Proton VPN Review (2026): Free vs Plus, Pricing & Privacy

Testing status: This review uses Proton’s official information, checked on November 10, 2026. RoamTested has not completed independent Proton VPN speed, security, streaming or mainland-China connection tests.

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Proton VPN Free vs Plus vs Unlimited

Free is an ongoing plan, not a refund-based trial. It has no data allowance to exhaust, but its server-selection restrictions matter. The paid plans provide more choice; Unlimited includes the same VPN Plus service with additional Proton products.

Free connects you to the fastest available free server for your location. Changing servers selects another one randomly, with a cooldown. If you specifically need a particular country, choose Plus rather than hoping Free assigns it. Free does not deliberately block every streaming site, but Proton’s supported streaming offering is part of its paid service.

Which Proton VPN plan should you choose?

• Basic privacy on one device: start with Free if random server selection meets your needs.
• Chosen locations, several devices or premium VPN features: VPN Plus is the normal paid choice. You do not need Unlimited just to get the full VPN service.
• One short trip: compare the actual one-month option at checkout. An advertised annual monthly equivalent is not the amount you can pay for a single month.
• Ongoing VPN use for a year: consider the twelve-month Plus offer below if you qualify and are comfortable with its renewal cost.
• Premium email, passwords and storage as well: consider Unlimited when you will actually use those services. Its 500GB is total storage, not 500GB for each product, and the plan is for one user.

Already paying for another Proton Plus product? Proton says separate Plus subscriptions cannot be combined on one account. Compare Unlimited before assuming you can simply add VPN Plus alongside Mail Plus.

Check Proton VPN plans and billing terms ↗

Proton VPN pricing: first payment and renewal

The official public pricing cards showed these USD twelve-month promotional offers when checked. They are recorded quotes, not a guarantee that every account, market or affiliate checkout receives the same campaign. Check eligibility, currency and applicable tax in your selected order.

You pay the first-year total upfront, not the monthly equivalent each month. Renewal is a separate annual charge and may change under the subscription terms. Compare any longer-term offer by its actual first payment and access period, rather than assuming it beats the annual quote.

These are campaign prices, not a RoamTested coupon or a checkout discount we have tested. The purchase link may display a different offer; review the selected plan and billing schedule before paying.

Check Proton VPN's current offer and renewal ↗

Privacy and security: what the evidence supports

Proton’s VPN privacy policy says it does not log browsing traffic, communications or VPN session data. That does not mean it collects no account or billing information.

Its June 2026 announcement describes a fifth consecutive annual no-logs infrastructure audit by Securitum. This is published audit information, not a security assessment performed by RoamTested. We reviewed the announcement, not the full underlying report. Proton also publishes open-source apps and separate application-security audit information; those are different scopes of evidence.

Three features are worth understanding before buying:

• Secure Core routes traffic through Proton-controlled entry servers before the exit location. It is a paid privacy feature, not a promise of faster speeds or complete anonymity.
• NetShield uses DNS filtering against known malware, advertising and tracking domains. It is not a standalone antivirus or a guarantee that every advert disappears.
• Kill switch and split tunneling have platform-specific behavior. Proton documents a macOS limitation: switching servers can briefly expose the real IP. Check your actual app’s settings and limitations; we have not independently tested disconnection or leak protection.

A VPN cannot make activity anonymous to an account you sign into or replace ordinary account security.

Apps, streaming and performance

Proton supports major desktop and mobile platforms, with separate TV apps and browser extensions. Features vary by app, version and protocol: an extension is not the same as a full-device VPN.

Stealth availability is platform-specific, including conditional Linux beta support in current guidance. Do not assume every device has identical options. Paid port forwarding is documented for supported desktop apps and P2P servers; macOS support is early access, and the forwarded port is dynamic. This is not a dedicated static IP for work access.

Proton advertises streaming support, but RoamTested has not verified particular services, libraries or playback quality. Server-port capacity and marketing speed claims are not measured download speeds on your connection.

Does Proton VPN work in mainland China?

Proton recommends preparing your account and app before travel, then using Stealth and alternative routing for the best chance of connecting. These are official instructions, not proof of a successful RoamTested China test. Proton’s own guidance does not promise complete reliability.

Create your account, install and sign in before departure, check the options available on your device, and keep another connection available. Paying for Unlimited instead of Plus does not establish better China connectivity.

A China-IP exit location is also different from connecting outward on a mainland network. Similarly, access through an internationally routed travel eSIM does not prove that Proton VPN works on local hotel Wi-Fi. My China eSIM comparison covers the mobile-data alternative.

Check Proton VPN plans before your trip ↗

Cancellation and the 30-day refund policy

For a website purchase, cancel future renewal through your Proton account’s subscription settings and finish the confirmation steps. Canceling renewal is separate from asking for money back; deleting the app does neither.

Proton’s current terms allow a full refund when you cancel and request it within 30 days of the initial purchase, once per user. Cash and bank-transfer payments are excluded. Contact support to request it; purchases through an intermediary follow that channel’s refund policy. App Store purchases require Apple’s refund route.

For VPN Plus, canceling renewal leaves access until the end of the current paid cycle. Other Proton bundles can involve storage and downgrade requirements, so review the account’s instructions. A refund guarantee is not a free subscription: Free is the option to try without buying a paid plan.