Proton
illustration of protonmail lifetime account

After the success of last year’s auction, we are selling three more Proton Lifetime Accounts this year to benefit organizations worthy of our community’s support. The auctions will take place on eBay and will start next week at 8 PM Central European Time on Dec. 19 and run until Dec. 29.

If you’re interested in bidding on a Lifetime Account, please check our Lifetime Account auction announcement for details about the organizations being supported and links to the auctions.

First, we need your help

This year, we would like to invite you to suggest charities, organizations, projects, events, etc. that you believe deserve funding from the Proton community. During the 2018 holiday season, the auctions brought in over €30,000, and we were able to donate an additional €15,000 to three organizations we care about: the Belarusian news outlet Charter’97, the WireGuard® VPN project, and a scholarship program to train journalists in digital security.

For independent organizations, these donations can have a major impact and help sustain their efforts. We would like to choose three different recipients this year to receive a donation. We will match the funds raised, dollar for dollar, up to €10,000 per auction.

There are no strict criteria for the beneficiaries, and we reserve the right to decide who ultimately receives funding. But generally we’re looking for efforts that align with our own mission at Proton, furthering global access to freedom, privacy, and security online. We don’t ask anything from these organizations in return.

To suggest beneficiaries, simply fill out this Typeform survey(new window). You’re welcome to suggest up to three organizations.

What is a Lifetime Account?

Proton Lifetime Accounts are exclusive accounts that grant the owner Visionary status forever (regular price €288/year). However, instead of paying monthly or annually, Lifetime Accounts are purchased once. They can also be sold or transferred to other Proton users.

Lifetime Account benefits include:

  • Automatic premium accounts for all existing and future Proton services, including Proton Calendar(new window) and Proton Drive(new window)
  • The ability to transfer the account to any other Proton username
  • The option to resell the account on the secondary market

We first issued Lifetime Accounts during our initial crowdfunding campaign in 2014(new window) and again in 2016 for about €1,000 each. However, on the secondary market, the resale value is currently estimated to be over €5,000.

About the Lifetime Account auction

The holidays are a great time to say thanks to our community for their generosity, but also to pay that generosity forward. We already contribute in-kind donations to the open source, crypto(new window), and civil rights communities. But if anyone knows the importance of money to get a project off the ground, it’s us. 

With that in mind, last year we decided to leverage the sale of small batches of Lifetime Accounts to raise funds for exciting projects that make the world (and the Internet) a better place. We’re excited to continue this initiative, and we look forward to reading your suggestions!

Best Regards,
The Proton Mail Team

UPDATE Dec. 19, 2019: The dates of the auction were changed to reflect its new start date and duration.

Related articles

Learn the best professional email sign-offs, common mistakes to avoid, and real-world examples.
en
Struggling with how to end an email? Learn about the best professional email sign-offs, common mistakes to avoid, and real-world examples.
A phone screen with a speech bubble with a phone number in it
en
Your email address and passwords aren't the only information hackers can use to scam you. Here's what someone can do with your phone number — and how to protect it.
A web application screen with an unlock icon in the bottom right corner
en
Your best defense against a data breach could be improving your web application security: Find out how Proton Pass can help.
Investigative journalist Vegas Tenold explains the gear he uses to protect his privacy and stay safe.
en
  • Privacy news
Follow investigative journalist Vegas Tenold as he explains his gear and how it keeps him safe from surveillance as he works in the field.
Coinbase, the largest Bitcoin exchange in the US, suffered a data breach
en
  • Privacy news
  • Proton Wallet
Coinbase employees sold sensitive personal information to attackers, including government IDs and BTC transaction history. Proton Wallet is built to avoid these risks.
Whistleblower's whistle. Journalists must use secure channels to communicate with whistleblowers.
en
Whistleblowers risk everything to expose the truth. This guide helps journalists keep their sources safe using secure tools like Proton Mail, Signal, and SecureDrop.