Proton VPN is the only well-known free VPN with an actual business model behind it, which means no bandwidth cap, no ad injection, and no logging of what you do. The paid tiers add more countries, streaming support, and faster servers, and the whole thing sits under Swiss jurisdiction.
Who it is for
Someone who wants a free VPN with a real business model and no traffic logging.
Key features
- Free tier with no data cap
- Servers in a handful of countries free
- WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols
- Secure Core routes through hardened datacenters
- NetShield ad and tracker blocking
- Streaming unblocking on paid only
Where it falls short
The free tier offers only a handful of countries and is noticeably slower under load, and streaming services mostly detect and block it.
Pricing
Free tier has unlimited data but few countries and lower speeds; paid plans start around $5 a month, and streaming plus more locations are the gates.
Prices move; the tier structure is the part that stays true. Check current pricing on Proton VPN.
Alternatives to Proton VPN
Frequently asked
Is Proton VPN free?
Partly. Free tier has unlimited data but few countries and lower speeds; paid plans start around $5 a month, and streaming plus more locations are the gates.
What is Proton VPN best for?
Someone who wants a free VPN with a real business model and no traffic logging.
What are the best alternatives to Proton VPN?
The closest substitutes we list are Mullvad VPN. They sit in a similar price bracket but make a different trade-off, so read the weaknesses section of each review before switching.
Which platforms does Proton VPN run on?
Proton VPN is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.