Many of the best VPNs come at a cost, and if you don't want to spend money on a VPN just yet, you may be looking at the best free VPNs. However, it's vital to ensure your free VPN is secure and reliable.
According to VPNRanks, as many as 60% of free VPN providers could be selling your data, with around 80% of those services embedding tracking features. Also consider how these free VPNs lure users into subscribing. Chief among the issues are fake reviews, which now comprise 37% of app reviews, along with 76.5% third-party tracking and a mind-boggling 84.5% rate of IP leaks among free VPNs.
The real cost of free VPNs: data theft, botnets, and cybercrime
According to Security.org, 43% of VPN users are subscribed to a free service. This is a huge concern as these services simply do not offer the level of protection required. "Users tend to believe that if they find a VPN app in an official store, like Google Play, it is safe and can be used to get content that is originally unavailable at their location. And they think it is even better if this VPN service is free!” said Vasily Kolesnikov, Security Expert at Kaspersky.
"However, this often ends up being a trap, as recent cases and our statistics showing a surge in malicious VPN app encounters prove. To stay safe, users should remain wary of these threats and use a security solution, along with a trusted and proven VPN service."
In May 2024, authorities dismantled a botnet (network of hijacked computer devices) known as 911 S5. Several free VPN services, including MaskVPN, ShieldVPN, and PaladinVPN, were used to create this botnet.
Users who installed these VPN apps had their devices transformed into proxy servers channeling someone else's traffic. The malicious network spanned 19 million unique IP addresses across more than 190 countries worldwide. Botnet admins sold access to proxy servers installed on these devices to other cybercriminals, and the scheme was used for cyberattacks, money laundering, and mass fraud.
Most recently, dangerous free VPNs climbed to the top of the UK App Store, as residents look to skirt past the country’s age verification laws.
What to look for in a free VPN
You might now be asking "Are free VPNs safe?" The answer is yes – but only if you pick the right one. Right off the bat, it’s worth remembering that the best-case scenario with free VPNs is that you get a trustworthy service that has a strict no-logs policy – even better if it’s been audited. It’s never a good idea to expect a full feature set from free VPNs because the best providers simply won’t offer that.
To fully understand this, you need to consider why a company would offer a free VPN in the first place. Free VPNs from providers like PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, and Windscribe are the most legitimate options because it’s in their interest to offer privacy-friendly free plans that give users a taste but still leave a lot to be desired.
A lot of the time, free VPNs will have data or bandwidth restrictions, and offer slower speeds. You’re also limited with your server location choice, plus you get little to no unblocking capabilities.
Then, once users see what the VPN is like day-to-day, how the interface works, and what features it includes – albeit behind a paywall – they’re nudged toward upgrading. That’s the ultimate goal for these companies, i.e., converting free users into paying customers.
Along similar lines, if you find a VPN on an app store that doesn’t offer any paid plan to upgrade to, that’s a huge red flag. You then have to ask yourself: if the VPN isn’t making money from subscriptions, how is it making money? Unfortunately, in many cases the answer is that they make money off you – by logging and selling your data to advertisers and other third parties.
PrivadoVPN Free is our most recommended free VPN. It's faster than many paid VPNs and in our testing, it reached speeds of up to 900 Mbps, making it one of the fastest VPNs. It has a 10 GB data limit, which should be fine for daily purposes, but will be eaten up if you're going to be doing a lot of streaming – for this we'd recommend one of the best streaming VPNs.
With PrivadoVPN Free, you can access a limited 13 server locations in 10 countries, which is actually quite generous for a free product, and you have full control over which server you connect to (something not possible with Proton VPN Free).
Proton VPN Free is Privado's closest challenger and is the best free VPN for privacy, with its no-logs policy verified by an independent audit. Its speed and server locations don't quite match Privado, but you do get unlimited data. Both Proton and Privado only enable you to secure one device, so if you want to protect all your devices then you should be looking elsewhere.
A free VPN that does offer unlimited device protection is Windscribe Free. Along with this, you get 14 server locations in 11 countries, and you can select whichever one you like. Its fast, hitting speeds of 900 Mbps and comes with a range of features, but it does have downsides. The 10 GB data cap is again pretty generous but won't last long with streaming. It boasts good privacy protections, but these have not been verified by an independent audit. Windscribe certainly can't be considered one of the best VPNs for beginners, as its interface is pretty cramped and not the easiest to use.
What if I fall victim to a malicious app?
Nobody wants to be a victim of cybercrime, but it can happen. Having a VPN is a great way to protect your privacy, by changing your IP address, location, and encrypting your data. Despite this, VPNs are not a silver bullet and there are additional ways to protect yourself.
Most cybercrime comes about because of human error, and if you click on a link and hand over your details, nothing much can be done. It's vital to only click on a link or download if you're certain it's safe. Your passwords should be long, unique, and contain a variety of letters, numbers, and symbols. "123456" continues to be the world's most popular password and using one of the best password managers can help secure your accounts.
Some VPN companies include password managers, or antivirus software in their plans. Only NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro can match the best antivirus software, having been rated the best VPN malware protection tool. These tools detect and warn you of suspicious sites and apps, warning you before you access them.
If you do fall victim to cybercrime, a few VPN providers offer identity protection tools. ExpressVPN offers Identity Defender, which includes ID Alerts, ID Theft Insurance of up to $1 million, and a data removal service. ExpressVPN has recently bolstered its Identity Defender suite with the addition of its Credit Scanner tool, allowing you to protect your credit score and identity. NordVPN offers a similar product, NordProtect. However, this is only available on Nord's most expensive Prime plan.
Should I get a free VPN?
A free VPN could serve you well if your use cases are limited and you primarily only need a VPN to occasionally boost your online privacy, rather than carry out bandwidth-heavy tasks such as streaming, torrenting, or around-the-clock IP spoofing.
Also, if you're on the hunt for free VPNs, we recommend sticking to reputable providers such as PrivadoVPN, Proton VPN, or Windscribe, which offer stripped-back but secure free VPN apps that won’t log your data or expose you to hackers or data theft.
However, if you’re looking to get the most out of a VPN, the good news is that with Black Friday VPN deals alive and kicking right now, you can grab the best paid-for VPNs for a fraction of their actual cost. NordVPN, our top pick, for instance, is currently available for just $2.99 a month, down from its usual $3.39.
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