REVIEW
ProtonVPN Review 2025: Swiss Privacy Champion
From the makers of ProtonMail: a VPN with Swiss privacy laws, a generous free tier, and Secure Core routing. Here's our honest assessment.
📊 Quick Stats
8.8/10
756
Mbps Speed
FREE
Tier Available
4,500+
Servers
🇨🇭
Swiss Based
👍 Pros & Cons
What We Like
- ✓ Best free VPN (unlimited data)
- ✓ Swiss privacy jurisdiction
- ✓ Secure Core multi-hop routing
- ✓ Open source apps
- ✓ NetShield ad blocker
- ✓ Part of Proton ecosystem
- ✓ 10 devices on paid plans
What We Don't Like
- ✗ Slower than NordVPN/ExpressVPN
- ✗ Free tier limits locations
- ✗ No port forwarding on all plans
- ✗ Paid plans pricier than Surfshark
- ✗ Secure Core slows speeds further
🆓 The Free Tier
What You Get for Free
- ✓ Unlimited data — No monthly caps
- ✓ No ads — Unlike most free VPNs
- ✓ No logs — Same policy as paid
- ✓ 1 device — Phone or computer
- ✓ 5 countries — US, Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Romania
Our take: The best free VPN available. Funded by paid subscribers, not your data.
🔒 Secure Core: Worth It?
Secure Core routes your traffic through privacy-friendly countries (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden) before exiting. Benefits:
- • Extra protection against endpoint surveillance
- • Hides your real IP even from exit server
- • Useful in high-risk situations
⚠️ Downside: Adds latency and reduces speeds by 30-50%.
📌 Final Verdict
ProtonVPN is the best choice for free users and privacy-conscious individuals who value Swiss jurisdiction. The paid plans are solid but not the best value — NordVPN offers better speeds at a lower price.
8.8/10
Great — Best Free Option