CactusVPN

VS

Proton VPN

VPNs Comparison

CactusVPN vs Proton VPN: Side-by-Side Comparison

CactusVPN
Proton VPN
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
3.8/5
★★★★★★★★★★
4.6/5
Free Tier
No
Yes
Trial Days
30-day trial
30-day trial
Pricing
Annual plan from $3.49/month. Monthly plan $9.99/month. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Free tier available. Plus from $4.99/month (2-year). Proton Unlimited from $7.99/month.
Company
CactusVPN
Proton AG
Founded
2011
2017
Best For
Streamers wanting both SmartDNS speed for content unblocking and full VPN privacy in one plan
Privacy advocates wanting an audited open-source VPN with free tier and Swiss legal protection

Pros & Cons

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CactusVPN

SmartDNS service included to unblock streaming services without full VPN overhead
Dedicated IP option available for users needing a consistent IP address
Port forwarding supported across available server locations
Kill switch and DNS leak protection on all desktop platforms
Family plan allows multiple users with competitive pricing
No independent audit of no-logs claims published for user verification
Smaller server network limits geographic choices for content access

Proton VPN

Based in Switzerland with the strongest legal privacy protections of any VPN jurisdiction
Open-source apps with published code independently audited by SEC Consult
Secure Core routes traffic through privacy-safe countries before exiting to destination
Free tier available with no data limits and no ads or tracking
Netshield ad-blocker and Stealth protocol included on all paid plans
Speeds on the free plan are noticeably slower due to server congestion
Fewer total servers than NordVPN or Surfshark limits server selection variety

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Streaming?

Both CactusVPN and Proton VPN support Streaming workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Streaming is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Privacy?

Both CactusVPN and Proton VPN support Privacy workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Privacy is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for Encryption?

Both CactusVPN and Proton VPN support Encryption workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If Encryption is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Which is better for No Logs?

Both CactusVPN and Proton VPN support No Logs workflows. Proton VPN has a slight edge with a 4.6 rating and Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. If No Logs is your primary use case, Proton VPN is the safer pick.

Verdict

Proton VPN edges out CactusVPN with a 4.6 vs 3.8 rating. Proton VPN's main advantage: Only major VPN with fully audited open-source apps and a genuinely unlimited free tier. That said, CactusVPN may still be the better choice if Streamers wanting both SmartDNS speed for content unblocking and full VPN privacy in one plan.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get CactusVPN Try for Free

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