Trustworthy, open source, independently audited and based in Switzerland. Fast enough for 4K streaming and everyday browsing. Three years of daily use earned it our personal pick.
| PureVPN | PIA | Surfshark | CyberGhost | IPVanish | NordVPN | Proton VPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1.33/mo | £1.49/mo | £1.69/mo | £1.99/mo | £2.49/mo | £2.99/mo | £3.19/mo | £5.32/mo |
Proton VPN is the second most expensive in our review set at £3.19/mo. The premium reflects Swiss jurisdiction, full open-source code, and a free plan — the strongest privacy credentials of any VPN tested.
💚 Palo's personal VPN — used daily for 3+ years
Proton VPN is independently audited open source software. Fast enough for streaming and everyday use, it earned our top pick following three years of testing. Since then, it has gained our respect as a secure and stable VPN.
Proton AG, based in Switzerland, was established with the help of crowdfunding in 2014 by scientists from CERN. They released Proton VPN in 2017, and today it is a well known and trusted VPN service. Switzerland is a country with strong privacy protection, independent of EU and US data retention laws. This has helped Proton hold a strong stance on user privacy, resisting external pressure to hand over user data.
Proton VPN has grown into a global network with more than 20,000 servers in 145 countries. Its software runs on all major operating systems and the apps are fully transparent, the code is publicly available for anyone to inspect, a level of openness not often seen in the VPN industry.
"Before Proton I tried numerous VPNs, and when I got it, it instantly felt different. The app connected well, the speed was good for seamless streaming, it held its reputation and there was no way back. I have been using it ever since." — Palo, TopVPNTested
Proton VPN has a strict no-logs policy, not collecting IP addresses, timestamps, session duration or DNS queries. The policy has been verified by Securitum, a respected EU cybersecurity company, and the positive results were made publicly available. Because Swiss law does not require retaining user data, Proton strongly challenges data requests through the courts instead of handing them over.
The software uses AES-256 encryption, considered practically unbreakable by brute force, with perfect forward secrecy — each session uses a unique encryption key. Proton's own Stealth protocol and WireGuard are designed to bypass VPN blocking in countries with internet restrictions.
In recent years Proton VPN's speed has improved considerably and the difference compared to competitors is rarely noticeable for most users. Speed is consistently strong, well exceeding 4K streaming and everyday browsing needs. Long distance connections to US servers add a little latency but the speed remains usable.
For best speed on longer distances, we recommend switching to the WireGuard protocol in the app settings.
Proton VPN's paid plan unlocks streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other platforms across over 120 countries. US Netflix speed worked fine, but switching servers from time to time was needed, which is considered normal on all streaming VPNs. Dedicated streaming servers are labelled in the Proton VPN app, which helps to access them easily.
CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are considered to have a slight edge for streaming, but Proton VPN still handles the major platforms well.
The Proton VPN app is clean and easy to use. It offers a large map with server locations and you can simply click on the point where you want to connect. There is a list of countries where you can take your time choosing, but connecting is one click and there is a main connect button ready anytime. It has advanced settings such as the kill switch, NetShield, port forwarding and more, easily accessible in a non-intrusive interface.
The app is straightforward for first time users and still offers settings for experienced users. Setup takes just a few minutes and the app has been running seamlessly for three years of daily use.
Proton VPN offers three plans:
Monthly pricing is higher at around £9.99/month, so the annual or two-year plan offers significantly better value. The free plan is one of the most generous in the industry — no data caps and no speed throttling, which is unusual.
We recommend Proton VPN to anyone who cares about privacy. A well respected open source app with consistent performance. Swiss-based Proton VPN has a strict no-logs policy which makes it the strongest privacy choice at its price. It is not the fastest VPN we tested but it is stable and secure, its privacy credentials are hard to beat. There is a free tier with few servers but no data caps, and it is genuinely usable. The app is easy to use but advanced enough, a perfect choice for new and experienced users alike.
Get Proton VPN →Proton VPN is ideal for anyone who wants a VPN they can genuinely trust — privacy-conscious users, journalists, people in restrictive countries, and anyone who wants open-source software they can verify themselves. The free plan makes it the best starting point for VPN beginners. The Proton Unlimited bundle makes it excellent value for anyone already using or interested in Proton Mail.
Consider alternatives if you need the absolute fastest speeds for gaming or you rely heavily on a wide range of streaming platforms beyond Netflix and BBC iPlayer — in those cases ExpressVPN or CyberGhost may serve you better.
Answers to the questions people ask most about Proton VPN.
Yes — Proton VPN is arguably the most trustworthy VPN available. It is based in Switzerland (outside EU and US jurisdiction), all apps are fully open source and audited by Securitum, and it was founded by CERN scientists with a genuine privacy-first mission. The reviewer has used it personally for over three years.
Yes. Proton VPN offers a genuinely capable free plan with no data limits, no ads, and no logs. The free tier is limited to servers in a small number of countries and does not include the fastest speeds or Stealth protocol, but it is the most honest free VPN available and suitable for everyday privacy use.
No. Proton VPN's no-logs policy has been independently audited by Securitum, and all apps are open source so anyone can inspect the code. Based in Switzerland, Proton VPN is not subject to EU or US data retention laws.
Yes, on paid plans. Proton VPN unblocks Netflix US, Netflix UK, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and other major streaming services on its paid tiers. Streaming access is not available on the free plan.
Proton VPN supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and its own Stealth protocol — a proprietary obfuscation protocol that disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS, useful in restrictive countries. WireGuard is the default and recommended choice for speed.
Proton VPN is the strongest VPN for privacy in our review set. Swiss jurisdiction, full open-source transparency, Securitum audit, and independent ownership from a not-for-profit ethos make it the cleanest credentials of any provider we tested.