Proton
Proton VPN
| Feature | Proton | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $3.99/mo | Free / from $9.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | privacy-advocates, journalists, activists, security-conscious-users | privacy-advocates, journalists, remote-workers, travelers |
| Founded | 2014 | 2017 |
| Encrypted Email | ✓ | ✗ |
| Vpn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cloud Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Password Manager | ✓ | ✗ |
| Aliases | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Destructing Messages | ✓ | ✗ |
| No Logs Vpn | ✗ | ✓ |
| Kill Switch | ✗ | ✓ |
| Split Tunneling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Secure Core | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tor Over Vpn | ✗ | ✓ |
| Netshield | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Proton Pros
- End-to-end encryption for all services
- Swiss-based with strong privacy laws
- Open-source and independently audited
- Comprehensive privacy suite (mail, VPN, drive, calendar)
- Free tier available for all services
✗ Proton Cons
- Free storage is limited (1GB for mail)
- Less feature-rich than mainstream alternatives
- Search functionality limited due to encryption
✓ 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
The Verdict
Proton is built for privacy advocates and journalists, with a focus on encrypted-email and vpn. Proton VPN targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with no-logs-vpn and kill-switch.
On pricing, Proton 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.
Feature-wise, Proton offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Proton VPN takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
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.
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.