The Proton VPN Free Trial: 2024 Guide to the Free Plan & Money-Back Guarantee
Proton VPN used to offer a seven-day free trial for its paid subscriptions, but the trial has since been shelved and replaced by the free version. We’ll cover how to use the new Proton VPN “free trial” below.
Written by Jeremy Gan (Writer)
Reviewed by Aleksander Hougen (Managing Editor)
Facts checked by Vildana Bratic (Video Editor, Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-02-12T13:50:00+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Proton VPN Free Trial Options
- Proton VPN used to have a seven-day free trial, but it has since been discontinued.
- The Proton VPN free plan offers unlimited data, unlimited bandwidth and all features; it’s restricted in the number of available servers and simultaneous connections.
- The paid Proton VPN plan has a refund period of 30 days, which lets you test the VPN’s full server spread.
If you’re looking for a Proton VPN free trial, you have a couple of options: you can either use the excellent free plan or the paid plan’s 30-day money-back guarantee. Proton VPN used to offer a seven-day free trial for its premium plans, but you won’t miss it with these two other options available.
There’s a reason why we rank Proton VPN as the best free VPN provider. It provides unlimited data, standard VPN features. However, the VPN server options include only three countries: the U.S., the Netherlands and Japan. It also has only one simultaneous connection at a time.
If you want to access more country servers and more simultaneous connections within a free trial period, you can pay for a month and then take advantage of the 30-day refund policy. If you want a deeper look into this impressive VPN that also earned fourth place on our list of the best VPNs, we recommend reading our full Proton VPN review.
Does Proton VPN Have a Free Trial?
Proton VPN does not have an official free trial. The VPN used to let users test its premium plan free for seven days, but it no longer offers the trial period. Instead, Proton VPN offers a free forever plan that can serve as a free trial.
Alternatively, you can purchase a paid plan and gain full access; since there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can essentially get a 30-day free trial on any of the subscription plans.
Proton VPN Free vs Paid Plan
A free Proton VPN account includes its basic features and one simultaneous connection. The free version also unlocks only three server locations: the U.S., Japan and the Netherlands. However, each country has multiple servers, so you can switch to another server if the one you’re using becomes too busy.
Proton VPN’s free trial has many basic features — like an automatic kill switch, split tunneling, multiple protocols — but a number of others are reserved for the paid plans.
| Plans | Features |
|---|---|
| Proton Free | 3 country locations 1 simultaneous connection Unlimited data Standard VPN features No ads |
| Proton Premium | 65 country locations 10 simultaneous connections Unlimited data Advanced VPN features No ads High-speed streaming Ad-blocker & malware protection Double hop servers |
Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks the complete server location list, 10 simultaneous connections, high speed streaming, plus other premium features like specialized servers, including double hop.
There’s only one paid subscription tier with three durations; you can choose between one-month, one-year and two-year billing periods
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
How To Use Proton VPN Free as a Trial on Desktop
The Proton VPN free version will work immediately after installation and activation. You won’t need to give Proton AG any payment details.
- Find the Free VPN Page
Go to the Proton VPN official website and scroll until you find the “free VPN” link in the footer. Click on it to reach the correct page.
- Start the Signup Process
Once you’re on the free VPN page, click on the “get Proton VPN free” button.
- Enter Details
Enter a valid email address and password for your new account. Choose to verify via email or SMS, and enter the verification code you receive.
- Choose the Free Plan
Make sure to select the free option instead of the Plus subscription plan. Once you’re directed to the downloads page, get the desktop client and install it.
How to Get the Proton VPN Free on Mobile
You can create an account using your preferred email address or by making a Proton Mail account. Both are free, but the latter will also let you use Proton’s other services. The free account signup process is as follows.
- Download Proton VPN
Download and install the Proton VPN app from the Google Play store or Apple app store. Launch Proton VPN and tap “create an account.”
- Create an Account
Provide an email address or create a new Proton Mail account. Open your inbox and get your six-digit verification code. Enter it in the field to proceed.
- Start Using Proton VPN
Create a secure password and confirm your choice. You can then use Proton VPN’s free subscription forever.
Use Proton VPN Money-Back Guarantee: All the Features
While Proton VPN’s free plan is excellent, there are some limitations. If you want to try a fully featured version of Proton VPN, making use of the 30-day money-back guarantee on the Plus plan is a good way to do so. Proton states in its terms and conditions page that it will process all refunds within 14 days, faster than some VPN services.
In addition to the Plus plan, users can purchase Proton Unlimited, which includes access to other Proton products like Proton Mail, Proton Calendar and the company’s VPN service. After sending an email to Proton AG, we received confirmation that Proton Unlimited also has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How Do I Cancel Proton VPN and Claim a Refund?
Users who purchased the Proton Plus plan can request a refund within 30 days. You can contact Proton VPN via the support form or by emailing [email protected]. Make sure you specify that you want a refund after canceling your subscription.
Note that Proton VPN cannot refund your purchase if you paid by bank transfer or cash. Users can only request a refund once to prevent abuse of the system.
Best Free Proton VPN Alternatives: Your Last Resort
Proton VPN is excellent whether you’re using the paid version or a free VPN account, but you may want to consider another VPN provider. Here are two that are among the best VPNs we’ve reviewed, each earning a place on our list of the best free VPNs.
1. Windscribe
The free version of Windscribe includes access to 11 server locations but has a monthly data limit of 15GB. It unblocks some streaming services and keeps you anonymous. Windscribe is also a top free VPN provider, and it’s a great choice if you need more free server locations. Our Windscribe review has further details.
- Up to 15 GB free with email confirmation and Tweet
- 15GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
2. TunnelBear
TunnelBear is another freemium VPN you can trust. Like Windscribe, TunnelBear has a data limit, capping use on the free plan at 2GB. However, you can use the full feature set and all server locations without paying. TunnelBear takes online privacy seriously and is among the top three free VPNs. Check out our TunnelBear review here.
- 2GB
- 2GB
- 5
- Unlimited GB, five devices, priority customer service
- Unlimited GB
- 5
- Yes
Final Thoughts: Proton VPN Free Trial Options
Proton VPN’s premium plan used to have a free trial version, but it has since been scrapped in favor of the provider’s free plan. The free subscription Proton VPN offers doesn’t have bandwidth or data limitations, but you can only use it on one device at once and connect to servers in three countries. Nevertheless, it has the hallmarks of a top-tier free VPN service.
Proton VPN offers one of the best free VPN trials without credit card. In other words, registering for a free Proton VPN plan doesn’t require credit card information. If you want to get Proton VPN Plus or Proton Unlimited, you can get a full refund thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. The paid plans will unlock the complete set of functions.
What do you think of the Proton VPN free version? Let us know in the comments section below. Thank you for reading.
FAQ: Get a Free Trial for Proton VPN
A Proton VPN free account can unblock Netflix, and the speeds are usually excellent. You can also unblock streaming platforms like Hulu and BBC iPlayer.
The free subscription has no time or data limits, meaning you can stream shows to your heart’s content.
Proton VPN’s free plan will only let one device connect at a time, but upgrading to a paid plan increases the number to 10 connections.
There are currently no methods for getting Proton VPN Plus for free unless you purchase it and get a refund within 30 days.