Proton VPN review: a scientific approach to security

Proton VPN

MSRP $9.99

Score Details

“Proton VPN's free VPN is great, but the paid subscription is where the true gold is.”

Pros

• Quick, reliable server connections
• Plenty of fast servers worldwide
• Easy-to-use design
• Fast, helpful live chat support
• Good free version
• No surprises on renewal

Cons

• Upload speeds are slow
• Malware blocker is reputation-based

Proton VPN is an open-source virtual private network service available for free or as an affordable premium service. It was created the same company that gave us Proton Mail, Proton Pass, and more.

Proton AG is a company created by former scientists from the CERN research center back in 2014 to ensure private communication that’s free for everyone. A decade later, Proton apps are still available for free and still put privacy first.

As part of our ongoing coverage of the best VPNs, I reviewed Proton VPN to find out whether it’s worth subscribing or if the free version has enough speed and options for daily use.

Tiers and pricing

Proton Free includes all Proton apps. That means you can install Proton’s VPN, email, password manager, calendar, and encrypted cloud storage software and use them without a subscription.

Proton’s free VPN allows unlimited data transfer and unrestricted use for as long as you want, while encrypting your network traffic and protecting your privacy. There are no ads, and Proton Free doesn’t log your activity as many free VPNs do.

Of course, you get more when you subscribe. Instead of one connection and 136 servers across three countries, Proton VPN Plus supports 10 simultaneous connections with access to 6,380 servers in 112 countries.

The servers available in the paid version are plentiful and fast enough to support streaming and torrenting. Proton VPN Plus has advanced privacy options like the Stealth protocol that helps break through administrative firewalls, Secure Core that make two server hops to ensure maximum security, split-tunneling, and more.

Proton VPN Plus costs $10 if you choose the monthly plan. After a couple of years of service, that will cost you $240, but you can cut the long-term price by 55% with a $108 two-year subscription. An annual subscription costs $60, a 50% savings. It’s one of the best VPN deals you can find.

There’s also a bundle deal that includes paid subscriptions to every Proton service. Proton Unlimited provides secure email, a VPN, a password manager, encrypted cloud storage, and more for just a little bit more.

A two-year subscription to Proton Unlimited has the best value at $192. The annual plan is $120, and a monthly subscription costs $13.

Design

After installing the Windows app, a quick tour guided me through the basics. It’s simple to use with a big purple button at the top left for a quick connection to the fastest server at that time. Below that, a long list of countries lets me connect to a server with a low load or browse through all available servers to pick a particular region.

There are quick-toggle buttons at the top of that list. With one click, I can enable Secure Core for extra security, NetShield for ad and malware blocking, a kill switch that blocks internet if the VPN drops, and a toggle for port forwarding.

I wasn’t prompted to install a browser extension, but there is a Proton VPN extension in the Chrome Web Store. I could do everything I need with the app, but I added the extension for convenience.

The basic operation is easy to understand but more advanced features were unclear. I also had to research the meaning of the colored circles that indicate the load on each server. A green circle is fastest. The circles turn yellow, then red as server capacity is filled.

Proton VPN works on all my devices, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. There’s also an app for Linux, but I didn’t try it.

Features

Speed and reliability are top considerations for a VPN, and I found Proton VPN Plus performs very well. I ran several speed tests connecting to servers around the world. My connection never dropped, and bandwidth was good enough for streaming on every server I checked.

Without the VPN, I get over 900Mbps both for downloads and uploads. The Proton VPN Plus default quick connection to a nearby server in Canada maintained an impressive 504Mbps (59ms ping), but upload speed dropped to 14Mbps (42ms ping).

Distant servers often result in a slower connection, but I got fast download speeds for every server I measured on SpeedTest.net. The slowest was Australia, located on the opposite side of the globe. Still, downloads rated 255Mbps (289 ping), while upload speed was slow at 3Mbps (290ms ping).

I checked servers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, and Mauritius, a small island off the southeastern coast of Africa. Despite the distance, download bandwidth reached 426Mbps.

When I switched on Secure Core, Proton VPN Plus routed my traffic through two servers in Iceland and Canada. While a double hop makes it impossible to track my activity, it significantly slows speeds. Still, the internet was usable with 48Mbps downloads and 1.2Mbps uploads. That security might be essential for secret projects, but a ping near 300ms is too high for gaming.

Malware blocking is an extra feature included with Proton VPN Plus. I did a spot check by visiting Wicar.org, a website that hosts harmless malware downloads. Unfortunately, Proton VPN Plus didn’t block any of these threats.

I reached out to customer support to find out why, and learned that Proton simply refers to a database of websites known to host malware. Proton VPN Plus can’t replace the best antivirus software, so it’s best to think of NetShield as an ad blocker, not a complete malware solution.

Support

Proton offers live chat support for paid subscribers. I could search or browse support documents or scroll to the bottom of the support center to open a live chat.

Live agents are available 15 hours daily, midnight to 3 p.m. PT or 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Since it’s a Swiss company, the hours might seem odd for U.S. residents, but there are plenty of chances to get help in the morning or afternoon.

When I tested customer service, the response was quick and informative. I asked about the malware test results that I described above. Then I confirmed the live chat hours.

Support was fast and helpful in my experience.

Privacy and security

Proton was created to make private communication available to everyone, and the company has never strayed from that mission. Encryption and security come first with Proton Mail, VPN, Pass, Drive, and other Proton apps.

Proton doesn’t log your activity or store your data. Since it’s located in Switzerland, Proton VPN isn’t subject to data requests from government intelligence alliances like Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes that bypass some countries’ privacy laws. However, Proton must comply with Swiss law.

Forbes noted that metadata a Proton Mail user was shared with the FBI in 2020. The FBI had to contact Swiss authorities to do so but collected enough information to track down someone who threatened a government official. This is a rare instance of Proton sharing minimal data with authorities, and I still trust Proton Mail with my data.

I couldn’t find any record of a security breach at Proton VPN or any Proton services. Overall, Proton’s security and privacy record is excellent.

Is Proton VPN right for you?

Proton VPN Plus is one of the fastest and most secure VPNs. That’s why it earned a spot on our list of ExpressVPN and NordVPN alternatives.

While Proton VPN Plus offers good value, Proton Unlimited adds several more services like the well-rated Proton Pass password manager and Proton Mail to complete your privacy package with great bundle pricing.

Proton VPN Plus is a good choice for almost anyone. I found the NordVPN Plus malware blocker to be much better in my limited spot testing, but Proton doesn’t have big price increases on renewal.