Proton VPN has surged ahead in the VPN race. The Swiss service now operates servers in 145 countries, topping competitors like NordVPN’s 135 countries and ExpressVPN’s 105. This expansion, announced just days ago, adds 16 new locations in two weeks alone. CNET calls it the biggest global footprint among tested providers.
Servers total around 20,000. New spots include Lebanon, Nicaragua, Gabon, Papua New Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Proton VPN’s official X post states: “Internet freedom shouldn’t have borders, which is why we now cover 145 countries. The 15 new additions… means we are expanding access in regions where censorship, surveillance, or instability make having a VPN essential.” Proton VPN on X.
And it’s not just numbers. Proton targets underserved areas. Think Africa and Central Asia. TechRadar reports an “aggressive two-week infrastructure rollout.” Tom’s Guide notes 19 countries added since October 2025, pushing past 19,700 servers. David Peterson, Proton VPN GM, highlighted on X: the infrastructure team added 16 new countries and over a thousand servers in 12 others, doubling capacity in Croatia, Finland, Malaysia, and the UAE. David Peterson on X.
Why Coverage Matters Now
VPN demand spikes amid rising censorship. Proton’s 2025 year-end report showed downloads surging in 62 countries, some by 35,000%. Shutdowns and blocks drive this. In restrictive spots like Russia, connections falter—but Proton pushes Stealth protocol tweaks. Free tier users get servers in ten countries now, up from five, including Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Singapore. Paid plans unlock the full network, plus Secure Core routing through hardened servers in privacy-friendly nations.
But gaps exist. No servers in all 50 U.S. states, unlike NordVPN. NordVPN just added 211 locations, strengthening U.S. presence, yet trails in countries. Inkl. ExpressVPN and Surfshark lag further. Proton’s edge? Swiss base. No data retention laws. Open-source apps. Independent audits.
Performance holds up. Users report 1,000+ Mbps speeds on Plus plans. Streaming works—Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ from anywhere. Torrenting too. Free plan: unlimited data, no ads, but medium speeds and fewer servers.
Expansion responds to users. March 31 rollout hit Bolivia, Haiti, Jamaica, Paraguay, Uruguay after requests. TechRadar. High demand prompts extras in Malaysia, UAE, even Smart Routing backups for Palestine.
Privacy Edge in a Hostile World
Censorship rises. Proton predicts more democratic nations blocking VPNs—UK age verification bills, Italy’s Piracy Shield, Brazil fines. Proton blog. Their no-logs policy, proven in court, shines. Apps on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, even browser extensions.
Industry insiders watch closely. Proton’s growth—from 110+ countries in early 2025 to 145 now—signals commitment. Server list at ProtonVPN.com/vpn-servers shows 17,399 Plus servers across 145 nations, 131 Secure Core.
Rivals scramble. But Proton leads. For travelers, expats, journalists in hotspots—it’s a lifeline. Coverage this broad changes access. No borders for privacy.
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