Select country on free plan
I want to be able to select the country at least, I don't care if I cant choose the server or not, but its annoying having to connect to a place on the other side of the world. I most likely will stop using this VPN if this is not added back.
With the free plan changes made at the end of 2023, we aim to provide optimal speeds and latency to everyone using our free, unlimited, ad-free VPN. Although you can't select a specific server, you can change the server that was initially assigned to you.
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Midori242
commented
I was about to post the same idea. For me, accessing geo-blocked content (or preventing geographical detectors from redirecting me based on my location) is one of the most important uses of a VPN, almost as important as hiding the IP and encrypting traffic.
Especially Japan. They restrict a lot of content to Japan only, so being able to "travel" to Japan any time was really a great feature.
"You can change the server that was initially assigned to you" : technically yes, but no, I'm sorry, there's a server change timer that prevents you from freely doing so. And even when you do change, it might just land you in the same country as before.
I understand that this is a choice made by Proton and that we can't really do anything about it, though.
Also... how come this comment section is FILLED WITH SPAM?
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Meta Digital Marketing Agency commented
I think Proton VPN is already strong in terms of privacy and security, but there’s definitely room for improvement. For example, better consistency across platforms would help—some features are still missing or limited on iOS/macOS compared to Windows and Android.
Another big one is improving the ability to bypass VPN detection. A lot of users mention that some websites still block VPN traffic, so stronger anti-detection tech would make a huge difference.
Speed and reliability are improving (especially with newer WireGuard updates), but reducing occasional drops and making connections more stable should always be a priority.
Also, better support and simpler UI for beginners would help—Proton is powerful, but not always the most user-friendly compared to competitors.
On a random note, I like how more apps are focusing on clean design lately—even outside VPNs, I’ve been experimenting with simple tools like a https://bratgenstudio.com brat generator for minimal text designs, and that same simplicity would actually make apps like Proton VPN feel more approachable.
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Noreeta commented
I totally agree—being able to at least choose the country would make a big difference in user experience. Connecting to random distant locations can be frustrating and affects performance too. Hopefully this feature gets added back soon. Also, while exploring different platforms and ideas online, I came across https://concrete-visionary.com/ which had some interesting content.
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Michell Walker
commented
I totally agree with this suggestion. Being able to select a specific country/region would be a huge help for business owners who need to verify local search results and ad placements securely. I’m currently managing the digital side of our facility, https://fountainlakesstorage.com, in St. Charles, and having that granular control over our connection location is essential for accurate local SEO auditing. Hopefully, the Proton team considers this!
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Fpfootwear
commented
It's so frustrating not being able to pick the country anymore. I frequently need a specific region to access local stores and get the correct currency when shopping online. Just yesterday I was trying to order some <a href="https://fpfootwear.com"</a> and the website kept glitching and showing me European pricing because the VPN auto-assigned me to the Netherlands. Please give us the choice back!
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prairiespirittradingpost
commented
It's a tough balance between offering a free service and maintaining server health. For many of us, the loss of country selection feels like losing a bit of control over our online experience. I’ve found that when digital tools become frustrating, switching to an offline creative outlet is the best way to reset. I personally use the kits from Painting4Real to de-stress after a long day of troubleshooting tech issues—it’s a great way to engage your brain without worrying about server latency or IP geolocations!
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prairiespirittradingpost
commented
I understand the need for Proton to balance server load, but forcing random connections can be frustrating when you're trying to view localized content. It’s similar to how shoppers want to know exactly where their products are coming from. When people buy prairie spirit trading post, they are looking for specific regional craftsmanship and quality. That level of choice and transparency is what makes a service—or a product—really stand out. Bringing back country selection would definitely restore that user trust."
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Walter White
commented
A VPN that forces a randomized server connection defeats the fundamental purpose of geographic routing. At https://painting4real.com, we must conduct exact regional connections to audit our international supply chain portals and verify localized search visibility for our art kits. Removing the ability to select the country transforms a controlled, exact instrument into a useless liability. You have introduced unnecessary variables into your users' workflows. The manual selection must be restored.
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Hiesen Berg
commented
A VPN that forces a random server connection defeats the entire purpose of geographic routing. At https://insolewars.com, my team requires exact regional connections to audit our international supply chain portals and verify localized search visibility. Removing the ability to select the country renders the free tier functionally useless for precise testing. You have taken a controlled, exact tool and introduced unnecessary variables. Bring the feature back.
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Ahamd Raza commented
Honestly, this feels like a https://ropeheeroapk.com/ move gone wrong — taking away country selection makes the whole experience frustrating. Being forced to connect across the world kills usability, and if it’s not fixed, it’s hard to stay hooked.
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Haul Chmp commented
The Canvas resize dots are precision layout tools, not just size adjusters—drag them inward to create internal margins that act as visual guides, helping you compose balanced scenes without external rulers. For exact dimensions, double-click a dot and enter pixel values manually; this is crucial when designing for specific output sizes like 1920x1080 thumbnails. Use the transparent canvas option combined with these margins to create bleed areas for printing, ensuring your 3D designs extend beyond the cut line. This hidden functionality turns the canvas from a simple background into a professional composition grid. https://paint3d.org/
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Thepaint 3dofficial commented
Proton VPN is great, but it could be improved with faster servers and more intuitive settings. By the way, for anyone who likes customizing their digital workspace, you can also free download Paint 3D to create fun designs while staying secure online.https://thepaint3d.com/
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Randy Hatake
commented
This is sad :( Please bring back this feature.
Regards: https://beautifulideas.in/
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Bilal Khan commented
Please listen to the feedback and make the necessary changes. Let us, as free users, choose the country we want to select for specific purposes. Furthermore, you can provide an option to automatically assign the country or to manually choose from the list of free server locations.
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Jerry Gen commented
I totally agree with you having at least the option to choose a country makes a big difference. It’s frustrating getting connected to faraway servers with high ping.
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Tester
commented
My cynical take is that Proton is just doing this to coerce people into purchasing a paid plan. While they have every right to charge for their services, it pushes my buttons when companies pretend something is free but just take it back by the back door. Since it will only for me connect to Netherland servers, I cannot even shop online- eg CVS will not let me even enter the website. So it’s become useless. Also screams vpn when your apparent location is from a different country. Before they pulled this trick, twice i was about to invest in paid plans but then they dropped coverage for my devices running older operating systems. Now that they have resorted to bullying and deception i will have to hunt for a new vpn
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Andro Maxwell commented
Totally agree with you—it’s really frustrating when you can't even select the country on a free VPN plan. It affects loading times and the overall experience, especially when you're just trying to browse or stream nearby content. While exploring options, I came across some great tech-related discussions on https://knowledgesip.com/technology/ that helped me understand how VPNs work behind the scenes. Sometimes knowing the tech side of things gives a better idea of what to expect from these services. Hopefully, they bring back that feature soon—it makes a big difference!
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blinded journeyman commented
got it so in other words ******** can do heard LOUD AND CLEAR! love the email service but the other parts are nigh useless whenever Im in between jobs, and cant pay. sooo byyye!
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Shinra Tensei commented
It'd be better if Proton VPN gives atleast a few countries if not all to choose from. I play a game on https://brawlmod.com/bsd-brawl/ and it does come with in-built options to choose the server. It a game can do it, why not a VPN?
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Anton K commented
please reconsider - in countries with blocked proton vpn list of vpn servers could be outdated, and some servers could work, and others dont. but currently your client always connect to same endpoint selected by some algorithm, and if its in blocked list - its stuck infinitely - its not even try to reconnect by timeout. or at least add timeout to connection and change server if all tries failed.