Is it still worth using Proton VPN Free?

Have you ever subscribed to a work only to find that, arsenic clip went by, it was nary longer nan aforesaid work to which you’d primitively signed up? A VPN tin alteration significantly, for amended aliases worse, not conscionable complete a almanac twelvemonth but successful a matter of months.

VPN providers regularly adhd and region servers, overhaul their privateness policies, and present caller features. These developments people effect their speed, security, and wide usability.

We purpose to supply VPN reviews and rankings that are some meticulous and up-to-date. The only measurement to do this is by regularly re-testing today’s best VPNs to find retired what’s new. We’ve done precisely that pinch our caller information of testing. This includes revisiting Proton VPN, a privacy-first VPN supplier that besides offers a free plan. I wanted to find retired if Proton VPN Free is still worthy utilizing and, if not, wherever it falls short of different free VPNs.

What does Proton VPN Free offer

Proton VPN Free ranks among nan very champion free services we’ve tested. Much of this is down to nan truth that, contempt being free, it offers a generous action of valuable features:

• Unlimited data: Proton VPN is 1 of very fewer free VPNs to connection unlimited data, meaning you tin usage it arsenic overmuch arsenic you like. Compare this pinch astir free VPNs which limit you to conscionable a fewer GB of information a period and it’s easy to spot why it’s specified a celebrated choice, peculiarly if you regularly find yourself streaming aliases making video calls.
• No ads: it’s not unreasonable to expect a free VPN to see ads – but that’s not nan lawsuit pinch Proton VPN. Entirely ad-free, its free tier is funded by its paid subscription plans.
• No logs: 1 cardinal logic I don’t urge astir free VPNs is their extended logging of individual (and often identifying) data. However, Proton VPN operates a strict no-logs policy which has been independently verified successful aggregate audits. As such, you tin browse anonymously without fearfulness of your information being shared pinch 3rd parties.
• Excellent speeds: Proton VPN uses nan WireGuard protocol and provides unlimited bandwidth. In fact, it’s among nan fastest free VPNs we’ve tested. Although it lacks nan specialty streaming servers of nan paid version, it’s still tin of streaming video.
• Open-source apps: unusually for a VPN, each of Proton VPN’s apps are unfastened source, fostering transparency and trust. Indeed, nan apps person been independently audited.
• Reliable termination switch: Proton VPN has an fantabulous kill switch which will trim your net postulation should nan VPN relationship drop, preventing information from being accidentally exposed. The termination move has proven to beryllium robust, consistently opinionated up to our testing.

Why debar Proton VPN Free

Proton VPN Free still has a batch going for it but it nary longer tops our free VPN rankings. Instead, it’s PrivadoVPN that comes retired up acknowledgment to its caller updates. Here’s why Proton VPN has been pipped to nan post:

1. Free users can’t prime their server location
Many free VPNs only connection a azygous server location. Although Proton VPN has 5 (in nan United States, Romania, Poland, Netherlands, and Japan), you can’t take which server you link to. Instead, you’ll beryllium automatically connected to nan fastest disposable server.

We each admit a accelerated connection, certainly, but location whitethorn beryllium times erstwhile you request a peculiar server location to entree circumstantial online contented (like a streaming work aliases news site).

The regularisation of not being capable to take a server location is each nan much astonishing – not to mention unnecessary – fixed that Proton VPN now boasts 1 of nan largest server networks of immoderate VPN. This covers 112 countries, which is much than NordVPN aliases ExpressVPN.

2. Free users can’t unblock streaming platforms
When you usage nan free type of Proton VPN, you won’t person entree to Proton VPN’s dedicated streaming servers which are only disposable to paid subscribers.

We were incapable to entree nan likes of Amazon Prime Video and US Netflix successful testing arsenic a result.

Between this and nan inability to take circumstantial server locations, Proton VPN Free is much suited for privateness protection than arsenic a Netflix VPN. The paid type of Proton VPN performed overmuch amended successful this respect. So, if you're looking for a secure VPN without compromising erstwhile it comes to unblocking content, you mightiness want to see upgrading to a paid plan.

3. Free users get conscionable 1 simultaneous connection
Proton VPN Free is disposable connected each awesome platform. This includes Windows, Android, MacOS, iOS, and Linux.

While you tin instal it connected each instrumentality you own, you tin only really usage it connected 1 instrumentality astatine a time. This intends that if you want to usage it connected your telephone but you’re already connected via your laptop, you’ll request to motion retired connected your laptop successful bid to do so.

Strict simultaneous relationship limits are communal pinch free VPNs – moreover astir paid VPNs still enforce immoderate benignant of limit. Surfshark, PIA, and IPVanish are nan exceptions that connection unlimited connections.

However, a one-device limit is peculiarly restrictive. If you do upgrade to a Proton VPN paid plan, you’ll person a batch much elasticity pinch 10 simultaneous connections to play with.

Why we don’t ever urge free VPNs

It goes without saying that free VPNs thin to beryllium limiting. They springiness you only a sneak peek of nan paid type to tempt you into upgrading to entree nan afloat suite of features.

As it is, nan finite number of server locations and IP addresses intends free VPNs are mostly not suitable for unblocking geo-restricted content.

While I was impressed by nan speeds offered by nan free versions of Proton VPN and PrivadoVPN, astir free VPNs aren’t accelerated capable for much bandwidth-intensive activities specified arsenic streaming aliases playing online games.

Indeed, nan mostly of free VPNs limit your information allowance truthful you can’t usage them for thing different than browsing.

Finally, we often don’t urge free VPNs owed to their privacy policies. Unlike Proton VPN, immoderate free VPNs make money by logging and trading your individual data. This whitethorn see your IP reside and browsing history. Overall, astir free VPNs airs much problems than they lick – and you're amended disconnected pinch a paid alternative.