Orbot vs Proton VPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Proton VPN: it is first in our ranking of VPNs, though Orbot grades higher (3.0 against 2.8) on value for money and the free plan.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Proton VPN grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Proton VPN
Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap
Which one is for you
Pick Orbot if
- Fits if you want chosen apps on your Android phone to go through Tor
- Works for people on restricted networks who need Tor bridges
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pick a server in another country, as it uses the Tor network, not a server list
- Not for you if you need it on a laptop, because the pages read list no desktop app
- Watch out: choosing which apps go through Tor is described for Android only
- Watch out: traffic goes through Tor, not a commercial server network, so expect nothing like a normal VPN's speed or streaming access
Pick Proton VPN if
- Fits if you want a free VPN on one device with no data cap
- Works for Proton Mail users who want the VPN on the same bill, at $119.88 a year for Unlimited
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: one device, medium speed, and Proton picks the country from 10
- Skip it if you want ad blocking, streaming or P2P for free, as all three are paid features
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.99 a month
- Watch out: the $3.49 a month is the first 24 months only; VPN Plus then renews at $83.88 a year
- Tight if you have more than 10 devices, the VPN Plus limit
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAOrbotVery good | 2.8GPAProton VPNGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$0, open source, no paid plan. The site only asks for donations. A free app anyone can install is the top of this category, where the cheaper quarter starts at $3.99 a month. | CVPN Plus bills $83.76 for the first 24 months, about $3.49 a month over two years, just above the cheaper quarter of VPNs, which tops out at $3.33. It then renews at $83.88 a year, above the middle. Monthly is $9.99, and Proton Unlimited adds Mail, Drive and Pass for $119.88 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no plan, trial or cap to run into. | BFree for good with no card, no ads and no data limit, so one person could live on it. The limits are one device, medium speed, and servers in 10 countries picked for you. |
| Features | CRoutes apps through Tor, with bridges for restricted networks and onion services. It is a smaller job than a VPN: the listing notes there are no country-selectable servers. | BSecure Core routing through Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden, the Stealth protocol, NetShield blocking, port forwarding, a kill switch and open-source apps with published audits, on 10 devices with Plus. It covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but it is an app you install and start. Nothing to set up in the listing beyond choosing which apps to send. | B4.65 from about 120,000 App Store ratings, just under the 4.7 an A needs. On the free plan there's no card and nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | CAndroid and iPhone only. The pages read list no desktop app and point to Tor Project software for other systems. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | sending phone apps through Tor | a free VPN with no data cap |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Orbot and Proton VPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
Orbot has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Proton VPN starts at $6.99 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Proton VPN scores higher, and starts $6.99 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, none scores higher than Orbot for less, and 2 score higher than Proton VPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Proton VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Orbot | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88 |
| Free plan | The app is free and open source; the download page asks for donations to support development. | Proton Free: 1 device, servers in 10 countries chosen at random, medium speed and no data limit. No credit card needed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Guardian Project | Proton AG |
| Price read from | orbot.app | protonvpn.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Orbot
- Runs on Android and iOS only; the pages read list no desktop app, and point to Tor Project software for other systems.
- Per-app choice is described for Android only.
- Traffic goes through the Tor network, not a commercial server network, so there are no country-selectable VPN servers.
- The site says the app is free and asks for donations.
Proton VPN
- The free plan covers one device and picks the server country for you from 10 countries.
- The headline $3.49 a month is the first 24 months of VPN Plus; it then renews at $83.88 a year, and the 1-year plan's $53.88 also covers only the first year.
- Ad and malware blocking, streaming and P2P are paid features; VPN Plus covers 10 devices.
Key features
Orbot
- Traffic through Tor
- Encrypts traffic from any app and routes it through the Tor network, which the site says leaves no central log of your traffic or IP address.
- Per-app routing on Android
- Android users can pick which apps go through Tor, so apps that object to Tor traffic can still be used normally.
- Tor bridges
- Offers a choice of Tor bridges to help stay connected on restricted networks.
- Onion services
- Lets any app connect to onion services, and lets the phone host an onion service itself.
- Several ways to install
- Available from Google Play, F-Droid, the Apple App Store, or as a direct APK download from the Guardian Project.
Proton VPN
- Free plan without a data cap
- Proton Free has no data or artificial speed limits, but connects one device to servers in 10 countries that you cannot choose.
- Secure Core
- Routes traffic through Proton's own servers in hardened data centers in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden before it leaves the network.
- Stealth protocol
- An obfuscation protocol based on WireGuard tunneled over TLS, meant to get past firewalls and VPN blocking.
- NetShield
- DNS filtering on paid plans that blocks ads, trackers and domains known for malware.
- Open-source, audited apps
- All apps are open source, and Proton publishes the results of the independent audits it commissions.
- Port forwarding and kill switch
- Port forwarding for P2P, plus a kill switch and always-on VPN in every app.
Plans
Orbot
Orbot$0
A free app with no paid plans.
Proton VPN
Proton Free$0
One device, servers in 10 randomly selected countries, medium speed, no data limit and no ads.
VPN Plus, 1 month$9.99
per month
10 devices, 20,000+ servers in 140+ countries, streaming, P2P and the NetShield blocker, billed monthly.
VPN Plus, 1 year$83.88
per year at renewal, after a first year for $53.88
The same features as monthly. The first year costs $53.88 ($4.49 a month), then it renews at $83.88 a year.
VPN Plus, 2 years$83.88
per year at renewal, after a first term of 24 months
The first 24 months cost $83.76 ($3.49 a month), shown against $9.99 a month, then it renews every 12 months at $83.88.
Proton Unlimited, 1 year$119.88
per year
VPN Plus plus premium Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive (500 GB) and Pass. Also sold monthly at $12.99.
Proton Unlimited, 2 years$119.88
per year at renewal, after a first term of 24 months
The first 24 months cost $191.76 ($7.99 a month), then it renews every 12 months at $119.88.
Ways to pay less
Orbot
No public discounts listed.
Proton VPN
- Other savings
VPN Plus 2-year plan: first 24 months for $83.76
The 2-year VPN Plus plan bills $83.76 for the first 24 months ($3.49 a month), then renews at $83.88 every 12 months.
- Other savings
VPN Plus 1-year plan: first year for $53.88
The 1-year VPN Plus plan bills $53.88 for the first year ($4.49 a month) before renewing at $83.88.
- Other savings
Proton Unlimited 2-year plan: first 24 months for $191.76
The 2-year Proton Unlimited plan bills $191.76 for the first 24 months ($7.99 a month), then renews at $119.88 every 12 months.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Orbot or Proton VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Orbot is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $6.99 a month when paid by the year for Proton VPN. Orbot is free, and Proton VPN starts at $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88.
Which has a free plan, Orbot or Proton VPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Orbot and Proton VPN have a free plan.
Which platforms do Orbot and Proton VPN run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Proton VPN lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps and a browser extension. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.