Proton VPN
Switzerland
Swiss VPN from the makers of ProtonMail, with a fully audited no-logs policy and a genuinely free tier.
European Alternative to:
The VPN arm of Proton, built and operated from Geneva by the same team behind Proton Mail. Launched in 2017 after a crowdfunding round, Proton VPN is the rare consumer VPN that publishes its source code, gets independently audited and runs a serious free tier.
What you get
- Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and a router-friendly OpenVPN config
- A genuinely usable free tier, with no bandwidth cap and no ads
- Secure Core, multi-hop routing through Proton-owned servers in Switzerland, Sweden and Iceland before exit
- NetShield ad and tracker blocker at the DNS level
- A no-logs policy, audited annually by Securitum, with the reports published
Where it sits
Proton AG is Swiss, which puts the company outside the 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing arrangement. Servers run in around 100 countries; the ones owned and operated by Proton themselves (rather than rented) are clearly labelled in the apps.
Honestly
Proton VPN is rarely the absolute fastest in raw throughput tests, and the free tier's server choice is intentionally limited to push you toward a paid plan. What you get for the trade-off is one of the most transparent VPN operations on the market: open-source clients, audited servers, a Swiss legal entity, and the same company you trust with your mailbox.
Sweden
Germany