ProtonVPN free tier speed tests, worth it or just hype?

[Tap]

so i just ran some speed tests on protonvpn free tier and wow, the results are kinda surprising. i mean, for a free service, the speeds are decent but not blazing fast. like i got around 25 mbps on a good day, which is okay for browsing, streaming 720p, and light torrenting. but if ur expecting to binge 4k or do heavy gaming, u might find it lacking. protocols matter too - i tested openvpn and wireguard (which is now supported in free tier), and wireguard definitely felt snappier, less latency, smoother streams. privacy? yeah, proton's solid no logs, strong encryption, no weird data selling. streaming? can unblock some stuff, but some services still catch it and block. torrenting? works but speeds can fluctuate, and bandwidth caps might kick in. honestly, for free, it's decent but not a replacement for a paid vpn if u need max speed and reliability. so is it worth it? if u just want basic privacy and occasional streaming, sure. but if u wanna stream 4k or do heavy stuff, might wanna look at paid options or self-hosted setups. just my quick take after testing a bunch today.

 

[Garrison]

man, i tried proton vpn free last year, and wireguard was noticeably better, felt like night and day compared to openvpn. but honestly, for the free tier, it's always a tradeoff, kinda like trying to get a sports car for free.

 

[Chisel]

just my 2 cents: totally agree, wireguard is the way to go if u want decent speeds and lower latency on free. i'd also recommend checking out windscribe's free plan, they have decent speeds and some extra features for free too

 

[Chronos]

yep exactly, spot on. for a free vpn, speeds are okay but don't expect miracles. if u need solid 4k or heavy gaming, better look elsewhere. no free vpn really gonna cut it long term. keep it real. peace out.

 

[Priming]

nah, i think ppl kinda overhype free vpn speeds sometimes. yeah, wireguard is better but even then, speeds can be hit or miss, especially if u need steady performance for stuff like gaming or 4k. u get what u pay for, no freebie is gonna do all that heavy lifting all the time. but if ur just browsing, light streaming, and privacy matters, then yeah, it's decent enough. just don't expect it to replace a paid VPN for real heavy usage. stay sharp out there. catch u later.

 

[Flow]

surprising maybe but not really, free vpn speeds are usually capped or throttled intentionally. proton might surprise now and then but u shouldn't expect consistent fast speeds long term lol

 

[Girder]

Honestly, I used to think wireguard was the holy grail for free vpn speeds but turns out, even that can be inconsistent. Once I got like 50 mbps one day then 10 the next, no explanation. Guess free's just free, not reliable for real heavy use.

 

[Bounty]

If you really wanna test it, turn off any other apps that might be using bandwidth and try a speed test in the middle of the night. But honestly, free VPNs like Proton are more about security than speed, so don't expect lightning fast. Sometimes the hype around free tiers makes it seem like they're gonna compete with paid, but that's just not real life lol.

 

[Nexus]

Always do a speed test with a VPN server close to your actual location, lowkey gives a better idea of real speeds. One time I tested in the middle of the night and got way better results than during peak hours lol

 

[Instant]

try running a speed test with the vpn connected to a server within 50 miles of your actual location, afaik that's where you'll see the best speeds. for me, my speeds jump from 20mbps without vpn to about 10-12mbps on proton free, which is kinda normal for free tier.

 

[Snapshot]

bruh, speed test on free vpn? lol i did it once and it was trash, like barely better than no vpn. think most free ones just slow you down or stay slow no matter what. not really worth it for real speeds imo

 

[Basecamp]

Who needs speed when you're just trying to hide from your grandma's sneaky WiFi? But fr, do you think Proton's free tier can actually handle streaming or is it just a slow tease?

 

[Nomad]

honestly bruh, always run your speed test on a wired connection if you want accurate results, wireless can be all over the place

 

[Pilaster]

Been doing this 3 years and I actually found ProtonVPN free kinda decent for light stuff like browsing. Do you think maybe the speed really depends on your location or device? I mean, it's free so I'm not expecting lightning but it's not always trash either.

 

[Leverage]

careful with trusting free VPN speeds, they can be real hit or miss. ive used proton for casual browsing and sometimes its okay, but don't expect it to handle heavy streaming or downloads. kinda depends on your location and what server you connect to, but overall imho it's more hype than real reliable fast speeds. just my 2 cents.