Proton VPN vs Sentinel dVPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Proton VPN: it is first in our ranking of VPNs, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 1.6.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Proton VPN grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
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
Sentinel dVPN
Blockchain-based peer-to-peer VPN network with open-source apps
Which one is for you
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
Pick Sentinel dVPN if
- Fits if you are comfortable holding a crypto wallet and paying per use
- Works for developers who want to build a dVPN app on an open network
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a monthly plan with a price on it, because none was read
- Not for you if you need a desktop app, as none is named for the flagship
- Watch out: Sentinel cannot restore a wallet recovery phrase, per its Plan Manager page
- Watch out: third-party apps such as NORSE Labs have their own prices and features
- Watch out: bandwidth is paid in P2P tokens, so what you pay moves with the token
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAProton VPNGood | 1.6GPASentinel dVPNWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CNo fixed plans or prices were read. Bandwidth is paid for in P2P tokens, so the category's $3.99 to $8 a month is no yardstick. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNo free plan or free trial is on record in the listing. |
| Features | 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. | CPeer-to-peer nodes, WireGuard and V2Ray, and SDKs for people building their own dVPN apps. Features differ between the apps on the network. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo rating on record. You need a wallet and tokens before the first connection, and Sentinel cannot restore a lost recovery phrase. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. | CThe flagship app is listed for Android and iOS only, and the pages read name no desktop app. |
| Best for | a free VPN with no data cap | a VPN paid for in tokens, not a subscription |
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: Proton VPN and Sentinel dVPN. How we grade
Where they differ
- Proton VPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Proton VPN | Sentinel dVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88 | Not published |
| Free plan | Proton Free: 1 device, servers in 10 countries chosen at random, medium speed and no data limit. No credit card needed. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Proton AG | Sentinel |
| Price read from | protonvpn.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Sentinel dVPN
- No fixed plans or prices were read: the site says bandwidth is paid for in P2P tokens, and subscription pricing sits in separate third-party apps.
- Several dVPN apps use the network, some from other developers such as NORSE Labs, and their pricing and features differ.
- The flagship app is listed for Android and iOS; the pages read name no desktop app for it.
- Wallet recovery phrases cannot be restored by Sentinel, per its Plan Manager page.
Key features
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.
Sentinel dVPN
- Peer-to-peer nodes
- The site cites more than 1,500 bandwidth providers in 70 or more countries, with no central servers; it also quotes 90+ countries elsewhere on the page.
- On-chain sessions
- A signed blockchain transaction creates each session, and a node issues VPN credentials only after checking the chain.
- WireGuard and V2Ray
- The flagship app is described as supporting WireGuard and V2Ray; its Google Play listing also names Amnezia, XRay and OpenVPN.
- Pay nodes in P2P
- Wallets pay node operators directly in the P2P token, and nodes can be picked by country, price or protocol.
- SDKs for builders
- Open-source SDKs in JavaScript, C#, Go and Swift let other developers ship their own dVPN apps on the network.
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.
Sentinel dVPN
Pricing could not be confirmed. See sentinel.co.
Ways to pay less
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.
Sentinel dVPN
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Proton VPN or Sentinel dVPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Proton VPN starts at $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88, and Sentinel dVPN has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Proton VPN or Sentinel dVPN?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Proton VPN has a free plan. Sentinel dVPN does not.
Which platforms do Proton VPN and Sentinel dVPN 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.