Proton VPN vs ExpressVPN
Last updated July 2026
Proton VPN
The privacy-first Swiss VPN with a free tier that actually works
Advantages
- Genuinely usable free tier with no bandwidth cap (3 country selection)
- Based in Switzerland with strong privacy laws
- Independent no-logs audits (SEC Consult 2022, 2024)
- Open-source clients on all platforms
- Secure Core routes traffic through Proton-owned data centers first
Drawbacks
- Free tier limited to 3 countries and 1 device
- Paid tier ($10/mo standard) is priced above Surfshark
- Streaming server access requires paid plan
ExpressVPN
The premium mainstream VPN with the smoothest streaming
Advantages
- Fastest streaming performance among mainstream VPNs
- Lightway protocol, proprietary, fast, energy-efficient
- Independent audits by PwC, KPMG, and Cure53
- Servers in 105 countries, broadest geographic diversity
- Best-in-class router app for whole-home VPN
Drawbacks
- Priciest mainstream VPN ($6.67/mo on 12-mo, $12.95/mo monthly)
- 8-device connection limit
- No free tier
- Owned by Kape Technologies since 2021, some privacy advocates raised concerns
Proton VPN is the privacy-first VPN from the Swiss makers of Proton Mail, and one of the very few reputable VPNs with a genuinely usable free tier. ExpressVPN is the premium mainstream choice known for speed, streaming reliability, and its Lightway protocol. Free-tier privacy or paid-tier polish decides the pick.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Proton VPN | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free; Plus $10/mo standard, ~$4.99/mo on 2-yr | About $6.67/mo on 12-mo plan; $12.95/mo monthly |
| Free Tier | Yes, no bandwidth cap; 3 countries; 1 device | None, 30-day money-back trial only |
| Server Count | 4,900+ servers in 90+ countries (paid) | 3,000+ servers in 105 countries |
| Device Limit | 10 on Plus tier | 8 simultaneous connections |
| Kill Switch | Yes, always-on kill switch | Yes, Network Lock kill switch |
| No-Logs Policy | Independently audited (SEC Consult 2022, 2024) | Independently audited multiple times (PwC, KPMG, Cure53) |
| Open Source | Yes, all clients open source | Lightway protocol open source; clients proprietary |
| Streaming Support | Yes on paid; free tier does not access streaming servers | Excellent, most consistent unblocking across services |
Proton VPN Wins
Proton VPN wins on privacy and value, the Swiss jurisdiction and free tier are meaningful advantages over ExpressVPN's paid-only premium model.
For pure privacy use cases, Proton VPN is the strongest option in the category thanks to Swiss law and open-source clients. Its paid tier costs half of ExpressVPN with comparable performance. ExpressVPN earns its premium specifically for streaming, if you use a VPN primarily to access geo-restricted Netflix libraries, ExpressVPN's unblocking consistency justifies the cost. Otherwise, Proton.
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