Compare GOOSE VPN and Proton VPN on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.
Both listed as alternatives to: ExpressVPN
Netherlands· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist GOOSE when you want a simple Dutch B.V. consumer VPN with multi-platform apps, optional Cyber Alarm threat alerts, and prepaid/lifetime packaging. Skip when you need independent no-logs audits, WireGuard-first fleets, or strict anonymity ops—prefer Mullvad, Proton VPN, or AirVPN instead.
Switzerland· VPN Services
Needs review
Shortlist Proton VPN when you want a Swiss Proton AG VPN with open-source clients, publicly linked Securitum no-logs infrastructure audits, Secure Core/Stealth, a real free tier, and optional Business SSO/SCIM inside the Proton suite. Skip when you need anonymous numbered accounts without email (prefer Mullvad) or first-class remote port forwarding/DDNS (prefer AirVPN).
Highlighted rows differ between the two products.
| Feature | GOOSE VPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Category | VPN Services | VPN Services |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Self-hosted | No | No |
| Headquarters | Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Legal entity | GOOSE B.V. (KvK 34278975), Treubstraat 31, 2288 EH Rijswijk | Proton AG (Route de la Galaise 32, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva); EU rep Proton Europe sàrl (Luxembourg) |
| Governing law | Dutch law; competent court Rotterdam (terms) | Switzerland (vendor privacy/legal framework) |
| US parent / control | No known US parent | No known US parent |
| CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Medium | Medium |
| Hosting / residency | Vendor claims VPN server network owned/administered by Goose B.V. (NL) with 100+ exits in ~30 countries including US and other non-EU regions. No public DC/subprocessor register for infrastructure. Website/support path cookies name Cloudflare, Google Analytics, Facebook, LiveChat, Trustpilot, and affiliate tooling (US-group/global SaaS). | VPN/account infrastructure: Proton-owned/controlled servers; account data stated in CH/DE/NO; Secure Core owned in CH/IS/SE; global VPN exits with full-disk encryption. Support/payments processors include US-group Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal (and HubSpot for sales forms) per privacy policy—not the VPN tunnel path. |
| Summary | Dutch GOOSE B.V. VPN for consumers: multi-platform apps, IKEv2/OpenVPN, optional Cyber Alarm threat alerts, streaming and P2P-labelled servers, subscription or lifetime packaging. | Swiss Proton AG VPN with open-source clients, Securitum-audited no-logs infrastructure, Secure Core/Stealth, free unlimited-data tier, and Business SSO/SCIM packaging. |
| Tags |
| At a glance | GOOSE VPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| HQ | Rijswijk, Netherlands (GOOSE B.V.) | Not listed |
| Founded | Around 2016 (company materials) | Not listed |
| Protocols | IKEv2 (default), OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Network | 100+ servers / ~30 countries (vendor) | Not listed |
| Open source | No | Official clients yes; not a self-host server product |
| Self-host | No (SaaS VPN) | Not listed |
| Commercial model | Subscription + lifetime; device tiers; 30-day refund | Not listed |
| HQ / entity | Not listed | Proton AG, Plan-les-Ouates (Geneva), Switzerland |
| Governance | Not listed | Primary shareholder: non-profit Proton Foundation (vendor claim) |
| Network (vendor) | Not listed | 20,000+ servers, 140+ countries (re-check live) |
| Free tier | Not listed | 1 device, unlimited data, limited countries, no ads |
| Paid consumer devices | Not listed | Up to 10 simultaneous (typical Plus packaging) |
| Business | Not listed | SSO, SCIM, dedicated IPs/gateways, DPA published |
| Key capabilities | GOOSE VPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch GOOSE B.V. | Yes | Not listed |
| Multi-platform apps | Yes | Not listed |
| IKEv2 + OpenVPN | Yes | Not listed |
| Cyber Alarm (optional) | Yes | Not listed |
| Lifetime plan option | Yes | Not listed |
| Swiss-operated (Proton AG) | Not listed | Yes |
| Open-source clients | Not listed | Yes |
| Securitum no-logs audits | Not listed | Yes |
| Secure Core double-hop | Not listed | Yes |
| Free unlimited-data tier | Not listed | Yes |
| Business SSO / SCIM | Not listed | Yes |
Dutch-operated multi-platform VPN apps
Native clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, and many routers under GOOSE B.V. (Rijswijk). One-click connect with autopilot for trusted networks. Plan tiers cap simultaneous devices (commonly 1/5/10)—confirm the current package before multi-device rollouts.
IKEv2 default plus OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP
Official FAQ lists IKEv2 as the standard protocol, with OpenVPN (harder to block, more HTTPS-like), L2TP/IPSec (routers), and legacy PPTP. WireGuard is not listed on the primary protocol FAQ—teams standardising on WireGuard should verify client builds or consider another provider.
Streaming- and P2P-labelled server map
GOOSE advertises 100+ servers across about 30 countries (including EU exits plus US, Canada, Asia, Oceania, and Brazil). Dedicated streaming labels and P2P-allowed nodes; terms ban P2P on servers marked No P2P and may terminate accounts for violations.
Cyber Alarm in-tunnel threat notifications
Optional Cyber Alarm analyses traffic inside the VPN tunnel against a malware/ransomware database (updated frequently) and pushes alerts plus a dashboard/weekly report. Vendor FAQ: not fully anonymous while Cyber Alarm is on; switch to a normal VPN server for stricter anonymity.
Kill switch and stated 256-bit encryption
Marketing and product pages claim AES-style 256-bit encryption and a kill switch that blocks traffic if the VPN drops. Useful on public Wi-Fi; still validate DNS/IPv6 leak behaviour on your OS stack—GOOSE does not publish a third-party security audit PDF.
Audited no-logs on Proton-owned VPN infrastructure
Strict no-logs policy for VPN session activity (no traffic content, destination, or session metadata that identifies a user to a server, per published Securitum infrastructure reviews). Account data lives on Proton-controlled servers in Switzerland, Germany, or Norway; Secure Core machines are Proton-owned in CH/IS/SE. Suits privacy officers who need public audit PDFs, not NDA-only claims.
Secure Core double-hop via CH, IS, or SE
Paid Secure Core routes traffic through hardened Proton-owned entry servers in Switzerland, Iceland, or Sweden before the exit country—extra hop against network-level attacks if an exit were compromised. Adds latency; best for high-threat models, not every streaming session.
Stealth protocol and free-tier censorship tools
Stealth obfuscates the tunnel (TLS-over-TCP style) to reduce DPI/VPN-block detection and is available on Free as well as paid apps. Free plan: one device, unlimited data, no ads, limited country set, kill switch; paid unlocks multi-device, streaming profiles, Secure Core, and full NetShield packaging.
Open-source clients across major platforms
Official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and browser extensions are open source on GitHub (ProtonVPN org) with third-party app security reviews published over time. Server-side VPN stack is not a public full OSS product—inspect clients and audit reports, not the entire backend.
NetShield DNS filtering and multi-protocol stack
NetShield is Proton's DNS-based blocker for ads, trackers, and malware domains (feature depth varies by plan). Protocols include WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Stealth; kill switch and leak protections are first-class client features for untrusted Wi-Fi.
Business org controls: SSO, SCIM, dedicated IPs
Proton VPN for Business adds organization admin, private gateways, dedicated servers/IPs, enforced 2FA, SSO, and SCIM provisioning (docs cover Okta/Google examples). Fits SMB remote access and policy control—not a numbered-account anonymity product.
| Assurance & compliance | GOOSE VPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Independent security / no-logs audit | Not found Privacy policy claims no activity/DNS/connection-IP logging on VPN path; no public third-party audit PDF located | Verified Multi-year Securitum infrastructure no-logs audits published with downloadable reports (see no-logs audit blog). Client app security reviews also published over time. |
| ISO 27001 | Not found | Vendor claimed Proton announces ISO 27001 (May 2024) and links a certificate from the Trust Center; re-validate scope/certificate for your ISMS. |
| SOC 2 / SOC 3 | Not found | Vendor claimed Trust Center and company blog assert SOC 2 Type II; obtain the report under your vendor process if required. |
| GDPR / EU data protection | Vendor claimed Dutch controller GOOSE B.V.; privacy policy cites GDPR Art. 6 bases and data-subject rights via contact form | Vendor claimed Swiss operator claims GDPR alignment; EU representative in Luxembourg; Swiss FADP also applies. |
| US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative) | Partial EU entity / no known US parent, but public site uses Cloudflare, Google Analytics, Facebook, LiveChat and similar US-group SaaS; VPN exits include US locations. Not legal advice. | Partial No known US parent (Proton AG / Foundation). VPN designed no-logs on Proton paths. US-group processors for support/payments (Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal; HubSpot sales) raise indicative exposure for account identity data. Not legal advice. |
| Data processing agreement (B2B) | Not found Privacy policy mentions processor agreements with subprocessors; no public B2B DPA download/portal found | Vendor claimed Public DPA published at proton.me/legal/dpa; confirm countersignature/process for your business SKU. |
| EU AI Act | Not applicable Consumer VPN / threat filter product, not an AI system offering under typical AI Act scoping | Not applicable VPN connectivity product; separate Lumo AI offering is out of scope for this VPN entry. |
| Considerations & known limitations | GOOSE VPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| No public independent no-logs audit | High Security and privacy claims rest on first-party policy language. High-sensitivity buyers should demand audit evidence or choose an audited peer. | Not listed |
| US-group website and support subprocessors | Medium Cookie/privacy tables list Cloudflare, Google Analytics, Facebook, LiveChat and others on the marketing/support path—separate from the claimed self-run VPN tunnel but relevant for account and support data. | Not listed |
| PPTP and L2TP still offered | Medium Official FAQ still documents PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. Misconfiguration can weaken security; enforce OpenVPN or IKEv2 in managed environments. | Not listed |
| Cyber Alarm reduces anonymity | Medium Vendor states Cyber Alarm analyses tunnel traffic and is not fully anonymous. Enable only when threat alerts outweigh anonymity goals. | Not listed |
| Netherlands Fourteen Eyes jurisdiction | Low Dutch HQ is EU/GDPR-friendly for many buyers but is not a classic privacy-haven jurisdiction. Align with your threat model. | Not listed |
| Fair-use bandwidth policy | Low Terms allow GOOSE to contact heavy users (about 1% of network bandwidth) to reduce use or pay more despite unlimited marketing language. | Not listed |
| US SaaS for support and payments | Not listed | Medium Privacy policy lists Zendesk, Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal (and HubSpot for sales) as processors. This is not VPN traffic logging, but billing/support identity can leave the Swiss-only path—map to your transfer assessment. |
| Global exit nodes outside EU/CH | Not listed | Medium Large multi-country network means traffic can exit outside the EU depending on server choice. Strict residency policies need operational controls (allowed countries, Secure Core preferences), not HQ alone. |
| Free tier capacity and country limits | Not listed | Low Free is one device and a limited country pool; shared free capacity can mean slower peaks. Not a full substitute for paid multi-device org rollout. |
| Account identity vs numbered anonymity | Not listed | Low Standard Proton account (email or external address options) is not the same threat model as cash/number-only VPN accounts. Cash/Bitcoin payment options exist for paid plans but account recovery fields may still apply. |
| ISO/SOC scope verification | Not listed | Low ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II are vendor-asserted on Trust Center; procurement should confirm certificate/attestation scope covers the VPN services in use. |
When: You need audit-led no-logs evidence and anonymous account options
Consider: Mullvad
Stronger independent reputation and cash/crypto-style anonymity culture than GOOSE's retail model
When: You want an EU brand with broader suite integration and published security programme depth
Consider: Proton VPN
Better fit when VPN is part of a wider EU privacy stack
When: You need power-user configuration, port forwarding, and community-driven server transparency
Consider: AirVPN
Prefer when GOOSE's consumer simplicity is not enough
When: You need maximum account anonymity (no email identity)
Consider: Mullvad
Numbered accounts and cash/crypto-friendly privacy posture; less suite/Business packaging.
When: You need remote port forwarding and Dynamic DNS as core features
Consider: AirVPN
Technical inbound reachability; different product emphasis than Proton Free/Plus.
When: You want a large consumer network with different brand/jurisdiction tradeoffs
Consider: NordVPN or catalog peers such as CyberGhost
Re-check ownership, audit publication model, and streaming for your regions.
When: You need enterprise zero-trust mesh rather than a privacy VPN
Consider: Tailscale, NetBird, or self-hosted WireGuard
Different product class from consumer/privacy VPN.