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Most free VPNs seem cost-efficient, but harbor malware or engage in underhanded practices that expose them to such attacks. So, to help you, we’ve compiled the best free VPNs. While they may not be completely free, we recommend taking advantage of the opportunities they offer for free.
Featured Partners
1
NordVPN
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 329.07 ($3.99) + 3 months free
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
No. of Servers
5,000+
On NordVPN’s Website
2
Surfshark
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 197.29 + one month free
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
No. of Servers
3,200+
At upto 82% off on Surfshark’s secure website
3
Private Internet Access
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 158.89
No. of Devices
Unlimited
No. of Servers
30,000+
On Private Internet Access’ Website
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8 Best Free VPNs of 2024
- Proton VPN: Best Free VPN for Enhanced Anonymity
- hide.me: Best Free VPN for Leak Protection
- FlyVPN:Best Free VPN for Gaming
- AtlasVPN:Best Free VPN for Security and Speed
- Windscribe: Best Free VPN for Unlimited Device Connection
- VPN Unlimited: Best Free VPN for Lifetime Protection
- CyberGhost: Best for Ease of Use
- Hotspot Shield: Best Free VPN for Streaming
Top Free VPN Of 2024
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FREE VPN FOR ENHANCED ANONYMITY
Proton VPN
On ProtonVPN's secure website
Pricing
Forever free
Number of Connections
One
Data Limit
No limit
Why We Picked It
Proton VPN provides several security measures, including Stealth for bypassing heavy firewalls, Secure Core for protected internet use and NetShield for blocking ads. Its security protocols, WireGuard and OpenVPN, enhance internet performance while protecting your internet activities. You can also stream unblocked content and maintain your speed levels with Proton VPN’s Accelerator, which boosts internet speed by 400%.
Proton VPN operates a strict privacy law, and third-party professionals have audited its no-logs policy, so this best Android VPN assures users of enhanced anonymity when using the VPN. Proton also boasts of an ad-free free plan that offers unlimited data bandwidth. But note that that won’t get you advanced security features such as DNS leak protection and Proton’s ad-blocker, or offer peer-to-peer (P2P) support or maximum speeds. It won’t even allow you to stream unblocked content or use more than one device at a time.
So your best bet to explore the VPN to find out if it’s best for you is subscribing to a paid plan for around INR 497.34 ($5.99) per month (if billed annually), and relying on Proton VPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee. You can cancel your subscription and get a full refund, no questions asked. Well, except if you pay by cash or bank transfers, which are nonrefundable.
Learn more: Read our full Proton VPN review.
Who should use it:
Proton VPN is good for anyone who doesn’t want to sacrifice speed for enhanced security and privacy.
Pros & Cons
- Transparent privacy policy
- Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
- Consistent speed levels
- Risk-free money-back guarantee
- No dedicated IP server add-on
- No 24/7 live support
- Doesn’t bypass restrictions in censor-heavy countries
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FREE VPN FOR LEAK PROTECTION
hide.me
Pricing
Forever free
Number of Connections
One
Pricing
Forever free
Number of Connections
One
Data Limit
10 GB per month
Why We Picked It
hide.me offers many privacy features to free and premium users. And that includes the kill switch, split tunneling and auto-connect feature, which activates whenever you connect to an untrusted Wi-Fi. hide.me packs a host of protocols, including WireGuard, IKEv2 IPsec, OpenVPN, SoftEther and SSTP. And this best VPN for Mac is available for desktops and mobile devices, with desktop clients, apps, browser extensions and routers, providing coverage for your network of devices.
The VPN also has 2,100 servers in 79 locations, so you can be sure to find a nearby server. When we tested hide.me, we enjoyed consistent connection speeds across several servers, only with little lags during server switches. The VPN costs as low as INR 379.44 ($4.57) per month (if billed annually), depending on your subscription type. It also offers a free version with P2P support, access to eight servers and a data bandwidth of 10GB.
hide.me’s free plan limits users to one device per time, and there’s no WireGuard support, limiting your speed. So for optimum speed and advanced security and privacy offerings, we recommend its paid service. You can then seek a refund within 30 days if you’re dissatisfied with how it works.
Who should use it:
hide.me VPN is a good option for those who need a VPN that supports P2P torrenting or uses the latest encryption protocols you can rely upon for protection against hacking or government surveillance.
Pros & Cons
- Strong encryption and privacy features
- No registration required for free plan
- 24/7 live chat
- User interface can be complex
- No annual subscription
- Kill switch malfunctions when you switch servers
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FREE VPN FOR GAMING
FlyVPN
Pricing
Free, Starts from INR 553.80 ($6.67) per month
Number of Connections
Up to five devices
Data Limit
Unlimited for three days
Pricing
Free, Starts from INR 553.80 ($6.67) per month
Number of Connections
Up to five devices
Data Limit
Unlimited for three days
Why We Picked It
FlyVPN’s unlimited free data is available for three days for users to connect to servers located across nine countries. During the free period, users get to surf the internet without adverts, and choose to connect to encryption protocols such as UDP for gaming, and TCP for browsing. The free VPN comes with features including split tunneling to choose between apps that require VPN and those that can be run on local ISP and kill switch to disconnect the internet when the VPN connection isn’t stable. Their paid plan starts from INR 553.80 ($6.67) per month for the annual billing cycle.
Who should use it:
FlyVPN is good for both personal and businesses to try out the VPN feature before they opt for a paid plan.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited data
- Connect up to five devices
- Comes with kill switch, split tunneling
- Free for three days only
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FREE VPN FOR SECURITY AND SPEED
AtlasVPN
On AtlasVPN's secure website
Pricing
Starts from INR 338.76 ($4.08) p/m
Number of Connections
One
Data Limit
Up to 5 GB for month
Why We Picked It
AtlasVPN’s free VPN comes with a limit for up to five GB per month, and users get to connect to servers located in the Netherlands, and the U.S. Features include kill switch, split tunneling, as well as VPN for streaming. Users get to choose from OpenVPN, WireGuard and IPSec/IKEv2 VPN encryption protocols. Their paid plan starts from INR 338.76 ($4.08) per month for annual subscription.
Who should use it:
Personal use.
Pros & Cons
- Features include Kill switch, split tunneling
- VPN for streaming available
- Only 5 GB free VPN available
- 24/7 customer support available on paid plan only
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Free VPN for Unlimited Device Connection
Windscribe
Pricing
Forever free
Number of Connections
Unlimited
Data Limit
10 GB per month
Pricing
Forever free
Number of Connections
Unlimited
Data Limit
10 GB per month
Why We Picked It
Windscribe is flexible, and it has plenty of privacy and security features. The VPN combines AES-256 encryption, 4096-bit RSA key and SHA512 authentication with strong encryption protocols, IKEv2, OpenVPN and superfast WireGuard to enhance your security. Windscribe also blocks ads and trackers that slow down internet speed, so you won’t sacrifice speed for security.
Windscribe VPN also offers servers in more than 69 countries and 112 cities, allowing you to spoof your location to access the internet without monitoring or restriction. Windscribe is also generous with its free options. It’s ad-free, gives users access to as many as 14 locations over 11 countries, offers 10GB of data per month and unblocks popular streaming sites including Netflix and BBC iPlayer on as many devices as you want.
But for optimum security and speed, try out any of its paid versions for as low as INR 462.47 ($5.75) per month on annual payments. And for an extra INR 166.06 ($2), you can get Windscribe’s static IP address. But note that Windscribe is a Canadian-based company, so it’s subject to international intelligence-sharing pacts that require it to turn over your data if prompted by the government. That might be a turnoff, especially since Windscribe logs your activity time stamps and data usage for maintenance purposes.
Also, Windscribe’s refund policy is quite restrictive. It gives you only three days to request a refund, and you won’t get one if you’ve used beyond 10GB of data. Plus, the refund process may take up to 30 days.
Who should use it:
Windscribe VPN is good for anyone who is looking for a VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections and wants to choose their dedicated IP addresses.
Read more: Windscribe VPN Review 2024
Pros & Cons
- Static IP address available
- Unlimited device connections even on its free plan
- It bypasses China’s great firewall
- Based in Canada, a Five Eyes alliance member
- Logs timestamps and data usage for maintenance purposes
- Unreliable bot live-chat support
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Free VPN for Lifetime Protection
VPN Unlimited
Pricing
Seven-day free trial
Number of Connections
Unlimited
Data Limit
No limit
Pricing
Seven-day free trial
Number of Connections
Unlimited
Data Limit
No limit
Why We Picked It
Also known as KeepSolid, VPN Unlimited packs top-notch features including strong encryptions, WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 to hide your identity and secure your internet connections, so your information does not get into the wrong hands. VPN Unlimited allows you to stream your favorite content, regardless of location. It also has an intuitive user experience (UX), and is compatible with all devices. This VPN can serve as both an individual and a business VPN, with plans tailored for both types of VPN users.
To prevent unauthorized access to your data, VPN Unlimited operates a strict no-logs policy, so it won’t store your browsing history or data usage. Its standard annual plan is INR 415.14 ($5), and it allows simultaneous connection with five devices.
VPN Unlimited offers a seven-day free trial so it’s worth a shot. You won’t be paying a dime to get a feel of how it works. Plus, if you need more time to explore the VPN, you can opt for any of its paid versions. Its risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee allows you to do that.
Who should use it:
If you are looking for a robust VPN that’s compatible with your favorite devices, or want to jump on an opportunity for lifetime privacy and security, we recommend VPN Unlimited.
Pros & Cons
- Strong privacy features
- Dedicated IP address
- Tailored business tier
- Lifetime subscription offering available
- Expensive device upgrades and add-ons
- Device configuration can be complex
- Kill switch isn’t available on all devices
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
BEST FOR EASE OF USE
CyberGhost
On CyberGhost's secure website
Pricing
One to seven-day free trial
Number of Connections
Up to seven devices
Data Limit
No limit
Why We Picked It
Even though it’s one of the cheapest VPNs, CyberGhost VPN boasts 9,701 servers in 117 locations in 91 countries. And its interface is easy to navigate, even for first-time VPN users. CyberGhost’s features include ad blocking, dedicated server locations for streaming and torrenting and self-managed privacy-focused NoSpy servers for optimum protection. With military-grade encryption, this VPN masks your data, identity and online activities to prevent third-party intrusion. And it’s compatible with Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Linux.
CyberGhost VPN also grants you access to content otherwise restricted within your location. That means you can browse your favorite content from anywhere without exposing your identity. The VPN costs as low as INR 4,620 for your first two years, and INR 560 per month for a six-month subscription.
CyberGhost VPN offers users a free trial without a credit card requirement. This trial will give you all the premium features on its paid service, but its trial periods vary. You’ll get 24 hours to explore the VPN on Windows and macOS, three days on Android and seven days for an iOS device.
If the trial periods are short for you, jump on CyberGhost’s 45-day refund period by paying for longer terms. The monthly term offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. CyberGhost’s generous money-back guarantee lets you get a clear picture of how CyberGhost VPN works, without making a payment commitment.
Learn more: Read our full CyberGhost VPN review.
Who should use it:
Anyone that requires ample time to try out a VPN’s features will love the extended money-back guarantee period that CyberGhost offers.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use
- 24/7 customer support in four languages
- Dedicated IP add-on
- Discounted multi-year prices
- Antivirus and security add-ons available
- Only 24-hour free trial on Windows and macOS
- Some CyberGhost reviews express concerns about its parent company
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Free VPN for Streaming
Hotspot Shield
Pricing
Seven-day trial; forever free plan
Number of Connections
Up to 10 devices
Data Limit
500 MB per day
Pricing
Seven-day trial; forever free plan
Number of Connections
Up to 10 devices
Data Limit
500 MB per day
Why We Picked It
Hotspot Shield VPN packs solid security features such as WireGuard and IKEv2 VPN protocols and its unique Hydra to protect you from third-party intrusion and improve your connection speeds. Hotspot Shield VPN further combines military-grade encryption with automatic Wi-Fi protection and leak protection, and its kill switch and split tunneling options protect your data whenever you’re browsing, streaming or torrenting. This VPN’s paid plan costs INR 663.40 ($7.99) monthly for annual subscription, and allows up to five simultaneous connections of devices, whether Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux or router. The router has a multiplier effect, allowing you to connect to more devices, including your IoT gadgets.
Hotspot Shield also offers a free VPN option, but that one comes with limitations such as the absence of specific VPN features and limited device connections and virtual locations. The VPN also sets a speed limit of 2 Mbps, gives users access to blocked content in the U.S. alone, and allows barely 500MB of data per day, only giving you extra when you watch ads. That’s why we recommend that you jump on its seven-day trial that gives you access to premium features, or even pay for a plan, and rely on Hotspot Shield’s 45-day money-back guarantee to explore the VPN.
Meanwhile, Hotspot Shield’s policy is less strict than other VPNs, as the company logs visited domain names, bandwidth per session and user device type. But not to worry, its transparency report reveals that it won’t share your information with governments, law enforcement agencies or other third parties.
Who should use it:
Hotspot Shield VPN is suitable for anyone looking for a VPN that provides enough time to explore its features, and offers a risk-free refund.
Pros & Cons
- Password manager add-on
- Packs a free trial, forever free plan and generous money-back guarantee period
- 1,800-plus servers in 80-plus countries
- Quite pricey
- No dedicated IP add-on or multi-hop connections
- Limited work or business use
- Based in the U.S., a Five Eye alliance member
Comparison of Best Free VPNs
Company | Company – Logo | Forbes Advisor India Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | PRICING | NUMBER OF CONNECTIONS | DATA LIMIT | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ProtonVPN | 497.34 ($5.99) p/m for one year | One | No limit | Buy Now | On ProtonVPN’s secure website | ||||
hide.me | INR 379.44 ($4.57) p/m for one year | One | No limit | View More | |||||
FlyVPN | INR 553.80 ($6.67) p/m for one year | Five | Unlimited for three days | View More | |||||
AtlasVPN | INR 338.76 ($4.08) p/m for one year | One | 5 GB per month | View More | |||||
Windscribe | 462.47 ($5.75) p/m for one year | Unlimited | 10 GB per month | View More | |||||
VPN Unlimited | INR 415.14 ($5) p/m for one year | Unlimited | No limit | View More | |||||
CyberGhost | INR 4,620 for first two years | Up to seven devices | No limit | View More | |||||
Hotspot Shield | INR 663.40 ($7.99) p/m for one year | Up to 10 devices | 500 MB per day | View More |
Are Free VPNs Safe?
While using a completely free VPN appears cost-efficient, there are a few reasons to avoid them. Free VPNs often limit speed, data usage, the number of servers and device connections and hardly unblock streaming sites. But that’s not all—no VPN can operate without money, so they tend to make their money in other ways, which often turns out bad for users. Here’s what most of them do:
- They sell user data to advertising agencies and analytics companies.
They rely on weak security features, leaving you vulnerable to cybercriminals and government spies. - They display ads that link you to malicious sites or redirect your traffic to partner sites, earning them commissions and causing you frustration.
So, to save you some money, we recommend choosing a free version of some of the best VPN. While some offer free plans without compromising your data or identity, we recommend optimizing the opportunities they provide to explore their features and functions for free through trial periods and money-back guarantees.
Methodology: How We Select Best Free VPNs
With a broad range of free VPNs to choose from it can be difficult to narrow down your choice. When awarding our Forbes star rating, we stuck to reputable VPN brands with a track record for security and customer service, backed up with a highly regarded fee-paying VPN service.
We used the VPN provider’s own websites to check details around data limits, the number of connections allowed (simultaneous active devices) and server locations as well as if the free VPN offers unblocking of streaming services and any additional features.
What Is A Free VPN?
Some providers offer fully free VPN although it is usually a limited service. In many cases you might be offered a time-limited trial or a money-back guarantee with some fee-paying VPNs. But for this you’ll typically have to give credit card details and you’ll be auto-subscribed into the plan unless you cancel within the offer period.
How To Choose the Best Free VPN
When considering which free VPN to choose, you’ll generally want to ensure the VPN you choose offers specific features for your needs, advanced security and unblocking features, optimum speed and performance, and a privacy policy you can trust. And since you’re trying to see if it’s worth your money, choose one with a trial opportunity period fair enough to let you access its premium features.
Essential Features of a Free VPN
Even though you’re not paying for it, here are a few details to look out for when choosing a free VPN.
- Privacy and security: Look for solid encryption protocols and privacy features such as a kill switch and dedicated IP, which can protect you from malicious threats.
- Streaming capability: Consider VPNs that provide content-unblocking features even during trials.
- Privacy policy: Look out for a VPN with a strict no-logs policy that is also transparent and audited.
Speed and Performance
Because VPNs pass your data through specific servers, they tend to slow down your internet speed. Still, consider the average download and upload speed a free VPN offers. After all, you need speed for video streaming, online gaming and the like. You can use speed tools such as Ookla to see how these VPNs fare in terms of speed and performance.
Trial Plan and Money-back Guarantee
You need to consider a few things when jumping on VPN free trials or their money-back guarantee to explore their paid versions. You’ll need to determine if the trial period offers enough time to test the VPN. Also, pay attention to the money-back guarantee. Ask these questions:
- Is the refund open to everyone, or is it a case-by-case policy?
- Can I get a refund if I subscribed through a third party or paid with, say, cryptocurrency?
- Will I get a full refund?
- How long does the refund process take?
How Does Free VPN Work?
Many VPN providers offer a free service alongside their premium or paid-for VPN and the free service will be more limited, with data caps, slow speeds and limited connections, for example. Typically the paid-for VPN will subsidize the free service.
While free VPN may suit some users, for example those trying out different VPN services or people who just want a temporary VPN while they are using public WiFi in a library or coffee shop, for example, generally free VPN will be too limited for most users.
Be aware that with some free VPN services you’ll get ads and your data might be sold to other companies. If you want to avoid this check the terms and conditions of the free VPN provider or ask if they sell your data.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Free VPN?
With free VPN you won’t get the range of services you’d get with paid VPNs. You’re likely to be limited to one or two servers, slower speeds and there is usually a cap on data usage, typically around 10GB a month. For this reason free VPN probably won’t suit those who want to stream or for gaming.
It is also important to be aware that with free VPN your internet activity may be monitored by the provider, you could experience pop-up ads while you’re online and your data could be sold to third party companies.
Service quality and experience can vary markedly between different free VPNs so using a bit of trial and error and testing different services out can help until you find the best one that suits your needs, or before opting for a paid VPN service.
Benefits of Choosing Premium VPN Instead of a Free VPN
Some providers offer a fully free VPN service with limitations on major security and protection features. In many cases you might be offered a time-limited trial or a money-back guarantee with some fee-paying VPNs. But for this you’ll typically have to give credit card details and you’ll be auto-subscribed into the plan unless you cancel within the offer period.
That being said, there are pros and cons of using a free VPN, as follows:
Data collection: Most free VPNs are prone to data leakage, especially your browser history and logs, as they don’t come with features such as multihopping, and the security isn’t 100% guaranteed. This is true in most VPNs that provide ad-based free VPNs to provide users with adverts related to their internet search. Moreover, such adverts may carry malicious threats.
Security and encryption: Unlike premium VPN plans, there are only a few servers to choose from free VPN, which in turn hampers your internet speed and performance as you don’t have the flexibility to choose the nearest server as per your location. That being said, your online data and activity logs may not be 100% secure from hackers.
Performance and reliability: Free VPN users can expect a frequent drop in their internet connection, and this could be vulnerable to data leakage as, depending on the VPN provider, a kill switch may be available only for premium users. Heavy gamers can experience lag which in turn will disrupt their gaming experience.
General features and add-ons: There are many features lacking on free VPN. For instance, multifactor authentication, double hopping, anonymous browsing mostly comes with a premium plan. Also, a dedicated IP option, an antivirus tool is available only for premium users.
That being said, users can opt for a free trial where they are charged only at the end of the trial period, or file for a cancellation of the subscription with a money-back guarantee that comes at least for 30 to 45 days.
Featured Partners
1
NordVPN
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 329.07 ($3.99) + 3 months free
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
No. of Servers
5,000+
On NordVPN’s Website
2
Surfshark
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 197.29 + one month free
Money Back Guarantee
30 days
No. of Servers
3,200+
At upto 82% off on Surfshark’s secure website
3
Private Internet Access
Lowest Monthly Price
INR 158.89
No. of Devices
Unlimited
No. of Servers
30,000+
On Private Internet Access’ Website
More VPN Resources
We hope that the following resources will help you to select the right VPN for you and learn how to get started with your new VPN.
Explore Our Best VPN Guides
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Learn More About VPNs
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Anonymous Browsing and Content Access
- How to Browse Anonymously
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- How to Unblock YouTube
- How to Change Your IP Address
- How to Hide Your IP Address
Compare VPNs
- ProtonVPN Vs. NordVPN
- Surfshark Vs. NordVPN
- NordVPN Vs. ExpressVPN
- Surfshark Vs. ExpressVPN
- Private Internet Access Vs. Nordvpn
Our VPN Reviews
- ExpressVPN Review
- NordVPN Review
- Surfshark VPN Review
- Private Internet Access Review
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
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