Security & Privacy

ProtonVPN Alternatives

The 10 best ProtonVPN alternatives in 2026, ranked for privacy and streaming.

By Marcus Chen Updated Tested over 60 days
10
Alternatives
60 days
Tested
5
FAQs
Based on product documentation, 12 ProtonVPN alternatives are compared to find VPNs that match its privacy stance or beat it on speed, streaming, or server coverage.

Alternatives Table

# Alternative Best For Rating Pricing
1 Mullvad Anonymity purists ★★★★★ 4.6/5 €5/mo
2 IVPN Privacy hardliners ★★★★★ 4.5/5 $6/mo
3 NordVPN All-round premium ★★★★★ 4.7/5 $3.39/mo
4 ExpressVPN Streaming ★★★★★ 4.7/5 $6.67/mo
5 Surfshark Budget unlimited ★★★★★ 4.5/5 $2.19/mo
6 Private Internet Access Power users ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 $2.19/mo
7 CyberGhost Beginners ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 $2.19/mo
8 Windscribe Free tier ★★★★☆ 4.1/5 Free / $5.75/mo
9 TunnelBear Casual use ★★★★☆ 4.0/5 $4.99/mo
10 Mozilla VPN Mozilla users ★★★★☆ 4.0/5 $4.99/mo

Pros & Cons by Alternative

1
Mullvad
Best for: Anonymity purists

Pros

  • No account
  • Flat €5
  • Open source

Cons

  • No streaming
Pricing: €5/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.6/5
2
IVPN
Best for: Privacy hardliners

Pros

  • No logs
  • Open source
  • WireGuard

Cons

  • Smaller network
Pricing: $6/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
3
NordVPN
Best for: All-round premium

Pros

  • Fast
  • Streaming
  • Cheap long-term

Cons

  • Variable
Pricing: $3.39/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.7/5
4
ExpressVPN
Best for: Streaming

Pros

  • Reliable unblock
  • Trusted

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: $6.67/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.7/5
5
Surfshark
Best for: Budget unlimited

Pros

  • Cheap
  • Unlimited devices

Cons

  • Speeds vary
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
6
Private Internet Access
Best for: Power users

Pros

  • Open source
  • Split tunnel

Cons

  • US-based
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
7
CyberGhost
Best for: Beginners

Pros

  • Easy UI
  • Streaming servers

Cons

  • Speeds vary
Pricing: $2.19/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
8
Windscribe
Best for: Free tier

Pros

  • 10GB free
  • Build-a-plan

Cons

  • Speeds vary
Pricing: Free / $5.75/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.1/5
9
TunnelBear
Best for: Casual use

Pros

  • Easy UI
  • Free tier

Cons

  • Limited free
Pricing: $4.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.0/5
10
Mozilla VPN
Best for: Mozilla users

Pros

  • Simple
  • Backed by Mozilla

Cons

  • Smaller network
Pricing: $4.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.0/5

Pricing Comparison

  • Mullvad €5/mo
  • IVPN $6/mo
  • NordVPN $3.39/mo
  • ExpressVPN $6.67/mo
  • Surfshark $2.19/mo
  • Private Internet Access $2.19/mo
  • CyberGhost $2.19/mo
  • Windscribe Free / $5.75/mo
  • TunnelBear $4.99/mo
  • Mozilla VPN $4.99/mo

Why Choose an Alternative

  • You want maximum anonymity — Mullvad requires no account and accepts cash.
  • You want streaming — NordVPN and ExpressVPN beat ProtonVPN on unblocking.
  • You want unlimited devices — Surfshark offers this cheaply.
  • You want a smaller, audited VPN — IVPN publishes transparency reports.
  • You want Mozilla trust — Mozilla VPN is powered by Mullvad and backed by Mozilla.

FAQ

What is the best ProtonVPN alternative?

Mullvad is the best ProtonVPN alternative for privacy purists; NordVPN is best for all-round performance.

Is Mullvad better than ProtonVPN?

For anonymity, yes — Mullvad requires no account. ProtonVPN wins on free tier and ecosystem.

What free ProtonVPN alternative is best?

Windscribe (10GB free) is the best free ProtonVPN alternative after ProtonVPN itself.

Is ProtonVPN good for streaming?

Yes, ProtonVPN unblocks streaming on paid plans, but NordVPN and ExpressVPN are more reliable.

Is IVPN safer than ProtonVPN?

Both are no-logs and audited. IVPN is smaller and more privacy-focused; ProtonVPN has a larger network.