6 Totally Free VPN Services to Protect Your Privacy

Virtual private networks (VPNs) contribute to a safer and more private Internet browsing experience. They also represent the Web’s founding principle of freedom of access and expression, more so when cost is no object.

Although some people consider “free VPN” to be something of a misnomer, there are free VPNs that don’t sell your data to the highest bidder and still protect your privacy reliably. We have compiled a list of these trustworthy and free-of-charge VPNs.

Top Free VPNs Comparison Table

The table below shows the best free VPN providers and the features they offer, presented side-by-side:

Canadian VPN provider Windscribe’s free VPN compares favorably with its premium offering. It offers multiple server locations in 10 countries, AES-256 encryption, and cross-platform support.

Monthly data usage is capped at 2GB by default, but users can upgrade with a free email sign-up (10GB), tweeting (+5GB), and referrals (1GB per user).

It can be installed as a desktop application and run as a browser extension on Firefox, Chrome, and other browsers. Windscribe’s free VPN is excellent for general use but may be limited to video streaming due to data volume limitations.

While TunnelBear isn’t the most generous free VPN provider, its free VPN can be useful for users with modest requirements or those looking to try a VPN for the first time.

TunnelBear’s free VPN plan seems intended for new users who want to test out the service before they pay $3 per month for the paid plan. It offers only 2GB of data volume per month and is not upgradeable.

However, the service is simple and easy to use. TunnelBear focuses on privacy rather than circumventing restrictions on Netflix streaming. Users looking to bypass geo-blocked content may have to look elsewhere.

Hide.me is a Malaysia-based VPN with a great name and an even better service. The free tier can connect to up to eight server locations and offers unlimited data usage with zero logs. However, it doesn’t support streaming and P2P traffic, so it is quite limited in practice.

It does support split tunneling, which can come in handy since connection speeds are restricted on the free plan. Hide.me also offers live chat support for free users, a rarity among VPN providers.

For the low price of nothing, Hide.me’s free version offers everything you need for a secure, private connection.

Despite the name, Opera VPN isn’t a VPN in the actual sense; it is a proxy server. A proxy server performs the same function as a VPN, but the implementation is different. However, Opera VPN will suffice if all you need is a service that masks your IP address for security, privacy, and circumventing geo-blocking.

Opera’s free VPN is built into the browser and offers four proxy server locations worldwide from which to choose. There are no imposed limits on data usage or speed.

Note that if you rely on Opera’s free VPN, it will not protect your privacy for tasks outside the browser. It’s not the fastest or the most secure service, but it works if you are in a pinch.

Swiss-based Proton AG is one of the world’s premiere privacy advocacy groups. Its free Proton VPN option isn’t as in-depth as the paid subscription, but it offers enough to keep your online activity private.

Proton VPN has a great reputation, so it should be high on your list of free VPNs to try. It is compatible with all major platforms and offers unlimited data. You can connect one device to any of the 100+ server locations, but streaming is not supported, and torrenting is prohibited.

Another Swiss-based VPN provider, PrivadoVPN, states on its website that the free VPN has the same features as the paid version. The only differences are a limited monthly data volume and a reduced number of server locations.

PrivadoVPN’s free tier supports streaming as well as P2P applications. After you sign up with your email address, you get 10GB of monthly data volume to browse, stream, and download content without exposing your identity.

Free VPN vs. Paid VPN

All the free VPNs we’ve looked at are secure, reliable, and trustworthy names. They value your privacy, and you can be confident that your data is safe while using them. However, no free VPN can match a paid service spec-for-spec. You can typically access more servers, bandwidth, and features if you subscribe. A VPN is worth paying for, especially if you are going to be using it every day.

ExpressVPN is one of the best paid VPNs with more than 3000 servers across 87 countries. You can sign up now and receive three months free!