Proton VPN Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Proton VPN pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $12.99 per month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Proton VPN's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- Unlimited data (no bandwidth cap)
- 1 device connection
- Servers in 5 countries (US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland)
- Medium-speed access
- No-logs policy
- No credit card required
- No ads or tracking
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 10 simultaneous device connections
- 17,200+ servers in 120+ countries
- Highest VPN speeds
- NetShield ad blocker and malware protection
- Secure Core (multi-hop VPN routing)
- Streaming and P2P support
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Stealth protocols
- No-logs policy (independently audited)
- 30-day money-back guarantee
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 10 simultaneous device connections or 17,200+ servers in 120+ countries
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Proton VPN branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs VPN Plus (2-Year) Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | VPN Plus (2-Year) $2.99/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 7 included | 9+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Proton VPN branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Casual users who want a trustworthy free VPN with no data limits or ads | Long-term privacy advocates who want the best rate from a Swiss-based provider |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Proton VPN free?
Yes, Proton VPN offers a forever free plan with 7 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Proton VPN's free plan?
Proton VPN's free plan includes: Unlimited data (no bandwidth cap), 1 device connection, Servers in 5 countries (US, Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland), Medium-speed access, No-logs policy, and 2 more features. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in Proton VPN's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 10 simultaneous device connections, 17,200+ servers in 120+ countries, Highest VPN speeds, NetShield ad blocker and malware protection, Secure Core (multi-hop VPN routing). You'll also have Proton VPN branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Proton VPN's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 10 simultaneous device connections or 17,200+ servers in 120+ countries, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $2.99/month.
05 Is Proton VPN's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Proton VPN's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.
Get Proton VPN pricing updates
We'll notify you when pricing changes or new free features are added.