Pick the right route first
Where you paid decides how you cancel and who refunds you. All steps below are from Proton's cancellation article and terms, checked on 30 October 2026.
| Where you paid | How to cancel | How to get a refund |
|---|---|---|
| Proton website | account.protonvpn.com, Subscription, Cancel subscription [1] | Contact Proton support within 30 days [1][2] |
| iPhone or iPad (App Store) | Settings, your Apple ID, Subscriptions, Proton VPN [1] | Cancel first, then reportaproblem.apple.com [1] |
| Android (Google Play) | Play Store, profile, Subscriptions, Proton VPN [1] | Proton support, or cancel and request via Google Play [1] |
| Cash or bank transfer | Account dashboard [1] | Not refundable [4] |
Cancel on the web, step by step
Sign in at account.protonvpn.com, select Subscription in the sidebar, scroll to Cancel subscription and click Continue, then select Cancel subscription. Read the terms and select Cancel subscription again, and do not close the page: choose a cancellation reason and click Submit. Proton says the cancellation is not finalized until you submit that reason. [1]
After that, renewals are switched off, you can keep using VPN Plus features until the expiration date, and the account then moves to Proton Free. Cancelling does not delete your Proton Account. [1] Proton's terms add that you must cancel before the renewal date to avoid renewal, and that it does not remove paid features for you; you must remove paid features before downgrading. [2]
Refund rules and timing
Proton's terms: you may cancel within 30 days of the initial purchase and receive a full refund; the cancellation and the refund request must both be made within those 30 days; refunds can be requested once per user; past 30 days the service is non-refundable; and the refund option applies only to subscriptions bought directly from Proton. [2]
Cash and bank transfer payments cannot be refunded. [4] Proton lists typical processing times of 5 to 10 business days for cards, 1 to 2 working days for PayPal and Bitcoin, about 5 to 10 days for the App Store and about 3 to 5 days for the Play Store. [1]
Worked example: you bought the two-year VPN Plus plan at $83.76 on 1 October 2026. [8] Cancelling and requesting the refund by 30 October falls inside 30 days of the initial purchase. Cancelling on 15 November does not qualify for a refund; you keep Plus until the end of the 24 months and no credit is issued.
Credits versus refunds
Credit is for switching, not leaving. When you move from one paid plan to another, Proton turns unused time into credit with this formula: cost of plan divided by total days in plan, multiplied by days remaining. Proton's example is Proton Family at 29.99 euros a month with 28 days left giving 28 euros off a new Unlimited plan. If you cancel entirely, the plan ends at the end of the billing period and no credits are issued. [3]
Credits apply automatically to the next payment and only in the same currency. [3] Proton's terms say credits obtained by downgrading must be used within 24 months or they expire. [2]
After the downgrade: router WireGuard configs
Proton Free allows one device at a time, with servers in 10 countries, and Proton notes unlimited devices can connect through a router. Secure Core, P2P, NetShield and split tunneling are Plus features. [5] Proton's WireGuard configuration page says that on a Free plan the only VPN option available is VPN Accelerator, and it does not say what happens to configurations created on Plus when the plan changes. [6] Plan for that rather than assume the old file keeps working.
- Before the expiry date, note which router profiles use Proton WireGuard files and which servers they point to.
- After the downgrade, if the tunnel will not connect, generate a new configuration on the Free account and import it on the router.
- On a GL.iNet router, Proton files are imported through VPN, WireGuard Client, Add Manually, as a .conf file or pasted text. [7]
- Remove configurations you no longer use from the router so devices do not silently fail over to a dead tunnel.
- If you leave Proton entirely, check your router's kill switch setting so the network is not left blocked.
Questions before you decide
How long do I have to get a Proton VPN refund?
Proton's terms say you may cancel within 30 days of the initial purchase for a full refund, and that both the cancellation and the refund request must happen within that 30-day period. Refunds can only be requested once per user and only apply to subscriptions bought directly from Proton.
I subscribed through the App Store. How do I get a refund?
Proton's cancellation page says to cancel in the App Store first, then request the refund through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com. For Google Play purchases you can ask Proton support or cancel and request the refund through Google Play.
Do I get credit for unused months when I cancel?
No. Proton's credit proration article says that if you cancel entirely, your plan expires at the end of the current billing period and no credits are issued. Credit for unused time applies when you switch from one paid plan to another.
What happens to my account after cancelling?
Proton says renewals stop, you keep VPN Plus features until the expiration date, and then the account is downgraded to Proton Free. Cancelling does not delete your Proton Account.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Proton VPN Support: How to cancel your Proton VPN subscription Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton Terms and Conditions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton VPN Support: Credit proration Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton VPN Support: Payment options Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton VPN Support: Proton VPN plans Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton VPN Support: How to download WireGuard configuration files Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- GL.iNet docs: WireGuard Client Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Proton VPN pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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