In unprecedented move, Mozilla Firefox partners with Proton VPN
We got some important news from Mozilla and Proton VPN – the two are trying on a partnership. Shortly, a random selection of US-based Mozilla users will be offered to give Proton VPN a try. The pleasure isn’t free but this experiment will let people buy a $10 subscription directly from Mozilla, granting the same terms and features as a regular Proton VPN subscription.
It’s obvious why this deal is appealing to the Swiss VPN provider, but why have Mozilla decided to go for it?
Mozilla’s motivations
Firefox is clearly the odd one out of the top 4 browsers by usage, the other three being Google Chrome, Safari, and Internet Explorer. Each has a rich and powerful company behind it – Google, Apple, and Microsoft.
Mozilla, in comparison, is much more of a David than a Goliath. As such, the company has had to make some compromises for funding. Namely, they have survived as a result of partnerships with Search providers like Google, Yandex, or Baidu.
To quote Mozilla:
For some time now Mozilla has largely been funded by our search partnerships. With this VPN experiment which kicks off Wednesday, October 24th, we’re starting the process of exploring new, additional sources of revenue that align with our mission.
In short, Mozilla went searching for a financial arrangement that would be both lucrative, compatible with their principles, and relevant for the product.
Of all the fish in the sea, why Proton VPN?
As our readers may already know, we are quite partial to Proton VPN. Mozilla seems to echo some of the talking points of our Proton VPN Review:
- Proton VPN stands out in terms of security. The product is aimed at those for whom anonymity matters the most – journalists, activists, and the like.
- Their privacy practices are faultless. The company behind Proton VPN is based in privacy-friendly Switzerland, enabling their no-logging policy.
- Ethics. Both companies preach the gospel of a free internet and practice what they preach – or so it seems.
Both Mozilla and Proton VPN are strong brands with relatively unblemished reputations. It’s likely they both see this partnership as one that will give them credibility.
How will it all work?
In the near future, Mozilla will start randomly displaying a promotional pop-up to some of their US clients, informing them of the Firefox-Proton VPN partnership.
Users will then get the choice of purchasing a monthly subscription for $10 – the same deal that Proton VPN offer on their website. This includes the same features, servers, as well as customer support resources and money-back policies (the 30-day money-back guarantee will still apply).
It seems the only difference is users will not be able to buy the lengthier (and cheaper) plans, at least for the time being. Also, would-be clients should know that Proton VPN also has a decent free version for those who can’t afford to pay.
