About ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is an open source, swiss based free VPN provider that allows users to browse anonymously on a private and secure network.
The VPN provider sends the internet traffic through a VPN tunnel that is encrypted to keep your data and passwords secure. Moreover, it also keeps your complete browsing history private and does not share it with any other third party.
Let’s review ProtonVPN on the basis of its performance, speed, security capabilities, features, and more.
Pros & Cons of ProtonVPN
- Users can access sites on the dark web using ‘Tor Over VPN’ feature
- Offers a free plan with no ads
- Over 1900 servers available in 65+ countries
- Streams Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and other apps in other regions
- ProtonVPN has 1900+ servers around the world, it only has a few in Asia
- There is no phone or live chat support available, only email
- Limited customization for payment gateway
- When gaming, the VPN may cause slight lags
ProtonVPN Features
- NetShield: NetShield is used as a DNS filtering feature to protect VPN users from website trackers, malware, or any other suspicious identity that might be following you on the web. Moreover, ProtonVPN also works as an ad blocker so that you can enjoy uninterrupted web browsing. However, NetShield is not capable of blocking ads on YouTube, but it is effective in blocking banner ads and pop-ups.
- No-Logs Policy: No- Logs Policy means that your VPN provider, ProtonVPN will never save any of your connection logs and no other third party can force ProtonVPN to do so, even in the free forever plan. The VPN provider very strictly follows the no-logs policy under Swiss law. All this makes sure that a user’s browsing history actually stays private and can never be accessed by any other third party under any given circumstance.
- Stealth Protocol: Stealth Protocol is quite unique to ProtonVPN which enables users to bypass maximum VPN blocking methods, and firewalls. This is a great feature that can help VPN users to beat censorship at a global level and browse freely. Stealth VPN Protocol makes your VPN traffic exactly look like usual, regular traffic that helps you bypass censorship and access information that was otherwise blocked or restricted for you.
- Kill Switch & Always On VPN: The in-built combination of the Kill Switch and Always On feature work together to ensure that a user’s IP address is not revealed even if he/ she gets disconnected from the server. For instance, if you lose your connection with a VPN server, the Kill Switch feature will block all the network traffic. While on the other hand, the Always On feature will automatically re-establish your connection with another VPN server.
- Tor Over VPN: ProtonVPN also offers built- in support for Tor that routes all the traffic through Tor anonymity network. This even enables users to access websites on the dark web. Thus, offering users a very convenient way to browse Onion sites with one click. However, this feature can only be accessed if you have ProtonVPN’s premium plan.
ProtonVPN Servers & Locations
ProtonVPN servers are widespread across the world in more than 65 countries, offering users a global connectivity. The count of these servers is increasing rapidly, however, currently, the VPN provider has deployed 1925 servers to be precise. All of these servers are completely owned by ProtonVPN to ensure optimum security. Moreover, the VPN servers are categorized into three categories that include 99 Secure Core servers, 1611 Plus servers, and other free servers.
ProtonVPN Speed & Performance
Strong Protocols
ProtonVPN only uses secure protocols that include WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. These three VPN protocols are known to be some of the most reliable ones and are majorly responsible for boosting the VPN speed. In fact, even users in some of the most restrictive countries can easily bypass internet censorship and avoid detection because of these strong VPN protocols.
VPN Accelerator
As the name suggests, the VPN Accelerator boosts the VPN speed by approximately 400%. This technology is purely unique to ProtonVPN and its VPN servers to increase speed and performance dramatically. The boost in speed and performance is achieved with advanced networking techniques that reduce latency by overcoming CPU limitations.
ProtonVPN Security & Encryption: Is ProtonVPN Safe?
Forward Secrecy
The Forward Secrecy security feature makes sure that your encrypted traffic is not captured in any circumstance. Even if the encryption key gets compromised from any subsequent session, the forward secrecy feature ensures that your traffic cannot be decrypted. In addition to this, to provide the utmost security ProtonVPN generates a new encryption key for every connection, ensuring that no key is ever repeated.
Swiss Privacy
ProtonVPN not only offers great technical security but also offers strong legal protection. Being based in Switzerland, the VPN provider is guarded by some of the strongest privacy laws made in the world.
Physical Security
Apart from strong network security, ProtonVPN has gone to extreme lengths to provide complete physical security to its physical servers. VPN’s critical server infrastructure is strategically located in countries like Switzerland, Sweden, and Iceland. To further increase protection the Switzerland servers are located at high security data centers with biometric access, the Sweden servers are located underground, and the Iceland server infrastructure is built in a former military base. Moreover, ProtonVPN ships its own equipment to all data center locations to ensure utmost security at hardware level as well.
Secure Core
The Secure Core feature secures your VPN connections against any network-based attacks. Before leaving the ProtonVPN network, Secure Core routes users’ traffic through multiple servers. This security feature ensures that anyone who monitors users’ network traffic should not be able to find the actual user IP address or know their browsing activity.
ProtonVPN Customer Support
The official website of ProtonVPN features a separate support section where users can find answers for major categories like download & setup, accessible content, billing, speed & bandwidth, troubleshooting, and other general information.
In addition to this, if users want to contact the customer support team, they can fill in a support form given on the website or even email their queries. They will be getting a reply approximately within a day. Apart from this, users can also tweet their queries or questions on ProtonVPN’s official Twitter handle. In fact, to get a deeper understanding of VPN functionalities you can give read to the blog section.
However, live chat and phone support are missing in ProtonVPN.
ProtonVPN Platform Compatibility
ProtonVPN offers multi-platform support for all devices that include PCs, smartphones, Macs, and routers. Further, users can run ProtonVPN on:
- Windows
- MacOS
- Chromebook
- Linux
- Android
- IOS
- Smart TVs, and more.
ProtonVPN Pricing & Plans
ProtonVPN Plans |
Price |
Proton Free |
Free Forever |
VPN Plus |
?489.97 per month |
Proton Unlimited |
?817.17 per month |
ProtonVPN offers a free forever plan and two paid plans starting from ?489.97 per month, when billed annually.
ProtonVPN Free Plan
The ProtonVPN free forever plan provides complete privacy and security for everyone. In this plan, users can access more than 100 servers in 3 countries Netherlands, Japan, and the US with unlimited bandwidth. Moreover, in this plan users get to enjoy a no- ads experience and complete customer support. Along with this, the VPN users also have access to the free features of Proton Calendar, Drive, and Mail.
ProtonVPN Paid Plans
The VPN provider offers two paid plans – VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited that costs Rs 489.97 and Rs 817.17 per month respectively when billed annually. Along with everything that is available in the ProtonVPN free package, the VPN Plus plan offers more advanced features. These include access to more than 1900 servers in 65+ countries, high speed streaming, tor over VPN, priority support, and more.
Another paid plan, Proton Unlimited offers one subscription to premium Proton services that include Proton Mail, Drive, Calendar, and VPN.
ProtonVPN Competitors
VPN Provider |
Free Trial |
Pricing |
Proton VPN |
No |
Rs 489.97 /Month |
Nord VPN |
30 Days free trial |
Rs 407.94 / Month |
ExpressVPN |
Yes |
Rs 680.18 / Month |
Windscribe |
No |
Rs 470.07 / Month |
Hide.me |
No |
Rs 313.93 / Month |
Techjockey Final Verdict
ProtonVPN is one of the most affordable VPN providers in the market that allow users to browse privately anywhere in the world using its 1900+ servers deployed in 65+ countries. It offers great speed and performance while keeping users completely secure with its security features like forward secrecy, secure core, Swiss privacy, and more.
In addition to this, ProtonVPN comes with other additional features like NetShield, Kill Switch, Tor Over VPN, no- logs policy, etc., which keeps VPN users protected from unwanted ads, attackers, watchers, or any other third party interference.
So, if you are planning to try a VPN for your business, without any doubt you can go ahead with ProtonVPN. In fact, you can also avail yourself of their free plan, and then upgrade to the premium one. Even then, if you are not completely satisfied with the VPN service, you can ask for a refund under their 30- day money guarantee policy.