Proton VPN
The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying.
A VPN service: encrypted tunnels to servers in many countries, with a no-logs policy, kill switch and apps on every platform.
Build me a personal WireGuard tunnel to a server I rent, and be clear about what it does and does not give me. STACK - WireGuard on a small VPS; do not write a VPN protocol - A short setup script and QR codes for phone clients THE SERVER - WireGuard listening on UDP, a single peer per device, keys generated on the device where possible - IP forwarding and NAT configured; firewall allowing only the WireGuard port and SSH from one address - Unattended security upgrades, and nothing else installed on the box CLIENTS - One config per device, never shared between them - Kill switch on each platform: on Linux and macOS, a firewall rule allowing traffic only through the tunnel interface - Document the exact behaviour when the tunnel drops, per platform DNS - Run a resolver on the server so queries do not leak to the local network - Block ad and tracker domains there with a list, updated weekly WHAT THIS IS AND IS NOT, IN THE README, IN THESE WORDS - This hides your traffic from the local network and your internet provider. It does not make you anonymous - Your traffic all leaves one IP address that is yours alone, which is easier to identify than a shared one, not harder - If you need to be unidentifiable, this is the wrong tool and Tor is the conversation Include a README on key rotation, the DNS blocklist job and the monthly cost.
What you lose
- Servers in dozens of countries, which is the actual product and is a recurring bill
- Shared IP addresses, so your traffic is mixed with thousands of other people’s
- Audited no-logs policies and a jurisdiction chosen deliberately
- Clients on every platform with a kill switch that works when the tunnel drops
- Obfuscation that keeps working where VPN protocols are blocked
If you would rather not build
- WireGuard — the protocol, run on your own server
- Mullvad — paid, flat price, strong privacy record
The escape hatch
open source · no votes, no paid placement
Algo VPN
$0Scripts that deploy a hardened personal WireGuard VPN to a cloud provider.
trailofbits/algofree · open source
Tailscale (Headscale)
$0Open control server for a private mesh network between your own devices.
juanfont/headscalefree · open source
Why this verdict
our own opinion · changed only by a person
16/100
Verdict no at 16: a personal WireGuard box is genuinely useful and the prompt sets one up properly. It is a no because the thing people buy a VPN for — being one of thousands behind a shared address — is the exact thing a private tunnel cannot give you.
History
tracked since 9 Aug 2026 · nothing is ever overwritten
Questions about Proton VPN
answered from the record above
Is Proton VPN free?
No — the plan we track is $9.99 a month. Plus at $9.99/month, cheaper on one- and two-year terms; a genuinely free tier exists with limited servers.
Can you replace Proton VPN by building your own?
KEEP IT. The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying. Replacement score 16 out of 100, build time longer than it saves. Read what you lose before you decide.
How much does Proton VPN cost?
$9.99 a month on Plus — $119.88 a year. Recorded 9 Aug 2026.
What do you lose by replacing Proton VPN?
Servers in dozens of countries, which is the actual product and is a recurring bill; Shared IP addresses, so your traffic is mixed with thousands of other people’s; Audited no-logs policies and a jurisdiction chosen deliberately; Clients on every platform with a kill switch that works when the tunnel drops; Obfuscation that keeps working where VPN protocols are blocked. If any of those carry weight for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Proton VPN?
Yes: Algo VPN, Tailscale (Headscale). The prompt on this page is for when you want it your way instead.
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