Choosing the right VPN can feel like navigating a maze.
ProtonVPN and FastestVPN are two popular options boasting top-notch security and blazing-fast speeds.
But which one comes out on top in 2025?
In this head-to-head comparison, we’ll break down everything you need to know about ProtonVPN vs FastestVPN, from their features.
Overview
To give you the most accurate comparison.
We’ve rigorously tested both ProtonVPN and FastestVPN across various categories, including speed, security, streaming performance, and more.
Our hands-on experience with each VPN forms the basis for this comprehensive analysis.
Stop guessing which VPN is best. Choose ProtonVPN, the Swiss-based provider with over 15,000.
Pricing: It has a free plan. Paid plan starts at $4.49/month
Key Features:
- Email Aliasing.
- Encrypted Vault.
- Open Source.
Secure your connection with FastestVPN! This includes coverage for up to 10 devices. Explore it today!
Pricing: 31-day money-back guarantee. Plan Starts at $0.83/month
Key Features:
- NAT Firewall
- P2P Optimized Servers
- Internet Kill Switch
What is ProtonVPN?
Want a VPN that’s serious about privacy? Check out ProtonVPN.
They’re based in Switzerland. This means that they have strong privacy laws.
They also have some unique security features. They offer a free version.
Also, explore our favorite ProtonVPN alternatives…
Our Take
Join over 100 million users who choose Proton VPN for ironclad online security. With 13,000+ servers spanning 120+ countries and speeds boosted by up to 400% with VPN Accelerator, you can browse, stream, and game with unparalleled privacy and performance.
Key Benefits
- Strong focus on privacy: Based in Switzerland with a strict no-logs policy.
- Secure core servers: Adds an extra layer of protection.
- Free version available: Try it out before you buy.
- Open-source apps: Transparency and community-driven development.
Pricing
- Proton Free: $0.00/month.
- VPN Plus: $4.99/month.
- Proton Unlimited: $7.99/month.
Pros
Cons
What is FastestVPN?
Now, let’s talk about FastestVPN. It’s a newer player in the VPN game.
But don’t let that fool you. They’re quickly making a name for themselves.
FastestVPN aims to provide a simple and affordable VPN service. They have over 550+ servers in 40+ countries.
While this isn’t as extensive as NordVPN, it still covers various locations.
Also, explore our favorite FastestVPN alternatives…
Our Take
FastestVPN is popular because it delivers on its promise of fast speeds. It’s a good option for performance-critical tasks like gaming and torrenting.
Key Benefits
- Fast speeds: Fully optimized for performance.
- P2P optimized servers: Good for torrenting.
- Affordable pricing: Offers competitive plans.
- 15-day money-back guarantee: Try it risk-free.
Pricing
- Exclusive Offer: $0.83/month
- 1 Month Plan: $5/month
- Lifetime Plan: $40 For Lifetime.
Pros
Cons
Feature Comparison
Understanding the specific tools and functions of each VPN is crucial for making the right choice.
Here is a direct feature-by-feature comparison to show you where each service shines.
1. Jurisdiction and Privacy Policy
- ProtonVPN: This vpn company is based in Switzerland, a country known for the world’s strongest privacy laws. Their strict no logs policy is frequently audited, meaning they don’t store your browsing history or ip logs. This foundation offers a high level of trust for proton vpn users.
- FastestVPN: This vpn company is based in the Cayman Islands, which also lacks mandatory data retention laws, supporting its strict no logs policy. While its location is privacy-friendly, ProtonVPN’s Swiss home and the reputation of Proton Technologies AG give it a stronger industry standing for privacy.
2. Advanced Security Features
- ProtonVPN: They offer Secure Core servers, which route your traffic through countries with strong privacy laws (like Switzerland) before reaching the endpoint server. This double vpn setup protects you from network attacks. They also feature access to the Tor network directly through the VPN.
- FastestVPN: FastestVPN has strong AES 256-bit encryption and a kill switch to prevent data leaks. It includes a feature called Double VPN (or Multi-Hop), which is similar to Secure Core but does not offer the same physical security guarantees for the core servers as ProtonVPN.
3. Server Network and Speed
- ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN servers number over 14,000 across 120+ countries, giving you a wider choice of server location. They also use a VPN Accelerator technology to improve internet speeds.
- FastestVPN: FastestVPN‘s servers total around 800+ in 50+ countries, which is a small server network compared to ProtonVPN. While FastestVPN claims to be one of the fastest, having so few servers can potentially lead to slow speeds and server crowding. Testing FastestVPN showed inconsistent speed results.
4. Streaming Capabilities
- ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN is also a good option for vpn for streaming, reliably unblocking platforms like bbc iplayer and multiple Netflix libraries on its paid plans. The connection remains stable, passing common dns leak test challenges.
- FastestVPN: Streaming FastestVPN is generally possible, and their service can unblock major streaming sites. However, their success is less consistent than ProtonVPN, sometimes requiring you to switch between streaming optimized servers to find a working vpn connection.
5. Split Tunneling and Port Forwarding
- ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN offers split tunneling on its Windows app and Android app, allowing you to choose which apps or IP addresses use the encrypted vpn tunnel. They also support port forwarding, which is great for torrenting.
- FastestVPN: FastestVPN also includes split tunneling, which it sometimes calls Smart Tunneling, on some of its vpn apps. Port forwarding is an available feature, though it may be an extra cost for a full FastestVPN subscription.
6. Free Version and Unlimited Bandwidth
- ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN’s free plan is one of the best available, offering unlimited bandwidth with no ads. This free tier is a great way to test how proton vpn works before subscribing.
- FastestVPN: This vpn company does not offer a free tier or operate any other free vpns. You must purchase a FastestVPN subscription to install FastestVPN and use the vpn service.
7. Simultaneous Connections
- ProtonVPN: Paid ProtonVPN plans allow for up to 10 simultaneous connections, which is great for protecting a variety of devices.
- FastestVPN: FastestVPN also allows for 10 simultaneous device connections on a single account, making it competitive for users with multiple phones, tablets, and windows computers.
8. Dedicated IP and Extra Services
- ProtonVPN: ProtonVPN doesn’t offer dedicated ip addresses, but its unique focus is on an integrated ecosystem of Proton services, including Proton Mail and a password manager. The ProtonVPN app works in conjunction with these proton apps.
- FastestVPN: They do offer dedicated ip addresses for an extra charge. FastestVPN‘s apps come bundled with features like antivirus software and FastestVPN‘s ad blocker, providing more all-in-one value for the core subscription.
9. App Compatibility and Ease of Use
- ProtonVPN: The ProtonVPN app is often cited in a ProtonVPN review as being very polished and proton vpn easy to use across platforms, including a proper GUI for linux users and a dedicated android tv app.
- FastestVPN: FastestVPN apps are available for major systems, including an android app and fastestvpn ios app. Users find the interface simple, but the app polish and feature depth are generally considered behind a top-tier service like ProtonVPN.
What to Look for When Choosing a VPN?
- Privacy Credentials and Audits: Choose a provider that has a proven, strict no-logs policy—one that has been externally audited. Your ip address and dns queries should never be tracked. Proton VPN passed independent security assessments, building more trust than other vpn providers.
- Server Network Quality and Speed: Check the vpn server count and server list. A large network, like Proton VPN servers, offers better speed. Look for streaming servers or dedicated servers. Run speed tests and note how much the VPN slows your original internet service provider connection.
- Security Essentials and Protocol Support: Ensure the vpn company includes a kill switch to prevent ip address and dns leaks. It must support current vpn protocols like wireguard protocol and OpenVPN TCP. Advanced features like tor servers or multi-hop are huge plusses.
- App Compatibility and Ease of Use: The service must offer a dedicated vpn app for all your devices, including a Windows computer, Android users, Mac apps, Linux users (with a proper Linux app), and Apple TV. The proton vpn app is highly rated for being user-friendly.
- Extra Features and Value: Look at what the vpn companies bundle. Do they offer dedicated ips for an extra charge? Does the proton vpn offers a secure vpn solution? FastestVPN offers a nat firewall and ad blocker, while ProtonVPN integrates with other Proton services.
- Unblocking Capabilities and Specialized Use: If you need vpn for streaming or bypassing blocked access, choose a provider with a good track record. Some other vpn services use virtual servers, which can affect streaming performance.
- Support and Guarantee: Ensure the provider has live chat support for quick help. A day money-back guarantee gives you time to verify that the vpn app is proton vpn good and that the service does proton vpn works for your specific mobile device or browser traffic needs.
Final Verdict
After conducting our detailed proton vpn review and tested fastestvpn comparison.
ProtonVPN is our chosen vpn provider.
While FastestVPN offers an inexpensive solution, ProtonVPN’s superior security.
Which includes dns leak protection and a robust encrypted tunnel, gives users better peace of mind.
FastestVPN servers are simply too few, potentially causing speed issues with your internet connection.
ProtonVPN has more stable server locations and reliably unblocks streaming services.
For a linux user or anyone concerned about privacy, ProtonVPN offers the most complete package.
You can trust our recommendation because we thoroughly checked every feature to ensure that which service truly does proton vpn work for you.
More of ProtonVPN
We’ve explored alternatives to ProtonVPN, so how does ProtonVPN stack up directly against them?
- ProtonVPN vs NordVPN: ProtonVPN prioritizes privacy with its Swiss base and open-source apps, while NordVPN focuses on speed and a vast server network.
- ProtonVPN vs ExpressVPN: It is often faster and more reliable for streaming, while ProtonVPN provides strong security features and a transparent open-source approach.
- ProtonVPN vs PureVPN: It is generally considered better overall with faster speeds and stronger security, while PureVPN boasts a larger server count.
- ProtonVPN vs SurfsharkVPN: It is often more affordable and allows unlimited connections, while ProtonVPN is known for slightly faster speeds and stronger privacy features.
- ProtonVPN vs PrivadoVPN: It offers a wider server network and a stronger focus on privacy, while PrivadoVPN provides a decent free plan and good speeds.
- ProtonVPN vs AdGuard VPN: It’s strength is its ad-blocking integration, while ProtonVPN is a more comprehensive VPN that focuses on security and privacy.
- ProtonVPN vs Virtual Shield: It offers more advanced security features and better performance than the simpler Virtual Shield.
- ProtonVPN vs StrongVPN: It generally has better speeds and a larger server network, while StrongVPN is known for strong encryption.
- ProtonVPN vs FastestVPN: ProtonVPN is typically faster and offers stronger privacy features compared to the budget-friendly FastestVPN.
- ProtonVPN vs AuraVPN: ProtonVPN focuses on VPN security and privacy, while AuraVPN includes identity theft protection.
- ProtonVPN vs CyberGhost: It is user-friendly with specialized servers, while ProtonVPN emphasizes security and privacy with features like Secure Core.
- ProtonVPN vs McAfee VPN: ProtonVPN is a dedicated VPN service with stronger security and privacy features than the basic VPN included with McAfee.
- ProtonVPN vs Private Internet Access: PIA is known for customization and a large server network, while ProtonVPN focuses on strong privacy and a transparent approach.
- ProtonVPN vs Mysterium: ProtonVPN uses a traditional server network known for security and speed, while Mysterium is a decentralized VPN.
More of FastestVPN
We’ve explored alternatives to FastestVPN, so how does FastestVPN stack up directly against them?
- FastestVPN vs NordVPN: It offers more simultaneous connections. NordVPN counters with a much larger server network and faster speeds.
- FastestVPN vs ExpressVPN: It is known for its consistently fast speeds and user-friendly interface, often outperforming FastestVPN in speed and server reliability.
- FastestVPN vs PureVPN: It boasts a larger server network. FastestVPN is recognized for its budget-friendly plans.
- FastestVPN vs SurfsharkVPN: It typically offers more features and unlimited connections. FastestVPN focuses on being an affordable option.
- FastestVPN vs ProtonVPN: It emphasizes strong security and privacy. FastestVPN is known for its low-cost plans.
- FastestVPN vs PrivadoVPN: It often provides more consistent speeds and a stronger focus on privacy. FastestVPN is positioned as a budget-friendly choice.
- FastestVPN vs AdGuard VPN: It excels in ad and tracker blocking. FastestVPN is a general-purpose VPN with an emphasis on affordability.
- FastestVPN vs Virtual Shield: Both are relatively basic VPNs, though FastestVPN may offer slightly better speeds.
- FastestVPN vs StrongVPN: It is known for robust encryption and reliable connections. FastestVPN focuses on being an affordable option.
- FastestVPN vs AuraVPN: It includes identity theft protection. FastestVPN is a VPN provider known for its low prices.
- FastestVPN vs CyberGhost: It offers a larger server network and specialized servers. FastestVPN is marketed for its affordability.
- FastestVPN vs McAfee VPN: It is a dedicated VPN service focused on cost. McAfee VPN is often bundled with antivirus software.
- FastestVPN vs Private Internet Access: PIA offers a significantly larger server network and allows unlimited connections. FastestVPN is known for its budget-friendly plans.
- FastestVPN vs Mysterium: It is a decentralized VPN. FastestVPN uses a traditional server network with a focus on affordability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ProtonVPN or FastestVPN the best free VPN?
While both ProtonVPN and FastestVPN are excellent VPNs, only ProtonVPN offers a free version. ProtonVPN’s free plan provides basic features, making it a great option for those who want to try a VPN without committing to a paid subscription. If you’re looking for the best free VPN, ProtonVPN is a solid choice.
Which is the fastest VPN in 2025: ProtonVPN or FastestVPN?
In our ProtonVPN vs NordVPN comparison, we found that FastestVPN consistently delivered faster than ProtonVPN speeds. If your priority is lightning-fast connections for streaming or gaming, FastestVPN might be the better option. However, ProtonVPN speed is still respectable and suitable for most VPN users.
What are the key differences between NordVPN and ProtonVPN?
NordVPN and ProtonVPN are both leading VPN providers, but they have distinct strengths. ProtonVPN excels in security and privacy, offering features like Secure Core and Tor over VPN. NordVPN, on the other hand, boasts a larger server network and generally faster than ProtonVPN speeds. Ultimately, the best choice between NordVPN or ProtonVPN depends on your individual needs and priorities.
Do I need a VPN if I’m not doing anything illegal?
Even if you’re not engaging in illegal activities, there are many reasons why you might need a VPN. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, protecting your sensitive information from hackers and snoopers. It also allows you to bypass geo-restrictions, access blocked websites, and stream content from other countries. Many VPN providers offer a range of VPN features to enhance your online privacy and security.
Can a VPN block ads?
While some VPNs, like FastestVPN, include built-in ad blockers, ProtonVPN doesn’t. However, ProtonVPN offers other valuable VPN features, such as Secure Core and double VPN servers, which enhance your privacy and security. If ad blocking is a priority, you might consider FastestVPN or using a dedicated ad-blocking extension alongside ProtonVPN.
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