protonvpn free

Proton VPN is a virtual private network service developed by Proton AG, the same team behind Proton Mail. Launched with a strong emphasis on privacy and transparency, Proton VPN positions itself as a trustworthy option for users who want to protect their online activity from snooping, censorship, and tracking. Privacy and jurisdiction One of Proton VPN’s main selling points is its Swiss base. Switzerland has robust privacy protections and is not a member of the 14 Eyes intelligence alliance, which gives users additional legal safeguards compared with providers based in other countries. Proton VPN maintains a strict no-logs policy and publishes transparency reports; its applications and client code are open source and have been subject to independent security audits, which helps validate its privacy claims. Key features - Secure Core: A multi-hop architecture that routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries before exiting to the internet. Secure Core reduces the risk of IP-based tracking even in the event of a compromised external server. - Modern protocols and encryption: Proton VPN supports WireGuard for faster connections and modern cryptography, alongside OpenVPN and IKEv2. Traffic is protected using strong encryption standards such as AES-256. - Tor over VPN and P2P support: Proton VPN includes options to route traffic through the Tor network for improved anonymity, and it allows P2P traffic on designated servers. - Kill switch and split tunneling: The built-in kill switch blocks network traffic if the VPN connection drops, preventing leaks, while split tunneling lets you exclude specific apps or addresses from the VPN. - Cross-platform apps: Native clients are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. There is also support for routers and manual configuration on other devices. Plans and performance Proton VPN offers a free tier with limited server locations and moderate speeds, a useful way to test the service without commitment. Paid plans (Basic, Plus, and Visionary) unlock faster speeds, access to Secure Core servers, more countries, and advanced features like streaming and additional simultaneous connections. Performance varies by server and plan; WireGuard generally delivers the best speeds, while Secure Core routes can increase latency due to multi-hop routing. Considerations Proton VPN is a solid choice for privacy-conscious users and those who value transparency and audits. It may be slightly more expensive than some competitors, and the free tier is deliberately limited. Evaluate your needs—streaming, gaming, simple privacy—and try the free plan or money-back guarantee before committing. Overall, Proton VPN balances strong privacy protections with practical features, making it a compelling option if trustworthiness and security are priorities.