Proton VPN is a VPN service founded in 2014 and based in Switzerland. Its apps are fully open-source and it has published consecutive annual independent no-logs audits; its primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation. We have run no hands-on tests, so we publish no speeds, prices or rating — verifiable facts only, as of 23 June 2026.
Privacy posture & audits
Proton VPN combines two of the strongest verifiable privacy signals: fully open-source apps across platforms, and consecutive annual independent no-logs audits. Open-source code lets outside researchers inspect what the client actually does rather than trust a description, and the recurring audits add a separate, named-firm assurance layer on top.
Open-source plus annual audits is the closest a VPN gets to externally checkable claims — but each audit still has a scope and a date, so read the actual report on Proton VPN's own blog before relying on any specific finding. The combination is why Proton VPN is a frequent reference point in the privacy-first cluster.
Jurisdiction & ownership
Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, which has strong privacy law and sits outside the EU and the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances. For a privacy product, Switzerland is among the more favourable jurisdictions, with no mandatory logging regime comparable to several EU states.
Ownership is a genuine differentiator here: Proton VPN's primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation, rather than a private-equity owner with a portfolio of VPN brands. That governance structure is a fact worth weighing if owner incentives are part of how you assess a privacy provider.
What we have not tested
We publish no speed or streaming figures because we have not measured them. Proton VPN offers a free tier as well as paid plans, but feature limits and current pricing should be confirmed on Proton VPN's own site, since they change.
Money-back terms and plan structure also change and are best read off Proton VPN's own pages at purchase. We leave those fields blank rather than publish a stale figure, and suggest trialling the service on your real workload before committing to a long plan.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Fully open-source apps across platforms — externally inspectable code.
- Consecutive annual independent no-logs audits.
- Based in Switzerland; primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation.
Cons
- We have run no hands-on tests, so we publish no speeds or rating.
- Free-tier limits and current pricing change — confirm on Proton VPN's own site.
- Each audit has a defined scope and date — read the report, not just the badge.
Frequently asked questions
Is Proton VPN open-source?
Yes. Proton VPN's apps are fully open-source across platforms, which lets independent researchers inspect what the client actually does. On top of that, Proton VPN publishes consecutive annual independent no-logs audits — open-source code plus recurring audits is among the strongest verifiable privacy combinations in the category.
Where is Proton VPN based?
Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, which has strong privacy law and sits outside the EU and the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances. It is among the more favourable jurisdictions for a privacy product.
Who owns Proton VPN?
Proton VPN's primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation, rather than a private-equity group with a portfolio of VPN brands. That governance structure is a relevant fact if owner incentives factor into how you assess a privacy provider.