Proton VPN

Proton VPN is the privacy-first VPN we recommend by default. Every client is open source and independently audited, Proton AG is Swiss-based and outside 14-Eyes jurisdiction, and it remains the only major consumer VPN to offer a free tier that is neither speed-throttled to uselessness nor funded by selling user traffic. For anyone who takes privacy seriously — or who wants Proton's mail, calendar, pass and drive tools alongside — Proton VPN is the pick.

Best for

• Privacy-conscious individuals, journalists and activists.
• Users already inside the Proton ecosystem (Mail, Pass, Drive, Calendar).
• Anyone who wants a genuinely usable free VPN tier.
• Users who want open-source, auditable client software.

Not ideal for

• Users whose primary need is streaming — NordVPN and ExpressVPN are more consistent.
• People who want the very largest server network (NordVPN wins on raw count).
• Users who prefer anonymous account creation with no email (choose Mullvad).

Independent verdict

Proton VPN's editorial edge is verifiability. The Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Linux clients are all open source and audited. Secure Core routes your traffic through hardened servers in privacy jurisdictions (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden) before exiting to the wider internet, so an adversary compromising a common exit country still can't unmask you. NetShield handles DNS-level ad, tracker and malware blocking. And the Swiss legal jurisdiction is a genuine structural advantage over US and UK-based providers.

The trade-off is streaming: Proton VPN Plus does unblock the major libraries, but not with the same one-click reliability as NordVPN or ExpressVPN. If you'd rank streaming above privacy, one of those two is the better pick.

Pricing model

Proton VPN offers a free tier, a paid Plus tier, and inclusion in the Proton Unlimited bundle (which also covers Mail, Calendar, Pass, Drive and additional storage). The free tier is unlimited on time and bandwidth with a small number of countries. The paid tiers unlock Secure Core, streaming, P2P, higher speeds and access to the full country list. Regional pricing varies across the US, EU and UK. Always check the current live price on the official Proton VPN pricing page.

Key features

• Open-source, independently audited clients across every major platform.
• Swiss legal jurisdiction — outside 14-Eyes, strong privacy law.
• Secure Core multi-hop routing through hardened privacy-jurisdiction servers.
• NetShield DNS-level ad, tracker and malware blocking.
• Stealth protocol for restrictive networks.
• WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocol support.
• Kill switch on all platforms; permanent kill switch on desktop.
• P2P-friendly servers, port forwarding and Tor-over-VPN.
• Included in Proton Unlimited alongside Mail, Pass, Drive and Calendar.

Streaming and unblocking

Proton VPN Plus unblocks the mainstream streaming platforms — Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Prime Video — reliably enough for real household use. Rotation and edge-case region access are not quite as effortless as NordVPN or ExpressVPN. The free tier is not designed for streaming and will not unblock geo-restricted content.

Real-world limits

The free tier caps you to servers in a small set of countries and one device at a time — deliberate, not accidental. Streaming requires the paid Plus tier. The mobile apps have gained polish steadily but remain slightly behind the NordVPN and ExpressVPN experience on iOS specifically. The Windows client historically trailed the macOS and Linux clients in feature parity, though the gap has narrowed materially through 2025-2026.

Alternatives

Mullvad is the closest ideological alternative — even stronger on anonymity (no account required, cash accepted) but with fewer features. NordVPN is the more feature-heavy mainstream pick. ExpressVPN is the "premium simple" alternative. If you're considering Proton VPN, look hard at Proton Unlimited — the bundle economics with Mail, Pass and Drive frequently make the VPN effectively free.

Bottom line

If privacy architecture matters to you at all — or if you already use any Proton product — Proton VPN is the correct pick. Start on the free tier to verify the apps and speed on your network, then move to Plus or Proton Unlimited depending on whether you also want Mail, Pass and Drive. If streaming is your absolute top priority and privacy is a secondary concern, NordVPN or ExpressVPN are better fits.