ProtonVPN is the most auditable VPN on the market — every line of code is public on GitHub, verified by independent security firms, and maintained by the same team behind ProtonMail (trusted by journalists, dissidents and privacy professionals worldwide). Swiss jurisdiction + Tor over VPN make it uniquely suited for high-risk environments. The free plan with unlimited bandwidth is the only genuinely trustworthy free VPN.
- 100% open-source — all apps auditable on GitHub
- Swiss jurisdiction — strongest privacy laws
- Tor over VPN — route traffic through Tor network
- Stealth protocol — bypasses deep packet inspection
- Free plan: unlimited bandwidth, no card, no ads
- Trusted by journalists, EFF, Wirecutter
- NetShield: DNS-level ad & malware blocking
- Secure Core — multi-hop through privacy countries
- Free plan: slower speeds, 3 countries only
- Fewer streaming servers than ExpressVPN
- No live chat support (email/forum only)
- Plus plan renews at $107.88/yr
Speed Test Results
| Server | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Latency (ms) | % Retained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, US | 879 | 833 | 21 | 87.9% |
| London, UK | 891 | 852 | 13 | 89.1% |
| Zurich, CH | 898 | 861 | 8 | 89.8% |
| Tokyo, JP | 612 | 571 | 94 | 61.2% |
| Median (EU+US) | 889 | 849 | 14 | 88.9% |
88.9% speed retention on EU/US servers — very solid for everyday use, streaming and torrenting. The free plan is significantly slower (typically 20–60 Mbps) due to shared infrastructure — acceptable for basic browsing, not for streaming HD video.
Privacy & Transparency
ProtonVPN is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland — subject to Swiss privacy law (FADP), considered among the strongest in the world. Switzerland is not a member of any intelligence-sharing alliance and has historically resisted foreign legal requests for user data.
All ProtonVPN apps (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS) are 100% open-source — published on GitHub and audited by independent security firms. This level of transparency is unique among mainstream VPNs. NordVPN and ExpressVPN audit their no-logs policies but do not publish all source code.
- Jurisdiction: Switzerland — outside 5/9/14 Eyes, FADP
- Open-source: All apps on GitHub — auditable by anyone
- Independent audits: SEC Consult, Securitum, Radically Open Security
- Tor over VPN: Route through Tor network from within the app
- Secure Core: Traffic through Iceland, Switzerland, or Sweden before destination
- Stealth protocol: Disguises VPN traffic as HTTPS — bypasses DPI
- No-logs: Verified by court case — Swiss court ordered ProtonVPN to provide user data and the company confirmed nothing was logged
ProtonVPN Free Plan
ProtonVPN's free plan is unique: unlimited bandwidth, no data cap, no ads, no selling of data. The only restrictions are: access to 3 countries (US, Netherlands, Japan), one connection at a time, and slower speeds during peak hours due to sharing servers with paid users.
| Feature | Free Plan | Plus Plan ($2.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Countries | 3 (US, NL, JP) | 91 |
| Speed | 20–60 Mbps typical | 889 Mbps tested |
| Simultaneous devices | 1 | 10 |
| Streaming | Limited | 10+ libraries |
| Tor over VPN | No | Yes |
| Secure Core | No | Yes |
| Ads | None | None |
Full guide: Best Free VPN 2026 →
What Users Say About ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is the only VPN I trust completely. Open-source code, Swiss law, the ProtonMail team behind it. When a Swiss court tried to get data, there was nothing to give. That's the gold standard.
The free plan genuinely has unlimited bandwidth — I used 80GB in a month testing it. Speeds were slow but it's free with actual privacy. Every other free VPN is either capped or selling your data.
Secure Core is clever — routes through Iceland first, so even if the destination country is compromised, they only see Iceland as the source. Worth the Plus upgrade for that feature alone.
Tor over VPN in the app is huge for journalists. You don't need to configure Tor browser separately — ProtonVPN handles the routing automatically. Slower, but the anonymity stack is impressive.
Good VPN but no live chat support is frustrating. Had a billing issue that took 4 days to resolve via email. NordVPN support resolves things in minutes. Worth noting for anyone who values fast support.
I'm a security researcher. ProtonVPN is what I recommend to sources. The code is auditable, the jurisdiction is solid, and the court precedent speaks for itself. Not the fastest but trust is non-negotiable.
Sources: Reddit r/VPN, r/privacy, Trustpilot, Google Play, App Store. Collected Feb–Mar 2026. Representative of overall sentiment — VPNHotDeals.com includes both positive and critical opinions.
It's the most transparent — 100% open-source code, Swiss jurisdiction, Tor over VPN, and a real court precedent where Swiss authorities requested data and ProtonVPN had nothing to provide. For maximum privacy, Mullvad accepts cash payments and is also strong. Comparison: ProtonVPN vs Mullvad →
Yes — the free plan has no time limit and unlimited bandwidth. Restrictions: 3 countries, 1 device, slower speeds. The only legitimate free VPN for long-term use. Full comparison: Best Free VPN 2026 →
Depends on priority. NordVPN wins on speed (953 vs 889 Mbps) and streaming. ProtonVPN wins on transparency (100% open-source vs closed), Swiss vs Panama jurisdiction, and Tor integration. For everyday speed and streaming: NordVPN. For activism, journalism and maximum privacy: ProtonVPN. Full comparison: NordVPN vs ProtonVPN →