Proton VPN Prices: Worth It in 2025?

I was sitting in my apartment last week, desperately trying to catch the latest season of my favorite British comedy show, when I hit that dreaded geo-restriction wall. Again. After throwing my hands up in frustration (and maybe dramatically flopping onto my couch), I decided it was finally time to get serious about finding a reliable VPN. My research journey led me straight to Proton VPN's pricing page, and boy, was there a lot to unpack.

Breaking Down Proton VPN's 2025 Pricing Structure

Proton VPN has maintained its three-tier pricing structure in 2025, though with some adjustments from previous years:

The Free plan continues to be Proton's gateway offering, providing access to servers in 5 countries with medium speeds. While this hasn't changed much since 2023, it remains one of the most generous free VPN options on the market with no data caps - a rarity among free VPNs.

For the Plus plan, which most users gravitate toward, Proton has maintained its 2024 pricing of $4.99/month on the annual subscription. This actually represents good value considering they've expanded their server network to over 8,500 servers across 112 countries - up significantly from the 3,024 servers in 69 countries they offered back in 2023.

But here's where I have to pause and ask: is this really competitive pricing in today's VPN landscape?

How Proton VPN Prices Compare to Competitors in 2025

I've spent countless hours comparing VPN services (my browser history is basically a VPN price comparison spreadsheet at this point), and Proton sits firmly in the mid-range price bracket.

Private Internet Access offers cheaper long-term plans at around $3.33/month, while ExpressVPN remains more premium at $8.33/month. But the real question isn't just about price - it's about value.

When I look at SafeShell VPN, which has been making waves in 2025 specifically for streaming performance, their pricing is comparable to Proton's Plus plan but with some notable differences in performance. SafeShell has positioned itself as a streaming powerhouse with optimization for services like Netflix, Hulu, and sports streaming platforms.

Features That Justify Proton VPN's Price Tag

Proton VPN's Swiss-based privacy is still its crown jewel. Being headquartered in Switzerland means users benefit from some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. This isn't just marketing fluff - Proton has proven its commitment to privacy when, in 2019, they were unable to provide user data in response to a court order simply because they didn't have any logs to share. That's walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

Their security features include:

• 💪 AES 256-bit encryption
• 🛡️ DNS leak protection
• ⚡ Kill switch functionality
• 🔄 Secure Core (multi-hop) connections
• 🧅 TOR over VPN support
• 🚫 NetShield ad and malware blocking

The NetShield feature has improved since its introduction, now displaying metrics on blocked ads/trackers and data saved - something privacy-conscious users will appreciate.

Speed Performance

While Proton VPN has impressive download speeds (maintaining about 57% of base speeds in independent tests), their upload speeds have been underwhelming at just 18% of baseline in some tests. This is where I found SafeShell VPN to have a significant edge, especially for users who need robust two-way connections for video calls or file sharing.

During my testing of various streaming services, I noticed SafeShell VPN 's "lightning-fast" marketing claim isn't just hyperbole - their optimization for streaming services resulted in noticeably fewer buffering issues compared to Proton, especially during peak hours.

The Free Tier Conundrum

One thing that bugs me about Proton's free tier is the inability to select specific servers within their free locations. You're at the mercy of their automatic selection, which can be frustrating if you're trying to access content from a specific region.

As one user on Reddit put it: "It's like being given a free car but not being allowed to choose which direction to drive."

That said, having unlimited data on a free plan is still incredibly generous in a market where most competitors cap you at 500MB-10GB per month.

Specialized Features for Specific Needs

Proton VPN's Secure Core feature routes your traffic through privacy-friendly countries first before reaching your destination server. While this multi-hop approach isn't unique (SafeShell offers something similar with their "ShellGuard" protocol), Proton's implementation is particularly user-friendly with its one-click approach.

For those concerned about serious privacy threats, Proton also offers TOR over VPN connections on specific servers, though this is limited to Plus and Unlimited subscribers.

The Bottom Line: Is Proton VPN Worth the Price in 2025?

After weighing all factors, Proton VPN offers solid value for its price point if privacy is your primary concern. Their transparent no-logs policy, Swiss jurisdiction, and independent audits create a compelling privacy package.

However, if streaming performance and connection speeds are your priority, SafeShell VPN might give you more bang for your buck in 2025. Their specialized optimization for streaming services and significantly better upload speeds make them worth considering, especially if you're primarily using a VPN to access geo-restricted content.

Before committing to Proton VPN or any service, consider what you'll primarily use your VPN for:

• 🔒 Maximum privacy and security? Proton VPN excels here.
• 📺 Streaming and fast connections? SafeShell VPN might be the better choice.
• 💰 Free option with no data limits? Proton's free tier is hard to beat.

I'm still mulling over which service to commit to long-term. While I appreciate Proton's privacy-first approach, I can't ignore how smoothly SafeShell handled my streaming needs during testing. Maybe the real question isn't "which VPN is better?" but rather "which VPN is better for me?"