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ProtonVPN Review – Does It Allow Streaming? (Focused Review)

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ProtonVPN is a Switzerland-based VPN service known for its security and privacy features. The VPN claims to unblock geo-restrictions and offers robust security. It also has recently introduced a log audit report to amplify its security further. However, while on the privacy front, the VPN seems outstanding, is it similarly as great for streaming too? 

We decided to review ProtonVPN to find out if it is suitable for streaming. We will answer all questions about ProtonVPN, from safety to streaming. Keep reading to find out better about the VPN service. 

Quick HIghlights

We have gathered a list of features offered by ProtonVPN to see what the VPN offers. 

Features

Description

AES-256-bit Encryption

It uses AES-256-bit encryption which ensures fast speed and high security.

Encryption and protocols.

It offers quick connections and encrypted tunnels to protect data while streaming.

Full disk encryption

It offers quick connections and encrypted tunnels to protect data while streaming.

Full disk encryption

Proton encrypts all the data in its servers to prevent data theft.

High-speed

It has 10GBps servers that ensure fast speed, ideal for streaming.

Stealth protocol

These protocols hide your VPN activity and help bypass censorship and VPN blocks.

Prevents ISP throttling

It hides your internet activity and prevents ISP throttling.

Unlimited bandwidth

The service offers unlimited bandwidth to its users in both free and paid subscriptions.

Core and global servers

It provides 1080+ servers, including 98 secure core servers in 63 countries.

Free trial and a money-back policy

It offers a 30-days money-back guarantee and a free version.

Kill switch

It protects data during connection drops.

Net shield

It blocks ads and improves the overall browsing speed.

VPN accelerator

It increases the connection speed by 400%, allowing smooth and fast streaming.

Alternate routing technique

This technique helps bypass geo-blocks and online censorships.

The table gives a generic outlook on what the VPN is offering. But the review below explores these features to determine whether the VPN is good enough for streaming. 

Why is ProtonVPN Good for streaming?

ProtonVPN is a great option for streaming. Its fast speed and high encryption make it a good choice for anyone looking to stream video content. Moreover, it offers a no-logs policy and ensures that your data will never be stored or monitored. Besides, it is among the few VPN services that offer free service and numerous streaming features. Some streaming features of ProtonVPN are listed below.

Military-level encryption

With fast speeds and high encryption, you can rest assured that your data is safe with ProtonVPN. The service provides AES-256-bit encryption, ChaCha20 encryption 2048 bit RSA key, and SHA-384 authentication key. These encryption ciphers and authentication keys ensure fast connections and efficiently encrypt your data to prevent data breaches and online monitoring.  

When it comes to streaming, ProtonVPN has you covered with its encryption protocols; their protocols help to keep your data private and confidential. So whether you’re streaming your favorite show or movie or just browsing the web, ProtonVPN has you covered. ProtonVPN offers WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols for fast speed and maximum security. Users can choose any protocol which suits their needs the best. 

Smart protocols

Governments and corporations are increasingly using censors to block access to certain websites and content. Government censors block access to certain websites and content in many countries worldwide. This can make accessing important information difficult or simply enjoying our favorite shows and movies. 

Streaming is one of the many things that can be censored online. Sometimes, streaming platforms apply online censorship in different countries due to governmental rules. However, ProtonVPN has introduced an anti-censorship feature known as the smart protocol. It works by selecting the most suitable protocol in order to bypass even the strongest censorship.

Net shield

Ads can be a major interruption during streaming and hinder the whole experience. Besides, most of these ads have adware and malware injected into them. So if these ads are displayed on your screen, your device may get infected with malware resulting in data breaching. 

ProtonVPN offers a feature known as a Net shield; it uses the DNS filtering method to block ads and pop-ups on sites. Not only that, but it also blocks trackers, cookies, and malware, preventing them from infecting your device. The net shield also improves the streaming speed and helps avoid long-term page loading.

VPN accelerator

Speed matters a lot when it comes to online streaming. Most VPNs usually decrease the speed as they continuously encrypt data that utilizes a lot of the internet. However, Proton has fast encrypting protocols that ensure high-speed and quick server connections.

Besides, ProtonVPN has a VPN accelerator feature that provides the fastest speed no matter what server you are connected to, it is said to increase the speed by 400%, and users can enjoy fast streaming without any buffering or lags. So, don’t forget to enable the VPN accelerator feature; this is how you enable the feature;

For Android

  1. Click on the hamburger icon.
  2. Go to settings.
  3. Switch on or off the VPN accelerator. 

For iOS and iPad

  1. Go to settings
  2. Click on connections.
  3. Enable the VPN accelerator.

Cores servers

The service has core offers in 3 countries, Switzerland, Iceland, and Sweden. These countries are privacy-friendly and have no data retention laws. Whenever users select a server, their data is passed through core servers before passing through the country’s server; This prevents online monitoring and data theft.  

Moreover, ProtonVPN’s globally located servers are some of the fastest and most reliable servers in the VPN industry. This means that when you use ProtonVPN to stream content from your favorite streaming services, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best possible speeds and reliability. In addition, they have servers optimized for streaming, so you can enjoy HD-quality video without any buffering or delays.

Bypass censorship

ProtonVPN uses different methods to bypass online censorship, such as;

Stealth servers

These servers bypass censorship by hiding the VPN activity. It also helps bypass firewalls and VPN blocks placed to block VPNs; when the VPN activity is hidden, website servers cannot detect or block VPN. 

Alternative routing technology

It was introduced in 2022 and bypassed geo-blocks, online censorship, and firewalls. It allows users to access websites that the government otherwise blocks. 

These two features help bypass geo-blocks, censorships, and firewalls, allowing users to have an uninterrupted streaming experience. 

Prevents ISP throttling

ISP throttling is when your ISP purposely slows down your connection to certain websites or services. This happens for various reasons, but most often, it’s because your ISP doesn’t want you using too much data or wants to improve their network speeds for other customers. Unfortunately, this can make streaming online very difficult, as your connection will constantly be interrupted.

ProtonVPN is designed to prevent ISP throttling by encrypting your traffic and routing it through our secure servers. This ensures that your ISP cannot throttle your connection, as they cannot see what you are doing online. In addition, the VPN uses special protocols optimized for streaming, which means you can enjoy smooth, uninterrupted playback of your favorite content.

Kill Switch

A kill switch is a feature that helps to keep you safe while streaming. It works by cutting off your internet connection if you are using a VPN and the VPN connection drops. This prevents your real IP address from being exposed and keeps your identity and location safe. 

Kill switches are an important safety measure for anyone who frequently streams online; they block all internet traffic until the connection is re-established. By this user’s data is protected, and data leaks are prevented. 

How to set up ProtonVPN for streaming?

If you plan on streaming with ProtonVPN, here is how you can set up the VPN;

  • Step 1: Purchase a subscription to the streaming service you want to watch.
  • Step 2: Install ProtonVPN and login into your account. Or sign up now! 
  • Step 3: Turn on the Kill Switch feature from the settings to prevent IP leaks. 
  • Step 4: Go to the app’s settings and enable the Net Shield to block trackers, malware, and cookies. 
  • Step 5: Enable the VPN accelerator from the settings for fast streaming speed. 
  • Step 6: to bypass geo-blocks, enable the alternative routing technique.
  • Step 7: Select a plus server manually or click on quick connect. 
  • Step 8: Open the streaming site you want to watch. Start streaming without interruptions!

Make sure to follow these steps for an uninterrupted streaming experience. 

How ProtonVPN Deals With Netflix, BBC, Hulu, and Others.

For any streaming VPN, compatibility with streaming platforms is a must. ProtonVPN is certainly not behind and has the highest compatibility with streaming services. Here is how to access the following services with ProtonVPN;

Unblock Netflix with ProtonVPN.

ProtonVPN unblocks the following Netflix libraries;

  • United States.
  • United Kingdom.
  • India.
  • Italy.
  • Australia.
  • Germany.
  • Canada.
  • Japan.
  • France.
  • Switzerland.
  • South Korea.

Follow these steps to access Netflix;

  1. Download ProtonVPN. 
  2. Open ProtonVPN and login into your account. If you don’t have one, signup now. 
  3. After signing in, connect to a server. Make sure you are connected to a server manually. 
  4. Choose the server from where you want to access Netflix from.
  5. Turn off your GPS.
  6. Open Netflix, and you can start streaming. 

Users must have a Netflix subscription to stream on the site. 

Unblock Hulu with ProtonVPN.

ProtonVPN is a leading VPN service that unblocks Hulu with its US-based servers; 

  1. Download the ProtonVPN app. 
  2. Open ProtonVPN and login into your account. If you don’t have one, signup now.
  3. Connect to a US server from the server list.
  4. Turn off your GPS.
  5. Open Hulu and stream all you want!

Users must have a Hulu subscription to stream on the site. 

Unblock Amazon Prime with ProtonVPN.

Users can easily unblock Amazon Prime with AtlasVPN; it unblocks the following Amazon libraries;

  • Australian.
  • Canadian.
  • French.
  • German.
  • Indian.
  • Italian.
  • Swiss.
  • Japan.
  • UK.
  • US.

Follow these steps to access Amazon Prime with ProtonVPN;

  1. Download ProtonVPN. 
  2. Launch ProtonVPN and login into your account. If you don’t have one, signup now.
  3. Connect to a server manually.
  4. Choose the server from which you want to access Amazon Prime.
  5. Make sure your GPS is turned off.
  6. Open Amazon Prime and start streaming!

Users must have an Amazon Prime subscription to stream on the site. 

Unblock BBC with ProtonVPN.

You can access BBC with ProtonVPN, BBC is available in the UK, and with ProtonVPN’s UK servers, you can unblock BBC;

  1. Download ProtonVPN. 
  2. Open ProtonVPN and login into your account. If you don’t have one, signup now.
  3. Connect to a server in the UK.
  4. Make sure your GPS is turned off. 
  5. Open BBC and start streaming. 

Users must have a BBC subscription to stream on the site. 

Unblock Disney + with ProtonVPN.

ProtonVPN allows users to access the following DIsney+ libraries;

  • German.
  • Indian.
  • Australian.
  • UK.
  • French.
  • Swiss.
  • Italian.
  • Canadian.
  • Japanese.
  • US.

To unblock Disney +, follow these steps;

  1. Download ProtonVPN. 
  2. Open ProtonVPN and login into your account. If you don’t have one, signup now.
  3. Connect to a server from the list.
  4. Choose the server in the country you want to access Disney +.
  5. Turn off your GPS.
  6. Open Disney + and start streaming!

Users must have a Disney + subscription to stream on the site. 

Troubleshooting 

If you are having trouble streaming with ProtonVPN, try these troubleshooting methods;

  1. Reconnect with ProtonVPN.
  2. Try Changing the server location. 
  3. Connect to a stealth server.
  4. Clear cache and browsing history.
  5. Change your encryption protocol.
  6. Use the incognito mode. 

Contact customer care if none of these methods work.

ProtonVPN streaming issues 

There haven’t been any serious issues with the VPN to date. Some users have problems with connecting to US servers, but the problem can be easily resolved by troubleshooting. Overall ProtonVPN is a reliable option for streaming. 

Does ProtonVPN provide fast streaming speeds?

ProtonVPN is a reliable VPN service that has provided people with robust security and fast speed for years. By utilizing multiple servers, it offers high-speed connections that are reliable and consistent. Besides, ProtonVPN’s servers are some of the fastest in the industry. This means that you can enjoy blazing-fast speeds without sacrificing security or privacy.

In addition, the service offers features like a VPN accelerator that ensures fast speeds and is said to increase internet speed by 400%. The feature speeds up your connection by shortening the data packets’ travel distance, resulting in faster speeds and fewer interruptions when streaming video or audio content.

– However, you need a paid subscription package if you want fast speed; the free version only offers average speeds with limited servers. 

Security features of ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN is a great choice for both streaming and security. The company is based in Switzerland, a privacy-friendly region with no retention laws. ProtonVPN uses military-grade encryption to keep your data safe from prying eyes. They also offer a strict no-logs policy, so you can be sure that your activities will never be monitored or tracked. Here is a list of security features offered by ProtonVPN;

No-log policy

ProtonVPN keeps no log of its user’s activity to further assure their customer about their strict policy. The service 2012 conducted an independent audit and proved its no-log policy. Here is what ProtonVPN claims about its no-log policy; 

Moreover, their policy was again tested in 2019, and fortunately, the VPN service complied and successfully passed the audit;

So, if you’re looking for a VPN that can provide robust security and a great streaming experience, look no further than ProtonVPN. 

Encryption ciphers

ProtonVPN’s end-to-end encryption ensures that your data is never exposed to anyone, even if they were to intercept it. It has a strong focus on privacy and security, and its Swiss jurisdiction means that it is not subject to any mandatory data retention laws. In addition to being highly secure, ProtonVPN is also great for streaming. It offers fast speeds and unlimited bandwidth, so you can stream your favorite shows and movies without any interruptions.

ProtonVPN offers the following encryption ciphers;

  • AES-256 bit encryption
  • ChaCha20 encryption 2048-bit RSA key
  • SHA-384 authentication key.

When it comes to streaming, ProtonVPN provides military-level encryption for the best streaming experience. High encryption helps in forming quick connections and fast streaming speed. It also prevents ISP throttling and minimizes lags and buffering.

Encryption protocols 

Regarding streaming, one of the most important things to consider is security. After all, you don’t want your personal information or data compromised. That’s where ProtonVPN comes in. It uses some of the most advanced encryption protocols, which helps keep your data safe and secure. Besides, ProtonVPN can also help to improve your streaming experience by providing fast and reliable connections. It offers the following encryption protocols;

  • WireGuard: it offers fast speed and works with a ChaCha20 encryption key. It also increases security and ensures safe streaming. 
  • OpenVPN: it is compatible with all devices and provides above-average speeds. 
  • IKEv2: it is the most reliable and secure protocol.

Users can choose any protocol according to their requirements. Although wireguard works best while streaming, the others are also very reliable. 

Jurisdiction 

ProtonVPN’s jurisdiction is in Switzerland, which has some of the strongest privacy laws in the world, meaning the service is subject to strict data protection regulations and is not required to share user data with any third party, including governments. 

Apart from that, Switzerland is not allied with the eye alliances, so the service is not bound to share its user’s data with anyone. Furthermore, all of ProtonVPN’s servers are located in secure facilities with military-grade security. This makes ProtonVPN one of the market’s safest and most secure VPNs. 

Full disk encryption

From 2020, ProtonVPN has officially applied full disk encryption on all its servers. It is an important security measure that can help protect your online activity and data. When enabled, all of the data on your device will be encrypted, making it much more difficult for hackers or other unauthorized individuals to access it; This can be especially important if you use your device for streaming content or accessing sensitive information. 

Pricing and Payment methods 

It is one of the few services that offer a free version. Other than that, it offers 3 subscription plans. 

Plan

Pricing

Free version

Yes

1 months

$9.99/m

1 Year

$5.99/m

2 Year

$4.99/m

Here is a quick comparison between the free and paid subscriptions.

Paid

Free

1700+ servers n 60 countries

100+ servers only in 3 countries

10 VPN connections

Only 1 VPN connection

No-log policy

No-logs policy

High-speed

Moderate speed

Streaming services

P2P

NetShield malware and ad-blocker

Secure Core servers

Tor over VPN

Moreover, Users get a 30-days money-back guarantee. ProtonVPN accepts the following payment methods;

  • Credit or debit card,
  • PayPal,
  • Bitcoin,
  • Cash,
  • Bank transfer.

Final Verdict: Is that Good For Streaming?

ProtonVPN is a Switzerland-based VPN service that has been around since 2014. The VPN company is run by a team of IT professionals who strongly believe in privacy and security. ProtonVPN’s primary focus is on providing users with a secure and private connection. The company does not track or log user activity, ensuring that your identity remains safe.

Apart from that, it offers free and paid plans, with the latter offering more features and better speeds. In addition to its security features, ProtonVPN is also great for streaming. The service can unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and other popular streaming sites. And because ProtonVPN encrypts your traffic, you’ll be able to stream safely even on public Wi-Fi networks. Overall, it is a good and reliable VPN service for users. 

FAQs

Is ProtonVPN really free?

Proton offers both free and paid subscription plans; the free version comes with limited features and average speed. On the other hand, the paid version is much more feature-packed and offers fast speed and robust security.

Is ProtonVPN trustworthy?

It follows a strict no-log policy and is audited by various organizations. ProtonVPN is a trustworthy service and is safe to use. 

Did Netflix block ProtonVPN?

No, ProtonVPN works efficiently with Netflix. If you are facing trouble accessing Netflix with ProtonVPN, try restarting the VPN and connecting with a different server. 

Why is ProtonVPN free?

ProtonVPN has a free version that provides limited servers and average speeds. It is a handy tool for people who passionately use VPNs. 

Does ProtonVPN work for streaming?

ProtonVPN ensures a seamless streaming experience with robust security. It offers fast speed and is highly compatible with streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon, etc. 

How do I unlock Netflix with ProtonVPN?

You will need a Netflix subscription for this; make sure you are connected to a plus server in the united states, and you can easily access Netflix libraries. 

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Shigraf is a cybersecurity journalist and privacy advocate who write on topics related to cybersecurity and internet privacy. She spends her free time watching movies and TV shows online and shares her fellow netizen's frustration over geo-blocks and streaming issues.

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