Proton VPN — Summary & Verdict
Proton VPN stands out for two main reasons: it offers a truly unlimited-data free plan and is majority-owned by the nonprofit Proton Foundation. The service is fast, secure, and privacy-focused — making it an excellent choice for torrenting and everyday protection.
Key findings at a glance
- Free plan: unlimited data but restricted to a set of free locations and automatic server selection.
- Speed: retains ~88% of download speeds on average; VPN Accelerator helps performance.
- Security: no DNS/WebRTC leaks detected; supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 and a Stealth option; progressing on IPv6 support.
- Privacy & ownership: majority-owned by the Proton Foundation (nonprofit); short, auditable no-logs policy confirmed by third-party audits.
- Features: NetShield ad/malware blocking, Secure Core (double-VPN via Iceland/Sweden/Switzerland), Tor over VPN, split tunneling, kill switch, profiles.
- Geography: 154 locations in 117 countries; many virtual locations (notably in Africa and several regions).
- Cons: Apple (macOS/iOS) apps lag behind Windows/Android; free servers can be slow; long-term plans can feel pricey.
Pricing (brief)
Plus plan (full VPN features) starts at $9.99/month; yearly and multi-year discounts apply. Proton Unlimited bundles VPN with Proton Mail, Drive, Calendar, Wallet and Pass. See official pages for current pricing and promotions.
Official links (for more info): Proton VPN Features • Proton VPN Pricing • Proton Unlimited / Proton product bundles
Bottom line
Proton VPN is highly recommended for users who value a trustworthy privacy posture (nonprofit ownership), solid security, and a genuinely usable free tier. If you depend on specific free-server locations for streaming, the free plan may disappoint; paid users get the full network and better performance.
Have you tried Proton VPN (free or paid)? Share your experience in the comments on the WordPress post or on the original tweet!