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Proton VPN Plus (2-year plan)
Free is enough for 1 device; beyond that, VPN Plus at $3.49 a month on the 2-year plan
See the deal- Best value: $83.76 for 24 months
- 10 devices, 140+ countries, streaming and P2P
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Other options
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🗓️ Prices checked on October 27, 2026, on protonvpn.com (US prices, in dollars).
Written by Léo · Reviewed by Inès on 10/27/2026 (prices, links and availability checked) — our editorial pen names
The short answer: start with Proton VPN Free, which is free with no data cap, for one device. Switch to Proton VPN Plus on the 2-year plan, $83.76 ($3.49 a month, checked October 27, 2026) as soon as you want to pick your country, stream your shows while traveling, use torrents or protect more than one device.
In plain English: what is Proton VPN for?
The problem: on coffee-shop, hotel or airport Wi-Fi, you wonder who can see what you’re doing. And most “free” VPNs cap your data, show ads or sell what they see.
The solution: Proton VPN encrypts your connection and hides your IP address. Its free version, with no data cap and no ads, protects one device at a time. VPN Plus covers 10 and lets you choose the country.
Contents
Proton VPN Free: what’s included, and what’s missing?
Most “free” VPNs cap your data, show ads or sell what passes through them. Proton VPN Free does the opposite: no data cap, no ads, no logging of your activity, and no credit card required. It encrypts your connection, hides your IP address, and keeps the kill switch (which cuts your connection if the VPN drops) and the Stealth protocol, handy on networks that block VPNs.
In exchange, it’s deliberately limited:
- 1 device connected at a time (10 with VPN Plus);
- servers in 10 countries, randomly selected (20,000+ servers in 140+ countries with VPN Plus);
- medium speed: no throttling, but not the fastest servers;
- no streaming, no P2P (torrent downloads), no NetShield ad blocker and no Secure Core.
| What Proton VPN costs over 2 years (US prices, October 27, 2026) | Total |
|---|---|
| VPN Plus, month to month (24 × $9.99) | $239.76 |
| VPN Plus, 1-year plan, then one renewal | $137.76 |
| VPN Plus, 2-year plan | $83.76 |
| Proton VPN Free | $0 |
Our three picks:
- Best value (our pick): VPN Plus, 2-year plan, $83.76 for the first 24 months. 10 devices, every country, top speed, streaming, P2P, ad and tracker blocker. Who it’s for: anyone who travels, streams away from home or protects a phone, laptop and tablet.
- The free plan that holds up: Proton VPN Free, $0. Who it’s for: securing coffee-shop, hotel or airport Wi-Fi on a single device.
- The all-in-one: Proton Unlimited, $191.76 for the first 24 months. VPN Plus plus the paid versions of Proton Mail, Pass, Drive (500 GB) and Calendar. Who it’s for: anyone who wants to leave Gmail or Google Drive and keep everything with one company.
See Proton VPN Plus prices on the official site →
Proton VPN Free, VPN Plus or Unlimited: what actually changes?
| Feature (checked October 27, 2026) | Free | VPN Plus | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price, no commitment | $0 | $9.99 | $12.99 |
| 1-year plan | — | $53.88 ($4.49 a month) | $119.88 ($9.99 a month) |
| 2-year plan | — | $83.76 ($3.49 a month) | $191.76 ($7.99 a month) |
| Stated renewal price | — | $83.88 a year | $119.88 a year |
| Devices at once | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Countries | 10, randomly selected | 140+ | 140+ |
| Speed | Medium | Highest | Highest |
| Streaming, P2P, NetShield blocker | No | Yes | Yes |
| Data, ads, logs | Unlimited data, no ads, no logs | Same | Same |
| Mail, Pass, Drive | Free versions (Drive up to 5 GB) | Free versions (Drive up to 5 GB) | Paid versions (Drive 500 GB) |
| Money-back guarantee | — | 30 days | 30 days |
| Try Free → | See VPN Plus → | See Unlimited → |
Prices read on October 27, 2026 on the Proton VPN pricing page (1-month, 1-year and 2-year tabs, in US dollars, before sales tax), and free-plan features from the Proton VPN Free page.
What doesn’t Proton VPN’s pricing page highlight?
Recalculate the three billing options over 24 months and three things stand out:
- The 2-year plan costs almost three times less than paying monthly. $83.76 versus $239.76 (24 × $9.99) for exactly the same service: a $156 difference. If you already know you’ll keep a VPN, month to month makes no sense.
- The price doubles at renewal. After the first 24 months, VPN Plus renews at $83.88 a year, or $6.99 a month instead of $3.49. After the 1-year plan, it also goes from $53.88 to $83.88. Put the renewal date in your calendar and decide then.
- Unlimited is only worth it if you already pay elsewhere. It costs $108 more than VPN Plus over 2 years. It pays off if you already pay for cloud storage or email: 500 GB on Proton Drive can then replace part of that bill. To compare storage costs over time, see our pCloud Lifetime vs Google One vs iCloud math.
Is Proton VPN Free enough for you?
- Coffee-shop, hotel or airport Wi-Fi on your phone: yes, the free version encrypts your connection, and that’s where a VPN helps most.
- Your laptop and your phone at the same time: no, Free only allows one device at a time. You need VPN Plus.
- Streaming your shows from abroad: no, streaming is limited to the paid plans. Even with VPN Plus, a streaming service can block some servers, and its terms of use may limit its catalog by country.
- Torrent downloads (P2P): no, that’s VPN Plus and Unlimited only.
- Choosing a specific country (for example, to reach your US bank or streaming account like you’re at home while traveling abroad): with Free, servers come from 10 randomly selected countries. To pick one, you need VPN Plus.
Not sure you need a VPN at all? Take our 5-question “do I need a VPN?” test first. And if you’re also shopping for an antivirus, some security suites bundle a basic VPN, usually with a daily data cap: check what yours includes before paying twice.
Can you trust a free VPN like Proton?
A VPN sees your whole connection, so trust comes before price. Three verifiable points work in Proton’s favor:
- The business model is clear: Proton says the free version is funded by paying subscribers, and it shows no ads.
- The no-logs policy is audited every year: the security firm Securitum spends several days on site reviewing Proton’s server configurations, and on June 16, 2026 Proton announced a fifth consecutive annual audit confirming it doesn’t log user activity.
- The apps are open source, so anyone can review their code, and the company is based in Switzerland, under Swiss privacy law.
Proton VPN: free or paid for your profile?
- You just want to secure public Wi-Fi on your phone: Proton VPN Free, $0.
- You work on the road with a laptop and a phone: VPN Plus on the 2-year plan, $83.76 for 24 months.
- You travel and want your usual services: VPN Plus, to choose the country and get streaming.
- You want to leave Gmail or Google Drive: Proton Unlimited, $191.76 for 24 months, VPN included.
- You’re on the fence: start with Free. The paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you upgrade to Plus and it’s not for you.
Our method
How Tooli picks
Method: we did not test Proton VPN in-house. This article compares the prices and renewal rates Proton displayed in US dollars on October 27, 2026, the features of each plan as published by Proton, and the no-logs audit report Proton published on June 16, 2026. The 2-year cost calculations are ours.
FAQ
Is Proton VPN Free really free and unlimited?
Yes. Proton VPN Free doesn’t ask for a credit card, doesn’t cap your data and doesn’t show ads. Its limits are elsewhere: 1 device at a time, servers in 10 randomly selected countries, medium speed, and no streaming or P2P.
How much does Proton VPN Plus cost?
As of October 27, 2026: $9.99 a month with no commitment, $53.88 for the first year, or $83.76 for the first 24 months ($3.49 a month). After that, it renews at $83.88 a year.
Can you stream shows with Proton VPN Free?
No. Streaming is limited to VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited. The free version is mainly for securing your connection, for example on public Wi-Fi.
Does Proton VPN keep a log of what I do?
Proton says it doesn’t log its users’ activity, free version included. The firm Securitum checks this every year: on June 16, 2026, Proton announced a fifth consecutive audit confirming it.
Can I get a refund on Proton VPN Plus?
Yes. VPN Plus and Proton Unlimited come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Our verdict
To secure public Wi-Fi on a single device, Proton VPN Free is enough: free, with no data cap and no ads. The moment you want 2 or more devices, a choice of country or your shows on the road, get VPN Plus on the 2-year plan: $83.76 for 24 months (checked October 27, 2026), $156 less than paying monthly, with 30 days to change your mind. It’s the best-value way to get every Proton VPN feature, on every device you own. Just note the renewal date so you can decide calmly when it comes.
Our other picks for getting equipped without overspending are on our recommended tools page, more privacy guides are in Security & Privacy, and if you want to time your purchase, our Black Friday 2026 software deals list has the prices to beat.
See Proton VPN Plus on the official site →
Sources (accessed October 27, 2026): Proton VPN, plans and pricing · Proton VPN, free VPN · Proton VPN, fifth no-logs audit by Securitum (updated June 16, 2026).