Being a part of the Proton community means supporting an internet built for people, not profit. An internet free from surveillance and censorship, safe from malware and hackers, and empowered to be yourself, not Big Tech’s product.
Since 2018, with support from the Proton community, we have financially supported non-profit organizations that share this vision, donating over $3 million to fuel a growing movement for a better internet. For this year’s fundraiser, we’re giving away 10 Proton Lifetime accounts, our most exclusive plan that gives you the most storage and all the features of all our current and future products, forever.
Starting today, you can enter the raffle to win a Lifetime plan. 100% of the proceeds will be donated, along with a $150,000 matching contribution from Proton. Raffle tickets are on sale from now until January 5 at 11:59 PM CET. We’ll announce the winners the following day.
Keep reading to find out where the funds will go and more details about the raffle (including more ways to win a Lifetime account).
What is a Proton Lifetime account?
The Proton Lifetime account is our most exclusive account — the only way to get one is during our year-end fundraiser or by finding one on the secondary market. This account gives you all features on all current and future Proton services, as well as the most storage.
Lifetime accounts are transferable, and Proton can facilitate such transactions. The last time Lifetime accounts were auctioned in 2020, they sold for over $14,000. As Proton continues to add more services, Lifetime accounts will provide more and more value.
This year alone, we have launched Proton Docs (encrypted collaborative documents), Proton Scribe (a privacy-first writing assistant to help you write emails), Proton Wallet (a safer way to store Bitcoin), and much more.
Lifetime accounts are extremely rare, and the raffle is the only way to obtain one, plus you will be supporting good causes.
Standing with advocates for digital freedom
Last month, we asked you to nominate organizations to support in this year’s Proton Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser. After carefully reviewing your submissions, we selected 10 beneficiaries.
A portion of the funds will also go to a few organizations from past years, such as Tor, GrapheneOS, and others, as many nonprofits have seen drops in donations and are struggling to reach their budget goals.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients:
 Freedom House(new window) | Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free. Their work informs the world about threats to freedom, mobilizes global action, and supports democracy’s defenders. Freedom House’s research monitors the growing threats to online anonymity, encryption, and anti-censorship technology and elevates the issue among policymakers and the wider public. Freedom House’s annual Freedom on the Net report documents threats to encryption and privacy in 72 countries, alongside a global overview of the latest developments in censorship and surveillance. |
 Free Software Foundation Europe(new window) | The Free Software Foundation Europe , a charity established in 2001, empowers users to control technology since 2001. Free Software grants everybody the rights to use, understand, adapt and share software, thereby supporting fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech, press , and privacy. The FSFE helps individuals and organisations understand how Free Software contributes to freedom, transparency and self-determination. We enhance users’ rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software adoption, encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and provide resources to enable everyone to further promote Free Software in Europe. |
 Law for Change(new window) | Law for Change is a UK-based organization established in 2023, dedicated to supporting legal actions that amplify the voices of underrepresented individuals and communities with limited access to justice. By funding public interest cases, it aims to contribute to societal benefit and lasting social change. |
 Ada Lovelace Institute(new window) | The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute based in London dedicated to ensuring that data and artificial intelligence work for people and society. Established in early 2018 by the Nuffield Foundation, the institute collaborates with organizations such as The Alan Turing Institute, the Royal Society, the British Academy, and others to address the ethical and societal implications of data and AI technologies. |
 Nothing2Hide(new window) | Nothing2hide is a nonprofit established in 2017, dedicated to enhancing digital security for journalists, human rights activists, and citizens worldwide. The organization provides technical solutions, training, and support to protect data and communications from surveillance and censorship. |
 Free Press Unlimited(new window) | Free Press Unlimited is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Amsterdam dedicated to promoting press freedom and supporting independent journalism worldwide. The organization collaborates with over 300 media partners across more than 50 countries to ensure reliable information is accessible to everyone, especially in regions where press freedom is limited. |
 The Tech Oversight Project(new window) | The Tech Oversight Project is a US-based advocacy organization dedicated to holding major technology companies accountable for anti-competitive practices and societal harms. It engages with lawmakers and decision-makers to counter misleading narratives, expose detrimental actions by tech giants, and advocate for comprehensive antitrust legislation to restore market competition and protect consumers. |
 Open Data Institute(new window) | The Open Data Institute (ODI) is a nonprofit based in London with a mission to work with companies and governments to build an open, trustworthy data ecosystem where people can make better decisions using data and manage any harmful impacts. The ODI was co-founded in 2012 by the inventor of the Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee and artificial intelligence expert Sir Nigel Shadbolt to show the value of data and to advocate for its innovative use to affect positive change across the globe. |
 OpenStreetMap(new window) | OpenStreetMap is a collaborative project that creates a free, editable map of the world, built by a community of mappers who contribute and maintain data about roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and much more. OSM has grown into a global initiative supported by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging the growth, development, and distribution of free geospatial data. |
 Ladybird(new window) | Ladybird is an independent, open source browser and web engine developed from scratch, driven by a web standards first approach. Unlike many browsers that build on top of existing web engines, Ladybird is built entirely anew, allowing users to choose a browser that aims to render the modern web with good performance, security and privacy. |
You can also find all previous beneficiaries on Proton’s impact page(new window).
This year, we will be setting aside an additional $150,000 to set up a Proton Innovation Fund to be administered by the nonprofit Proton Foundation. This fund will award three $50,000 grants to individuals or small groups of innovators working on projects that materially improve online privacy, security, or freedom. In 2025, we will have an open call for applications.
How to join the fundraiser and win a Lifetime account
To support the movement and join the raffle, all you need to do is buy a $10 ticket in the Proton Shop. You can buy as many tickets as you want. Each ticket gives you one entry in the raffle. You can pay by card, PayPal, Bitcoin, Etherium, or Litecoin.
Ten lucky winners will be chosen at random on January 6.
New this year, we’ll give away one additional Lifetime account to one member of our social community chosen at random. Follow us on LinkedIn(new window), X(new window), Instagram(new window), BlueSky(new window), or Mastodon(new window) by January 5 to be included in the drawing.
Read our fundraiser’s terms and conditions(new window)
Read our fundraiser’s FAQ(new window)
Your support is critical
The Proton Lifetime Account Charity Fundraiser has become a powerful force for privacy and freedom in the digital world. The many organizations who have benefited from your generosity have put the money toward programs that accelerate our collective mission. To give just a few examples from previous fundraisers:
- Tactical Tech(new window) said it used our funding last year “to help communities navigate and respond to the challenges exacerbated by digital technologies”.
- Our donation to Liberties(new window) last year bolstered their digital rights campaigns: “The raised funds will help Liberties strengthen its Tech and Rights Team and protect the rights of everyone in the EU and beyond,” the organization said.
- GrapheneOS(new window) is a nonprofit building a secure and private alternative to the Android mobile operating system, and donations — including large ones like ours — are currently its only source of revenue.
- We donated to nyob(new window), which helps hold companies like OpenAI, Meta, Google, and Microsoft accountable to privacy laws.
- Our contributions to the Tor Project(new window) have helped strengthen privacy tech, including the Tor Browser which helps people in restrictive or dangerous situations maintain access to the open web.
- See more organizations we’ve supported…
All of this is possible thanks to the Proton community. You are the engine of a better internet — from your use of encrypted Proton services to your participation in our annual fundraiser. Together we’re creating the internet we want. Thank you for your support.
