Alternatives
Best Proton VPN alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best Proton VPN alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/proton-vpn
9 direct alternatives to Proton VPN, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- NordVPN is the top alternative to Proton VPN on our list, followed by ExpressVPN and Surfshark.
- None of the 9 alternatives has a free plan.
- Highest rated: ExpressVPN, 4.6 out of 5 from 291 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 9 alternatives
Top 3 alternatives to Proton VPN
NordVPN
#1 Top pickOnline VPN service for privacy
Starting price
From $3.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.0 /5 across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more · 18,319 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
ExpressVPN
#2Secure your connection, access global content, and enjoy fast speeds
Starting price
From $3.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 291 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Highest rated
Surfshark
#3Unlimited devices, all-in-one online security and privacy
Starting price
From $2.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.3 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 923 ratings, Sep 2026
Proton VPN vs 9 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $6.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 5 ratings on G2 (5) |
| Price: $3.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.0 out of 5, from 18,319 ratings across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more (18,319) |
| Price: $3.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 291 ratings across G2 and Capterra (291) |
| Price: $2.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 923 ratings across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra (923) |
 | Price: $2.19/mo | Free plan: No | 4.1 out of 5, from 750 ratings across SourceForge, Capterra and Trustpilot (750) |
 | Price: $8/mo | Free plan: No | 4.4 out of 5, from 162 ratings across PeerSpot, G2 and Capterra (162) |
 | Price: Not published | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 141 ratings across PeerSpot and Capterra (141) |
 | Price: $5/mo | Free plan: No | 3.7 out of 5, from 154 ratings across G2, SourceForge and Trustpilot (154) |
 | Price: $1.88/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 38 ratings on SourceForge (38) |
 | Price: $2.03/mo | Free plan: No | n/a |
Why people consider alternatives to Proton VPN
Proton VPN offers Swiss-based privacy protection with a strict no-logs policy and open-source apps. The free tier provides unlimited bandwidth while paid plans unlock faster servers in 60+ countries.
Here are the real cost and limitation gotchas that push teams to look elsewhere:
- Monthly pricing ($9.99/month) is 3.3x more expensive than the 2-year rate. Casual users testing the service for a few months pay a significant premium.
- Renewal pricing reverts to standard rates after promotional periods. Check your renewal price before your term ends, it may be higher than your initial sign-up rate.
- The free plan limits you to 1 device and servers in only 5 countries (Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland, US) with medium speed. Streaming services are not supported on the free tier.
- Proton Unlimited at $7.99/month sounds like a deal, but it also requires a 2-year upfront payment of $191.76. The monthly Unlimited plan is $12.99/month.
The 9 alternatives below cover the same core job (VPN) with different trade-offs.
Proton VPN by the numbers
Toolradar data: Proton VPN's entry paid plan ($6.99/mo, billed yearly) ranks #13 of 18 for price among the VPN tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $4.25/mo. Its head-to-head comparison pages had 112 visits in the last 30 days, ranking #3 of 30 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in VPN. As of Nov 2026.
- #2 (joint) most-listed alternative in VPN, out of 37 tools in VPN. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #50 (joint) most-listed alternative in Security, out of 735 tools in Security. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #17 most compared in Security, out of 191 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Security. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
| Metric | Proton VPN | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $6.99/mo, billed yearly | $4.25/mo | #13 of 18 tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | Yes | 21 of 37 have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 17 tools | 4 | #2 of 37 (joint) |
| Toolradar page visits, last 30 days | 1,427 visits | 492 | #1 of 8 tools with 50+ visits |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 112 visits | 45 | #3 of 30 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare Proton VPN with NordVPN, Surfshark and Windscribe VPN (last 30 days, Nov 2026).
Listed as an alternative to: #2 on 2026-10-16 to #2 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 37 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All VPN data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Proton VPN by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
VPN leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks VPN tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 18 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CyberGhost VPN | $2.03/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | IPVanish | $2.19/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Surfshark | $2.49/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | ZoogVPN | $2.49/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | Bitdefender | $2.50/mo, billed yearly |
Most visited, last 30 days
Distinct visitor sessions on the tool's Toolradar page over the last 30 days, with bots excluded by our analytics. A session counts once however many times it reloads the page.
Counted among 8 tools with 50+ visits.
| # | Tool | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proton VPN | 1,427 visits |
| 2 | Hide.me | 834 visits |
| 3 | Windscribe VPN | 639 visits |
| 4 | Opera | 619 visits |
| 5 | ZoogVPN | 365 visits |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 18 of 37 VPN tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “VPN leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All VPN statistics.
9 alternatives to Proton VPN
Ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review, plus how directly they replace Proton VPN.
- 1
NordVPN
Paid Battle-tested at scaleOnline VPN service for privacy
4.0 /5 across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more · 18,319 ratings, Sep 2026
From $3.49/mo, billed monthly
- 2
ExpressVPN
Paid Higher rated by usersSecure your connection, access global content, and enjoy fast speeds
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 291 ratings, Sep 2026
From $3.49/mo, billed monthly
- 3
Surfshark
PaidUnlimited devices, all-in-one online security and privacy
4.3 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 923 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2.49/mo, billed monthly
- 4
IPVanish
PaidDigital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage.
4.1 /5 across SourceForge, Capterra and Trustpilot · 750 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2.19/mo, billed monthly
- 5
NordLayer
PaidEnterprise-grade network security deployed in minutes.
4.4 /5 across PeerSpot, G2 and Capterra · 162 ratings, Sep 2026
From $8/user/mo, billed monthly
- 6
Perimeter 81
Paid Higher rated by usersZero Trust Network Access platform for secure remote access to cloud and on-premises resources.
4.6 /5 across PeerSpot and Capterra · 141 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
- 7
Mullvad VPN
PaidAnonymous VPN with no personal info required
3.7 /5 across G2, SourceForge and Trustpilot · 154 ratings, Aug 2026
From $5/mo, billed monthly
- 8
Private Internet Access
Paid Higher rated by usersSecure your online privacy and access content globally with a fast, no-logs VPN service.
4.6 /5 on SourceForge · 38 ratings, Mar 2026
From $1.88/mo, billed monthly
- 9
CyberGhost VPN
PaidSecure your online activity, hide your IP, and access content globally with a fast and private VPN.
From $2.03/mo, billed monthly
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Proton VPN?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to Proton VPN are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to Proton VPN?
Most Proton VPN alternatives offer paid plans, though some include free tiers or trials. Check the pricing pill on each alternative below.
Why do people look for Proton VPN alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from Proton VPN: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in vpn. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for Proton VPN versus each alternative.
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