Best Free VPN

Are you looking for a reliable free VPN service?

I’ll be honest, free VPNs aren’t my favourite. Every free VPN usually has a lot of issues.

But if you really need a service that costs nothing, we’ve rounded up the six you need to know about if you don’t want to stump up any cash.

However, if you don’t have the resources to pay for one, then it’s critical you choose one that’s as secure as possible.

As you may know, even the best free VPNs are usually not recommended. They lack in several areas, and they tend to have significant privacy and security flaws, but more on that later.

However, as with all VPNs, not all of them are the same, and some can occasionally be suitable for short use.

One thing that free VPNs share with paid VPNs is the difficulty when it comes to choosing the right one, which is why we will help you out by listing the best free VPN out there.

So if you’re interested to know which you should be considering, keep scrolling down.

Top 6 VPN services that cost nothing

1. PrivadoVPN

Best for: Everyday users who want a clean, trustworthy free VPN with no ads and decent data.

PrivadoVPN is our top choice for the best free VPN. It has quite a few benefits that allowed it to score so high.

First things first, it is a 100% free VPN option, and one of the fastest and most decent free VPN services around. Most free VPNs have a monthly data limit, and in this regard, PrivadoVPN is no different.

But, unlike some that offer only 500MB per month, this one lets you use up to 10GB of free data at full speeds on a monthly basis. Once you hit that 10GB, you’re not cut off entirely – your speeds are simply throttled for the rest of the month, which is a much more user-friendly approach than a hard stop.

On top of that, PrivadoVPN doesn’t keep logs – and crucially, this is backed by an independent audit, not just a promise on their website. Since it is a free VPN, there is no need for payment, or any personal information that you usually need to provide to a premium virtual private network.

Another thing that makes this provider one of the best free VPN services is the fact that it also doesn’t feature any ads, which is genuinely uncommon for a free VPN.

Meanwhile, it offers great security, and it supports all major operating systems, such as Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.

It even supports P2P traffic, and it has 24/7 customer support, just in case you ever have any questions or problems. As you may know, most other free VPNs do not have customer support, which is another reason why this service stands out.

Through PrivadoVPN, you can get access to 13 server locations, so you can enjoy quite a decent coverage, given that it is a completely free VPN service.

2. Windscribe

Best for: Users who want a generous free allowance and transparency from their provider, and aren’t put off by some bumpy history.

In second spot, we have Windscribe, another VPN that offers a free version as well as a premium one.

Windscribe provides a comprehensive set of features, including secure encryption, security protocols, a vast network of server locations spanning 60 countries and 110 cities, an ad-blocker, and more.

Its apps are user-friendly, and you can install them on Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Linux, as well as browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

The free tier does come with some limitations, however. One thing worth knowing upfront: you start with only 2GB of bandwidth per month, but this jumps to 10GB once you verify your email address. It’s a small hoop to jump through, but well worth it.

Free users also get access to servers in 10 countries out of the 60+ available on the paid plan. To unlock all locations, you’ll need to upgrade. Pricing is currently $5.75 per month on an annual plan, or $9 per month if you pay monthly. You can also build your own plan and pay $1 per location, which is a nice touch.

Now, it would be dishonest not to mention Windscribe’s track record with server seizures.

In 2021, a Ukrainian server was seized by authorities and in 2026, Dutch authorities seized a Windscribe server without a warrant.

On both occasions, the company confirmed that no user data was compromised, which is a testament to their genuine no-logs policy in practice, not just on paper.

They’ve since published results of independent audits covering both their no-logs policy and their applications, which goes further than most providers, free or paid. Windscribe should be commended for publishing about the server seizures as many other providers may not.

It’s not a perfect record, but how a company responds to adversity tells you a lot and it’s not really Windscribe’s fault that their servers got seized. Windscribe have been transparent throughout.

3. ProtonVPN

Best for: Users who need unlimited data and don’t mind slower speeds or giving up server choice.

The next on our list is ProtonVPN, a Swiss-based free service whose free plan is generally considered to be one of the best that you could use, and it has improved significantly since we last updated this article.

The headline improvement is one that deserves to be front and centre: ProtonVPN’s free plan has no data limit at all. That’s genuinely unusual in the free VPN world, and on that basis alone it deserves a place on this list.

While they’re known to be reliable, there is still a trade-off. ProtonVPN understands that not everyone can afford a VPN, but to keep the service sustainable, there are still some restrictions on the free version.

Free users can now connect to servers in 10 different countries, a big improvement over the 3 we reported previously. These include the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, Poland, Norway, Switzerland, Singapore, Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

However, there is one notable downside introduced since our last update: free users can no longer choose which specific server they connect to. Proton automatically connects you to whichever server is least burdened at the time.

That means you can’t reliably use ProtonVPN free to access content tied to a specific country, it’ll connect you to one of the ten, but not necessarily the one you want.

If you opt for a paid plan, those limits are removed and you get access to the full server network, faster speeds, and live chat support. The current paid plan is called VPN Plus, which costs $9.99 per month or $4.99 per month on an annual plan. There’s also a Proton Unlimited bundle that includes all of Proton’s other tools, Mail, Drive, and Calendar, if you use those services.

4. Riseup.net

Best for: Journalists, activists, and technically capable users in high-censorship environments, not for casual browsing or streaming.

Next, we have Riseup.net, an advanced free VPN provider that is recommended by security professionals, and one that’s a little different from everything else on this list.

It’s worth being upfront about who Riseup is actually designed for. This is not a service aimed at someone who wants to watch a foreign Netflix library or browse safely on a coffee shop Wi-Fi.

Riseup exists for journalists, activists, and people operating in environments where digital privacy genuinely matters. If that’s you, it’s excellent. If you’re a typical everyday user, one of the other options on this list will serve you better.

Riseup offers a VPN app for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android, entirely for free.

Riseup ensures anonymity and secure connections for free VPN users. While it does keep some minimal logs, those logs do not contain IP addresses, browsing information, installed plugins, DNS requests, or anything that could be used to identify you.

However, Riseup may be difficult for beginners to handle, as it is aimed more at advanced users. If you’re technically capable, give them a whirl, but if you’re a beginner, you may need a little more hand-holding from your provider.

One thing to note since our last update: Riseup experienced several reliability issues and outages during 2024. The service remains active, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you need something you can depend on day-to-day.

Riseup doesn’t offer a premium service, although they do accept donations. Donating around $60 per year helps the team, but keep in mind that it is not a requirement, only a sign of appreciation by those who can afford it and are willing to donate.

5. Cloudflare WARP

Best for: Users whose only concern is encrypting their traffic on public Wi-Fi, not for privacy or unblocking content.

Then, there is Cloudflare WARP, which is a service you should think carefully about before using, not because it’s bad, but because you need to understand what it actually does before you download it.

Although it is technically a ‘VPN’, it does not disguise your IP address. In other words, every site or service you access will still see who you are. This makes WARP pretty much useless when it comes to unblocking restricted or geo-restricted content, so if that’s what you’re after, skip this one.

What WARP does do well is protect your data in transit. Its primary goal is to ensure that your data is encrypted while moving between your device and the internet.

Your ISP or a public Wi-Fi provider won’t be able to snoop on what you’re doing, and data sniffing becomes a thing of the past. If you regularly use public Wi-Fi, in cafes, airports, hotels, WARP is genuinely useful for that specific purpose.

WARP is free and has no bandwidth caps, which sets it apart from much of the rest of this list. However, speeds can be inconsistent. If you pay for the premium version, called WARP+, which costs around $5 per month, you get improved speeds through Cloudflare’s Argo network.

6. TunnelBear

Best for: Trying out a VPN briefly before committing to a paid plan, not much else, honestly.

Finally, we have TunnelBear, a VPN service that is all about security, and, of course, bears.

Its free version provides decent enough protection and ensures online privacy, as well as access to global content. However, it comes with a couple of significant limitations that have gotten more restrictive since we last reviewed it – not less.

Since January 2026, free users can no longer choose which country they connect to. TunnelBear now auto-assigns your server location on the free plan, and features like split tunneling have been moved to paid tiers only. These are meaningful downgrades to what was already a fairly limited free offering.

On top of that, the data limit, while improved from the 500MB it used to be, is still a very restrictive 2GB per month. That’s, as you’ll agree, bear-ly enough to do anything meaningful (yes, we’re still doing that).

In other words, TunnelBear’s free version is really more of a free trial. It’s suitable for testing out the VPN and seeing if it fits your needs, and then upgrading if you like it.

On the other hand, the premium version is available on a monthly ($9.99) or yearly ($59.88 per year, or $4.99 per month) basis. With it, you get unlimited data, five simultaneous connections, priority customer service, and access to servers in over 40 countries. Just note that TunnelBear handles refunds case by case rather than offering a standard money-back guarantee, so bear that in mind before paying up.

How we selected our top choices

When we set out to select the best free VPN out of all free VPN services out there, we had to ensure that they can not only satisfy the needs of users, but also be as safe for use as possible.

To ensure this, we had a set of requirements that our top-ranking free VPN services had to meet, including:

1. Useful data limit

One problem with free VPN providers is that they don’t offer unlimited data.

Unlimited data is typically only encountered with a premium service, while even the best free VPN services have some sort of a cap – a limit. This is an issue, since most things people like doing online require a lot of data, such as streaming, playing online games, and alike.

Now, most free VPNs don’t have an unlimited data allowance. In fact, most of them offer very little data, which makes it impossible to do any of these data-consuming activities.

To give you an idea of how quickly data gets used up, here are some approximate figures:

• One hour of Netflix (HD) – around 3GB
• 2-hour High Definition movie – 4-6GB
• 1 hour of gaming – 40-100MB
• Download a movie trailer – 60-100MB
• Browsing 60 web pages – around 140MB

So, we wanted to find services that at least offer a reasonable amount of data per month.

2. Apps for your devices

Next, we looked into free VPN apps – and specifically at mobile apps, since that’s where most people now encounter and use VPNs.

Most free providers don’t have dedicated apps just waiting for you to download, install, and get going. Instead, they require you to set them up manually, which is a problem for many people, as it requires a level of tech-savviness that they simply do not have.

To go around this issue, we have selected the best free VPN providers that feature apps for different devices and operating systems, including iOS and Android.

3. A premium service

One thing that we noticed over the years is that the best free VPN providers are the ones that come with premium services alongside the free plan.

Essentially, premium services usually come with fewer limitations and different premium features – you can access more VPN servers and server locations, you don’t have a data limit, there is faster connection speed, you can unlock Netflix, and more.

This is why users who can afford it will usually go for a premium plan.

Those who can’t, however, can go for the free VPN offering, but since the service is receiving money from its paying users, it doesn’t have to resort to selling free users’ data, nor bombard them with ads, and their security remains on point.

4. Backed by a large organisation

Another thing we wanted to see is that free services are backed by large companies. Most dodgy free VPNs are run by companies that nobody has ever heard of, with only a Gmail email address as proof that they even exist.

This is a major red flag, as anyone could be behind those supposed companies.

Instead, we sought out reputable services that are backed by well-known, reputable companies. Since reputation is everything to a legitimate firm, no company would ever risk backing a fake, malicious VPN.

So, if firms do support free VPNs, you can rest assured that your internet traffic will be truly safe. The virtual private networks sector is filled with scams, so don’t allow them to trick you – be careful who you work with.

5. Good download and streaming speeds

As we said previously, data limit is important, but the speed of your internet connection is crucial, as well.

Basically, if you want to stream videos, play online games, download content, and alike, then you need your free VPN to be as fast as possible.

Most free VPNs are slow because they have only a few servers and a lot of users, so their servers tend to get overcrowded. This is why we were looking for the best free VPNs with high speeds that could have a chance of satisfying their users’ needs.

6. No leaks

Since they don’t get money from their users, free VPNs usually lack the more advanced technology, such as leak prevention.

There are many kinds of leaks, such as DNS and WebRTC leaks, among others.

In order to recommend you the best free VPN services, we were not only looking for VPNs that claim to have leak protections as part of their free service, but we also tested them to confirm it.

7. Independent audits

This is something that didn’t exist as a meaningful benchmark when we first wrote this article, but it’s now an industry standard worth insisting on.

Any VPN can claim it doesn’t log your data. An independently audited no-logs policy – where a third-party security firm has actually gone in and verified that claim – is something else entirely. We’ve prioritised providers that have gone through this process, because a promise is only worth as much as the organisation making it.

A note on VPN protocols

One thing that has changed significantly since this article was first written is the widespread adoption of WireGuard, a modern VPN protocol that offers faster speeds and a leaner, more auditable codebase than older options like OpenVPN.

Several of the providers above now support WireGuard on their paid plans, and some on their free tiers too. It’s worth checking whether your chosen provider supports it, particularly if speed is a priority. If you’ve used a VPN in the past and found it sluggish, a WireGuard-enabled service might surprise you.

Negatives of VPNs that cost nothing

If you were wondering why everyone is constantly saying that free VPNs are a bad idea, there are a few reasons.

1. Limitations

As we have seen in these examples, free VPNs often come with limitations and drawbacks, such as bandwidth caps, a limited number of free servers, inability to unblock geo-restricted content, poor software, and more.

While they may be suitable for some uses, the majority of your needs won’t be covered.

2. Malware

While all six providers listed above are reputable, the ‘free’ VPN market more broadly is not as honest.

There have been many free VPNs that were discovered to be incapable of protecting users from malware, at best, or that they were malicious themselves, at worst.

Some examples include OkVPN, EasyVPN, SuperVPN, CrossVPN, Betternet, and more.

3. Advertising

Services that offer free VPNs often need to find an alternative way to make money, since their profits do not come from you as their user.

This is why they usually inject ads, which slow your system, eat up your data, and annoy you constantly.

4. Privacy dangers

Finally, we have privacy risks, which is quite an obvious downside. After all, these VPNs often have unknown owners, who might turn out to be anyone from Chinese hackers to sketchy data-hungry firms.

They can access all of your data traffic, record it, sell it to advertisers (or whoever pays the most), and more.

5. Logging

Data logging is a big problem in the VPN industry, as user data needs to be protected. After all, this is one of the main reasons why people look for a secure VPN in the first place.

Now, many free VPNs claim that they don’t log your data, and that your data traffic is entirely protected. However, then they go on ahead and log it anyway, only to sell it to third parties and get some money.

There have been many examples of free services logging user activity and selling their private data. Sometimes, this data gets exposed, and users of numerous VPN providers get endangered.

How to get a free VPN

If you wish to try out a free VPN, you are free to do so at any time.

Of course, we recommend going for the best free VPN right away, and the providers mentioned above can certainly be considered as such.

To make things easier, we will guide you through the entire process. For our example, we will use PrivadoVPN, but you are free to use any provider you want.

1. Start by going to PrivadoVPN’s website.
2. Enter your email on its landing page and click the orange ‘Get Started‘ button.
3. Select a free plan, and create a free account.
4. Verify your email address, and you will be given a username and a password by the service.
5. Download the PrivadoVPN app for Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, or Fire TV.
6. Install the app, launch it, and log in.
7. Find a list of servers, connect to one of the available ones, and that’s it.

At this point, you are using a free VPN and can do whatever you want. Just remember that you only have 10GB per month at full speed, so use it wisely.

Is using a free VPN bad?

No, you can use free VPNs without worrying about doing something illegal or damaging anyone’s business.

Many VPNs that offer premium services offer much better options to attract paying customers. These can include unlimited data, a highly secure internet connection, access to streaming services, a 30-day money-back guarantee, hundreds or even thousands of servers in many different locations, custom DNS servers, live chat support, and sometimes even unlimited simultaneous connections.

Free VPNs often offer only a fraction of these features, but they are free, and they are needed for those who can’t afford to pay. Just remember to be careful when choosing one, as free VPNs can be dangerous, as mentioned above.

Is there a completely free VPN?

Unfortunately, not quite. At least, not in the sense of being free, unlimited, with no restrictions and no dangers.

Despite the name, there is something called a free VPN cost, and you will be paying with your data if you are not careful.

The best free VPNs are often limited, and those that are not are likely dangerous and malicious. While completely free VPNs have limits, usually on data, or on speed, or on what you can do, they are your best bet to access the open internet without spending money.

They might have limitations, but at least you will be paying with neither money nor data, which is the best deal you can hope for.

Free VPNs to avoid

As mentioned, there are several VPNs that you would do well to stay away from.

We have already mentioned some examples, such as OkVPN, SuperVPN, Betternet, and EasyVPN, but there are many others out there. sFly Network Booster is another example, as well as:

• CrossVPN
• Archie VPN
• HatVPN
• Fast Secure Payment
• One-Click VPN
• TurboVPN

New ones are continually being discovered, so this list is not exhaustive, do proper research about any VPN service before choosing it and trusting it with your data.

Is a paid VPN more secure?

The answer is simply, yes.

While you should be careful with paid VPNs also, many of them are very well-known and respected services. Many have been independently audited, which has confirmed their legitimacy and that features such as their no-logs policy hold up in practice.

Paid VPNs offer much larger server networks, often offering hundreds or even thousands of servers across the world.

They allow you to connect multiple devices at once, they use the strongest encryption and security protocols, and they can unblock streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more.

As mentioned, a lot of what a VPN can do depends on the specific VPN in question, as not all of them are the same.

When you’re paying for a VPN, you’re paying for them to provide that service. When you use a free VPN, that company needs to make money via other means.

Which free VPNs work with Netflix, Spotify & iPlayer?

Unfortunately, the answer is, pretty much none.

These VPNs are slow and filled with users, which is why it is easy for services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and others to identify which IP addresses belong to a VPN.

As they are always on the hunt for VPN IPs, they can block them, and no one can access them again.

In other words, if you wish to watch overseas Netflix or unblock similar services, you are pretty much limited to using a premium VPN.

And, as mentioned, free VPNs are slow, so even if you could access these services, you would likely be plagued by buffering, making it difficult to watch anything.

Frequently asked questions

Does ProtonVPN have a truly free plan with no data limit?

Yes. ProtonVPN is the only provider on this list that offers a free plan with no monthly data cap. You are limited to 10 server countries, one device, and medium speeds, and you cannot choose your specific server, but the lack of a data limit makes it stand out.

Which free VPN gives you the most data?

ProtonVPN technically offers unlimited data on its free plan, making it the winner on this front. If you want to be able to pick your server location while still getting a generous allowance, PrivadoVPN and Windscribe both offer 10GB per month with no speed throttling until you hit that cap.

Is Cloudflare WARP a real VPN?

Sort of. WARP encrypts your traffic, which is the core function of a VPN, but it does not hide your IP address. That means websites can still see who and where you are. It’s better described as a privacy tool for securing your connection rather than a true VPN.

Are free VPNs safe to use?

The six on this list are as safe as free VPNs get. Outside of reputable providers like these, however, the free VPN market is full of services with questionable practices, including data logging and selling, malware injection, and unclear ownership. Always research before you download.

Can I use a free VPN on my phone?

Yes, all six providers on this list have mobile apps for both iOS and Android. PrivadoVPN also supports Android TV and Amazon Fire TV. Mobile is actually the most common way people use free VPNs, and all of the above are straightforward to set up.

Recommended paid VPNs

So, if you have decided to use a paid VPN after all, we can recommend three top choices.

1. ExpressVPN – Our #1 Recommendation
2. NordVPN
3. CyberGhost

They have plenty of advantages, such as a massive network of servers. NordVPN features thousands of servers across 60+ countries, while CyberGhost and ExpressVPN both cover over 90 countries.

They also feature stronger security, including 256-bit encryption, proven audited no-log policies, and WireGuard protocol support for fast, modern connections.

Besides, they are super fast, and prices stretch to just a few dollars a month. In case you change your mind, you can also get a full refund within 30 to 45 days.

Summary

If you really must use a free VPN, then the six above are our top picks for 2026.

They’re some of the most reputable and reliable services out there, but don’t forget they often come with significant limitations.

In the end, while free VPNs are attractive because you don’t have to pay for them, they are also not nearly as good as you might expect. They are limited, and sometimes even dangerous.

Apart from posing a security risk, they are also often slow, and in most cases, they can’t unblock geo-restricted content.

So if you’re going to choose a free VPN, ensure it’s one of the six above. Most others aren’t reputable and could put your privacy and device at serious risk.

In all honesty though, check out our Best VPN Guide and for just a few dollars or pounds you can get a much better service.

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