By Jordan Brennan · Editor & Lead Tester
Last updated: April 24, 2026 · Fact-checked: April 2026
Our verdict
Visit Proton VPNProton VPN is the pick for users who care more about anonymity than streaming. Its free tier is the best in the industry and a fair way to try the service before upgrading.
Quick facts
| Price from | Free/mo |
|---|---|
| Refund window | 30 days |
| Servers | 6,400+ |
| Countries | 110 |
| Simultaneous connections | 10 devices |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland |
| No-logs audit | Yes — open-source apps, audited by Securitum |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Encryption | AES-256 / ChaCha20 |
| Kill switch | Yes |
| Split tunneling | Yes |
Pros
- Only top-tier VPN with a genuinely usable free tier
- Fully open-source apps (audited by Securitum)
- Swiss jurisdiction offers strong privacy protections
- Secure Core routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries
- Tor-over-VPN servers for anonymous browsing
Cons
- Streaming unblocking is narrower than NordVPN or ExpressVPN
- Free plan is slower and limited to three server countries
How we tested
Tested April 10-21, 2026 on a 1 Gbps fiber connection. Both free and Plus tiers tested. Free tier limited to Japan, Netherlands, and US servers per Proton VPN policy.
Speed test results
| Server | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| US — New York (Plus) | 740 Mbps | 530 Mbps | 18 ms |
| US — Free Server | 280 Mbps | 180 Mbps | 24 ms |
| Switzerland (Plus) | 540 Mbps | 380 Mbps | 128 ms |
| Iceland — Secure Core | 390 Mbps | 270 Mbps | 178 ms |
| UK — London (Plus) | 580 Mbps | 410 Mbps | 112 ms |
Streaming test results
| Service | Result |
|---|---|
| Netflix US | ✓ Unblocked |
| Netflix UK | ✓ Unblocked |
| Disney+ | ✓ Unblocked |
| BBC iPlayer | ✓ Unblocked |
| Hulu | ⚠ Partial |
| HBO Max | ✗ Blocked |
| Amazon Prime Video | ⚠ Partial |
| Peacock | ✗ Blocked |
Company background and jurisdiction
Proton VPN is operated by Proton AG, a Swiss company that also runs Proton Mail, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, and Proton Calendar. Switzerland has some of the strongest consumer privacy laws in the world and is outside all of the major intelligence-sharing alliances. Proton is majority-owned by a non-profit foundation structured specifically to prevent the company from being acquired in a way that would compromise its privacy mission — a meaningful governance difference versus private-equity-owned VPNs.Open source, audits, and transparency
All of Proton VPN's client apps — Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux — are fully open source and available on GitHub. This is a major differentiator from the other four VPNs on our list, whose apps are closed-source. Open-source apps allow independent security researchers to verify that the binaries you install do what the documentation claims. Proton VPN has been audited by Securitum, most recently in 2024, and publishes both the audit report and its response in full. Transparency reports cover every data request the company has ever received, with specific case numbers.The free tier: genuinely useful, with limits
Proton VPN Free is the only free tier we can recommend without qualifications. It offers unlimited bandwidth (no monthly cap), no ads, no logging, and the same open-source apps as the paid tier. The limits are server count (Japan, Netherlands, and US only) and speed (slower than Plus servers during peak hours). For occasional travel, light streaming of regional content, or basic privacy on public Wi-Fi, the free tier is sufficient. For frequent streaming or torrenting, the $4.99/month Plus tier is necessary.Secure Core and Tor-over-VPN
Two features unique to Proton VPN among our top five: Secure Core routes your traffic through a Proton-owned server in a privacy-friendly country (Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden) before exiting to the internet, adding a hop that protects against network-level timing attacks. Tor-over-VPN servers send your traffic through the Tor network without requiring a separate Tor Browser — useful for journalists and researchers operating in adversarial environments. Neither feature is something most US users need, but their existence signals the seriousness of Proton's privacy commitment.Streaming: the weakest of the top five
Proton VPN's streaming performance is narrower than NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, or CyberGhost. Netflix US, Netflix UK, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer all unblocked in our testing. HBO Max and Peacock did not. Hulu and Prime Video were hit-or-miss. Proton VPN has historically prioritized privacy infrastructure over streaming unblocks, which is defensible but means it is not our recommendation for a primarily-streaming user.Pricing and bundles
Proton VPN Plus starts at $4.99/month on the 2-year plan. The better deal, for most users, is Proton Unlimited at $9.99/month, which bundles Mail, Drive, Pass, Calendar, and VPN. If you currently pay for a password manager (NordPass, 1Password, Bitwarden Premium) and cloud storage (Dropbox, Google One), the Unlimited bundle can save $10-20/month against à-la-carte pricing. The 30-day money-back guarantee applies to all paid plans.Who should pick Proton VPN
Pick Proton VPN if privacy and open-source governance are your highest priorities, if you want a genuine free VPN option without ads or logging, or if you are already considering an encrypted email and cloud storage stack (Proton Unlimited is a compelling bundle). Pick a different VPN if streaming unblocking is your primary use case — NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN all perform better there.Ready to try Proton VPN?
From Free/mo with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Proton VPN FAQ
Is Proton VPN actually free? +
Yes. Proton VPN Free offers unlimited bandwidth, no ads, and no logging. It is limited to three server countries and is slower than the paid Plus tier during peak hours.
Is Proton VPN open source? +
Yes. All client apps (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux) are fully open source and available on GitHub. This is unique among top-tier VPNs.
Does Proton VPN work with Netflix? +
Yes on the Plus tier. Netflix US, UK, and Disney+ reliably unblocked in our tests. HBO Max and Peacock did not unblock — Proton VPN is narrower on streaming than NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
Is Proton VPN worth paying for if Proton VPN Free exists? +
Yes, if you stream or torrent regularly. The Plus tier adds 60+ countries, full streaming unblocks, and port forwarding for P2P. For light browsing only, the free tier is sufficient.