Proton VPN extensions for Chromium- and Firefox-based browsers now available for free

You no longer have to pay for Proton VPN’s extensions for both Chromium- and Firefox-based web browsers. The VPN provider from Switzerland has made them available for all users.

A VPN is an essential digital tool that encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP address to protect your online privacy and bypass censorship imposed by authoritarian regimes. When using a VPN, governments and intelligence services in countries with a totalitarian reign can no longer follow your online activities and communication. In short, a VPN is a vital tool for critical journalists, dissidents and human rights activists, but also for those who value their privacy.

That’s why Proton is now offering its VPN extensions for free for all Chromium-based web browsers, including Brave, Edge, Opera and Vivaldi. The same goes for Firefox-based browsers, like LibreWolf and Waterfox. Previously the VPN extensions were only available with a paid plan.

All you have to do is download the Proton VPN browser extension from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Browser Add-ons, sign in with your Proton VPN account and click the ‘Quick Connect’ button. The only thing that remains is choosing an available VPN server in any country, or individual server.

Proton says defeating censorship is more important than ever. Before the year is over, approximately 50 percent of the world population will have the chance to cast its vote, including countries that have a history of censorship or other democratic practices.

“At Proton VPN, we believe everyone has the right to privacy and self-determination,” the Switzerland-based VPN provider says in a blog post. That’s the reason Proton installed extra free VPN servers in countries with upcoming elections last June, including Brazil, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia and Uzbekistan.

By making Proton VPN browser extensions available to a wider audience, Proton hopes to provide the tools necessary to make sure everybody has access to accurate information and democratic elections are fair. Because you can download the extensions from the Chrome and Firefox web stores, you’re able to get in touch with people in countries where governments have blocked VPNs from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Proton has over 100 million people using its services like Proton VPN, ProtonMail and Proton Drive. The company offers a strict no-log policy, end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption, which means that not even the company can access your data, even if law enforcement wants it to.

Proton says it has over 6,000 VPN servers in approximately 100 countries.