Finding a VPN you can truly trust takes some trial and error. After moving on from ExpressVPN, I spent time with both Surfshark and Proton VPN. What drew me to Proton in the first place was its pedigree — it was built by the same team of scientists behind Proton Mail, and the company is headquartered in Switzerland, a country with some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. I used it for an extended period, and even though I eventually went back to Surfshark for a while, I came away genuinely impressed. Proton VPN is not just a VPN — it’s a whole ecosystem built around protecting your digital life.
Update: As of October 2025, I’ve switched back to Proton VPN for good. It feels noticeably faster and more stable than Surfshark, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. They also offer a free tier that is genuinely good — not the stripped-down kind you usually see.
How Good Is the VPN Itself?
Before getting into the bigger picture, it’s worth addressing the basics: is Proton VPN actually a solid VPN? The answer is yes, without hesitation. Performance is fast and consistent, the apps look polished across all platforms, and the connection is dependable. What really sets it apart from a credibility standpoint is that it’s one of the few VPN services actively recommended by the Freedom of the Press Foundation — a high bar that services like Surfshark haven’t cleared. Swiss law also provides a strong legal backbone, meaning Proton has no obligation to cooperate with foreign surveillance requests. On pure VPN merit, it belongs in the same conversation as any top-tier service out there.
Platform support is broad too. Whether you’re on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Apple TV, or Android TV, Proton has you covered. If you’re looking for a privacy-first European VPN, it’s hard to find a stronger option.
The Real Advantage: A Complete Privacy Suite
Here’s where Proton really pulls ahead of the competition. A Proton subscription doesn’t just give you VPN access — it unlocks an entire suite of privacy-focused tools, all developed by the same team and all designed to work together seamlessly:
- Proton Mail: Widely regarded as one of the most secure email services available anywhere in the world.
- Proton Drive: End-to-end encrypted cloud storage, so only you can see your files. Worth comparing if you’re searching for the best free cloud storage options.
- Proton Calendar: A fully encrypted calendar that keeps your schedule private, not sold to advertisers.
- Proton Pass: A secure password manager for safely storing and managing your login credentials.
Think about what it would cost — and how many companies you’d have to trust — if you sourced each of these tools separately. With Proton, everything lives under one roof, managed by a single organization that has built its entire reputation on privacy. That’s a meaningful difference. You can also check out our take on Proton Docs and Proton Sheets if you want to see how far the ecosystem extends.
Is Proton VPN Worth the Price?
At first glance, Proton looks more expensive than budget-focused VPNs like Surfshark — and honestly, that’s partly why I went back to Surfshark for a stretch. At the time, I only needed a basic VPN and wanted to keep costs low. That’s a perfectly valid reason.
But the price comparison only makes sense if you’re comparing apples to apples. When you factor in the full package — a premium VPN, encrypted email, cloud storage, a calendar, and a password manager — Proton’s subscription starts to look like an exceptionally good deal. Buying equivalent services from separate providers would almost certainly cost more, and you’d be spreading your data across multiple companies. If you’re interested in maximizing your savings, it’s worth checking out available Proton Unlimited discounts or the latest Proton deals and coupons.
Who Should Choose Proton VPN?
If all you want is to mask your IP address at the lowest possible price, there are cheaper options out there — and that’s okay. But if you’re serious about reducing your overall digital footprint and want a reliable, integrated solution built on a foundation of genuine privacy principles, Proton VPN is hard to beat. It’s especially compelling if you’re already thinking about switching to a more private email alternative or rethinking how you store sensitive data in the cloud.
For users who want the full package — secure email, encrypted storage, a private calendar, a password manager, and a top-performing VPN — Proton doesn’t just check all the boxes. It does it more cohesively, and arguably more affordably, than piecing together alternatives from different vendors. In that context, it’s not just a great VPN; it’s probably the smartest privacy investment you can make.