Proton Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Proton costs Free to $29.99 per month as of May 2026. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
Yes, Proton offers a forever free plan as of May 2026. The free tier includes 10 features with limits on usage. Paid plans start at $3.99/user/month (Mail Plus (Yearly)). Pricing verified from 5 sources by CostBench.
Proton's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 1 GB storage
- 1 user
- 1 encrypted email address
- 150 messages per day
- Proton VPN on 1 device (10 countries)
- Proton Calendar (3 personal calendars)
- Proton Drive (up to 5 GB)
- Proton Pass (2 vaults, unlimited logins/devices)
- 10 hide-my-email aliases
- End-to-end encryption
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 15 GB storage
- 10 encrypted email addresses
- Support for 1 custom email domain
- Unlimited folders, labels, and filters
- Dark Web Monitoring
- Emergency Access
- Desktop app included
- Priority customer support
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 15 GB storage or 10 encrypted email addresses
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Proton branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Mail Plus (Yearly) Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Mail Plus (Yearly) $3.99/user/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 10 included | 10+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Proton branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Privacy-conscious individuals who want basic encrypted email, VPN, and password manager at no cost | Users who want advanced encrypted email features without the full Proton suite |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Proton free?
Yes, Proton offers a forever free plan with 10 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Proton's free plan?
Proton's free plan includes: 1 GB storage, 1 user, 1 encrypted email address, 150 messages per day, Proton VPN on 1 device (10 countries), and 5 more features. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in Proton's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 15 GB storage, 10 encrypted email addresses, Support for 1 custom email domain, Unlimited folders, labels, and filters, Dark Web Monitoring. You'll also have Proton branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Proton's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 15 GB storage or 10 encrypted email addresses, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $3.99/user/month.
05 Is Proton's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Proton's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.