VPN alternatives are worth considering when the incumbent gets expensive, restrictive, or invasive.
Proton VPN’s free plan is unlimited in data and runs without ads, which is unusual in the category. Paid tiers add streaming-friendly servers and bundle with Proton Mail and Drive.
Why consider the swap
If you currently rely on Surfshark and want more control over data, lower long-term costs, or a freemium licensing model, Proton VPN covers most of the same ground.
What you trade off
Most freemium alternatives require more setup than their commercial counterparts and may lag on polish, mobile apps, or ecosystem integrations. Check the project’s documentation for current feature parity with Surfshark before committing.
Where to start
- Project page: Proton VPN
- Comparison reference: Surfshark
This recommendation is indexed from pixlrun-curated. Read their full project notes for the latest changes.