ProtonVPN versus AtlasVPN | The Battle of the Freemium VPNs
Whether you're looking for a free VPN or a paid subscription, AtlasVPN and ProtonVPN are among your best options. But which is better for you, and why? 9Ranks would like to help you decide, by comparing these two freemium VPN service providers and their products, based on such criteria as security, user experience, and pricing. In this article, you'll learn which VPN offers the more sophisticated cybersecurity package, which offers faster download speeds, and which has the larger server fleet. You'll also discover that one of these VPNs is exposed to governmental spying, due to the location of its headquarters. Is that a risk you're willing to take?
Index#1ProtonVPN
Pros
- World-Class Developers
- Swiss Government Protections
- Secure Core Servers
- Stealth Protocols
- Open-Sourced Coding
Cons
- Free Version limited to one device
- Pricing and Plans are Confusing
- Static-IP for Business Plans Only
The mathematicians, computer scientists, and programmers behind the original Proton product, Proton Mail, are all alumni of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). They collaborated on the email system because they shared a passion for personal privacy—an ethic that runs very deep in CERN's host country of Switzerland. Proton Mail was a huge success, and that success motivate the team to consider other projects, including ProtonVPN. According to the original 2017 press release, the team "launched Proton VPN to defeat censorship and protect activists, journalists, and ordinary people on the internet." This helps explain why ProtonVPN has more premium VPN features than just about any other VPN around.
Security
ProtonVPN's security standards are among the highest in the industry, and that extends well beyond algorithms and protocols. Consider their Secure Core servers: These are servers ProtonVPN placed in Switzerland, Sweden, and Iceland, due to the pro-privacy laws in those countries. ProtonVPN doesn't allow anyone outside the company near their Secure Core servers. They ship, build, and maintain the servers in house, and they don't allow other VPN providers to run traffic through these servers. ProtonVPN operates nearly 100 of these Secure Core servers, in addition to the other 2500+ servers they operate. In addition, they don't share these servers with other VPN providers—a surprisingly common practice.
In terms of protocols, ProtonVPN users can choose from OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard, but not PPTP or L2TP/IPSec. According to the ProtonVPN website, neither PPTP nor L2TP/IPSec "meet [ProtonVPN's] security standards," and therefore the company refuses to use them, "even though they are often cheaper and easier to run." Readers should further understand that ProtonVPN makes no security distinctions between its free and paid plans. There are device and data limitations, but ProtonVPN never skimps on security, even if the product is free.
User Experience
ProtonVPN has versions for just about every system around. It supports most browsers, though the website warns that "Proton VPN uses cutting-edge technology that is only supported in the latest versions of these browsers." There are extensions for Firefox, Edge, Chrome, Safari, but not for Internet Explore, which the platform considers "unsafe." There are also mobile versions available for Apple and Android. Linux users will be thrilled to learn that ProtonVPN has a Linux version with a GUI, though they'll have to put out a bit of effort in terms of installation. Users with Android TVs will be impressed by ProtonVPN's sophisticated app, which allows you to run the VPN directly through the TV, rather than via the router.
ProtonVPN has a very simple user interface. On the main screen is a map of the world, with small triangular icons indicating server locations. Along the side of the GUI is a server list, organized by country. There are also buttons that let you toggle Port Forwarding, the Kill Switch, Net Shield, and the Secure-Core servers. In addition, Premium users can create profiles on which they save their preferences. When creating a profile, users can choose from Standard, Secure Core, P2P, and Tor. They can also choose the protocol, the desired country, and the server. Running along the bottom of the map is a Session Traffic meter that indicates the duration of the session, data usage, and upload/download speeds.
Free and Paid VPN Services
From the onset, ProtonVPN offered a free version, and years later it still does. Using the free version, you'll be able to hide your IP and bypass geo-restrictions and censorship. The free version has no data limits but it is limited to one device. It offers access to around 150 servers in 3 countries: the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands. It's not designed to support streaming or torrenting, but it does give you the same speeds as the paid version. It's also an ad-free interface, which comes as a relief in the pop-up heavy world of "free" services.
There's only so much you can expect from a free VPN, and while ProtonVPN offers more than most, their paid version offers much more. The free version only allows you to connect to one device, while the paid version allows for 10 simultaneous connections. The paid version gives you access to 3000 servers spread out over 60+ countries, rather than 150 servers in 3 countries. The paid version is also significantly faster, as it includes the Proton Accelerator, which can increase speeds by as much as 400%. In addition, the Proton Unlimited package includes Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton Drive, all in addition to the VPN. You'll find that ProtonVPN is among the excellent VPNs for torrenting, as the speed accelerator provides the kinds of download speeds required.
Specifications
Servers/Countries
Browser extensions
Leaks
VPN Subscriptions
#2AtlasVPN
Pros
- Excellent for Streaming
- Unlimited Connections
- Optimized P2P Servers
- Multi-Hop (Double VPN)
- Free Version
Cons
- Limited International Reach
- Five Eyes Exposed
There are only a handful of "freemium" VPN services worth using, and Atlas is among them. The paid version is among the least expensive VPNs on the market, and as it offers unlimited simultaneous connections, you really do get your money's worth from AtlasVPN. On the other hand, AtlasVPN has a major strike against it: AtlasVPN is based in the United States, which is the original founder of the Five Eyes syndicate. That means the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can and will spy on you if you use AtlasVPN. Perhaps you feel you have nothing to hide, and that's fine. But if governmental spying bothers you, this simply isn't the VPN for you.
Security
AtlasVPN users can choose from two protocols: IPSec/IKEv2 or WireGuard. The better of the two is WireGuard, which has become the industry standard. WireGuard uses the comically named "ChaCha20" algorithm and Poly1305 authentication code developed by mathematician Daniel J. Bernstein, a system used even by tech giants like Google. Simply stated, AtlasVPN uses some of the best computer and cryptography available to protect your data. That's the upside.
Unfortunately, there's a major downside: AtlasVPN is based in the United States, which is a member of the Five Eyes spying conglomerate. That means if you use AtlasVPN, you're all but inviting the US Government to spy on you. To be sure, they won't glean much, given AtlasVPN doesn't log your activity, but compared to the privacy-obsessed policies of countries like Switzerland, dealing with the Five Eyes is major concession.
User Experience
AtlasVPN is certainly an easy VPN platform to use. There are versions and extensions available for all the major systems. Whether you're using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, or Safari, you'll have no problem setting up AtlasVPN. However, if you're a Linux user, you'll have to settle for a command-line version, because AtlasVPN does not offer a GUI for Linux. There are also versions for Android and Apple.
AtlasVPN is quite good at unblocking the major streaming networks. If you need a VPN for watching the entire Netflix library, then AtlasVPN is a great tool to get your set up. Similarly, you'll be able to download/torrent files with ease. The only issue is that p2p file sharing is precisely the sort of the thing the US Government is look for when it spies on VPN users. You'll have to decide whether that's a risk you're willing to take. To be sure, AtlasVPN doesn't keep any logs, so on that end you're well protected.
Free and Paid VPN Services
Frankly stated, AtlasVPN's free version is quite limited. It only allows you to connect from 2 locations in the United States and 1 location in the Netherlands, meaning users in Eastern Europe and Asia will have to tolerate extreme latency. Even worse, AtlasVPN caps the data at 5GB per month. It does allow you to torrent, but keep in mind that 5GB isn't even enough to download one movie in 4K/UHD. A 5GB limit works well if you're using a VPN for day-to-day stuff, and perhaps listening to music or downloading small files.
As inexpensive VPNs go, AtlasVPN is quite good. Using the paid version of the VPN, you'll be able to unlock many streaming libraries, including Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. You'll have access to approximately 1000 servers in 40 countries (mostly in Europe). This means European users will enjoy the best speeds, while those in the Pacific will face significantly slower speeds. That being said, AtlasVPN tends not to suffer more than 30% speed loss, especially when running the WireGuard protocol. Back when a service plan included 50Mbps, 30% loss was unbearable. But with today's fiber optics, you should be fine even if you're gaming.
Specifications
Servers/Countries
Browser extensions
Leaks
VPN Subscriptions
| ProtonVPN | AtlasVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Version | ||
| Trial period | 30 days | 30 days |
| Servers/Countries | ||
| Number of servers | 2992 | 750 |
| Number of countries | 68 | 38 |
| Split Tunneling | ||
| Speed Loss | 15 | 5 |
| Protocol | ChaCha20 | AES-256 |
| Five Eyes Jurisdiction | ||
| Ad Blocker | ||
| KillSwitch | ||
| Malware protection | ||
| P2P Servers | Limited | Full |
| Streaming support | Limited | Full |
| Browser extensions | ||
| Chrome extension | ||
| Firefox extension | ||
| Edge extension | ||
| Router Client | ||
| Leaks | ||
| IP/DNS address | ||
| Keeps web logs | ||
| Live chat support | ||
| Public Auditing | ||
How to Choose between ProtonVPN and AtlasVPN (Paid Versions)
There are a few questions you'll have to ask yourself before deciding between the paid versions of ProtonVPN and AtlasVPN. First, what's your budget? ProtonVPN is quite a bit more expensive than AtlasVPN, with the 2-year ProtonVPN Plus plan costing over 250% more than the AtlasVPN 3-year plan. The ProtonVPN Unlimited plan is even more expensive, but it offers a long list of world-class products. If money is not an object, 9Ranks recommends you go with ProtonVPN. If you're hoping to save money, go with AtlasVPN.
Another question worth asking is whether you plan to stream and download often. ProtonVPN has many servers dedicated to p2p and streaming, and streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime work very well. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting around the various geo-restrictions imposed by those companies. On the other hand, AtlasVPN doesn't have any device restrictions, so you could use it for all the machines in your office if you wanted to. Here, again, we see how AtlasVPN saves you money, while ProtonVPN offers greater overall quality.
Finally, you need to ask yourself whether the only thing you need is a VPN. You get the most value from ProtonVPN when you get the entire package, including the secure email, the cloud, and the other features. AtlasVPN is a simpler product, better suited for occasional users and those whose security concerns don't extent as far as confidential information. For journalists, doctors, and political activists, ProtonVPN is unquestionably the better choice.
Verdict
ProtonVPN has the more sophisticated product, though it comes at a price. It's the preferred option for anyone working with confidential information, due to the complex of services provided by the company. 9Ranks recommends ProtonVPN over AtlasVPN to anyone who isn't specifically looking to save money. The Swiss standards of privacy, top-tier engineering, informative blog, and integrated user interfaces make ProtonVPN one of the very best VPNs on the market today.
