Does Proton VPN have a 30-day money-back guarantee?

Yes. Proton VPN plans bought on Proton's website or apps come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Cancelling only stops the renewal, so you also need to ask support for the refund through the form or live chat. Proton's terms promise a full refund within 30 days. Some reviewers say support calculates a prorated amount by default, so ask for the full refund explicitly. For App Store, Google Play or Amazon purchases, ask that store instead.

Why did I get Proton credits instead of a refund?

Credits usually appear in two cases. First, if you **switch to a cheaper paid plan**, Proton turns your unused time into prorated account credit that pays for future bills. Second, refunds requested **after the 30-day window** are at Proton's discretion and often come as credit. If you were inside 30 days, reply to support, quote the terms' 'full refund' wording, and ask for the money back on your original payment method.

Is there a cancellation fee for Proton?

No. Proton doesn't charge a cancellation fee for personal plans. Cancelling stops the next renewal, and you keep your paid features until the period you've paid for ends. The catch is timing: you only get money back if you cancel and request a refund within 30 days of your first purchase. Business VPN plans (Essentials, Business, Enterprise) need notice at least 30 days before renewal, or they renew for another term.

How do I cancel Proton bought through the App Store?

If you paid through Apple or Google, Proton can't cancel or refund it. On iPhone go to **Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions → Proton → Cancel Subscription**. On Android open **Google Play → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions**. Proton's terms say third-party purchases follow that store's refund policy, so ask Apple (reportaproblem.apple.com) or Google Play for the refund.

Can I pause my Proton subscription?

Proton has no pause option. Your choices are to cancel (the plan runs to the end of the period and then becomes Free), switch to a cheaper plan, or change billing cycle. Switching takes effect straight away and turns unused time into account credit, not cash. If you want your money back, cancel and request a refund within 30 days instead of switching.

What if Proton doesn't reply to my refund request?

Some users report waits of 36 to 72+ hours, and Trustpilot reviewers mention refund requests left unanswered inside the 30-day window. Keep your ticket number and the date you asked, because that date is what puts you inside the window. Follow up on the same ticket, and also email mail@support.proton.me quoting the terms. As a last resort, a card chargeback or PayPal dispute for a refund that was promised but never paid is an option.

Does Proton have a free trial?

Personal plans have no free trial. Instead, Proton offers a permanent **free plan** and a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans. Business plans may come with a free trial, and Proton's terms say it **auto-converts into a paid, auto-renewing subscription** unless you cancel from the account dashboard before it ends. Each business can only cancel during a trial once.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a Proton Refund in Cash, Not Credits.

Q: How long does a Proton refund take?

Proton's terms say refunds are processed **within 30 days of the request**. In practice it's often much faster: one reviewer got a PayPal refund back within two to three hours, and others report three to five business days for cards. The money goes back to your original payment method. If nothing arrives after 30 days, reply on your ticket with the request date and your invoice number.

Inside 30 days their own policy is on your side; statutory cooling-off rights may stack on top. Outside it, you've still got tools, a clear email, a card-issuer chargeback, the lot. Here's the playbook for Proton.

Last verified today against Proton’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

This policy covers Proton subscription charges (Mail Plus, VPN Plus, Pass, Drive, Unlimited, Duo and similar) bought directly on proton.me or in Proton's own apps. To get a full refund you must cancel and send a separate refund request to support within 30 days of first purchase. You can do this only once per account, and cash or bank-transfer payments aren't eligible. After 30 days, refunds are at Proton's discretion: downgrading to a cheaper paid plan turns unused time into prorated account credit, not cash. Subscriptions bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play follow those stores' refund rules. Proton Wallet (Bitcoin) and Lumo have their own separate terms.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails Proton, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

Get yoink (App Store) →

What Proton actually says

“You may cancel your subscription within 30 days of the initial purchase and receive a full refund for the Service. For the sake of clarity, the cancellation and the request for refund must both be addressed within the 30-day period.”
, verbatim from Proton’s terms

30-day cancellation windowPro-rata refund: yesStatutory cooling-off: 14 days in UK + EU on new subs

How long does a Proton refund take?

Most merchants agree to a straightforward refund within 1 to 3 working days of a well-written email request. Once agreed, the money itself takes another 3 to 5 working days to land, that part is card-network processing and no merchant can skip it. If nothing has arrived 10 working days after a written “refund approved”, reply on the same thread asking for the ARN (acquirer reference number), which your bank can trace.

Note Proton’s own policy works on a 30-day window, ask inside it and the request is routine; outside it you’re relying on goodwill or statutory rights.

What you can claim

The law where you live is the strongest hook, lead with it when you contact the company.

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a Proton charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.
California ARL refund right
Refund if cancel was blocked or unclear.
If Proton made it hard to cancel under California ARL, you’re entitled to a refund of charges taken since the obstruction. Multiple class actions (including against Adobe + Hulu) have set the precedent.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described”, your bank initiates, Proton has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where Proton is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described”, applies to services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

Rights in other regions (United Kingdom, European Union)

United Kingdom

Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Full refund within the 14-day window.
Inside 14 days of starting any Proton subscription, you’re entitled to a full refund of any payment taken, no questions, no policy override.
Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail Proton can’t ignore.

European Union

Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
14-day withdrawal across all EU member states.
EU-wide statutory right to withdraw and recover any payment within 14 days of subscription start. Mirrored in local law in every EU country.
ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If Proton is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

The 4-step refund email

Email the right address
Use support@protonvpn.zendesk.com, the route yoink has verified actually gets read for Proton.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request, [your account email]

Send this body

Hi Proton team,

I'm requesting a refund of the recent charge on my subscription, account [your account email].

Under the FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule, cancellation must be available through a channel as simple as the one I signed up through. Please confirm by reply that the refund will be processed to my original payment method.

If a full refund isn't available under your policy, I'd accept a pro-rata refund for the unused portion.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, escalate via the regional route above, a card-issuer chargeback works in every market.

Refund FAQ for Proton

Yes, if you act within **30 days of your first purchase**. Proton's terms say you can cancel within 30 days and get a full refund, but you must **cancel and send a refund request** within that window. Use the support form (topic: Plans and billing) or email mail@support.proton.me with your username. Refunds are limited to one per user and only cover purchases made directly from Proton. Cash and bank-transfer payments aren't eligible.