Tech Republic
Is It Nonetheless Dependable in 2024?
Nov
Proton VPN Quick informationOur ranking: 4.5 stars out of of 5
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In 2023, we discovered Proton VPN to be a well-rounded VPN with its distinctive, Swiss-based privateness and beneficiant free tier. Based mostly 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 top-of-the-line VPNs accessible available in the market. Chief amongst these is a bigger server community, an up to date third-party audit, and extra inexpensive pricing.
On this overview, let’s have a look if Proton VPN is the precise selection for you and your online business in 2024.
Proton VPN pricing
| Proton VPN Free | Proton VPN Plus | Proton VPN Limitless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yr | Free | $4.99 per 30 days | $9.99 per 30 days |
| 2 years | Free | $4.49 per 30 days | $7.99 per 30 days |
| 1 month | Free | $9.99 per 30 days | $12.99 |
| VPN pace | Medium | Quickest | Quickest |
| Primary Options |
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On the subject of pricing, I discovered Proton VPN falls within the center amongst its competitors. At $4.99 per 30 days for its one-year Plus plan, it’s dearer than Private Internet Access’ equal one-year subscription at $3.33 per 30 days. Nonetheless, it’s additionally extra inexpensive than ExpressVPN’s one-year plan priced at $8.33 per 30 days.
In comparison with final yr, Proton VPN can also be now extra inexpensive. In 2023, its one-year Proton VPN Plus subscription value $5.99 per 30 days. Immediately, it’s $4.99 per 30 days.
The 2-year plan can also be cheaper, now at $4.49 per 30 days to 2023’s $4.99 per 30 days. On the alternative aspect, its one-month subscription is barely dearer now at $9.99 per 30 days, in comparison with final yr’s $8.99 price ticket.
Whereas these aren’t large decreases in value, they’re appreciated contemplating how the enhancements carried out in Proton VPN in 2024 — one thing we’ll get into additional down this overview.
If you happen to plan on connecting a number of units or want the quickest connection, I like to recommend going for Proton VPN Plus. It permits customers to attach 10 units concurrently, has Proton’s quickest speeds on the lowest doable value, and contains 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 accessible 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 really free?
Sure, Proton VPN has a completely free model alongside its two paid plans. It provides free access to servers from 5 international locations, specifically the US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland.
With the free model, you get medium VPN pace, a kill change, and limitless information. Home windows and Android customers additionally get entry to Proton’s cut up tunneling function free of charge. As a free VPN, I admire Proton providing limitless bandwidth, particularly since different free VPNs normally impose a month-to-month or day by day information cap. I feel this implementation is best for those who want a cheap option to merely change your IP handle.
Nonetheless, 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 areas you connect with. This implies you’ll need 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 total 112-country server fleet accessible in its premium plan.
Whereas I discover this to be a good restriction, I can perceive customers that will need the control of with the ability to select which location to connect with. If you happen to’re one in every of these folks, I recommend trying into Speedify VPN. It’s a good service that has a free model VPN that permits guide nation choice. Take be aware, nevertheless, that it imposes a 2-10 GB month-to-month information cap.
SEE: Proton VPN Free vs Premium: Which Plan Is Best 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 fundamental performance.
Is Proton VPN secure?
Sure, I take into account Proton VPN to be a safe and secure VPN. It provides 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 security protocols and newer choices with newer applied sciences.
Proton VPN additionally operates beneath a strict no-logs policy, which suggests they don’t log consumer exercise or metadata. This covers web sites visited, session lengths, IP addresses, or any information that could possibly be used to determine a consumer. It’s additionally an open supply VPN, which implies that its code is publicly accessible for overview. Personally, I do know privateness fanatics and builders will admire this because it permits them to identify vulnerabilities in Proton VPN’s supply code themselves.
After I reviewed Proton VPN final yr, its latest independent security audit had been carried out approach again in 2021. Whereas I laud VPN suppliers for having their providers audited, a key consideration can be how frequent these audits are executed to account for altering circumstances.
Now that it’s 2024, I’m very glad to report that it has a extra recent external audit centered on its no-logs coverage. The third-party audit, carried out by Securitum, confirmed that Proton VPN didn’t, in truth, retailer any consumer logs. That is essential given how simple it’s for software program suppliers to make safety claims — with out really following by on guarantees.
One factor I failed to say final yr was Proton VPN’s impressive encounter with the Swiss court docket system in 2019. In that incident, an information request from one other nation was despatched to Proton VPN and was accepted by the Swiss court docket system. Nonetheless, as a result of Proton VPN didn’t have any buyer IP information, it was not capable of present the data 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 Best Anonymous (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Key options of Proton VPN
Proton VPN offers a variety of features that shield and safe consumer information. This contains its protection beneath Swiss privateness legal guidelines, good pace 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 get pleasure from the identical authorized privateness protections that Swiss residents do.
This additionally implies that any requests for Proton consumer information can’t be granted and not using a Swiss court docket order. It is a key function for customers or companies which are 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 towards DNS leaks throughout dropped connections. To check this, I ran Proton VPN Free by a DNS leak check software 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 function, we commend Proton for setting it to “at all times on” upon setup.
Kill change
Proton additionally comes with a kill change that acts as a final line of protection throughout an outage or disruption. Within the occasion your VPN connection fails, the kill change will robotically cease your machine from reconnecting to the web with out the VPN’s safety. This prevents any undesirable sharing of information out of your computer to your web service supplier.
It goes additional as Proton permits customers to activate a “everlasting kill change.” When activated, any connection not executed by way of a Proton VPN server is blocked or lower out.
In my testing, the everlasting kill change labored as marketed — even with the primary app closed and working within the background. This set-it-and-forget-it function can maintain your information non-public throughout undesirable disruptions.
Velocity and efficiency: How briskly is Proton VPN?
Whereas it’s regular to have decrease add and obtain speeds with a VPN, Proton VPN nonetheless offered 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 one in every of its paid plans.
Nonetheless, I used to be pleasantly shocked 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 basic 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 issue sustaining a steady connection whereas testing Proton. For pace and stability, Proton VPN carried out effectively.
In terms of pace check outcomes, Proton VPN’s free model was surprisingly quick. Even with capped speeds, it solely decreased my obtain pace round 2.87% in comparison with my web service supplier. For add speeds, it was wonderful, really recording 76.4% sooner speeds than my ISP.
Once more, that is Proton VPN’s free tier, so I anticipate speeds to be much less constant than its premium variations.
Proton VPN servers and areas
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 large enhance in comparison with final yr, whereby Proton’s server fleet comprised a decent 3,024 servers in 69 international locations.
As compared, NordVPN presently 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 most important makes use of of a VPN is to unblock geo-restricted content material, I admire the Proton VPN staff’s dedication in increasing its server community in such a brief period of time.
Proton VPN provides three completely different server varieties: Free, Plus, and Safe Core servers. Free servers, which include Proton’s free model, present fundamental safety with medium speeds. In the meantime, Plus servers permit streaming support, advert blocking, torrenting and a sooner connection.
Lastly, Safe Core servers add to Plus servers’ performance by introducing stronger safety towards information assaults. Safe Core routes your site visitors by a number of servers, making it tougher for unhealthy actors to realize 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 singular promoting level of Proton VPN that many privacy-focused customers will discover worthwhile. That is very true for those who use servers situated in additional high-risk areas just like the U.S.
SEE: ProtonVPN vs AtlasVPN (2024): Which VPN Should You Use? (TechRepublic)
Proton VPN execs
- Provides sturdy Switzerland-based privateness options.
- Implements a strict no-logs coverage.
- Gives 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 could possibly be overwhelming at first.
- Stay chat help is simply accessible for paid customers.
Who’s Proton VPN finest for?
If you happen to’re searching for a VPN that specializes towards authorities surveillance, Proton VPN is a good answer. Its Swiss-backed privateness is a significant worth proposition, particularly with regards to defending delicate enterprise or consumer information. It additionally will get loads of the core options proper with its sturdy set of protocols, kill change, and DNS leak safety, to call a couple of.
As of 2024, it additionally carries one of many largest server networks accessible in VPNs immediately at 8,500+ servers throughout 112 international locations. Proton VPN is made for individuals who need an built-in ecosystem of encrypted and safe software program. Proton additionally provides the VPN bundled with its different encrypted providers by its Proton Limitless plan.
Whereas there are cheaper choices on the market, Proton’s general bundle and lack of evident drawbacks make it a good selection. Not sure patrons additionally benefit from with the ability to entry Proton VPN free of charge.
SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium)
Proton VPN options
Whereas Proton VPN is a stable VPN possibility, not everybody will discover it an excellent match. We’ve listed related options beneath that provide completely different options for every VPN consumer.
NordVPN
NordVPN is likely one of the most well-known VPNs available in the market immediately. Nord is nice for safe file-sharing, as its Meshnet function permits customers to switch and share recordsdata by their very own non-public encrypted community. It has round 6,400+ servers in 111 international locations and a risk safety function that combats malware, advertisements, and internet trackers.
To search out out extra, take a look at our full NordVPN review.
Surfshark
One other outstanding VPN is Surfshark. This VPN is finest for a number of units, because it offers customers a vast variety of device connections to the service. It additionally has zero bandwidth limitations and provides a seven-day free trial to check it out.
To study extra, take a look at our full Surfshark VPN review.
CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN is one other nice VPN answer. It’s identified for its intensive server community, providing servers in 100 international locations and 126 areas. This permits customers to entry a broad choice of geo-restricted content material whereas sustaining a steady connection.
To find extra, take a look at our full CyberGhost VPN review.
Overview methodology
My overview of Proton VPN concerned an in depth evaluation of its security measures, value, 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 pace and efficiency, I examined ProtonVPN Free utilizing a Home windows laptop and ran it by Ookla’s Speedtest. As a disclaimer, VPN speeds will differ relying on loads of 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 DNSleaktest.
Lastly, I scored Proton on the whole lot from its pricing to its protocols primarily based on an inner algorithm to get a ultimate ranking 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 available in the market.
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