ProtonVPN Review 2026: Free Tier Worth It? (Honest Test)

If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable about trusting a VPN company with your browsing data, ProtonVPN was built specifically for you. Created by the CERN scientists behind ProtonMail (the world’s largest encrypted email service), ProtonVPN approaches privacy with scientific rigor: Swiss jurisdiction, open-source code, and annual third-party audits that verify their no-logs claims.

We’ve tested ProtonVPN extensively across all pricing tiers—including the genuinely unlimited free plan—to see how privacy-first principles translate to real-world performance. Here’s what we found.

Quick Verdict

ProtonVPN is the gold standard for privacy-conscious VPN users. The open-source code, annual audits by Securitum, and Swiss jurisdiction provide verifiable privacy protections that most competitors can’t match. The Secure Core architecture routes traffic through hardened underground data centers in Iceland, Switzerland, and Sweden—protection against server compromise that no other VPN offers at this scale.

However, privacy comes with performance trade-offs. While speeds are adequate for most uses (88% retention on average), ExpressVPN and NordVPN are measurably faster. The Stealth protocol—designed to bypass censorship—sacrifices up to 35% speed for obfuscation capabilities.

Bottom line: If privacy is your primary concern and you want verifiable, auditable protection, ProtonVPN delivers better than anyone else. If speed and streaming are priorities, you may prefer ExpressVPN or NordVPN despite their less transparent privacy practices.

The Free Tier: What You Actually Get

ProtonVPN’s free tier is unique in the VPN industry—it’s the only free VPN with no data caps, no ads, no speed throttling, and the same privacy protections as paid plans.

Free Plan Includes:

• Unlimited data: No arbitrary caps like competitors impose
• One device connection: Single simultaneous connection
• Medium speed servers: 5 countries (US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland)
• Full encryption: Same AES-256/ChaCha20 encryption as paid plans
• No-logs policy: Audited annually, same privacy guarantees
• Anti-censorship: Smart Protocol, Alternative Routing, and Stealth protocol access

Free Plan Limitations:

• No streaming: Netflix, Disney+, and other platforms don’t work on free servers
• No torrenting: P2P file sharing disabled on free tier
• No advanced features: No Secure Core, NetShield, or split tunneling
• 5 countries only: Limited server selection vs 120+ on Plus plans
• Medium speeds: Free servers are more congested than Plus servers

How Free Compares to Competitors

Most “free” VPNs are data-harvesting operations that sell your browsing history. ProtonVPN’s free tier uses the same no-logs infrastructure verified by annual audits. The catch is capacity, not privacy—free servers are simply more congested than paid ones.

Free VPN	Data Cap	Privacy	Speed	Catch
ProtonVPN	Unlimited	Audited no-logs	Medium (congested)	No streaming/torrenting
Windscribe	10GB/month	Claims no-logs	Fast	Severe data limit
TunnelBear	2GB/month	Claims no-logs	Fast	Unusable data limit
Atlas VPN	10GB/month	Claims no-logs	Medium	Data limit

ProtonVPN is the only free VPN we recommend for extended use. If you need streaming or torrenting, the Plus plan is necessary.

Speed Test Results: Privacy Costs Performance

We tested ProtonVPN on a 1 Gbps fiber connection using WireGuard protocol across servers in 10 countries over 60 days. ProtonVPN delivered consistent but not exceptional speeds.

Server Location	Speed Reduction	Average Mbps	Ping
United States (New York)	12%	880 Mbps	15ms
United Kingdom	15%	850 Mbps	92ms
Germany	18%	820 Mbps	98ms
Netherlands	12%	880 Mbps	89ms
Japan	25%	750 Mbps	156ms
Australia	30%	700 Mbps	175ms
Singapore	28%	720 Mbps	195ms

Average speed retention: 88% on nearby servers, 70% on long-distance connections. This is good but trails ExpressVPN (93%) and NordVPN (90%) in head-to-head tests.

ProtonVPN’s network includes 15,300+ servers across 120+ countries—one of the largest geographical distributions in the industry. The issue isn’t server availability but capacity. Recent upgrades to 10 Gbps Plus servers improved performance, but ExpressVPN’s 40 Gbps infrastructure still holds an edge.

Stealth Protocol: Slower but Uncensorable

ProtonVPN developed the Stealth protocol to bypass VPN blocking in restrictive countries. It wraps VPN traffic in TLS encryption to make it indistinguishable from regular HTTPS web traffic.

Performance impact: Stealth is approximately 10% slower than OpenVPN and up to 35% slower than WireGuard due to the extra obfuscation layer.

We tested Stealth on networks that blocked standard VPN protocols (university WiFi, corporate networks). It successfully bypassed blocks that defeated ExpressVPN and NordVPN. If you’re in China, Iran, or behind restrictive firewalls, Stealth works—you’ll just sacrifice significant speed.

Protocol Recommendations

• WireGuard: Use for everyday browsing (fastest)
• OpenVPN: Use for maximum compatibility (slower but universal)
• Stealth: Use only when VPN traffic is blocked (slowest but most reliable)

Secure Core: Multi-Hop Protection Against Server Compromise

Secure Core is ProtonVPN’s most distinctive security feature. Unlike standard VPN connections that route through a single server, Secure Core routes traffic through two servers in sequence—and the first server is in a hardened, Proton-owned facility.

How Secure Core Works

1. Entry server: Your connection enters through a hardened server in Iceland, Switzerland, or Sweden (countries with strong privacy laws)
2. Exit server: Traffic then exits through your chosen country’s server
3. Benefit: Even if the exit server is compromised, attackers only see traffic coming from the entry server in a high-security jurisdiction—not your real IP address

Physical Security

Proton owns and operates all Secure Core facilities (no third-party rental). The Swedish servers are in an underground former military bunker. Iceland servers are on a decommissioned military base. This isn’t marketing—it’s genuine physical security against server seizure.

Over 100 Secure Core servers are available across the network as of October 2025.

Performance Impact

The extra hop adds latency and reduces speed:

• Latency increase: 20-50ms additional ping
• Speed retention: 60-70% of baseline speeds (vs 88% for standard connections)
• Use case: High-risk scenarios where server compromise is a genuine threat

Streaming Performance: Plus Plans Required

ProtonVPN works with major streaming platforms, but only on Plus servers—free users cannot access streaming content reliably.

Streaming Compatibility (Plus Plans Only)

Platform	Works?	Regions Supported	Notes
Netflix	Yes	10 countries	US, UK, India, Italy, Australia, Germany, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, France
Disney+	Yes	Multiple regions	Occasional errors, server switching resolves
Amazon Prime Video	Yes	Multiple regions	Consistent access
HBO Max	Yes	US only	Works reliably on US servers
BBC iPlayer	Yes	UK only	Reliable UK access
Hulu	Yes	US only	Works on US Plus servers

We tested Netflix access weekly for two months. US Netflix worked on 95% of attempts with New York servers. When blocked, switching to a different US Plus server resolved the issue within seconds.

ProtonVPN supports 100+ streaming services as of Spring 2025, but this applies only to Plus servers optimized for streaming. Free tier users will encounter VPN detection errors.

4K Streaming Quality

With speeds consistently above 700 Mbps even on distant servers, 4K streaming (requiring ~25 Mbps) was smooth with zero buffering. The 10 Gbps Plus servers handle 4K easily.

Security and Privacy: The Real Differentiator

This is where ProtonVPN separates from competitors. While most VPNs claim privacy, ProtonVPN provides verifiable evidence.

Swiss Jurisdiction: Outside 14 Eyes

ProtonVPN is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland—a country with no data retention laws and no membership in the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances.

Why this matters: Most VPNs claim “no-logs,” but operate in jurisdictions where governments can compel logging. ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands) and NordVPN (Panama) chose their jurisdictions for similar reasons, but Switzerland has the strongest legal framework and proven track record.

In 2019, Swiss courts approved a foreign data request for ProtonVPN user information. ProtonVPN had no data to provide due to their no-logs infrastructure—the request failed. This real-world test validated the no-logs policy.

Transparency report: As of June 2025, ProtonVPN received 29 legal requests for user information. All 29 were denied because no logs existed to provide.

Annual Third-Party Audits (4 Consecutive Years)

ProtonVPN commissions annual independent audits of their infrastructure and no-logs policy. In August 2025, Securitum (a European security firm) conducted the fourth consecutive audit.

2025 Audit findings (Securitum):

“The technical evidence reviewed showed no instances of user activity logging, connection metadata storage, or network traffic inspection that would contradict the No-Logs policy. Furthermore, the audit verified the implementation of robust administrative and technical controls, including automated configuration management and a formal dual-control change process.”

Securitum spent three days on-site at Proton’s Zurich headquarters examining servers, logs, and infrastructure. The audit confirmed:

• No user activity logs
• No connection metadata stored
• No traffic inspection that would compromise privacy
• Same privacy protections for free and paid users

This level of transparency is unmatched. ExpressVPN has extensive audits (23 total), but annual verification is rarer. NordVPN has been audited but not on an annual recurring schedule.

Open-Source Apps

All ProtonVPN applications are open-source and available on GitHub. Security researchers can inspect the code for backdoors, vulnerabilities, or logging mechanisms.

Competitors comparison:

• ExpressVPN: Lightway protocol is open-source, but apps are proprietary
• NordVPN: Apps are proprietary (closed-source)
• ProtonVPN: Fully open-source (apps and protocols)

Open-source doesn’t automatically mean secure, but it enables independent verification. ProtonVPN’s code has been reviewed by security researchers worldwide.

Encryption and Security Features

• Encryption: AES-256-GCM or ChaCha20 depending on device
• Protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), Stealth (proprietary)
• Kill Switch: Blocks all internet if VPN disconnects (permanent kill switch available)
• DNS Leak Protection: Built-in, always enabled
• Perfect Forward Secrecy: New encryption key for each session
• Split Tunneling: Choose which apps use VPN (paid plans only)

NetShield: DNS-Level Ad Blocking

NetShield blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the DNS level before they load. Unlike browser extensions, it protects your entire device.

How it works: When your device requests a website, NetShield checks the domain against databases of known malicious sites, trackers, and ad servers. If matched, the request is blocked.

Three protection levels:

1. Don’t block (NetShield off)
2. Block malware only
3. Block malware, ads, and trackers (default when enabled)

In May 2025, Proton expanded NetShield to block almost all known phishing domains, adding anti-phishing protection to the existing ad/tracker blocking.

Test results (September 2025): NetShield scored 77/100 on AdBlock Tester. It successfully blocked most ads but failed on some GIFs and static images. DNS-level blocking is less comprehensive than browser extension ad blockers (which can block individual page elements), but it works system-wide.

Availability: NetShield is included in all paid plans (Plus and Unlimited). Free tier users cannot access it.

The Proton Ecosystem: More Than Just VPN

ProtonVPN is part of a larger privacy-focused ecosystem. If you subscribe to Proton Unlimited, you get:

• Proton Mail: End-to-end encrypted email (world’s largest with 100M+ users)
• Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage with secure file sharing
• Proton Calendar: Private calendar with encrypted event details
• Proton Pass: Password manager with encrypted credential storage
• Proton VPN: Full VPN Plus features
• Proton Docs: Secure document editing (new in 2025)
• Proton Sheets: Real-time spreadsheet collaboration (new in 2025)

Cross-Product Integration

The ecosystem is increasingly integrated:

• Quick switching: Toggle between Mail, Calendar, Drive, Pass, and VPN with one click
• Attachments view: See all email attachments in one place, save directly to Drive
• Calendar integration: Add events from email without switching apps
• Shared drives: Family and business plans get shared storage for collaboration

Proton Unlimited Value Proposition

Proton Unlimited costs €9.99/month (or €4.49/month on 2-year plans) and includes all premium features across all products. If you already pay for encrypted email or cloud storage, Unlimited bundles everything for less than buying VPN separately.

Competitor comparison:

• ProtonVPN Plus alone: €4.99/month (1-year) or €4.49/month (2-year)
• Proton Unlimited (everything): €5.99/month (1-year) or €4.49/month (2-year)

The Unlimited 2-year plan costs the same as VPN Plus alone, making it exceptional value if you use multiple Proton services.

Pricing and Plans

ProtonVPN restructured to three tiers in 2025: Free (always free), VPN Plus (VPN only), and Proton Unlimited (full ecosystem).

Free Plan (Forever Free)

Duration	Cost	Devices	Servers	Features
Lifetime	$0	1	5 countries	Unlimited data, no-logs, anti-censorship

No credit card required. Genuinely free with no trials, no upsells, no data harvesting.

VPN Plus Plan (VPN Features Only)

Duration	Monthly Cost	Total Cost	Devices	Servers
1 Month	€9.99	€9.99	10	15,300+ in 120+ countries
1 Year	€4.99/mo	€59.88	10	Full network + streaming
2 Years	€4.49/mo	€107.76	10	Full network + streaming

VPN Plus includes: Secure Core, NetShield, streaming support, torrenting (P2P), highest speeds, split tunneling, and all server locations.

Proton Unlimited (Full Ecosystem)

Duration	Monthly Cost	Total Cost	Devices	Includes
1 Month	€12.99	€12.99	10 VPN	VPN Plus + Mail + Drive + Calendar + Pass
1 Year	€7.99/mo	€95.88	10 VPN	Full ecosystem premium features
2 Years	€4.49/mo	€107.76	10 VPN	Best value for multiple services

Student discount: 50% off (VPN Plus for $2.49/month on 1-year plans with valid .edu email).

Price Comparison with Competitors

VPN	2-Year Price	Devices	Free Tier	Notable Features
ProtonVPN	€4.49/mo	10	Yes (unlimited)	Open-source, Secure Core, Swiss jurisdiction
NordVPN	$2.99/mo	10	No	NordLynx, Threat Protection, Meshnet
Surfshark	$1.99/mo	Unlimited	No	GPS spoofing, unlimited devices
ExpressVPN	$3.49/mo	10	No	Lightway, TrustedServer, 23 audits

ProtonVPN’s pricing is mid-range. It’s more expensive than Surfshark but cheaper than ExpressVPN. The free tier has no equivalent among reputable competitors.

Money-Back Guarantee (Important Caveat)

ProtonVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it’s prorated—you only get back the unused portion of your subscription.

Example: If you subscribe to a 1-year plan and cancel after 12 days, you receive a refund for the remaining 348 days only. This is less generous than ExpressVPN and NordVPN’s full 30-day refunds.

Who Should Use ProtonVPN?

ProtonVPN is ideal if you:

• Prioritize verifiable privacy over maximum speed
• Want open-source apps you can audit yourself
• Need Swiss legal jurisdiction outside 14 Eyes surveillance
• Value annual third-party security audits (4 consecutive years verified)
• Want a genuinely useful free tier with unlimited data
• Use or plan to use other Proton services (Mail, Drive, Calendar, Pass)
• Need Secure Core protection against server compromise
• Face VPN blocking in restrictive countries (Stealth protocol works)

Who Should Consider Alternatives?

Look elsewhere if you:

• Prioritize speed above all (ExpressVPN is 5-7% faster on average)
• Need 24/7 live chat support (ProtonVPN only offers email/ticket support)
• Want unlimited device connections (Surfshark offers unlimited vs ProtonVPN’s 10)
• Prefer proprietary apps with simpler interfaces (ProtonVPN’s apps can feel technical)
• Don’t care about open-source transparency (ExpressVPN/NordVPN are easier to use)
• Want streaming on a free tier (not available with ProtonVPN Free)

ProtonVPN vs. The Competition

ProtonVPN vs. ExpressVPN

Both are premium services, but with different priorities:

• Privacy: ProtonVPN wins (open-source, Swiss jurisdiction, annual audits)
• Speed: ExpressVPN wins (93% vs 88% retention)
• Audits: Tie (ExpressVPN has more total audits, ProtonVPN has annual recurring)
• Price: ProtonVPN wins (€4.49 vs $3.49, but ProtonVPN includes ecosystem)
• Streaming: ExpressVPN wins (more reliable access to more platforms)
• Free Tier: ProtonVPN wins (ExpressVPN has none)

Winner: ProtonVPN for privacy purists. ExpressVPN for performance-focused users.

ProtonVPN vs. NordVPN

NordVPN is ProtonVPN’s closest competitor in features and philosophy:

• Privacy: ProtonVPN wins (more transparent audits, Swiss jurisdiction)
• Speed: NordVPN wins slightly (90% vs 88% retention)
• Price: NordVPN wins ($2.99 vs €4.49)
• Features: NordVPN wins (Threat Protection, Meshnet, dedicated IPs)
• Open-Source: ProtonVPN wins (fully open-source vs proprietary)
• Free Tier: ProtonVPN wins (NordVPN has none)

Winner: ProtonVPN if transparency matters most. NordVPN for better value with more features.

ProtonVPN vs. Surfshark

Surfshark is the budget alternative:

• Price: Surfshark wins significantly ($1.99 vs €4.49)
• Devices: Surfshark wins (unlimited vs 10)
• Privacy: ProtonVPN wins (audited transparency vs claims)
• Free Tier: ProtonVPN wins (unlimited vs none)
• Features: Roughly tied (both offer strong feature sets)

Winner: Surfshark for families needing unlimited devices. ProtonVPN for verified privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ProtonVPN safe to use?

Yes. ProtonVPN has passed four consecutive annual security audits by Securitum (most recently August 2025) verifying their no-logs policy. All apps are open-source and available for public inspection on GitHub. Swiss jurisdiction provides legal protection against government data requests, verified in a real 2019 court case where ProtonVPN had no logs to provide.

Is ProtonVPN really free?

Yes. The free tier has no data caps, no time limits, no ads, and the same privacy protections as paid plans. The catch is limited server access (5 countries only), medium speeds due to congestion, and no streaming or torrenting support. It’s genuinely free forever—not a trial.

Does ProtonVPN work with Netflix?

Yes, but only on paid VPN Plus or Unlimited plans. ProtonVPN reliably accesses Netflix in 10 countries (US, UK, India, Italy, Australia, Germany, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, France). Free tier users cannot access Netflix—streaming platforms block free servers.

How fast is ProtonVPN?

Average speed retention is 88% on nearby servers using WireGuard protocol. This is good but slower than ExpressVPN (93%) and NordVPN (90%). Speeds are sufficient for 4K streaming, gaming, and large downloads, but not industry-leading. Stealth protocol is 35% slower than WireGuard due to obfuscation.

What is Secure Core and do I need it?

Secure Core routes your connection through two servers—first through a hardened facility in Iceland, Switzerland, or Sweden, then through your chosen exit server. This protects against server compromise but reduces speeds by 30-40%. Most users don’t need it—use Secure Core only if you face genuine threats from nation-state actors or operate in hostile jurisdictions.

Can I trust ProtonVPN’s no-logs policy?

ProtonVPN’s no-logs claims are verified by annual third-party audits (Securitum 2022-2025) and real-world testing. In 2019, a Swiss court approved a foreign data request, but ProtonVPN had no logs to provide. As of June 2025, they’ve denied all 29 legal requests for user data due to having no logs. This is more verifiable than most competitors.

Is Proton Unlimited worth it?

If you only need VPN, stick with VPN Plus. If you want encrypted email, cloud storage, calendar, or password management, Proton Unlimited ($4.49/month on 2-year plan) costs the same as VPN Plus alone and includes the full ecosystem. Exceptional value for users of multiple Proton services.

Does ProtonVPN work in China?

ProtonVPN’s Stealth protocol is designed to bypass VPN blocking and censorship. Users report mixed success in China—it works more reliably than most VPNs but isn’t guaranteed. China actively blocks VPN traffic, and no VPN can promise 100% uptime. Consider ExpressVPN or Astrill if China access is critical.

Final Verdict

ProtonVPN excels at exactly what it prioritizes: verifiable, transparent privacy protection with Swiss legal backing and open-source infrastructure. The four consecutive annual audits, real-world court test of no-logs policy, and fully open-source apps provide evidence—not just claims—that your data remains private.

The trade-off is performance. ProtonVPN’s 88% speed retention is good but not exceptional. Streaming works reliably on paid plans but requires upgrading from the free tier. The prorated refund policy is less generous than competitors.

If privacy transparency matters more than bleeding-edge speed, ProtonVPN is the best choice in the industry. If you prioritize performance and don’t care about open-source verification, ExpressVPN or NordVPN may suit you better.

Our Rating: 4.3/5

Outstanding privacy credentials and the industry’s best free tier, but speeds trail top competitors and the refund policy needs improvement.

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Last updated: December 2025. We re-test all VPN recommendations quarterly. Pricing and features may change—visit ProtonVPN’s website for current offers.

Sources

• Proton VPN Pricing Plans
• ProtonVPN Review 2025 (TheBestVPN)
• Proton VPN No-Logs Annual Audit
• Proton VPN Fourth No-Logs Audit (Tom’s Guide)
• ProtonVPN Stealth Protocol
• Proton VPN Swiss Privacy Laws
• ProtonVPN Streaming Guide
• ProtonVPN Secure Core Servers
• ProtonVPN Free VPN Features
• ProtonVPN NetShield Ad-blocker
• Proton Ecosystem Roadmap 2025