Examined Oct 2, 2026 No code to type 24 months upfront Proton has no promo code. The $2.99 price is on its deals page, not its pricing page.
That is protonvpn.com/vpn-deals. The same day, protonvpn.com/pricing sold the identical plan at $3.49 a month, $83.76. Nothing is typed; the code sits inside each page's buy button. Both renew at $83.88 every 12 months.
What pays what
| VPN Plus, 24 months, deals page | $2.99 a month, $71.76 upfront |
|---|---|
| VPN Plus, 24 months, pricing page | $3.49 a month, $83.76 upfront |
| VPN Plus, month to month | $9.99, or $1.00 for a first month that renews at $9.99 |
| Proton Unlimited, 24 months (VPN, Mail, Pass, Drive) | $7.99 a month, $191.76 upfront |
| Mail Plus, 12 months | $3.99 a month, $47.88 upfront |
| Students in the US, UK, France or Germany, 12-month plans | 70% off VPN Plus, 50% off Mail Plus, 62% off Unlimited |
| Your first ever Proton account, opened through a referral link | $20 credit on a later bill, plus a 2-week trial on an eligible plan |
| Referral link, if you have ever held a Proton account | $0 |
Save 70%, or $2.99 per month, on our 24-month VPN Plus plan
Do this, in this order
- Never had a Proton account? Open it through a referral link first. The one on this page works. It adds $20 in Proton credit, paid 30 days after your first paid billing cycle begins and spent on a later bill. The terms add “a free 2-week trial on your subscription”, and the help page says eligible plans include Mail Plus, Drive Plus and Pass Plus. Neither says whether VPN Plus is one, so check the sign-up screen. If you ever opened a free Proton account, skip this: the terms exclude anyone who has held a Proton account before.
- Buy the 24-month VPN Plus plan from the deals page. $71.76 against $83.76 on the pricing page, same plan, when we compared them on October 2, 2026. We could not see which price the referral sign-up page shows; if it is higher, compare before you pay.
- Students: go through Student Beans instead. 70% off VPN Plus, 50% off Mail Plus, 62% off Unlimited, 12-month plans only, for students in the US, UK, France or Germany.
- Pay on the website, and note the renewal. Proton says the App Store can add a surcharge. Its Terms of Service give a full refund within 30 days of the initial purchase, but the cancellation and the request must both land inside the 30 days, cash and bank-transfer payments are not refundable, and a refund cancels the referral credit. After 24 months, VPN Plus renews at $83.88 a year.
What Proton does not put in one place
Two prices for one plan. The deals page and the pricing page both sold 24-month VPN Plus on October 2, 2026, at $2.99 and $3.49 a month. The 12-month plan is 60% off on one and 55% off on the other. We do not know how long either page keeps its price.
When the $20 arrives. The referral terms say 30 days after your first paid billing cycle begins; the help page says one month after you subscribe, or two for monthly plans. It goes on your next renewal payment, so on the 24-month plan this page recommends, that is two years after you first paid. It cannot become cash.
Is it worth your time?
If you want Proton VPN and can pay $71.76 once, the 24-month plan on the deals page is the lowest price Proton publishes, and the $20 credit is a small extra on a first account. Do not buy from the pricing page. Put the renewal date in your calendar, because year three costs $83.88.
If you only need a VPN now and then, the Free plan asks for no card, and the $1.00 first month is the cheapest look at the paid speeds if you cancel before it renews at $9.99.
