If you think you’re getting something for free, there’s always a catch.
This also applies to VPN services. But instead of paying for a few extra drinks, free VPN services could end up putting your personal privacy at risk. At the very least, free VPNs often have such strong limitations that even when they are offered by a reputable company, they aren’t very useful. If you’re looking for a more reliable option, consider our handpicked list of the best VPNs instead.
A good rule of thumb is to be wary of any free service and only consider free VPNs offered by companies with strong privacy policies and a good track record. A VPN provider may offer a limited version of its service for free as a way to generate business for its paid product. In a pinch, this type of free VPN could be useful for a one-off trip, but you’re not going to have access to many features and free VPNs typically aren’t good for heavy-duty use, such as file sharing or streaming.
Simultaneous Connections: 1Kill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, ChromebookLogging: NoneCustomer service: Same as with a paid subscriptionData limit: NoneCountries: 3
ProtonVPN offers the most comprehensive and useful free VPN service, mainly because there are no data caps. Proton VPN is also the only free service on our list that supports Linux. You can connect to servers in three countries (US, Netherlands, Japan) and I found consistent speeds across those locations. In our tests, ProtonVPN’s free service only reduced download speeds by roughly 20%, which isn’t the fastest free VPN but is still great and comparable to many paid services. For anyone who wants to try out ProtonVPN’s paid service, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The cheapest paid plan is the two-year deal, which costs $119.76 ($4.99/mo) and comes with 10 simultaneous connections, locations in 60+ countries, and access to streaming services. Free version pros
Unlimited dataSupports LinuxSame customer service as the paid version
Free version cons
One connectionOnly three countriesNo streaming
Hotspot Shield VPN is lightning fast. In our review (from 2019), we found our connection speeds were faster when connected to Hotspot Shield VPN versus a non-VPN connection. In cursory tests of the free VPN, I found that it performed on par or better than some of the best VPNs. The free VPN has an advertised connection speed of 2 Mbps, but I had download speeds that were only about 4% to 18% less than my 100 Mbps service. Further reading: Our Hotspot Shield VPN review Despite its excellent speed, the free version of the Hotspot Shield VPN will have limited use for just about any user because of its daily data cap of 500 MB. Running a few speed tests and some basic browsing nearly put me over my daily data limit, so streaming isn’t really an option. The free version also doesn’t support smart TVs, Linux, or routers, and you can only connect to US locations. You can unlock all of Hotspot Shield VPN’s features for only $2.99/mo with a three-year plan ($107.64 upfront). The standard premium VPN comes with a limit of five simultaneous connections. There’s also an annual family plan for $11.99/mo ($143.88 upfront), which allows you to set up five accounts and each account can have five simultaneous connections. If you split the cost of the family plan among five people that drops your average monthly cost to $2.40. The paid service has a 45-day money-back guarantee. Free version pros
Faster than advertised speedsKill switch
Free version cons
Data caps (500 MB daily)No support for Linux, routers, or smart TVsCan only connect through US locations
Simultaneous Connections: UnlimitedKill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidLogging: NoneCustomer service: Email supportData limit: 5 GB monthlyCountries: 2
Atlas free VPN performs well enough and comes with the same encryption protocols and privacy policy as the Atlas premium VPN. It also performed well in speed tests only reducing download speeds by an average of 21%. With the free VPN, you’ll have access to email support, but if you want to chat with a human, you’ll need to opt for the paid version. Overall, the free version of Atlas VPN isn’t terrible and it does come with unlimited connections. But the reality is that with only 5 GB of data every month, the number of connections isn’t the limitation you’ll have to worry about. The 5 GB monthly limit is roughly a third of the data limit you’d get with the free Hotspot Shield VPN over a full month. However, because you get it in one chunk, rather than parsed out at 500 MB daily, it can be a bit more useful. It’s better to think of the free service as a limited free trial than as a service you could realistically use as an everyday VPN. Atlas VPN has a solid premium service that’s extremely affordable. The two-year plan costs $49.19 upfront with two free months, which averages out to $1.89/mo, making it one of the cheapest VPNs. The paid version of Atlas VPN lifts the data cap and unlocks streaming servers and live support via chat. Paid plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Free version pros
Unlimited simultaneous connectionsKill switch
Free version cons
Small monthly data limitCan only access 2 countries
However, ProtonVPN’s free service is head and shoulders above the free VPNs offered by other providers. The data limits and restrictions of the typical free VPN render them essentially useless. But ProtonVPN doesn’t put these same caps on its free service. You may not be able to unblock streaming services with the free version of ProtonVPN, but it’s the only one that has the potential to work as an everyday VPN. The bottom line is this: It’s just not worth risking your personal and financial data on a free VPN service. VPN services I rated range from an average cost of under $2 to $4.99 per month, or about $50 to $100 for a two-year plan. Although it’s a bigger upfront expense, it’s usually a better deal to pay for two years at once. The cost of identity theft keeps going up, both in out-of-pocket expenses and in the time and hassle to clean up the mess. When it comes to a service that’s designed to transfer your personal credentials and keep them safe, isn’t it worth spending just a few bucks to save potentially thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, and an unmeasurable amount of stomach acid? For me, it is. I use a commercial VPN, and for the peace of mind and digital protection, it’s a few bucks well spent. Security shouldn’t be an issue, but performance probably will. These free VPNs are all a lead-in for upgrade sales in one way or another. They offer a small amount of free access and when you eat up that bandwidth, they’ll ask you to upgrade. “Try before you buy” is a proven method for selling services; it’s perfectly legitimate, and it’s often good for both the vendor and the customer. If the main reason you want a VPN is for streaming, then I’d recommend taking advantage of a money-back guarantee period to test out one of the best VPNs for streaming. The only way to be 100% certain that a particular VPN service is going to work for you is to try it out for yourself. You. In the back of the room. I see your hand up. “Ads,” you say. Yep, that’s a possibility. Some free VPN services plaster ads on your browser display and sell those to whoever will pay. You could also be putting your data at risk, too. A free VPN service could make money selling data. And someone with more nefarious intentions could pick up a lot of credentials quickly, by setting up a free VPN and waiting for people to just hand over personal information.
