Pros
- Best free VPN tier — no data limits, no ads, no speed throttling
- Based in Switzerland with strong privacy laws
- All apps are fully open-source and independently audited
- Secure Core servers route traffic through privacy-friendly countries
Cons
- Free tier limited to servers in 5 countries
- Speeds on free tier slower than paid alternatives
- Streaming unblocking only available on paid plans
Proton VPN is developed by the team behind ProtonMail, the renowned encrypted email service, and operates under Swiss privacy laws — some of the strongest in the world. What sets Proton VPN apart is its genuinely useful free tier that imposes no data limits, no advertisements, and no speed throttling, making it the best free VPN option available. All Proton VPN applications are fully open-source and have undergone independent security audits.
Key Features
- Free Tier Without Limits: Proton VPN offers a free plan with no data caps, no bandwidth throttling, and no advertisements, providing unlimited browsing through servers in 5 countries at no cost.
- Secure Core Architecture: Premium users can route their traffic through hardened Secure Core servers located in privacy-friendly countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden) before exiting to the final destination, protecting against network-based attacks.
- Open Source Apps: All Proton VPN applications are fully open-source and available for public review on GitHub, with independent security audits published regularly to verify the code.
- NetShield Ad Blocker: An integrated DNS-based ad blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and malware at the VPN level for paid subscribers.
- VPN Accelerator: A proprietary technology that improves VPN connection speeds by up to 400% by optimizing the underlying protocol performance, particularly over long distances.
- Tor Over VPN: Special servers that route your VPN traffic through the Tor anonymity network, providing an additional layer of privacy without requiring the Tor browser.
