Proton VPN
Proton Mail
| Feature | Proton VPN | Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9.99/mo | Free / from $3.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | privacy-advocates, journalists, remote-workers, travelers | privacy-conscious-users, journalists, activists, security-professionals |
| Founded | 2017 | 2014 |
| No Logs Vpn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kill Switch | ✓ | ✗ |
| Split Tunneling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Secure Core | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tor Over Vpn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Netshield | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Zero Access Architecture | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Destructing Emails | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Domains | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bridge For Desktop | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Proton VPN Pros
- Strong no-logs policy
- Swiss jurisdiction
- Open-source apps
- Free tier available
✗ Proton VPN Cons
- Free plan limited servers
- Slower than some competitors
- Fewer server locations
✓ Proton Mail Pros
- End-to-end encryption
- No ads
- Swiss privacy laws
- Open source
✗ Proton Mail Cons
- Limited free storage
- Fewer integrations
- Search limited to metadata
The Verdict
Proton VPN is built for privacy advocates and journalists, with a focus on no-logs-vpn and kill-switch. Proton Mail targets privacy conscious users and journalists and leads with encryption and zero-access-architecture.
On pricing, Proton Mail is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $3.99/mo compared to $9.99/mo for Proton VPN. That $6/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Both tools are a solid fit for journalists — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.