I tested the policy by signing up for its 1-year plan and downgrading my subscription to a free account after 4 days. The prorated price of my subscription was back in my account 6 days after I contacted the support team over email. If you’re still hunting for a VPN, I found ExpressVPN is a far better VPN service with plenty more premium features at a cheaper price. Better still, ExpressVPN is backed by a genuine 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get 100% of your money back if you don’t like it. Just ask for a refund within 30 days —it takes only a few minutes over 24/7 live chat.
Quick Guide: How to Cancel Proton VPN and Get a Refund
Step-By-Step Guide: How to Cancel Proton VPN and Get a Refund
How to Cancel Proton VPN on the Apple App Store (iOS)
Unfortunately, you can’t automatically get a refund with the 30-day money-back guarantee as you’re subject to Apple’s Terms and Conditions. It’s still worth trying to get your money back though.
How to Cancel Proton VPN on the Google Play Store (Android)
You’ll have to cancel Proton VPN through Google if you signed up with the Play Store. Like with Apple, your refund isn’t automatic as the decision is up to Google.
The Best VPN Alternatives to Proton VPN (Tested in January 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — Super-Fast Servers for Crisp HD Streams and Quick Downloads
ExpressVPN has impressively fast speeds — I got at least 89Mbps or higher on every server I tested. This makes it the top pick for a Proton VPN alternative. Even when I connected to locations on the other side of the world, there weren’t any sudden slowdowns. ExpressVPN’s advanced network delivered lightning-fast results, even while multitasking. All online traffic is encrypted with a military-grade 256-bit cipher, which is the strongest type available. It also uses RAM-based servers that keep zero logs — so even when its servers were seized by the Turkish government in 2017, no data could be recovered. ExpressVPN’s privacy policies have even been tested and verified by an independent auditor and they confirmed that the company adheres to its published statements. An automatic kill switch cuts your internet if you lose your connection, preventing information like your real location from leaking. Better yet, ExpressVPN has a proprietary Lightway protocol designed to get you the fastest speeds without any extra drain on your system. I find all these premium features are well worth the $6.67 per month, which is the lowest monthly price and available on the 1-year plan. In comparison to the month-by-month plan, you’ll save 49% off the full price. ExpressVPN has lightning-fast speeds, top-of-the-line security, and best of all — it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. That way you can try ExpressVPN risk-free and decide for yourself if you like it better than Proton VPN. If for some reason you’re not happy with the service, you can get a full refund with no questions asked. The process was easy using 24/7 chat and I had my money back 24 hours later.
2. CyberGhost — Maximize Privacy and Security With NoSpy Servers
CyberGhost is a secure VPN for online privacy as it uses 256-bit military-grade encryption to hide your real location and other data on all its servers. Since it’s a zero-logs VPN, you can rest assured that none of your browsing activities, downloads, or other information will be recorded to protect your privacy. The app also features DNS leak protection (which you have to manually turn on). I put this to the test and my location always showed up as the server location. In the event you have a bad connection, an automatic kill switch will stop your real identity from being revealed. If that isn’t enough, CyberGhost has a network of specialty NoSpy servers that are owned and operated by the company staff. This ensures that no third parties have access to its server facility. These servers are located in Romania, a country without invasive privacy laws or mass surveillance. The one con to CyberGhost is that it’s slower than ExpressVPN. I was still able to stream movies lag-free, but you might experience longer loading times if your internet speed is already slow. However, CyberGhost is more affordable at only $2.03 on the 2-year + 4 months plan. You can try CyberGhost risk-free to see for yourself that it’s better than Proton VPN. If you have any doubts, you can get all of your money back using the 45-day money-back guarantee. I got my refund processed right away over 24/7 chat support and the money was back in my account after 2 days.
3. Private Internet Access — Largest Network of Servers Worldwide
Short for Private Internet Access, PIA has an enormous network of servers around the world. In total, there are 35000 servers in 83 countries. Larger networks mean servers are less likely to fill up — this prevents slowdowns, streaming lag, and other performance problems caused by crowded servers. Another standout feature is the integrated blocker against ads and malware (called MACE). I tested it on multiple ad-heavy websites and it worked on all of them, including YouTube! The sites loaded faster without the ads and it even blocked annoying ad videos that autoplay when you open a news article. To keep you safe while you use its network, PIA hides you from hackers and other threats with military-grade 256-bit encryption. It also preserves your data privacy with a zero-logs policy and an automatic kill switch to shut off your network in case you lose your connection. That said, PIA is the cheapest VPN on this list at only $2.03 per month when you sign up for the 2-year + 4 months subscription. I personally think it’s a great deal as you can use a single PIA account across 10 devices at the same time. If you want to try out PIA for yourself, it has a more generous 30-day money-back guarantee than Proton VPN. It refunds your entire fee if you change your mind. I had to request my money back via support ticket but still got my refund within 3 days of sending the form. Try Private Internet Access risk-free
How do I cancel Proton VPN and get a refund?
You have 2 options to get rid of your Proton VPN account. You can downgrade your subscription type to free, or you can delete your account completely. After downgrading your account, the prorated price of your subscription is immediately credited to your Proton VPN account. Then submit a support ticket asking for your money back. After confirming my request, I had my money back in 3 days. Keep in mind, this has to be done within 30 days of subscribing. I don’t recommend totally deleting your account, as Proton VPN is one of the best free VPNs available. Also, if you delete your account, you’ll lose access to your ProtonMail account. If you accidentally click the Delete your account button, you’ll get a message warning you that you’ll lose access to all the free benefits.
Can I cancel Proton VPN at any time?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription or delete your account at any time. After 4 days of testing, I decided that Proton VPN’s paid version doesn’t have enough extra features to justify its cost. The free version has unlimited data (a rare find in free VPNs), excellent speeds, and is still secure. Even though its streaming capabilities are limited, it’s a perfect option for staying safe on unsecured WiFi networks while I’m traveling.
How long does Proton VPN take to process my refund?
According to Proton VPN, it can take up to 10 days for your bank to process your refund after your request has been approved. When I tested the process, it took 6 days total from filling out a support ticket and requesting my credit refund to getting the money back in my account.
What can I do with my Proton VPN account credits?
You can use your credits to add a premium ProtonMail account to your Proton VPN free account, upgrade your bundled ProtonMail account, or get a refund. I asked the customer support team for a full refund of the credits.
Can I keep my ProtonMail account if I cancel Proton VPN?
Yes, but you should check how you originally signed up for your account. If you signed up for ProtonMail and Proton VPN as a bundled package (and you want to cancel Proton VPN), you should contact customer support beforehand. You can discuss your options so you don’t lose any of your ProtonMail data. If your Proton VPN and ProtonMail accounts are billed separately, then nothing happens to your ProtonMail subscription when you downgrade to a free Proton VPN account.
Don’t Give Up on Finding the Best VPN
Despite claiming to have a 30-day money-back guarantee, Proton VPN doesn’t actually return all of your money. To maintain your privacy, I recommend ExpressVPN instead. ExpressVPN has the best security features on the market, as well as the fastest speeds, and the most powerful unblocking technology. On top of all that, if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, you can get 100% of your money back using its 30-day money-back guarantee. That way you can try ExpressVPN for yourself risk-free and see the difference.
