Proton Vpn Review 2025: A Nonprofit Service With Premium Performance

Proton VPN stands retired for 2 main reasons: it's 1 of nan only virtual backstage networks (VPNs) to see a free scheme pinch nary information limits, and it's 1 of nan fewer services majority-owned by a nonprofit. It's nan champion VPN successful some of those categories, and it makes a beardown lawsuit for being nan champion overall.

Even if you don't attraction astir nan activity of nan Proton Foundation, Proton VPN is simply a work worthy using. It's easy to instal and manage, runs for illustration nan upwind and meets precocious standards for information and privacy. It has much IP locations successful Africa than immoderate of its competitors. It's moreover looking toward nan early by moving toward afloat IPv6 support.

In short, Proton VPN gets our enthusiastic recommendation, particularly for torrenting (which it supports connected almost each server). It's not cleanable — nan apps for Apple systems lag down their Windows and Android counterparts, and nan free servers tin beryllium noticeably sluggish — but nan cons ray successful comparison to nan pros. We'll get into it each below.

Editor's statement (7/25/25): We're successful nan process of revamping our VPN sum to supply much in-depth, actionable accusation and buying guides. Our recommendations, and each nan info connected this page, are taxable to alteration arsenic nan update continues. Check retired our revamped ExpressVPN review and NordVPN review to spot nan caller direction, aliases study much astir how we trial VPNs.

Table of contents

• Findings astatine a glance

• Installing, configuring and utilizing Proton VPN

• Proton VPN velocity test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator

• Proton VPN information test: Watertight protocols

• How overmuch does Proton VPN cost?

• Proton VPN broadside apps and bundles

• Close-reading Proton VPN's privateness policy

• Can Proton VPN alteration your virtual location?

• Investigating Proton VPN's server network

• Features of Proton VPN

• Proton VPN customer support options

• Proton VPN inheritance check: The CERN origins of Proton AG

• Final verdict

Findings astatine a glance

The array summarizes what we recovered while reviewing Proton VPN, some bully and bad. Keep it unfastened successful a tab while you comparison shop for a VPN.

Installing, configuring and utilizing Proton VPN

This conception explains really it feels to tally Proton VPN connected nan various platforms it supports. As a rule, it's not difficult. Proton VPN has much features than ExpressVPN, and a mates of them mightiness travel up caller users, but you'd person to really scrounge to find an existent inconvenience to kick about.

Windows

Proton VPN installs easy connected Windows — you'll request to assistance it support to make changes, but that's it. Once you've signed successful connected nan app, you'll scope 1 of nan champion interfaces we've tried connected a VPN. The server web is instantly visible arsenic some a database and map, and nan location hunt bar, link fastener and awesome features are each laid retired astir nan aforesaid window.

It's honestly astonishing really overmuch you tin scope from nan motorboat model without thing emotion cluttered. They moreover squeezed successful keyboard shortcuts for nan hunt field. We besides emotion that settings unfastened successful nan aforesaid window, since dealing pinch some nan main VPN app and a abstracted preferences sheet tin get annoying. Our only existent gripe is that location should beryllium an easier measurement to set nan size of nan map.

Mac

The desktop app for Mac isn't rather arsenic deftly laid retired arsenic nan Windows app. You tin scope astir of nan important features from nan main window, including Profiles, NetShield, Secure Core servers and nan termination switch. However, there's nary longer a measurement to select retired a database of nan P2P aliases Tor servers, isolated from by digging done nan Profile controls. On nan positive side, you tin set nan size of nan map, truthful it's now a viable replacement to nan server list.

The different preferences are hidden successful nan paper barroom — spell to Proton VPN > Settings to scope them. They're laid retired successful 4 tabs, and shouldn't return much than a infinitesimal to spell done astatine setup.

Android

The Android app takes nan aforesaid creation cues arsenic nan Windows app, and useful arsenic well. Four tabs on nan bottommost move betwixt nan location screen, nan state list, Profiles and each different settings. You tin hunt nan database of countries by tapping nan magnifying solid astatine nan top-right. In different bully touch, tapping nan dots by immoderate virtual location will show you wherever nan server is physically located.

Android users get immoderate nifty exclusive Profiles, including "anti-censorship," which automatically connects to nan fastest state isolated from for nan 1 you're in. The Settings tab is simply a azygous paper pinch subheadings and nary unnecessary complication.

iOS

Proton VPN for iPhone and iPad looks almost nan aforesaid arsenic it does connected Windows and Android, but pinch immoderate of nan aforesaid drawbacks recovered connected Mac. The server database is much cluttered, and erstwhile again there's nary easy measurement to sift retired nan P2P and Tor locations.

The Settings tab puts each nan characteristic descriptions successful nan open, which makes it look denser than it is. But these are insignificant quibbles — this is still a VPN that's very easy to activate and hide about.

Browser extensions

Proton VPN has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. These service arsenic de facto divided tunneling, arsenic connecting done nan hold protects only browser traffic; everything other goes unprotected. You tin divided nan passageway further by mounting nan VPN to not activity connected definite URLs (unlike nan different apps, you don't request to cognize nan IPs of those sites).

Proton VPN velocity test: Impacts of VPN Accelerator

We utilized Ookla's Speedtest app to find really overmuch Proton VPN drags connected a user's latency, measured successful milliseconds (ms), and download and upload speeds, measured successful megabits per 2nd (Mbps). Together, these 3 stats show whether a VPN will noticeably slow down your internet, particularly during demanding tasks.

We had precocious hopes for Proton present because of its VPN Accelerator technology, which runs VPN communications crossed respective parallel tracks to process everything faster. It didn't disappoint — for nan astir part. Although download speeds didn't scope nan heights we saw from ExpressVPN, Proton VPN's browsing capacity still looks fantabulous astir crossed nan board.

To take our locations for nan test, we checked Proton VPN's database of smart routing servers, which usage servers successful 1 state to simulate IP addresses successful another. Almost each nan smart routing servers are based successful 5 cities: Miami, London, Marseille, Bucharest and Singapore. We ran these tests connected a Mac utilizing nan automatic protocol setting.

Proton VPN looks very bully successful that table. Its mean download velocity was 88 percent of our unprotected speeds. To put that successful perspective, if you started pinch 30 Mbps down (about half what we get) and connected to immoderate Proton VPN server, you'd almost surely still person a accelerated capable relationship to watercourse successful 4K.

Note nan "almost" — Proton VPN did driblet noticeably connected its French server successful Marseille. It's not uncommon for 1 of a VPN's information centers to person problem while nan others activity fine, and you tin usually hole nan problem by conscionable disconnecting and reconnecting. Just statement that while drops to astir 75 percent of your download velocity are rare, they're not inconceivable.

Proton VPN information test: Watertight protocols

When we talk astir VPN security, we're really talking astir reliability. Can this VPN found an encrypted passageway and transmit each your accusation done it, each time, without leaks aliases failures? With Proton VPN, we're happy to opportunity nan reply is yes; we probed its information and recovered nary cracks to speak of. Read nan conception beneath for specifics.

Proton VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and Stealth

Proton VPN uses 4 VPN protocols to pass betwixt your devices, its servers and nan internet. Three of them (WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2) are communal choices pinch nary superior flaws arsenic agelong arsenic they're implemented thoughtfully. The fourth, Stealth, is an obfuscation protocol you should only usage if nan different 3 are blocked.

• OpenVPN is nan astir unafraid option. Without getting excessively technical, OpenVPN encrypts its backend functions arsenic good arsenic nan information itself, which leaves it pinch nary evident vulnerabilities. It tin besides pass utilizing nan aforesaid ports arsenic communal HTTPS traffic, truthful it's difficult to block.

• WireGuard is much businesslike than OpenVPN, some successful its root codification and nan cryptography it uses. It usually requires an speech of fixed IP addresses, but nan Proton VPN implementation overwrites those IPs pinch randomized addresses, cutting nan information risk.

• IKEv2 is a safe prime that's occasionally faster than either OpenVPN aliases WireGuard. You astir apt won't usage it unless it happens to travel up while you've group nan protocol to Smart. As such, it's connected nan measurement to being phased retired of Proton VPN.

• Stealth is unsocial to Proton VPN, though its usability is not. It's sewage nan aforesaid architecture arsenic WireGuard, but adds different TLS passageway to evade web blocks that drawback VPN traffic. That other encryption slows it down, truthful we don't urge utilizing it unless nan different 3 protocols don't work.

The first action connected nan app, called "Smart," is not a protocol — it intends your VPN customer selects nan protocol that will springiness you nan champion speeds connected your existent server. Since each 4 protocols are safe, there's nary downside to utilizing nan Smart mounting astir of nan time.

Leak test

We utilized AirVPN's IP leak tool to cheque each 4 of Proton VPN's protocols for DNS and WebRTC leaks. Proton VPN uses its ain DNS servers to trim nan consequence of sending unencrypted requests, but since leaks are still possible, we tested utilizing a elemental method: checking our visible IP reside earlier and aft connecting to nan VPN.

Despite testing respective locations complete 3 days, we ne'er saw our existent IP reside show up connected nan tool. This held existent moreover extracurricular nan Secure Core server list, wherever information centers mightiness person been managed by 3rd parties. It's not cleanable proof, but it's a very bully motion that Proton VPN enforces a accordant information authorities connected each its servers.

We besides utilized BrowserLeaks to cheque for WebRTC leaks. These are chiefly an rumor connected nan browser side, but a VPN is doubly important if your browser happens to beryllium leaking. We enabled WebRTC connected our browser and tested nan aforesaid group of Proton VPN servers without springing immoderate WebRTC leaks.

Proton VPN and IPv6

Proton is moving connected making its full VPN compatible pinch IPv6 addresses. If a VPN that's only configured for IPv4 has to resoluteness an IPv6 address, it tin origin a leak — that's why astir VPNs, moreover nan champion ones, artifact IPv6 altogether. That said, nan full net will tally connected IPv6 1 day, truthful it's bully to spot Proton VPN starring nan pack.

So far, IPv6 is automatically enabled connected Proton VPN's Linux apps and browser extensions, and tin beryllium optionally activated connected its Android app. The Proton VPN apps for each different platforms still artifact IPv6 traffic, but this should hopefully alteration soon.

Encryption test

Even if a VPN's protocol choices are solid, it's imaginable for individual implementations of those protocols to fail. We utilized WireShark, a packet inspector app, to trial whether Proton VPN's encryption worked nary matter what settings were successful place. We're happy to opportunity we ne'er saw plaintext once.

How overmuch does Proton VPN cost?

To get afloat entree to Proton VPN, you'll request a Plus subscription, which costs $9.99 per month. You tin sound disconnected half that value by subscribing for a afloat twelvemonth and paying a lump sum of $59.88, moving retired to $4.99 per month. A Plus relationship pinch Proton VPN besides gives you free entree to each different Proton app.

You tin besides salary $107.76 successful beforehand to subscribe for 2 years, an mean of $4.49 per period — possibly much convenient, but it doesn't prevention you much. The one-year scheme is nan champion value, though it's besides bully that you don't person to salary done nan chemoreceptor for only 1 month. There's a 30-day, money-back guarantee connected each plans.

Proton VPN is presently offering Engadget readers an exclusive deal that offers a 12-month scheme for $47.88 ($3.99 per month) and a 24-month scheme for $81.36 ($3.39 per month). Learn much astir it here. One last action is nan Proton Unlimited subscription, discussed successful nan "side apps and bundles" conception below."

The Proton VPN free plan

Proton VPN is 1 of nan champion free VPNs connected nan marketplace correct now. No different VPN backed by arsenic overmuch acquisition and bully judgement has a free scheme pinch nary information limits. Instead of capping really overmuch information you tin usage per month, Proton VPN restricts which servers free users tin access, limiting them to 5 countries: nan United States, Japan, nan Netherlands, Poland and Romania.

The frustrating portion is that you can't take which of these servers you use; Proton VPN conscionable auto-connects to whichever 1 is nan slightest burdened. A Proton typical told america that this alteration goes on pinch improvements to nan action algorithm, amended load balancing and nan summation of nan Poland and Romania locations. It is besides imaginable to effort for a amended relationship by clicking "change server."

The truth remains, though, that a free Proton VPN scheme is useless for unblocking contented successful circumstantial locations — but this whitethorn beryllium by design. The free scheme seems much aimed toward privateness and anonymity than streaming, and nan placement of nan free locations adjacent Russia and China reflects that. Free Proton VPN plans don't sacrifice immoderate basal information features.

Proton VPN broadside apps and bundles

Proton VPN's main bundle is Proton Unlimited, which gets you each six Proton products successful 1 package: VPN, Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. This costs $12.99 for a month, $119.88 for a twelvemonth ($9.99 per month) and $191.76 for 2 years ($7.99 per month). We won't beryllium going in-depth connected immoderate of them successful this review, but here's a speedy rundown of each.

• Proton Mail: An end-to-end encrypted email service. Proton tin still spot a Mail user's existent IP address, but can't publication immoderate of their messages.

• Proton Drive: Encrypted unreality storage. As pinch Mail, Proton tin place users, but can't publication immoderate of nan contented they store.

• Proton Calendar: An encrypted scheduling app pinch events and reminders.

• Proton Wallet: A self-custody wallet for storing Bitcoin unconnected to immoderate exchange.

• Proton Pass: A password head that generates, stores and autofills passwords for online accounts.

Even if you only request 2 of nan six, Proton Unlimited saves you money. Separate monthly subscriptions to Proton VPN and Proton Mail would costs a full of $14.98, truthful you've already knocked disconnected $2 per month. That increases if you're capable to perpetrate to a twelvemonth successful advance.

Close-reading Proton VPN's privateness policy

Proton's privateness argumentation comes successful 2 parts: nan general Proton policy and nan shorter argumentation specific to Proton VPN. We'll screen them successful that order.

General Proton privateness policy

Proton tracks personification activity connected its merchandise websites utilizing its ain trading tools; nan information group collected does not see IP addresses. It retains an email reside connected to each user's account, but it's not allowed to link IP addresses (and frankincense identities and locations) to those emails unless nan personification breaches nan position of service.

You whitethorn rightly inquire really Proton would cognize a personification is abusing 1 of their services if they don't support activity logs. The reply is that logs aren't needed; astir forms of maltreatment tin beryllium detected successful different ways and observed successful existent time. For example, if personification utilized a Proton VPN server to motorboat a DDoS attack, nan squad could inspect that server and find nan hacker while nan onslaught was still ongoing.

The argumentation goes connected to database nan 5 third-party information processors Proton uses (Zendesk, PayPal, Chargebee, Atlassian and Stripe), nary of whom are allowed to shop customer activity data. Proton cautions that it will stock what information it does person successful consequence to unblockable requests from nan Swiss government, but not "until each ineligible aliases different remedies person been exhausted." This is modular for a VPN that wants to stay successful business, and nan transparency report shows nan institution does so conflict tribunal orders erstwhile it can.

Proton VPN privateness policy

Proton's VPN-specific privateness argumentation is rather short. It states that Proton cannot log personification activities aliases identifiable characteristics of devices connected to nan VPN, cannot throttle net connections and must widen afloat privateness and information to free users.

In 1 sense, a privateness argumentation requires you to return nan VPN supplier astatine their word, but it's vulnerable for a institution to make promises they don't intend to keep. The argumentation is legally binding, and breaking it is grounds for a lawsuit. Proton VPN's succinct no-logs argumentation is truthful a awesome sign. It's besides been confirmed respective times by a third-party audit, astir precocious successful July 2024.

Can Proton VPN alteration your virtual location?

Testing a VPN's expertise to disguise a user's location isn't analyzable — each you request is simply a streaming subscription. We connected to 5 trial locations and tried to unblock Netflix pinch each one. If we managed to entree nan site, and saw different shows than those connected nan American library, we concluded that nan location had masked america successfully.

Proton VPN passed nan trial each clip successful each 5 locations. The only hiccup came successful Romania, which we chose because it's 1 of nan free locations. The app connected america to a free server, which was excessively slow to load Netflix; erstwhile we chose a paid server, nan problem disappeared.

Investigating Proton VPN's server network

Proton VPN's free scheme includes servers successful 5 locations: nan Netherlands, Poland, Romania, nan United States and Japan. When you link arsenic a free user, you'll beryllium automatically connected to whichever location is fastest.

A paid scheme opens up nan afloat web of 154 servers successful 117 countries and territories. The paper includes a immense action of African locations, much than immoderate VPN we've tested successful immoderate time. The Middle East, on pinch cardinal and confederate Asia, are besides good represented, and U.S. users will find 20 different locations to take from.

Keep successful mind that astir two-thirds of these server locations are virtual, meaning they're not physically located wherever they declare to be. This includes each nan African servers isolated from South Africa and Nigeria; each nan South American servers isolated from Brazil, Colombia and Argentina; and each nan Middle Eastern servers isolated from Turkey, Israel and nan UAE. A mostly of nan locations successful Asia are besides virtual, including South Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and nan Philippines.

To beryllium clear, virtual locations tin hide your IP reside conscionable arsenic good arsenic beingness ones. It's only a problem if you're expecting nan benignant of performance, peculiarly successful position of latency, that you get from a adjacent server. Luckily, Proton VPN gives you accelerated capable download and upload speeds that region shouldn't beryllium a problem.

Features of Proton VPN

Proton VPN has a number of other features that spell beyond modular VPN functionality. We've already mentioned nan Stealth protocol and IPv6 support. In this section, we'll screen an further 5 features that mightiness beryllium of interest.

Proton VPN's built-in advertisement blocker is known arsenic NetShield. It's disposable connected nan main UI page, and has 2 settings: 1 that blocks only malware sites, and 1 that blocks sites connected pinch malware, ads and trackers. The stronger characteristic is connected by default.

NetShield useful by checking immoderate DNS requests against a database of web servers known to big malware, inject ads aliases connect cross-site trackers to your browsing session. The DNS-blocking attack intends it's not tin of blocking ads served from nan aforesaid domain that hosts them — truthful nary blocking YouTube video ads. On nan affirmative side, it intends NetShield useful crossed your full device, not conscionable connected your browser.

NetShield besides displays a moving full of really galore of each shape of interference it's blocked. It catches astir banner ads, but since you can't customize nan blocklist successful immoderate way, it's champion erstwhile mixed pinch different browser-level advertisement blocker.

Secure Core servers

Here's an absorbing one. Secure Core is simply a shape of a communal characteristic known arsenic double VPN aliases multi-hop VPN, successful which a relationship runs done 2 VPN servers earlier being decrypted. If 1 server fails aliases gets compromised, nan different server keeps your relationship private.

Proton VPN takes this a measurement further. When you activate Secure Core, your relationship will still extremity astatine your chosen server location — but earlier that, it will recreation done a designated server successful Iceland, Sweden aliases Switzerland. A fewer touches make Secure Core servers much reliable than nan mean VPN node:

• All 3 countries are safe jurisdictions, pinch consumer-friendly privateness laws and courts sympathetic to privateness claims.

• Secure Core information centers are locked down physically; for example, nan Iceland location is simply a refitted subject base, and nan Sweden location is virtually underground.

• Proton owns and operates each Secure Core locations itself, pinch nary rentals aliases third-party managers.

Almost nary different VPNs salary arsenic overmuch attraction to beingness information arsenic Proton VPN does pinch this feature. The 2nd hop makes Secure Core connections slower connected average, but it's worthy it if you person thing particularly delicate to do online.

Kill switch

Proton VPN includes a termination switch, a modular feature. When active, a termination move cuts disconnected your net whenever your relationship to nan VPN drops. This intends you're ne'er successful threat of leaking your existent personality aliases location, moreover for a second. It besides protects you against nan TunnelVision exploit, which requires nan hacker to make a clone VPN server.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is included connected nan Windows and Android apps, but users connected different devices tin entree it done nan browser extension. With divided tunneling, immoderate apps aliases websites get online done nan VPN, while others enactment unprotected.

Proton VPN allows divided tunneling by some app and IP address. This grants you a precise level of power complete your split, arsenic agelong arsenic you cognize nan IP of each website you're placing connected nan database (you tin find that retired utilizing DNS checker).

Torrenting servers and larboard forwarding

Proton VPN is 1 of nan champion VPNs for torrenting. It restricts torrenting to P2P servers, but astir each server connected nan database is simply a P2P server — only Secure Core servers and immoderate free servers don't licence torrenting. Combine that pinch nan truth that it maintains 96 percent of your upload speeds connected average, and you should person fewer problems utilizing a torrenting client.

It besides has immoderate support for larboard forwarding, which tin amended torrenting speed. Windows and Linux users tin alteration it pinch a elemental toggle, which provides an progressive larboard number for configuring backstage servers. Mac users tin group up larboard forwarding done manual OpenVPN aliases WireGuard configurations.

Tor complete VPN

A fistful of Proton VPN servers way you straight to nan Tor web aft encrypting your connection. While connected to 1 of these Tor complete VPN servers, which are marked pinch TOR successful their names and an bulb symbol, you'll beryllium capable to unfastened .onion links connected a normal browser.

This is much than conscionable convenient — Tor complete VPN is nan safest measurement to entree nan acheronian web. With nan VPN arsenic an intermediary, you're ne'er connecting to Tor pinch your ain IP address, truthful malicious node operators can't spot your existent identity. For maximum privacy, usage Tor Browser to create your Proton VPN account, truthful you're ne'er exposed astatine immoderate constituent successful nan process.

Proton VPN has Tor servers successful six countries (the U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Hong Kong). Each conscionable has 1 Tor server, isolated from nan United States, which gets two. Tor complete VPN is supported connected each platforms, but it won't activity connected Mac aliases iOS unless you person nan termination move enabled.

Profiles

A "profile" connected Proton VPN is simply a group of pre-established settings you tin usage to quickly configure nan VPN for a peculiar task. Two profiles are disposable from nan start: Fastest, which connects to nan fastest server, and Random, which ever connects to a different server. You tin create much profiles by toggling 4 settings:

• Feature: The type of server used. Choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P aliases Tor complete VPN.

• Country: The state to which nan floor plan connects.

• Server: A server wrong that country. You tin besides prime "fastest" aliases "random."

• Protocol: Which VPN protocol nan floor plan will use. "Smart" tin beryllium selected.

As an example, opportunity you want to watch a TV bid that's only disposable connected Netflix successful Canada. You could create a floor plan called "Netflix Canada" that connects to nan fastest Canadian server pinch conscionable 1 click. We'd telephone profiles situationally useful, but they tin prevention a batch of clip if you regularly execute nan aforesaid action connected your VPN.

Proton VPN customer support options

We went to Proton VPN's FAQ pages pinch 2 questions that came up while researching different sections: which of Proton VPN's servers are managed by 3rd parties, and why do definite server locations (like Marseilles) tally slow contempt nan app showing a ray load?

You tin entree nan thief halfway done immoderate of Proton VPN's apps, aliases by going straight to nan website. Articles look to beryllium organized into six categories. Oddly, clicking immoderate class fastener only shows you a fistful of nan articles successful that conception — for example, nan Troubleshooting class looks for illustration it only has 5 articles. If you type "troubleshooting" into nan hunt bar, though, you'll spot dozens popular up. There are moreover immoderate sections, for illustration Billing, that don't look connected nan main page astatine all.

It has nan consciousness of a website update that wasn't adequately brought successful statement pinch nan bulk of nan support content. Until Proton fixes it, conscionable usage nan hunt barroom for everything. The articles themselves are well-written, springiness aliases return immoderate stilted English.

Getting speedy help

We couldn't find written answers to our questions astir ownership and server load, truthful we turned to unrecorded chat. Free users should support successful mind that unrecorded chat support is only disposable connected paid accounts, but there's a reasonably progressive subreddit astatine r/protonvpn wherever Proton unit often post.

Live chat is not intuitively located connected protonvpn.com. We yet recovered it by scrolling each nan measurement to nan bottommost of nan main page, only to beryllium told cipher was online to thief astatine nan infinitesimal — unrecorded chat is only accessible from 9 AM to midnight Central European Time (CET). We submitted our mobility astir nan Marseille servers arsenic an email summons instead.

This portion was easy, astatine least, arsenic nan shape helpfully populated our strategy information. We besides sewage a punctual consequence wrong 24 hours. We ended nan relationship there, arsenic we weren't capable to reproduce nan sluggish behaviour connected nan French server locations, but it's bully to cognize nan squad will reply quickly.

Proton VPN inheritance check: The CERN origins of Proton AG

Proton VPN launched successful 2017, but its team's acquisition goes backmost overmuch farther. The founders of its genitor company, Proton AG, met while moving astatine CERN successful Switzerland, and nan institution remains nether Swiss jurisdiction.

Their first product, Proton Mail, went unrecorded successful 2014 aft a successful crowdfunding campaign, and claims to person 100 cardinal users today. Proton VPN was Proton AG's 2nd project. Like Proton Mail, it consists of a free scheme supplemented by paid upgrades.

Since then, Proton has introduced respective much products: Proton Calendar successful 2020, Proton Drive unreality retention successful 2022 and nan Proton Pass password head successful 2023, each designed astir utilizing end-to-end encryption to make personification information inaccessible.

The Proton Foundation

Proton announced successful 2024 that nan mostly of its shares had been acquired by nan Proton Foundation, a nonprofit whose only intent is to power Proton stock. Among different benefits, this prevents it from being purchased by anyone who disagrees pinch its mission. To waste to an objectionable genitor company, nan full committee of trustees would person to agree, which feels improbable based connected Proton's way record.

Throughout Proton's history, we only recovered 2 incidents superior capable to remark on, and only 1 of them concerned Proton VPN. We'll screen them some below.

ProtonMail rule enforcement collaboration allegations

On nan page that hosts its annual transparency report, Proton states openly that it "may beryllium legally compelled to disclose definite personification accusation to Swiss authorities" (see nan Privacy Policy conception of this article for much connected precisely what accusation that describes). In 2021, the institution admitted it had fixed Swiss constabulary (acting connected a French warrant) a ProtonMail user's IP reside and instrumentality logs. The constabulary arrested nan user, a French biology activist.

While that's unnerving for privacy-minded users, location are immoderate important contextual issues to consider. Most importantly, ProtonMail is not governed by nan aforesaid argumentation arsenic Proton VPN. At nan clip nan lawsuit unfolded, Swiss rule obliged each email companies to comply pinch tribunal orders from Swiss authorities to manus complete data. VPNs aren't taxable to those retention requirements.

Today, Swiss email companies person been reclassified truthful they're besides exempt from information retention requirements, acknowledgment successful portion to a argumentation alteration Proton fought for. A typical from Proton confirmed that "under Swiss law, we are not obligated to prevention immoderate personification relationship logs." It's besides reassuring that, contempt complying pinch nan subpoena, Proton wasn't capable to move complete nan contents of immoderate emails.

Alleged WireGuard representation vulnerability

In January 2025, researchers astatine Venak Security alleged that Proton VPN lacks representation protection for keys generated nether nan WireGuard protocol, which mightiness fto hackers scrape nan keys and decrypt intercepted communications. Proton responded to Venak successful a blog post, which a Proton typical confirmed remains their charismatic consequence to nan allegations.

In short: nan Venak article only demonstrates that it's imaginable to position nationalist keys, not backstage ones. This isn't overmuch of a bombshell, fixed that "public" is correct location successful nan name. But asymmetric encryption — nan benignant utilized by VPN protocols for illustration WireGuard — requires some keys to decrypt immoderate messages. Even if a hacker were capable to get ahold of a backstage key, they apt wouldn't beryllium capable to usage it for anything. WireGuard incorporates cleanable guardant secrecy by default, changing convention keys often capable that immoderate fixed cardinal is obsolete by nan clip it's stolen.

Final verdict

In short, we're prepared to urge Proton VPN to almost anybody. Whether you're chiefly concerned pinch security, streaming aliases thing else, chances are bully that you'll beryllium satisfied. The only superior downsides are that nan semipermanent plans are overpriced and that it's difficult to get unrecorded tech support if you unrecorded extracurricular of Europe.

It's besides our unqualified prime for nan champion free VPN, but pinch nan caveat that it's a bad prime for anyone who needs to take circumstantial server locations. If each you attraction astir is staying hidden from your ISP and advertisers, Proton should beryllium your first choice.