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Proton VPN Reviews 912

TrustScore 2 out of 5

2.2

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 211 reviews, most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Many customers reported significant drops in internet speed, making streaming and general browsing difficult or impossible. People frequently experienced issues with the service not connecting or being unstable, leading to frustration and an inability to access websites or use the VPN effectively. Reviewers also mentioned problems with the subscription model, including automatic renewals without clear notice and difficulties in managing their accounts or accessing paid features. However, some customers also noted that the app runs smoothly on older Windows systems and provides good speed, sometimes even outperforming other VPN services. A few other people also felt that the service is trustworthy and prioritizes user privacy, with some expressing satisfaction with their long-term subscriptions.

What people talk about most

Website

Reviewers highlight ambiguous aspects of website functionality, with many experiencing issues such as... See more

Service

Users describe ambiguous interactions with service, with many reviewers expressing significant... See more

User experience

Consumers find user experience to be ambiguous, with some reporting consistently fast and stable connections,... See more

Subscription

Clients share ambiguous opinions on subscription, with many expressing dissatisfaction and stating they are... See more

Application

Customers had ambiguous experiences with the app, with some initially trying the free version to assess their... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

i purchased a sub on 3 November, for a year, everything went ok, until i thought ill purchase another sub with lumo+ unlimited the other day. in my head i was thinking that would continue until 2027,... See more

Company replied

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It was excellent during the 30 day money back period. As soon as this expired speed dropped by 75%, streaming apps we previously used with no problem became unusable. Customer service is appalling. E... See more

Company replied

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Have been having buffering issues for several weeks now on numerous streaming platforms. Thinking that it my be my internet provider throttling my speed, I decided to do a speed test on Fast com... See more

Company replied

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I paid for and downloaded Proton VPN, drive and email and within a month or two, I opened my computer to find my desktop littered with files belonging to someone I don't know. These were things like... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. VPN Service

About Proton VPN

Written by the company

Experience true freedom online.

Gain unrestricted access to global content, block annoying ads, and safeguard your privacy with a fast and secure VPN.

Contact info

2.2

Poor

TrustScore 2 out of 5

912 reviews

5-star
4-star
3-star
2-star
1-star

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Be careful of this scam

Be careful! This company is a scam ! It has neither security nor privacy ! They even can track users through Chargebee payment systems! So the no-logs policy is a joke for knowledgeable technical people!

In addition , they have very SLOOOOW customer care team! No refunds once you make a payment, even if you create a dispute! After I made payment by mistake on PayPal I asked them to refund it. Instead, they disabled my account while keeping my money 💰!! PayPal is investigating their misconduct!

Lastly, if you use their Proton Pass, they will disable your account while keeping your entire passwords database in their storage !

UPDATE: here is my ticket number: 4155078. Can you issue a full refund ? And your agent Maja who has been ignoring our messages for 24 hours needs to be rectified!

UPDATE: 1 day since I canceled my dispute (as instructed by Proton incompetent support) and still has NOT received any refund or emails from the support !!! Even my account is still disabled and I am locked out of my passwords’ vault!!! FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERING TRYING ANY OF PROTON SERVICES I HIGHLY ADVISE YOU TO NOT TO! Avoid Proton!!

12 November 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

First and foremost, strictly necessary information is shared with Chargebee for credit card, PayPal, Stripe, and Bitcoin transactions in order for the payment to be successful and associated with your account. Chargebee does not have access to your email or your Proton account information. We rely on third parties to process credit card, PayPal, and Bitcoin transactions and must therefore share payment information with them. We do not retain full credit card details, we only save your name and the last 4 digits of the credit card number. Anonymous cash or Bitcoin payments are accepted. We may use your account data for payment-related matters, including but not limited to sending you emails, invoices, receipts, notices of delinquency, and alerts to update payment information. The legal basis of these processing activities is the necessity to the execution of the contract to provide the Services. You can learn more at https://proton.me/legal/privacy.

Furthermore, activating a dispute is not the proper way to ask for a refund. Our refund policy is quite straightforward, and if you'd like to request a refund, all you need to do is contact us once the subscription on the account is canceled so that we may process the refund from our end. As per our refund policy, you may cancel your account with a refund within 30 days of the initial purchase. However, if you rely on dispute or chargeback mechanisms of third-party payment processors, you waive your right to the above-mentioned refund from the Company. That said, as long as the dispute is active, we cannot operate, and your account is automatically disabled. Let us know your ticket number so we can check on your case and see how we can assist you further.

Last but not least, Proton Pass' design uses end-to-end encryption, guaranteeing that all cryptographic operations, including key generation and data encryption, are performed locally on your device. This means that your unencrypted data cannot be accessed by Proton or shared with any third parties. Proton servers never have access to your unencrypted keys, data, or credentials, including your Proton account password. Navigate to https://proton.me/blog/proton-pass-security-model for more details on the Proton Pass security model.

Edit: Thank you for the update. The agent is working on processing your request, so please remain patient while this is being sorted out. The agent will be back with you shortly with further details.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Proton VPN is an excellent service, and the negative reviews do not reflect my long-term experience.

I used the free version of Proton VPN for years and found it to be incredibly reliable and fast, which is a rare feat for a completely free product. It was efficient and never let me down. This free access is truly a sign of a company that values providing security to everyone. On Windows, Android, iPadOS, and Fedora, Debian and linux Mint, it is always very reliable.
I was happy to upgrade to VPN Plus in January 2025 to support the company. My commitment grew even stronger on November 8, 2025, when I renewed for two years of VPN Plus and added Proton Pass Plus to my subscription for a year.
If you are looking for a trustworthy VPN provider that puts user privacy first, look no further. This company delivers quality even in its free service, and their paid ecosystem is top-notch.

8 November 2025
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Thank you for your positive feedback.

If there happens to be anything we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact at any time. We're always eager to help!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Got the black friday deal...works great…

Got the black friday deal...works great with every server I tried.
No problems as yet, no avalanche of emails, just a thankyou. simple and efficient.

4 November 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Thank you for your support.

If you happen to need our assistance with anything, feel free to reach out to us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact at any time. We're always happy to help!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Horrible absolutely horrible program

Horrible absolutely horrible program. I paid $21 for one month in Australia and they don't let me connect it a single VPN not one single VPN I tried to connect to even an Australian one nope. It won't let me it will not let me connect to a single not one not one single VPN there is nothing I can do to connect to a VPN because it does not let me so what they've done is. They've taken my money, and they haven't let me connect to anything. They're like hey me first. I want your money. I need your money. Give me give me give me and then I can't connect to a single VPN

1 November 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Could you share more details about the issue? What OS are you experiencing this on exactly? Are you receiving any error messages? Have you tried switching connection protocols? Are you using any other VPNs on the same device?

Please contact us using the 'Report an issue' option in the app menu so we can help you troubleshoot.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Not worth the hype

It works for a while, but will eventually just... stop, eventually getting to a point where you open it, the window appears, and then it crashes. I uninstalled and reinstalled the program several times before giving up and swapping to another, cheaper, VPN provider. Also, it says on their website that you can browse Netflix content that is restricted to certain countries, but this is incorrect; Netflix detected that I was using a VPN and prevented me from continuing any further.

All in all, it's not worth the hype unless you're prepared for some serious headaches.

31 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! We're sorry to hear that.

Could you share more details about these issues? What OS are you using Proton VPN on exactly? Are you receiving any error messages? Do you have any antivirus, firewall, or network monitoring app installed?

Contact us using the 'Report an issue' option in the app menu, or at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact, with more details so we can help you troubleshoot.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Stay away

Stay away. They will NOT honour their 30 day money back guarantee and you can talk to their "support team" until you're blue in the face. They will come up with excuse after excuse. I also notice the auto bot thing (edit: look at the response, just like every other response) is being used to answer complaints like so many other useless greedy companies out there.
I wish I had never gone for Proton. I guess all the good reviews are paid for by Proton with OUR money. I was stupid enough to go for their 2 year plan, so now I'm stuck with a mediocre VPN at best (I have since take it off my PC, I want nothing to do with Proton ever again) and spent £81.16 for the priviledge. Scammers doesn't even cover this company.
Trying to get the money back through your bank is also a stressful experience, so much so that I may as well give them my kidneys to prove Proton are total scammers, liars and do not honour their own 30 day money back guarantee.
EDIT: Instead of actually sorting out the issue and getting decent humans within their customer service, they'd rather have their so called reputation tarnished. Well, that's on Proton.

25 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Would you mind sharing your ticket number with us here? We'd be more than happy to check on your inquiry and see how we may be able to assist you further. Meanwhile, you can learn more about our refund policy at https://proton.me/legal/terms.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Totally useless

Totally useless, it keeps kicking me out every 1-2 minutes, so my true IP address is revealed. There are hundreds of VPNs out there that work, unfortunately this is not one of them. Save your time and money and go elsewhere!

28 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

What platform are you experiencing this issue on exactly? Are you being logged out of your Proton account, or is your VPN connection dropping? Are you receiving any error messages? Please contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact with more details so we can help you troubleshoot the issue further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Refund not possible if you ask for it in the last days

I‘ve asked for a refund based on the 30-days-money-back guarantee close to the end of the subscription.

They‘ve waited to respond after the 30 days expired to answer that‘s not possible anymore.

26 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Please share your ticket number with us here so we can check on your inquiry and see how we may be able to assist you further. Meanwhile, you can find more details about our refund policy at https://proton.me/legal/terms.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Skip this VPN service

Skip this VPN service, they don’t even seem to be a legitimate company. I gave them my email, gave them my money (which came off the credit card), downloaded the app… Try to login, “email doesn’t exist“. Cannot get a response from a human. It’s been three days. I should’ve used Nord.

20 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Could you share your ticket number with us here? We'd be more than happy to check on your report and see how we can assist you further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

no pricing untill you create an account

you cant see the pricing untill you create an account

22 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

You should be able to see our pricing page at https://protonvpn.com/pricing, without having to create an account. If you're having any difficulties, try using your browser in private/incognito mode, or contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact so we can investigate further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

My arguments and dissatisfaction with…

My arguments and dissatisfaction with Proton continues and I am compelled to write another review to warn people of this dreadful company. They continue to deny my a refund despite the promise of a 30 day money back guarantee. Let's be clear, my real beef with Proton is not about losing £10 - it is about the attitude and the complete lack of support. The ratings have dropped AGAIN down from 2.1 last week to 2.00 today. Ratings do NOT fall by accident it is because of YET MORE unhappy customers. I have requested a Subject Access Request which I am entitled to BY LAW. But despite requesting this weeks ago, I have STILL not even had an acknowledgement of my SAR. The company's administration and support and response time is truly shocking. VPN is a useful tool to enable access to TV while abroad and also some websites will not allow access while overseas. Ask yourself with something as important as this, do you want to trust Proton with your VPN and if you have a problem receive no support other than their "Do it yourself kit" I am now with NORD and it is fine, it works well and NORD do provide support if you need it. Remember a continued decline every week in ratings is proof something is wrong with continual complaints, do you really want to have all this hassle? I suggest NO - so go elsewhere - NORD - Total - Express - there are a dozen or more to use and whoever you choose, I am sure you will look back and be glad you did NOT sign up to Proton

19 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Please share your ticket number with us here. We'd be happy to check on your inquiry so we can clear up any confusion or misunderstandings and see how we may be able to assist you further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Slow

Slow, cutting off Internet, gaming through vpn nearly impossible just crap i am disappointed 12£ monthly you kidding me?!

18 October 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Sorry to hear that.

Could you share more details? Are you receiving any error messages? Have you tried switching protocols? Are you using any other VPNs on the same device? Contact us through the 'Report an issue' option in the app menu so we can help you troubleshoot.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The product is good and works better…

The product is good and works better than so many other VPNs - but and is a BIG BUT. The service and support is DREADFUL - is NON EXISTENT. If you have an issue you are directed to a website with a mass of options - what they are saying is "You sort it out we cannot be bothered". The help is is truly shocking and why I am switching away from Proton. I have been without the service for 48 hours now asked for help. Been sent the "Do it yourself kit" and could not sort it so still no service and no working VPN. The staff are lazy - take days to respond and really do not care. Don't take just my word for it a rating of 2.1 which is massively down on what it was 12 months ago is the key factor. Would you be proud of a 2.1 rating for your business if it was for something that is of such online importance. I have tried to resolve my issue but after just ONE attempt - receive a message TOO MANY ATTEMPTS have raised this with them and a message comes back "We are working on it" This is my 2nd go with Proton it will be my last. REALLY NOT IMPRESSED

FINALLY - HOW is this 24/7 service. Can send a message BUT to WHO? What a joke this is. Would be funny if no money involved but people pay money for SERVICE and do NOT get it from Proton.
Learn from this and use another VPN because you will be disappointed

Live Chat Availability: The live chat feature for Proton VPN is available 24/7, but it is only staffed during the hours of 9 AM to 12 AM CET.

NEW INFORMATION

Have just exchanged emails with NOTPRO which is a far better and apt name. Still NOT got access been locked out for 3 days and categoric confirmation that the do NOT offer ANY SUPPORT WHATSOEVER just the do it yourself kit as above. Shame cannot fault the product BUT unless you are real tech person and has extensive knowledge of these things AVOID like the plague because the first problem you come across you will see what I mean and regret getting involved. Have watched the ratings plummet in the last 12 months and that 2.1 - will be 1.9 by next week. Truly dreadful company - will not be back

9 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! We're sorry to hear that.

Would you mind sharing your ticket number with us here? We'd be more than happy to check on your report and see how we may be able to assist you further.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

VPN 📡🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆📡

30 September 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Thank you for your review.

If you happen to need our assistance with anything, feel free to reach out to us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact at any time. We're always happy to help!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Dissatisfied

I was a happy Free version user then made the mistake in believing that I would get more by paying. Now I’m stuck with a multi year paid service that is not really accessible. I am stuck with a single email address when I was supposed to have unlimited, there is no visible way to add more. There are virtually no tutorials so you cannot even find out how to access what you paid for.

The vpn is constantly blocked by websites requiring me to turn it off to actually use the internet.

Overall, stick with the free version as you cannot access anything if you pay for it.

11 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! We're sorry to hear that.

You can find more details on how to create additional addresses at https://proton.me/support/creating-aliases.

On another note, some websites block known VPN IP addresses. Contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact with more details about the websites in question and the servers you're connected to when trying to access them so we can note your feedback for future improvement. Meanwhile, try switching between multiple different servers to see how it goes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Highly Recommended

Works well.

9 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Thank you for your support.

If you happen to need our assistance with anything, feel free to contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact at any time. We're always happy to help!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

It was definitely slow

It was definitely slow, laggy, and decreased my speed. I do have 1000 Mbps download and upload, and it still causes ping and pixelling of my camera.

8 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Connection speeds can be influenced by numerous factors such as your native ISP speed, location, server load, network setup, etc. You could try some of the tips at https://protonvpn.com/support/increase-vpn-speeds to improve your connection speeds. If you keep facing issues, feel free to contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact so we can assist you further.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Just cancled my sub today

Just cancled my sub today. Seemed to be working ok at first, but the last few months have been a nightmare of being blocked on various websites, constant cloudflare checks, slow, interrupted, unstable and useless sessions. If they cant do better, then why even bother.

/Edit. : No.

7 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! Sorry to hear that.

Unfortunately, some websites block known VPN IP addresses. Contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact with more details about the websites in question, as well as the servers you're connected to when trying to access them so we can note your feedback for future improvement.

As for the CAPTCHA prompt when browsing, this usually happens when there are many users connected to the same server and trying to access the same website simultaneously, which may be interpreted as a bot. Try switching servers to see how it goes.

Lastly, regarding the connection issues you're experiencing, try changing the connection protocol to see if there are any improvements. If not, share some more details with us using the above-mentioned support form so we can help you troubleshoot further.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

asked to log in again every time I change program

Every time I change to a different window on my laptop, I am asked to log in again. EVERY TIME! I have uninstalled it and it is still blocking me unless I log in AGAIN.

4 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! That doesn't sound right.

Could you clarify the issue further? Were you being logged out of the Proton VPN app in particular? Did you encounter any error messages? What platform did you experience this issue on exactly?

If you'd be interested in troubleshooting the issue further, please contact us at https://protonvpn.com/support/contact with more details so we can have a better understanding of the behavior.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I have been reporting the VPN

I have been reporting the VPN, Proton-email bugs, and other Proton services related tech issues for years, even as a paid user (I pay Proton more than my bank for the services). The issues are never addressed and they are reoccurring. The trouble service communication is awful. Support teams asks long questions about all technical specifications (browser, version, device, etc.), packed in a lovely language. The problem is, even if you report all in detail, in a year or two the old problems remain unsolved. A way tech company with "CERN" masterminds should be not run so poorly!

3 October 2025
Unprompted review
Proton VPN logo

Reply from Proton VPN

Hi! We're very sorry to hear that.

Could you share your tickets' numbers with us here? We'd be more than happy to check on your reports and see how we may be able to assist you further.

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