Proton VPN has been among the most well-liked and reliable VPNs available since 2017. Proton AG, a Swiss-based business that also operates Proton Mail and Proton Drive, is the one that founded and continues to run it.
Unlike the majority of other top VPNs, Proton VPN offers both a paid and a free version. This post provides a thorough analysis of Proton VPN’s two versions. We contrast them with one another and with competing VPNs that are comparable.
Continue reading to find out if we believe Proton VPN is the best option for you, or go ahead and view the main features we found throughout our testing.
Who Needs to Use Proton VPN?
You wish to stay anonymous on the internet. You can trust Proton VPN with your browsing information. It doesn’t keep any logs, has undergone independent auditing, and has a spotless record.
You want an excellent free VPN. One of the few reliable free VPNs that offers limitless data without any quotas or restrictions is Proton VPN Free.
You have never used a VPN before. Proton VPN is an excellent choice for novices as it is user-friendly and well-designed, despite its high degree of capability.
Proton VPN Key Data
| PaidAdd to compare | FreeAdd to compare | |
|---|---|---|
| Data Cap | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Download Speed | 87Mbps | 98Mbps |
| Logging Policy | No Identifying Data | No Identifying Data |
| Data Leaks | No | No |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland (Privacy Haven) | Switzerland (Privacy Haven) |
| Servers | 2,970 | 200 |
| IP Addresses | 2,970+ | 200+ |
| Countries with Servers | 68 | 3 |
| US Netflix | Yes | No |
| Torrenting | Partially | No |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 | 3 |
| Works In China | No | No |
| Support | Email & Online Resources Only | Email & Online Resources Only |
| Cheapest Price | $4.99/mo over 24 Months | Free |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30-day Money-Back Guarantee | – |
| Official Website | ProtonVPN.com | |
Policy on Privacy and Logging An Exclusive, Completely No-Logs VPN Service
You can rely on Proton VPN as a reputable service to protect the privacy and anonymity of your online activities. Third parties and actual cases have examined and validated its zero-logs privacy policy. Because of its Swiss jurisdiction, the VPN is exempt from data retention regulations and does not gather or sell any user data.
| Data Type | Logged by Proton VPN |
|---|---|
| Account Information | Yes |
| Browsing Activity | No |
| Date of Last Connection | No |
| Device Information | Yes |
| DNS Queries | No |
| Individual Bandwidth Usage | No |
| Individual Connection Timestamps | No |
| ISP | No |
| Number of Simultaneous Connections | No |
| Originating IP Address | No |
| VPN Server IP | No |
| VPN Server Location | No |
Proton VPN is one of the rare VPNs that genuinely maintains a zero-logs policy, meaning that very little personal data is kept on file. Whether you use the app’s premium or free version, this policy is the same.
The email address you provide while creating an account is the only information that Proton VPN keeps. By creating a fresh, anonymous email address, you may quickly put this behind you.
Every piece of profile information is encrypted, kept locally on its servers, and promptly removed upon account cancellation.
We’ve never encountered a better VPN logging policy than this one, especially since it has been shown to be accurate.
When a Swiss court granted a request for details about a Proton VPN customer, Proton VPN was put to the test in January 2019. Proton VPN just hadn’t stored any user data, thus it couldn’t supply any.
This indicates that Proton VPN is among the select few VPN providers whose logging practices have undergone independent testing in the real world; in our opinion, this is the most rigorous evaluation of a VPN’s privacy practices.
Switzerland Is the Base of Proton VPN
Switzerland is an excellent place for Proton VPN to operate as a VPN service provider.
For the following reasons, Switzerland is an excellent VPN jurisdiction:
- Strong privacy regulations, a reputation for protecting user privacy, and the absence of a requirement for VPN providers to retain user data are all present in Switzerland.
- Due to its non-EU membership, Switzerland is exempt from all EU data retention regulations, including the Data Retention Directive (2006).
- Switzerland does not have a formal system in place for gathering and exchanging surveillance data with other countries because it is not a part of the 14 Eyes alliance or any other intelligence sharing coalition.
Proton VPN is exempt from all privacy-hostile laws in Switzerland, including BÜPF and NDG, because it isn’t regarded as a “major telecommunication operator” or “major internet service provider.”
This implies that Proton VPN enjoys all the benefits of having its headquarters in Switzerland without having to deal with any of the disadvantages.
In Comparison to Other VPNs, How Private Is Proton VPN?
Proton VPN is compared to five other private VPN services in the table below based on logging policy audits, data collecting, and jurisdiction.
| VPN Service | Privacy Rating | Logging Policy | Jurisdiction | Independently Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProtonVPN | 9.5 | Anonymous Server Data | Switzerland | ✓ |
| PIA VPN | 9.7 | No Logs | United States | ✓ |
| Surfshark | 8.7 | Anonymous Server Data | British Virgin Islands (BVI) | ✗ |
| ExpressVPN | 9.2 | Anonymous Server Data | British Virgin Islands (BVI) | ✓ |
| NordVPN | 8.8 | No Logs | Panama | ✓ |
Quick local download and upload speeds are available for both versions
Proton VPN has an average local download speed of 87 Mbps, making it an extremely fast VPN. However, in our most recent speed testing, it has lagged behind its major competitors. Its local download rates are regularly slower than IPVanish, NordVPN, and several others, even with WireGuard on. However, the fastest free VPN available is Proton VPN Free.
We established connections with Proton VPN servers spread across six continents in order to conduct our speed testing. We utilize a 100Mbps internet connection, which is comparable to your typical residential internet speed. These are the outcomes:
| No VPN (New York) | US (New York) | Canada (Toronto) | US (Los Angeles) | UK (London) | Germany (Berlin) | Brazil (São Paulo) | Japan (Tokyo) | South Africa (Johannesburg) | Australia (Sydney) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download Speed | 100Mbps | 87Mbps | 91Mbps | 91Mbps | 89Mbps | 89Mbps | 92Mbps | 83Mbps | 64Mbps | 76Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 100Mbps | 90Mbps | 95Mbps | 83Mbps | 47Mbps | 94Mbps | 93Mbps | 11Mbps | 62Mbps | 91Mbps |
| Ping | 1ms | 7ms | 14ms | 88ms | 73ms | 102ms | 113ms | 145ms | 596ms | 212ms |
| Distance | 0mi | 5mi | 300mi | 2,500mi | 3,500mi | 4,000mi | 4,800mi | 6,700mi | 8,000mi | 9,900mi |
Strangely, Proton VPN actually provided quicker download speeds on many other test servers that were farther away from us than its New York server, even though we were testing from New York, US.
The download rates you receive on a server close to you might be faster than those from its New York servers, which might simply be slower or more crowded than others.
Although 64Mbps in South Africa and 76Mbps in Australia are respectable figures and better than many less reliable VPNs, Proton VPN still trails behind well-known competitors like Hotspot Shield and even Ivacy VPN in terms of download speeds on servers that are quite far away.
The Fastest Free VPN is Proton VPN
In our testing, however, we were particularly delighted with Proton VPN’s free app. Actually, out of all the free VPNs we’ve tried, Proton VPN Free is the fastest.
No VPN (New York) | US (New York) | Netherlands (Amsterdam) | Japan (Tokyo) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download Speed | 100Mbps | 98Mbps | 83Mbps | 83Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 100Mbps | 98Mbps | 95Mbps | 11Mbps |
| Ping | 1ms | 9ms | 96 | 145ms |
| Distance | 0mi | 5mi | 3,000mi | 6,700mi |
Not only does Proton VPN Free have remarkable upload and download speeds, but it is also the only reliable free VPN that has no data limit. This implies that you will never run out of bandwidth for anything, including gaming, streaming, and downloading.
Just be aware that your speeds may not be as steady due to congestion, as there are only 200 free servers accessible to connect to (compared to 2,970 for the subscription app).
Proton VPN Is Excellent for Streaming, but Not with the Free Version
Proton VPN’s streaming capabilities have just been enhanced. It currently functions with HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and ten Netflix regions. If you are willing to pay for it, this VPN is great for streaming. None of the streaming websites can be unblocked using Proton VPN’s free edition.
| Streaming Platform | Works with Proton VPN | Works with Proton VPN Free |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | Yes | No |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | No |
| Channel 4 | No | No |
| Disney+ | Yes | No |
| Hotstar India | No | No |
| Hulu | Yes | No |
| ITVX | No | No |
| Max | Yes | No |
| Netflix US | Yes | No |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
Your subscription plan will determine how much streaming you can do with Proton VPN. Netflix blocks its free servers, however its Plus servers reliably function with US Netflix as well as nine other areas.
Proton VPN says it can unblock Netflix “in almost every country,” yet our testing show that it can unblock Netflix in ten different countries. It’s not every library we check for—Brazil and Spain are major misses for it—but it’s still quite good; the two libraries that unblock considerably more are Windscribe and PrivateVPN.
The World’s Greatest Streaming Websites Are Compatible with Proton VPN
Proton VPN is a fantastic VPN for Netflix; in addition, it unblocks Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.
| Streaming Service | Server IDs |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Video | US-FL#36, US-CO#11, US-AZ#2 |
| BBC iPlayer | UK#35, UK#11, UK#39 |
| Disney+ | US-TX#18, US-WA#10, US-CA#19 |
| Hulu | US-FL#13, US-IL#40, US-IL#42 |
| US Netflix | US-NY#11, US-CA#14, US-GA#20 |
We discovered that the free version functions with F1TV to stream live F1 races without paying, so don’t be too hard on it. Furthermore, free VPNs hardly ever function with any streaming websites.
Torrenting: A Quick and Secure Option Available Only with Premium Subscription Plans
Although Proton VPN isn’t as good as competitors like PIA or Mullvad, it’s still a fantastic VPN for safe torrenting. We adore that it provides port forwarding to accelerate seeding speeds, P2P-optimized servers, and a 100% dependable kill switch. It also provides quick downloads with an average bitrate of 9.7 MiB/s. However, Proton VPN Free isn’t allowed to be used for torrenting; all servers prohibit it.
Using Proton VPN for torrenting is quick, safe, and private, according to our P2P testing.
With P2P VPN redirect, torrenting is permitted across all Proton VPN server locations. This implies that your traffic may be safely diverted to a server that is closer to you for faster download rates.
Additionally, there are fast servers that are tailored for torrenting; they are easily identified within the software, although you are free to torrent on any server you like.
Proton VPN has improved the distribution of its P2P-optimized servers by adding more of them recently. Twenty nations have Proton VPN servers that are optimized for torrenting, with 15 in Europe, 2 in North America, 2 in Asia, and 1 in Africa.
Although Oceania and South America aren’t on the list, you can still torrent on any of their servers—they aren’t P2P-specific. During testing, we also found that there was very little variation in download bitrates between conventional servers and P2P-labeled servers.
Proton VPN is a superb VPN for torrenting, no matter which server you use or where you are in the world. We only wish the free version could be used for this as well.
Port forwarding is supported by Proton VPN
Port forwarding is supported by only few VPNs, including Proton VPN. This allows you to transmit files more quickly and get beyond your router’s NAT firewall.
Even though Proton VPN is a quick VPN for torrenting, port forwarding boosted our P2P speeds by 10%. The fact that it’s presently limited to the Windows app is its lone drawback. We’re hoping Proton VPN will soon bring it to more systems.
Value & Price Many Expensive Plans of Price
Proton VPN is a great VPN service, however in comparison to other similar services, we still think it’s pricey. Even its two-year package is $4.99 a month, which is higher than Surfshark and Private Internet Access put together. However, Proton VPN’s free edition is a terrific method to test the service before committing to a subscription and delivers exceptional value.
Proton VPN offers two paid options, Plus and Unlimited, in addition to a free one. This is a synopsis:
- Monthly $9.99/mo Plus Plan: Billed $9.99 every month
- 12 Month(s) $5.99/mo Plus Plan: Billed $71.88 for the first 12 months, then $96.00 every 12 months thereafter Save 20%
- 2 Year(s) $4.99/mo Plus Plan: Billed $119.76 for the first 2 years, then $159.00 every 2 years thereafter Save 33%
| Free | Plus | Unlimited | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | Free | $4.99 | $7.99 |
| Simultaneous Connections | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| US Netflix | No | Yes | Yes |
| Countries | 3 | 68 | 68 |
| Secure Core | No | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Services | None | None | Mail, Calendar & Drive |
You can select the plan that best suits your needs by using the table. Note that Proton VPN’s Plus plan and Unlimited plan have the same functionality; the only difference is that the Unlimited subscription grants you access to additional Proton products.
If all you want is the VPN, we advise going with the Plus option.
The Plus plan is available for purchase every month, every year, or every two years. The monthly subscription for Proton VPN is $9.99, however if you buy it yearly, the price drops by 40% to $5.99. Paying for the entire plan upfront, the equivalent monthly cost of the two-year plan is $4.99, representing a 50% savings.
Given that VPNs always charge far more for shorter-term memberships, $9.99 is actually a relatively fair pricing for a one-month subscription. But when you compare its best price to that of its competitors, you’ll find that numerous highly regarded VPN services are far less expensive.
The Free Version of Proton VPN
Proton VPN’s free version is outstanding. Its programs are open-source, it’s safe to use, and there are no data caps. However, it doesn’t support torrenting or Netflix, and it only supports three server locations. Still, it’s an excellent free VPN with strong privacy protection.
Options for Payment and Refund
Proton VPN takes the following payment methods: American Express, Mastercard, PayPal, Visa, Bitcoin, Bank Wire / Direct Transfer, and Cash
If you prefer not to have your Proton VPN account associated with your bank account, the ability to pay with cash and cryptocurrencies is a convenient feature. Not many VPNs provide this feature.
If you live outside of America or Europe, there aren’t any foreign payment methods available, such as AliPay.
Proton VPN provides a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked and no limits on data consumption. All you have to do is email the support service to seek a refund, and in 14 days, the money will return to your account.
You can use Proton VPN for free without having to enter any financial information; simply create an account to get started. We think VPNs should adopt this strategy since it greatly improves privacy and peace of mind.
Technical and Security Elements Extremely safe and open-source
Excellent security qualities for Proton VPN have been confirmed by independent assessment. Its open-source applications employ AES-256 encryption and industry-standard VPN protocols; on all platforms, it readily passed our tests for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. You can rely on Proton VPN to secure your data and hide your real IP address.
Technical and Security Elements Extremely safe and open-source
Excellent security qualities for Proton VPN have been confirmed by independent assessment. Its open-source applications employ AES-256 encryption and industry-standard VPN protocols; on all platforms, it readily passed our tests for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. You can rely on Proton VPN to secure your data and hide your real IP address.
One of the rare VPNs with both open-source applications and a third-party security audit disclosed is Proton VPN.
The iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS apps for Proton VPN are entirely open-source. All vulnerabilities found so far have been addressed, and the source code can be viewed for free on Github.
Open-source applications have the advantage that anybody can examine and contribute to their development. Because a bigger community is examining the software for errors, this increases security.
We appreciate that Proton VPN has taken the time to accomplish this since it demonstrates a degree of openness and dedication to security that we don’t often see from other VPN services.
Highly Encrypted Connections with Proton VPN
We examined Proton VPN’s connection logs as part of our security tests in order to evaluate the encryption strength. What we observed impressed us.
The encryption characteristics of Proton VPN are as follows:
- The AES-256 cipher is used to securely encrypt traffic.
- Relationships made with an RSA-2048 handshake.
- Perfect Forward Secrecy through the exchange of ECDH keys.
- In order to offer authentication, a SHA-384 hash is used.
Our testing verify that Proton VPN’s encryption is more secure than what most users require. Your data will be shielded and concealed by the VPN’s encryption from prying eyes and prospective attackers as well as your ISP.
The Advanced Security Settings of Proton VPN
Numerous sophisticated security and privacy settings are available in Proton VPN’s applications. We have enumerated the key features of the app below:
Deactivate Switch
One important piece of security is a VPN kill switch. Without one, you run the risk of having your IP address exposed to prying eyes in the event that your VPN connection abruptly ends.
On its apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Mac, Proton VPN incorporates a kill switch. Make sure you enable it in the Preferences menu by going to the ‘Connection’ tab. It isn’t enabled by default.
We manually tested Proton VPN’s kill switch by disconnecting the VPN connection and conducting a number of IP and DNS leak tests. The kill switch never failed to reveal our real IP address and operated flawlessly in any situation.
Divided Tunneling
Split tunneling allows your VPN to establish a second tunnel that passes through your ISP directly, giving the impression that you are not using a VPN at all.
Maintaining compatibility with services and devices that need a local IP address, such as a wireless printer, is made easier with the help of this functionality.
Split tunneling is supported by Proton VPN on Windows and Android apps, but not on macOS or iOS. Just toggle the apps you wish to be kept out of the encrypted VPN connection in order to use it.
We used a Netherlands VPN server to download a torrent file safely, tested split tunneling, and were able to access devices on our local network.
Results of the IP & DNS Leak Test for Proton VPN
You should make sure a VPN is functioning properly by doing a real-world IP and DNS leak test before entrusting it with your critical data.
IPv6 and DNS leak protection are included in every Proton VPN app, but we still wanted to make sure these features are functional. Proton VPN was used for these tests on both Android and macOS.
We established connections with a number of Proton VPN servers, including those in the US, South Africa, Germany, and Australia, to check for any IP address leaks. Our actual IP address was never disclosed by Proton VPN on any server.
Next, we checked Proton VPN for DNS leaks using our IP and DNS leak testing tool. DNS leaks happen when your browser sends DNS requests via your ISP rather than the VPN; nevertheless, Proton VPN did not cause any DNS leaks throughout our testing.
This is expected since Proton VPN manages its own DNS servers and answers your DNS queries directly. This eliminates the possibility of outsider leaks.
Ad Blocker NetShield Is Not Very Good
The company’s ad, malware, and tracker blocker, NetShield, is available to Proton VPN Plus and Unlimited subscribers. By selecting the shield icon on the app’s home screen, you can enable this.
While we discovered that NetShield successfully blocks malware and trackers, it did a very poor job at blocking adverts.
NetShield doesn’t completely stop advertising elements from appearing on websites, in contrast to other ad blockers. It looks ugly and replaces them with a gray box instead.
Furthermore, NetShield can only be used in conjunction with a Proton VPN server. Thus, in order to prevent advertisements from appearing, you must maintain a continuous connection to Proton VPN.
The Secure Core Servers of Proton VPN
In 67 of its locations, Proton VPN has its own servers. Its Secure Core network is composed of these.
This feature bounces traffic over a Secure Core server before relaying it onto another server in Proton VPN’s network; it is exclusive to the Plus and Unlimited plans.
One example of double VPN, or multi-hop, is this feature. In order to increase security, double VPN usually passes your traffic across two VPN servers as opposed to only one.
Compared to other solutions like NordVPN‘s or Surfshark‘s Double VPN, Secure Core is significantly more secure because Proton VPN owns and has exclusive access to these servers.
Secure Servers were only available in three nations not so long ago; it’s wonderful to see Proton VPN regularly increasing that number.
Using Secure Core servers has the disadvantage that your internet speed will be substantially slower.
The download speeds for regular UK and US servers are listed below, with secure server connections offering faster download speeds:
Using Secure Core servers has the disadvantage that your internet speed will be substantially slower.
The download speeds for standard servers in the UK and the US while connecting from the UK are listed below in comparison to secure server connections:
Typical Server:
- US: 87Mbps with a 13% drop
- UK: 11% loss at 89Mbps
US Secure Core Server:
- 30Mbps with a 70% loss
- UK: 82% loss at 18Mbps
Because of the additional distance the data must travel and the added encryption overhead, download speeds over the Secure Core network are significantly slower.
Extra Security Measures That We Would Like to See
An extremely enhanced ad blocker. As previously shown, NetShield is simply insufficient. Although we appreciate that it is part of the app, Proton VPN has to make significant improvements.
A Stealth protocol that functions. Although Proton VPN has the Stealth protocol available, it does not function consistently in China at this time. We hope it gets better enough to be able to bypass the Great Firewall on a regular basis.
A sophisticated kill switch. You are left with no option but to lose access to your local network and all of the devices connected to it when Proton VPN’s kill switch is turned on. Some customisation might be added there in a more sophisticated version.
Locations of Servers: Wide Server Network Including 68 Countries
Proton VPN has 2,970 servers spread across 68 countries, offering a broad selection of server locations. Even when compared to other leading VPN services like Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN, this server distribution is quite good.
| Continent | Number of Countries |
|---|---|
| Europe | 38 |
| Asia | 14 |
| South America | 7 |
| North America | 4 |
| Africa | 3 |
| Oceania | 2 |
The majority of Proton VPN’s servers are real, bare-metal servers situated in the nation that is specified. Virtual servers in the following locations are the sole exceptions, which are actually practically all of them: Cambodia, Egypt, India, Malta, Nigeria, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Thailand, and Vietnam.
It’s quite amazing that servers are actually located in so many different nations. We truly enjoy Proton VPN’s strategy here, despite the aforementioned caveats.
Notwithstanding this, Proton VPN does lease the great majority of its VPN servers from outside data centers. Since it lessens the chance of servers being compromised or becoming the target of hacker intervention, we prefer VPN services to own the majority of their servers.
A Proton VPN representative informed us that the firm has implemented additional security measures to guarantee that the servers it rents are safe and do not store any data. Proton VPN has consistently supported user security and privacy, therefore we believe it when it claims this.
A tiny portion of its servers are owned by Proton VPN as well. They are included in the network of its Secure Core.
The Free App for Proton VPN Offers 200 Servers Across 3 Nations
Proton VPN is not an exception when it comes to the nearly inevitable drastic reduction in server selection that occurs when a premium VPN includes a free version.
You may connect to the US, the Netherlands, and Japan using Proton VPN Free.
While we certainly wish there was more to offer, we appreciate that Proton VPN has at least taken into account the needs of its international user base by ensuring that the locations are evenly spaced.
Overcoming Web Censorship Gets Around Internet Filters in Iran & Russia, but Is Ineffective in China
The exclusive Stealth technology of Proton VPN helps users get beyond censorship in nations like Iran and Russia. It is unlikely to be effective in China, though. It would be ideal if Proton VPN used tried-and-true techniques like Shadowsocks to improve its performance in China.
Stealth is the proprietary obfuscation protocol created by Proton VPN. The purpose of Stealth’s creation in late 2022 was to circumvent web bans in nations with censorship. It can be found on the app’s paid and free editions.
In banned areas like Russia and Iran, stealth is incredibly successful at getting access to blocked websites and apps. In fact, actual users on Reddit and other online communities have praised stealth.
But only the VPN’s Mac, iOS, and Android apps support Stealth. This indicates that we are unable to test it on our Windows-powered server in Shanghai, China.
Not Effective in China
The Stealth protocol is unlikely to function in China, according to business representatives, despite Proton VPN’s effectiveness in less tightly restricted areas. This applies to the app’s paid and free versions alike.
We discovered that Stealth is basically WireGuard over TLS after examining the protocol’s publicly available source code. As a result, your web traffic is encrypted twice, which should make it more difficult for Deep Packet Inspection programs to thwart it.
However, TLS-based obfuscation techniques are effectively blocked by China’s Great Firewall. Stealth is therefore unlikely to ever function in the nation.
We would prefer that Proton VPN use other techniques for obfuscation, such as providing users with access to a Shadowsocks proxy.
The “TOR via VPN Server” function of Proton VPN occasionally functions in China. However, it is incredibly unreliable and slow to use Tor over VPN. We advise using a VPN that reliably functions in China as an alternative to it as a regular option.
OS and Device Compatibility Adaptable to a Wide Range of Platforms & Devices
Proton VPN offers applications for iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. We adore that it additionally has a feature-rich GUI application for Linux. With its subscription plan, Proton VPN allows you to use it on up to 10 devices simultaneously; with its free plan, that number drops to three. As an alternative, you can slow down speeds and have a laborious installation process by using Proton VPN on a router that supports OpenVPN as a client.
Applications
The following gaming consoles and streaming devices are compatible with Proton VPN: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and routers.
Not only are these apps available to paying customers, but Proton VPN Free accounts also get you access to all of them.
Video game consoles and streaming gadgets
The following gaming consoles and streaming devices are compatible with Proton VPN: Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Chromecast.
Proton VPN is even more difficult to use because it lacks a Smart DNS feature that allows you to unblock video material on devices like Apple TV or PlayStation.
One of the following firmware versions must be installed on your router: AsusWRT, DD-WRT, OpenWRT, pfSense, Tomato, FreshTomato, or Vilfo.
Alternatively, Proton VPN can be pre-installed on a router that you purchase. This eliminates the challenging setup procedure, but it costs money.
We highly advise utilizing a VPN with a solid Smart DNS service instead of a standalone VPN if you really want to utilize one for streaming on game consoles and other similar devices. CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are both fantastic options.
Extensions for Browsers
Opera, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Chrome.
Recently, Proton VPN also released a browser plugin that works with all Chromium-based browsers, not just Chrome and Firefox.
This implies that it is compatible with widely used substitutes like Edge and Opera. We were happy to see these findings in our testing, since we found that Proton VPN worked flawlessly. Many VPNs that adopt a similar strategy result in extensions that are just broken on browsers like Opera.
However, there is a key difference between the extension and its regular apps: free users cannot utilize Proton VPN’s browser extensions. After installation, a paid account must be used to log in.
However, the fact that you can use all 68 of Proton VPN’s server locations makes these addons unique from the competitors. The selection of many other well-known VPN extensions, such as those provided by CyberGhost and TunnelBear, is far smaller.
Like the desktop app, it functions to completely encrypt all of your online traffic, making it a true VPN extension. However, this extension just safeguards browser traffic; to safeguard all computer traffic, make sure to utilize the entire software.
Simpleness of Use Apps with Excellent Design and a Ton of Advanced Features
If you want to “set and forget” the app, Proton VPN is incredibly easy to use and looks fantastic on all platforms. Proton VPN has done an excellent job at describing each feature with the aid of numerous labels and tooltips, even though there are a lot of technical capabilities. We believe you’ll be able to utilize it without ever encountering a significant problem, while there are a few items that may use even more detail.
Computer & Tablet (Mac & Windows)
The main feature of Proton VPN’s apps is a sizable globe map that allows you to explore all of its server locations and establish a connection with the one of your choosing.
You can downsize the program to a tiny window that resembles its mobile app if you don’t like map interfaces (we find them to be a little confusing and a waste of space).
The Windows VPN client is the most comprehensive, as is frequently the case with VPNs.
All of Proton VPN’s sophisticated features are available in the PC client, such as split tunneling, a VPN kill switch, and “alternative routing,” which allows users to access some websites that are prohibited by rerouting connections to other Proton VPN servers.
OpenVPN, WireGuard, and other network routing are now supported by the macOS client, which is a significant upgrade over earlier iterations. Split tunneling is not supported, though.
Proton VPN is just a well-designed app that gives you the impression that you are using a high-end product, something that we believe many VPNs fall short of. The free version has the same exact appearance and feel.
Smartphones and Android devices
With the majority of the capabilities found in the Windows version, the Android app is the best of Proton VPN’s mobile applications.
Android and iOS mobile apps for Proton VPN side by side. Their looks are quite alike.
The two mobile apps for Proton VPN are intuitive to use and have a nice aesthetic.
In the event of a drop, the “Always-on” feature of the Android VPN software automatically re-establishes a VPN connection. This did not successfully protect our IP address in our tests since it switched on too late.
On the other hand, the iOS app is far more constrained and lacks alternate network routing and split tunneling. But “always-on” is still present and equally simple to utilize.
Linux
Native VPN software with a full graphical user interface (GUI) for Linux has been created by Proton VPN. This is noteworthy and exceptional among VPN providers.
Compared to VPNs that use the Linux command line, such as ExpressVPN, it has a much nicer interface and is much simpler to use. The following Linux distributions are compatible with Proton VPN:
Fedora 34+, Arch Linux/Manjaro, Debian 10+, Ubuntu 20.04 (LTS)+, Mint 20+, MX Linux 19+, Kali Linux, Elementary OS 6.0+.
Fire TV & Android TV
Proton VPN offers apps for Chromecast with Google TV and Android TV.
Screenshot of the Proton VPN app on Fire TV Stick and Android TV
The Android and Fire TV apps from ProtonVPN are user-friendly, something that isn’t often the case with VPNs.
You won’t have any trouble using the app because we found it to be user-friendly and intuitively put up.
Installing Proton VPN’s Fire TV app on any Amazon Fire streaming device—including the Fire TV Stick—is possible through the Amazon Appstore.
AES-256 encryption and WireGuard are used by the Amazon Fire app. The absence of a kill switch is a significant drawback of the app compared to the Google TV version.
This implies that if you use Proton VPN on your Firestick for torrenting or streaming, your IP address may become public if the connection drops.
The Profiles Feature Is Practical & Easy To Use
The “Profiles” component of Proton VPN’s apps is by far its most distinctive feature. With Profiles, you may combine certain features and settings to build a VPN connection that is tailored to your requirements.
You can select the kind of server, the server’s location, and if you wish to connect to a particular server using profiles.
For instance, Profiles enables you to make a shortcut to a certain server that is always compatible with US Netflix and keeps it pinned at the top of the interface.
One of Proton VPN’s greatest features, this is a complex tool meant just for power users.
| Platform | VPN Protocol | Kill Switch | Split Tunneling | Alternative Routing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | WireGuard, OpenVPN & IKEv2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| MacOS | WireGuard, OpenVPN & IKEv2 | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| iOS | WireGuard, OpenVPN & IKEv2 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Android | WireGuard, OpenVPN & IKEv2 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Live chat support for customers is available, although it’s not always there
Despite having a competent customer care staff, Proton VPN’s lack of a live chat feature that is available around-the-clock is disheartening. We believe it is unjust because it is only accessible to those who have paid for it. However, it has a support department with tons of helpful instructions and offers great responses to email or ticketing inquiries.
| Customer Support | Available in Proton VPN |
|---|---|
| 24/7 Email Support | No |
| 24/7 Live Chat Support | No |
| Chatbot | No |
| No | |
| Email Support via Online Form | Yes |
| Live Chat Support | No |
| Online Resources | Yes |
| Tutorial Videos | No |
The live help service offered by Proton VPN has to be improved.
First of all, it is difficult to locate the live chat feature. You must access it by logging into your VPN account on the website. After that, click your name in the upper right corner, choose “Get help,” and choose “Chat with us.”
Second, Proton VPN’s live chat support isn’t round-the-clock like that of other leading VPNs. It is open from 9 AM to 5 PM (CEST), which is not the best time for most people in the world. For example, this feature is only available from 3am to 11am if you live in New York.
It bothers us that live chat is restricted to users who have paid for service. If Proton VPN could modify that, it would be a pretty outstanding gesture, since VPNs like Surfshark allow you to chat with agents without even requiring verification of your account.
If you need help outside of these hours, you can email the customer support team or use the service’s excellent online FAQs and guides.
Email assistance is frequently sluggish. We occasionally had to wait more than three days to hear back. It is just not worth asking urgent and time-sensitive questions, such as which servers are compatible with US Netflix.
If nothing else, the Proton VPN support staff is patient and helpful in their responses.
In the end, is it worthwhile to use Proton VPN?
All things considered, Proton VPN is an excellent VPN service, and if security and privacy are your main priorities, we heartily advise utilizing it. It’s also one of your finest options if you want a free VPN.
Proton VPN’s Secure Core network delivers a robust extra layer of encryption to extremely critical network traffic, despite the subscription plans being quite pricey.
Additionally, the VPN offers a selection of servers that are tailored to speedy P2P activity and Tor network connections.
With frequent and quick access to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and other streaming services, Proton VPN has recently emerged as a strong VPN for streaming. It’s unfortunate that free users cannot access these, along with torrenting servers.
Although Proton VPN’s new browser extensions offer some much-needed added usability and its apps are well-designed, we still don’t recommend it if you stream a lot on game consoles or Smart TVs.
We truly wish its live chat was available around-the-clock (or for free users at all), as it is incredibly quick (its free version is the fastest free VPN).