Potentially dangerous free VPNs have soared to the top of the free app charts of the UK Apple App Store following the introduction of age verification laws.
The best VPNs are reputable and will securely protect your data online, but the same cannot be said for every free VPN on the App Store.
Many free VPNs collect, share, or sell your data. Most have questionable privacy credentials at best, and outright dangerous ones at worst.
At Tom's Guide, we always recommend a paid service over a free one, but if you do subscribe to a free VPN, ensure it's one of the best free VPNs.
From our testing, we consider PrivadoVPN Free, Proton VPN Free, and Windscribe Free the top three currently available.
Many people in the UK are turning to VPNs in order to get around UK age verification laws. The new law came into effect on July 25, 2025, and proof of age is now required to access sites hosting "explicit content."
Serious privacy concerns have arisen because of the information users are required to submit. Credit card checks, photo ID, and AI-powered age estimation are some examples, with highly-sensitive personal information being entrusted to third-party providers.
But by attempting to avoid age verification with a dodgy free VPN, you might still be putting your data at risk. Here's how to stay safe when using a VPN, whatever you're using it for.
Two cheap VPN options
Which VPNs in the Top 20 Free Apps are safe?
The table below is a quick way to compare the seven VPN apps that are currently in the top twenty.
In the "Safety status" column:
✅ = is safe to use.
❌ = is a potential privacy and security threat.
VPN | Safety status | Price (per month) | Free trial? |
|---|---|---|---|
Proton VPN | ✅ | $3.59 / £3.59 / Free | No |
VPN Super Unlimited Proxy | ❌ | Free | N/A |
NordVPN | ✅ | $2.91 / £2.31 | Yes – Android only |
Free VPN by FreeVPN.org | ❌ | Free | N/A |
Free VPN: Unlimited VPN Proxy | ❌ | Free | N/A |
Opera | ✅ | $4 / £3.33 / Free | Yes |
Surfshark | ✅ | $1.99 / £1.49 | Yes |
What VPNs are people downloading?
Seven of the top 20 free apps on the UK App Store are VPNs. But we'd only recommend downloading four of them. These are:
- Proton VPN – #1 on the list
- NordVPN – #3 on the list
- Opera VPN – #13 on the list
- Surfshark – #19 on the list
Data correct at the time of writing
Proton VPN = Safe ✅
As of Tuesday, July 29, Proton VPN tops the free apps charts. Proton VPN is highly secure and one of the most private VPNs. Its mission is to campaign for a free and open internet, and it boasts a host of anti-censorship features.
One of those anti-censorship features is its free version, Proton VPN Free. It lacks the array of features included in the premium plan, but it's covered by the same high standards of encryption, security, and privacy. It abides by Proton VPN's strict no-logs policy and has a rock solid kill switch.
It is a very reputable free VPN and Android VPN users don't even need to create an account to sign up.
VPN is usage in the UK has spiked dramatically, with Proton VPN seeing a huge increase in sign ups – 1,400% over its baseline.
VPN Super Unlimited Proxy = Not recommended ❌
However, sitting at #2 is VPN Super Unlimited Proxy – and we have concerns about this one. It has a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 from over 100,000 reviews, but we'd recommend avoiding it.
The free app features ads and it says your usage data is tracked. No reputable VPN will have the "usage data" flag in the App Store, and this means it collects information about how you use the application.
Its published privacy policy says it doesn't store user IP addresses or record VPN browsing activities. However we cannot confirm this, and there is no evidence of an independent no-logs audit.
There is a verified X account – created in June, 2025 – that claims "no logs, no limits," and that the app has over 1 billion users.
We have been unable to find an official contact address for VPN Super Unlimited Proxy. We were also unable to send them a DM on X.
Free VPN by FreeVPN.org = Not recommended ❌
App #5 was Free VPN by FreeVPN.org. Similar suspicions are raised with this app, despite its page stating no user data is collected.
We investigated its privacy policy and found it to be incredibly sparse and vague. This is a red flag and leaves us with more questions than answers. It's another free VPN app we recommend you steer well clear from.
We have been in touch requesting a comment.
Free VPN: Unlimited VPN Proxy = Not recommended ❌
Free VPN: Unlimited VPN Proxy is #8 on the list, and appears to be the worst-offending free VPN on there.
It openly says it tracks users and collects location, identifiers, diagnostics, and usage data. This is unacceptable, and no VPN that prioritizes user privacy would collect this information.
However its privacy policy says it "will never store, log, or share your true IP address, and we always delete your true IP address after your VPN session is closed."
It goes on to say it "never associates your true IP address or unique mobile ID with your browsing information or online activities when you are using [the app]."
There is no independent audit to verify this, and we have been in touch requesting a comment.
NordVPN = Safe ✅
NordVPN was app #3 on the list. This definitely is a safe and secure VPN – in fact it's our #1 VPN overall. NordVPN isn't free, but it does offer a 7-day free trial for Android users.
NordVPN is extremely fast, recording speeds of over 900 Mbps in our testing and now supports post-quantum encryption – the new industry standard – across all its apps. It can protect up to 10 devices on one plan and has recently completed its fifth independent no-logs audit showing it doesn't log your data.
Tom's Guide readers can claim an exclusive NordVPN deal which sees you get an additional four months of VPN protection for free on all plans. Selected plans also include free Amazon gift cards worth up to $50 / £50.
The two-year deal starts at $2.91 / £2.31 per month and you can compare all plans using our NordVPN prices and plans guide.
Opera VPN = Safe ✅
Opera is a secure browser with a built-in free VPN and the app has risen to #13 on the UK App Store rankings.
Opera's VPN isn't a big hitter, but it's a solid option, with a free and premium plan. In 2024, Opera VPN published a successful no-logs audit, and this month Opera VPN Pro adopted ExpressVPN's Lightway Protocol.
Surfshark = Safe ✅
We rate Surfshark as the best cheap VPN and it's currently #19 on the UK App Store. It's one of the fastest VPNs on the market and one of the best streaming VPNs.
At $1.99 / £1.49 per month ($53.73 / £40.23 up front) Surfshark represents excellent value for money. It's far better than any free VPN thanks to its speed, security, features, and unlimited device connections policy.
The free VPNs we've recommended will protect your data and do the VPN basics. But if you can afford a premium VPN, Surfshark is a great, cheap option.
Surfshark also offers a 7-day free trial for all platforms. No other leading VPN provider has a free trial as comprehensive as Surfshark's. Almost all of the best VPNs offer a minimum 30-day money-back guarantee, but very few offer a 7-day free trial.
For more information about VPN free trials, check out our best VPN free trial page.
If you're after some alternative cheap VPN options, it's worth checking out PrivadoVPN at $1.11 / £1.11 per month and Private Internet Access at $2.19 / £1.69 per month.
What are your next steps?
Regardless of what you've downloaded it for, if you have one of these suspect free VPNs installed on your device we'd recommend deleting it straight away.
We'd encourage people to subscribe to a premium VPN, but you don't always need to. There is a VPN for everyone, with a range of price points covered.
PrivadoVPN and Surfshark are both under $2 per month, while Proton VPN Free, PrivadoVPN Free, and Windscribe Free are all secure and reputable free providers.
But if you want to spend a little more money, NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN are all great choices.
Whichever provider you choose, ensure it has a proven no-logs policy, secure encryption, features such as a kill switch, and a varied server network.
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.
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