As one of the best VPN providers on the market, Switzerland-based Proton VPN is widely trusted and perfect for any use. But what really stands out is its free VPN, Proton VPN Free.

With an unprecedented unlimited data plan, Proton VPN Free users can stay connected for as long as they want, whenever they want.

The free version of Proton VPN includes many features that other companies reserve for their paid versions. These include a kill switch, WireGuard, and access to technical support. Proton VPN does not skimp on speed either. In our internal testing of this VPN, connection speeds reached 380 Mbps. This is adequate performance for a paid VPN service, and we were really impressed that Proton VPN offers this as part of their free program.

Proton VPN's free users do not have P2P support. Proton VPN also does not unlock TV streaming services.

Proton VPN works on a variety of devices; it can be installed on PC, Mac, and Linux computers, as well as smartphones regardless of operating system. However, the free version of Proton VPN is limited to one device that can be connected to at a time. It also allows access to only one of three server locations: Japan, the U.S., and the Netherlands. While the omitted premium service also includes malware protection and an ad blocker, we are confident that Proton VPN Free is the best free option for everyday, casual protection.

Number of servers: 3 Number of countries: 3 Platforms supported: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux Number of simultaneous connections: 1 Split Tunneling Yes (Windows and Android) Kill switch Yes Protocols supported WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPv6 Country of registration Switzerland Support: Email, Knowledge Base

Proton VPN Free is a large and powerful app, but on the surface it doesn't overwhelm you with a huge amount of options. Just use the interactive map and sidebar links to choose a server location, and Proton VPN Free will do the rest. However, the default settings are enough to give you the best protection, even if you do not understand what all the other features do.

Some features are not available to Mac VPN users. One example is split tunneling. This feature allows you to decide which specific data or applications to send through the VPN and encrypt them, while leaving the others untouched. This feature improves connection speeds both over a VPN and over a regular network, so that users do not suffer from unnecessary slowdowns.

Using a mobile VPN application is not that difficult. Due to the screen size, you cannot see all the features and functions of the dashboard as you can with the desktop version. However, it is still very intuitive to use and has the same basic look and feel as the desktop version, making it easy to switch between the features you need.

Android VPN users have a slight advantage over iOS VPN users. This is especially helpful as cell phones tend to connect to open and unprotected networks as they roam the streets, making them more vulnerable to sneak thieves and hackers.

In our tests, we connected to all three locations offered by Proton VPN. Speeds varied depending on which server we connected to. For example, when connecting to a server in the Netherlands, the speed was only 130 Mbps. However, when connecting to a server in the U.S., the speed was an astounding 380 Mbps. Since we also test paid VPN programs, it was easy to see that Proton VPN could reach the speeds typically seen with premium programs like TunnelBear.

Unlike some free rivals like PrivadoVPN Free, the Proton VPN Free program does not work with streaming services, so you cannot access content from other countries. This includes popular video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video, and as a matter of fact this is one of the only areas where Proton is losing ground to competitors. If you do upgrade, the full version of Proton VPN is one of the best Netflix VPN services.

One of the great features of Proton VPN Free is the availability of some help if you have questions. There is no in-person technical support via phone or live chat, but you can send questions via email. You will receive an auto-response saying your question will be answered in a day or two, but in our experience, you will receive an answer a bit sooner than that.

When it comes to free versions of VPNs, we think Proton VPN Free is the best when it comes to general privacy (opens in new tab). It has all the privacy and security features you would expect from a paid VPN, as well as excellent connection speeds and unlimited data plans, making it the best free VPN for day-to-day use. If you want to torrent or stream foreign content, you may find the limitations a hindrance, but overall we have not tested a better free provider than Proton VPN Free.