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Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team

Proton Mail vs PureVPN

Proton Mail scores 9.0 and PureVPN 9.5 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Proton Mail

Proton Mail

9.0/10
Visit
PureVPN

PureVPN

Higher score in this comparison

9.5/10
Visit

Proton Mail vs PureVPN: the differences

Proton Mail vs PureVPN
CompareProton MailProton MailReviewVisitVisitPureVPNPureVPNReviewVisitVisit
Price from$4.99Lower$12.95
Free planYesHas itNo
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, BraveWindows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, IPadOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Huawei, Chromebook, Routers
Logging policyNo 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 notesNo-log: does not store data generated by use of the service; independently audited no-log certification
JurisdictionCHVG
Open sourceYesHas itNo
Free plan limitsUnlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharingNot confirmed
ProtocolsNot confirmedWireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • PureVPN scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.0.
  • Price from is lower at Proton Mail: $4.99 vs $12.95.
  • Free plan: only Proton Mail.
  • Platforms: only Proton Mail offers Web app, Command line interface, Safari.
  • Platforms: only PureVPN offers IPadOS, Apple TV, Android TV.
  • Support channels: only PureVPN offers Chat.
  • Open source: only Proton Mail.
  • Founded is lower at PureVPN: 2007 vs 2014.
  • Pricing model: only Proton Mail offers Free.

Our verdict on each

Proton Mail

Proton Mail suits readers who want a password manager that is open source, free to start and end-to-end encrypted on every field, metadata included. Support runs on email, help centre and community, and the budget plan starts at $4.99, while the group median monthly price is €6.47.

Read the full Proton Mail review

PureVPN

PureVPN suits households and small teams that want audited no-log privacy without the usual VPN price, with the long-term plan at $2.16 a month over 60 months. The catch sits at entry, since the monthly plan costs $12.95 and renewals stay at that rate.

Read the full PureVPN review

Score breakdown

Proton Mail vs PureVPN
AreaProton MailPureVPN
Cost9.19.3HigherThe monthly plan's $12.95 and its $12.95 renewal sit high, though $2.16 on the long-term plan is low.
Offer9.19.6HigherAudited no-log policy, 10 simultaneous devices, from 65 server countries and a 31 money-back window.
Privacy8.99.5Higher

The bill, worked out

A year on the entry plan

Proton Mail

$59.88

12 × $4.99

PureVPN

$155.40

12 × $12.95

Proton Mail costs $95.52 less.

Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.

How they place

Proton Mail vs PureVPN
RankingProton MailPureVPN
Privacy tools11 of 2816 of 281

Every fact side by side

Proton Mail vs PureVPN
FactProton MailPureVPN
Pricing modelFree, BudgetCovers moreBudget
Legal entityProton AGGZ Systems Limited
HeadquartersSwitzerlandVirgin Islands, British
Founded20142007Lower
Support channelsEmail, Help centre, CommunityEmail, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more

Where each stands against the rest

Proton Mail vs PureVPN
FactProton MailPureVPNMedian
Price from$4.99below the median$12.95highest quarter$8

Median across 83 listed providers.

Pros and cons

Proton Mail

Pros

  • End-to-end encryption covers passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata, and only the user can decrypt.
  • The client is open source, and by its logging policy the company has no technical means to reach encrypted passwords or notes.
  • Paid entry is light: the budget plan starts at $4.99, and custom domains are supported.

Cons

  • Support runs on email, help centre and community, with no phone line and no live chat in that list.
  • The free plan limits leave out vault and item sharing, so a free account suits one person rather than a household.
  • By its logging policy, temporary IP logs are kept to combat abuse and fraud, and authentication logging is off by default.

PureVPN

Pros

  • A logging policy that keeps nothing generated by use of the service, with the audits recorded as KPMG 2020 (second always-on audit; first audit by Altius IT).
  • The long-term plan runs $2.16 a month over 60 months, under the €3.97 median for VPN listings.
  • One subscription covers 10 devices at once, with servers in from 65 countries and kill switch in kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation.

Cons

  • The monthly plan costs $12.95 and renews at $12.95, placing it 104 of 133 on price.
  • A free plan is not offered, so the $12.95 monthly plan is the only way in and the low rate needs 60 months.
  • Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line when a connection fails mid workday.

Who each suits

Proton Mail

Who it suits

  • Readers who want open source, end-to-end encrypted storage with a free plan to start on.
  • Single users on a budget: paid entry starts at $4.99 on the budget plan.
  • Readers who want a named operator: Proton AG, founded in 2014 and under CH jurisdiction.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Apple Hide My Email, which arrives inside iCloud+ rather than as a standalone vault and whose free plan limits leave it out of the entry iCloud plan.
  • Apple Inc. for anyone shopping only inside the Apple ecosystem, since the free plan limits exclude Hide My Email from the entry iCloud plan.
  • addy.io, whose free plan limits cap recipients, alias domains and monthly bandwidth, so it suits lighter alias use.

PureVPN

Who it suits

  • People ready to commit up front, since the long-term rate of $2.16 a month needs 60 months of commitment.
  • Businesses and remote teams after obfuscation and split tunnelling in kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation, on a service listed for the business audience.
  • Mixed-device households, since one account reaches Windows, macOS and Linux and covers phones, tablets, TVs and routers at the same time.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Apple Inc. buyers who only want Apple-side privacy, since PureVPN is a full VPN priced at $12.95 a month or $2.16 on the long-term plan.
  • ESET Brasil customers, who want device protection across 3 to 25 devices rather than a VPN reaching from 65 server countries.
  • Sinew Software Systems shoppers, who may prefer a different tool at $1.99 a month over a VPN commitment of 60 months.

Current offers

Proton Mail

Current offer

  • Free trial

    30-day money-back guarantee on Pass Plus and Proton Unlimited: 30 days

    Applies to premium Pass Plus and Proton Unlimited plans; cancel and request refund within 30 days

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Discount code

    Pass Plus discount on yearly plans: 40% off

    Pass Plus annual billing

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

PureVPN

Current offer

  • First period offer

    83% off + 3 extra months on 2-year plan: 83% off + 3 extra months (Standard $2.15/mo)

    2-year plan, billed $57.95 on purchase for Standard

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • First period offer

    83% off on 5-year plan: 83% off

    5-year plan, Standard $2.16/mo, Max $3.33/mo

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

  • Bonus

    Free 3 GB eSIM Data with Truely: 3 GB for 30 days

    free with every Max Plan purchase; 30-day validity, no roaming fees

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Questions about each

Proton Mail

How much does Proton Mail cost?+

There is a free plan, and the budget plan starts at $4.99. For context, the median monthly price across secure email brands in this group is €6.47, and the median long-term rate is €4.67. Entry pricing sits below that group median.

Can Proton Mail read my passwords?+

No. End-to-end encryption covers passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata inside AES-GCM vaults, so only the user can decrypt. By its logging policy, Proton states it has no technical means to reach encrypted passwords or notes, and the client is open source under CH law.

PureVPN

What does PureVPN cost to start?+

The monthly plan costs $12.95 a month, and the starting price advertised matches at $12.95. Committing for longer is far cheaper: the long-term plan works out at $2.16 a month when bought over 60 months. Short stays cost the most per month.

What happens to the price at renewal?+

Renewals on the monthly plan are listed at $12.95 a month, which matches the entry monthly price instead of dropping below it. The low headline figure on the long-term plan depends on paying for 60 months up front, so weigh that commitment against the renewal rate before you buy.

Other options to compare

Proton Mail

Visit

PureVPN

Visit