Proton launches family subscription plan for privacy app suite starting at $20 per month

Privacy-centric software maker Proton has launched a new family plan starting at $19.99 (€19.99) per month, giving six family members access to its entire suite of software. apps.

The move comes as the Swiss company seeks to bolster its paid subscriber base and lock more people into its growing product ecosystem.

Founded in 2014, Proton initially hit the scene with an encrypted alternative to Gmail called Proton Mail, but the company has added a slew of additional encryption-focused apps to the mix, including a VPN, calendar, online storage, and more. cloud and – for the last month – a password manager.

Proton’s pricing philosophy has so far centered around the freemium model, with a free tier allowing access to all of its products but with certain limitations in place (eg reduced cloud storage). The company also offers a premium plan for individuals that starts at $7.99 per month, which removes these restrictions.

A family matter

Now, Proton is taking a proven approach to technology to get more people to use their products. Part of that is calling on those Already using them, the idea being that if an already privacy-conscious family member pays $7.99 a month, they’d be happy to part with another $12 to hire five more people. But of course, the family plan may also be enough to convince someone who is already planning to subscribe to run the nine meters and get everyone into their house in one fell swoop.

“A family plan is among our most sought-after services,” David Dudok de Wit, Proton product manager, said in a statement. “As a parent, I’m eager to teach my kids the right ways to approach email, cloud storage, and internet security early on. I know I’m not alone in this.

Proton Family Package Image credits: Protons

Under the family plan, users get all the usual features of Proton products, including the promise of end-to-end encryption for emails, files, passwords, and events. The company has also increased the amount of storage available under the individual plan sixfold, meaning family members can share 3TB of storage across all products, with a bonus 20GB added each year to make good measure.

While each $19.99 monthly subscription includes six family members, it also commits them to 24 months – and that means they’re not actually paying monthly, it’s like paying the $480 a month. advance for two-year coverage. Alternatively, they can pay the equivalent of $23.99 per month for a 12 month commitment or if they really want to pay monthly, they can select the $29.99 plan which can be canceled at any time.

The plan includes access to all Proton products including Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Drive and Proton Calendar, although access to the Proton Pass password manager is limited at this time as long as one remains. beta product.