Pricing varies by billing cycle and promotions; common options include monthly, yearly, and multi-year plans. Higher-tier Premium plans typically allow more simultaneous connections and advanced features (Secure Core, high-speed servers). Check Proton VPN’s official site for current rates and discounts.
Proton VPN Premium is one of the best privacy-first VPNs on the market. It’s not the cheapest (look to Surfshark or PIA for budget options), but you pay for transparency, independent audits, and a free tier that actually respects privacy.
If your threat model includes government-level adversaries or aggressive data collection, Proton VPN Premium + Secure Core is an excellent choice. For casual Netflix unblocking, it’s still strong—but overkill for some.
Recommendation: Start with the 7-day free trial of Premium (via the Android or iOS app). Then commit to the 2-year plan if satisfied.
Upgrading to a paid account isn’t just about removing ads or speed caps. It provides a fundamentally different experience. proton vpn premium accounts
1. Access to All 3,000+ Servers in 70+ Countries
Free users are limited to just a few server locations (e.g., US, Netherlands, Japan). Premium users get the full global network, including high-speed 10 Gbps servers optimized for streaming and downloads.
2. P2P & Torrenting Support
Proton VPN is one of the few VPNs that explicitly allows P2P file sharing on dedicated, high-bandwidth servers. Free accounts do not support BitTorrent.
3. Streaming Unblocks (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+)
Premium servers are optimized to bypass geo-restrictions. Free servers are not. If you want to watch another country’s Netflix catalog or live sports, you need Premium.
4. Secure Core
This is Proton’s flagship privacy feature. Your traffic first passes through a hardened server in a privacy-friendly country (Switzerland, Iceland, Sweden) before exiting to the open internet—defending against network-based attacks. Pricing varies by billing cycle and promotions; common
5. NetShield (Ad & Malware Blocker)
Premium includes NetShield, a DNS-filtering feature that blocks ads, trackers, and known malware domains. Free users don’t get this.
6. Up to 10 Simultaneous Connections
Free: 1 device.
Premium: 10 devices. Covers your whole household.
7. Tor over VPN
Automatic routing of Tor traffic through Proton’s VPN—without needing to configure Tor bridges.
| Feature | Free | Premium | |--------|------|---------| | Servers | 100+ (3 countries) | 3,000+ (70+ countries) | | Speed | Standard | High-speed (10 Gbps) | | Streaming | ❌ | ✅ (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) | | P2P/Torrenting | ❌ | ✅ | | Secure Core | ❌ | ✅ | | NetShield | ❌ | ✅ | | Devices | 1 | 10 | | Support | Community only | 24/7 live chat & email | Upgrading to a paid account isn’t just about
To conclude this deep dive, let’s weigh the pros and cons of paying for Premium versus sticking to Free or switching to a cheaper competitor.
The "Yes" (Buy Premium if):
The "No" (Stick with Free if):
The Alternative: If you need premium features but find Proton too expensive, competitors like Mullvad VPN (flat $5/month) offer strong privacy, though they lack the free tier and Swiss jurisdiction.