Vivaldi Technologies has announced a new partnership with Proton AG that will integrate the free version of Proton VPN into Vivaldi’s web browser, allowing every user a quick and easy way to access a virtual private network (VPN).
A VPN protects users’ privacy by hiding their real IP address. It acts like a protective tunnel, allowing users to pass through a public network without anyone being able to snoop on their data, whether that’s a scammer at the coffee shop or a data-gathering behemoth like Google.
Vivaldi and Proton VPN have positioned the partnership as a “challenge to the dominance of US Big Tech giants,” according to the press release. Vivaldi CEO Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner has long been a critic of the surveillance capitalism model, as far back as his previous browser company, Opera. David Peterson, general manager of Proton VPN, goes further, saying, “Together, Proton VPN and Vivaldi are setting a new standard that challenges the dominance of tech giants, providing a viable European alternative that helps people retake control of their digital lives.” Vivaldi is a Norwegian company, and Proton is based in Switzerland.
Vivaldi, which I’ve previously called the web’s best browser, is already full of privacy features you won’t find elsewhere, like an integrated ad blocker, which isn’t as robust as what you’ll get from add-ons like uBlock, but is nevertheless sufficient for most users, and most importantly, right there in the browser. It also offers integrations with privacy-friendlier search engines like Brave and StartPage (though neither is the default). Vivaldi also has a full email client, calendar, and RSS reader. The new Proton VPN integration fits well with Vivaldi’s all-in-one philosophy. Like the other features, if you aren’t interested, the new Proton VPN integration stays out of the way.
Proton VPN has long topped our Best VPNs guide for its robust security, along with an excellent privacy record and no-logs policy. Proton VPN has been independently audited and maintains a warrant canary page. It has long had the best free VPN offering, which is what’s being integrated into Vivaldi. Unlike most services, Proton VPN’s free version gives full access to all the regular plan’s features. The limitations are that it’s only for a single device and only three server locations: Japan, the Netherlands, and the US.
Vivaldi tells WIRED that the Proton VPN integration may come to the mobile versions of the browser at some point, but for now, it’s only available in Vivaldi’s desktop browser. Access is through your Vivaldi account—just log in and you’ll see an option to use Proton VPN’s free VPN as well as a way to upgrade to a paid version.
