VPNs encrypt your internet traffic to protect your browsing activity from prying eyes. We recommend everyone use a VPN [/blog/why-use-vpn/] when connected to the internet. Here’s why: * Browse anonymously online and prevent websites from tracking you across the internet * Access censored content and use the internet without restrictions * Stop internet service providers from seeing which websites you visit and selling that information to advertisers * Block untargeted government surveillance. VPNs are also useful for: * Streaming and accessing geo-blocked content [/streaming] * Gaming [/gaming] and avoiding bandwidth throttling [/blog/bandwidth-throttling] which slows down your connection * Secure P2P file sharing [/features/p2p-support]

How do I choose a VPN?

The most important thing to evaluate when choosing a VPN provider is whether it is trustworthy. Here are some criteria you should evaluate: * Does the VPN have a strict no-logs [/features/no-logs-policy] policy? * Is the VPN based in a country with strong privacy laws? * Is the VPN open source and independently audited? Once you’re sure you can trust your VPN provider, you can consider other features based on what you need the VPN for, such as advanced security features, support for streaming, or ad blocking [/features/adblocker].

How do VPNs protect my privacy?

VPNs encrypt and route your internet traffic through a secure tunnel to a VPN server run by a VPN provider (such as Proton VPN). This protects your online security and privacy by: * Preventing your internet service provider from tracking your online activity * Blocking websites you’re visiting from seeing your real IP address * Preventing P2P peers from seeing your real IP address * Stopping criminals from hacking your public WiFi connection * Making it impossible for commercial public WiFi hosts to track and sell your browsing history

Almost always, yes. In restrictive countries that don’t want you to bypass their censorship systems, access to proxies, VPNs, and Tor is often blocked [/blog/are-vpns-illegal/], but simply attempting to bypass these blocks is rarely a crime. However, if you commit a crime while using a VPN, it's still a crime.

What’s the difference between your free and paid VPN plans?

Our free and paid plans both offer the same level of privacy protection, don’t log your online activity, and are protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. However, we recommend subscribing to our paid plan if you’d like access to premium features such as: * Connecting to more servers and countries * Secure streaming * Secure P2P * NetShield Ad-blocker - can also block trackers and malware * Secure Core * And much more! Proton’s mission is to provide private and secure internet access to all. That’s why we’ll always offer a free plan that has no data or speed limits, no ads, and no catches. This is only possible thanks to the support of our paying users.

How does your 30-day money-back guarantee work?

With our 30-day money-back guarantee, you can trial our premium Plus plan risk-free. If you’d like to cancel for any reason, simply cancel your subscription and request a refund within 30 days to receive a full refund.

Why Proton VPN?

When you use a VPN, you're entrusting it with your privacy. Here's why you can trust:

Open source
Independently audited
Strict no-logs policy
Transparent

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Here’s why we’re different from other VPN providers

When you use a VPN, it acts as a middleman between your device and the internet. It essentially takes over the role of your internet service provider and routes your data to the correct destination.

Open source

Our apps are 100% open source, so anyone can examine our code. This means you can have confidence that our apps are doing what they are supposed to be doing, and only what they are supposed to be doing.

Independently audited

We regularly submit our apps to third-party security audits and make the results public. This way, everyone can get an independent expert’s review of our apps’ security.

Strict no-logs policy

Under Swiss law, we are not obligated to save any user connection logs, nor can we be forced to perform targeted logging on specific users. This means that your private browsing history stays private and cannot be turned over to a third-party.

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Transparency

We are transparent about who we are. Information about who owns the company, where we run it from(new window), our leadership team(new window), what data we collect and how we use it, and how we interact with law enforcement is all publicly available.

Swiss jurisdiction

Under Swiss law, we have no data retention requirements, and can also not be forced to log your online activity. Switzerland is not part of surveillance agreements such as the 5 Eyes or 14 Eyes, and under Swiss law, gag orders are not allowed.

100% Free VPN, No Catch

We believe privacy should be accessible to all, which is why we have a 100% free VPN with no catches. Our free VPN has allowed people around the world to bypass censorship and regain online freedom. It is financed thanks to the support of our paid users. Because your VPN provider can see the websites you visit, it’s very important to choose a VPN that is trustworthy and secure.

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What sets us apart

Here's how Proton VPN compares to other providers:

Compare with:

VPN vendors comparison table

Audited, open-source VPN	Yes	No	No	No	No
Published no-logs audit	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Jurisdiction	Switzerland	Virgin Islands	Romania	Panama	Netherlands
Owned by	Proton AG	Kape	Kape	Nord Security	Nord Security
100% Free option	Yes	No	No	No	No
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A high-speed, secure VPN that safeguards your privacy

With Proton VPN, you get a very competitively-featured VPN service that offers convenience, security, speed and more:

Compare with

VPN vendors comparison table

Convenience
Number of connections	10	5	7	6	Unlimited
Worldwide streaming	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
P2P/BitTorrent support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Security
Malware and adblocker	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Double VPN	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Tor over VPN	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Open standard implementation of WireGuard®	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Speed
VPN Accelerator	Yes	No	No	No	No
Anti-censorship
Obfuscation	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Ease of use
Customer support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
30-day money-back guarantee	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
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(1) ExpressVPN’s audits into whether it complies with its privacy policy are not public. You have to accept a non-disclosure agreement before you can download them. CyberGhost claims to have had its no-logs policy audited by Deloitte. Customers can request the report directly from Deloitte, but it is not otherwise publicly available. NordVPN claims to have had several “assurance engagements” to verify its no-logs policy. Only customers can access them on the NordVPN website. Surfshark also requires people to sign up and log in to see its no-logs audits. (2) NordVPN’s Basic plan(new window) does not include an ad or malware blocker. Access to these features requires upgrading to the Plus plan. (3) Kape Technologies is based in the UK and also owns(new window) Private Internet Access and EventVPN. (4) Nord Security’s true ownership (and therefore its ultimate jurisdiction) is very uncertain(new window).

Last updated: April 2026

Trusted and recommended by the experts and our community

Few competitors can match its mix of affordability, features, and design. Its premium subscription is an excellent value for any VPN, and it's made all the better for including secure email, storage, and calendar tools. For all that, it gets a rare five-star rating and wins our Editor's Choice award.

All VPN providers claim to be security experts, but few can match Swiss-based Proton’s experience and track record.

We’re impressed with Proton VPN’s straightforward, transparent approach, especially in contrast to the general atmosphere of secrecy and shiftiness in the VPN industry. If you’re in need of a well-rounded VPN service that puts its money where its mouth is, take a look at Proton VPN.

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If you’re not satisfied, we’ll refund your payment in full with 30 days.

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100M+

4.7+

Featured in:

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need a VPN?: VPNs encrypt your internet traffic to protect your browsing activity from prying eyes. We recommend everyone use a VPN when connected to the internet. Here’s why:
Browse anonymously online and prevent websites from tracking you across the internet
Access censored content and use the internet without restrictions
Stop internet service providers from seeing which websites you visit and selling that information to advertisers
Block untargeted government surveillance.
VPNs are also useful for:
Streaming and accessing geo-blocked content
Gaming and avoiding bandwidth throttling which slows down your connection
Secure P2P file sharing
How do I choose a VPN?: The most important thing to evaluate when choosing a VPN provider is whether it is trustworthy. Here are some criteria you should evaluate:
Does the VPN have a strict no-logs policy?
Is the VPN based in a country with strong privacy laws?
Is the VPN open source and independently audited?
Once you’re sure you can trust your VPN provider, you can consider other features based on what you need the VPN for, such as advanced security features, support for streaming, or ad blocking.
How do VPNs protect my privacy?: VPNs encrypt and route your internet traffic through a secure tunnel to a VPN server run by a VPN provider (such as Proton VPN). This protects your online security and privacy by:
Preventing your internet service provider from tracking your online activity
Blocking websites you’re visiting from seeing your real IP address
Preventing P2P peers from seeing your real IP address
Stopping criminals from hacking your public WiFi connection
Making it impossible for commercial public WiFi hosts to track and sell your browsing history
Are VPNs legal?: Almost always, yes. In restrictive countries that don’t want you to bypass their censorship systems, access to proxies, VPNs, and Tor is often blocked, but simply attempting to bypass these blocks is rarely a crime. However, if you commit a crime while using a VPN, it's still a crime.
What’s the difference between your free and paid VPN plans?: Our free and paid plans both offer the same level of privacy protection, don’t log your online activity, and are protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. However, we recommend subscribing to our paid plan if you’d like access to premium features such as:
Connecting to more servers and countries
Secure streaming
Secure P2P
NetShield Ad-blocker - can also block trackers and malware
Secure Core
And much more!
Proton’s mission is to provide private and secure internet access to all. That’s why we’ll always offer a free plan that has no data or speed limits, no ads, and no catches. This is only possible thanks to the support of our paying users.
How does your 30-day money-back guarantee work?: With our 30-day money-back guarantee, you can trial our premium Plus plan risk-free. If you’d like to cancel for any reason, simply cancel your subscription and request a refund within 30 days to receive a full refund.