Best Free VPNs of 2024

Using a VPN makes a world of difference when it comes to protecting your online behavior. Free VPNs help you do that but also don’t cost a cent. While some of these VPNs are overloaded with ads, you can’t beat free if you’re on a tight budget. Our favourite free VPNs include:

• ProtonVPN
• Hotspot Shield
• TunnelBear
• Windscribe

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Browse through our list of free providers, all of whom also offer paid VPN versions, meaning if you like using one of the products you can you can always upgrade and enjoy even more security features like access to more servers, split-tunneling, kill-switches, torrenting, higher speeds, and unblocked streaming. 

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Best free VPN provider: ProtonVPN

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In the search for free VPNs we found our favourite: ProtonVPN. Proton offers paid service plans, but the free version is surprisingly generous. Here’s why: this free VPN doesn’t limit your usage of data while using it. Most VPNs cap your data usage at 500 Mbps or 1 GB per day, which gets eaten up fast if you’re browsing the web. The fact that you get unlimited data for free with ProtonVPN is a lot more than you could ask for, making this free version a clear winner right off the bat. 

 What we love:

• Unlimited data 
• Great privacy policies
•  3 server locations 
•  Easy to use
• Free 7-day trial
• Adequate speeds

ProtonVPN operates from Switzerland, whose stringent guidelines for protecting individual data makes it an ideal spot for a VPN server to do business in. This ensures that ProtonVPN doesn’t break the cardinal sin of VPNs: IP leaks. An IP leak is when your information is disclosed, revealing the connection between your IP address and the internet.

 All in all, this free VPN is really quite impressive. However, there are two drawbacks that you should be aware of: you can only connect this VPN to one device at the time, and the free version doesn’t allow for streaming. If you want to stream shows and movies from Netflix, HBO, Disney+, and Amazon Prime you have to sign up for the paid version, ProtonVPN Plus. 

Hotspot Shield

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Hotspot Shield covers the basics of what you’d want in a VPN provider. Their server is located in the US and will work with your Mac, iPhone, or Android. Hotspot Shield has a nice one-click interface and the free version gives you 500MB every 24 hours. The only catch is that if you use up the data, you have to wait until the next day to replenish your supply. Luckily, the interface warns you when you’ve reached half of your daily allowance.

Hotspot Shield allows you to connect with the VPN on up to 5 devices, though you only get one simultaneous connection. That’s something to keep in mind as you go about using this VPN across devices. 

 What we love:

• 500MB every 24 hours 
• All servers located in the US
• 1 simultaneous connection for use on up to 5 devices
• Dedicated applications for different devices
• One-click connection

TunnelBear

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TunnelBear is a Canada-based VPN provider that uses military grade AES encryption to keep you safe. The easy-to-use interface works on both desktop and mobile platforms. If you own an Android device, you’ll be happy to know that this free VPN hooks you up with split tunneling! Throw in a powerful kill switch, user-friendly interface, strong encryption, no logs policy, and IP address leak protection and you have yourself a free and fantastic VPN. 

 What we love:

• Free 500 GB of data per month
• Tweet @thetunnelbear to receive extra data
• Over 20 servers available
• Easy to use app
• AES-256 encryption

The only limitations for with TunnelBear are a 2GB data cap and the inability to unblock Netflix streaming activity. If you want more servers and the ability to unblock websites, you can always upgrade to a paid version. 

Windscribe

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What we really like about Windscribe VPN is it includes the adware and malware blocker with the free version. Not only that, but you can continue receiving more data by tweeting at the company, making this the social VPN that keeps on giving. 

 Windscribe’s software looks great across devices. Its easy to use and the simplistic design gives you everything that you would want when looking for a free VPN. Windscribe’s bonus features like malware blockers, adware blockers, opportunities to get more data, and split tunneling make it an extremely generous free VPN.

 What we love:

• 10GB of data per month
• Tweet @windscribecom to receive more data
• More than 10 server locations
• Includes adware and malware blocker
• Easy to use application
• Split tunneling available

What Is a VPN

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A VPN, or virtual private network, allows you to safety connect to the internet by masking your IP address. This helps you to fool or “spoof” the internet into thinking you’re in a different location, giving you anonymity and the ultimate level of privacy.

You might consider a VPN for any of the following reasons:

• Privacy and anonymity
• Security
• Encrypt data and sensitive information
• Hide browsing activity from internet service providers
• Access blocked websites like Netflix or Hulu
• Download big files for streaming
• Mask location
• Protection from cyber-attacks
• Block malware or ads

The easiest way to visualize how a VPN works is to imagine a private tunnel surrounding your internet connection. This tunnel makes it so that no one else can see into or access your information, browsing history, or location. Unless, of course, they really want to get in—VPNs aren’t 100% secure despite how they’re marketed.

The dangers of free VPNs

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It’s important to compare options and understand what a VPN service really means when they say “free.” Unfortunately, some VPNs use the anonymous browsing abilities as an opportunity to: 

• Show you advertisements of third parties 
• Gain access to information about your online activity
• Spread malware on the devices you’re using

When considering which VPN to use, make sure you find one that leverages encryption on par with military-grade encryption and that they have a strict no-logs policy. This will help keep your information safe and save you plenty of headaches down the line.

The Verdict: A free VPN is much better than no VPN

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When considering which VPN to use, make sure you find one that leverages encryption on par with military-grade encryption and that they have a strict no-logs policy. This will help keep your information safe and save you plenty of headaches dIf you value online security but cringe at the thought of adding another monthly bill, a free VPN might be for you. It really is amazing what you can get for absolutely nothing. If you do want to take advantage of any of the other features at any point down the line, the paid upgrade options are always available. Remember, stay safe online.