what we think of this Swiss VPN (2024)

Based in Switzerland, Proton Technologies is best known for its excellent email service, ProtonMail. It is therefore in this continuity and with the same philosophy that it approaches the world of VPNs with ProtonVPN. But is this one as convincing?

The essentials of Proton VPN in a table

Who is ProtonVPN?

Before this VPN project, the Swiss company Proton made itself known thanks to its ProtonMail platform. The latter defined itself in 2014 as a healthy and privacy-respecting alternative to the hegemony of web giants like Google, Apple or Microsoft. Proton VPN was born from this same philosophy with the protection of activists and journalists using ProtonMail in mind. Today, Proton VPN is deployed globally and the company claims over 100 million users across its services.

Since its beginnings, Proton VPN has cultivated its difference by highlighting its teams of engineers and scientists working under the same umbrella (ProtonMail and ProtonVPN) in order to make their ecosystem logical and complementary. The source code was also made public in January 2020 in order to show credentials, which led to independent security audits which proved conclusive.

Proton VPN: a very complete interface

Proton VPN is a summary of all the good ideas that can be found in other VPN applications. On PC, the Proton VPN application uses the NordVPN world map or the IPVanish speed curve. Whether on mobile or computer, the design is dark and very stylized in a “Hacker” cinema style, some will appreciate it, others not. If at first glance the interface seems busy, it is ultimately very readable and even allows the display of numerous relevant elements such as real-time flow information (numerically and graphically), the protocol used and the duration of the current session.

The originality of the Proton VPN application comes from the profiles. Rather than searching for a server on the world map each time you start, you can create “ favorite servers » — the famous profiles — to which we assign server types (for P2P, for Tor, etc.) and a name and to which we reconnect with one click during our next sessions. This is a good thing if we have identified servers that are suitable for specific uses.

Other options are accessible without having to create profiles like the mode kill switch allowing the connection to be cut at the slightest problem to avoid leaks or “Secure Core» which corresponds to a more specific multi-hop (or double VPN) mode. Concretely, this last mode allows the connection to pass through a more secure intermediate server whose locality and legislation certify strict protection of privacy. This is for example the case of the British Virgin Islands or Switzerland. If this option is active, the application shows the connection routing to the targeted server. Be careful, this still has a strong impact on performance, and should only be used for simple navigation.

Other options are available in the settings, starting with choosing the default protocol or enabling custom DNS. In the advanced options, we find the split tunneling allowing the VPN to be targeted to a specific application or, more surprisingly, the activation or not of hardware acceleration by the GPU, the interface being potentially cumbersome to manage by an old processor.

But if the interfaces are graphically similar on smartphones and PCs, this is not necessarily the case for the functionalities, some of which are still exclusive to mobile platforms. We think in particular of “ NetShield » acting as an ad blocker, but above all authorizing LAN connections allowing access to network devices (such as a printer for example) with the VPN activated.

Note also that Proton VPN has also made the effort to develop a specific interface for its Google TV application, the latter using the logic of the desktop interface while including the same options and the same accessible servers.

Proton VPN servers and performance

With now more than 4,500 servers spread across more than 90 countries, Proton VPN is not playing the card of overabundance of servers. It doesn’t matter, because the goal of this provider is not so much performance or access to foreign catalogs of SVOD platforms as the security of its users’ connection. And yet, the speeds are generally very good, as indicated by our tests carried out on the nPerf site from a Parisian fiber connection.

• Testing was performed with automatic protocol assignment.

Obviously, the contribution of the WireGuard protocol has a huge impact on the performance displayed by Proton VPN. We are also delighted to note that the latency ( ping) is quite mastered despite the thousands of kilometers that separate us from the servers, especially for American servers.

On the other hand, we are a little less surprised when we activate the typical specialized serverspeer to peeror dedicated to access to the Tor network which are primarily oriented towards confidentiality and security. Obviously, performance is not always there when the promise is reliability.

Another pitfall: if geolocating abroad via Proton VPN is not a problem, when it comes to accessing Netflix’s foreign catalogs, it’s a completely different story. Officially, Proton VPN is well capable of bypassing geoblocking of Netflix’s American, English and German catalogs. Only specialized servers (with a specific icon next to the server name) allow this. In fact, you often have to grope around and find the right server that will allow you to access Netflix US or UK, because not all of them necessarily work, hence the interest in profiles. You must therefore have a minimum of information before getting started, where other VPNs skip this step to find the server corresponding to your use.

The privacy policy practiced by Proton VPN

The page concerning Proton VPN’s data retention policy is very clear (albeit in English): the provider claims not to retain any information about its users’ use of its VPN servers. The only data Proton VPN collects is when a user connects to one of its servers (and only the timestamp). Proton VPN also ensures that the company respects Swiss law, where the company is established. Even though telecommunications companies must retain user data for six months, the fact that ProtonVPN is a VPN service effectively excludes it from this law.

The firm also makes a point of respecting its commitments, not only in its communication, but also, visibly, in practice. Proof of this is that, in order to show its credentials, Proton VPN has even made its source code public so that everyone can do their own security audit, independent company or not. This even gave rise to some vulnerability fixes as indicated by the firmSec Consult in a public report.

Proton VPN customer service

This is undoubtedly the point on which Proton VPN is behind its competitors, after-sales service. The customer service contact goes through a form and the responses are then sent by email “about one or two days on average after the question“. Although the after-sales service is not native, the answers are provided in French.

A very complete and very cordial response, but which requires you to wait a little longer than with other VPN providers. Online chat is available, but reserved for Proton VPN Plus users.

Proton VPN subscription prices

Proton VPN is undoubtedly one of the only services in our selection to offer a free and ad-free version. However, you should not count on a lightning strike since this free service only entitles you to around twenty servers and only three countries depending on your location. By paying, you unlock access to all servers, increased transfer speeds and activation of the ad blocker.

The “Plus” account expands all of the VPN’s global servers, transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb/s and all the advanced VPN options like modeSecure Coreand access to the Tor network for 9.99 euros per month. As with other VPNs, it is possible to reduce the bill by subscribing directly for a year or two. Over 12 months, you will pay 59.88 euros for the first year (4.99 euros per month) and over 24 months, 107.76 euros, or 4.49 euros per month.

Here is the list of features included:

• Protection for up to 10 devices at once
• High-speed VOD streaming
• Fast P2P/BitTorrent downloads
• Double jump mode (connection by multiple servers)
• Ad blocking and malware protection
• Access to the Tor network
• Priority support and live chat

Finally, the last subscription, Proton Unlimited, is a little more specific since in addition to unlocking all the advantages of the VPN, it also offers privileged access to other Proton services including a ProtonMail Unlimited account, 500 GB of storage secure online, up to 15 email addresses and 3 personalized email spaces.

Finally, Proton VPN’s prices are higher than the market average, the service undoubtedly wanting to justify its prices by providing its advanced features. They also have the advantage of remaining fixed, which is far from being the case with many players who regularly inflate or artificially lower prices. ProtonVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on the majority of these subscriptions, which therefore allows you to cancel without charge.