As the story goes, the idea for Proton arose in the cafeteria at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research. A handful of scientists came together in 2014 to develop an online platform that would shield activists and journalists from prying eyes. After raising $500,000 in a crowdfunding campaign, Proton Mail was launched to the public, which still remains the most well-known secure email service in the business. Three years later, the team developed a VPN to provide even more digital protection to their customers.

In keeping with the company’s commitment to making privacy and security accessible to all, two versions of Proton VPN are available; the premium paid package and the stripped-down free alternative. The latter offers a great starting point for beginners new to the VPN world, as users can enjoy a taste of the benefits without spending a dime. Subsidized by paying members, the free plan naturally includes a lot less than the premium bundle, with slower speeds on account of fewer servers and locations. Plus, it can only be used on one device. However, the no-logging policy still applies, as does the unlimited data allowance and the removal of adverts, which is relatively uncommon among free VPNs.