In 2023, we discovered Proton VPN to be a well-rounded VPN with its distinctive, Swiss-based privateness and beneficiant loose tier. Based in Switzerland, Proton complies with Switzerland’s sturdy privateness rules — a plus for companies and people all for executive information requests.

A yr later, Proton VPN brings important updates that I think make one of the most very best VPNs to be had out there. Chief amongst those is a bigger server community, an up to date third-party audit, and extra inexpensive pricing.

In this evaluation, let’s have a look if Proton VPN is the precise selection for you and your small business in 2024.

Proton VPN pricing

When it involves pricing, I discovered Proton VPN falls within the center among its pageant. At $4.99 per thirty days for its one-year Plus plan, it’s dearer than Private Internet Access’ similar one-year subscription at $3.33 per thirty days. However, it’s additionally extra inexpensive than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan priced at $8.33 per thirty days.

Compared to final yr, Proton VPN may be now extra inexpensive. In 2023, its one-year Proton VPN Plus subscription price $5.99 per thirty days. Today, it’s $4.99 per thirty days.

The two-year plan may be inexpensive, now at $4.49 per thirty days to 2023’s $4.99 per thirty days. On the other aspect, its one-month subscription is fairly dearer now at $9.99 per thirty days, in comparison to final yr’s $8.99 ticket.

While those aren’t large decreases in value, they’re preferred taking into consideration how the enhancements applied in Proton VPN in 2024 — one thing we’ll get into additional down this evaluation.

If you intend on connecting a couple of units or want the quickest connection, I like to recommend going for Proton VPN Plus. It lets in customers to attach 10 units concurrently, has Proton’s quickest speeds on the lowest conceivable price, and contains Proton’s complete server suite. Those who additionally use VPNs for torrenting (P2P) and streaming will have to go for the VPN Plus plan, as this isn’t to be had on Proton VPN’s loose model.

Lastly, I like to recommend Proton Unlimited just for customers who need Proton’s different encryption-based products and services on most sensible of the options you get with VPN Plus.

Is Proton VPN in fact loose?

Yes, Proton VPN has an absolutely loose model along its two paid plans. It gives loose get entry to to servers from 5 nations, specifically the United States, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland.

With the loose model, you get medium VPN pace, a kill transfer, and limitless information. Windows and Android customers additionally get get entry to to Proton’s cut up tunneling characteristic totally free. As a loose VPN, I recognize Proton providing limitless bandwidth, particularly since different loose VPNs typically impose a per thirty days or day by day information cap. I feel this implementation is best if you wish to have an economical solution to merely trade your IP cope with.

However, there’s a limitation I wish to point out: Proton VPN’s Free model doesn’t will let you make a selection which of the 5 loose VPN places you connect with. This manner it is important to undergo just a little of trial and blunder sooner than you get attached for your desired nation. As discussed, you additionally gained’t get get entry to to the overall 112-country server fleet to be had in its top class plan.

While I in finding this to be an excellent restriction, I will be able to perceive customers that can need the keep watch over of having the ability to select which location to connect with. If you’re this kind of folks, I counsel having a look into Speedify VPN. It’s a good provider that has a loose model VPN that permits guide nation variety. Take be aware, on the other hand, that it imposes a 2-10 GB per thirty days information cap.

SEE: Proton VPN Free vs Premium: Which Plan Is Best for You? (roosho)

In my view, the loose model is very best for customers who’re not sure about spending on a complete VPN provider or those that handiest want one VPN connection and fundamental capability.

Is Proton VPN protected?

Yes, I imagine Proton VPN to be a protected and protected VPN. It gives industry-standard protocols OpenVPN and IKEv2, in addition to the more moderen WireGuard and Stealth protocols around the Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS variations. This offers customers a mixture of extra established and well-tested safety protocols and more moderen choices with more moderen applied sciences.

Proton VPN additionally operates below a strict no-logs coverage, this means that they don’t log person job or metadata. This covers internet sites visited, consultation lengths, IP addresses, or any information which may be used to spot a person. It’s additionally an open supply VPN, this means that that its code is publicly to be had for evaluation. Personally, I do know privateness lovers and builders will recognize this because it lets them spot vulnerabilities in Proton VPN’s supply code themselves.

When I reviewed Proton VPN final yr, its latest unbiased safety audit were carried out long ago in 2021. While I laud VPN suppliers for having their products and services audited, a key attention can be how common those audits are finished to account for converting cases.

Now that it’s 2024, I’m more than happy to document that it has a extra contemporary exterior audit excited about its no-logs coverage. The third-party audit, carried out by way of Securitum, showed that Proton VPN didn’t, in truth, retailer any person logs. This is an important given how simple it’s for tool suppliers to make safety claims — with out in fact following via on guarantees.

One factor I failed to say final yr was once Proton VPN’s spectacular come upon with the Swiss courtroom machine in 2019. In that incident, a knowledge request from every other nation was once despatched to Proton VPN and was once authorized by way of the Swiss courtroom machine. However, as a result of Proton VPN didn’t have any buyer IP information, it was once no longer in a position to give you the knowledge asked.

To me, that is real-world evidence that Proton VPN doesn’t log or secretly conceal any person information for its personal get advantages.

SEE: 6 Best Anonymous (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (roosho)

Key options of Proton VPN

Proton VPN gives numerous options that give protection to and protected person information. This contains its protection below Swiss privateness rules, just right pace and function, and DNS leak coverage.

Swiss-based privateness

Proton VPN is owned by way of an organization referred to as Proton AG, a generation supplier founded in Switzerland. As Proton VPN is founded in Switzerland, it complies with the rustic’s sturdy privateness rules and political neutrality. All Proton customers will experience the similar criminal privateness protections that Swiss electorate do.

This additionally implies that any requests for Proton person information can’t be granted and not using a Swiss courtroom order. This is a key characteristic for customers or companies which are all for executive intervention. While no nation is proof against breaches, Proton’s compliance with Swiss rules will grant a layer of coverage you gained’t in finding with different VPNs.

DNS leak coverage

Proton VPN additionally guarantees coverage in opposition to DNS leaks throughout dropped connections. To check this, I ran Proton VPN Free via a DNS leak check software a couple of occasions. Throughout trying out, no leaks had been detected.

Proton additionally turns on DNS Protection out of the field. Given that DNS leak coverage is a an important VPN characteristic, we commend Proton for surroundings it to “always on” upon setup.

Kill transfer

Proton additionally comes with a kill transfer that acts as a final defensive line throughout an outage or disruption. In the development your VPN connection fails, the kill transfer will mechanically prevent your system from reconnecting to the web with out the VPN’s coverage. This prevents any undesirable sharing of knowledge out of your laptop for your web provider supplier.

It is going additional as Proton lets in customers to activate a “permanent kill switch.” When activated, any connection no longer finished by means of a Proton VPN server is blocked or reduce out.

In my trying out, the everlasting kill transfer labored as marketed — even with the primary app closed and working within the background. This set-it-and-forget-it characteristic can stay your information non-public throughout undesirable disruptions.

Speed and function: How speedy is Proton VPN?

While it’s customary to have decrease add and obtain speeds with a VPN, Proton VPN nonetheless supplied just right and strong numbers throughout trying out.

As an preliminary disclaimer, my 2024 trying out of Proton VPN was once absolutely with its loose model. This implies that my information speeds had been capped, with Proton VPN’s quickest VPN speeds being reserved via certainly one of its paid plans.

However, I used to be pleasantly stunned with how properly Proton VPN’s loose model fared. Just like in 2023, Proton VPN gave me constantly speedy speeds and not using a noticeable drops in efficiency.

This was once true throughout my common use of the provider, which integrated surfing social media, gaining access to Google products and services like Docs and Drive and looking at YouTube movies. I additionally didn’t enjoy any issue keeping up a strong connection whilst trying out Proton. For pace and steadiness, Proton VPN carried out properly.

In phrases of pace check effects, Proton VPN’s loose model was once unusually speedy. Even with capped speeds, it handiest reduced my obtain pace round 2.87% in comparison to my web provider supplier. For add speeds, it was once superb, in fact recording 76.4% sooner speeds than my ISP.

Again, that is Proton VPN’s loose tier, so I be expecting speeds to be much less constant than its top class variations.

Proton VPN servers and places

As of October 2024, Proton VPN’s server community has round 8,500+ servers from 112 nations — giving it one of the most greater server suites within the house. This is a huge build up in comparison to final yr, during which Proton’s server fleet comprised a decent 3,024 servers in 69 nations.

In comparability, NordVPN recently has 6,400 servers in 111 nations, whilst Surfshark VPN has 3,200+ servers in 100 nations. To me, that is most likely the most important growth Proton VPN had during the last yr. Considering how one of the most primary makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material, I recognize the Proton VPN workforce’s dedication in increasing its server community in this type of brief period of time.

Proton VPN gives 3 other server varieties: Free, Plus, and Secure Core servers. Free servers, which include Proton’s loose model, supply fundamental coverage with medium speeds. Meanwhile, Plus servers permit streaming reinforce, advert blockading, torrenting and a sooner connection.

Lastly, Secure Core servers upload to Plus servers’ capability by way of introducing more potent coverage in opposition to information assaults. Secure Core routes your visitors via a couple of servers, making it tougher for dangerous actors to score your true IP cope with. These servers are wholly owned by way of Proton and are housed in privacy-friendly nations (like Switzerland or Iceland) for much more safety.

In my view, Secure Core is a novel promoting level of Proton VPN that many privacy-focused customers will in finding treasured. This is particularly true in the event you use servers situated in additional high-risk spaces just like the U.S.

SEE: ProtonVPN vs AtlasVPN (2024): Which VPN Should You Use? (roosho)

Proton VPN execs

• Offers sturdy Switzerland-based privateness options.
• Implements a strict no-logs coverage.
• Provides greater than 8,500 servers in 112 nations.
• Open supply and independently audited.
• Has a loose model.
• Supports as much as 10 simultaneous connections.

Proton VPN cons

• Free model doesn’t will let you make a selection server location.
• Desktop interface might be overwhelming to start with.
• Live chat reinforce is handiest to be had for paid customers.

Who is Proton VPN very best for?

If you’re on the lookout for a VPN that specializes in opposition to executive surveillance, Proton VPN is a smart answer. Its Swiss-backed privateness is a significant price proposition, particularly relating to protective delicate trade or person information. It additionally will get a large number of the core options proper with its sturdy set of protocols, kill transfer, and DNS leak coverage, to call a couple of.

As of 2024, it additionally carries one of the most biggest server networks to be had in VPNs these days at 8,500+ servers throughout 112 nations. Proton VPN is made for individuals who need an built-in ecosystem of encrypted and protected tool. Proton additionally gives the VPN bundled with its different encrypted products and services via its Proton Unlimited plan.

While there are inexpensive choices in the market, Proton’s total bundle and loss of obtrusive drawbacks make it a sensible choice. Unsure patrons even have the good thing about having the ability to get entry to Proton VPN totally free.

SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (roosho Premium)

Proton VPN choices

While Proton VPN is a cast VPN possibility, no longer everybody will in finding it a just right are compatible. We’ve indexed identical choices beneath that provide other options for each and every VPN person.

NordVPN

NordVPN is among the maximum well known VPNs out there these days. Nord is superb for protected file-sharing, as its Meshnet characteristic lets in customers to switch and percentage information via their very own non-public encrypted community. It has round 6,400+ servers in 111 nations and a danger coverage characteristic that combats malware, advertisements, and internet trackers.

To in finding out extra, take a look at our complete NordVPN evaluation.

Surfshark

Another distinguished VPN is Surfshark. This VPN is very best for a couple of units, because it offers customers an infinite collection of instrument connections to the provider. It additionally has 0 bandwidth boundaries and gives a seven-day loose trial to check it out.

To be informed extra, take a look at our complete Surfshark VPN evaluation.

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost VPN is every other nice VPN answer. It’s recognized for its intensive server community, providing servers in 100 nations and 126 places. This lets in customers to get entry to a huge number of geo-restricted content material whilst keeping up a strong connection.

To uncover extra, take a look at our complete CyberGhost VPN evaluation.

Review method

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

For pace and function, I examined ProtonVPN Free the usage of a Windows laptop and ran it via Ookla’s Speedtest. As a disclaimer, VPN speeds will range relying on a large number of components: your web provider supplier, your instrument, your location, and the precise server you select. To check for DNS leaks, I ran Proton VPN Free a couple of occasions via DNSleaktest.

Finally, I scored Proton on the whole thing from its pricing to its protocols in accordance with an inside set of rules to get a last score of four.5 out of five stars. The scoring at the rubric was once founded each on Proton VPN by itself and on the subject of different VPN products and services out there.