European product - Your data is protected under GDPR and stays in the EU
ProtonVPN
🇨🇭EU CompanyEditor's Pickby ProtonVPN · Founded 2014
Proton VPN is a Swiss-based VPN service built by the team behind Proton Mail — the same CERN scientists who created the world's largest encrypted email service in 2014. With 12,000+ servers across 120+ countries, it offers both a genuinely free tier (no ads, no logs, unlimited bandwidth) and a paid plan with streaming optimization, ad/tracker blocking (NetShield), and advanced routing through privacy-friendly countries (Secure Core). All apps are open source and the no-logs policy is independently audited with public reports. Rated 4.6 on both the App Store and Google Play.
Editor's Review
By Built in EU Team · Reviewed February 2026
Proton VPN stands out as an EU alternative to US-based VPN services for one reason above all others: jurisdiction. US VPN providers like Private Internet Access, Norton Secure VPN, and Hotspot Shield operate under the CLOUD Act and FISA Section 702 — meaning US authorities can compel data access, often with gag orders that prevent the company from even telling you. Proton is straightforwardly Swiss — subject to the Federal Data Protection Act, outside Five Eyes, and run by the same CERN scientists who built Proton Mail. The free tier is genuinely usable (rare for VPNs), though limited to 6 countries and 1 device. The paid tier's NetShield blocker and Secure Core routing add real privacy value beyond basic VPN functionality. For anyone already in the Proton ecosystem (Mail, Drive, Calendar, Pass), this is the obvious choice. For others, the jurisdiction advantage alone makes it worth considering over any US-based VPN provider.
Key Features
- 12,000+ servers in 120+ countries with dedicated streaming servers
- NetShield: built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker
- Secure Core: routes traffic through privacy-friendly countries first
- Open source apps on all platforms — independently audited
- Free tier with no ads, no logs, and unlimited bandwidth
- Stealth protocol for bypassing VPN blocks and censorship
Certifications & Compliance
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Last reviewed: February 2026