ZoneBlade vs Proton VPN

The short answer

Both have a free plan with unlimited data and no ads, but in the browser ZoneBlade does more. It needs no account, lets you choose which of its 6 free countries to use, and can give each tab its own country with its own cookies. Proton VPN Free needs a Proton account, picks the server for you from 10 countries, and puts the whole browser in one place. Proton VPN is the better choice for a free VPN that covers your whole computer or phone.

Checked against Proton VPN's own website and store listing on . Every claim about Proton VPN links to its source.

Side by side

ZoneBlade and Proton VPN, row by row.

Numbers link to their sources at the bottom of the page.

FeatureZoneBladeProton VPN logoProton VPN
Free planYesYes1
Works without an accountYesNo1
Free dataUnlimitedUnlimited2
Countries on the free plan6102Picked for you
No ads on the free planYesYes3
Doesn't sell your data or share your connectionYesYes4
A different country in each tabYesNo1
The same site in two countries at onceYesEach country keeps its own cookiesNo1
Countries1801495
Apps for your whole deviceNoChrome and Edge onlyYes6
Price, month to month$5.99Premium, monthly$9.997
Lowest price a month$4.00Premium, $47.99 a year$3.497First 2 years, introductory
Proton VPN: who runs it
Proton AG, Geneva, Switzerland; the non-profit Proton Foundation is its main shareholder [8]
Proton VPN: extension
Works on its own but needs a Proton account; covers the browser only [1]
Proton VPN: devices
1 on Free, 10 on VPN Plus [2]
Proton VPN: Chrome Web Store
4.7 stars from 4,600 ratings, 2 million users [9]
Proton VPN: no-logs audits
Securitum, every year from 2022 to 2026 [4]

Two free plans, two different deals

Proton VPN Free has unlimited data and no ads, which is rare. It needs a Proton account, works on one device, and picks a server for you from its 10 free countries.

ZoneBlade Free also has unlimited data and no ads, and needs no account at all: add it and it works. You choose the country yourself from its 6, and it can stay on whichever you pick.

A country in every tab

Proton's extension puts the whole browser in one country; paid plans can leave chosen websites out of the VPN. ZoneBlade's Each tab mode gives every Chrome tab group its own country, with its own cookies, so you can open the same site in two countries side by side.

Privacy

Proton is one of the most trusted names in privacy: Swiss, owned mainly by a non-profit foundation, with a no-logs audit by Securitum every year since 2022. ZoneBlade, run by a UK company, keeps no record of the sites you visit either, and counts only data used per device and country; it hasn't been audited yet.

Paying for more

Proton VPN Plus covers 149 countries and 10 devices with full apps. ZoneBlade Premium covers 180 countries in Chrome and Edge, 15 GB a month in any of them and then unlimited in Free's 6. Both prices are in the table above.

When Proton VPN is the better pick

Choose Proton VPN if you want a free VPN for your whole computer or phone, not only the browser, or if an independent no-logs audit matters to you. Its free plan also reaches more countries, 10 against ZoneBlade's 6, though it picks one for you.

The verdict

For a free VPN inside Chrome or Edge, ZoneBlade wins: no account, your choice of country, and a different country in each tab with cookies kept apart, none of which Proton's free extension offers. Proton VPN is the stronger pick only if you need your whole device covered.

Questions

Do I need an account for Proton VPN's free extension?

Yes, a Proton account. ZoneBlade needs no account: add it to Chrome or Edge and it works.

Can I choose my country on Proton VPN Free?

Not exactly: Proton picks a server for you from its 10 free countries. On ZoneBlade Free you choose any of its 6 countries yourself.

Can Proton VPN give each tab its own country?

No, its extension puts the whole browser in one country. ZoneBlade's Each tab mode gives each tab group its own country.

Sources

  1. 1https://protonvpn.com/support/browser-extensions
  2. 2https://protonvpn.com/support/proton-vpn-plans
  3. 3https://protonvpn.com/free-vpn
  4. 4https://protonvpn.com/blog/no-logs-audit
  5. 5https://protonvpn.com/vpn-servers
  6. 6https://protonvpn.com/download
  7. 7https://protonvpn.com/pricing?currency=USD
  8. 8https://proton.me/blog/proton-non-profit-foundation
  9. 9https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/jplgfhpmjnbigmhklmmbgecoobifkmpa

Try ZoneBlade before you pay for Proton VPN.

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