The Best Free Proton VPN AlternativesTop VPN Services & VPN Clients like Proton VPN

The best free alternative to Proton VPN is Windscribe, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Proton VPN and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Proton VPN are Tor VPN, Psiphon, RiseupVPN and Hotspot Shield.

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Proton VPN alternatives are mainly VPN Services, but if you're looking for VPN Clients or Anonymizing Networks you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Free, Windows + Free, Open Source, Android + Free, Android + Open Source, Android and VPN Client. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Proton VPN.
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Alternatives list

  1. Windscribe icon

    Windscribe

     172 likes

    Windscribe is a desktop application and browser extension that work together to block ads and trackers, restore access to blocked content and help you safeguard your privacy online.

    220 Windscribe alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Apple TV
    • F-Droid
    • Android TV
    • Fire TV
    • Mozilla Firefox
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    Windscribe screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Comments about Windscribe as an Alternative to Proton VPN
    vctls
    1

    I don't like that the Firefox add-on seems to detect uBlock Origin and suggests using its own blocker instead. A trustworthy VPN should keep its nose out of people's stuff. But at least the free tier allows using servers in more countries.

    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    When you say that it has a free plan, it omits the fact that it only allows you 10GB free a month

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    -3

    proton is big privacy tech and big privacy tech can turn very easily into big tech so i personally do not trust proton for that reason and windscribe has stated in their blog multible times to not start other projects because that someday will go wrong with user data. and they offer a way better free plan.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Windscribe icon
    Windscribe icon
    • Windscribe is Freemium and Open SourceProton VPN is also Freemium and Open Source
  2. Tor VPN icon

    Tor VPN

     49 likes

    A VPN that grants network-level privacy on mobile by routing app traffic through Tor, assigns each app a separate circuit for improved separation, bypasses app-level censorship, features per-app routing, security via Rust-based implementation, and awaits early adopter feedback.

    56 Tor VPN alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    Tor VPN screenshot 1
     
  4. Psiphon icon

    Psiphon

     250 likes

    Enjoy unfiltered Internet access globally using Psiphon's open-source VPN. It offers AES-256 encryption, split tunneling, WireGuard support, and more, all without requiring user registration. Perfect for communities in censored regions and those seeking privacy-focused alternatives.

    194 Psiphon alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Psiphon screenshot 1
     
  5. Ad
  6. RiseupVPN icon

    RiseupVPN

     40 likes

    Riseup offers Personal VPN service for censorship circumvention, location anonymization and traffic encryption. To make this possible, it sends all your internet traffic through an encrypted connection to riseup.net, where it then goes out onto the public internet.

    118 RiseupVPN alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • F-Droid
    • Snapcraft
    Main
     
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    2
    Comments about RiseupVPN as an Alternative to Proton VPN
    Omar
    Positive
    1

    An actual free alternative to ProtonVPN.

    • Enables you to select locations
    • Enables use of p2p, including torrenting and voip.
    RemovedUser
    Positive
    0

    Riseup VPN is the only private vpn I can think of that doesn't limit their free plan. The speeds are good. It has "circumvention bridges." It supports p2p. That said, the windows app can be kind of buggy at times. I know some people are skeptical of them because of the supoena. But given their track record with protecting activist users of their email service, I do trust that they're at least genuine in what they say.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    RiseupVPN icon
    RiseupVPN icon
    • RiseupVPN is Free and Open SourceProton VPN is Freemium and Open Source
  7. Hotspot Shield icon

    Hotspot Shield

     358 likes

    Secure your digital life with a fast VPN offering encryption, anonymity, and access to global content. Hotspot Shield provides free and unlimited versions with no-logs policy, malware protection, support for multiple devices, and a broad country network.

    227 Hotspot Shield alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Android TV
    • Fire TV
    Hotspot Shield screenshot 1
     
  10. Outline VPN icon

    Outline VPN

     29 likes

    Journalists need safe access to information to research issues, communicate with sources, and report the news. Outline lets news organizations easily provide their network safer access to the open internet.

    190 Outline VPN alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • AppImageHub
    • Homebrew
    • F-Droid
    Outline VPN screenshot 1
     
  11. Calyx VPN icon

    Calyx VPN

     22 likes

    Experience a completely anonymous and secure browsing session with minimal setup using this free VPN. Benefit from open source transparency, free service, no logs, and safe handling of DNS. The service cleverly circumvents censorship and ensures there are no IP or DNS leaks for enhanced privacy.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • F-Droid
    Calyx VPN screenshot 1
     
  12. TunnelBear icon

    TunnelBear

     127 likes

    Experience private and secure browsing with this VPN. Easily access global websites, protect data from threats, bypass restrictions, and connect via 5000+ servers in over 48 countries. Offers no-logging policy, unlimited data plans, and advanced encryption.

    197 TunnelBear alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Mozilla Firefox
    TunnelBear screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about TunnelBear as an Alternative to Proton VPN
    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    Again, limited bandwidth usage, Proton VPN's bandwidth is unlimited for free while in TunnelBear you only get 2GB a month

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    TunnelBear icon
    TunnelBear icon
    • TunnelBear is Freemium and ProprietaryProton VPN is Freemium and Open Source
  13. Bitmask icon

    Bitmask

     25 likes

    Bitmask is an open source application to provide easy and secure encrypted communication with a VPN. You can choose among different providers or start your own.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • F-Droid
    Main
     
  15. i2pd (I2P Daemon) icon

    i2pd (I2P Daemon)

     21 likes

    I2P (Invisible Internet Protocol) is a universal anonymous network layer. All communications over I2P are anonymous and end-to-end encrypted, participants don't reveal their real IP addresses.

    82 i2pd (I2P Daemon) alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Raspberry Pi
    • C++
    • I2P
    • F-Droid
     
12 of 122 Proton VPN alternatives