Proton VPN: does it fit you?
A comprehensive, Swiss-law protected VPN service designed to shield private activity and provides advanced security features along with integrated cloud storage.
Best suited to someone who is privacy-focused — for them it scores 76 out of 100, a good fit. If you are budget-conscious instead, the very same product scores 26, the wrong product for this situation.
Same product, different person, different answer. That gap is the reason this site exists — and every number below can be checked line by line.
How it fits, situation by situation
Privacy-focused
76/100
a good fit · we know a lot here
Public wifi safety
61/100
a workable fit, with compromises · we know something here
Frequent travel
58/100
a workable fit, with compromises · we know a lot here
Beginner-friendly
41/100
a poor fit — look at alternatives · we know a lot here
Streaming abroad
34/100
the wrong product for this situation · we know something here
Budget-conscious
26/100
the wrong product for this situation · we know a lot here
Where the 76 comes from
No rounding, no editorial nudge. Each fact has a weighting — how much it moves the score — multiplied by how good its evidence is. The maker's own claim counts 70%; something a laboratory measured counts 100%.
| The fact, and the words it came from | Evidence | Sum | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every product starts here — neither good nor bad | 50 | ||
| no_logs_audit_conclusion An outside security firm from Poland (Securitum) went to Proton's offices in Zurich in August 2025, looked at the real machines that carry customer traffic, and signed its name to a statement that Proton keeps no record of what customers do online. This is the auditor's own written conclusion, not Proton's summary of it. Based on these findings, Securitum attests that the Proton VPN service, as configured at the time of the audit, fully complies with the privacy commitments outlined in its No-Logs policy. | independently measured counts 100% | +32 × 1.00 | +32.0 |
| owns_its_hardware Proton runs the service on physical machines it owns outright, rather than renting space from a big cloud company. That matters because a rented machine can in principle be accessed or copied by the landlord; the auditors checked and confirmed the hardware is Proton's own. It was confirmed that this infrastructure runs on bare-metal servers fully owned and controlled by Proton AG. Some servers utilize lightweight, OS-level containerization, but the underlying physical hardware remains under Proton's exclusive control. | independently measured counts 100% | +12 × 1.00 | +12.0 |
| court_orders_outcome Proton publishes a running count of legal demands it has received. Since the service started in 2017 it says it has had 458 binding orders from Swiss courts, and that in every one it had nothing to hand over. This is the company's own count, so treat it as a claim rather than a verified figure - but a false statement here would be a serious legal problem for them. In every case, we were unable to provide the requested identifying information because Proton VPN does not keep the logs that would make such identification possible. | the maker's own claim counts 70% | +15 × 0.70 | +10.5 |
| audit_scope_exclusions The audit deliberately did not look at Proton's software itself. Nobody read through the program code of the VPN, and nobody pulled apart the finished app that runs on your phone or laptop. The audit only covered the company's own servers, so a flaw living inside the app would not have been caught by it. A formal source code review of the VPN software and its associated libraries. | independently measured counts 100% | -10 × 1.00 | -10.0 |
| audit_method_limits The same auditors wrote down, in their own report, the limits of what they did. Proton's engineers were driving during the inspection - the auditors watched systems being shown to them rather than digging through the machines unsupervised. They also only checked a sample of servers, not every server Proton runs worldwide. The findings are based on a guided review process, where Securitum auditors observed live systems as demonstrated by Proton's senior engineers. While this provides a high degree of assurance, it is distinct from an unsupervised, direct forensic investigation. The assessment was also conducted on a representative sample of production servers and did not encompass every server in Proton's global fleet. | independently measured counts 100% | -8 × 1.00 | -8.0 |
| some_logs_do_exist It is not literally true that Proton's servers write nothing down. Basic housekeeping records exist - things like how busy a machine is, and administrator sign-ins. The auditors' finding is narrower than 'no logs': it is that these housekeeping records are kept apart from the VPN and do not contain anything that points to a customer. While standard OS-level logs are present as they are essential for basic server administration and troubleshooting (e.g., monitoring CPU usage, cron job execution, or SSH daemon activity), our guided review confirmed these logs are properly segregated from VPN services and do not contain any user-related IP addresses, traffic, or other privacy-sensitive data. | independently measured counts 100% | -6 × 1.00 | -6.0 |
| free_tier_traffic_inspection On the free version, Proton does look at traffic as it passes, in order to spot and block file-sharing (the kind used for downloading via torrents). The auditors accepted this is watching-in-the-moment rather than record-keeping, and said nothing is written to disk - but it is still an inspection of your traffic that paid users do not get. An exception to this is the mechanism used on free-tier servers to enforce the publicly stated policy of blocking BitTorrent (P2P) traffic. Proton engineers demonstrated that this is accomplished through live, on-the-fly traffic identification for the sole purpose of blocking this specific protocol. | independently measured counts 100% | -5 × 1.00 | -5.0 |
| fifth_audit_softer_wording A fifth annual check was done in late May 2026 and reported the same result. Worth noticing: the wording is more careful than the year before. Instead of stating the service fully complies, the auditors said the evidence they saw did not indicate any record-keeping - a statement about what they found, not a guarantee about what exists. The technical evidence reviewed during the engagement did not indicate that the examined Proton VPN server infrastructure logs users' browsing activity, DNS queries, destination services, network traffic contents or user-identifiable connection metadata | reported by owners and reviewers counts 80% | +6 × 0.80 | +4.8 |
| disputed_memory_vulnerability In January 2025 an outside security firm published a claim that Proton's Windows app left encryption keys unprotected in the computer's working memory, where an attacker could grab them and unscramble traffic. Proton publicly disputed this, saying what was actually shown were the harmless half of the key pair. The disagreement was never settled by a neutral third party. Since these keys are not protected in memory, a hacker or a bad actor can simply sniff the traffic and decrypt them. | sources disagree counts 40% | -12 × 0.40 | -4.8 |
| Fit for “Privacy-focused” | 50 + 25.5 = 76 | ||
Who should buy it, who should not
Good for
Advanced users, businesses needing custom domains, or families prioritizing high collective security, international privacy, and large encrypted storage space.
Not for
Users who only require local-level protection or are not concerned about deep tracking by corporations, as the plan offers advanced global safeguards.
Price
100.00 USD at the last check (20 Jul 2026). The lowest we have recorded is 100.00 USD, watching since 19 Jul 2026.
The facts behind the scores
20 verified facts, each re-confirmed against its source, taken from 13 sources (1 × forum, 2 × lab, 4 × official, 6 × press). 12 of them count against the product. Facts we're still checking are not shown here or counted in any score.
| What we found | Who it matters to | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
There is a free basic plan available for users to try out.Proton Free /month Get Proton Free Close | Beginners, Budget-conscious users, Casual private browsing. | the maker's own claim |
The service hides your actual internet location (IP address) so that websites cannot pinpoint exactly where you are browsing from.Mask your IP Proton VPN hides your real IP address , preventing the easiest and most accurate way for websites to track you online. | Journalists, activists, or anyone concerned with being physically tracked by corporations or governments. This does not matter for users who don't worry about targeted tracking. | the maker's own claim |
An outside security firm from Poland (Securitum) went to Proton's offices in Zurich in August 2025, looked at the real machines that carry customer traffic, and signed its name to a statement that Proton keeps no record of what customers do online. This is the auditor's own written conclusion, not Proton's summary of it.Based on these findings, Securitum attests that the Proton VPN service, as configured at the time of the audit, fully complies with the privacy commitments outlined in its No-Logs policy. | Anyone who needs the 'we don't keep records' promise to be checked by someone other than the company making it | independently measured |
The same auditors wrote down, in their own report, the limits of what they did. Proton's engineers were driving during the inspection - the auditors watched systems being shown to them rather than digging through the machines unsupervised. They also only checked a sample of servers, not every server Proton runs worldwide.The findings are based on a guided review process, where Securitum auditors observed live systems as demonstrated by Proton's senior engineers. While this provides a high degree of assurance, it is distinct from an unsupervised, direct forensic investigation. The assessment was also conducted on a representative sample of production servers and did not encompass every server in Proton's global fleet. | Someone deciding how much weight a 'passed the audit' headline actually deserves | counts against it |
The audit deliberately did not look at Proton's software itself. Nobody read through the program code of the VPN, and nobody pulled apart the finished app that runs on your phone or laptop. The audit only covered the company's own servers, so a flaw living inside the app would not have been caught by it.A formal source code review of the VPN software and its associated libraries. | Buyers who assume 'audited' means the app they install was checked - it was not, in this particular audit | counts against it |
On the free version, Proton does look at traffic as it passes, in order to spot and block file-sharing (the kind used for downloading via torrents). The auditors accepted this is watching-in-the-moment rather than record-keeping, and said nothing is written to disk - but it is still an inspection of your traffic that paid users do not get.An exception to this is the mechanism used on free-tier servers to enforce the publicly stated policy of blocking BitTorrent (P2P) traffic. Proton engineers demonstrated that this is accomplished through live, on-the-fly traffic identification for the sole purpose of blocking this specific protocol. | Anyone planning to rely on the free plan, or to use file-sharing software | counts against it |
It is not literally true that Proton's servers write nothing down. Basic housekeeping records exist - things like how busy a machine is, and administrator sign-ins. The auditors' finding is narrower than 'no logs': it is that these housekeeping records are kept apart from the VPN and do not contain anything that points to a customer.While standard OS-level logs are present as they are essential for basic server administration and troubleshooting (e.g., monitoring CPU usage, cron job execution, or SSH daemon activity), our guided review confirmed these logs are properly segregated from VPN services and do not contain any user-related IP addresses, traffic, or other privacy-sensitive data. | Anyone who reads the marketing phrase 'no logs' literally and wants the precise version | counts against it |
Proton runs the service on physical machines it owns outright, rather than renting space from a big cloud company. That matters because a rented machine can in principle be accessed or copied by the landlord; the auditors checked and confirmed the hardware is Proton's own.It was confirmed that this infrastructure runs on bare-metal servers fully owned and controlled by Proton AG. Some servers utilize lightweight, OS-level containerization, but the underlying physical hardware remains under Proton's exclusive control. | Buyers comparing against rivals that rent servers from third parties | independently measured |
A fifth annual check was done in late May 2026 and reported the same result. Worth noticing: the wording is more careful than the year before. Instead of stating the service fully complies, the auditors said the evidence they saw did not indicate any record-keeping - a statement about what they found, not a guarantee about what exists.The technical evidence reviewed during the engagement did not indicate that the examined Proton VPN server infrastructure logs users' browsing activity, DNS queries, destination services, network traffic contents or user-identifiable connection metadata | Buyers who want the most recent check rather than last year's | reported by owners and reviewers |
Proton publishes a running count of legal demands it has received. Since the service started in 2017 it says it has had 458 binding orders from Swiss courts, and that in every one it had nothing to hand over. This is the company's own count, so treat it as a claim rather than a verified figure - but a false statement here would be a serious legal problem for them.In every case, we were unable to provide the requested identifying information because Proton VPN does not keep the logs that would make such identification possible. | Anyone whose real concern is a government demand rather than an advertiser or hacker | the maker's own claim |
In January 2025 an outside security firm published a claim that Proton's Windows app left encryption keys unprotected in the computer's working memory, where an attacker could grab them and unscramble traffic. Proton publicly disputed this, saying what was actually shown were the harmless half of the key pair. The disagreement was never settled by a neutral third party.Since these keys are not protected in memory, a hacker or a bad actor can simply sniff the traffic and decrypt them. | Windows users, and anyone weighing how the company handles bad news about itself | counts against it |
One reviewer with a written test procedure measured speeds over ten repeated runs on a 100 Mbps home line. Proton came out best in the group for upload speed, losing only about 4 percent, and tied for the lowest delay. Read this cautiously: they tested only the older connection method and only servers in Australia, which is not how most people would use it.78 milliseconds 10 out of 10 times | Buyers choosing on speed rather than privacy | independently measured |
Two practical annoyances reported by a hands-on reviewer: some streaming services detect Proton's built-in ad-blocker and refuse to play, so you have to switch that feature off; and the service is not officially supported in China, so travellers there should not count on it.Some streaming platforms detect Proton VPN's ad-blocking feature. This means you must disable NetShield to watch those services. | People buying mainly for streaming, or travelling to countries that block VPNs | counts against it |
The cheap headline price only lasts for the first stretch. A tech news site reported the two-year Proton VPN Plus deal at about $72 paid upfront for 24 months, then renewing at $83.88. So the second bill is larger than the whole first two years combined, and it buys you less time.After that, the plan renews annually at $83.88. | Anyone buying on a discount who plans to stay past the first term | counts against it |
Proton's own terms say your plan renews for the same length you originally bought. But an independent deal report says a 24-month purchase renews on a 12-month cycle. If that is right, you pay a higher rate AND get half the time, which is the part buyers miss.After the initial term, the subscription is renewed automatically for the duration as specified during your initial purchase and you will be charged accordingly, unless cancelled or modified by you. | Buyers of the multi-year plan who assume renewal repeats the same two-year deal | counts against it |
Signing up does not lock your price. Proton's contract says it can charge whatever the price is on the day it renews. There is no promise anywhere in the terms that your rate stays fixed.If the renewal price has changed, you will be charged the then-current price valid at the time of the renewal of your subscription. | Long-term subscribers budgeting a fixed yearly cost | counts against it |
You get a genuine full refund, but only if you ask within 30 days of buying, and only once ever per account. If you paid by cash or bank transfer you get nothing back at all.You may cancel your subscription within 30 days of the initial purchase and receive a full refund for the Service. | Trial users deciding whether the risk of buying a long plan is real | the maker's own claim |
The bundle that packages the VPN with Proton's other products (Proton Unlimited) is refunded differently. You only get back the unused share, so asking on day 15 of a month returns roughly half — not the full amount the 30-day promise implies.If you sign up for Proton Unlimited, your refund is on a pro rata basis. That means that if you ask for a refund on day 15, you'll only get half your money back. | Buyers upsold from the VPN-only plan into the all-products bundle | counts against it |
There is no self-service refund button. A human decides, based on how much you used the service and when you asked, and one reviewer found some people got more back simply because they asked for it specifically.There is no dashboard estimate or refund slider. You get a manual process that depends heavily on your usage and timing. | Anyone relying on the money-back guarantee as a safety net | counts against it |
The no-cost version is heavily stripped back. It covers one device only, you cannot pick which country you appear to be in, file-sharing is switched off, and video streaming services usually will not work through it.torrenting is entirely blocked, streaming services rarely work | People hoping the free tier is a permanent substitute for paying | counts against it |
A score measures fit for a situation, not quality in the abstract. The same product can score 99 for one person and 43 for another without either number being wrong.