Club Benefits
These days a VPN is so much more than an encrypted tunnel through which your data can safely travel. With so many providers on the market, there's plenty of competition from the best VPNs to offer more and more features to hook new users.
Up in those ranks is Proton VPN, which prides itself on ensuring the internet is free and open to all, no matter where you are in the world.
10 Gbit servers
Boasting more than 20,000 servers across 145 countries, Proton VPN has a strong network in its arsenal — and it does one better by offering 10Gbps connectivity on most of its locations.
Considering that when you're using a VPN your traffic is porting through a server that could be located on the other side of the world, there's always the risk you could experience slower loading, downloading and connection times.
With its 10Gbps servers, though, Proton is primed to circumvent that issue.
That really rang true in our testing to discover the fastest VPN, with Proton VPN taking the #1 spot (at the time of writing): "It performed well in our domestic Wi-Fi tests, meaning its performance stays consistent even when not on super-fast Wi-Fi. It was also the fastest when using an obfuscated protocol, so even if you're being super-secure, you don't need to worry about being slowed down."
VPN Accelerator
As if its 10 Gbit servers weren't impressive enough where speedy performance is concerned, Proton VPN has developed its VPN Accelerator feature, which also looks to boost connection speeds.
With its unique technologies, the VPN Accelerator avoids being slowed down by CPU (Central Processing Unit) limitations that affect how protocols are processed.
Indeed, with Proton VPN's Accelerator feature, it actually claims to speed up your connection by 400%, reducing latency, with all of its protocols able to adapt and iron out any inefficiencies in its code.
Full disk encryption
Online security isn't just about concealing what you're doing online in the moment. Proton VPN pledges to dive even deeper into keeping your data safe.
It does this with tools like its full disk encryption (FDE), which does exactly what it says. Anything stored on your device, from files to apps, will be automatically encrypted, only accessible by entering a password, pin, or utilizing biometric passkeys.
We like the way Proton phrases it: "Think of FDE like having a safe: Even if someone steals it, they wouldn't be able to open it without the combination, so all your valuables stay protected."
Kill Switch
At this point, a kill switch is part and parcel of most VPN offerings (which is why you can also get it on Proton VPN Free) — but you certainly wouldn't want to be without one.
Kill switches work as a failsafe; should your internet connection drop for whatever reason, the kill switch will activate and kill all network traffic, avoiding your IP address or any traffic data being left exposed.
Proton VPN has its own kill switch, with the option to utilize its always-on setting, with different configurable settings to target particular networks and online tasks.
NetShield ad-blocker
Netshield is Proton VPN's very own ad-blocker.
Not only does Netshield make browsing online a smoother, cleaner experience without annoying ads cluttering up the place, but it also protects you from the more harmful ads and trackers, and the potential for your device to be infected with malware.
It does this by utilizing its database of domains that are known to host malware and makes checks against the websites you visit and the apps you use. Its DNS servers then block where it finds a match.
It's a similar story with its ad and tracker blocking, preventing advertising companies from following you around the internet and misusing your data. With Netshield, you'll keep your online activity private and your device secure.
Secure Core
Not only is Proton VPN the speediest provider out there, we currently also have the Swiss-based provider as our #1 choice for the most private VPN.
We said: "If you want to keep your data and browsing away from the prying eyes of Google's trackers, Facebook's algorithms and data harvesters, Proton VPN is the perfect choice."
That's in part thanks to its Secure Core infrastructure.
These extra secure servers are located in countries with some of the best data privacy laws, such as Iceland and Switzerland, and are stored in high security data centers owned by Proton VPN.
There are no third parties at play here, Proton VPN keeps it all in house, with all Secure Core servers offering FDE (as explained above). And even users of Proton VPN's free service can connect to Secure Core equipped servers.
Stealth VPN protocol
Speaking of protocols, Proton VPN's Stealth is perhaps its most on-brand feature.
Stealth is the protocol to use if you want or need to remain undetected when online. In Proton VPN's own words, it allows you to "bypass internet censorship and VPN blocks". It does this by using obfuscated TLS tunneling in a way that makes your internet traffic look like normal, non-VPN traffic.
Claiming to be an 'undetectable' protocol, it can bypass firewalls and other advanced VPN blocking methods. From there, you’ll be able to access censored sites, and communicate with others through blocked social networks — even in countries where the government is trying to restrict those online avenues.
Tor over VPN
It needn't be one or the other when it comes to Tor vs VPN.
While Tor — an open source browser that offers high level privacy for better online anonymity and the ability to circumvent censorship — is already incredibly secure, there are vulnerabilities that the use of a VPN can iron out. Namely, concealing the Tor entry node, which could otherwise be detected by an attacker and used to break your Tor anonymity.
A VPN encrypts your connection and conceals your IP address, essentially wiping your activity like it never even happened.
Proton VPN's Tor over VPN tool makes this even more seamless. Connect to one of its Tor servers, which include nodes that reroute your internet traffic directly through to the Tor network.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
