Swiss company Proton, known for its security-focused products like Proton Mail and Pass, has partnered with Vivaldi to integrate Proton VPN within the latter’s browser. The move is part of a growing push in Europe to use sovereign European tech and reduce dependence on US-based tech giants.
Vivaldi’s browser and Proton VPN are security-focused products that protect users from rampant online data collection, especially from web browsers. David Peterson, GM at Proton VPN, said, “Consumers worldwide are fed up with Big Tech’s data collection. The problem is they haven’t had an alternative until recently. Europe is perfectly placed to offer that alternative, and this is what companies like Proton and Vivaldi are building.”
The integration should work well together, considering Vivaldi’s push for security and user control. It combines Proton VPN’s strict no-logs policy with Vivaldi’s built-in tracker, ad blocking, and private browsing features. However, interested users must sign up for either a Vivaldi or Proton account before getting started.
Once logged in with either account, users should be able to access Proton VPN’s free tier, which offers the option to upgrade to a paid version. That upgrade might turn out to be a requirement for some users. While Proton’s free VPN tier doesn’t place any bandwidth restrictions, it does limit server selection. It holds back some more advanced security features that enterprise or more security-conscious users might need.
Proton VPN is available as a free, third-party extension on Chrome and Firefox, meaning it can be installed on just about any browser using the aforementioned browser engines as a base. Regardless, having a VPN as an integrated feature removes the need to install an extension, which can cause its own problems. With browser extension app stores becoming frequent targets for hackers and malicious extensions, integrating features like VPN goes the extra mile in protecting users from installing bogus extensions.
“The partnership represents a principled alternative to big tech, one where your data remains yours, not a commodity to be sold. We believe private and secure browsing isn’t a luxury but a fundamental right for everyone,” said Tatsuki Tomita, COO and co-founder, Vivaldi.
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