The 13 Best Free VPN Services in 2024

VPNs not only address privacy challenges but also provide better web experiences and enhanced protection. Also, VPNs allow access to blocked websites by evading geo-restrictions, thereby improving your web experience. Nonetheless, the key to achieving these benefits lies in choosing the best VPN service, particularly in the case of free VPNs.

That’s because most free VPN services cannot provide long-lasting privacy solutions. Instead, they usually focus on solving your basic privacy issues. Therefore, you’ll frequently face problems using these services, such as data limitations, slow connection speeds, and a lack of accountable server locations

This article lists over a dozen best free VPN services. Read along to pick the one that best matches your browsing habits.

A quick look at the top 10 free VPN services

If you can’t wait to read about all 13 VPNs to pick one, here we list the top 5 free VPN services. You can download any one of these right now to protect your online privacy at no cost.

Is there a 100% free VPN

It is hard to get a quality VPN offering 100% free services. Most VPNs have money-back guarantees and time-limited trials. The ones we reviewed in this article have the best free options based on performance and data caps. Additionally, most VPNs put some restrictions on their services. The goal is to lure you into upgrading to a paid version in order to enjoy maximum benefits. Some free VPNs restrict your connection through data caps, others limit the number of simultaneous connections you can make, while others limit the number of servers you can connect to. Whichever restriction they choose, you cannot enjoy their services 100%.

Benefits of a free VPN

While the proverbial phrase “nothing in life is free” might be true, the payback of using a VPN far exceeds browsing the internet without any protection measures.

The use of a VPN is especially essential in 2024, as the world continues to witness a rise in data breaches and cybercrime for individual and corporate entities.

After much waiting, VPNs appear to be godsent, considering the struggle internet users had to endure connecting to the internet directly.

To many, VPN networks are the long-awaited solutions for internet users’ requests for protecting their online activities and digital privacy maintenance.

Apart from this functionality, VPNs assist in accessing blocked websites from any part of the world with just one click.

VPNs are a secure solution for users who wish to conduct their online browsing activities in a safe, secure, and anonymous way –thanks to the advanced encryption technology they deploy.

Also, a significant benefit of using a VPN is its ability to unblock censorship and provide anonymity, allowing you to have the most-wanted internet freedom you desire and deserve.

13 best free VPNs you can use today – Detailed list

We have covered the basics; now it’s time to list the best providers with their Comparative analysis for you to compare and pick.

The list below boasts only the secure free VPNs with no hidden costs and promises to give users no headaches or put their privacy at risk (unlike most free VPNs).

1. Proton VPN

If you are looking for a free VPN that offers unlimited data, Proton VPN’s free version is ideal for you.

Unlimited data allowances make this VPN the best possible free choice for watching shows on streaming services and enjoying sports that are geo-blocked.

However, the circumstances that may cause you to upgrade are no P2P support, the ability to use VPN on one device at a time, and lower speed prioritization compared to paid users. Also, free users get access to only three locations.

On the positive side, all Proton VPN accounts do not have a login, making users’ sessions fully private. In addition, unlike many other free VPN services, the free version of Proton VPN doesn’t annoy users with ads.

Proton VPN works on various platforms, including Windows, Androids, iOS, Linux, and Mac. (Learn more about this service in our detailed Proton VPN review.)

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2. Windscribe

Windscribe is among the top picks for paid virtual private network services today. Luckily for users, Windscribe offers about 9.8GB per month of free VPN use if you sign-up using your email address. You also get an extra 4.8GB by tweeting about it.

If you do not sign-up with an email address and don’t tweet, you still get a free VPN account but are limited to 2GB of data bandwidth per month.

Free Windscribe VPN includes using a username and password to sign-up, ten server locations, no-logs storage for optimum security, and a built-in ad blocker alongside the firewall. The server locations include numerous popular regions such as Hong Kong, the UK, Canada, the US, Germany, etc.

Free users get another free 1GB when they invite a friend to join Windscribe. And, if your friend signs up for the Pro subscription, you receive unlimited data and access to 47 servers, all for free.

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3. TunnelBear

In March 2018, TunnelBear became a part of the security software giant McAfee. This move enabled TunnelBear to improvise its services without pressuring the users for payment.

TunnelBear’s free version boasts a clean and easy-to-use app that works on desktop or mobile and gives you up to 500MB of free data per month. Free users can get 1GB extra as well by tweeting about the service.

Little personal information is required for sign-up, meaning it’s more secure than ever, considering it’s free and readily available to use. As per our tests, it’s the best free VPN for minimal use whenever you want to unblock websites quickly or check your emails while traveling.

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4. Hide.me

Hide.me provides both paid and free VPN services; it offers you 2GB of data per month in the free plan.

Free Hide.me account has other limits, such as being limited to five server locations in four countries (Netherlands, Canada, Singapore, and the USA) and one simultaneous connection.

On the other hand, this provider won’t throttle your connection speed ensuring that it keeps no logs and stores no data. Standing true to its strict no-logging policy, Hide.me is audited for never passing the users’ data to third parties to try and make a profit.

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5. CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN is primarily beneficial for organizations, mainly due to its adequate support for high internet speeds.

The firm is based in Bucharest, Romania. Like the other VPNs listed in this article, CyberGhost is a premium VPN provider offering a free plan.

Specifically, you get a free trial for one day with all the premium features of this provider. Additionally, no credit card is required for CyberGhost free download, but you need to make payments to continue using the service once the trial is over.

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6. Hotspot Shield VPN

Hotspot Shield is a top free virtual private network that offers users a reliable connection and military-grade encryption.

It offers users 500 MB of data daily, which is up to 15GB per month for free.

Although being a good VPN for torrenting, Hotspot Shield free is not recommended for users who want to unblock US Netflix and other sites.

Also, the service offers free users for just one server location (United States).

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7. SurfEasy (Opera Free VPN)

SurfEasy is a provider with strong links with the same organization behind the emergence of the Opera web browser. As an integrated VPN in the Opera web browser, SurfEasy has a free and paid version.

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8. Private Tunnel VPN

Private Tunnel is another premium VPN with a free trial (7-day) that keeps user information and identity safe on any computer or mobile device.

While on trial, the provider does not set free user data usage limits. It also allows you to add up to 100 different devices to your account.

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9. HideMan

Although limited, HideMan VPN is a good option for users who want to connect to the internet using their mobile devices anonymously.

Every user of HideMan is eligible for four hours of free data per week, whereas the monthly data limit is 2GB. However, free users can only use one server location (often Germany), as the service doesn’t provide “change IP on the fly” to them.

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10. VyprVPN

VyprVPN can maintain high security of users’ data and ensures that no party spies on your internet traffic. Having a strict no-logging policy, the providers take users’ online security and privacy seriously.

Like other top VPNs, this provider’s plans and pricing module boast both a limited free account and paid plans. But VyprVPN discontinued its free plan a couple of years ago.

We still wanted to list it as people keep asking around where to download VyprVPN for free online. For such users, the good news is that the provider offers a 3-day free trial to mobile (Android and iOS) users. You will only be charged after this 3-day trial period ends.

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11. Speedify VPN

SpeedifyVPN is highly efficient and helpful for online protection as it encrypts (and optimizes) users’ internet traffic.

It is suitable for bonding cellular and WiFi connections to create a faster, more secure, and more reliable network connection.

Specifically, it uses advanced channel bonding technology that unites many internet connections, like cellular, WiFi, and Ethernet, to increase internet bandwidth.

The provider offers 1 GB of data usage per month for free.

The best part is that you do not even need an account. Instead, you can download the app and use it.

Also, don’t worry about your privacy, as the provider offers a no-logs policy.

SpeedifyVPN is reliable because it reduces packet loss and redundancy to send data across all connections.

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12. VPNBook

This one is a VPN service with unlimited free data on offer, PPTP and OpenVPN protocols, and secure AES encryption.

VPNBook is based in Romania, which is considered one of the most privacy-friendly countries. The provider doesn’t record any users’ activity logs but retains connection logs for seven days.

With VPNBook, you cannot unblock streaming sites with stringent firewalls, such as Netflix. (We tested, it didn’t work to unblock Netflix).

Also, the company doesn’t provide dedicated applications for any device. But, detailed manual configuration guides (using OpenVPN protocol) are available on the site.

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13. Betternet

Betternet is an ad-supported free VPN but with a twist. Instead of bombarding users with adverts, the provider offers sponsored mobile applications.

Users installing their recommended app via the Betternet VPN application earn money.

Alongside sponsored apps, Betternet earns money via sponsored videos. In that case, you need to watch a sponsored video before your connection to their VPN server gets established.

That’s the business module of this free VPN provider, which is fine – at least it’s better than a VPN full of ads.

However, Betternet is an excellent free VPN service, but it has a significant drawback. That is, you cannot pick a server of your choice. So every time you connect, you’d be connected to a Betternet server somewhere in the USA only.

Also, you can expect your VPN connection speed to drop significantly at peak times. (That’s the case with many other free VPNs too).

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Paid vs. free VPN

Now that you know the importance of using a VPN service and about the top free VPNs, there comes another essential question, which one should you get, a free or paid VPN service?

Although a free VPN might be more appealing than a paid VPN, users are encouraged to subscribe to a premium VPN to enjoy better services.

Reasons why a paid VPN is better than the free VPN

• Free VPNs might take advantage of you by injecting targeted advertisements and sometimes even deploying malvertising into your browser.
• A free VPN can store your personal information, including bank details, passwords, and usernames.
• They might save your browsing history and sell it to advertisers.
• Free VPNs can steal your bandwidth and sell it to the highest bidder.

Also, please remember that even if a free VPN service provider is not malicious, free virtual private networks and proxies tend to deliver subpar services to their users.

A majority of free VPNs have the following demerits:

• Their connection speed bogs down with the number of users on a suboptimal network.
• User information and data are liable for exposure to third parties following their low-security frameworks and encryption procedures.
• Poor customer service.
• Free users have only a handful of locations at their disposal.

On the other hand, a top paid VPN such as NordVPN (our top recommendation overall) promises users:

• 24/7 customer service support service.
• 160+ server locations to choose from over 94 countries.
• Data encryption using 256-bit AES encryption technology
• Speed, security, and stability.

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How we test free VPN services

We regularly test both free and paid versions of each VPN that we recommend. All the VPNs in this article are tested against established criteria to determine their level of security, privacy, and overall performance. Additionally, we scrutinize a VPN’s usability, reliability, logging policy, connection speeds, unblocking capabilities, and support for torrenting activities. The VPNs must meet the criteria below;

• Reasonable connection speeds across the server network. 
• Robust security and strong encryption. 
• Protection against all leaks including IP, DNS, and WebRTC. 
• Strict no-logging policy, preferably verified by a reputable firm like PwC. 
• No payment details are required when creating the account.

Free VPNs you should avoid

Some free VPNs store your data and sell it to third-party brokers. This exposes your privacy, and personalized adverts and data breaches can target you. Below are some of the free VPNs you should avoid.

1. TuxlerVPN: The free version collects your data and sells it to third parties.
2. TurboVPN: Tracks users through cookies and bombards you with annoying adverts. 
3. AnonyTun: Allows users to track and build profiles about you. 
4. Betternet: This enables third parties and advertisers to track and monitor your online activities.
5. TouchVPN: Adds web beacons, pixel tags, and cookies on your browser and shares your information with third parties.
6. Psiphon Pro: Shares data with commercial partners and its parent company which can compromise your privacy.

Why you shouldn’t use a free VPN

1. Lack of updates and customer support: Premium VPNs frequently update their infrastructure and technology to keep up with emerging trends and competition. However, free VPNs are rarely updated, and it is very difficult to get customer support when you encounter connection problems.
2. Inconsistent speeds: Most free VPNs are not reliable for streaming. They have unstable speeds, which cause buffering and video lags. Despite having a strong internet connection, a free VPN can be frustrating when watching high-quality videos.
3. Aggressive adverts: Free VPNs collect your personal data and share it with marketing agencies that target you with personalized adverts. Also, free VPNs have annoying pop-ups that can easily redirect you to dangerous websites.
4. Malware Infection: Some free VPNs may contain malware that can steal your data. So, you should therefore ask yourself which cost is higher between a premium VPN at $100 per year or losing confidential records, credit card information, and logins to your accounts.
5. Free VPNs compromise privacy: when using a premium VPN, you pay in dollars, but when you use a free VPN, the price is your personal data. Many free VPN applications collect personal data about your browsing history, shopping preference, and websites you visit. They later sell this to advertising companies that bombard you with personalized adverts.

How do free VPNs make money?

Nothing is entirely free in this world. Free VPNs need money for operation costs such as salaries, development supplies, etc. Millions of people use the services for free, but the users do not understand that they are the product. Free VPNs make money through the user in the following ways:

1. Selling user data
2. Advertisement
3. Subsidies from paid services

Examples of free VPNs that are run through subsidies by paid VPNs include Proton VPN, TunnelBear, and Windscribe. These are the best free VPNs because they cannot easily expose user data to third parties. 

Other free VPNs rely on the advertisements they push to the user to make money. This is common in free VPN services for mobile applications. The adverts can be annoying, but many users consider them a trade-off in order to use their services for free. The most dangerous VPNs collect and sell your data to brokers and advertisers. In this case, you are the product, and the VPN trades your personal details online to make money. The hidden cost of a free VPN can be extremely high, so you should opt for premium services, which have many benefits.

Premium VPN trials worth considering

Chances are you are interested in a VPN service that will enable you to bypass blocked websites in your school, workplace, or country, download torrents anonymously, and surf the internet securely.

Although the market is crowded with free VPNs, not all of them will give you what you want.

On the other hand, paying premiums for paid VPNs might also be a tall order for you.

So what is your ultimate solution? Perhaps, premium VPN trials.

Trials with paid VPNs give users the same service as premium VPNs, but only for a limited time. Below, we list two of the best premium VPNs that you can try 100% risk-free.

1. NordVPN

On top of a VPN, the provider also boasts a free yet powerful proxy service. Apart from many servers, NordVPN boasts ad blocking, dedicated P2P servers, dedicated IP addresses, and Onion Over VPN features.

Read our honest and extensive NordVPN review.

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2. PrivateInternetAccess

The VPN service provider offers a 30-day money-back guarantee trial period to use its services stress-free.

By subscribing to PIA, you can enjoy its stable, fast, and secure service for 30 days with the option of getting back your money if you are unsatisfied.

Also, PIA offers its customers a 2-month free subscription when anyone registers for their 1-year subscription.

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