Proton TOS Changed

What changed

Several notable changes were made including revised automated access rules, downgraded advance notice obligations for inactive account deletion, added company right to modify or discontinue services without notice, expanded business plan classification and consumer protection exclusions, and simplified the refund policy.

Details

• •The prohibition on automated access was narrowed: instead of broadly banning bots and scripts, the new version prohibits only automated access that is distinguishable from normal human usage patterns, deviates significantly from normal patterns, exhibits abuse characteristics, or attempts to bypass security controls. A new clause explicitly permits automated access as long as traffic remains indistinguishable from normal human client behavior, and states that users engaging in prohibited automated activity have no recourse for resulting access restrictions.
• •The advance notice for free account deletion due to inactivity was downgraded from a firm obligation to a best-effort courtesy. The old version stated that notices will be sent 30, 15, and 7 days before deletion; the new version states the company will merely aim to send such notices as a courtesy, implying no guaranteed notification.
• •A new clause was added in Section 4 granting the company the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any service or feature at any time, with or without notice. While the company says it will endeavor to provide advance notice of material discontinuations, it explicitly states it has no obligation to do so and is not liable for such changes.
• •The old version included a general warranty disclaimer noting the service is provided 'as is.' The new version removed that general disclaimer language from Section 4, replacing it with the new service modification/discontinuation clause, though liability limitations remain.
• •The classification of business versus consumer subscription plans was significantly revised. The old version named specific plans (Essentials, Professional, Workspace, Business Suite) as business plans. The new version instead defines business plans as those at a specific URL and 'Workspace' plans, and includes new explicit language stating that business subscribers are not consumers and therefore statutory consumer protections — including withdrawal rights, cooling-off periods, and consumer-specific warranty or unfair terms protections — do not apply to them.
• •Tax treatment language was expanded and clarified: the new version specifies that business tax treatment (such as reverse charge and VAT/GST number collection) is available only for business plans and will not be applied to consumer plans regardless of the subscriber's actual status.
• •The refund policy was simplified. The old version described a refund for 'any unused portion of the service period' (prorated remaining days) and specifically mentioned Proton VPN and Proton Drive as eligible for full refunds upon request. The new version instead offers a full refund within 30 days of initial purchase without the prorated language, and removes the specific mention of VPN and Drive. The placement of the refund processing timeframe (30 days) was also moved to later in the section.