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How to activate ProtonVPN

Activate ProtonVPN

If you are wondering how to activate ProtonVPN on your device, worry not. Today’s article will focus on it. Proton VPN is one of those rare few that provides a decent free service. Although its free VPN has only three countries with limited servers, and the service itself is limited to 1 device per account, Proton doesn’t have any hidden charges. Additionally, it neither shows intrusive ads nor secretly sell your data.

The free version is almost as good as the paid ones. It doesn’t have a data cap, and it never logs your activities. Besides, you are safe under the umbrella of Swiss privacy laws. Proton can provide such a genuinely free app solely due to the subsidization of paid users. Finally, one great thing about ProtonVPN is that you do not need to buy a subscription to activate it. Now, let’s dive in.

ProtonVPN: A quick review

ProtonVPN hails from a privacy-centric organization best known for its end-to-end encryption email service, Proton Mail. Users attuned to privacy may already know this name. As such, ProtonVPN not only has a reputation to uphold but also comes with certain confidence users have in the brand itself. Thus, it is no surprise that ProtonVPN is a good VPN for those who want privacy. True, it may not be all there with the opposition offering plenty of features but cuts it very close.

ProtonVPN does not lack a fleet of add-ons and advanced features, nor does it fall behind in terms of service. And what it lacks, Proton more than makes up with its free app that is on par with various paid ones. It originates from Switzerland, the heaven for privacy laws, and continues to work towards a better user experience. Although many users point out that it by far isn’t the best VPN on the block, nor is it cheap by any means, we believe you can give it a try without regrets. It is free, after all.

With robust security and a user-friendly interface, ProtonVPN brings with itself one of the latest technology available in the VPN scene. Proton Technologies AG, founded by the CERN scientists, as a parent company responsible for privacy-centric products like Proton Mail, ensures only the best features appear on its VPN. The VPN itself offers up to 1400 servers spread across 61 countries. It also comes with a kill switch, split tunneling, alternate routing, and Tor over VPN, to name a few. It also can defend against network-based attacks and comes with an ad blocker (Net Shield). Moreover, it utilizes PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy) for encryption. To sum up, ProtonVPN is an easy-to-use, open-source product.

Note — For what it charges, ProtonVPN appears to lack features. However, remember you can use it for free.

Activate ProtonVPN: With a subscription

To activate ProtonVPN along with a paid subscription, follow the steps below:

  1. First, visit the official ProtonVPN site.
  2. Then find the Sign-Up button in the top right corner of the page.
  3. Click it, and it will redirect you to the Sign-Up page of ProtonVPN.
    • Alternatively, you can click on the Pricing tab or the Deals offered at the very top to forgo this step.
    • It will redirect you to a page where the various plans offered by ProtonVPN are listed.
  4. The plans are:
    • Free – no cost
    • Basic – charging €4 per month
    • Plus – charging €5.99 per month
    • Visionary – charging €24 per month
  5. After you have selected a subscription, you will need to create an account.
  6. Enter your desired:
    • Username
    • Password
    • Email (use only a valid email)
  7. Now go to the email to verify your account.
  8. Then go back to the ProtonVPN website.
  9. Use the credentials to log into your account.
    Tip. Use the activation code to activate the ProtonVPN account.
  10. Now download your preferred app.
  11. Kindly note that Proton offers its services on a select few platforms only:
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • iOS
    • Android
  12. After the app finishes downloading, click the file to install it.
  13. Click on Accept when prompted to read and agree to Terms and Conditions.
  14. Now, the ProtonVPN will launch.
  15. Use your credentials to log into the app.
  16. Click on the Power button to run the VPN connection, and you’re all set.

Activate ProtonVPN: Without a subscription

Alternatively, you can also choose not to buy a plan and still use ProtonVPN. Unsurprisingly, this comes with a restriction on capabilities. To complete the activation of ProtonVPN without a subscription, follow these steps:

  1. First, visit the official ProtonVPN website.
  2. Then, click on Sign-Up to create an account.
  3. It will redirect you to the pricing page with various plans listed.
  4. Select the Free option and wait for a new page to load.
  5. Now, enter a username, password, and a valid email to continue further.
  6. Verify your email and activate your account.
  7. Download the app for your platform.
  8. After it finished downloading, click on the file to run it.
  9. The installation will initiate.
  10. Accept the Terms and Conditions to continue.
  11. Now log into the app with your credentials.
  12. Click on the Power button to start the VPN connection.
  13. Finally, ProtonVPN is active.

Unique ProtonVPN Features

Here are several features of ProtonVPN most providers don’t have:

  • SecureCore — It is a unique addition to the VPN architecture. It allows the product to defend against network-based attacks. The Secure Core servers are on a physical site located in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction and operate on the company-owned dedicated networks.
  • NetShield — NetShield is an ad blocker unique to ProtonVPN. It is a DNS filtering feature that protects users from malware, adware and prevents website tracking.
  • VPN Accelerator — Unique to ProtonVPN, this feature can boost your VPN connection up to 400%. It overcomes the CPU limits that affect a VPN protocol to reduce latency issues.
  • Robust encryption — As a market standard, ProtonVPN also uses the AES 3356-bit encryption. The key exchange is done with 4096-bit RSA, and HMAC with SHA384 is used for message authentication.
  • Perfect Forward Secrecy — The encryption cipher suite only includes keys with Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS).
  • Latest protocols — ProtonVPN is no stranger to the latest protocols. It offers WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPsec, amongst others.
  • Full-disk server protection — Although the VPN itself claims that no PII (Personal Identifiable Information) is subject to logging practices, it still employs full-disk encryption to protect against potential intrusion. By doing this, it renders an exit server useless in the event of a breach.
  • Open-source — ProtonVPN boasts of transparency and peer review. Thus, the source code of the VPN is available for viewing and scrutiny on GitHub.
  • Kill Switch with Always-On VPN — ProtonVPN, like any other provider, provides a kill switch. It even adds the much needed (but niche) feature that keeps a VPN always active.
  • Tor Over VPN — As the VPN lauds itself for being a trendsetter in the privacy arena, it allows users to connect to Tor over a VPN. We already know what Tor is and how it compares against VPNs.