Proton VPN Free vs Paid Options Explained

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Proton VPN offers two main options: a free plan and a paid plan. The free plan is a great starting point for those who want to try out the service before committing to a paid subscription.

The free plan has a limited number of servers to choose from, with only 3 countries to connect to. This is a significant limitation compared to the paid plan, which offers servers in over 60 countries.

Proton VPN's paid plan offers a more comprehensive set of features, including access to all servers, unlimited bandwidth, and priority customer support. This makes it a great option for those who need a reliable and fast VPN connection.

Ultimately, the choice between the free and paid plans depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Intriguing read: Protonvpn Windows

What's Possible with Proton VPN?

Proton VPN offers a robust feature set that goes beyond just security.

With Proton VPN, you can access content from anywhere in the world, even if it's blocked in your region.

Suggestion: Proton Drive

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The service has over 3,000 servers in more than 60 countries, providing a wide range of options for users.

You can also use Proton VPN on multiple devices at the same time, making it easy to keep all your devices secure.

The VPN has a strict no-logs policy, ensuring that your online activities remain private.

This means you can browse the internet without worrying about your data being collected or shared.

Proton VPN also offers a built-in Secure Core feature, which routes your internet traffic through multiple servers to add an extra layer of protection.

This feature is particularly useful for users who want to access sensitive information online.

Additionally, Proton VPN has a free plan available, which includes access to many of its core features.

Pricing and Plans

Proton VPN Free has a two-year plan that works out at $3.59 per month. This plan costs $86.11 up front.

You can upgrade to the premium plan, which unlocks features like NetShield threat protection, port forwarding, and split tunneling. The premium plan also offers 10 simultaneous connections and speeds of 950+ Mbps.

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The free plan, on the other hand, has no data or time limits, and will be free forever. This makes it a great option for those who want to try out the service without committing to a paid plan.

You can only use Proton VPN Free on one device at a time, so make sure you're disconnected on any other devices you're not using.

Features and Performance

Proton VPN Free offers a range of features that make it a top choice for those looking for a reliable and secure VPN. The free version includes a fully operational kill switch, which keeps your data safe if your VPN connection drops.

WireGuard and Stealth protocols are also available, providing fast connection speeds and the ability to bypass internet restrictions. Stealth protocol, in particular, is designed to keep you safe when accessing the internet by obfuscating your VPN connection.

You can use Proton VPN Free on a variety of devices, including Linux, Mac, PC, and smartphones with both Android and iOS operating systems. However, you can only connect one device at a time.

Proton VPN Free claims to offer unlimited monthly data, but speeds may slow down after exceeding 1 GB of download. This is unfortunate, but it's still a great feature for those who don't need to stream or download large files.

For another approach, see: Free Data Website

Speed and Performance

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Proton VPN Free offers unlimited bandwidth, but its speeds may not be the fastest. In our latest round of testing, we found that Proton VPN Free's speeds improved to up to 339 Mbps.

The company uses a 1 Gbps Ethernet-based connection for testing, with five speed tests conducted on both US and UK servers.

Proton VPN Free's speeds slowed after a few rounds of data-intensive testing, all the way down to around 8 Mbps.

For regular browsing, 300 Mbps is a reliable speed, but it's worth noting that this is not the top speed achieved by paid users.

Compared to PrivadoVPN Free and Windscribe Free, Proton VPN Free is the slowest of the three providers.

Free users are connected to the slower 1 Gbps servers by default, unlike paid users who get access to the faster 10 Gbps servers.

A larger server load can negatively impact the speeds you experience, making the free plan less suitable for heavy downloading.

However, for occasional or recreational use, the free plan's speeds should be sufficient.

Server Network

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Proton VPN Free has a relatively small server network with 314 servers in five countries, including the US, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, and Poland.

You'll automatically be connected to a server in one of these countries, but if you don't like the country you're connected to, you can try again for a minute or two before having to take a break.

This limited choice is a major drawback, especially compared to other free VPNs that let you select your server.

Proton VPN Free's competitors, Windscribe Free and PrivadoVPN Free, offer servers in 11 and 10 countries respectively, covering more continents and giving you more control over your connection.

You'll be connected to relatively slow 1 Gbps free servers, which is a far cry from the 10 Gbps servers available to paying customers.

This means Proton VPN Free may not be the best choice for heavy users or those who need fast and reliable connections.

Cons

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Proton VPN Free has some notable drawbacks that hold it back from being the top free VPN. One major con is that you can't choose your server, which might be a problem if you need to connect to a specific location.

Limited server locations are another issue with Proton VPN Free. This can be a challenge if you need to access content that's only available in certain regions.

No P2P support is another significant con. This means you won't be able to use the VPN for peer-to-peer file sharing or torrenting.

Poor streaming unblocking is another area where Proton VPN Free falls short. This can be frustrating if you rely on the VPN to access your favorite streaming services.

Here are some of the specific cons of Proton VPN Free at a glance:

  • Can't choose your server
  • Limited server locations
  • No P2P support
  • Poor streaming unblocking

Ease of Use and Support

Proton VPN Free has made significant improvements to its ease of use, with a redesigned interface that's clean and intuitive. The default settings are enough to get you started right away.

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The app's home screen is now much cleaner, with the map and connection button prominently displayed. You can still interact with the map on desktop devices, and the country you're connected to will be shown.

The ease of use is affected by the server predicament, where you might need to try connecting multiple times before getting access to your desired server. However, everything you need is easily accessible from the home screen, with key settings like kill switch and NetShield having shortcuts on the right-hand side.

Proton VPN Free's customer support is largely very good, with clear and easy-to-follow guides available on the Proton VPN website. You can contact the customer service team via contact form, with the option to note down your query in detail.

The biggest shortcoming in terms of customer support is the absence of a live chat feature, which is only available to premium subscribers.

Ease of Use

Proton VPN's free apps are generally easy to understand, and the default settings are enough for you to start using it right away.

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The Proton VPN Android, Windows, and iOS apps have all undergone a major redesign which has greatly improved its ease of use.

Everything you need is easily accessible from the home screen, with the map and connection button located slap bang in the middle.

You can still interact with the map on desktop devices, and the country you're connected to will be shown, making it quite aesthetically pleasing.

The default settings provide excellent protection, even if you don't understand what the other features do and don't care to explore them.

Key settings such as kill switch, split tunneling, NetShield, and port forwarding have shortcuts on the right-hand side, although kill switch is the only one of these usable in Proton VPN Free.

You can easily access the protocol settings by heading to settings, clicking Protocol, and selecting Stealth.

Customer Support

Proton VPN Free has a contact form and email available for users who need help.

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The guides on the Proton VPN website are clear and easy to follow, covering a range of problems that many users will be able to solve on their own.

You can contact Proton VPN's customer service team via the contact form, which allows you to note down your query in detail.

Proton VPN's customer support is largely very good, but it's not perfect - it's missing a live chat feature, which is only available to premium subscribers.

Live chat support agents are very helpful, but unfortunately, they're not available 24/7.

Android App and Features

Proton VPN is the best free VPN app for Android because it's the only one that's open-source. This means that its code is transparent and can be reviewed by anyone.

It has no ads, no tracking, and no bandwidth or speed limits. This is a big deal, especially if you're looking for a free VPN that won't slow down your internet.

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The app is designed to be user-friendly, making it easy to set up and start using. You can use it to protect your online identity and access geo-restricted content.

With Proton VPN, you can connect to over 3,000 servers in more than 60 countries. This gives you a lot of flexibility and options for accessing content from around the world.

You can also use Proton VPN to protect your data on public Wi-Fi networks. This is especially important if you use public Wi-Fi to check your email or bank account.

Discover more: Google Fi Vpn

Is Proton VPN Free?

Proton VPN Free is available for anyone to use, with no strings attached. It's completely free of charge.

One of the standout features of Proton VPN Free is its unlimited data limit, although speeds may be slowed after 1GB of download. This is a great option for casual users who only need occasional VPN access.

The free version also supports a range of platforms, including Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Chrome, and Firefox.

Unlimited for Android

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Proton VPN offers a free plan for Android devices that is supported by paying members of the Proton community.

You can download the Proton VPN app from Google Play on any Android device running Android 6.0 or later.

The free plan is unlimited in bandwidth, delivering fast and reliable speeds of at least 1 Gbps.

To connect to the VPN on your Android device, simply open the Proton VPN app, log in to your account, and click Quick Connect.

You can use the free plan forever without being targeted with ads or having your personal data sold to advertisers.

or Plus?

If you're looking for more than just the basics, consider upgrading to Proton VPN Plus for even faster speeds.

The Proton VPN Free plan gives you all the basics you need to stay private and secure online.

Upgrading to Proton VPN Plus will get you worldwide streaming, which is a big plus if you like watching content from different countries.

Proton VPN Plus also offers advanced security features, but the specifics aren't mentioned in the article.

On Paper

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Proton VPN Free has 314 servers to choose from, which is a decent amount, but not the largest I've seen from other VPN providers.

Proton VPN Free is available on a wide range of platforms, including Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Chrome, and Firefox.

The free plan has a limitation of one simultaneous connection, so you can't use it on multiple devices at the same time.

Proton VPN Free uses OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), WireGuard (UDP/TCP), and Stealth protocols to keep your data secure.

Here's a summary of Proton VPN Free's key features:

Proton VPN Free is registered in Switzerland, which is a country known for its strong data protection laws.

Tom's Guide Verdict and Review

Proton VPN Free has a lot going for it, including an unlimited data cap, excellent privacy credentials, and a decent speeds. It's also very easy to use, with a pleasant user experience.

However, there are some major drawbacks to consider, such as no P2P sharing or streaming support. This might be a dealbreaker for some users.

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Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, which is a country known for its strong data protection laws. This is a big plus for users who value their online security.

The free plan doesn't offer much in terms of server choice, which might be a problem for users who need to access specific servers. But if choosing your own server isn't a priority, then this shouldn't be a major issue.

The redesign of the VPN has improved the user experience, but it's only available on Windows for now. The old map-based UI remains in place on Linux and Mac.

Tiffany Kozey

Junior Writer

Tiffany Kozey is a versatile writer with a passion for exploring the intersection of technology and everyday life. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for simplifying complex concepts, she has established herself as a go-to expert on topics like Microsoft Cloud Syncing. Her articles have been widely read and appreciated for their clarity, insight, and practical advice.

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