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Comparison

BoltVeil vs Proton VPN

The best-known free VPN, or full premium access you can earn

Proton VPN is run by the Swiss company behind Proton Mail. It has a generous free plan, open-source apps and five independent no-logs audits. This page compares it with BoltVeil as fairly as we can, including the many places where Proton is ahead.

Proton VPN

Monthly price
VPN Plus $9.99 (Proton Unlimited $12.99)
Best long-term price
2-year VPN Plus: $83.76 for the first 24 months ($3.49/month), then $83.88 a year
BoltVeil
Monthly price
Plus $4.99 (Pro $7.99, Max $12.99)
Best long-term price
Yearly: 12 months for the price of 8 (Plus $39.92, about $3.33/month), renewing at the same listed price

Competitor details as of September 2026, from their public pages. Plans and prices change, so check their site for current terms.

The short version

Proton VPN has one of the best free plans available, a very large network and a strong audit record. BoltVeil costs less on paid plans, adds residential proxies to the same account and lets free users earn full premium days instead of using a limited free tier.

What Proton VPN does well

  • A free plan with no data limit and no ads, on one device, with servers in 10 countries.
  • A very large network, 20,000+ servers in more than 140 countries, and Secure Core servers that Proton owns.
  • Open-source apps and independent no-logs audits by Securitum every year from 2022 to 2026.
  • Stealth, a protocol designed for networks that block VPNs, and apps for almost every platform, including TVs.

Worth knowing about Proton VPN

  • The free plan chooses your server for you, runs at medium speed and covers one device.
  • VPN Plus costs $9.99 month to month, and the long-plan prices are introductory: the 2-year plan renews at $83.88 a year.
  • Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency accepted directly; other coins go through resellers.
  • No residential proxies, and dedicated IPs only on business plans.

Side by side

Monthly price

Proton VPNVPN Plus $9.99 (Proton Unlimited $12.99)

BoltVeilPlus $4.99 (Pro $7.99, Max $12.99)

Free option

Proton VPNFree plan: no data limit, 1 device, 10 countries, server chosen for you

BoltVeilFree account; earn full premium days with Bolts (1,000 Bolts = 1 day)

Best long-term price

Proton VPN2-year VPN Plus: $83.76 for the first 24 months ($3.49/month), then $83.88 a year

BoltVeilYearly: 12 months for the price of 8 (Plus $39.92, about $3.33/month), renewing at the same listed price

Devices at the same time

Proton VPN1 on Free, 10 on VPN Plus

BoltVeil5 on Plus, 8 on Pro, 10 on Max

Protocols

Proton VPNWireGuard (UDP and TCP) and Stealth; OpenVPN only in the Linux app and being phased out; IKEv2 on macOS

BoltVeilWireGuard and OpenVPN (UDP and TCP)

Strict firewalls

Proton VPNStealth protocol: obfuscated TLS tunnelling over TCP

BoltVeilFirewall mode: OpenVPN over TCP port 8080. Gets past simple port filters; it is not a stealth protocol

Residential proxies

Proton VPNNo

BoltVeilYes: 1 GB a month on Pro, 5 GB on Max, packs from $3.99

Pay with crypto

Proton VPNBitcoin directly; other coins through resellers

BoltVeilYes: USDT and other coins, prepaid for 1, 3 or 12 months

Money-back guarantee

Proton VPN30 days, full refund, once per user (not for cash or bank transfers)

BoltVeil7 days on your first purchase, if under 1 GB of proxy traffic was used

Server network

Proton VPN20,000+ servers in 140+ countries; Secure Core servers owned by Proton

BoltVeilOperated by an infrastructure partner under contract; every location is listed on the Servers page

Independent no-logs audit

Proton VPNYes: Securitum, every year from 2022 to 2026

BoltVeilNot yet; our No-logs Policy lists exactly what we store

Apps

Proton VPNWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chromebook, TVs and browser extensions, all open source

BoltVeilThe free VPNClient app on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux and TV, plus config files and QR codes for the official WireGuard and OpenVPN apps

Pick Proton VPN if / Pick BoltVeil if

Pick Proton VPN if

  • You want a free VPN you can use every day without earning anything, and a server chosen for you is fine.
  • Independent audits, open-source apps and Swiss jurisdiction matter most to you.
  • You need a very large choice of countries, or Secure Core routing.

Pick BoltVeil if

  • You want full premium access for free, earned with Bolts, with every location to choose from.
  • You want a lower paid price that does not rise at renewal: Plus is $39.92 a year.
  • You need residential proxy traffic, or want to pay with USDT.
Get BoltVeil

Why people switch

  • Every location, not a random one

    Premium days earned with Bolts unlock every location and the full service, instead of a limited free tier.

  • A price that does not jump

    Plus is $4.99 a month or $39.92 a year and renews at that listed price.

  • Proxies and crypto in one account

    Residential proxy traffic on Pro and Max, packs from $3.99, and prepaid plans with USDT or other coins.

Frequently asked questions

Is Proton VPN Free better than BoltVeil's free option?

For zero effort, Proton VPN Free is hard to beat: no data limit and no ads on one device, with the server chosen for you. BoltVeil has no always-on free VPN. Instead you earn full premium days with Bolts, with every location and more devices. See how earning works.

Is BoltVeil cheaper than Proton VPN Plus?

Month to month, yes: $4.99 against $9.99. Proton's 2-year deal is $3.49 a month for the first 24 months, close to BoltVeil yearly at about $3.33, but it then renews at $83.88 a year, against $39.92 for BoltVeil Plus.

Is BoltVeil audited like Proton VPN?

No. Proton VPN has had five annual no-logs audits by Securitum and publishes its app source code. BoltVeil has not had an independent audit yet; our no-logs policy lists exactly what we store, and our VPN network is operated by an infrastructure partner under contract.

Does Proton VPN offer residential proxies?

No. Proton offers dedicated IPs on business plans, but no residential proxy traffic. BoltVeil includes residential proxy traffic on Pro and Max and sells prepaid packs; see pricing.

Which one is better for streaming?

We do not promise that any streaming service works through BoltVeil. Streaming services actively block VPN addresses, so results change over time with any provider. If streaming is your main reason for a VPN, test it during the money-back period, whichever provider you choose.

Sources (checked September 2026)

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