VPNs are one of the most important tools on the internet right now. Virtual Private Networks can hide your IP address, encrypt your web browsing, unblock region-restricted content on media platforms, and many other benefits.
In this post, we have highlighted the best free VPNs to use. We have done this in such a way that you will see the pros and cons of each one.
Close to the end of this article, we also talked about a few limitations and dangers that free VPNs may pose to your privacy and security. Now let’s get started.
The best free Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Here are the best free VPN to use:
1. Windscribe Free
Windscribe is one of the best free VPNs anyone can use. Users can select any of the 14 servers available across 11 countries.
Speaking of network speed, Windscribe has an average of 240 Mbps. That’s equivalent to 30 Mb/s.
Although the average speed is not as top-notch as you might have expected, it still outperforms many other VPNs, considering the fact that it’s a free one.
Windscribe has a monthly bandwidth limit of 10 GB. This is fairly okay, although it means you’ll have to wisely reduce your usage. For instance, you may want to consider not using Windscribe to download a 3 GB file.
Windscribe, however, allows users to connect unlimited devices simultaneously. This means you can log in to the same account on different devices and use Windscribe at the same time.
Not many free Virtual Private Networks have a feature that’s as good as this. Let’s have an overview of Windscribe before we move on to the next.
Pros
- The average speed is 30 Mb/s.
- Compatible with a few Netflix libraries. This makes it suitable for streaming.
- Comes with a built-in VPN kill switch.
- You can connect Windscribe with unlimited devices.
- You have access to 14 servers across 11 countries.
Cons
- Windscribe has a monthly data cap of 10 GB.
- The speed is okay for browsing, but it can be better for downloads and streaming.
Windscribe works well on:
- Windows
- Android
- Mac OS
- Linux
- iOS
2. Proton VPN Free
Proton VPN has no data limits. It provides unlimited data that you can use as you like, with no conditions attached.
While this is good news, there are still a few limitations when compared to Windscribe. Proton VPN only grants access to 3 countries; USA, Netherlands and Japan.
Although you can log in to the same account on multiple devices, you can only use Proton VPN on only one device at a time.
Despite all these limitations, there’s still one good news though. This VPN has a blazing speed of 380 Mbps. This is the equivalent of 47.5 Mb/s.
Happy, right? Don’t celebrate yet. Your network service provider probably won’t reach up to that speed, unless you’re connected to a router or strong 5G network.
Pros
- Unlimited data usage. No limit whatsoever.
- Proton VPN has a Kill switch and DNS leak protection.
- Fast speed of 47.5 Mb/s.
Cons
- This VPN has only 3 country locations. This includes the US, Netherlands and Japan.
- Torrenting is not allowed.
- Proton VPN is not compatible with Netflix and BBC iPlayer. This makes Proton an unsuitable choice for streamers.
- Only one device can connect to the VPN at a time.
Proton VPN is compatible with:
- Windows
- Android
- Mac OS
- Linux
- iOS
3. Atlas VPN
Although Atlas VPN allows only 10 GB bandwidth usage per month, it offers much more for MAC OS users. Imagine getting 2 GB per day just because you own a MAC device? That’s around 60 GB monthly.
But don’t celebrate yet. There are a few downsides to this VPN. And who can blame it, after all, it’s free?
Atlas VPN only grants access to the Netherlands, Los Angeles and New York. However, the speed is around 320 Mbps, which is equal to 40 Mb/s.
Pros
- Fast download speeds.
- Can be used for torrenting.
- Atlas VPN has Secure encryption.
- Works in China and Russia. This is good news, as not many free VPNs allow users to connect from inside these 2 countries.
Cons
- Only 3 server locations across 2 countries.
- Less compatible with streaming platforms.
4. Privado VPN
Privado VPN allows unlimited data usage, but it comes with a difficult condition. Normally, all users have access to 10 GB monthly at 350 Mbps (roughly 44 Mb/s).
But as this may not be enough for most users, this VPN service came up with a feature that allows users to keep getting bandwidth even after the 10 GB has been exhausted.
Now here’s the thing. Once you reach the 10 GB monthly usage, you will get unlimited bandwidth at 1 Mbps (125 kB/s). This speed is very slow, and it can’t be used for downloading or streaming.
However, half a loaf is better than having no bread at all. Privado VPN has lots of benefits. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Pros
- Can be used to unblock Netflix, HBO, and Disney in some countries.
- It can be used for torrenting.
- Privado VPN has 13 servers across 9 countries.
- It offers unlimited data. 10GB at first, and then unlimited bandwidth at 1 Mbps.
- It supports usage on multiple devices.
Cons
- This VPN lacks the advanced features that other free VPNs provide.
- The unlimited bandwidth has a speed of 1 Mbps. This speed is only sufficient for social media messaging and maybe slow browsing. It definitely can’t be used for streaming or downloading.
5. Hide.me Free
Hide.me has access to 5 servers in 4 different countries. This includes the USA, Canada, Germany and Netherlands. It allows a bandwidth of 10 GB per month, but only 1 device is supported.
This isn’t the only limitation. Hide.me has the lowest connection speed on our list of the best free VPN to use. It is capped at 25 Mbps, which is equivalent to 3 Mb/s.
Pros
- Strong privacy features.
- Hide.me has custom apps that are user-friendly.
Cons
- It allows only 1 simultaneous usage.
- Bandwidth is restricted to 10 GB monthly.
- Torrenting is not allowed.
- Only 5 servers across 4 countries.
Dangers and limitations associated with free VPNs
Make no mistake, VPN developers are not philanthropists. Most of them are profit-driven, so even if a VPN is free, it will have some other way of making money for the developers.
This includes, but is not limited to showing you annoying ads, and harvesting and selling your browsing data to third parties.
While a free VPN may solve a temporary issue for you, it may create new ones as well. Now let’s leave the dangers alone and talk about the limitations of free VPNs.
Most of them have data usage caps which makes them unsuitable for large-file downloads, slow network speeds which makes them unideal for HD streaming, lack of P2P file-sharing support and lots more.
Conclusion
Using a VPN for free is a cool thing, right? Most especially if you’re not ready or willing to get a paid one. There are many free Virtual Private Networks out there, but most of them aren’t that good.
Before using a free VPN, make sure you do some research to see if it’s safe. Better still, you need to remember that no matter the circumstances, paid VPNs always perform much better than free ones.