Disclosure: VPNFin is reader-supported. If you buy a VPN through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our ratings — here’s our full disclosure.
Proton VPN vs Mysterium VPN pits a privacy leader against a decentralised network. Proton has 5 Securitum audits in our table and open-source apps; Mysterium exits through volunteers’ home connections with no audit.
Both appeal to privacy-minded users, but in very different ways. This guide compares proof, design, speed and price. Our Mysterium VPN review covers the second service in depth.
Proton VPN vs Mysterium VPN on Audits
Our audit table lists 5 Securitum audits for Proton VPN, whose apps are also open source.
No outside audit exists for Mysterium VPN, State of Surveillance reports, and its exit hop runs through volunteers who can read unencrypted traffic. On proof, Proton is far ahead.
Residential IPs vs Owned Servers
Mysterium’s selling point is the residential exit: more than 7,500 home IPs in over 100 countries, Tech Insider counts. Sites see a household address rather than a server.
Proton’s servers are data-centre machines, so it cannot offer home-style IPs. In return, no stranger’s connection sits at the end of your tunnel.
Speed
CNET measured a 16% speed loss for Proton VPN, our speed table notes.
Mysterium’s speed depends on the volunteer node you use, so results vary from session to session, Tech Insider found. Proton’s speed is measured and consistent; Mysterium’s varies with each node.
Two-Year Cost
On two years, Proton VPN Plus costs about $71.76, near $2.99 a month, and renews at about $83.88 a year, our tables show.
Long Mysterium plans fall to about $2.49 a month, Fahimai reports, while month-to-month tiers cost $10.49 to $18.49. Long plans cost about the same, but Proton also has a free plan.
Free Use and Devices
Proton VPN’s free tier sets no data cap, according to our refund table; our Proton VPN free guide covers what it includes.
Mysterium has no free plan, Tech Insider notes, and allows up to 15 devices, chrisg.com reports. Only Proton offers a free plan; Mysterium covers more devices.
Jurisdiction and Ownership
Switzerland, outside the Fourteen Eyes, is Proton VPN’s base, though our audit table notes infrastructure moving to the EU.
Mysterium runs through companies in Switzerland and Lithuania, MalwareTips reports. Both sit outside the Fourteen Eyes.
Security Features
A kill switch, Secure Core multi-hop servers and NetShield blocking come with paid Proton VPN plans.
Tech Insider notes a kill switch and DNS leak protection, and the open-source app lets developers check the code.
Platforms and Support
Proton VPN covers Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and TVs. Apps cover Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, with router support and a Linux command-line client.
Proton’s help centre and ticket system handle support. Trustpilot users describe slow replies on billing and refunds.
Protocols and Streaming
WireGuard and OpenVPN run on Proton VPN, along with Stealth for networks that block VPNs.
Both WireGuard and OpenVPN are available, Tech Insider notes, though streaming success depends on fair-usage limits as much as protocol. Proton’s paid plans are the steadier streaming choice.
Which Is Better Value?
Proton is better value for privacy, with audits and a free tier. Mysterium’s value is specific to residential IPs.
After the first two years, Proton Plus renews at about $83.88 a year; light users can always fall back to the free plan.
Which Plan to Pick
Most readers should try the free plan first, then choose Plus on two years. With Mysterium, test on a short plan first because of the refund dispute, then move to a long plan if residential IPs work for you.
Payment and Checkout
Prices online often exclude tax, so compare the final checkout figure for each. Then set a reminder before the renewal date.
Refunds
Our refund table lists a 30-day full refund for Proton VPN.
Sources disagree on Mysterium’s refund window: 7 days or up to 30. Proton’s terms are clearer.
Who Each Is For
Choose Proton VPN for audited privacy from Switzerland and a free tier without a data cap. Mysterium suits people who specifically need residential IPs to reach sites that block VPNs.
In short, Mysterium fits residential-IP needs; Proton fits nearly every other privacy need.
What Else to Know About Mysterium VPN
One more point: Volunteers who run exit nodes earn MYST tokens and carry legal responsibility for the traffic, State of Surveillance notes, which matters only if you host a node.
What Else to Know About Proton VPN
Proton’s wider suite covers Mail, Drive and Pass, with the VPN included in Proton Unlimited; Plus covers the VPN alone.
Testing Both
Give each service the same tasks for a day: browsing, a video call and a stream. Then run a leak test with our guide to checking if a VPN is working.
Switching Between Them
When switching, start the new service before stopping the old one. That way, no device drops back to an unprotected connection.
For more on Mysterium VPN, see NordVPN vs Mysterium VPN, Surfshark vs Mysterium VPN, whether Mysterium VPN is safe and Mysterium VPN refund terms.
We also cover similar services: Proton VPN vs NymVPN.
How We Research
For this Proton VPN vs Mysterium VPN comparison, Proton VPN’s audits, prices, devices, speed and refunds come from our tables. Mysterium VPN’s figures come from our research for the Mysterium VPN review, mainly State of Surveillance’s Mysterium profile, read on 21 October 2026. We do not run our own tests. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Proton VPN vs Mysterium VPN FAQ
Proton, with audits and no third-party exit nodes.
No; that is Mysterium’s strength.
Proton VPN.
Yes.
Proton VPN, with 5 audits in our table.
The Verdict
Proton VPN vs Mysterium VPN: Proton for audited privacy, a free plan and steady speed; Mysterium only when residential IPs are essential.