We’re happy to announce that as of 12:00PM Geneva time today, Proton VPN is now available to the general public. Proton VPN is officially out of beta and we are allowing open signups for the first time.
You can now directly get Proton VPN by visiting https://protonvpn.com/download
After more than 1 year of development, and four months of beta testing by over 10’000 members of the Proton Mail community, we’re finally making Proton VPN available to everyone. And we really mean everyone, because consistent with our mission to make privacy and security accessible to every single person in the world, we’re also releasing Proton VPN as a free VPN service.
It has been a long and exciting journey to get here since our team first met at CERN in 2013. Back then, we had an ambitious vision to build an Internet that was free and could continue to reach its full potential as a tool for social progress. Indeed, that was the vision that inspired Tim Berners-Lee to create the World Wide Web at CERN in 1989.
Since then, the Internet has met or even exceeded its promise in certain areas, but this has not come without a cost to society. While the Internet has done a great deal of good, over the course of this digital revolution, we have also lost control over our data, our most intimate secrets, and ultimately our privacy. In certain countries, the Internet has even become a tool for oppression and control, instead of the beacon of hope and freedom it once was.
Back in 2013, we embarked on a journey to change this, by building the tools that could make privacy and security the default online. In 2014, on the 25th anniversary of the web, our efforts culminated with the release of Proton Mail, the world’s first end-to-end encrypted email service. Since then millions of people around the world have embraced our vision, and thanks to your support (and the numerous donations along the way), email is much safer today than it was several years ago.
However, when considering the scope of all that we do online, email is just a small piece of the online world. That’s why we have decided to build Proton VPN, to better protect the activists, journalists, and individuals who are currently using Proton Mail to secure their online lives. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) allows users to browse the web without being tracked, bypass online censorship blocks, and also increases security by passing all internet traffic through a strongly encrypted tunnel.
The importance of VPNs for online security and privacy is increasing day by day. Back in April of this year, Obama-era FTC rules designed to protect the privacy of internet browsing history were rolled back. Fast forward to today, and attempts are being made to dismantle net neutrality in the US, and several European governments are now calling for increased online surveillance. Last but not least, for over 1.5 billion people around the world, the Internet does not live up to its promise of freedom of information. Instead, the Internet is a highly restricted and censored place, constantly under surveillance, where making a wrong move could lead to imprisonment or worse.
We are also aware that as Proton Mail becomes a stronger force for digital freedom, the censorship of Proton Mail in certain countries is not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Earlier this year, we took the first steps to improve Proton Mail’s availability under censorship by launching an Onion site. With Proton VPN, we can ensure the accessibility of not only Proton Mail, but all of the world’s digital knowledge and information. This is why we are committed to providing a free version of Proton VPN.
However, we have done more than make Proton VPN free. We have also worked to make it the best VPN service ever created, by addressing many of the common pitfalls with VPNs. For example, Proton VPN features a Secure Core architecture which routes traffic through multiple encrypted tunnels in multiple countries to better defend against network based attacks, and also features seamless integration with the Tor anonymity network. You can learn about all the steps we took to build a secure VPN.
Lastly, we’re building a VPN service that can be worthy of your trust. We understand that when it comes to VPNs, trust is paramount. Whether it is our transparent VPN threat model, our Swiss jurisdiction, our reputation, our relationship with the community, or the fact that you actually know who we are, we’re committed to building and operating Proton VPN with the same level of transparency that has come to characterize Proton Mail.
To all of you who have supported us over the years, thank you for your support. Unlike companies like Google and Facebook who abuse user privacy to sell advertisements, Proton Mail and Proton VPN are entirely dependent on users upgrading to paid accounts to cover operating expenses. Without your support, these projects would not be able to thrive and grow. If you appreciate the security and privacy that Proton VPN provides, and have the means to do so, please consider upgrading to a paid account. This allows us to support the millions around the world without these means.
With your help, the revolution we have started with Proton Mail will continue, and we will reach the day where the Internet serves all of us equally, and reaches its full potential as a tool for freedom.
Best Regards,
The Proton Team
You can find our launch press release here: https://protonvpn.com/blog/launch-press-release
Follow Proton VPN on Social Media:
Facebook: facebook.com/ProtonVPN
Twitter: twitter.com/ProtonVPN
Reddit: reddit.com/r/ProtonVPN
To get a free Proton VPN account, visit: https://protonvpn.com/free-vpn
To get a free Proton Mail encrypted email account, visit: proton.me/mail
would you consider offering a secure, encrypted XMPP/Jabber server? Thanks.
Please add Bitcoin payments
BTC payments are now supported in the dashbaord to upgrade your subscription or top up credit (not during signup because of async nature of btc payments).
Do you plan server in Czech Republic?
我应该怎么支付？信用卡也不能用外币支付啊？
Thanks to all Proton’s scientists, engineers, and developers, are you planning to release “ProtonDrive”, ProtonBrowser, and ProtonSearch :-)
Hello,
When will you be releasing Proton VPN in a native form for Mac OS, and the IPhone? I saw videos on YouTube, showing the native version for windows, and the interface was beautiful, and well thought out.
Thanks
MacOS version is in development right now and will be released before the end of this year.
What is this? A VPN service which tells everyone they are for personal integrity with no logs, encrypted connection and using safer countries like Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland but when it comes to payment their customers have to reveal their whole identity?
Why not support cryptocoins, bitcoin and more?
They have an option to pay with cryptocurrencies.
Hello! Yes, we accept Bitcoin payments – please go to http://account.protonvpn.com, add credits first with Bitcoin, and then use them to upgrade the subscription.
大家好谢谢
Thank you this is great
What exactly does “Country level connection” mean in “Country configs” tab? And what is different from “Connect to a single server in the country” in “Server configs” tab if I have a ProtonVPN Basic subscription?
ProtonVPN offers GUI for MS Windows which is very nice, but does not offer GUI for Mac’s.
I’m anxiously awaiting for ProtonVPN to offer GUI for OSX, to start using ProtonVPN.
ProtonVPN has GUI for MS Windows, which looks nice compared to ProtonVPN for Mac’s
I’m anxious to use ProtonVPN when they offer GUI for OSX.
How many days does the free account order come in? I can not wait to try?
People saying 78 Euros (a year), is way too much to pay for a VPN should think again. How much do you pay for a years worth of cable TV? Watching all those commercials is worse for you than smoking. And what is the most important part of your internet experience? It’s privacy. Just this week there’s warnings about what to “like” on Facebook. And right now, the “5 eyes” surveillance countries are meeting to collaborate on how to crack your internet usage, which is your very *state of mind* as you navigate around the internet. ProtonVPN is worth a whole lot more than 78 Euros a year. Save on something else!
Are you planning to release “ProtonDrive” to further protect us in cloud storage? For me, I will definitely use this service, whatever it is free or paid service. I think many people will use too
We are considering it :)
Thanks!! Would like to have a dedicated program/ App developed by ProtonMail…. Currently TAP-Windows is installed when we use ProtonVPN on Windows… and iOS/ Androids use third party apps. I just wanna say, I trust no other providers except ProtonMail!!!
Do you plan to build an app for the iPhone to make a vpn-use possible for the whole app-traffic of other apps than ProtonMail?
Yes, you can already connect on iOS, see here: protonvpn.com/support/ios-vpn-setup.
Dedicated mobile clients are in the works at the moment and we hope to have more information in Q4 this year.
Are you planning to offer VPN in Poland? I ordered for test ProtonVPN but I have some problems with few services (like Netflix).
I did pay when PM still was crowdfunding. I paid when PM was under a ddos attack. I have used your vpn beta version but I don’t pay for your final vpn version. I do not want the free version too…limited. I has hopes that as a paid pm customer you give us a fair price. But with 20% off still €78,00 a year is way too much. Avast offers me a years price of €29,99.
I think you mean 60€ for the VPN service even if you pay a not little amount for the antivirus
Here is review on Russian http://www.spy-soft.net/protonvpn/
Thanks for letting us know about it!
Who knows what to believe? This all seems very nice, but if I were the NSA, this is exactly the kind of VPN service I would offer. There is no privacy, no security. Provide any assurance you wish, but there is no way for any of us to know if it’s all just a front.
If you don’t just ProtonVPN, then who DO you trust? If ProtonVPN, with all their contributions to online privacy through ProtonMail among many other things, can’t be trusted, nobody can be. You strike me as the kind of person who won’t ever be satisfied.
Has the Proton team ever consider making a web browser? It seems like this would be one of the last step in making the internet more secure for Proton users, by ensuring that there are no backdoors and the such. It could not only integrate ProtonMail and ProtonVPN into itself, but make them a pronounced feature. For example, when you start the browser it opens a page that looks exactly like the VPN, except maybe: removing the graph on the bottom, putting the home icon where the graph used to be and putting the search bar between the map and the top of the screen. It would be important to have the VPN integrated with the search function on the home screen, so that every time a user opens the browser they could make the immediate choice of choosing between an insecure connection, a secured connection or a Tor connection; without the hassle of trying to run multiple programs. Also having support to run Tor on the browser (being able to open onion sites) would be a major deal breaker as well. Protonmail would also be one click away on the home screen just like gmail is one click away in the chrome browser; along with any other programs and apps you guys create in the future. Such as a Google Drive like service for paid users.
When most powerful browsers like Firefox is here and use by tor peoples and also can’t completely fix security and privacy bugs
Why protonmail waist its manpower for a thing no one need it?!
Almost all boxes ticked, then no Crypto for payments.
No OpenVPN? Not trusty.
ProtonVPN is ONLY OpenVPN….
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I use Protonmail for years, I would like to thanks Protonmail team for this amazing mail service.
I also use Proxy.sh VPN since 3 years, they provide the most powerful encryption available (cipher in use is AES-CBC-256bit, hash algorithm is 512bit SHA (SHA512), and the control channel is same TLSv1/SSLv3 DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA, 4096 bit RSA. 4096 bit RSA key is changing every hour) and very good no-logs policies (warrant canary and advanced transparency report)
Look here :
https://proxy.sh/panel/knowledgebase/238/What-is-the-encryption-level-of-proxysh.html
https://proxy.sh/panel/knowledgebase/439/How-does-proxysh-truly-guarantee-my-privacy.html
My proxy.sh semi-annual package is running out this week, I would like to take an annualy ProtonVPN PLUS account but I have some questions:
1) ProtonVPN use 2048-bit RSA for key exchange and not 4096-RSA , and use HMAC with SHA256, Proxy.Sh use SHA512.
Do you have a plan to increase encryption to maximum level ?
2) ProtonVPN log timestamp, why log this ??
Thanks for your answer. I’m waiting before buying a protonvpn plus accounta
The reason for logging timestamps is explained in more detail here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProtonVPN/comments/6jablj/this_is_protonvpn_on_the_vpn_comparison_chart_of/djdvsj8/
The account of any user found involved in any of the aforementioned activities will be suspended immediately without notice. Additionally, you may be held responsible for any and all damages incurred by ProtonVPN, including any amounts charged by any outside entity due to said violation(s), including without limitation attorney’s fees and costs.
If you really do not keep any logs how will you enforce this?
We probably can’t, but the lawyers said we needed to include this anyways.
“probably can’t” seems evasive..Would really appreciate if you would confirm if you have capability to keep logs of user activities..
The full answer to this can be found in our threat model: https://protonvpn.com/blog/threat-model/
Basically, all VPNs can track and log if they wanted to, but some like ProtonVPN do not do it, and cannot be legally compelled to do it. But that doesn’t mean that it is technically impossible. The threat model explains more.
Brilliant response. Do you think more privacy and security centric companies should include the fact that their lawyers put them up to it because some notices and legal documentations can look contradictory and damaging to their products?
Well, that’s bad. Some of the things banned are despised pretty universally, but some other (especially bullet point #2, with 9 (!) verbs used to describe banned speech against some protected categories). Even if you can’t apply this in practice, that’s really really bad.
Anonymous
We respect your privacy so no personal identifying information is required to obtain a ProtonVPN account. You can sign up with an anonymous ProtonMail email account and use our anonymous VPN without disclosing your identity.
…. BUT payment only via Credit Card or PayPal… BUMMER!
I’m not seeing a BTC option at the moment, but if you have protonmail you can pay via BTC and bundle in VPN. Not ideal? But it is an option.
https://protonmail.com/support/knowledge-base/paying-with-bitcoin/
They support Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. There are instructions on how to do so, and they will soon supposedly automate this process. But yes, it is more difficult to use Bitcoin with ProtonVPN and ProtonMail than any other service i have ever used.
Would be great if they add cryptocoin like bitcoin and the ability to pay with cash. Posteo do anonymised payments, that could as well be one of the options ProtonVPN/Mail could follow or implement.
No MasterCard gift cards in your country ? Works like A charm
I know right! If the product is under the same technologies brand why not implement some of the same currency in your other product.
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Can we aspect an android/iphone client soon
Yes :)
Thank you so much for all the good things you are doing for the Internet and for the public!
Thanks for your support!
[…] Proton group said they were motivated to create ProtonVPN to combat increased threats to online freedom, such as the recent repeal of Obama-era rules designed to protect consumer internet browsing […]
I just followed all the steps to create a new free account. At the end I get a `Direct signup disabled` message. Why?
Currently we are over capacity so there is a waiting list to get accounts.
WTF?
Seriously, if you cannot provide a service, I don’t see why you even bother advertising it. What do you mean be “over capacity”?
well they are not bound nor obliged to serve every single joe that wants to hook up free vpn.
They need to keep balance, so that’s pretty ok if they limit users in order to keep their service up and with reasonable cost. Not sure why ppl think that its good idea and that each company should grow to facebook/google level giant. As that’s often contra-productive…
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You should really accept crypto currencies, Ethereum / Bitcoin whatever
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Will you support bitcoin/eth payments soon?
I literally have tears in my eyes!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US!!!!!
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Launch vpn service.. accept paypal and not anyomnous payments – something went very wrong here.
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Godd job. But what are the differences with TOR?
Are native clients coming to MacOS and Unix too or only Windows?
Yes, also coming for MacOS and Unix.
I saw this in one of the users comments: “Are native clients coming to MacOS and Unix too or only Windows? Yes, it will be forthcoming”. As a Mac user, How will I know when this is available. This info was forwarded to me be a former email user of Protonmail. I did not receive any info about your VPN service before I got his info on your product.
If you follow us on Twitter or Facebook, you will see the announcement. We will also email users when it becomes available.
+1 for linux… its the only free OS nowadays
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Does your VPN service also work behind the Great Chinese Firewall? I’ll be travelling there, soon, and want to check out.
Generally VPNs don’t work behind the Great Firewall since they block the servers based off of server IP address.
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I have been using another paid VPN service, but as a Protonmail user I will be changing over to your service as I truly think that I can trust the Protonmail organization. You offer a great service. Thank You.
Thank you for your support!
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[…] Proton group said they were motivated to create ProtonVPN to combat increased threats to online freedom, such as the recent repeal of Obama-era rules designed to protect consumer internet browsing […]
[…] Proton group said they were motivated to create ProtonVPN to combat increased threats to online freedom, such as the recent repeal of Obama-era rules designed to protect consumer internet browsing […]
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I just wanna say thanx!