2017 brings us the launch of ProtonVPN’s, granting internet users a mean to protect their privacy free of a charge. The Proton team behind the initiative is a keen supporter of virtual freedom, proven by their previous project, ProtonMail. This is an end-to-end encrypted email service favored by journalists, activists and netizens who wish to avoid shadowy figures reading their messages. The company’s vision of internet security eventually blossomed into a new project, which is ProtonVPN. The idea was to extend the scope of encryption to browsing, thus offering privacy-conscious users a mean to prevent malicious tracking and bypass unwanted censorship. And they don’t even demand an upfront payment for it.
Exciting Features
There are a couple of noteworthy tweaks here and there that make ProtonVPN stand out from the competition. First and foremost, they offer the Secure Core architecture that re-routes your connection through multiple servers, most of which are located in countries with strong privacy protection laws, such as Switzerland and Iceland. The Proton team is boasting dependable encryption rates to ensure that your traffic code won’t be cracked. They are deploying battle-hardened protocol types like OpenVPN and IKEv2. Fans of true anonymity will gladly hear that ProtonVPN seamlessly integrates to the Tor network. As for the DNS leak prevention and the kill switch feature, they are the cherry on your pie. Last but not least, the company is transparent about their logging policy, claiming that no user connection data is saved on their end so they cannot hand over your browsing history, even if a third party company specifically asks for it.
But Is It Truly Free?
It is indeed free to use ProtonVPN to a degree, but there are some limitations. First, you need to sign up for the no-cost account. In order not to overload the free side of the service from the start, and undoubtedly also to grow some of the hype, there is currently a waiting list you need to get on to receive access to a free account. The free plan also hides some features, such as the Secure Core protection and the access to Tor servers. You are also bound to one device, the connection speed is slower plus you only have three countries to choose VPN servers from. Still it’s a very good value proposition and your data is properly encrypted nonetheless. In case you’re hungering for a more quality service, then choose from one of the three premium plans (Basic, Plus, Visionary). In exchange you receive all the hot goodies and your connection speed won’t be limited in any way. If you are determined to stick with the free plan but wish to support the team in some way, then consider sending them a humble donation to upkeep the good work.
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