Choose CosmoVPN if you want to pick your free location yourself and use the free version without an account on computers as well as phones.
CosmoVPN vs Proton VPN
How CosmoVPN and Proton VPN compare on blocked networks, privacy, free versions, apps and price.
Checked on 1 October 2026
Which one is for you?
Choose Proton VPN if privacy matters most to you: open-source apps, yearly audits, Swiss law, and a free plan without ads or a data limit for one device.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes: no data cap and no account; each connection lasts 1 hour (then you connect again), with ads and fewer locations than Premium. | Yes: no data limit and no ads, 1 device, servers in 10 countries chosen for you. |
| Account | None for the free version; an e-mail address and password for Premium. | An e-mail address (a free guest mode without an account on Android and iPhone). |
| Tools for blocked networks | CosmoGhost, made for heavily censored networks, and CosmoShield, which is hard for networks to detect or block. Auto switches to the mode that works on your network. | The Stealth protocol makes VPN traffic look like ordinary HTTPS (also on the free plan), the Smart protocol tries other protocols by itself when one is blocked, and alternative routing reaches Proton when its servers are blocked. |
| Protocols | WireGuard, plus the CosmoGhost and CosmoShield modes; Auto picks the one that works. | WireGuard, Stealth (its own protocol) and OpenVPN on Linux. |
| Logging | Doesn't log the websites you visit, your DNS requests or the content of your traffic. Keeps a record of each connection: time, server, device identifier and model, app version and connection mode. | No logs of traffic, DNS requests or connections. |
| Audits | No independent audit. | Yes: no-logs audits by Securitum every year from 2022 to 2026. |
| Open source | No. | Yes, all apps. |
| Devices | Up to 5 devices per account, free or Premium; the free version also works without an account. | Free: 1 device. VPN Plus: 10 devices. |
| Apps | Android, iPhone and iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android TV. | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromebook and browser extensions. |
| Price | Free. Premium for 1, 6 or 12 months, bought in the app (App Store or Google Play) at the price shown there in your currency. | VPN Plus: see protonvpn.com/pricing (prices vary by region and plan length). |
Getting past blocked networks
Proton VPN's answers to VPN blocking are its Stealth protocol, which makes the connection look like ordinary HTTPS, a Smart protocol that tries other protocols by itself when one is blocked, and alternative routing when its own servers are blocked. CosmoVPN has two modes, CosmoGhost and CosmoShield, and an Auto mode that switches between them.
Privacy and logging
Proton VPN is open source and has its no-logs policy audited every year (by Securitum). CosmoVPN doesn't log the sites you visit, your DNS requests or the content of your traffic and keeps connection records, but its apps are not open source and it hasn't been audited. If audits matter most to you, Proton VPN is ahead here.
Free version
Both are free to start. Proton VPN Free has no ads and no data limit, but works on one device and picks a server for you in one of 10 countries (there is also a guest mode without an account on Android and iPhone). CosmoVPN's free version needs no account on any platform and has no data cap; you choose among its free locations (fewer than with Premium), with ads and 1-hour connections.
Apps and devices
Proton VPN has apps for almost every platform, including TVs and Chromebooks, and covers 10 devices on VPN Plus. CosmoVPN runs on Android, iPhone and iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android TV, with 5 devices on Premium.
Price
CosmoVPN: Free. Premium for 1, 6 or 12 months, bought in the app (App Store or Google Play) at the price shown there in your currency.
Proton VPN: VPN Plus: see protonvpn.com/pricing (prices vary by region and plan length).
CosmoVPN or Proton VPN?
Proton VPN Free has no ads and no data limit but works on one device, with servers chosen for you (and a guest mode without an account on Android and iPhone). CosmoVPN free needs no account and lets you choose a free location, with ads and 1-hour connections. On networks that block VPNs, CosmoVPN offers two modes and Auto; Proton offers Stealth and a Smart protocol that switches automatically.
No. Proton VPN has a yearly no-logs audit. CosmoVPN doesn't log the websites you visit, your DNS requests or the content of your traffic, and its privacy policy lists the connection records it keeps.
Yes. You can use CosmoVPN for free on our free servers, with ads and time-limited connections: when the time is up, just connect again. Premium removes the ads, gives you much longer connections and unlocks the Premium servers.
Compare Free and Premium →We do not log the websites you visit, your DNS requests or the content of your traffic. To run the service we keep basic connection records, such as which device connected to which server and when.
Read the Privacy Policy →CosmoVPN vs other VPNs
Sources
The facts about Proton VPN come from its own website and app-store listings, checked on 1 October 2026:
- Proton VPN plans
- Proton VPN free plan
- Proton VPN Stealth protocol
- Proton VPN no-logs audit
- Proton VPN apps on GitHub
- Proton VPN plans (help center)
- Proton VPN Smart protocol
- Proton VPN on the App Store
The facts about CosmoVPN come from our features, FAQ and privacy policy.
Proton VPN is a trademark of its owner; CosmoVPN isn't affiliated with Proton VPN. Something out of date? E-mail [email protected] and we'll correct it.