Proton VPN drops to its lowest ever price – get it while you can
It's one of the best VPNs out there and a rock solid, privacy-focused provider. The two-year plan is 70% off, working out at $2.99 per month ($71.76 up front). But be quick, the deal runs out on May 28.
Proton VPN comes from the team behind Proton Mail, and it's a big name in the privacy and security world. It's one of the most private VPNs, so if privacy is your priority, it's a chance to get a top provider for cheap.
Proton VPN is not the only VPN deal this weekend. Check out our round up of the top VPN Memorial Day deals.
Proton VPN: the best VPN for privacyProton VPN is a privacy-focused provider and offers class-leading privacy and security for up to 10 devices. It's super fast and unblocked every streaming site we threw at it. There's over 12,000 servers, double hop Secure Core servers, and a host of anti-censorship features. The 2-year plan works out at $2.99 per month ($71.76 up front) and has never been cheaper. There's a great free VPN too and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Proton VPN's real strength lies in its privacy. It's a verified no-logs provider and has completed a number of independent audits. This means it doesn't store, share, or sell any of your personal data and it's protected by class-leading encryption. It's also open source, so you can see the code for yourself.
Proton VPN owns all of its more than 12,000 servers, resulting in added security, and it has a large presence in Africa and Asia – more than any other provider.
It's one of the fastest VPNs we've tested, hitting speeds of over 900 Mbps. It also unblocked every streaming site we tried to access with it. This speed and unblocking power makes it one of the best streaming VPNs.
Proton VPN isn't the most feature heavy VPN, but everything is included and there's no paid add-ons. There's a solid kill switch and split tunneling, as well as some more technical features such as moderate NAT.
Its Secure Core feature allows you to route your VPN traffic through two servers rather than one, for an additional layer of encryption, privacy, and security.
Proton VPN has some of the best anti-censorship features available, and one of its biggest goals is to provide access to a free and open internet.
Its Stealth VPN protocol obfuscates your internet traffic and hides the fact you're using a VPN. On Android, you can disguise the Proton VPN app and there's a browser extension for those who cannot download the app at all.
Proton VPN Free is one of the best free VPNs available and protects you with the same level of privacy and security as the paid plan. Guest mode means you don't even have to create an account to access it and Proton VPN has partnered with the secure browser Vivaldi to offer it as an extension.
Proton VPN's UI isn't the simplest, and beginners may take a bit of time to get used to it. Following a recent update, the UI has undergone a big redesign, making it a lot cleaner. But it's still not as easy to use as ExpressVPN or Surfshark.
NetShield is Proton VPN's threat protection offering. It claims to block ads and trackers, but in our testing it proved far less effective than NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro.
Proton VPN isn't usually the cheapest option available, but it's not the most expensive. But it's never this cheap and takes it below NordVPN and ExpressVPN by some way. However, Private Internet Access (PIA) and Surfshark still come in cheaper and may be better options if you're on a tight budget.
Overall, Proton VPN is a great VPN and ideal for the privacy-conscious. It's fast, has some decent features, and offers protection for 10 devices. If you're a fan of the Proton ecosystem then it'll slot in with ease. $2.99 per month makes it very good value and it's well worth considering.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Do Not Keep These ‘High Risk' Apps On Your iPhone Or Android
While TikTok has generated the most headlines when it comes to allegations of your data being secretly sent to China, it turns out that a much bigger threat could have been been hiding on your phone all this time. And this one is much more dangerous. It has taken a spate of porn bans — first in the U.S. and now in Europe to flush out this risk. As much as smartphone users need their TikTok fix, porn is an even bigger draw. And tens of millions of users are suddenly masking their internet traffic for the first time, pretending to be somewhere they are not to bypass those bans. This is done by way of virtual private networks or VPNs. The same technology that failed to circumvent TikTok's short-lived U.S. ban in January. But for porn, VPNs work just fine. vpnMentor saw a 'staggering' 6,000% surge in U.K VPN use after restrictions came into effect. The same explosive growth seen in the U.S. and France. Many of the installed VPNs were free apps topping App Store and Play Store charts. But many of these have a nasty, hidden secret. As Top10VPN's Simon Migliano warns, "despite being made aware of glaring privacy failures and opaque corporate structures, Google and Apple continue to permit these high-risk apps on their platforms.' A month ago, the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) issued a report into free VPNs, warning that 'millions of Americans have downloaded apps that secretly route their internet traffic through Chinese companies.' It reported on this same threat in April. 'Apple and Google app stores continue to offer private browsing apps that are surreptitiously owned by Chinese companies… six weeks after they were identified.' 'In light of these findings," Migliano warns, "I strongly urge users to avoid Chinese-owned VPNs altogether." He says 'the risks are too great' to keep them on your phone. As BeyondTrust's James Maude told me 'if you aren't paying for a product, you are the product. These VPNs are a perfect example of the hidden costs of free apps where users seeking privacy are potentially unknowingly feeding data to a foreign nation state." Google told me it is "committed to compliance with applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws. When we locate accounts that may violate these laws, our related policies or Terms of Service, we take appropriate action.' While Apple says it enforces App Store rules but does not differentiate its handling of apps by the location of their developers, albeit VPNs are prohibited from sharing data. My advice is to open either the App Store on your iPhone or the Play Store on your Android, and then search for 'free VPN.' You should delete any apps listed as installed on your phone that highlight that 'free VPN" tag, unless they are linked to blue-chip, western technology firms that provide other security offerings. Meanwhile, here's the TTP list of Chinese apps you should search for: Apple App Store: Google Play Store:
Android Authority
3 hours ago
- Android Authority
7 features I want Chrome to steal from its rivals, and why
Ryan Haines / Android Authority I've been on the Chrome bandwagon for years now and it remains my go-to browser even today. But let's just say, I haven't been entirely faithful to Chrome. Over the years, I've dabbled in a wide variety of browsers ranging from Edge to modern AI-infused alternatives to see what I might be missing out on. And while I keep coming back to Chrome, it's clear to me that Google has been playing it safe. I haven't been entirely faithful to Chrome, and that's exactly why I know it can do better. Google's been so focused on stability, performance, and ecosystem integration that it's lost some of the ambition that made Chrome exciting in the first place. Meanwhile, competitors like Edge, Vivaldi, Samsung Internet, and even Opera have been quietly adding genuinely useful features that make you question why Chrome doesn't have them yet. Don't get me wrong. For as much as we criticize Chrome, it still nails the basics like syncing across devices, a smart address bar, and unmatched integration with Google services. But that is exactly why it should be better. With the basics nailed down tight and mass acceptance by millions of users, now is the time for Chrome to raise the bar with a modern feature set. So here's a list of features I wish Chrome would just borrow already. In 2025, I wouldn't call any of these features game changers. But most of them are table stakes that would make Chrome a better browser without compromising on what makes it great today. While most of these features are available across the desktop and mobile versions of the browsers, some are available only on the desktop version to account for available screen space. Have you considered switching from Chrome to another browser? 0 votes I've already switched to Opera / Vivaldi / Edge / other. NaN % Not yet, but I'm considering it. NaN % Chrome has all the features I need. NaN % Vertical tabs Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority If you, like me, are a sucker for widescreen displays, you'll know what I'm talking about. Once you've used a browser with vertical tabs, it's hard to go back. Edge and Vivaldi get this right with implementations that let you stack dozens of tabs neatly along the side. It saves horizontal space, keeps tab titles or icons visible, and just makes sense for widescreen monitors. Once you've used vertical tabs on a widescreen monitor, there's no going back. Chrome still forces you to deal with overflowing tabs that shrink to favicon-sized blobs. With my kind of use, even those favicons aren't a very viable solution. Sure, there are a few extensions that claim to offer vertical tabs, but nothing beats a native, polished solution with full keyboard shortcut support and drag-and-drop management. For power users like me who are constantly juggling dozens of tabs at once, vertical tabs aren't a nice-to-have anymore. They're essential. Split-screen tabs Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority As a writer on the internet, I spend a lot of time researching and, all too often, referencing interesting research in my articles, comparing spec sheets, or looking up a Google Doc while drafting an email. One of my favorite features in the Vivaldi browser is its native ability to toss up split-screen tabs that let you view two tabs side by side. It might seem like a minor step up over just snapping two windows side by side in Chrome, but the added convenience makes a big difference in everyday usability. More so because once you have a couple of these windows open, believe me, it can be a chore to sift through the mess to locate the right one. A simple tab tiling feature that lets you open two or more tabs in a split screen inside a single window would instantly boost productivity, especially for users who live in their browser all day. Built-in screenshot and markup tools Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority It boggles my mind that in 2025, Chrome still doesn't offer a native screenshot tool with full-fledged, or even rudimentary, annotation capabilities. Yes, I can use the tools built into my Mac, but that's more steps for something as basic as taking a screenshot and sharing a section of the display. It's 2025 and Chrome still doesn't have a proper screenshot and annotation tool. That's just embarrassing. Meanwhile, Edge lets you capture a section of a page, mark it up, and share it instantly. Opera goes one step further with text recognition and meme templates. Chrome users are stuck with clunky third-party extensions or system-level tools that lack web-specific context. Whether you're grabbing a quote, pointing out a bug, or saving a receipt, built-in screenshot tools save time. If Google really wants to push its AI-first strategy, imagine combining a screenshot tool with contextual smart suggestions or one-tap copy-paste. Smart Sidebar Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority There's so much untapped potential in a browser sidebar. Microsoft saw that first and turned the Edge sidebar into a productivity hub. You can take notes, use the AI-based Copilot to interact with the web page, manage tasks, or control media playback directly from the side of your browser offers a customizable panel for social media, email, and RSS. Opera, too, offers a plethora of features like social connections and key bookmarks. Chrome's side panel, in comparison, feels like an afterthought. It's not really a sidebar to begin with, nor is it available to all users, but even when accessible, it lacks the breadth of features that other browsers include. Why not let users pin tools like Keep, Gemini, Calendar, or Gmail into the sidebar? Add support for custom widgets and suddenly Chrome transforms into a full blown workspace for users. Efficiency mode Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Chrome and bad RAM management go hand-in-hand. In fact, the browser is the punchline for jokes about being a memory hog and for contributing to poor battery efficiency. While Google has been working on fixing that reputation, Microsoft Edge's efficiency mode proves that a browser can actively manage background tabs and power consumption without slowing things down. A high-efficiency toggle puts the control in users' hands. Giving users direct access to an energy-efficient mode leads to better battery life on laptops, fewer fan whirrs, smoother performance on lower-end hardware, and fewer user complaints. Who'd have thought? Chrome has started making progress here with features like Memory Saver and Energy Saver, but they're tucked away in settings and not as effective as Edge's approach. A dedicated mode with clear toggles and real-time feedback could go a long way. Privacy controls Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority With privacy ranking up there as one of the top things users look out for on the internet these days, it is no surprise that it is the modern day battleground for browsers as well. And let's just say Chrome still feels like it's playing catch-up. That somewhat understandable given Google's skewed ad-driven business interests. Browsers like Brave block trackers by default, Safari shows exactly which trackers were stopped, and Firefox gives you a privacy scorecard. Chrome's privacy controls feel like they were designed for engineers and power users, not everyday users. Chrome's privacy tools, on the other hand, feel more like a developer experiment than a user-facing feature. Basic things like clearing site data, managing permissions, or turning off third-party cookies should be easier and more transparent instead of being buried deep within menus and submenus. An easy to view dashboard with smarter defaults and explanations that don't require an engineering degree is what we need. But it's far from what we get with Chrome. More customization Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority I think we can all agree that Chrome is far from the most customizable browser — on desktop or mobile. It's something that Samsung Internet does brilliantly. You can pick which buttons show up in the toolbar and rearrange them to suit your flow. Want a shortcut for downloads, share, dark mode, or desktop site toggle? You can add that. Chrome, meanwhile, sticks to a rigid layout that hasn't changed much in years. Sure, there are a few more settings to add deeper settings to the menu bar, but offering a browser experience that's truly your own isn't what Chrome specializes in. Even basic stuff like customizing the new tab page or moving the address bar is limited. Chrome could significantly benefit from letting users tweak the interface to fit their habits and devices. For example, mobile users might prefer one-handed controls while desktop users might want more shortcuts. Being the default browser isn't enough anymore For a browser as bloated as Chrome, you might be thinking I'm wrong in asking for more features. But adding quality of life enhancements goes hand-in-hand with removing legacy cruft. The best browsers today strike a balance between performance and functionality. Edge, Vivaldi, and even Arc browser show that it's possible to be fast, clean, and powerful at the same time. And many of these browsers are built on the same Chromium base as Chrome. Most of these features aren't game changers anymore. They're just table stakes in 2025. Google's Chrome browser has the foundation and the reach to pull ahead with modern features that it's still missing out on once it decides to stop playing it safe. If even a few of these ideas made their way into Chrome in a meaningful way, it could feel fresh again instead of being the default by virtue of being the most common option. Follow
Android Authority
5 hours ago
- Android Authority
This is the Android 17 codename, and it's not what you guessed
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority For most of Android's history, Google publicly referred to each release by a version number and a codename. Traditionally, the codename was a dessert like Marshmallow, Jelly Bean, or Froyo. With the release of Android 10 in 2019, however, Google ended this public practice to make its branding more globally accessible. Internally, though, the company's developers kept the sweet tradition alive. Following that tradition, Google's developers have recently decided on the dessert codename for Android 17 — and it's not what any of you guessed. You're reading the Authority Insights Newsletter, a weekly newsletter that reveals some new facet of Android that hasn't been reported on anywhere else. If you're looking for the latest scoops, the hottest leaks, and breaking news on Google's Android operating system and other mobile tech topics, then we've got you covered. Subscribe here to get this post delivered to your email inbox every Saturday. Google surprised many last year by choosing 'Baklava' as the dessert codename for Android 16. Since the codename for Android 15 was 'Vanilla Ice Cream,' most people expected the next version to follow the alphabetical tradition with a dessert starting with the letter 'W.' Android Version Number Dessert Codename Year of Release Android Version Number 1.0 Dessert Codename No codename Year of Release 2008 Android Version Number 1.1 Dessert Codename Petit Four (internal) Year of Release 2009 Android Version Number 1.5 Dessert Codename Cupcake Year of Release 2009 Android Version Number 1.6 Dessert Codename Donut Year of Release 2009 Android Version Number 2.0, 2.1 Dessert Codename Éclair Year of Release 2009 Android Version Number 2.2 Dessert Codename Froyo Year of Release 2010 Android Version Number 2.3 Dessert Codename Gingerbread Year of Release 2010 Android Version Number 3 Dessert Codename Honeycomb Year of Release 2011 Android Version Number 4 Dessert Codename Ice Cream Sandwich Year of Release 2011 Android Version Number 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 Dessert Codename Jelly Bean Year of Release 2012 Android Version Number 4.4 Dessert Codename KitKat Year of Release 2013 Android Version Number 5.0, 5.1 Dessert Codename Lollipop Year of Release 2014 Android Version Number 6 Dessert Codename Marshmallow Year of Release 2015 Android Version Number 7.0, 7.1 Dessert Codename Nougat Year of Release 2016 Android Version Number 8.0, 8.1 Dessert Codename Oreo Year of Release 2017 Android Version Number 9 Dessert Codename Pie Year of Release 2018 Android Version Number 10 Dessert Codename Quince Tart (internal) Year of Release 2019 Android Version Number 11 Dessert Codename Red Velvet Cake (internal) Year of Release 2020 Android Version Number 12, 12L Dessert Codename Snow Cone (internal) Year of Release 2021 Android Version Number 13 Dessert Codename Tiramisu (internal) Year of Release 2022 Android Version Number 14 Dessert Codename Upside Down Cake (internal) Year of Release 2023 Android Version Number 15 Dessert Codename Vanilla Ice Cream (internal) Year of Release 2024 Android Version Number 16 Dessert Codename Baklava (internal) Year of Release 2025 Google broke this years-long pattern to reflect major changes to its development practices under the new 'Trunk Stable' project. This project shifts Android development to a trunk-based model, where all work occurs in a single, main internal code branch that must always remain stable. New features, APIs, and bug fixes are developed behind 'feature flags' that keep them disabled until they're ready for launch. In contrast, Google previously used a branch-based model, which often created significant problems when merging new release branches back into the main one. Android's old branch-based development model Android's new, trunk-based development model. The first Android version released after Google completed its migration to trunk-based development was Android 14 QPR2. To mark this change, Google reset its build ID scheme. The IDs for Android 14 QPR2 and QPR3 builds were prefaced with 'AP1A' and 'AP2A,' respectively. The company used the letter 'A' because 2024 was the first year Google released Trunk Stable builds, while the 'P1A' and 'P2A' reflected that Android 14 QPR2 and QPR3 were respectively the first and second platform releases of the year. When the calendar turned to 2025, Google advanced the letter to 'B,' which is why Android 16's codename was a dessert that started with B. Following this pattern, you'd be right to guess that Android 17's dessert codename will start with the letter 'C.' The problem is the sheer number of desserts that start with C. We can immediately rule out 'Cupcake,' since Google already used it for Android 1.5, but that still leaves dozens of choices. When we polled our readers on the topic, we presented eight popular options, and they floated seven more in the comments. However, none of these were correct, as Google has decided on 'Cinnamon Bun' as the dessert codename for Android 17! A cinnamon bun — also called a cinnamon roll or swirl — is a sweet, baked pastry made of rolled dough filled with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and often topped with glaze or icing. It's a popular dessert in northern Europe and North America, with several well-known chains specializing in its creation. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Although we don't have any public sources that mention 'Cinnamon Bun' as Android 17's codename, we are confident this is the name. A trusted source within Google shared evidence with us that clearly shows the company using 'CinnamonBun' as the internal codename for API level 37.0. The API level is a number that uniquely identifies a specific Android version and its set of core APIs. Each Android version has a distinct API level; for example, Android 15 is API level 35.0, and Android 16 is 36.0. Hence, we can assume that API level 37.0 will refer to Android 17, unless Google suddenly decides to drop numbers from its versioning entirely — which seems unlikely. Ultimately, the dessert codename doesn't matter. It won't appear in most of Google's marketing next year, though the company may still erect a new Android statue on its campus that references it. You'll likely see 'Android CinnamonBun' appear under the 'Android version' field in early beta releases, but this will be replaced with 'Android 17' once the OS reaches platform stability. Still, we know that many of you have been wondering what dessert codename Google has cooked up for Android 17, so we thought it would be fun to reveal it in the inaugural edition of the Authority Insights Newsletter. If you're wondering when Android 17 will launch, we expect it to land around June 2026. As we've noted before, Google pushed up Android 16's release date to enable summer device launches to ship with the latest OS. There's no reason to think Google won't stick with this accelerated schedule next year. Still, plans can change, and if they do, I'll report on them in a future edition of this newsletter. P.S. That awesome photo of a cinnamon bun surrounded by Android pins was taken by my colleague Rita El Khoury, who went on a bit of an adventure to get it. After picking it up at a Starbucks, it traveled with her on a train, crossed a highway, and rested on a fence before she acquired proper protection for it. When I asked her how it tasted, she told me that she 'had a sugar rush crash' after eating it. Cinnamon buns will do that to you. Want more? Authority Insights is more than a newsletter — it's the hub for all our best content. If you care about Android, you won't want to miss any of our other exclusive reports. Follow
