick web velocity passthrough solidifies it as among the best VPNs for Netflix.

I examined its streaming prowess on an array of units together with my Home windows desktop, Linux laptop computer, a MacBook Air, an iPad, an Android telephone, a Chromecast with Google TV Android TV field and an Amazon Hearth TV stick. Every machine I attempted carried out swimmingly. Even when streaming 4K extremely high-definition content material, like Homicide on the Orient Categorical on Netflix utilizing an Egyptian VPN server, video high quality was buttery-smooth.

Proton lacks 24/7 reside chat, however options nice assist guides and FAQs

Proton’s Help Middle boasts nice setup guides, details about account info or billing, plus troubleshooting suggestions. As an illustration, you’ll discover tutorials explaining learn how to set up Proton VPN on totally different platforms, like Android, iOS and Linux. Moreover, the Proton weblog is a strong useful resource for studying about VPN encryption, why a VPN slows down your web and what devoted IP addresses are. 

Nonetheless, whereas most VPN suppliers, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, provide 24/7 reside chat, Proton doesn’t. There’s a reside chat, however it’s just for current prospects — you’ll have to log in to make use of it. In contrast, I used to be capable of chat with customer support representatives at Nord and PIA with out logging in, a serious benefit for potential prospects in search of info earlier than signing up. However even Proton’s assist for customers is proscribed to sure hours: 9:00 AM to 11:59 PM CET. Alternatively, you’ll be able to contact Proton through electronic mail or Twitter.

In my testing, Proton’s reside chat buyer assist representatives had been pleasant, responsive (I waited lower than a minute within the queue, though your expertise might range) and educated. I requested a query about an Apple TV app, which Proton doesn’t but have, and was directed to a assist article about working a VPN on a router. Significantly with its give attention to energy customers, I perceive why Proton doesn’t present reside 24/7 buyer assist. I’m guessing that’s most likely an costly service to supply, significantly if Proton suspects its consumer base may use it sometimes. Nixing reside chat retains Proton’s personal prices low, and due to this fact interprets to modestly priced subscriptions for you as the tip consumer. Nonetheless, VPN novices might favor an organization with around-the-clock reside chat. 

Key takeaway: Proton’s mid-pack paid plan costs are offset by its robust dedication to privateness and transparency in addition to its wonderful streaming service geo-unblocking. 

Privateness and transparency

• Jurisdiction: Switzerland (not within the 5, 9 or 14 Eyes)
• Encryption: AES-256 or ChaCha20
• Open-source apps
• No DNS leaks detected
• Independently audited
• Protocols obtainable: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEV2/IPSec or Stealth

Proton is a good VPN for folk with crucial privateness wants, like political activists, investigative journalists or asylum-seekers. Its Swiss jurisdiction sits exterior of the 5, 9 and 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing communities. International locations inside intelligence-sharing alliances comply with go info backwards and forwards. Whereas no-logging insurance policies and RAM-only servers theoretically mitigate knowledge aggregation considerations, folks with severe privateness wants is likely to be cautious of VPN firms headquartered in an intelligence-sharing alliance — and Proton negates that fear. 

Along with the same old slate of privateness options, like AES 256-bit or ChaCha20 encryption relying in your VPN protocol and a kill swap, Proton goes past lots of its rivals. Throughout my testing, its kill swap labored flawlessly, stopping my precise IP deal with from leaking within the occasion of a spontaneous web disconnect. All of its apps are open-source, that means curious customers can examine the supply code, thereby making certain that its software program stays freed from safety vulnerabilities. Solely a handful of different VPNs, together with PIA, present open-source apps. I recognize this next-level transparency. 

Much like most VPN firms, Proton maintains a stringent no-logging coverage. Whilst you can and ought to stay skeptical of zero-logging braggadocio, Proton underwent a profitable third-party audit to confirm its software program safety. Proton maintains a transparency report, in addition to a warrant canary. Whereas it’s respectable, the transparency report stays pretty barebones. Other than proclaiming that beneath Swiss legislation, Proton isn’t required to avoid wasting connection logs and restating its no-log coverage, the transparency report lists a single January 2019 Swiss courtroom knowledge request, which Proton couldn’t adjust to as a result of it doesn’t save buyer IP addresses.

Superior options: Safe Core servers, Tor over VPN, additional encryption and a VPN accelerator

Becoming with its give attention to privateness, Proton packs a number of superior options. Its double VPN Safe Core servers tunnel your visitors via Proton VPN servers with additional safety — together with biometric safety — earlier than routing via your chosen location. Its Safe Core servers are bodily situated in Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland. By utilizing a double VPN, you’ll get pleasure from even stronger encryption — twice that of a single VPN — thereby making it much more troublesome to uncover your precise IP deal with. Proton’s Tor over VPN servers accomplish an identical feat of bolstering your encryption, however utilizing The Onion Router as an alternative of a second VPN connection. 

Whereas Proton touts AES 256-bit encryption for OpenVPN and IKEv2, it sports activities ChaCha20 encryption with WireGuard. The ChaCha20 cipher delivers successfully the identical safety, however with usually sooner web speeds. Alongside WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec VPN protocols, Proton boasts its proprietary Stealth. Because the identify suggests, the Stealth VPN protocol obfuscates your connection, masking the truth that you’re utilizing a VPN. If you happen to’re utilizing an internet site that doesn’t play properly with digital personal networks or on college Wi-Fi the place VPNs could also be frowned upon, Proton’s Stealth might be a nifty answer to maintain your digital personal community working with out being detected by apps or web service suppliers (ISPs). 

All VPNs decelerate your connection considerably, with the quickest VPNs dropping your web speeds by as little as an 11% common. Usually, we discover a velocity lack of round 20% completely acceptable. Proton’s VPN Accelerator boosts web speeds through the use of a number of CPU cores as an alternative of a single core to reinforce web speeds. It additionally reduces networking latency for a extra dependable web connection. In my benchmarks with Ookla’s velocity check, I didn’t discover a lot of a distinction between the speeds with or with out the VPN Accelerator toggled on. A Proton spokesperson instructed me through electronic mail that the VPN Accelerator makes probably the most distinction on web connections with excessive packet loss — like satellite tv for pc web or weak cellular knowledge networks. Due to my Google Fiber web, I didn’t discover a distinction. Even on my telephone with a dependable 5G sign, VPN Accelerator didn’t enhance my speeds noticeably. However on an unstable community, like utilizing Wi-Fi at your favourite espresso store, VPN Accelerator may come in useful.

Notably, the MacOS shopper lacks OpenVPN assist, though you get Proton’s proprietary Stealth protocol, which offers most of the similar advantages, particularly obfuscation (which makes it more durable for ISPs or apps to find out that you simply’re utilizing a VPN). You can arrange OpenVPN on Macs utilizing TunnelBlick, though it’s not as user-friendly because the official Proton app. Whereas OpenVPN is a good alternative for privacy-conscious customers, Stealth is an effective different. Identical to NordVPN makes use of its proprietary NordLynx protocol and Categorical makes use of LightWay, I’m OK with Proton utilizing Stealth — significantly as a result of its apps are all open-source, that means anybody can examine the supply code to search for bugs or vulnerabilities. 

Curiously, Proton lacks RAM-only servers. With a RAM-only server infrastructure, the server runs utterly on random entry reminiscence, or RAM. Every time the server is turned on and off, all info, reminiscent of your connection log, is totally worn out. Many privacy-minded opponents, like NordVPN, depend on RAM-only servers. The forward-thinking ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer expertise takes RAM-only servers a step additional by reinstalling the software program stack upon each boot and using proprietary post-quantum safety. 

Nonetheless, Proton employs full-disk encryption on its VPN servers; as long as no knowledge out of your VPN session is written to a tough disk, there’s not a lot motive to stress over not having RAM servers. Coupled with its annual no-logs audits, you shouldn’t fear about your VPN session knowledge being recorded. Moreover, Proton sports activities open-source apps and jurisdiction exterior of the 5, 9 and 14 Eyes, which compensate for its conventional naked steel as an alternative of RAM-only server infrastructure. Regardless of its lack of RAM servers, Proton’s facilities, together with a kill swap, Tor VPN servers and a double VPN, make it a terrific alternative for even of us with crucial privateness wants. 

Proton VPN has a reader-friendly privateness coverage, undergoes common third-party audits and publishes an honest transparency report

The Proton VPN privateness coverage is extraordinarily clear about what it does and doesn’t log:

“Proton VPN is a no-logs VPN service. Whenever you use the Service, we do NOT do any of the next: 

• Log customers’ visitors or the content material of any communications 
• Discriminate in opposition to units, protocols, or purposes 
• Throttle your Web connection 

“Our free VPN service can be lined by our no-logs coverage, and has basically no velocity restrictions. We do reserve the precise to impose velocity restrictions in circumstances of extreme consumption in an effort to guarantee service high quality for all customers on free servers.

“All Proton VPN servers are encrypted and we don’t log VPN session knowledge.”

In its major privateness coverage, Proton re-affirms its dedication to sustaining consumer knowledge privateness:

“Our overriding coverage is to gather as little consumer info (private knowledge included) as potential to make sure a non-public consumer expertise when utilizing the Companies. We shouldn’t have the technical means to entry the content material of your encrypted emails, recordsdata, calendar occasions, passwords, or notes.”

I like how simply deciphered Proton’s VPN privateness coverage is. After poring over it, I didn’t detect any pink flags, and even yellow flags for that matter. 

Proton VPN handed a no-logs audit by Securitum in 2022, after which once more in 2023. I recognize Proton’s annual audit cadence, which is rapidly turning into the business normal for VPN suppliers. Moreover, Proton maintains a transparency report showcasing the variety of authorized requests annually, what number of had been complied with and the quantity contested. Proton’s transparency report is extra detailed than a few of its opponents, like NordVPN. However the transparency report isn’t as complete as CyberGhost’s, as an example. I’d wish to see Proton add historic knowledge, like Cyberghost’s comparisons of authorized requests year-over-year, however that’s a nice-to-have somewhat than a dealbreaker. As-is, Proton does a terrific job.

Proton’s non-VPN choices might log IP addresses in uncommon circumstances

As TechCrunch reported in 2021, Proton Mail — the corporate’s electronic mail shopper — complied with a request for a consumer’s IP deal with. Proton is obligated to adjust to authorized requests from Swiss authorities; beneath Swiss legislation, electronic mail and VPNs are handled in a different way. A Proton spokesperson mentioned through electronic mail “…Swiss legislation treats VPN and electronic mail companies in a different way. Below Swiss legislation, VPN companies can’t be compelled or compelled to log IP addresses, whereas electronic mail suppliers can beneath sure legislation enforcement circumstances. Proton VPN has a strict no-logging coverage.” 

Though the IP logging doesn’t pertain to the VPN providing, I may see how this is likely to be off-putting for folk contemplating different Proton companies, like its electronic mail shopper, particularly with how the corporate caters to these with severe privateness wants. Proton elaborated on its IP logging practices through electronic mail: “Within the case of Proton Mail, we don’t maintain everlasting IP logs by default. Nonetheless, IP logs could also be saved briefly to fight abuse and fraud. Customers’ IP deal with could also be retained completely if they’re engaged in actions that breach our phrases and situations (e.g. spamming, DDoS assaults in opposition to our infrastructure, brute power assaults). Proton is unable to share shopping info, the contents of emails, recordsdata, calendar entries or different private knowledge as these are encrypted and not at all can Proton decrypt end-to-end encrypted content material.”

Fortunately, your recordsdata are nonetheless encrypted, so the little knowledge Proton could also be legally obliged at hand over to Swiss authorities could be restricted to IP addresses. Privateness-focused customers could also be fearful nonetheless, even when nearly false positives. 

In a great world, Proton — and different VPN firms for that matter — would have the ability to utterly deny all authorized requests. As Proton’s transparency report reveals, the corporate contests authorized requests, however in some situations should comply. General, Proton does a terrific job preventing for its customers whereas additionally complying with native legal guidelines when it has no different alternative. 

After poring over its privateness coverage, I like how Proton makes this authorized complexity as reader-friendly as potential. Its VPN transparency report explains the variations in how Swiss legislation handles electronic mail versus VPNs, studying: “Below Swiss legislation, Proton VPN isn’t obligated to avoid wasting connection logs, and we adhere to a strict no-logs VPN coverage. Subsequently, we’re unable to adjust to requests for consumer connection logs, even when they’re legally binding. Moreover, beneath Swiss legislation, a Warrant Canary isn’t significant, as a result of beneath Swiss legislation, the goal of a surveillance or knowledge request should all the time be ultimately notified, in order that they have the chance to contest the information request.”

Proton’s total privateness coverage is obvious about its IP logging practices and knowledge disclosures. Though Proton has to adjust to Swiss legislation in some situations with its non-VPN software program suite, I recognize the transparency within the privateness coverage, such that anybody can simply decide how their knowledge is used (or not) and beneath what circumstances.

Key takeaway: Proton’s open-source apps, reader-friendly privateness coverage and sturdy privateness options make it one of many prime VPNs for privacy-centric customers reminiscent of activists or investigative journalists. Whereas Proton doesn’t have RAM-only servers, its full-disk encryption is nearly as safe — RAM servers are a nice-to-have, not a necessary VPN characteristic. 

Proton VPN is a strong alternative for privacy-focused shoppers, however works effectively for informal customers in search of a VPN for streaming or gaming

Proton VPN will get rather a lot proper, particularly for the privacy-focused crowd. Its open-source apps, wonderful transparency and jurisdiction exterior of data-sharing alliances all make it a strong alternative for folk with severe privateness considerations. Fortunately for Linux buffs — many privacy- and security-minded customers go for Linux — Proton provides a Linux GUI app, which is significantly simpler for novices than a CLI-only program. However its excellent streaming service unblocking means Proton is an effective choice for leisure fans, not simply energy customers. With a beneficiant 10 simultaneous connections — the identical as Nord, greater than Categorical, however fewer than Surfshark, PIA and IPVanish — Proton is an honest VPN for a number of units. Whereas I discovered its premium plans effectively definitely worth the improve, Proton offers a improbable free plan that, regardless of just a few limitations, doesn’t accumulate any knowledge or serve adverts.

Due to its beneficiant server community, wonderful region-restricted content material unblocking and modest costs, Proton stacks up effectively in opposition to the competitors. A zippy 21% common web velocity loss solidifies Proton VPN as greater than succesful bandwidth-demanding purposes like 4K streaming or video conferencing. Its apps aren’t fairly as polished, so there could also be a slight studying curve for VPN novices. ExpressVPN, for instance, options a number of the most uncomplicated VPN apps obtainable. Proton’s costs aren’t the very best, however might be decrease — Surfshark’s limitless simultaneous connections, feature-rich design and wallet-friendly subscriptions make it a compelling different to Proton. And there’s no Apple TV app but, a powerful promoting level for informal customers in search of a VPN for streaming that opponents NordVPN, ExpressVPN and PIA all provide. 

Nonetheless, Proton VPN’s area of interest privateness facilities are practically unmatched, particularly for energy customers. Proton’s apps offer you loads of choices to tinker with and many granular management over settings like server connections. If you happen to like to examine supply code, are a Linux consumer or have severe privateness wants, Proton is a worthwhile VPN answer.