Proton VPN Review - Is this the best free VPN right now?

Proton VPN launched in Switzerland in 2017. It is the sister to ProtonMail, an encrypted email service endorsed by Ed Snowden. It is a secure VPN with many features and a useful free plan.

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Bleeping Computer Rating: 8.9

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What impressed us:

• Apps for all popular platforms come with a staggering number of advanced privacy and security features.
• Has a watertight no-logs policy. Proton VPN is based in Switzerland and publishes a transparency report.
• Great for torrenting. Proton VPN is fast and offers both split tunneling and port forwarding – features that are important for torrenting.
• Works well for streaming. We were able to watch Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and numerous other services while connected to its servers.
• Large network of secure servers. You can pick from servers in 67+ different countries.

What it could improve:

• Too expensive. The cost of Proton VPN is too high for the average user, considering what else is available on the market.
• Live chat support is for members only and is a trifle hard to find.
• Can be confusing. While advanced features are useful, this VPN may be a touch confusing for beginners.
• Port forwarding is only available on Windows.

Editor’s opinion:

Proton VPN is a fantastic option for anybody looking for an advanced VPN with a trustworthy background. Developed by scientists at CERN, the service offers a generous free plan with servers located in the US, Netherlands, and Japan. This makes it great for bypassing internet blocks during times of political upheaval.

I found Proton VPN to be fast enough for streaming in HD, and it worked well with streaming platforms like Netflix and iPlayer. Its security features also impressed me, keeping my internet connection safely encrypted at all times. 

The only caveat is that Proton VPN is a touch too expensive for the average user - who will probably find they can get the features they need with a competing service for less than half the cost. That said, if you are willing to pay more for a wider feature set, Proton VPN is well worth considering. 

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Proton VPN: Overview

In 2017, Proton AG (the company behind ProtonMail) launched Proton VPN to expand its portfolio of consumer-facing privacy services. The VPN became available following a year of crowdfunding, after which it released a basic free plan and an unrestricted premium tier.

The free VPN was conceived to give internet users the ability to bypass censorship and gain online privacy, even if they are unable to afford a premium VPN. To ensure its service is available to everyone, Proton VPN provides a Dark Web mirror of its website accessible through Tor. 

To this day, Proton VPN remains one of the most trustworthy and secure free VPNs. This makes it an invaluable resource in countries where internet blackouts are imposed to infringe on people’s democratic rights and social freedoms. 

For those who can afford it, the premium tier includes additional server locations, ad and tracker blocking, access to faster servers, streaming support, BitTorrent support, port forwarding, and more. This makes it one of the most comprehensive premium VPNs on the market.

Being based in Switzerland means that Proton VPN does not need to comply with mandatory data retention directives. The VPN has a solid no-logging policy and robust encryption. In 2020, it made its apps open source to allow third-party security experts to audit them.

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Proton VPN – Highlights

• Apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and FireTV
• Works with Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, iPlayer, and HBO Max
• Secure Core servers for added privacy
• OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols
• Port forwarding (Windows only)
• 30-day money-back guarantee

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Proton VPN Review

As part of our review process, we tested Proton VPN across seven important categories: Features, Subscriptions & Pricing, Speeds, Streaming, Privacy, Security, and Customer Support. We put the VPN through its paces for two weeks using various devices and operating systems. Below, you can see how the VPN fared in each category. 

Features

This review focuses on the premium version of Proton VPN, which provides additional features and server locations. Bear in mind that you will need to pay for an account to gain access to all of the features outlined below.

That said, Proton AG's commitment to providing privacy and accessibility for netizens who are unable to pay for a subscription is highly commendable, and we were generally impressed by the free tier, which offers access to three server locations with no monthly data restrictions.

Apps for all popular devices

Proton VPN is one of the few VPNs that provide apps for every major operating system. You can download apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Chromebook, and Amazon FireTV/Firestick.

Impressively, the Linux VPN app has a Graphical User Interface. As a result, there is no need to use commands, which is how you set up most competing VPNs. In our opinion, this makes Proton VPN one of the best VPNs for Linux. It even has a guide that explains how to install and use it:

Unfortunately, there are currently no Proton VPN browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Generally speaking, we are not fans of VPN browser extensions as they are not as secure as the full VPN client. However, we acknowledge that there are instances when subscribers want to bypass blocks on a computer that will not let them install the full Windows client (usually at work). For these individuals, the lack of a browser extension may be a reason to seek an alternate provider.

Proton VPN also provides setup guides for setting up Proton VPN on a variety of VPN-compatible routers, including Invizbox 2 (a router custom-made to work with Proton VPN), AsusWRT, DD-WRT, OpenWRT, pfSense, Tomato, FreshTomato, and Vilfo. 

Overall, this makes Proton VPN one of the most highly cross-compatible VPNs. 

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Simultaneous connections

A premium Proton VPN subscription (known as its Plus plan) will allow you to install and use the VPN on up to 10 devices. The free plan is limited to a single device, but you could make multiple accounts (with different email addresses) if you want to use the free plan on multiple devices.

We think 10 simultaneous connections is pretty generous. Certainly, it competes favorably with the vast majority of its competitors. We will note, however, that there are a few VPNs nowadays (Surfshark, IPVanish, AtlasVPN) that provide unlimited simultaneous connections. If you prefer this, you may want to consider these alternatives.

Being able to connect 10 devices should be enough for most power users. It should also make Proton VPN suitable for families who own multiple devices and who want to be able to connect to the VPN at home, at work, and on public Wi-Fi.

Bear in mind that you can install the VPN on an unlimited number of devices but will only be able to connect 10 devices consecutively. One way around this is to set up the VPN on a router, which will allow you to protect all the devices in your home while using just one of your allocated connections.

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Global server network

Proton VPN has 1,900+ servers located in 67+ countries. This allows you to change your IP and get an IP address on any continent, including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, South Africa, and Latin America.

In addition to providing shared IPs in 67+ countries, Proton VPN provides Secure Core servers. These are servers located in countries that are better for privacy purposes, such as Iceland, Switzerland, and Sweden (chosen due to their strong privacy laws). When you enable Secure Core, your traffic will be routed through one of those locations before being directed to the country you require. 

Finally, it is worth noting that Proton VPN has servers in 15 different US cities. This allows you to get an IP address on either the East or West coast, depending on your needs. It also means that you can access state-level TV streams, MLB and NFL blackout games, and other regional US web services.

To give you full control, Proton VPN lets you pick from a long list of servers in each location. Each server shows you its load so that you can avoid server congestion and get the best possible speeds.

Alternatively, you can choose to automatically connect to the fastest server in each location.

When you connect to a server, you will see exactly where your connection is on a map. You will also get useful information about your session traffic (length of connection, data downloaded, etc) and the type of VPN protocol used.

Below, you can see how Proton VPN’s network compares to other popular services:

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Kill switch

Proton VPN has a kill switch that will cut your internet system-wide to ensure you never leak data outside of the VPN tunnel. You can choose to engage the kill switch or leave it switched off, depending on your needs. 

Alternatively, you can engage the Permanent Kill Switch. It prevents you from using the internet unless the VPN connection is enabled. This is ideal for users who always prefer to get online privacy but have a habit of forgetting to connect.

Proton VPN has a kill switch in its apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Linux. No kill switch is included in the Android version. However, the most recent version of Android has a native kill switch that you can use in combination with the Android Proton VPN app. 

Just bear in mind that activating the kill switch on Android will disable the split tunneling feature. This is because the native kill switch blocks all connections outside of the VPN tunnel.

Unlike some competing VPNs, there is no way to select apps that you want to cut from the internet in the event that the VPN connection should drop out. This kind of application-level kill switch can be useful if you want some apps to continue having access to the internet when the VPN connection drops out. However, it is not as secure as a systemwide kill switch.

It is also worth noting that Proton VPN has an auto-connect feature that works in combination with the kill switch. When this is enabled, Proton will re-establish your connection to the VPN server and disengage the kill switch automatically.

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Split tunneling

Proton VPN has a split tunneling feature. This allows you to choose which apps are routed through the VPN and which are left outside (to use your regular internet connection).

We found Proton’s split tunneling feature to be one of the most comprehensive we have ever tested. You can select whether you want to include or exclude apps from the VPN tunnel. This means you can use the VPN exclusively with a single app (or a selection of apps) if you want to. 

Alternatively, you can include or exclude URLs from the VPN tunnel. This allows you to route traffic bound for certain websites outside of the VPN tunnel; while ensuring that all your other traffic passes through the VPN. 

Split tunneling is great if you want to watch local TV services, play games, or use internet banking via your home IP, while simultaneously doing activities like torrenting through the VPN.

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Port forwarding

A port forwarding feature allows you to open ports in your router to remotely access resources on your home network. This is important if you want to seed torrents because other users need to be able to reach your torrent client from the internet. 

Port forwarding is also useful if you want to host game servers on one of your machines or if you want to remotely access a NAS drive, for example.

Proton VPN provides port forwarding in its Windows app exclusively, which is where the vast majority of users are likely to torrent. To find the feature, head to Settings > Advanced and flick the switch that says Port Forwarding.

Proton VPN’s port forwarding feature includes the option to be notified when the open port changes and the ability to add or remove port forwarding from the quick settings menu on the main page.

When you enable port forwarding, the application will ask the VPN server to open a random port. You will then be able to direct traffic from the internet to your torrent client via that port. The active port number is shown in the information panel at the top of the main window. 

Note that you must connect to one of Proton VPN’s P2P servers to use port forwarding. These can be identified using Proton’s port forwarding symbol.

Overall, we found the process of enabling port forwarding to be very easy. We also like that Proton VPN’s port forwarding information page includes guides for setting up port forwarding on various popular torrent clients (qBittorrent, Vuze, and uTorrent). This makes life even easier!

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Quick Connect

Proton VPN’s Quick Connect button allows you to connect to either the fastest server available, a random server, or a server that has been set up as a favorite in Profiles. 

In the example below, we set up a profile called testing to connect to the fastest server in the UK. If you want to set up a profile, you can do so by clicking the Profiles tab on the main page.

Following this, simply choose which of the three settings you prefer for your Quick Connect button (Settings > General > Quick Connect).

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Net Shield

To help protect you as you surf the web, Proton VPN includes a Net Shield feature that can be toggled on and off in the quick settings menu. This feature lets you choose to block malware, ads, and trackers. If you prefer only to block malware, you can select this.

This is an extra that gives you a better experience online by preventing websites from tracking you as you move around the web. It also improves page load times (and your experience) by blocking annoying ads. Just bear in mind that it will not block ads on YouTube.

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Bandwidth allowance

Proton VPN does not limit your bandwidth or downloads at all when you connect to its premium service. As long as you pay for an account, you will be able to use the VPN on an unlimited basis. 

The free plan does implement some speed restrictions in order to keep the service running smoothly for all free users. Unlike most other free VPNs, however, it does not restrict how much you can use its service. This means that you can use Proton VPN’s free servers on an unlimited basis – without data caps.

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Other features

In addition to the primary features outlined above, Proton VPN has a few other advanced features:

• Moderate NAT. This feature allows you to set up a direct connection to your computer that would otherwise be blocked by a NAT firewall. 
• VPN Accelerator. This feature helps to improve the speed of your connection by up to 400% using proprietary “performance enhancing” technologies. This feature is enabled by default when you install the VPN on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
• Custom DNS servers. This lets you choose an alternative DNS resolution service to use in place of Proton VPN’s own servers. You can use secure third-party DNS resolvers like OpenDNS, DNSWatch, and OpenNIC.
• Allow Alternative Routing. This allows you to log in to the VPN and establish a connection even if your ISP or the local network administrator has blocked Proton VPN’s servers. 
• Hardware Acceleration. This renders the graphics in the VPN client using your GPO to reduce stress on your CPU.
• Tor over VPN. These servers will connect you to the internet via the VPN and the Tor network for additional privacy. You can find these servers by looking for the word TOR in the servers list.
• StealthVPN. This is a custom obfuscation feature designed by Proton VPN. It is currently available in the Android, iOS, and macOS apps.

As you can see, Proton VPN is packed with additional features that help the VPN to work better. This makes it one of the most feature-packed VPNs available on the market. 

One of the only features you will not find with Proton VPN is a Smart DNS feature. However, if you want to connect to the VPN using a device that will not let you connect directly (such as a smart TV or console), you can set up a VPN-protected Wi-Fi hotspot on a Windows or Mac computer.

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Subscriptions & Pricing 

Perhaps the biggest drawback with Proton VPN’s premium service is that it is a touch on the pricey side. Users can choose between a monthly, annual, or biannual subscription plan. Those plans all have the same number of features and are differentiated only by the cost – which provides a discount if you commit for a longer period.

A single month will cost you $9.99. This is actually a little bit cheaper when compared to the average cost of its closest rivals for a single month (NordVPN costs $12.99, ExpressVPN costs $12.95, and Surfshark costs $12.95). So, if you only need a VPN to go on vacation – or for some other temporary use-case – Proton VPN is hard to beat.

Where Proton VPN seems expensive, however, is when you consider its lengthier plans. A one-year Proton VPN subscription will cost you $71.88. This is the equivalent of $4.99 per month.

These prices are high when you consider that you can get CyberGhost for $2.10 per month and Surfshark for $2.49. That said, you do get what you pay for, so if you want a full-featured VPN with a lot of extras, you may decide that these extra costs are worth it for you.

On the whole, however, we would have to say that the average user will probably not see the benefit of its extra features, so we would probably recommend checking that you really intend to use those additional features (for torrenting, for example) before you commit to a plan.

Remember that all plans self-renew automatically. The renewal term is for the same duration as the original purchase but will cost the full price (without any discounts). For this reason, we recommend canceling your account when your subscription is due for renewal – so that you can shop around and get another discount.

Payment options

Proton VPN accepts payment via cash in the post, bank transfers, credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin. Cash payments and Bitcoin payments can allow you to set up an account anonymously using a burner email address. 

Money-back guarantee

If you aren't sure whether you need all of Proton VPN’s features or you simply want to test it with your devices and applications, you can do so thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. That guarantee is available with all of its plans, however, you must stop using the VPN, cancel the account, and request your refund before the 30-day period ends.

Note that payments made by cash or bank transfer are non-refundable.

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Speeds

To check how Proton VPN compares to its competitors, we put it through rigorous speed tests. We tested the VPN using a dedicated 5 Gigabit test server based in Ohio. To get the best speeds possible, we tested the VPN using the WireGuard protocol. We also left the VPN Accelerator feature turned on.

We tested Proton’s servers using the desktop version of Ookla Speed Test. Our tests checked servers located in London, New York, and Hong Kong at three-hour intervals a total of three times. We used these results to get averages for each location and a global average.

The benefit of testing using a dedicated speed test server is that we can detect the VPN’s top speeds. However, we acknowledge that our test server is much faster than the average home broadband connection. For this reason, we also tested using regular home internet. This allows you to see how the VPN is likely to perform under normal conditions. 

As you can see, Proton VPN had global averages of 303 Mbps across all three of our test locations. These are very fast results that reveal that the VPN has fast speeds right across its network. It is also worth mentioning that some of the speed drops experienced on the Singapore server will have been caused by our distance from the server.

Our tests reveal that Proton VPN is one of the fastest VPNs currently available on the market – competing alongside leading providers like CyberGhost (289 Mbps global average) – and beating both NordVPN and Surfshark in our most recent round of testing!

Home broadband tests

Next, we tested Proton VPN’s performance in a home setting in the UK, using an Asus Zenbook laptop connected to Virgin Media Broadband. We tested using the desktop version of Ookla Speedtest. Our connection speed on the day of testing was 36 Mbps without the VPN. The results of our tests while connected to the VPN are shown below.

• UK London server. Download speed of 31.94 Mbps. This is an 11% drop.
• US New York server. Download speed of 26.5 Mbps. This is a 26% drop.
• Hong Kong server. Download speed of 27.7 Mbps. This is a 23% drop.

As you can see from these home broadband results, Proton VPN performed extremely well. 

Even when we connected to a server in Hong Kong, which is 6,000 miles away, we only experienced a drop in connection speed of 23%. This is impressive considering the vast distance involved and means that you will be able to continue doing data-intensive tasks like HD streaming, gaming, video-conferencing, and torrenting while connected to Proton VPN.

Impressively, we had speeds of above 25 Mbps on every server we tested. As a result, we were able to comfortably stream HD videos on YouTube and Netflix without any buffering while connected to every location we tested.

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Streaming

Most internet users nowadays understand the benefits of using a VPN for streaming. Whether you want to access a service that is unavailable in your country – or you want to stream a service from back home on vacation – a VPN is the best way to get a valid IP address.

Being able to access streaming services with a VPN also comes in handy if you are at work, in school, on a flight, or on some other restrictive Wi-Fi network that has blocked YouTube, Netflix, or any other of your favorite streaming services.

Unfortunately, most VPNs have been blocked by popular streaming services. This means you must pick a provider that has been tested. To help you out, we checked Proton VPN to see exactly which streaming platforms it works with.

We started by connecting to a server in the US and tested Netflix. We could watch US Netflix while connected to multiple US streaming servers. Next, we connected to a server in the UK and again found it to work with the local Netflix catalog. 

Moreover, the provider told us that it works to access Netflix in India, Italy, Australia, Germany, Canada, Japan, France, Switzerland, and South Korea. This makes it one of the best Netflix VPNs currently available.

Streaming service	Does Proton VPN work?
Netflix US	Yes
Hulu	Yes
Amazon Prime	Yes
BBC iPlayer	Yes
ITV	Yes
Channel 4	Yes
Sky Go	No
HBO Max	Yes
ABC	Yes
NBC	No
CBS	No
DAZN	No

Next, we connected to UK servers and tried watching BBC iPlayer, ITV X, and Channel 4. Again, the VPN worked without problems. However, we were not able to log in and use Sky Go. If this is a concern, shop elsewhere.

Finally, we connected back to a US streaming server to watch various popular services. Impressively, we could watch Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime. However, the VPN would not work to access ABC, CBS, NBC, DAZN, or Disney Plus.

As you can see, Proton VPN was not able to access every platform, so it is important to check the VPN yourself with any streaming services not mentioned. Remember that you can test the VPN with any streaming service using its money-back guarantee.

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Security

Proton VPN provides a number of reliable security features to protect your data inside its VPN tunnel. 

The Windows and Android apps let you pick between the well-known OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and WireGuard protocols. On Android, iOS, and Mac, you can also connect using Proton’s proprietary Stealth protocol. Stealth is not currently available on Windows. 

Using the Proton VPN app for iOS and Mac lets you connect using the OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 protocols. IKEv2 is implemented using an AES-256 cipher, which is secure. 

For anybody who likes a good dose of tech information, below we have included Proton’s OpenVPN implementation standards:

• AES-256 cipher
• HMAC SHA-512 hash authentication
• RSA-2048 handshake encryption
• Perfect Forward Secrecy is provided using a Diffie-Hellman key exchange

In addition to robust encryption, Proton VPN provides Secure Core servers that can be selected inside the app. These bare metal servers are controlled and run by Proton VPN in countries considered safe against government surveillance.

When you enable Secure Core servers, you will be shown a reduced list of server options that are better to use when you have an elevated threat model that requires the highest levels of privacy. You can use Secure Core in combination with Proton’s Stealth protocol for the highest levels of protection.

Leak tests

Next, we carried out leak tests on Proton VPN’s apps to evaluate whether it provides watertight connections to its servers. 

We tested it for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks that would betray your privacy by allowing ISPs to monitor your online activities. These types of leaks can also allow websites to identify your real IP address. 

We carried out these important tests using browserleaks.com in an incognito window to avoid interference by cookies.

As you can see above, Proton VPN suffers no IP leaks, DNS leaks, or WebRTC leaks. This means you can trust the VPN to conceal your browsing habits from local network administrators, ISPs, and government snoops. 

The results also mean that Proton VPN never reveals your real location to the websites you visit. 

Finally, we were happy to see that Proton VPN proxies DNS requests to its own servers. This is the safest and most private way to handle DNS requests.

Remember, however, that you can also choose to set up a custom DNS resolver in the app. If you do this, you should expect the DNS test to detect whichever alternative DNS service you picked.

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Privacy

Jurisdiction

Proton VPN is based in Switzerland. This is a country that has strong data protection laws to safeguard consumer data and that lacks mandatory data retention directives that apply to VPNs. This makes it a safe country for a VPN to be based. 

Swiss law is unique in that it means Proton VPN can’t legally be forced to start logging data about its customers. This makes it a much safer place for a VPN to be based than countries like the US and the UK.

Swiss regulations also guarantee that individuals will be notified in the event that their information is requested from any Swiss company, including Proton VPN. However, bear in mind that this assurance may not extend to Proton VPN users outside of Switzerland. 

To provide complete clarity regarding official data requests and warrants, Proton VPN publishes a transparency report that provides details of data requests made by the Swiss authorities.

Privacy policy

As you would expect, Proton VPN has a solid no-logs policy. This means that even if the authorities approach the company with a warrant, it will have no persistent records that could be used to uncover what subscribers did while connected to the VPN.

The policy clearly states that the VPN does not log user IP addresses or the addresses of the VPN servers they connect to.

Further, it does not log any information about websites visited, user traffic, or the content of any communications. It also never logs any location information and does not keep any connection logs that could later be used to de-anonymize users' browsing habits.

This is a solid policy that means Proton VPN provides high levels of online privacy and is not vulnerable to correlation attacks. It is also worth noting that Proton VPN does not sell or share any data with third parties and only stores minimal information (email address, payment info) to provide the services that consumers pay for.

Finally, the policy reminds users that if they share any personal information during customer support requests or while commenting on its blog, the VPN will process this data. For this reason, customers are advised to only share information they want to make public. 

The good news is that users can ask for information about themselves to be removed if it appears anywhere on Proton’s site. Furthermore, the privacy policy is GDPR compliant, which means users can invoke their rights to access, rectification, erasure, portability, and the right to lodge a complaint.

Third-party security audit

The good news is that Proton VPN’s no-logging policy has been verified by a third-party security audit carried out by the independent security auditing company Securitum. During that audit, Securitum reviewed all of Proton VPN’s apps and servers in search of vulnerabilities. The audit found Proton VPN to be secure and in compliance with its no-logs policy. 

It is also worth mentioning that in 2019 Proton’s no logs policy was put to the test when the VPN was served a warrant that asked it to supply data about its users in an ongoing case. Those data requests were ultimately mute because Proton VPN had no data on file to help with the investigation.

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Customer support

Proton VPN has live chat support on its website, for members only. So, if you are a free user you will need to ask questions via email. Admittedly, it is easy to assume that Proton doesn't have live chat at all, however, if you look in the top right of the member's area you will find it hiding there.  

If you want to communicate with Proton VPN via another method, you can fill in the support form. Following that, you will receive a support ticket via email. Thereafter, you will be able to communicate with Proton’s support agents via email to ask any questions you may have.

In addition to email support, the VPN provides a large number of FAQs, setup guides, and blog articles. These are designed to provide information about the VPN and all of its features. 

The blog is split into tabs labeled Articles & News, How-to, Privacy & Security, Privacy basics, Privacy deep-dives, Proton News, Proton Stories, Releases, Security, and Service updates.

We found these resources to be extremely well written, with many detailed guides for setting up and using the VPN across different devices and operating systems. Overall, we found its website to be a hugely valuable resource for learning not just about Proton VPN but about consumer privacy in general.

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Is Proton VPN easy to use?

Proton VPN offers an array of advanced features that set it apart from most other VPN services on the market. This results in a steeper learning curve, which may dissuade someone from subscribing. However, it is worth remembering that those features also provide better value for money. 

Before taking out a subscription, we recommend considering whether you actually need Proton’s advanced features. If you don’t torrent and would be happy with a simple VPN that provides access to streaming services, you may prefer an alternative like Surfshark, which is considerably cheaper.

For users who value high levels of privacy and don't want to sacrifice usability, Proton VPN's intuitive user interface makes it an excellent choice. Proton VPN makes every effort to make its apps accessible by providing information bubbles and links to its website that explain each feature.

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Our verdict

We found Proton VPN to be an impressive VPN service that offers invaluable privacy protection for its users. The apps are highly advanced, making this VPN perfect for power users or people who need plenty of functions.

The VPN's ability to access streaming services was satisfactory. However, it was unable to access some popular American and British streaming services. With this in mind, those looking for a VPN primarily for streaming may prefer an alternative. We can think of numerous VPNs that deliver similar (or better) streaming results at a lower cost.

On the other hand, we found Proton VPN to be incredibly fast. This makes it a fantastic option for HD streaming, gaming, and making video calls. It is also one of the best VPNs for torrenting, thanks to its port forwarding and split tunneling features.

Generally, we found Proton VPN easy to use on all platforms. However, due to the high costs involved, we would probably only recommend this VPN to users who need its advanced functions. If this isn’t you, Proton may be more trouble (and expense) than it is worth.

Despite the excellent experience we had using Proton VPN, we would be remiss not to mention that this service only has 2.3 stars on Trustpilot. 

Upon reviewing user feedback, we noticed that most complaints were not related to the VPN’s features. Instead, the majority of users complain about recurring payments (you must cancel your account if you don’t want the VPN to self-renew) and the relatively high cost of a subscription. If you are opposed to either of these things, it is probably a good idea to shop elsewhere.