A virtual private network (VPN) is a fantastic way to get more privacy online. VPNs help encrypt your online traffic and mask your IP address so prying eyes can’t see your online activity or where you’re located. Unfortunately, VPNs can be expensive, and the free options out there are often less than trustworthy.

Many free VPNs are known to have poor privacy practices, lack security features, or outright sell your data for profit.

There are a few options that can be trusted, though. Atlas VPN, Privado VPN, Hide.me, TunnelBear, and Windscribe are some trustworthy VPNs that offer free versions. Let’s dig in and explore the details.

Are free VPNs safe?

It depends on how free they are. VPNs require a lot of infrastructure and can be expensive services to maintain. If the company has no way to turn a profit, it won’t last long. For this reason, most VPNs are premium services, and nearly all of the trustworthy free options are free versions of those paid services.

If you find a 100% free VPN that has no other obvious way to make money, there’s a decent chance your data is the product they’re selling. Plus, there are some other risks you should consider:

• VPNs are, by nature, able to track your data. Free options may not have the same rigorous security measures and safe logging practices that premium options offer.
• Some free VPNs have been known to display outright malicious behavior, such as selling data or embedding malware in the service.
• Some VPNs, particularly free ones, are not clear about ownership. In some instances, there is evidence of ties to certain governments that may have ulterior motives.
• This isn’t exclusive to free VPNs, but If you log into accounts with any VPN, the company that owns that account can still see your activity. For example, if you log into Google when performing a search, it will still be recorded in your Google search history.

Free VPN apps also tend to come with limitations, such as a lack of unlimited data or missing features like split tunneling and a kill switch. Others may slow your connection speed or keep free users from accessing VPN servers that support torrenting or allow you to unblock shows in other countries on BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming sites.

4.9

Choose NordVPN for a budget-friendly, secure VPN

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

---

NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

5 best free VPN services

Despite the general warnings, there are a handful of trustworthy, truly free VPN services that aren’t just free trials. Many of them do have limits, but they should still be more than enough for casual users who value privacy.

If you’re looking to save money on a VPN, here are our top five free VPN services:

1. Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN is a “freemium” service, which means it offers a limited free plan and then allows you to upgrade to the paid version to unlock additional features. Normally, this results in a fairly terrible experience to push you to upgrade, but Atlas VPN offers a surprisingly strong free tier.

First, the data allowance is excellent. You get 5 GB per month, which is quite good (for a free VPN). The fact that there are no bandwidth restrictions (beyond the normal VPN slowdowns) is the cherry on top.

If the lack of speed limits doesn’t sway you, Atlas VPN is one of the few — if not the only — free VPN that allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices. Most free VPNs restrict you to one or two devices at a time, but Atlas allows you to share the encryption love across any device you own.

As for privacy, the company is based in the U.S., but was recently acquired by Nord Security, which owns NordVPN. NordVPN is based out of Panama. It’s unclear at this time whether Atlas VPN will remain a U.S.-based company or join Nord in Panama, but it’s a possibility.

Finally, the company claims to keep no logs of any kind, which is exactly what we want to hear from a VPN. The servers are fully encrypted, and any identifying information required for the VPN to function is wiped when users disconnect.

2. Privado VPN

Privado VPN is a newer VPN, based out of Switzerland. It offers a fairly generous free tier, along with some reasonably priced premium plans. The servers, and your connection, are fully encrypted, and the company keeps no logs of any of your traffic or data.

If you want to watch Netflix with a VPN, you’re in luck. The free plan of Privado VPN works with Netflix and many other popular streaming services, so you can watch content that may be blocked in your location.

The free plan gives you a healthy 10 GB of full-speed data every month. The performance is quite good, with no arbitrary speed limits.

Privado VPN’s biggest downside is that the free plan only supports one VPN connection at a time. That means if you have the VPN installed on your phone, router, and computer, only one of these devices can access it. This could be a hard limit for some to work around.

3. Hide.me

Hide.me is a VPN provider based in Malaysia. This fully-encrypted VPN offers five servers across four countries, which is a solid selection for a free VPN.

Additionally, it’s the only one in our top three that’s received an independent security audit from a third party, which is definitely nice to see. The Hide.me apps are also far more configurable than most free competitors.

The Hide.me free plan gives you a solid 10 GB per month of data, but unfortunately lacks the more advanced WireGuard protocol. In practice, this means Hide.me’s free plan speeds are likely terrible compared to other options — around 20 Mbps — compared with the several hundred Mbps offered by competitors. The Hide.me premium plan offers WireGuard and doesn’t suffer from this issue.

Our other big complaint about Hide.me is the complete lack of support for Netflix and other streaming services. This isn’t necessarily unexpected for a free VPN, but when other providers offer at least unofficial support for streaming, it’s still disappointing.

4. TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a Canadian VPN that’s all about simplicity. The idea behind this VPN is to get you browsing securely and privately with as little hassle as possible.

To that end, it hides many of the more advanced features and technical settings that most VPNs pride themselves on. The features it does offer are packaged in a way that makes it easy to understand.

The result is an easy-to-use service that works very well. This is also the only free VPN we’re aware of that doesn’t limit you to certain servers when you’re on the free plan — you can access all 48 server locations across 46 countries. Performance is snappy across the board, and the free version can access Netflix.

Unfortunately, the free version of TunnelBear has a major issue: a 500 MB monthly data limit. This means it's effectively limited to occasional use and emergencies, and the Netflix access is almost entirely useless (you’ll go through 500 MB in about 10 minutes).

You can earn an extra 1 GB by posting about TunnelBear on social media, but that’s still only 1.5 GB — far less than any other provider on this list. That said, if you only need a VPN occasionally, TunnelBear might be your best option.

5. Windscribe

Windscribe provides a solid free VPN offering. You get 10 GB of monthly data allowance and access to a healthy 14 server locations across 11 countries. Windscribe is also the only free VPN on this list that offers unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can seamlessly transition from phone to laptop to tablet without a hiccup.

Windscribe’s performance, though not as fast as some of the other VPNs here, is more than adequate, and it doesn’t appear to throttle speeds in any way. And you can really put that speed to use because it supports Netflix streaming.

The main downside of Windscribe is complexity. Although the apps offer a number of features and configuration options, this can make them tough to use for the less tech-savvy among us. If you can deal with that, though, Windscribe is a fine choice.

Other free VPNs worth mentioning

The five free VPNs above are the cream of the crop. However, there are a number of other options that are close, but perhaps a little more obscure. If none of the top five speak to you, check out one of these:

• ZoogVPN: ZoogVPN is a relatively unknown option that offers a generous free plan, solid security, and excellent streaming support, including Netflix.
• Speedify: Speedify is an easy-to-use, speed-focused option with a decent amount of data available. The main drawback is a lack of support for Netflix and other streaming services.
• OpenVPN: OpenVPN is an open source option that’s very powerful, if a bit difficult to use. Expect some manual configuration with this one. You also have to provide your own server.

What to look for in a free VPN

There are a few key features and specs to watch for when choosing any VPN — but especially a free one. Here are some of the most important things to consider:

• No-logs policy: Most people use a VPN to protect their privacy. To this end, you should review the logs policy of any VPN you use, free or not, to see what they keep and what they don’t. Ideally, you want a provider that masks your IP address and keeps no logs of your personal data whatsoever.
• Data and speed limits: Many of the trustworthy free VPN options are limited versions of paid services. This often means data usage and speed are limited. Make sure your choice offers enough data to meet your needs.
• User reviews: It’s always a smart idea to pay attention to user reviews — especially when the product or service deals so heavily with something as sensitive as your privacy. User reviews will often expose issues that may not be readily apparent.
• Number and location of servers: A VPN is only as good as its servers. The location, in particular, can have a big impact on speed, latency, and privacy.
• Business model: VPNs are operated by companies, and those companies need to make money to stay in business. The old saying applies here: if you’re not the customer, you’re the product. Ensure that your choice of provider has a way to make money that doesn’t involve selling your data. Examples include premium VPN plans.
• Encryption: Make sure any VPN you use encrypts your data with AES-256-level encryption. It should also use a secure VPN protocol like WireGuard, OpenVPN, or IKEv2.
  

6 free VPNs to avoid

We’ve said it several times now, but it bears repeating: not all free VPNs are trustworthy! These six, in particular, have reputations as insecure, shady, or outright malicious:

• Hola: Hola keeps a lot of data and has a poor reputation for privacy and security.
• Hoxx VPN: Hoxx VPN has poor security, sketchy logging practices, and slow speeds.
• SuperVPN: SuperVPN has a reputation for poor privacy practices and lack of transparency, particularly around who owns it.
• Turbo VPN: Turbo VPN has a poor reputation for security and, despite its name, is very slow.
• Betternet VPN: Betternet fails to live up to its promise, with slow speeds and a lack of basic privacy and security features.
• Psiphon: Psiphon performs well, but logs way too much data for an app that’s meant to protect your privacy.

Can you get paid VPNs for free?

You can’t get paid VPNs completely free. However, many of the top paid VPNs offer free trials and/or offers like a 30-day money-back guarantee. This is a great way to try them out risk-free before purchasing. Of the VPNs that offer these trials, these five are our favorites.

5 best VPN free trials and money-back guarantees

Free VPN FAQs

Bottom line

VPNs are excellent privacy tools, but they can be expensive, and the free options out there can be… well, anything but private.

Fortunately, there are some options for those who want a free, secure VPN. Our five favorite free VPNs are Atlas VPN, Privado VPN, Hide.me, TunnelBear, and Windscribe. Each of these offers solid data, speed, and — most importantly — privacy practices.

If none of these free VPNs meet your needs, you can spring for a paid option, such as the powerful NordVPN (check out the NordVPN plans). You can also try some other useful online privacy tools, such as a password manager, ad blocker, or secure search engine. 

4.9

Limited-time offer: 69% off + 3 extra months

Learn More

On NordVPN's website

---

NordVPN

• High-quality VPN offering safety and speed
• Loads of servers for multiple connection options
• Works with popular streaming services, including Netflix
• Too many confusing plans

Author Details

Dave Schafer

About the Author

Dave Schafer is a freelance writer with a passion for making technical concepts easy for anyone to understand. He’s been covering the world of gadgets, tech, and the internet for nearly 10 years, and his writing has been featured in a variety of print and digital publications. When he’s not writing, Dave can be found playing guitar or camping with his family and golden retriever, Rosie.