Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Apple Inc. vs Proton
What sets them apart
| Compare | Apple Inc. ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.99Lower | $4.99 |
| Free plan limits | Aliases via Sign in with Apple are free with an Apple Account; changing the Forward To address requires iCloud+ | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring |
| Platforms | iOS, IPadOS, MacOS, VisionOS, TvOS, WatchOS, Web | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Logging policy | Apple does not read or process relayed message content except standard spam filtering; messages deleted from relay servers after delivery, usually within seconds | No permanent IP logs by default; temporary IP logs kept to combat abuse and fraud; authentication logging off by default; Proton states it has no technical means to access encrypted passwords or notes |
| Jurisdiction | US | CH |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Open source | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Free plan (Yes).
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Key differences
- Apple Inc. scores higher overall: 9.7 vs 9.3.
- Price from is lower at Apple Inc.: $0.99 vs $4.99.
- Platforms: only Apple Inc. offers IPadOS, VisionOS, TvOS.
- Platforms: only Proton offers Windows, Linux, Android.
- Support channels: only Apple Inc. offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Apple Inc.: 1976 vs 2014.
- Pricing model: only Apple Inc. offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
Apple Inc.
Apple folds relay aliases, 5 gigabytes of free iCloud+ storage and passkeys into the platforms most people already own. It suits Apple only households wanting private storage in a single account, while readers who need storage they alone can read or end-to-end encrypted mail should look elsewhere.
Proton
Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.
Score breakdown
| Area | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.5HigherEntry starts at $0.99 and monthly runs $0.99, under the €7.89 site median, with storage at $119.88 per terabyte per year. | 9.2Entry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan. |
| Offer | 9.6Higher | 9.5 |
| Privacy | 10.0Higher | 9.1 |
How they place
| Ranking | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 84 of 232 | 13 of 232 |
| Password managers | 35 of 69 | 8 of 69 |
| Privacy tools | 60 of 280 | 10 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 12 of 60 | 1 of 60 |
| Secure cloud storage and backup | 17 of 70 | 2 of 70 |
| Free VPNs | 63 of 189 | 9 of 189 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, BudgetCovers more | Free |
| Legal entity | Apple Inc. | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1976Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Password managers
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Not confirmed | Pass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel |
| Passkeys | Yes | Yes |
| Security audit | Not confirmed | Independently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty |
| Encryption | Encryption and Data Protection | End-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys |
| Features | Screen time, Web filter | Kill switch |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | No | YesHas it |
VPN
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $0.99 | Not confirmed |
| Devices | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | Not confirmed | 140 |
| Features | No logs, Travel | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 30 days |
| Streaming services | Not confirmed | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu |
| Owner | Apple Inc. | Proton Foundation |
| Longest plan (months) | Not confirmed | 24 months |
Secure email
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | None of the mail is end-to-end encrypted: aliases are relayed and forwarded by Apple, which states it does not read or process message content except spam filtering | All fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot |
| Custom domains | No | YesHas it |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 5 | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | $119.88 | $95.88Lower |
| Compliance certifications | Not confirmed | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II |
Parental controls
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly price | $0 | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Apple Inc. | Proton | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.99lowest quarter | $4.99below the median | $8 |
Median across 82 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Apple Inc.
Pros
- Sign in with Apple issues relay aliases at no cost to Apple Account holders, so the free plan is a real starting point rather than a trial.
- Entry sits at $0.99, below the $19.99 and $14.99 starting prices of the two paid alternatives here.
- A single subscription spans iOS, iPadOS and macOS, so storage and aliases need no extra purchase per device.
Cons
- iCloud+ storage is not sealed so that only the account holder can read it, and what is stored stays within Apple's reach under Encryption and Data Protection.
- End-to-end encryption is not offered for alias mail, since Apple Inc. relays and forwards it, so an alias is not a private channel for sensitive messages.
- Custom domains are not available, so an alias cannot sit on a domain you own.
Proton
Pros
- A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
- Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
- Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
- Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
- Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.
Who each suits
Apple Inc.
Who it suits
- Apple households that already pay for iCloud+ and want more capacity plus relay aliases from the same account.
- Readers who want one subscription across iOS, iPadOS and macOS instead of separate tools per device family.
- People willing to trade storage their provider can still read for low entry pricing and broad platform reach.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who need end-to-end encrypted mail or storage only the account holder can read, since neither is part of what the plan includes.
- Buyers shopping for a free standalone security toolkit, since Token2 hands over an in-browser authenticator toolset and a QR decoder without creating an account.
- Shoppers who want a priced privacy product outside the Apple ecosystem, where EasyOptOuts at $19.99 and Vipre Security at $14.99 are the paid comparisons here.
Proton
Who it suits
- Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
- Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
- Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
- Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
- EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.
Current offers
Apple Inc.
Current offer
Free trial
Get 3 months of Apple One free with any new iPhone, iPad, or Mac: 3 months free
New and qualified returning subscribers only. $21.95 or $27.95 or $39.95 per month after trial based on plan selected. Only one offer per Apple Account and per family. Not available if a previous three-months-free offer was accepted. Offer good for three months after eligible device activation. Plan automatically renews until cancelled.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Apple Inc.
What does iCloud+ cost to start?+
iCloud+ starts at $0.99, and the monthly rate is the same figure, $0.99. Storage is the only part that carries a charge; Sign in with Apple aliases stay at no cost to Apple Account holders. For context, the median entry price across the brands compared here is €6.84.
Is there a free plan and what does it cover?+
A free plan is part of the service. Sign in with Apple issues relay aliases at no cost to anyone holding an Apple Account, and free storage stands at 5 gigabytes with a yearly price of $0. The limit: repointing an alias at a different inbox needs iCloud+.
Proton
How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+
Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.
What does the free plan leave out?+
The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.
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