Proton VPN Free review

Proton VPN is a mainstay in pretty much most, if not all, of our best VPN lists (even if it's only there as an honorable mention at times). It was launched in 2014 by a group of scientists that met at CERN, and it's based in Switzerland.

The company's main ethos is that privacy is a human right, mirrored in the fact that Proton continues to offer a free VPN service alongside its paid plan – something only a handful of providers do. Aside from the privacy-focused VPN service, Proton is also known for its secure mail service, Proton Mail, and a few other related products.

We noticed several changes with Proton VPN free since our latest testing round, most notably a third no-logging audit and a slight decrease in download speeds, but more on that later. For now, here's Proton VPN Free in the numbers.

• Click to head straight through to the Proton VPN website

Proton VPN on paper

Number of servers: 86

Server countries: 5

Supported platforms: Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Chrome, Firefox

Simultaneous connections: 1

Split tunneling: No

Kill switch: Yes

Protocols supported: OpenVPN (UDP/TCP), IKEv2, WireGuard (UDP/TCP)

Country of registration: Switzerland

Support: Support page, contact form, email

Data limit: Unlimited (although slowed after 1GB download)

Proton VPN Free: recent updates

Among the most recent novelties to grace the product, I was delighted to see the addition of "Trusted Networks" to Android, where you can tell the app not to connect when you're using a known safe network. Also, the "Best server" app feature can now optionally choose a server by speed or locations.

Windows users now have an app kill switch. For instance, if you add Chrome to the list and the VPN drops, Chrome won't be able to access the web. Lastly, the Android app has gained "Pause VPN" support. This works similarly to NordVPN – you can turn off protection for a fixed amount of time, after which it automatically resumes.

Proton VPN Free: features

One of the most impressive things about Proton as a company is that the free version of its VPN continuously includes numerous features that other companies reserve for their paid versions, making it one of the best free VPNs on the market. For instance, you get a kill switch, WireGuard, access to tech support, router support, DNS leak protection, and a few other perks.

On the downside, there are sacrifices, too, the most evident of which is the seemingly reduced speed. Our latest round of testing revealed a drop to 335 Mbps from the previous 900 Mbps, and it doesn't end there. The company claims it offers unlimited monthly data for free plan users, but we noticed slower speeds after exceeding 1 GB of download.

Then there's the fact that Proton VPN Free users don't get P2P support either, and it doesn't unlock TV streaming services. While that's a given when it comes to a free VPN service, I'd be remiss not to bring it up.

Not all is bleak, though – the VPN does work on a variety of devices, including Linux, Mac, PC, and smartphones with both Android and iOS operating systems. You can only connect one device at a time, though, and even though Proton VPN advertises 5 free server locations (Romania, Poland, Netherlands, Japan, USA), you don't get to choose the country you need. The app selects the best location for you automatically.

It makes sense that the company reserves the full gamut of server locations and other perks like ad blockers and malware protection for paying customers. Overall, you do get sufficient features in the free plan considering it was meant for recreational/occasional users.

Score: 7/10

Proton VPN Free: server network

Proton VPN's server network encompasses a total of 86 servers in 5 countries, which is admittedly on the lower side compared to heavy hitters like NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark. Additionally, while Proton advertises five free server locations (Romania, Poland, Netherlands, Japan, and USA), you don't get to choose the country you need. Instead, the app automatically selects the best location for you.

Once connected, you can hit a Change Location button to have the app choose a different country. However, once again, the app will make the choice for you automatically. If you don't get the country you need, you can hit Change Location again for another try, but the app only allows you to do this one every minute or two.

Also, Proton VPN Free connects you to relatively slow 1 Gbps free servers rather than the 10 Gbps servers available to paying customers, so there's that, too.

Score: 5/10

Proton VPN Free: pricing and plans

Proton VPN Free is available free of charge, with all of the features I mentioned above. However, compared to the company's flagship subscription models/plans (dubbed Proton Plus and Proton Unlimited), the free plan's limitations become starkly evident. You can read more about the paid plans in our Proton VPN full review.

At a glance, the two-year Proton Plus plan will set you back $4.49 a month, with up to 10 simultaneous connections, 10 Gbps servers, ad and malware blockers, streaming and unblocking capabilities and more. The Proton Unlimited plan is priced at $8.99 a month for a two-year subscription, and comes loaded with the company's premium products (Proton Mail, Proton Pass, Proton Drive, etc.).

Score: 9/10

Proton VPN Free: 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. From the moment you download and login, it's clear that the service was designed to not overwhelm you with a huge amount of options on the surface. For instance, you can get started by using the interactive map or the sidebar links to choose the server location you'd like, and Proton VPN free will take care of the rest.

If you go to Settings, additional functions and protections are available for those looking to play around a bit, and each setting provides more information to explain what it does in more detail. However, as I mentioned above, you have excellent protection with the default settings from the get-go, even if you don't understand what the other features do and don't care to explore them.

Score: 7/10

Proton VPN Free: apps

Proton VPN Free is available across all major platforms, including Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows, MacOS, Chrome, Firefox, Linux, Chromebook, and Firefox. I should mention that the mobile apps appear ever so slightly more cluttered than the desktop apps, but this is the case with most free mobile VPN apps. In other words, you won't be able to see all the functions and features on the dashboard like you would on the desktop version.

Regardless, both iOS and Android apps are very intuitive to use, it's easy to toggle between all the features you need, and most importantly, the mobile apps have the same basic look and feel as their desktop counterparts.

Like before, Android Proton VPN free users continue to have a slight advantage over iOS users due to several reasons. Firstly, Android users have DNS leak protection – particularly helpful since cell phones tend to connect to open and unprotected networks as you roam about town, making you more vulnerable to sneaks and hackers. Additionally, Android users can also use the split tunnel feature on their phones.

As mentioned above, the Trusted Networks feature is now also available on Android, where you can tell the app not to connect when you're using a known safe network. Lastly, the Android app has recently gained Pause VPN support, allowing users to turn off protection for a fixed amount of time before it automatically resumes.

Score: 7/10

Proton VPN Free: unblocking

Unfortunately, Proton VPN Free does not work with streaming services, meaning you cannot watch content from other countries using it. This includes popular video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video. Truth be told, this is actually one of the few areas where Proton's free plan is outdone by competitors like Privado. However, should you choose to upgrade to a paid subscription, you'll have access to all of the streaming services above, and one of the best streaming VPNs.

Additionally, torrenting is also impossible with Proton VPN Free, so if you want one of the best torrenting VPNs, you're better off exploring alternative plans if this is a significant consideration for you.

Score: 1/10

Proton VPN Free: Speed and performance

In our latest round of testing, we discovered that Proton VPN Free dropped from its previous peak speeds of 900 Mbps to an average of 335 Mbps. Additionally, we also noticed that it significantly throttled speeds after downloading approximately 1GB of data, not to mention that free users are connected to the slow 1 Gbps servers by default, unlike paid users who get access to the faster 10 Gbps servers.

Furthermore, when running multiple tests, for instance, we averaged 335 Mbps for the first two runs, then 5-10 Mbps for the next. Therefore, although there's no fixed data limit, this is a VPN for regular browsing and not heavy downloading, and no match for the fastest VPNs.

Score: 5/10

Proton VPN Free: privacy and security

Off the bat (and on paper), Proton VPN Free has a few things going for it. It's based in Switzerland, so user data is protected by the country's robust privacy laws, and the provider recently completed its third third-party audit of its no-logs policy. Proton's kill switch also proved effective during our testing, which is all fine.

However, you don't get any malware or phishing protection included in the free version, and I have to bring up the fact that Proton VPN has one of the least detailed Transparency Reports I've seen.

For instance, its 2023 data mentioned "Total Orders: 60," "Denied Orders: 60," and told us nothing else at all. That said, highlighting that no data has been released is the key purpose of a Transparency Report, and Proton does at the very least work harder than most to keep users in the loop, with report updatings happening "whenever there's a notable new legal request."

Score: 6/10

Proton VPN Free: track record

One of the things I'd have liked to see beforehand is more transparency regarding data throttling after downloading approximately 1 GB of data. A reputable VPN service and provider such as Proton should publish these rules and make it clear what they are, instead of claiming to be "unlimited free" on the website and then sneak in restrictions like this through the back door.

The other thing I'm keen on seeing the company improve is the level of detail in its Transparency Report. Even though it does fulfill the basic requirement of keeping users in the loop, I'd love to see a more comprehensive level of reporting any and all developments in this regard, as they pertain to users' data.

Score: 6/10

Proton VPN Free: Customer support

On the one hand, Proton VPN Free has a contact form, email and support pages available for users who experience issues. In other words, the absence of a live chat option is sorely evident, and I feel it would do wonders to bolster confidence in an already convenient and unique service.

On the other hand, despite the lack of a dedicated live chat option, the advice you get from the existing customer support solutions is usually rather good, and more than sufficient in helping you get back on track and resolving issues. Therefore, while I'd love to see a live chat option, it's not a burningly urgent requirement.

Score: 7/10

Proton VPN: Final verdict

If you're looking to torrent or stream content overseas, you'll find Proton VPN Free's limitation intrusive. However, if you're a recreational user who mostly needs a VPN for checking your email and aren't too keen on heavy downloads, then this service is perfect for you.

It's true that this provider hasn't been improving its free plan nearly as much as close competitors like PrivadoVPN free or Windscribe, but that doesn't make it a bad choice. For a small fee, you can kick things up a notch and get the full suite of VPN services with Proton Plus and Unlimited, but even if you stick with the free plan, you should confidently stay safe and anonymous online.

Final score: 60/100