Proton VPN Evaluate: Is It Nonetheless Dependable in 2024?

In 2023, we discovered Proton VPN to be a well-rounded VPN with its distinctive, Swiss-based privateness and beneficiant free tier. Primarily based in Switzerland, Proton complies with Switzerland’s sturdy privateness legal guidelines — a plus for companies and people involved about authorities information requests.

A yr later, Proton VPN brings vital updates that I really feel make among the finest VPNs out there out there. Chief amongst these is a bigger server community, an up to date third-party audit, and extra reasonably priced pricing.

On this overview, let’s have a look if Proton VPN is the best alternative for you and your corporation in 2024.

Proton VPN pricing

On the subject of pricing, I discovered Proton VPN falls within the center amongst its competitors. At $4.99 per thirty days for its one-year Plus plan, it’s costlier than Non-public Web Entry’ equal one-year subscription at $3.33 per thirty days. Nevertheless, it’s additionally extra reasonably priced than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan priced at $8.33 per thirty days.

In comparison with final yr, Proton VPN can also be now extra reasonably priced. In 2023, its one-year Proton VPN Plus subscription price $5.99 per thirty days. Immediately, it’s $4.99 per thirty days.

The 2-year plan can also be cheaper, now at $4.49 per thirty days to 2023’s $4.99 per thirty days. On the alternative facet, its one-month subscription is barely costlier now at $9.99 per thirty days, in comparison with final yr’s $8.99 price ticket.

Whereas these aren’t large decreases in worth, they’re appreciated contemplating how the enhancements applied in Proton VPN in 2024 — one thing we’ll get into additional down this overview.

When you plan on connecting a number of gadgets or want the quickest connection, I like to recommend going for Proton VPN Plus. It permits customers to attach 10 gadgets concurrently, has Proton’s quickest speeds on the lowest doable price, and consists of Proton’s full server suite. Those that additionally use VPNs for torrenting (P2P) and streaming ought to go for the VPN Plus plan, as this isn’t out there on Proton VPN’s free model.

Lastly, I like to recommend Proton Limitless just for customers who need Proton’s different encryption-based providers on prime of the options you get with VPN Plus.

Is Proton VPN truly free?

Sure, Proton VPN has a completely free model alongside its two paid plans. It affords free entry to servers from 5 international locations, specifically the US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland.

With the free model, you get medium VPN velocity, a kill swap, and limitless information. Home windows and Android customers additionally get entry to Proton’s cut up tunneling characteristic totally free. As a free VPN, I recognize Proton providing limitless bandwidth, particularly since different free VPNs often impose a month-to-month or day by day information cap. I feel this implementation is healthier for those who want an economical approach to merely change your IP handle.

Nevertheless, there’s a limitation I need to point out: Proton VPN’s Free model doesn’t allow you to select which of the 5 free VPN places you hook up with. This implies you will have to undergo a little bit of trial and error earlier than you get linked to your required nation. As talked about, you additionally gained’t get entry to the complete 112-country server fleet out there in its premium plan.

Whereas I discover this to be a good restriction, I can perceive customers which will need the management of having the ability to select which location to hook up with. When you’re one in every of these individuals, I counsel wanting into Speedify VPN. It’s an honest service that has a free model VPN that permits handbook nation choice. Take word, nevertheless, that it imposes a 2-10 GB month-to-month information cap.

SEE: Proton VPN Free vs Premium: Which Plan Is Finest for You? (TechRepublic)

For my part, the free model is finest for customers who’re not sure about spending on a full VPN service or those that solely want one VPN connection and primary performance.

Is Proton VPN protected?

Sure, I take into account Proton VPN to be a safe and protected VPN. It affords industry-standard protocols OpenVPN and IKEv2, in addition to the newer WireGuard and Stealth protocols throughout the Home windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS variations. This offers customers a mixture of extra established and well-tested safety protocols and newer choices with newer applied sciences.

Proton VPN additionally operates below a strict no-logs coverage, which suggests they don’t log consumer exercise or metadata. This covers web sites visited, session lengths, IP addresses, or any information that might be used to establish a consumer. It’s additionally an open supply VPN, which implies that its code is publicly out there for overview. Personally, I do know privateness fans and builders will recognize this because it permits them to identify vulnerabilities in Proton VPN’s supply code themselves.

Once I reviewed Proton VPN final yr, its latest unbiased safety audit had been performed method again in 2021. Whereas I laud VPN suppliers for having their providers audited, a key consideration could be how frequent these audits are performed to account for altering circumstances.

Now that it’s 2024, I’m very joyful to report that it has a extra current exterior audit centered on its no-logs coverage. The third-party audit, performed by Securitum, confirmed that Proton VPN didn’t, in truth, retailer any consumer logs. That is essential given how straightforward it’s for software program suppliers to make safety claims — with out truly following by way of on guarantees.

One factor I failed to say final yr was Proton VPN’s spectacular encounter with the Swiss courtroom system in 2019. In that incident, an information request from one other nation was despatched to Proton VPN and was authorised by the Swiss courtroom system. Nevertheless, as a result of Proton VPN didn’t have any buyer IP information, it was not capable of present the knowledge requested.

To me, that is real-world proof that Proton VPN doesn’t log or secretly disguise any consumer information for its personal profit.

SEE: 6 Finest Nameless (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)

Key options of Proton VPN

Proton VPN affords quite a lot of options that defend and safe consumer information. This consists of its protection below Swiss privateness legal guidelines, good velocity and efficiency, and DNS leak safety.

Swiss-based privateness

Proton VPN is owned by an organization referred to as Proton AG, a expertise supplier primarily based in Switzerland. As Proton VPN relies in Switzerland, it complies with the nation’s sturdy privateness legal guidelines and political neutrality. All Proton customers will take pleasure in the identical authorized privateness protections that Swiss residents do.

This additionally implies that any requests for Proton consumer information can’t be granted with no Swiss courtroom order. It is a key characteristic for customers or companies which can be involved about authorities intervention. Whereas no nation is resistant to breaches, Proton’s compliance with Swiss legal guidelines will grant a layer of safety you gained’t discover with different VPNs.

DNS leak safety

Proton VPN additionally guarantees safety in opposition to DNS leaks throughout dropped connections. To check this, I ran Proton VPN Free by way of a DNS leak check instrument a number of instances. All through testing, no leaks had been detected.

Proton additionally prompts DNS Safety out of the field. Provided that DNS leak safety is an important VPN characteristic, we commend Proton for setting it to “always on” upon setup.

Kill swap

Proton additionally comes with a kill swap that acts as a final line of protection throughout an outage or disruption. Within the occasion your VPN connection fails, the kill swap will mechanically cease your machine from reconnecting to the web with out the VPN’s safety. This prevents any undesirable sharing of knowledge out of your pc to your web service supplier.

It goes additional as Proton permits customers to activate a “permanent kill switch.” When activated, any connection not performed by way of a Proton VPN server is blocked or reduce out.

In my testing, the everlasting kill swap labored as marketed — even with the principle app closed and operating within the background. This set-it-and-forget-it characteristic can hold your information non-public throughout undesirable disruptions.

Pace and efficiency: How briskly is Proton VPN?

Whereas it’s regular to have decrease add and obtain speeds with a VPN, Proton VPN nonetheless supplied good and steady numbers throughout testing.

As an preliminary disclaimer, my 2024 testing of Proton VPN was totally with its free model. Because of this my information speeds had been capped, with Proton VPN’s quickest VPN speeds being reserved by way of one in every of its paid plans.

Nevertheless, I used to be pleasantly stunned with how effectively Proton VPN’s free model fared. Identical to in 2023, Proton VPN gave me constantly quick speeds with no noticeable drops in efficiency.

This was true throughout my normal use of the service, which included searching social media, accessing Google providers like Docs and Drive and watching YouTube movies. I additionally didn’t expertise any problem sustaining a steady connection whereas testing Proton. For velocity and stability, Proton VPN carried out effectively.

By way of velocity check outcomes, Proton VPN’s free model was surprisingly quick. Even with capped speeds, it solely decreased my obtain velocity round 2.87% in comparison with my web service supplier. For add speeds, it was wonderful, truly recording 76.4% quicker speeds than my ISP.

Once more, that is Proton VPN’s free tier, so I count on speeds to be much less constant than its premium variations.

Proton VPN servers and places

As of October 2024, Proton VPN’s server community has round 8,500+ servers from 112 international locations — giving it one of many bigger server suites within the house. It is a huge improve in comparison with final yr, whereby Proton’s server fleet comprised a decent 3,024 servers in 69 international locations.

As compared, NordVPN at the moment has 6,400 servers in 111 international locations, whereas Surfshark VPN has 3,200+ servers in 100 international locations. To me, that is maybe the most important enchancment Proton VPN had over the previous yr. Contemplating how one of many principal makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material, I recognize the Proton VPN staff’s dedication in increasing its server community in such a brief period of time.

Proton VPN affords three completely different server sorts: Free, Plus, and Safe Core servers. Free servers, which include Proton’s free model, present primary safety with medium speeds. In the meantime, Plus servers enable streaming help, advert blocking, torrenting and a quicker connection.

Lastly, Safe Core servers add to Plus servers’ performance by introducing stronger safety in opposition to information assaults. Safe Core routes your visitors by way of a number of servers, making it more durable for dangerous actors to achieve your true IP handle. These servers are wholly owned by Proton and are housed in privacy-friendly international locations (like Switzerland or Iceland) for much more safety.

For my part, Safe Core is a novel promoting level of Proton VPN that many privacy-focused customers will discover precious. That is very true for those who use servers positioned in additional high-risk areas just like the U.S.

SEE: ProtonVPN vs AtlasVPN (2024): Which VPN Ought to You Use? (TechRepublic)

Proton VPN professionals

• Presents sturdy Switzerland-based privateness options.
• Implements a strict no-logs coverage.
• Offers greater than 8,500 servers in 112 international locations.
• Open supply and independently audited.
• Has a free model.
• Helps as much as 10 simultaneous connections.

Proton VPN cons

• Free model doesn’t allow you to select server location.
• Desktop interface might be overwhelming at first.
• Reside chat help is simply out there for paid customers.

Who’s Proton VPN finest for?

When you’re searching for a VPN that specializes in opposition to authorities surveillance, Proton VPN is a superb resolution. Its Swiss-backed privateness is a significant worth proposition, particularly in the case of defending delicate enterprise or consumer information. It additionally will get numerous the core options proper with its sturdy set of protocols, kill swap, and DNS leak safety, to call a couple of.

As of 2024, it additionally carries one of many largest server networks out there in VPNs right this moment at 8,500+ servers throughout 112 international locations. Proton VPN is made for many who need an built-in ecosystem of encrypted and safe software program. Proton additionally affords the VPN bundled with its different encrypted providers by way of its Proton Limitless plan.

Whereas there are cheaper choices on the market, Proton’s total package deal and lack of evident drawbacks make it a good selection. Not sure consumers additionally benefit from having the ability to entry Proton VPN totally free.

SEE: Find out how to Create an Efficient Cybersecurity Consciousness Program (TechRepublic Premium)

Proton VPN options

Whereas Proton VPN is a stable VPN possibility, not everybody will discover it match. We’ve listed comparable options under that supply completely different options for every VPN consumer.

NordVPN

NordVPN is among the most well-known VPNs out there right this moment. Nord is nice for safe file-sharing, as its Meshnet characteristic permits customers to switch and share recordsdata by way of their very own non-public encrypted community. It has round 6,400+ servers in 111 international locations and a risk safety characteristic that combats malware, advertisements, and internet trackers.

To search out out extra, take a look at our full NordVPN overview.

Surfshark

One other outstanding VPN is Surfshark. This VPN is finest for a number of gadgets, because it provides customers an infinite variety of machine connections to the service. It additionally has zero bandwidth limitations and affords a seven-day free trial to try it out.

To be taught extra, take a look at our full Surfshark VPN overview.

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is one other nice VPN resolution. It’s recognized for its intensive server community, providing servers in 100 international locations and 126 places. This enables customers to entry a broad collection of geo-restricted content material whereas sustaining a steady connection.

To find extra, take a look at our full CyberGhost VPN overview.

Evaluate methodology

My overview of Proton VPN concerned an in depth evaluation of its safety features, price, and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on time with ProtonVPN’s free model and supplemented my findings with consumer testimonials and respected opinions for each the free and paid tiers.

For velocity and efficiency, I examined ProtonVPN Free utilizing a Home windows pc and ran it by way of Ookla’s Speedtest. As a disclaimer, VPN speeds will range relying on numerous elements: your web service supplier, your machine, your location, and the actual server you select. To check for DNS leaks, I ran Proton VPN Free a number of instances by way of DNSleaktest.

Lastly, I scored Proton on all the things from its pricing to its protocols primarily based on an inner algorithm to get a closing score of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The scoring on the rubric was primarily based each on Proton VPN by itself and in relation to different VPN providers out there.