Getting online privacy should not cost you your peace of mind. ProtonVPN’s free trial offers a secure gateway to unrestricted browsing, no payment upfront. In this guide, I walk you through creating a free ProtonVPN account—perfect for users seeking anonymity, streaming access, or safer public Wi-Fi use. With rising digital threats, knowing how to start with ProtonVPN is more relevant than ever. WireGuard adoption is also reshaping VPN performance.
You can also check out our guide to get a Free Trial for all top VPN Service
ProtonVPN free plan vs. Paid subscription plans: Difference between them
Here are the main differences I found between ProtonVPN Free, Plus, and Unlimited plans.
Feature | ProtonVPN Free | ProtonVPN Plus | ProtonVPN Unlimited |
---|---|---|---|
Pricing | Free | • €9.99/month • €71.88 for one year (€5.99/month) • €119.76 for two years (€4.99/month) |
• €11.99/month • €119.88 for one year (€9.99/month) • €191.76 for two years (€7.99/month) |
Servers | 100+ servers in 3 countries (USA, Netherlands, Japan) | 1900+ servers in 65+ countries | 1900+ servers in 65+ countries |
Speed | Medium | Highest speed VPN | Highest speed VPN |
VPN Connections | One device connection | Simultaneous connections up to 10 devices at the same time | Simultaneous connections up to 10 devices at the same time |
No-Logs Policy | Strict | Strict | Strict |
Volume/Bandwidth | Unlimited Bandwidth | Unlimited Bandwidth | Unlimited Bandwidth |
VPN accelerator | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Secure core | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DNS Leak Prevention | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Kill Switch/Always-On VPN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Encrypted VPN Servers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Router Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Split Tunneling (Android and Windows only) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Proton Mail Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Proton Calendar Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Proton Drive Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ProtonVPN Plus Access | No | Yes | Yes |
30-day Money-Back Guarantee | No | Yes | Yes |
How to Create a ProtonVPN Free VPN Account
Here are the steps I followed to get the Proton VPN free forever version on Windows OS or macOS.
Step 1) Go to the ProtonVPN website (https://protonvpn.com/) and click on the “Get ProtonVPN Free” button.
Step 2) To create a free VPN account provide your email address and a secure password. To confirm the email, ProtonVPN will send a verification code to the provided email.
Step 3) Now your free account signup is complete, press the “Continue with Free” button to avail the free plan trial.
Step 4) You will be directed to the downloads page. You can download the appropriate client for your preferred platform and begin using ProtonVPN’s free tier here.
Step 5) Install the app and launch it. Log in to the app using the credentials you created for Proton VPN free account in Step 2.
Note: Once Login the Proton VPN app, you can connect to any available server.
If you want to try a paid plan, you can choose from the available plans on the website.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
How to get Proton VPN Premium Account: 30 Days Trial
Here are some quick steps I used to upgrade my ProtonVPN plan from Basic to Plus or Ultimate.
Step 1) Log in to your Proton VPN free account on their website, then click the “Dashboard” tab in the top menu.
Step 2) Under the “Your current plan” section, click the “Explore other proton plans” button.
Step 3) From the available plans in the “Select a plan” window, click on the plan you want to select. We recommend you choose the cheapest plan as you will eventually claim a refund.
How to avail of ProtonVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee
ProtonVPN offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee for users who wish to cancel their subscriptions and request a refund. Here are the steps I followed to avail of the Proton money-back guarantee.
Step 1) Visit “Support form”.
Step 2) Fill out the form by entering the required account details or information as requested by customer support. You also, state your intention to cancel your subscription and request a refund.
Step 3) Proceed by clicking the “Send Support Request” button after providing the necessary information in the forms.
The Proton team will review your request and process the refund if it falls within the 30-day money-back guarantee period. The refund will be issued in the original currency of payment and in the original payment method used for the subscription. Refunds can only be requested once per user and will be processed within 14 days of the refund request.
Note: Keep in mind that accounts terminated due to a violation of ProtonVPN’s Terms are not eligible for a refund.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
ProtonVPN Alternatives
While exploring options, I came across several VPNs with free trials and plans like ProtonVPN. Here are some alternatives and what they offer.
- NordVPN: NordVPN is a well-known VPN service. The VPN provider boasts a wide range of servers with military-grade encryption and online privacy. Advanced features like Double VPN and CyberSec are also included. NordVPN permits up to 6.
- ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN also offers 7 and 30-day free trial versions. It has an extensive server network, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. It allows 5 devices connections simultaneously.
Limitation of refund policy
It’s worth noting from what I’ve seen that ProtonVPN’s 30-day return policy has some limitations, such as
- ProtonVPN’s refund policy is only valid for the first 30 days after a user purchases a premium package. After this time, refunds won’t be given.
- Only new account subscribers are eligible for a full refund policy. Individuals are not qualified for another refund if they have already received one for a prior subscription.
- ProtonVPN may be unable to issue refunds for certain payment methods or cryptocurrencies.
- The processing time for refunds at ProtonVPN can take up to 14 days, so it might take some time before users receive their money back.
Which Server Locations Are Available on ProtonVPN for Free?
The Proton VPN Basic plan allows users to access 100 servers in only three countries:
- United States
- Netherlands
- Japan
However, the ProtonVPN paid plans provide access to servers in over 65+ countries. These servers use AES 256-bit encryption for enhanced security and are compatible with a wide range of streaming services.
FAQs:
Conclusion
I signed up for ProtonVPN to see how their free and paid tiers compare. The free version is reliable for basic use, but the premium options definitely deliver more. Switching plans is smooth, and the refund process is clear. I liked that I could test ProtonVPN without long-term risk. For anyone unsure about committing, the money-back guarantee makes it worth trying. It is a flexible choice for privacy-conscious users.