Proton VPN: when to install it, and when not to
Proton VPN is a Swiss-based, audited VPN from the Proton privacy team, with a usable free tier, a strict no-logs policy and strong protocols. It is a…
The short version
Proton VPN: The only reputable VPN with a genuinely usable free tier (unlimited data, no ads, no logs). Pay for it only if you need speed, more countries or streaming. A VPN hides your traffic from the local network, not from the sites you log into.
| Licence / price | Free + paid tiers |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Category | Privacy & Security — 10 programs |
| Official download | https://protonvpn.com/download ↗ |
What it is for
Proton VPN is a Swiss-based, audited VPN from the Proton privacy team, with a usable free tier, a strict no-logs policy and strong protocols. It is a sensible default for people who want a trustworthy VPN without researching a dozen providers.
When to pick something else
The free tier limits servers and speed, and paid plans are the real product. Like any VPN it slows some traffic, and it will not make a bad password or a phished login safe; it protects the network path, not your accounts.
How it compares in Privacy & Security
These are the alternatives we would consider for the same job. The notes are the same ones used on the main list, so there is no separate ranking hiding on this page.
| Program | Licence / price | Platforms | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitwarden Publisher's site ↗ | Free + paid tiers | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | If you install one thing from this entire page, install this. The free tier covers unlimited passwords on unlimited devices with sync, and everything is end-to-end encrypted. Start here rather than with a paid competitor. |
| KeePassXC Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | A password database that is just an encrypted file on your own disk. No company, no account, no server to breach. You are responsible for your own backups, which is the trade you are making. |
| VeraCrypt Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Creates encrypted containers and can encrypt a whole drive, including hidden volumes. The successor to TrueCrypt. Keep the password and the rescue disk somewhere you will still find them in two years. |
| Cryptomator Publisher's site ↗ | Free + paid tiers | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Encrypts files before they reach Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive, so the cloud provider stores scrambled data. The right tool if you must use a mainstream cloud but do not want to trust it. |
| Mullvad VPN Publisher's site ↗ | Paid · €5/month flat | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | One flat price, no account email required, accepts cash, and has been raided by police without anything being found. The privacy purist's choice. No streaming unblocking, no affiliate programme, no marketing. |
| WireGuard Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | A modern VPN protocol in a few thousand lines of code, now built into the Linux kernel. Use it to reach your own home network or office securely. It is a tunnel, not a privacy service. |
| Malwarebytes Publisher's site ↗ | Free + paid tiers | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Keep the free version as a second opinion when something feels wrong. Windows Defender already handles real-time protection well enough that paying for a second always-on scanner is mostly redundant. |
| O&O ShutUp10++ Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Closed source | Windows | A single portable screen of switches for Windows telemetry, ads, Cortana and background reporting, with a restore point button. Read each description before flipping it and you will not break anything. |
| BleachBit Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, Linux | Clears caches, logs and traces from dozens of applications, and shreds files properly. Only useful if you understand what you are deleting. Windows' own Disk Cleanup covers the safe basics. |
Practical notes
- Use the free tier to test before paying.
- Enable the kill switch so traffic never leaks if the tunnel drops.
- Pick a nearby server for the best speed.
Questions people ask
Is Proton VPN free?
A free tier exists with limits; paid tiers add servers and features.
Does it keep logs?
It states a no-logs policy and has been audited, but no VPN is magic for account security.
Should I use it on public Wi-Fi?
Yes, it is exactly the scenario a VPN helps with.
Where it appears in our guides
See the full Privacy & Security explainer for the other 9 programs in this category.
How to read this page. How to read this page. Platform, licence and publisher details come from our directory data. Where an independent review, audit or survey is mentioned, it is summarised in our own words with the source named and linked; our /sources page sets out that policy. The recommendation, the trade-offs and every 'skip it if' line are our editorial judgement. We do not run benchmarks, publish measured performance figures or host installers, and every download link goes to the publisher's own site. If a detail is out of date, our About page explains how to tell us.