Google Drive and Gmail are convenient, but they cost you your privacy — here's a secure way to replace them for less

(Image credit: Future) Big Tech has made itself very comfortable in your digital life. Google handles your email, your calendar, your cloud storage, and quite possibly your passwords. It's convenient, but it comes at a cost – and that cost is your data. If you've been thinking about pulling the plug, Proton Unlimited is one of the most complete ways to do it.Proton is a Swiss-based privacy company best known for Proton Mail, its end-to-end encrypted email service, and Proton VPN, one of the best VPNs we've reviewed at Tom's Guide. How does Proton VPN Unlimited compare? Proton Unlimited sits at $8.99 per month on a 12-month plan, which is the same price as ExpressVPN Pro, and a step up from NordVPN Complete at $6.99 per month. So why pay more?The answer depends on what you want beyond a VPN. NordVPN Complete bundles a password manager, 1 TB of cloud storage, cyber insurance, and Threat Protection Pro, but its ecosystem stops there. ExpressVPN Pro adds a dedicated IP, but both are built around the VPN first and foremost.Proton takes a different approach. Its suite, including mail, drive, calendar, password manager, and VPN, is designed from the ground up as a Google alternative, with Swiss privacy law underpinning all of it. If you're simply after a fast, affordable VPN, there are cheaper options. But if you want to genuinely de-Google your digital life, Proton Unlimited makes a stronger case than either rival. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.