Many consider Proton the best free VPN on the market, offering unlimited data and several helpful features. But does this stack up? And what are Proton’s paid plans like? Read our thorough Proton VPN review if you’re considering it to boost your online security. We also walk you through Proton’s current coupons, discounts, and “free” plans.
Introducing Proton VPN and How Does it Work?
Proton AG is the company behind Proton VPN, launched in 2017 by the team that created Proton Mail. Founded by scientists including Andy Yen, it is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Proton focuses on privacy-first services, built with strong legal protections and transparency at its core.
Proton VPN secures your internet connection by encrypting your traffic and routing it through private servers worldwide.
This hides your IP address and protects your data, especially on public Wi-Fi. It works through simple apps that create a secure browsing route, with features such as Secure Core and a strict no-logs policy.
Pricing & Plans: How Much Does “Cheapest” Proton VPN Cost?
Proton offers three plans: Free, Plus, and Unlimited. It’s widely regarded as the best free VPN on the market because it doesn’t come with the restrictive data caps that many other options do.
The main drawback to the free plan is that you can only connect to servers in 10 countries, and the location is randomly selected. So, while the VPN improves your online security, it’s not ideal for bypassing geo-restrictions, since you can’t control which server you connect to.
When you upgrade to one of the paid plans, you can choose from 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries, giving you full flexibility. The Plus plan starts at $2.99, and Unlimited goes for $7.99 per month if you sign up for a two-year term.
You can also sign up for one year, but the monthly price is slightly higher. The 12-month and 24-month plans are both billed annually. If you want to subscribe month by month, you’ll pay more but have full flexibility to cancel whenever you want.
The table below shows the cost of each tier for one month, one year, and two years:
| Initial Service Term | Proton Free | Proton VP Plus (Per Month) | Proton Unlimited (Per Month) |
| 1 month (billed monthly until canceled) | Free | $9.99 | $12.99 |
| 1 year (Billed annually) | Free | $3.99 | $9.99 |
| 2 years (Billed every two years) | Free | $2.99 | $7.99 |
Be mindful that each paid plan may incur higher renewal costs than you expect, so always check the cost of the second billing cycle before reactivating your subscription.
Free, Plus, or Unlimited: Which Plan is Best for You?
If you’re looking for a reliable, free VPN that protects your computer or phone when browsing online, Proton is hard to beat. While not the fastest, it secures your connection while browsing and is ideal if you only have a single device to protect. Proton will randomly select one of ten servers to connect you to, and you can browse securely.
If you want to choose a server, you’ll need to sign up for VPN Plus, which gives you access to over 15,000 servers in 120+ countries. You can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously and access Proton’s highest speed VPN.
The Unlimited plan includes everything in Plus, along with extra security features such as Proton Pass (an encrypted password manager), Proton Mail (encrypted email sending and receiving), Proton Calendar (private scheduling), and Proton Drive (500GB of encrypted storage).
If you’re unsure about which plan will work best for you, check out the comparison table below to see what’s included:
| Feature | Proton Free | VPN Plus | Proton Unlimited |
| Servers & Locations | 10 countries (server randomly selected) | Choose from 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries | Choose from 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries |
| Number of devices | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| No logs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| No ads | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| VPN speed | Medium | Fastest | Fastest |
| Secure password manager | ✅(limited features) | ✅(limited features) | ✅ |
| Encrypted cloud storage | Up to 5GB | Up to 5GB | Up to 500GB |
| Private inbox | 1 email address | 1 email address | 15 email addresses |
Proton VPN Coupon Deals & Discounts: How to Save on Privacy and Speed
Proton VPN currently has a range of attractive discounts on its premium plans, that gives users some cool advanced features, the fastest speeds, and the strongest privacy protection at a fraction of the cost.
Here’s a breakdown of the current deals available on the Proton VPN official website:
- 70% off on the 24-month VPN Plus plan: Now only $2.99/month (save $168). This plan offers the highest VPN speeds, access to 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, secure up to 10 devices, and streaming support.
- 60% off on the 12-month VPN Plus plan: Only $3.99/month (save $48), with all the features of the VPN Plus plan and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 42% off on the 24-month VPN x Pass Plus plan: Pay $6.99/month (save $168). This plan includes everything from VPN Plus plus added security features like a secure password manager, dark web monitoring, and two-factor authentication.
- 25% off on the 12-month VPN x Pass Plus plan: Just $8.99/month (save $108), with additional privacy features like unlimited hide-my-email aliases and secure vault sharing.
- 38% off on the 24-month Proton Unlimited plan: Get all Proton services (VPN, Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive) for $7.99/month (save $120).
- 23% off on the 12-month Proton Unlimited plan: For $9.99/month (save $120), this plan grants you access to all Proton services with high privacy standards.
All Proton VPN plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it easy to test and ensure satisfaction before committing.


Proton VPN Promo Codes: No Need for Extra Codes — Discounts Automatically Applied
Proton VPN’s auto-applied discount system means you don’t need to enter any promo codes. New users will automatically unlock the best deal available on their selected plan, making it straightforward to save money. Proton VPN plans are built to deliver premium privacy and performance, and these ongoing deals make it even more affordable.
Currently, Proton does not have any promo codes for existing customers, but they are working on new promotions for their loyal user base in the future. Keep an eye on Proton’s site for any limited-time promotions or new offers.
Reviews & Ratings: Does Proton VPN Have a Good Reputation?
Proton is the trusted VPN of millions of customers worldwide. While some rely exclusively on the free tier, many others appreciate the additional features and full control offered by the paid plans.
Proton VPN is highly rated on the App Store, with a 4.6/5.0 rating from 44,000 ratings. iOS users agree that the app is easy to use and offers many customizable features. It scores even higher on Google Play, with a 4.7/5.0 rating from 904,000+ customers.
App Store Review: “I’ve been with Proton for a little over a year, and I will never use anything else for my email or VPN. They have the lowest prices and tons of additional features, even if you have a free subscription.” Tee Jolley.
Excellent App For a Secure Internet Access
Proton’s apps are highly rated among iOS and Android users. But the app isn’t exclusively built for Apple and Android users. You can download it on a variety of platforms and devices, including Windows, Linux, Fire TV Stick, Chromebook, and others.
But remember, if you only have the free plan, you won’t be able to choose your preferred server location, which can make it difficult to bypass geo-restrictions when streaming.
Most paid Proton VPN app users achieve speeds of up to 10 Gbps when browsing and streaming, making it well-suited to most use cases.
Alternatives to Proton VPN? Consider Surfshark
Windscribe is one of the better free alternatives to Proton, but the 10GB data limit is frustrating and limits what you can do each month with your VPN connected. The unlimited data limit is what makes Proton one of the best free VPNs, even though it’s not perfect.
While not free, Surfshark is well worth considering if you’re looking for a high-quality VPN without breaking the bank. It’s one of the cheapest premium VPN products on the market right now, costing just $1.78 when you sign up for a two-year plan. It’s cheaper than both NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
Surfshark Starter, the lowest tier plan, lets you choose from 4,500+ servers to bypass geo-restrictions and gives you access to a high-speed VPN on an unlimited number of devices. For $1.78 per month, it’s a super affordable option and performs much better and more reliably than Proton’s free VPN.
Our Verdict: Is Proton VPN Right for You?
Here’s why we think Proton VPN could work for you:
✅You’re looking for a free VPN with unlimited data – Proton is one of the only VPN providers to offer this
✅You’re not concerned about streaming and only want to bolster your online security – Proton Free does exactly this
✅You want the flexibility to upgrade to paid plans for more features and higher speeds – Proton Plus and Unlimited are competitively priced and comprehensive
Here’s why you might be better served by an alternative VPN:
❌You need a high-speed VPN across your devices – Proton’s free VPN is relatively slow and can only be used on one device at a time
❌You want a VPN on an unlimited number of devices – Proton’s VPN is only offered on 10 devices per paid subscription – check out Surfshark for unlimited connectivity
Explore and compare some of the best VPN services for travel on the market as well as our esims guide.








