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Cybersecurity · head to head

ProtonVPN vs RAD Studio

ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Cybersecurity

High-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your privacy

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ProtonVPN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time; RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ProtonVPN and RAD Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where ProtonVPN and RAD Studio differ
AttributeProtonVPNRAD Studio
Starting priceFree$2000/perpetual
Pricing modelfreemiumone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ProtonVPN

  • No-logs policy
  • Secure Core
  • Kill Switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Tor over VPN
  • Split tunneling
  • NetShield ad-blocker
  • VPN Accelerator

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that ProtonVPN does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ProtonVPN

  • Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot RAD Studio
  • Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot RAD Studio
  • Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot RAD Studio

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot ProtonVPN
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot ProtonVPN
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot ProtonVPN
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot ProtonVPN

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ProtonVPN

  • Free plan limited to one device at a time
  • Free plan restricted to 10 countries with random selection
  • Pricing amounts not clearly published; shown as variable

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

ProtonVPN

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN review.

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Which should you pick?

Choose ProtonVPN if

  • You need no-logs policy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want secure core.
ProtonVPN review

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from ProtonVPN on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Questions people ask

Is ProtonVPN or RAD Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. ProtonVPN starts at Free and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ProtonVPN or RAD Studio?
ProtonVPN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ProtonVPN and $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio.
Does ProtonVPN or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. RAD Studio runs on Web.
Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
Yes. ProtonVPN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
What is ProtonVPN best used for?
ProtonVPN is most often used for privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost, multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices, integrated access to proton email and cloud services via unlimited plan. Of those, privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost and multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices are not what RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
What can ProtonVPN do that RAD Studio cannot?
ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Secure Core, Kill Switch, DNS leak protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
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