Proton VPN
SpiderOak ONE
| Feature | Proton VPN | SpiderOak ONE |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9.99/mo | From $6/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Best For | privacy-advocates, journalists, remote-workers, travelers | privacy-advocates, journalists, legal-professionals, security-conscious-businesses |
| Founded | 2017 | 2007 |
| No Logs Vpn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kill Switch | ✓ | ✗ |
| Split Tunneling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Secure Core | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tor Over Vpn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Netshield | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zero Knowledge Backup | ✗ | ✓ |
| File Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Point In Time Recovery | ✗ | ✓ |
| Share Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross Platform | ✗ | ✓ |
| Version History | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ SpiderOak ONE Pros
- True zero-knowledge encryption
- Endorsed by Edward Snowden
- Point-in-time recovery
- Cross-platform sync
✗ SpiderOak ONE Cons
- Slower than competitors
- No file sharing links on basic plan
- Dated interface
The Verdict
Proton VPN is built for privacy advocates and journalists, with a focus on no-logs-vpn and kill-switch. SpiderOak ONE targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with zero-knowledge-backup and file-sync.
Pricing is close: SpiderOak ONE starts at $6/mo versus $9.99/mo for Proton VPN — not a deciding factor on its own.
Proton VPN has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. SpiderOak ONE requires a paid subscription from day one.
Proton VPN edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Both tools are a solid fit for privacy advocates, journalists — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Proton VPN has a slight overall edge — but if true zero-knowledge encryption matters most to you, SpiderOak ONE may still be the right call.