Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more here.

Proton VPN Is One of the Few VPNs Worth Using (That Won’t Track You)

Most VPNs suck, and you should run away from them. Not Proton, though. This is one of the very best I’ve ever tested.

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

There are lots of VPNs out there. Absolute tons, especially now that nearly half of Americans are using one. Most of them are shit. Sketchy, untested, messy things that I wouldn’t touch with a 20-foot electrified pole. Having used and tested VPNs for 10 years, I’m very picky on which ones I’ll recommend. Few pass the test.

But why not be picky, I ask? It isn’t like candy or TV streaming apps, where you’re better off with an assortment. You only need one VPN, so you may as well get the best one that’s trustworthy and works like a champ. The better ones don’t tend to cost anymore than the crap ones, in my decade of experience.

Not only is Proton VPN the only free VPN I’d use—lots of popular free VPNs are packed with malware and spyware—but it’s so good that I’ve paid for the premium version.

my quick verdict: worth your money

Proton checks all the right boxes when it comes to shopping for a VPN. It keeps no logs of how customers use its VPN, and it regularly opens itself up to independent, third-party audits that verify that there are no backdoors or data stealing going on. Only reputable VPNs do both these things, and I believe they’re mandatory for any VPN worth using.

On top of that Proton VPN is easy to use, with a clean and simple user interface, and its speed and reliability were quite good. I’ve used many more VPNs than those that I recommend in my guide to the Best VPNs. Proton gets a place of honor and a hearty recommendation because it’s earned it.

Proton VPN (opens in a new window)

Testing Proton VPN was a matter of just doing what I normally do. I worked, streamed 4K video, and uploaded and downloaded files big enough to kill off the dinosaurs twice. The entire time, I kept an eye out for dropped connections and slowed speeds. Every VPN will slow down your connection, but the better ones (such as I experienced with Proton VPN) do it to such a minimal extent that it makes no functional difference.

I switched among VPN servers regularly, too, to make sure that I wasn’t just experiencing one or two, but rather a whole bunch in different cities and countries. And then I’d head to a DNS leak checker to see if the VPN was leaking any of my personal details to websites that trackers could pick up (Proton VPN passed).

I also ran speed tests that measured my upload and download speed, both when connected to a variety of Proton........

© Vice