The Proton Pass Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Proton Pass in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Proton Pass
The Insider’s Guide
End-to-end encrypted password manager with email aliases
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among password managers, read from Proton Pass’s own pages.
Made by Proton AG · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
- 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Proton Pass’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Proton Pass’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 12 of the 17 other password managers we grade
Proton Pass is an open-source password manager from the company behind Proton Mail. Logins, notes, cards and passkeys are end-to-end encrypted and autofilled across browsers, desktop and mobile apps, and the app can generate hide-my-email aliases to use in place of a real address. The free plan allows unlimited logins and devices and vault sharing with 2 other people, while Pass Plus adds a 2FA authenticator, sharing of single items, Dark Web Monitoring and unlimited aliases.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Proton Pass, taken from its own pages and our grades.
One wrinkle: on iPhone, a reviewer says it doesn't offer to save a new password as you sign up.
- 1
Best for a free password manager with email aliases
There's no trial of the paid plans, and iPhone users report it doesn't offer to save new passwords.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $2.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($35.88); $4.99 billed monthly.
- 3
There is a free plan
Proton Free: unlimited logins, notes and credit cards on unlimited devices, passkeys, 2 vaults that can be shared with 2 others, 10 hide-my-email aliases and alerts for weak and reused passwords.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
End-to-end encrypted vaults
Everything stored is end-to-end encrypted, and Proton says that no one else, not even Proton, can access it.
- 6
Hide-my-email aliases
Creates email aliases to hand out at sign-up so your real address stays private: 10 on the free plan and unlimited on Pass Plus.
- 7
Passkeys and autofill
Passkeys are supported on all devices, including on the free plan, and logins autofill on websites and in apps.
- 8
A 3.2 GPA, above 12 of 17
That is against the other password managers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Proton Pass you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Proton Pass at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $2.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($35.88); $4.99 billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Proton AG
- Category
- Password Managers
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 8,416 ratings
The report card
Best for a free password manager with email aliases
Proton Pass is a password manager whose free plan covers unlimited logins on unlimited devices and makes throwaway email addresses for sign-ups. But free stops at 2 vaults and 10 aliases, and two-factor codes, sharing a single login, Dark Web Monitoring and file attachments need Pass Plus at $35.88 a year, more than Bitwarden's $19.80. There's no trial of the paid plans, and iPhone users report it doesn't offer to save new passwords.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pass Plus is $2.99 a month on the yearly plan, $35.88 a year, which is bang on this category's middle price. Bitwarden Premium does the same job for $19.80, and there's no trial here, only 30 days to ask for your money back. Pass Family is six people for $4.99 a month, billed yearly. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Unlimited logins on unlimited devices, passkeys, 10 email aliases and alerts for weak and reused passwords, with no card and no time limit. The caps are 2 vaults, sharing with 2 people and 10 aliases, and two-factor codes need Pass Plus. |
| Features | B | Logins, passkeys, cards, notes and autofill, and on Pass Plus the two-factor authenticator, sharing by link, Dark Web Monitoring, file attachments and Emergency Access. It also makes hide-my-email aliases, which NordPass does too. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.84 from about 8,500 App Store ratings, the top band here. A Hacker News commenter moved over from 1Password in about 15 minutes. One wrinkle: on iPhone, a reviewer says it doesn't offer to save a new password as you sign up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and the web, with extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Brave. What's missing is anything to connect it to: no integrations and no API are on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Proton Pass is for
- Fits if you want a free password manager on every device you own, with no card
- Works for people who already use Proton Mail, as it's the same account and it comes with Proton Unlimited
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want two-factor codes in the same app for free, because that needs Pass Plus
- Pricey if you only want the paid basics, at $35.88 a year when Bitwarden Premium is $19.80
- Tight if you use lots of vaults or aliases, as free stops at 2 vaults, sharing with 2 people and 10 aliases
- Not for you if you'd rather your passwords had a login of their own, apart from your Proton email
- Watch out: there's no trial of the paid plans, only a 30-day refund, and the iPhone app doesn't offer to save new passwords
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a free password manager with unlimited logins and devices
- Privacy-focused users who want email aliases for sign-ups
- Existing Proton customers, since Pass is part of Proton Unlimited
Worth knowing
- The free plan is limited to 2 vaults, vault sharing with 2 others and 10 hide-my-email aliases.
- The 2FA authenticator, sharing of single items, Dark Web Monitoring and file attachments are listed under Pass Plus, not the free plan.
- No free trial of the paid plans is advertised; Proton offers a 30-day money-back guarantee instead.
Part 02 · Tips
Insider tips
What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
7
Things most people miss, each from its own help pages
The things about Proton Pass that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Proton Pass’s own pages, linked beside it.
Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Proton's support pages for Pass (the lifetime plan, extra password, PIN, aliases and exporting) and its page on managing a subscription on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.
- 1
Pay less
There's a one-time Lifetime plan, but only in USD, EUR or CHF
Proton's help describes Pass + SimpleLogin Lifetime: Pass Plus and SimpleLogin Premium for one payment, with no renewals. It's under Subscription, Compare all plans, Lifetime tab, and only shows if your currency is USD, EUR or CHF. After 30 days it can't be cancelled.
proton.me - 2
Privacy
Give Pass its own extra password, apart from your Proton login
Otherwise one Proton password opens your mail and your passwords. Set an extra one of at least eight characters in the extension under Settings, Security, or in the app under Manage account. You'll be signed out everywhere, and if you forget it you can't get into Pass.
proton.me - 3
Setting
Set a PIN and auto-lock on the web app and extension
In Settings, Security, tick Pin code, choose a six-digit PIN and how long before Pass locks itself. Three wrong tries and you have to log in again. On phones there's no separate Pass PIN: it goes by your device's own lock settings.
proton.me - 4
Easy to miss
Disable an alias that gets spam instead of deleting it
A disabled alias stops receiving and forwarding mail, but you can switch it back on. A deleted one is gone from your vaults, with one way back: restore it from the Alias Trash in your linked SimpleLogin account within 30 days.
proton.me - 5
Easy to miss
Reply to forwarded mail and it goes out from your alias
Proton swaps your real address for the alias before the reply is sent, even though you see your own while typing. Starting a new email from an alias needs a paid plan, and you add each person as a contact for that alias first.
proton.me - 6
Leaving
You can't export from the phone apps
Exports only work in the browser extension, the web app and the Windows app, from the Export tab in settings. Choose the ZIP with a PGP-encrypted file if it's a backup. The unencrypted ZIP and the CSV are for importing into another password manager.
proton.me - 7
Renewal
Cancelling keeps your plan until the paid period ends
Cancel under Settings, All settings, Subscription. Proton's help says the plan stays active to the end of the billing period and then doesn't renew. Moving to a cheaper paid plan happens straight away instead, with the unused time turned into account credit.
proton.me
Part 03 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Proton Pass has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($35.88); $4.99 billed monthly.
Proton Free
$0
Unlimited logins, notes and cards on unlimited devices, passkeys, a password generator, 2 vaults shared with up to 2 others and 10 hide-my-email aliases.
Pass Plus
$2.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($35.88); $4.99 billed monthly
Unlimited aliases, built-in 2FA authenticator, 50 vaults shared with up to 10 others, sharing of single items, Dark Web Monitoring, file attachments and Emergency Access.
Pass Family
$4.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($59.88); $6.99 billed monthly
Everything in Pass Plus for up to 6 users, with an admin panel for the family.
Proton Unlimited
$9.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($119.88); $12.99 billed monthly
Pass bundled with Proton Mail, Calendar, VPN and Drive in one subscription.
The free plan
Proton Free: unlimited logins, notes and credit cards on unlimited devices, passkeys, 2 vaults that can be shared with 2 others, 10 hide-my-email aliases and alerts for weak and reused passwords.
Read from proton.me on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
40% off Pass Plus on the yearly plan
Proton's pricing page lists Pass Plus at $2.99 a month when billed every 12 months ($35.88), against $4.99 billed monthly.
Stated on proton.me
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Pass Plus (12 months)”, against $35.90 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺1.499,99 | $30.50 | 15% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 1,990.00 | $31.68 | 12% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 599ribu | $33.50 | 7% less |
| Canada | $49.90 | $35.08 | about the same |
| Australia | $59.90 | $41.82 | 16% more |
| South Africa | R699.99 | $42.34 | 18% more |
| Mexico | $799.00 | $43.90 | 22% more |
| United Kingdom | £34.90 | $46.14 | 29% more |
Part 04 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
7
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
End-to-end encrypted password manager with email aliases. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, password manager, passkeys.
It also makes hide-my-email aliases, which NordPass does too.
- End-to-end encrypted vaults
- Everything stored is end-to-end encrypted, and Proton says that no one else, not even Proton, can access it.
- Hide-my-email aliases
- Creates email aliases to hand out at sign-up so your real address stays private: 10 on the free plan and unlimited on Pass Plus.
- Passkeys and autofill
- Passkeys are supported on all devices, including on the free plan, and logins autofill on websites and in apps.
- Built-in 2FA authenticator
- Pass Plus can generate two-factor codes inside the password manager instead of in a separate authenticator app.
- Password monitoring
- Free accounts get alerts for weak and reused passwords. Pass Plus adds Dark Web Monitoring that warns when credentials appear in a leak.
- Sharing and Emergency Access
- Free accounts can share a vault with 2 others. Pass Plus raises that to 10 and adds sharing of single items, secure links, file attachments and Emergency Access. Pass Family covers up to 6 users.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Proton Pass is made by Proton AG.
Part 05 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/17
Other password managers it is graded above
Proton Pass's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other password managers we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 12 of 17) and worst on value for money (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $2.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.59 for the category: 8 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 18 password managers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Proton Pass’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 17
- AFree plan and trialAbove 12 of 17
- BFeaturesAbove 8 of 17
- AEase of useAbove 10 of 17
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 of 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 18 password managers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Proton Pass is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Proton Pass you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other password managers we grade. It costs $35.88 a year. Proton Pass is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
- Passkeys, which rest on security you cannot improvise.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Proton Pass’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Bitwarden, 1Password, NordPass and Dashlane
The 4 tools Proton Pass is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.8GPA
Bitwarden
Free plan · from $1.65/mo
Open-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting.
- Bitwarden is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
1Password
Free trial · from $3.99/mo
Password manager for individuals, families and businesses.
- Proton Pass has a free plan. 1Password does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Proton Pass lists a web app.
- Proton Pass is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
NordPass
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Password manager with breach scanning and email masking.
- Only Proton Pass lists a web app.
- Proton Pass is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Dashlane
Free trial · from $5.42/mo
Password manager with scam protection, dark web alerts and a VPN.
- Proton Pass has a free plan. Dashlane does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Proton Pass lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Proton Pass is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Proton Pass free?
Proton Pass has a free plan. Proton Free: unlimited logins, notes and credit cards on unlimited devices, passkeys, 2 vaults that can be shared with 2 others, 10 hide-my-email aliases and alerts for weak and reused passwords.
How much does Proton Pass cost?
Proton Pass lists 4 plans. Proton Free: $0.
What platforms does Proton Pass work on?
Proton Pass is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Proton Pass offer any discounts?
Proton Pass publicly lists the following: 40% off Pass Plus on the yearly plan.
How is Proton Pass rated?
Proton Pass's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8,416 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Proton Pass open source?
Yes. Proton Pass is open source, according to its own site.
Is Proton Pass end-to-end encrypted?
Proton Pass describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Who makes Proton Pass?
Proton Pass is made by Proton AG.
What are the alternatives to Proton Pass?
The closest alternatives to Proton Pass in our directory are Bitwarden, 1Password, NordPass and Dashlane.
How does Proton Pass compare with other password managers?
Proton Pass's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 12 of the 17 other password managers we grade, and level with 2.
Is Proton Pass good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Proton Pass C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.99 a month, against a middle price of $2.59 for the category: 8 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Proton Pass?
To replace Proton Pass you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Proton Pass’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Based on Proton Pass's home, pricing and download pages, three support articles and Proton's post about its 2026 security audit as of 9 October 2026, its App Store reviews and Hacker News threads about it. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-29.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Proton AG. Prices change, so check proton.me before you buy.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Proton Pass, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/proton-pass
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Proton Pass: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/proton-pass
Know someone choosing between password managers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/proton-pass/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded password managers after Proton Pass, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Password Managers Insider's GuideEvery one of the 18 password managers we grade, compared
- Bitwarden Insider's GuideOpen-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting3.8 GPA
- Apple Passwords Insider's GuideApple's free password and passkey app for iPhone, iPad and Mac3.4 GPA
- RoboForm Insider's GuidePassword manager and form filler with a single-device free plan3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Proton Pass’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Proton Pass is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Proton AG. Prices and plans change: check proton.me before you buy.