Top10VPN is editorially independent. Buying a VPN through our links supports our work . Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of apps and his research has been featured on the BBC, The New York Times, and more. Read full bio Fact-checked by JP Jones Summary: Best Free VPN Rankings The best totally free VPN is Proton VPN , thanks to fast, secure, and unlimited free servers that don’t log anything. Windscribe comes close, unblocking more streaming platforms than any other free app, while Hotspot Shield is easily the fastest. Let me be clear though: none of them can match the outright best VPNs . I’ve examined 150 free VPNs to date. Of those, these are the only seven I’m willing to recommend : Proton VPN : Best 100% free VPN overall. Unlimited data & no logs. Windscribe : Free servers in 10 countries. Unblocks 5 Netflix regions. Hotspot Shield Basic : Fastest free VPN. Unlimited data & P2P traffic allowed. PrivadoVPN : Great free VPN for streaming & unrestricted torrenting. Hide.me : Secure free VPN for beating online censorship. ZoogVPN : Simple free VPN with a no-logs policy. TunnelBear : Largest free VPN server network. ➡️ Jump to my side-by-side comparison . A good free VPN will improve your internet privacy and security, and the very best ones will even unblock geo-restricted content. So will any free VPN do? Absolutely not. Safe free VPNs are rare . The majority of the free apps I’ve tested are risky, and a shocking 88% leak identifiable data . Over 70% of the users I surveyed choose a free VPN over a paid one, and hundreds of millions of people are using unsafe apps without realizing it. For this reason, I hold free VPNs to the same high standard as subscription services . I won’t recommend a VPN that leaks your IP address, logs your browsing activity, or otherwise puts you at risk. Every free VPN I recommend will keep you private and secure online. That said, each one has flaws, whether it’s a data cap, a small server network, or difficulty getting past streaming geo-blocks. Put simply, they can’t match premium (paid-for) VPNs. But if you only need a VPN short-term, you might be better off using a quality VPN free trial . 🔄 Recent Updates My latest updates reflect TunnelBear’s removal of manual server selection on its free tier, and Hotspot Shield Basic’s improved streaming performance. We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs . The Best Free VPNs Compared & Reviewed The table below compares my chosen free VPNs for download speed, number of server locations, logging policy, and more: Read the VPN testing methodology I used to select these VPNs. 1 . Proton VPN: Best Free VPN Ranked #1 out of 150 Free VPNs Tested Proton VPN Add to compare Get Proton VPN Full Proton VPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 6.3/10 Privacy 9.5 / 10 Streaming 0.0 / 10 Speed 9.4 / 10 Security 9.8 / 10 Server Locations 1.6 / 10 User Experience 7.8 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.2 / 10 Additional Features 3.5 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: August 2026 See all ratings Pros No data usage limits whatsoever 2,000 fast free servers Desktop & mobile VPN kill switch Privacy-friendly logging policy & Swiss jurisdiction Android APK file for side loading Cons No longer lets you choose your server location Torrenting not allowed Doesn't unblock most video platforms Only 1 simultaneous connection Data Cap Unlimited Countries with Servers 10 Servers 2,000 Logging Policy No Logs See all features Jurisdiction Switzerland (Privacy Haven) Simultaneous Connections 1 Support Email & Online Resources Only Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more Proton VPN is my top-rated free VPN. It’s the only free app I can leave running all the time . That’s down to one thing: Proton VPN doesn’t impose any data limits whatsoever on its free servers. You can use it as much as you like, completely free, and without ads. Across every app I tested, connection speeds were fast, security standards were high, my IP address never leaked, and the logging policy is genuinely privacy-friendly. Where it let me down was choice. Proton VPN offers just 10 free server locations, but the real frustration is not being able to pick between them, since you can only connect to the fastest (nearest) server. So if your priority is watching region-locked streaming services or downloading torrents, this isn’t the free VPN for you. Video Review Play 60 second video review of Proton VPN. Secure, Independently Audited Apps I’ve run the free version of Proton VPN on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Fire TV, and I can confirm it’s safe to use on all of them. Every app uses AES-256 encryption, offers the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and includes a built-in kill switch for extra IP leak protection. Better still, Proton VPN is one of the very few free VPNs for Android and iOS with an Always-on VPN feature alongside that kill switch. Proton VPN’s free app has many security features. What really sets Proton apart, though, is what happens behind the scenes. Its free apps have been through full third-party security audits, and the code is open-source so anyone can inspect it for vulnerabilities. That level of transparency is the gold standard in VPN security , and very few free services come close to it. Focused on Privacy, Not Entertainment Proton VPN combines airtight security with a logging policy that ensures none of its apps monitor or collect activity data that can be linked to you. Proton VPN’s logging policy describes what information is and isn’t retained. Being based in Switzerland reinforces that position, too, since the country has strong privacy laws and sits outside the reach of the EU. You can’t turn all that unlimited data into unlimited viewing, though. In my streaming tests, the free VPN failed to unblock every region-locked platform I tried, including Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. Torrenting is also off limits. When I tried to download a file using qBittorrent, Proton VPN actively blocked my P2P connection rather than simply throttling it. Fast Speeds But No Manual Location Selection Proton VPN is quick across short distances, and long-distance connections used to be a weak spot. That’s improved, with an average global slowdown now down to 15%. That’s all the more impressive given the limited choice of locations. At the time of writing, Proton VPN runs free VPN servers in the US , Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania and 5 other countries. Frustratingly, though, you can’t select any of these locations. Instead, you’re automatically connected to the “fastest” available server. This change is a significant downgrade. Another limitation is that a free Proton VPN account only covers one device . Windscribe, by comparison, allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Get Proton VPN 1 . Proton VPN: Best Free VPN Full Proton VPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 6.3/10 Privacy 9.5 / 10 Streaming 0.0 / 10 Security 9.8 / 10 Server Locations 1.6 / 10 User Experience 7.8 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.2 / 10 Additional Features 3.5 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . No data usage limits whatsoever 2,000 fast free servers Desktop & mobile VPN kill switch Privacy-friendly logging policy & Swiss jurisdiction Android APK file for side loading No longer lets you choose your server location Torrenting not allowed Doesn't unblock most video platforms Only 1 simultaneous connection Proton VPN is my top-rated free VPN. It’s the only free app I can leave running all the time . That’s down to one thing: Proton VPN doesn’t impose any data limits whatsoever on its free servers. You can use it as much as you like, completely free, and without ads. Across every app I tested, connection speeds were fast, security standards were high, my IP address never leaked, and the logging policy is genuinely privacy-friendly. Where it let me down was choice. Proton VPN offers just 10 free server locations, but the real frustration is not being able to pick between them, since you can only connect to the fastest (nearest) server. So if your priority is watching region-locked streaming services or downloading torrents, this isn’t the free VPN for you. 60 second video review of Proton VPN. Secure, Independently Audited Apps I’ve run the free version of Proton VPN on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Fire TV, and I can confirm it’s safe to use on all of them. Every app uses AES-256 encryption, offers the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and includes a built-in kill switch for extra IP leak protection. Better still, Proton VPN is one of the very few free VPNs for Android and iOS with an Always-on VPN feature alongside that kill switch. Proton VPN’s free app has many security features. What really sets Proton apart, though, is what happens behind the scenes. Its free apps have been through full third-party security audits, and the code is open-source so anyone can inspect it for vulnerabilities. That level of transparency is the gold standard in VPN security , and very few free services come close to it. Focused on Privacy, Not Entertainment Proton VPN combines airtight security with a logging policy that ensures none of its apps monitor or collect activity data that can be linked to you. Proton VPN’s logging policy describes what information is and isn’t retained. Being based in Switzerland reinforces that position, too, since the country has strong privacy laws and sits outside the reach of the EU. You can’t turn all that unlimited data into unlimited viewing, though. In my streaming tests, the free VPN failed to unblock every region-locked platform I tried, including Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. Torrenting is also off limits. When I tried to download a file using qBittorrent, Proton VPN actively blocked my P2P connection rather than simply throttling it. Fast Speeds But No Manual Location Selection Proton VPN is quick across short distances, and long-distance connections used to be a weak spot. That’s improved, with an average global slowdown now down to 15%. That’s all the more impressive given the limited choice of locations. At the time of writing, Proton VPN runs free VPN servers in the US , Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania and 5 other countries. Frustratingly, though, you can’t select any of these locations. Instead, you’re automatically connected to the “fastest” available server. This change is a significant downgrade. Another limitation is that a free Proton VPN account only covers one device . Windscribe, by comparison, allows unlimited simultaneous connections. 2 . Windscribe: Best Runner-up Windscribe Add to compare Get Windscribe Full Windscribe Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.5/10 Privacy 9.1 / 10 Streaming 5.7 / 10 Speed 8.8 / 10 Security 8.3 / 10 Server Locations 2.3 / 10 User Experience 7.0 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.5 / 10 Additional Features 6.8 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: July 2026 See all ratings Pros Free servers in 10 countries Unblocks 5 Netflix libraries Unblocks several streaming platforms around the world Minimal-logs privacy policy Built-in VPN kill switch Unlimited device policy Cons 10GB monthly data cap No human live chat support No longer works with US Netflix Slower than it used to be Blocks torrenting traffic Data Cap 10GB per month Countries with Servers 10 Servers 10 Logging Policy No Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction Canada (Five Eyes Member) Simultaneous Connections Unlimited Support Email & Online Resources Only Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more Windscribe gives you free and secure access to servers in 10 countries, and it unblocked more geo-restricted services than any other free app I tested. For many years it was my top pick. However, slower speeds, the loss of US Netflix access , and its 10GB monthly data cap, have weighed down on the VPN. Customer support remains a weak point, too. There is no live chat to help with complex issues, and I found the knowledge base and chatbot only useful for the most basic queries. Windscribe offers access to several free US locations. Very Good Free VPN for Streaming Streaming is where Windscribe earns its place on this list. You can unblock geo-restricted content in 10 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. It’s also the only free VPN that consistently unblocks BBC iPlayer from outside the UK, which is no small feat. Beyond that, Windscribe got me past some tough geo-blocks, including Sky Go, DAZN, Hulu, HBO Max, plus 5 Netflix regions. Unblocking Sky Go with Windscribe’s Free VPN. Judged purely on unblocking success rate, Windscribe is the strongest free VPN I’ve tested. Only PrivadoVPN, Hotspot Shield Basic and TunnelBear get anywhere near it, but each of these unblocks far fewer platforms. Keep in mind that the 10GB monthly data cap will restrict the number of movies and TV shows you can watch, and US Netflix is off the table. Solid Privacy & Security Features Every Windscribe app uses secure AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption keys, and gives you a choice of the OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols. Windscribe’s security settings on its macOS app. Windscribe’s free VPN apps for PC and Mac are reassuringly secure thanks to the Windscribe Firewall setting, which stops your real IP address and data packets escaping the VPN tunnel if the connection drops. My test results show exactly that: Windscribe has never once leaked my IP or DNS data, and it doesn’t store any personally-identifiable logs, either. Still Beats Country Firewalls I also tested Windscribe’s ability to unblock websites in highly-censored countries like China, and I can confirm the free service still works . That’s down to its Stealth connection protocol, which uses the open-source Stunnel algorithm to disguise your VPN traffic as ordinary HTTPS. Bear in mind that Stealth is only available on the Windows, macOS, and Android apps. In my experience, the VPN performs best in China when you connect to the nearby Hong Kong server. Get Windscribe 2 . Windscribe: Best Runner-up Full Windscribe Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.5/10 Privacy 9.1 / 10 Streaming 5.7 / 10 Security 8.3 / 10 Server Locations 2.3 / 10 User Experience 7.0 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.5 / 10 Additional Features 6.8 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Free servers in 10 countries Unblocks 5 Netflix libraries Unblocks several streaming platforms around the world Minimal-logs privacy policy Built-in VPN kill switch Unlimited device policy 10GB monthly data cap No human live chat support No longer works with US Netflix Slower than it used to be Blocks torrenting traffic Windscribe gives you free and secure access to servers in 10 countries, and it unblocked more geo-restricted services than any other free app I tested. For many years it was my top pick. However, slower speeds, the loss of US Netflix access , and its 10GB monthly data cap, have weighed down on the VPN. Customer support remains a weak point, too. There is no live chat to help with complex issues, and I found the knowledge base and chatbot only useful for the most basic queries. Windscribe offers access to several free US locations. Very Good Free VPN for Streaming Streaming is where Windscribe earns its place on this list. You can unblock geo-restricted content in 10 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. It’s also the only free VPN that consistently unblocks BBC iPlayer from outside the UK, which is no small feat. Beyond that, Windscribe got me past some tough geo-blocks, including Sky Go, DAZN, Hulu, HBO Max, plus 5 Netflix regions. Unblocking Sky Go with Windscribe’s Free VPN. Judged purely on unblocking success rate, Windscribe is the strongest free VPN I’ve tested. Only PrivadoVPN, Hotspot Shield Basic and TunnelBear get anywhere near it, but each of these unblocks far fewer platforms. Keep in mind that the 10GB monthly data cap will restrict the number of movies and TV shows you can watch, and US Netflix is off the table. Solid Privacy & Security Features Every Windscribe app uses secure AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption keys, and gives you a choice of the OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols. Windscribe’s security settings on its macOS app. Windscribe’s free VPN apps for PC and Mac are reassuringly secure thanks to the Windscribe Firewall setting, which stops your real IP address and data packets escaping the VPN tunnel if the connection drops. My test results show exactly that: Windscribe has never once leaked my IP or DNS data, and it doesn’t store any personally-identifiable logs, either. Still Beats Country Firewalls I also tested Windscribe’s ability to unblock websites in highly-censored countries like China, and I can confirm the free service still works . That’s down to its Stealth connection protocol, which uses the open-source Stunnel algorithm to disguise your VPN traffic as ordinary HTTPS. Bear in mind that Stealth is only available on the Windows, macOS, and Android apps. In my experience, the VPN performs best in China when you connect to the nearby Hong Kong server. 3 . Hotspot Shield Basic: Fastest Free VPN Hotspot Shield Basic Add to compare Get Hotspot Shield Full Hotspot Shield Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.5/10 Privacy 3.2 / 10 Streaming 3.5 / 10 Speed 9.8 / 10 Security 7.4 / 10 Server Locations 1.5 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 5.6 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.4 / 10 Additional Features 4.2 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: July 2026 See all ratings Pros Unlimited data allowance Fastest free VPN Unblocks US Netflix, UK Netflix & HBO Max No registration details required Allows torrent & P2P file sharing traffic Extensions for Chrome & Firefox Cons Just three countries with free servers Logs some user data macOS client lacks a VPN kill switch Data Cap Unlimited Countries with Servers 3 Servers Undisclosed Logging Policy Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction US (Five Eyes Member) Simultaneous Connections 1 Support Online Resources Only Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more Hotspot Shield Basic is an above-average free VPN, with no data cap and apps that are well designed and easy to use. What stands out from the moment you connect is the speed. I recorded barely any slowdown at all , and that held true whichever server I connected to. There’s also a built-in malware blocker, which is a rare feature to find in a free service. One thing doesn’t sit right with me, though. Hotspot Shield Basic collects some user activity data , so I can’t recommend it to anyone whose main reason for using a VPN is privacy. Hotspot Shield Basic connected me automatically to its free US server. The Fastest Free VPN There Is Hotspot Shield Basic is the fastest free VPN on the market, and by some margin. Through my team’s internal speed recordings, I keep seeing an incredible 2% speed loss across short distances, and an equally impressive 3% dip connecting further out. Hotspot Shield’s free app works with US Netflix. When I used Hotspot Shield to unblock US Netflix, my video quality never dropped out of 4K and I didn’t notice a single buffering pause. That’s incredibly rare for a free VPN. User-Friendly & Secure Apps Hotspot Shield’s free apps have clearly been designed for simplicity above all else. You connect by selecting the large On button on the home screen, and from there the interface shows your new IP address, the server load, how much data you’ve transferred, and your current speed. It took me seconds to get up and running the first time. Hotspot Shield has several security protocols and advanced features. There’s no need to hand over an email address or payment details to get started. On the security side, all apps use AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, and the ad, tracker and malware blocker I mentioned earlier is bundled in at no cost. The ad blocking isn’t bulletproof, mind you. It only blocked 46% of ads and trackers on Chrome and Firefox. That’s way worse than the other VPN ad blockers I tested. At least you’re not paying for it. Every free app apart from macOS includes a VPN kill switch, but you have to turn it on yourself. There’s also an option to connect to a VPN server automatically whenever the app detects an unsafe WiFi network. Not the Most Privacy-Friendly VPN Now to the part that costs Hotspot Shield most dearly in my ratings. Its privacy and logging policy is a real disappointment, and despite recent improvements the service still logs too much personal internet data . Specifically, it collects your IP address, the domains you visit, and your approximate geographic location. Hotspot Shield has told me this data is used to prevent fraud, and that it is aggregated, encrypted, and not tied to specific accounts , with IP addresses deleted at the end of each session. I take those assurances at face value, which is why the VPN is in my list at all. Even so, a VPN shouldn’t be collecting this much in the first place, and its privacy rating reflects that. If privacy is your priority, choose Proton VPN or Windscribe instead. Get Hotspot Shield 3 . Hotspot Shield Basic: Fastest Free VPN Full Hotspot Shield Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.5/10 Privacy 3.2 / 10 Streaming 3.5 / 10 Security 7.4 / 10 Server Locations 1.5 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 5.6 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.4 / 10 Additional Features 4.2 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Unlimited data allowance Fastest free VPN Unblocks US Netflix, UK Netflix & HBO Max No registration details required Allows torrent & P2P file sharing traffic Extensions for Chrome & Firefox Just three countries with free servers Logs some user data macOS client lacks a VPN kill switch Hotspot Shield Basic is an above-average free VPN, with no data cap and apps that are well designed and easy to use. What stands out from the moment you connect is the speed. I recorded barely any slowdown at all , and that held true whichever server I connected to. There’s also a built-in malware blocker, which is a rare feature to find in a free service. One thing doesn’t sit right with me, though. Hotspot Shield Basic collects some user activity data , so I can’t recommend it to anyone whose main reason for using a VPN is privacy. Hotspot Shield Basic connected me automatically to its free US server. The Fastest Free VPN There Is Hotspot Shield Basic is the fastest free VPN on the market, and by some margin. Through my team’s internal speed recordings, I keep seeing an incredible 2% speed loss across short distances, and an equally impressive 3% dip connecting further out. Hotspot Shield’s free app works with US Netflix. When I used Hotspot Shield to unblock US Netflix, my video quality never dropped out of 4K and I didn’t notice a single buffering pause. That’s incredibly rare for a free VPN. User-Friendly & Secure Apps Hotspot Shield’s free apps have clearly been designed for simplicity above all else. You connect by selecting the large On button on the home screen, and from there the interface shows your new IP address, the server load, how much data you’ve transferred, and your current speed. It took me seconds to get up and running the first time. Hotspot Shield has several security protocols and advanced features. There’s no need to hand over an email address or payment details to get started. On the security side, all apps use AES 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, and the ad, tracker and malware blocker I mentioned earlier is bundled in at no cost. The ad blocking isn’t bulletproof, mind you. It only blocked 46% of ads and trackers on Chrome and Firefox. That’s way worse than the other VPN ad blockers I tested. At least you’re not paying for it. Every free app apart from macOS includes a VPN kill switch, but you have to turn it on yourself. There’s also an option to connect to a VPN server automatically whenever the app detects an unsafe WiFi network. Not the Most Privacy-Friendly VPN Now to the part that costs Hotspot Shield most dearly in my ratings. Its privacy and logging policy is a real disappointment, and despite recent improvements the service still logs too much personal internet data . Specifically, it collects your IP address, the domains you visit, and your approximate geographic location. Hotspot Shield has told me this data is used to prevent fraud, and that it is aggregated, encrypted, and not tied to specific accounts , with IP addresses deleted at the end of each session. I take those assurances at face value, which is why the VPN is in my list at all. Even so, a VPN shouldn’t be collecting this much in the first place, and its privacy rating reflects that. If privacy is your priority, choose Proton VPN or Windscribe instead. 4 . PrivadoVPN: Great Free VPN for Streaming PrivadoVPN Add to compare Get PrivadoVPN Full PrivadoVPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.2/10 Privacy 6.6 / 10 Streaming 5.0 / 10 Speed 9.3 / 10 Security 7.7 / 10 Server Locations 2.7 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 6.2 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.6 / 10 Additional Features 5.1 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: August 2026 See all ratings Pros Unblocks US Netflix, HBO Max & Disney+ Unrestricted torrenting 14 servers in 11 countries Strong security & private logging policy GPS spoofing on Android Cons 10GB of free data per month No advanced settings & features Browser extensions reserved for paid users Single-device limit Data Cap 10GB per month Countries with Servers 11 Servers 14 Logging Policy No Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction Iceland (Privacy Haven) Simultaneous Connections 1 Support Live Chat Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more PrivadoVPN’s free version is one of the best I’ve come across. It unblocks American streaming platforms like US Netflix with real consistency, and it allows unrestricted torrenting on every single free server. It’s a safe choice, too, combining a privacy-oriented logging policy with industry-standard security: AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption, the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and a kill switch that worked properly every time I tested it. 11 countries covered might not sound like many, but among free VPNs it’s a good spread. Only TunnelBear covers more free locations, although it no longer lets you choose between them. List of PrivadoVPN’s free servers in Canada. The Best Free VPN for US Netflix Windscribe unblocks a greater number of Netflix regions overall, but PrivadoVPN is one of the very few secure free VPNs to work with US Netflix , which is the library most people are actually after. Here’s a video showing how to use PrivadoVPN to access US Netflix: Play PrivadoVPN’s free service is great for HBO Max, Hulu, and Disney+ as well. BBC iPlayer is the one weak spot, where access proved far less consistent for me. As with Windscribe, though, there’s only so much you can watch on 10GB of data a month. Unrestricted Torrenting On All Servers PrivadoVPN is based in Iceland, which is a very good place for a VPN company to operate, since VPNs there are exempt from data retention laws. To back that up, PrivadoVPN doesn’t log any personally identifiable internet data, and collects nothing beyond your total bandwidth used. Where the VPN falls short of Proton VPN and Windscribe is customization. The free apps give you almost nothing to configure beyond the basics. For torrenting, though, that simplicity hardly matters. Every free server allows P2P traffic, and combined with fast download speeds and privacy-friendly foundations, it makes PrivadoVPN an excellent free VPN for torrenting . Good-Sized High-Speed Server Network PrivadoVPN’s free version connects you to 14 cities across 11 countries. Connecting to PrivadoVPN’s free server in Germany. The United States is the only country with more than one city to choose from, offering Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. Speeds on these free servers were exceptional, and they performed almost identically to the paid software. They weren’t at Hotspot Shield’s level, but they come in at a remarkable 8% loss globally. Get PrivadoVPN 4 . PrivadoVPN: Great Free VPN for Streaming Full PrivadoVPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 5.2/10 Privacy 6.6 / 10 Streaming 5.0 / 10 Security 7.7 / 10 Server Locations 2.7 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 6.2 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.6 / 10 Additional Features 5.1 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Unblocks US Netflix, HBO Max & Disney+ Unrestricted torrenting 14 servers in 11 countries Strong security & private logging policy GPS spoofing on Android 10GB of free data per month No advanced settings & features Browser extensions reserved for paid users Single-device limit PrivadoVPN’s free version is one of the best I’ve come across. It unblocks American streaming platforms like US Netflix with real consistency, and it allows unrestricted torrenting on every single free server. It’s a safe choice, too, combining a privacy-oriented logging policy with industry-standard security: AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption, the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, and a kill switch that worked properly every time I tested it. 11 countries covered might not sound like many, but among free VPNs it’s a good spread. Only TunnelBear covers more free locations, although it no longer lets you choose between them. List of PrivadoVPN’s free servers in Canada. The Best Free VPN for US Netflix Windscribe unblocks a greater number of Netflix regions overall, but PrivadoVPN is one of the very few secure free VPNs to work with US Netflix , which is the library most people are actually after. Here’s a video showing how to use PrivadoVPN to access US Netflix: PrivadoVPN’s free service is great for HBO Max, Hulu, and Disney+ as well. BBC iPlayer is the one weak spot, where access proved far less consistent for me. As with Windscribe, though, there’s only so much you can watch on 10GB of data a month. Unrestricted Torrenting On All Servers PrivadoVPN is based in Iceland, which is a very good place for a VPN company to operate, since VPNs there are exempt from data retention laws. To back that up, PrivadoVPN doesn’t log any personally identifiable internet data, and collects nothing beyond your total bandwidth used. Where the VPN falls short of Proton VPN and Windscribe is customization. The free apps give you almost nothing to configure beyond the basics. For torrenting, though, that simplicity hardly matters. Every free server allows P2P traffic, and combined with fast download speeds and privacy-friendly foundations, it makes PrivadoVPN an excellent free VPN for torrenting . Good-Sized High-Speed Server Network PrivadoVPN’s free version connects you to 14 cities across 11 countries. Connecting to PrivadoVPN’s free server in Germany. The United States is the only country with more than one city to choose from, offering Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC. Speeds on these free servers were exceptional, and they performed almost identically to the paid software. They weren’t at Hotspot Shield’s level, but they come in at a remarkable 8% loss globally. 5 . Hide.me: Free VPN That Beats Online Censorship Hide.me Add to compare Get Hide.me Full Hide.me Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.9/10 Privacy 8.9 / 10 Streaming 1.3 / 10 Speed 1.0 / 10 Security 8.5 / 10 Server Locations 2.1 / 10 User Experience 7.0 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.0 / 10 Additional Features 4.1 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: July 2026 See all ratings Pros Rare free VPN to still work in countries like China No login credentials needed Doesn't log any identifiable web activity Very good privacy features Unlimited monthly data Cons Speeds capped at 2Mbps Only 7 VPN server locations Single-device policy No longer supports torrenting Data Cap Unlimited Countries with Servers 7 Servers Not Disclosed Logging Policy No Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction Malaysia (Privacy Haven) Simultaneous Connections 1 Support Live Chat Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more Hide.me is a truly private free VPN with unlimited data, and it earns its place on my list because it’s one of the rare free apps that still gets past national firewalls in authoritarian countries like China and Turkey. If that’s not why you’re here, then think twice. Hide.me doesn’t unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms, it no longer allows P2P traffic, and it caps your speed at just 2Mbps no matter what you do. I don’t love Hide.me’s UI, especially its choice of colors. Secure Apps for Most Devices Hide.me runs on most devices, including home routers, though router support is manual configuration only. Security-wise, connections are protected by AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption across the OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols. On logging, Hide.me collects no personal web data, but it does keep temporary records of your internally assigned IP address for the duration of your session, plus your total monthly bandwidth. That isn’t flawless, but it’s a solid policy that protects both your identity and your activity. Few VPN Locations & 2Mbps Speed Cap Hide.me gives free users IP addresses from just 7 countries : Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, and USA. Interestingly, Hide.me provides a free Finnish server location. That’s a real problem if you’re in India, Africa, South America or Australia, where the absence of a nearby server will drag your speeds down badly. And the speed problems don’t stop there. Hide.me caps free connections at 2Mbps regardless of which server you pick, which is easily the most restrictive limit of any VPN on this list and the reason its speed rating sits at 1.0. No Good for Streaming or Torrenting Between that speed cap and its blocking record, Hide.me’s free app is a poor fit for entertainment of any kind. It occasionally slips past US Netflix and BBC iPlayer, but never reliably enough for me to count on it, and it couldn’t unblock Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, or Disney+ at all. Torrenting, meanwhile, is no longer permitted, which has put a further dent in the VPN’s ability to compete with the absolute best free VPNs. Get Hide.me 5 . Hide.me: Free VPN That Beats Online Censorship Full Hide.me Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.9/10 Privacy 8.9 / 10 Streaming 1.3 / 10 Security 8.5 / 10 Server Locations 2.1 / 10 User Experience 7.0 / 10 Torrenting 0.0 / 10 Device Compatibility 7.0 / 10 Additional Features 4.1 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Rare free VPN to still work in countries like China No login credentials needed Doesn't log any identifiable web activity Very good privacy features Unlimited monthly data Speeds capped at 2Mbps Only 7 VPN server locations Single-device policy No longer supports torrenting Hide.me is a truly private free VPN with unlimited data, and it earns its place on my list because it’s one of the rare free apps that still gets past national firewalls in authoritarian countries like China and Turkey. If that’s not why you’re here, then think twice. Hide.me doesn’t unblock geo-restricted streaming platforms, it no longer allows P2P traffic, and it caps your speed at just 2Mbps no matter what you do. I don’t love Hide.me’s UI, especially its choice of colors. Secure Apps for Most Devices Hide.me runs on most devices, including home routers, though router support is manual configuration only. Security-wise, connections are protected by AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption across the OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 protocols. On logging, Hide.me collects no personal web data, but it does keep temporary records of your internally assigned IP address for the duration of your session, plus your total monthly bandwidth. That isn’t flawless, but it’s a solid policy that protects both your identity and your activity. Few VPN Locations & 2Mbps Speed Cap Hide.me gives free users IP addresses from just 7 countries : Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, and USA. Interestingly, Hide.me provides a free Finnish server location. That’s a real problem if you’re in India, Africa, South America or Australia, where the absence of a nearby server will drag your speeds down badly. And the speed problems don’t stop there. Hide.me caps free connections at 2Mbps regardless of which server you pick, which is easily the most restrictive limit of any VPN on this list and the reason its speed rating sits at 1.0. No Good for Streaming or Torrenting Between that speed cap and its blocking record, Hide.me’s free app is a poor fit for entertainment of any kind. It occasionally slips past US Netflix and BBC iPlayer, but never reliably enough for me to count on it, and it couldn’t unblock Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, or Disney+ at all. Torrenting, meanwhile, is no longer permitted, which has put a further dent in the VPN’s ability to compete with the absolute best free VPNs. 6 . ZoogVPN: Free VPN for Beginners ZoogVPN Add to compare Get ZoogVPN Full ZoogVPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.2/10 Privacy 6.0 / 10 Streaming 1.0 / 10 Speed 8.0 / 10 Security 7.0 / 10 Server Locations 1.5 / 10 User Experience 6.4 / 10 Torrenting 5.7 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.4 / 10 Additional Features 4.9 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: July 2026 See all ratings Pros Good internet speeds to nearby locations No payment details required No-logs privacy policy Good device compatibility Cons 10GB monthly data usage limit Doesn’t work with streaming platforms Only 5 free server locations Only AES 128-bit encryption on free plan Free app doesn't include WireGuard One device per account Data Cap 10GB per month Countries with Servers 5 Servers 5+ Logging Policy No Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction Greece (EU Member) Simultaneous Connections 1 Support Live Chat Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more ZoogVPN has built simple but private free apps for a wide range of devices, and not one of them collects identifiable internet activity data. There are only a handful of advanced settings to play with, and the free plan is limited to AES 128-bit encryption without WireGuard. ZoogVPN is a good place to start, but not a service I’d point an experienced user toward. Connected to ZoogVPN’s free US server. A Very Private Free VPN Service ZoogVPN enforces a no-logs policy across the whole service, so it doesn’t monitor or keep records of your web activity or your real IP address. To keep things running smoothly it does collect aggregate data on the total traffic passing through its servers, but nothing that ties back to you individually. The only personal detail it asks for is your email address, which is standard practice among VPN companies. My leak testing supports all of this. I didn’t record a single IP or DNS leak while ZoogVPN was running on any of my test devices. Only 5 Server Locations & 10GB of Free Data ZoogVPN operates free VPN servers in 5 locations: Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, the UK, and the US. ZoogVPN offers free servers in only 5 countries. The speeds on those servers have been consistent and reliably quick throughout my testing. On nearby connections you can expect to lose only around 4% of your download speed, which is excellent for a free tier. Torrenters are catered for as well, with dedicated P2P servers in Amsterdam. But, ZoogVPN limits data to 10GB a month, which is nowhere near enough to cover frequent large downloads. No Streaming & One Device Policy Two drawbacks stand out above the rest: ZoogVPN doesn’t bypass streaming geo-blocks, and it allows just one simultaneous connection per free account. I tried Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ without a single success. This isn’t unique to the free tier, either, as even ZoogVPN’s premium service struggles with many streaming platforms. The single-device rule is the more practical annoyance day to day, since you can’t use one free account across your phone and your laptop. Short of upgrading to the paid service, your only workaround is creating a separate account for every device you want to protect. Get ZoogVPN 6 . ZoogVPN: Free VPN for Beginners Full ZoogVPN Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.2/10 Privacy 6.0 / 10 Streaming 1.0 / 10 Security 7.0 / 10 Server Locations 1.5 / 10 User Experience 6.4 / 10 Torrenting 5.7 / 10 Device Compatibility 6.4 / 10 Additional Features 4.9 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Good internet speeds to nearby locations No payment details required No-logs privacy policy Good device compatibility 10GB monthly data usage limit Doesn’t work with streaming platforms Only 5 free server locations Only AES 128-bit encryption on free plan Free app doesn't include WireGuard One device per account ZoogVPN has built simple but private free apps for a wide range of devices, and not one of them collects identifiable internet activity data. There are only a handful of advanced settings to play with, and the free plan is limited to AES 128-bit encryption without WireGuard. ZoogVPN is a good place to start, but not a service I’d point an experienced user toward. Connected to ZoogVPN’s free US server. A Very Private Free VPN Service ZoogVPN enforces a no-logs policy across the whole service, so it doesn’t monitor or keep records of your web activity or your real IP address. To keep things running smoothly it does collect aggregate data on the total traffic passing through its servers, but nothing that ties back to you individually. The only personal detail it asks for is your email address, which is standard practice among VPN companies. My leak testing supports all of this. I didn’t record a single IP or DNS leak while ZoogVPN was running on any of my test devices. Only 5 Server Locations & 10GB of Free Data ZoogVPN operates free VPN servers in 5 locations: Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, the UK, and the US. ZoogVPN offers free servers in only 5 countries. The speeds on those servers have been consistent and reliably quick throughout my testing. On nearby connections you can expect to lose only around 4% of your download speed, which is excellent for a free tier. Torrenters are catered for as well, with dedicated P2P servers in Amsterdam. But, ZoogVPN limits data to 10GB a month, which is nowhere near enough to cover frequent large downloads. No Streaming & One Device Policy Two drawbacks stand out above the rest: ZoogVPN doesn’t bypass streaming geo-blocks, and it allows just one simultaneous connection per free account. I tried Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ without a single success. This isn’t unique to the free tier, either, as even ZoogVPN’s premium service struggles with many streaming platforms. The single-device rule is the more practical annoyance day to day, since you can’t use one free account across your phone and your laptop. Short of upgrading to the paid service, your only workaround is creating a separate account for every device you want to protect. 7 . TunnelBear: Largest Free Server Network TunnelBear Add to compare Get TunnelBear Full TunnelBear Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.0/10 Privacy 5.8 / 10 Streaming 3.7 / 10 Speed 8.8 / 10 Security 8.5 / 10 Server Locations 4.4 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 4.9 / 10 Device Compatibility 4.5 / 10 Additional Features 2.2 / 10 To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Last Tested: July 2026 See all ratings Pros Servers in 47 countries Streams US Netflix, HBO Max & BBC iPlayer No personal web logs Private DNS servers Kill switch works effectively Consistently good speeds Cons 2GB monthly data cap Doesn't let you select your server location No router support No browser extensions Occasional connection drops No live chat support Data Cap 2GB per month Countries with Servers 47 Servers 8,000 Logging Policy No Identifiable Data See all features Jurisdiction Canada (Five Eyes Member) Simultaneous Connections Unlimited Support Email & Online Resources Only Compatible with Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome +more TunnelBear’s free VPN is trustworthy and safe, and I’d happily recommend it to a beginner or to anyone who expects to use a VPN only very occasionally . Free users get the same server network as paying customers, all 47 countries of it, but location selection requires upgrading to a paid plan. Combine that with the 2GB monthly data cap and you have a service that’s severely limited in what you can realistically do with it. There is better news on streaming. Access to geo-blocked platforms has improved considerably since I last tested it. TunnelBear still fails with plenty of services, but it now works with US Netflix, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer, provided you’re assigned the right server location in the first place. TunnelBear runs free VPN servers in several countries, including Australia. Largest Number of Free Country Locations On paper, TunnelBear operates the largest free VPN server network I’ve come across: 47 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. That’s a far richer offering than any other free VPN, my top picks Proton VPN and Windscribe included. Having said that, you can’t manually select your server location anymore, which massively undermines this major selling point. Speeds on the free servers are respectable, but TunnelBear won’t get you past many geo-restrictions, and that’s before you factor in the luck of the draw on server assignment. Streaming performance has improved, though. TunnelBear now works with some platforms, like US Netflix and HBO Max, but expect many free IP addresses to be blocked. Secure & Private Apps Like Proton VPN, TunnelBear has commissioned independent audits of all its apps. In fact, it was one of the first services in the industry to do so. It has taken other meaningful steps for user privacy too, including first-party DNS servers, a VPN kill switch, and an annual transparency report. Three protocols are supported: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPsec. Protocol selection defaults to ‘Auto,’ which prioritizes WireGuard, so on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android you’ll normally be protected by ChaCha20 encryption. The security settings are sparse, but I can confirm the apps do their job. I detected no IP address leaks, and the kill switch prevented sudden IP exposures every time I forced a disconnection. 2GB Monthly Data Cap & Limited Compatibility TunnelBear caps free data usage at 2GB per month, which is way less than the 10GB allowances I’ve come to expect. TunnelBear also lacks the device compatibility of the higher-ranked free VPNs on this list. There are no Fire TV Stick or Apple TV apps, and no way to set it up on a router. My honest view is that TunnelBear’s free tier exists mainly as a taster for the premium service rather than as a VPN you can rely on. Get TunnelBear 7 . TunnelBear: Largest Free Server Network Full TunnelBear Review Overall Free VPN Rating: 4.0/10 Privacy 5.8 / 10 Streaming 3.7 / 10 Security 8.5 / 10 Server Locations 4.4 / 10 User Experience 7.7 / 10 Torrenting 4.9 / 10 Device Compatibility 4.5 / 10 Additional Features 2.2 / 10

To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology . Servers in 47 countries Streams US Netflix, HBO Max & BBC iPlayer No personal web logs Private DNS servers Kill switch works effectively Consistently good speeds 2GB monthly data cap Doesn't let you select your server location No router support No browser extensions Occasional connection drops No live chat support TunnelBear’s free VPN is trustworthy and safe, and I’d happily recommend it to a beginner or to anyone who expects to use a VPN only very occasionally . Free users get the same server network as paying customers, all 47 countries of it, but location selection requires upgrading to a paid plan. Combine that with the 2GB monthly data cap and you have a service that’s severely limited in what you can realistically do with it. There is better news on streaming. Access to geo-blocked platforms has improved considerably since I last tested it. TunnelBear still fails with plenty of services, but it now works with US Netflix, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer, provided you’re assigned the right server location in the first place. TunnelBear runs free VPN servers in several countries, including Australia. Largest Number of Free Country Locations On paper, TunnelBear operates the largest free VPN server network I’ve come across: 47 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. That’s a far richer offering than any other free VPN, my top picks Proton VPN and Windscribe included. Having said that, you can’t manually select your server location anymore, which massively undermines this major selling point. Speeds on the free servers are respectable, but TunnelBear won’t get you past many geo-restrictions, and that’s before you factor in the luck of the draw on server assignment. Streaming performance has improved, though. TunnelBear now works with some platforms, like US Netflix and HBO Max, but expect many free IP addresses to be blocked. Secure & Private Apps Like Proton VPN, TunnelBear has commissioned independent audits of all its apps. In fact, it was one of the first services in the industry to do so. It has taken other meaningful steps for user privacy too, including first-party DNS servers, a VPN kill switch, and an annual transparency report. Three protocols are supported: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2/IPsec. Protocol selection defaults to ‘Auto,’ which prioritizes WireGuard, so on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android you’ll normally be protected by ChaCha20 encryption. The security settings are sparse, but I can confirm the apps do their job. I detected no IP address leaks, and the kill switch prevented sudden IP exposures every time I forced a disconnection. 2GB Monthly Data Cap & Limited Compatibility TunnelBear caps free data usage at 2GB per month, which is way less than the 10GB allowances I’ve come to expect. TunnelBear also lacks the device compatibility of the higher-ranked free VPNs on this list. There are no Fire TV Stick or Apple TV apps, and no way to set it up on a router. My honest view is that TunnelBear’s free tier exists mainly as a taster for the premium service rather than as a VPN you can rely on. Free VPNs by Purpose & Device People use free VPNs for all sorts of reasons and on all sorts of devices. Follow the links below for my recommendations by purpose, device, and country. Streaming & Gaming Free VPNs for unblocking geo-restricted streaming and gaming content. Free VPNs for BBC iPlayer Free VPNs for Disney Plus Free VPNs for Gaming Free VPNs for HBO Max Free VPNs for Hotstar Free VPNs for Hulu Free VPNs for Kodi Free VPNs for Netflix Free VPNs for Peacock Free VPNs for Prime Video Free VPNs for PUBG Mobile Free VPNs for Sky Go Free VPNs for Streaming Free VPNs for YouTube TV Devices & Browsers Some free VPNs aren't compatible with certain platforms. Find those that work best with your device here. Free VPNs for Apple TV Free VPNs for Android Free VPNs for Android TV Free VPNs for Chrome Free VPNs for Firefox Free VPNs for Fire TV Stick Free VPNs for iPhone Free VPNs for Linux Free VPNs for Mac Free VPNs for Routers Free VPNs for Roku Free VPNs for Windows Privacy & Torrenting Free VPNs for online privacy, anonymous torrenting, and the Tor Browser. Free No-Logs VPNs Free VPNs for Tor & Dark Web Free VPNs for Torrenting Free VPNs for bypassing internet censorship, or getting an IP address from a specific country. Free VPNs for Argentina Free VPNs for Australia Free VPNs for Canada Free VPNs for China Free VPNs for France Free VPNs for Germany Free VPNs for Hong Kong Free VPNs for India Free VPNs for Indonesia Free VPNs for Italy Free VPNs for Japan Free VPNs for Korea Free VPNs for Mexico Free VPNs for Russia Free VPNs for Singapore Free VPNs for Turkey Free VPNs for UAE Free VPNs to Get a UK IP Address Free VPNs to Get a US IP Address Free VPN Testing Methodology With the help of my team of researchers and testers, I test every free VPN on a regular basis. Where a service offers both a free and a paid version, I’ll usually test both as part of the same review. In other words, free VPNs go through exactly the same testing process as paid ones. No allowances are made for the price. I test for speed, security, unblocking (including streaming), and torrenting. I read every privacy and logging policy in full, and I assess how easy and reliable each app is to live with day to day. The table below summarizes how my top-rated free VPNs performed in each key testing category: VPNs with a data cap received a reduction to their overall rating. My reviews and verdicts are completely impartial. Neither my team nor I have ever accepted compensation in return for positive coverage. Every free VPN I recommend meets the following criteria: No payment details required at signup No IP or DNS address leaks Strong encryption and security settings Reasonably fast speeds around the world No activity logs that can be linked back to you On that last point, I need to clarify why Hotspot Shield Basic made my list. It logs more than I’d like, including your IP address and the domains you visit, but that data is aggregated, isn’t tied to individual accounts, and your IP is deleted at the end of every session. Below is a detailed breakdown of my testing categories, and how much each one contributes to a free VPN’s overall rating. 1. Privacy (20%) Minimum Requirement: Any connection logs must be anonymized. I Recommend: A genuine no-logs logging policy. I only recommend free VPN services that respect your internet privacy and offer a high degree of anonymity. That starts with scrutinizing each VPN’s privacy policy to understand exactly what it collects, why it needs it, and how long it holds onto it. I also expect those policies to be transparent, detailed, and written in plain language rather than legalese. A VPN shouldn’t be collecting unnecessary or personally identifying activity data, such as your IP address or records of the sites you visit. The most private VPNs operate a strict no-logs policy. I place particular value on a policy that’s been independently audited by a trusted third party, or proven by real-world events such as a server seizure or court case. 2. Streaming (15%) Minimum Requirement: Sometimes unblocks geo-restricted content. I Recommend: Unblocks most popular streaming services, including US Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Bypassing streaming geo-restrictions is one of the most common reasons people use a VPN. By changing your IP address, you can stream video content that’s normally blocked in your region. Free VPNs are notoriously bad at this. Platforms like Netflix pour serious resources into blocking VPN users, and free VPN connections tend to be the easiest of all to identify and shut out. I’ve run thousands of tests to establish which VPNs unblock which services, checking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and more on a regular cycle. Success rates are low across the board, but the best free options, PrivadoVPN and Windscribe in particular, can still get you into US Netflix or BBC iPlayer. Minimum Requirement: No more than 30% loss in download speeds on local connections. I Recommend: Local speed loss less than 20% and reliably quick international speeds. Every VPN slows your internet down, at least marginally. Your data has to travel via the VPN server before reaching its destination, and that longer journey takes time. Heavy encryption adds a little more overhead as the data moves through the tunnel. With free VPNs the speed loss is typically greater than with the best paid services. That doesn’t mean you have to put up with painfully slow connections, though. As a team, we run manual speed tests at regular intervals, measuring download speed, upload speed, and ping time. We test from locations around the world, connecting to both local and international servers, to get a full picture of how a VPN performs rather than a single snapshot. The fastest free VPNs I recommend come close to many of the paid services I review, and you’re unlikely to notice a significant drop-off in everyday use. Hide.me is an exception I have to point out. Its 2Mbps cap falls well below the speed I’d normally accept, but it has other strong benefits that some users will find useful, such as beating online censorship. 4. Security (15%) Minimum Requirement: AES-128 encryption and an internet kill switch. I Recommend: AES-256, OpenVPN, WireGuard or similar, plus obfuscation tools. Testing security is especially important with free VPNs, because dangerous and ineffective apps are far more common than among paid services. So I make certain that every free VPN I recommend is free of malware, actually encrypts your traffic, and doesn’t collect activity data that identifies you. The encryption standards themselves get equal scrutiny. Most VPNs use the AES cipher, and while AES-128 is secure enough, I favor apps that use the stronger AES-256. VPN protocols need to be both highly secure and reliably fast. OpenVPN and WireGuard are my preferred defaults by some distance. I do rate proprietary protocols that perform just as well, ExpressVPN’s Lightway among them. Crucially, though, I’ll never recommend a proprietary protocol without testing and inspecting it properly first. Finally, a VPN must have a working kill switch to prevent IP exposure when the connection drops abruptly. I want to see it in all of a service’s main apps, ideally enabled by default. 5. Server Locations (10%) Minimum Requirement: Free servers in more than one country. I Recommend: A choice of free VPN servers spread around the world. I analyze each VPN’s server network in detail, paying particular attention to the total number of servers, how well distributed they are, and whether there are any specialized servers for P2P, streaming or Tor. Larger networks improve your chances of both fast speeds and successful unblocking. The greater the range of servers, the less congested they’ll be and the more IP addresses you’ll have access to. A broader spread also raises the odds of finding a server near you, which is the single biggest factor in your speeds. Free VPNs are usually limited on both counts. There are still services offering 10 or more locations, though a growing number now assign your server automatically rather than letting you choose. I mark services down for that, since it removes the main practical benefit of a wide network. 6. User Experience (10%) Minimum Requirement: Straightforward setup and intuitive, ad-free apps for major platforms. I Recommend: Easy setup with a consistent, cross-platform interface and stable connections across every supported device. I expect every VPN to offer user-friendly, reliable native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, unless it’s explicitly designed as a mobile-only service. Setup and everyday use should be simple enough for a complete beginner. Launching the app and connecting to a server ought to take seconds. The best free VPNs go further, with smooth apps for Fire TV and Android TV, and a well-designed Linux interface. The very best add dedicated router apps, sparing you the hassle of manual configuration. Some free VPNs display ads. The ones I recommend don’t, so you can connect and browse without interruption. 7. Torrenting (5%) Minimum Requirement: Allows torrenting on at least some free servers. I Recommend: P2P-optimized servers and an average bitrate of at least 4MiB/s. A VPN is essential for safe, anonymous torrenting. I start by examining each service’s P2P policy, since many don’t permit free users to torrent at all. From there I check for P2P-optimized servers and AES-256 encryption, and confirm the kill switch is working as it should. I also run IP and DNS leak tests to make sure your real torrenting IP address can’t be exposed while you’re in the swarm. Finally comes performance. I record each VPN’s average torrenting bitrate, because a VPN that’s fast for streaming won’t necessarily deliver fast P2P speeds. The best free VPNs manage an average torrenting bitrate of at least 4MiB/s. 8. Device Compatibility (5%) Minimum Requirement: Native apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. I Recommend: All of the above, plus Linux, Fire TV, Android TV, and browser extensions. Many free VPNs limit themselves to mobile apps, since developing for desktop platforms is expensive. To separate the best from the rest, I download and test every app a provider offers rather than taking the compatibility list on its website at face value. The strongest free VPNs also support streaming devices like Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV, either with native apps or smart DNS configuration. Better still are intuitive browser extensions that let you hide your IP address and unblock content straight from your browser. 9. Additional Features (5%) Minimum Requirement: At least one advanced extra, such as split tunneling, obfuscation, or ad and tracker blocking. I Recommend: Several of the above, plus 24/7 live chat support, static IPs, GPS spoofing on Android, or multi-hop connections. Most free VPNs hold advanced features back for premium plans as an incentive to upgrade. A handful, though, let you sample some of them for nothing. The better free VPNs include genuinely useful extras like split tunneling or an ad and tracker blocker at no cost. My top picks go a step further, offering things like 24/7 live support, obfuscation, and multi-hop connections. Data Cap Penalty The vast majority of free VPNs restrict how much data you can use, and that single restriction can dictate what the service is actually good for. So I check every VPN’s data allowance policy closely, and I look into the ways you can claim ‘bonus’ data for free, whether through refer-a-friend schemes or by registering an email address. Once I’ve calculated a free VPN’s rating using the methodology above, I then reduce it according to how limiting its data cap is. The percentage reduction applied to the overall rating, based on data cap, is as follows: Unlimited bandwidth: No deduction to the overall rating 10GB per month: -20% to the overall rating 500MB per day: -25% to the overall rating 5GB per month: -30% to the overall rating 1GB per month: -35% to the overall rating 200MB per day: -40% to the overall rating 500MB per month: -50% to the overall rating How to Choose a Free VPN Given the risks that insecure free VPNs pose, you need to be careful about what you install on your device. If you’d rather do your own research than take my word for it, be incredibly selective and read a VPN’s privacy policy and security standards closely before you download anything. The checklist below comes straight from the VPN testing methodology above, and it will help you find a free VPN that meets your needs and is safe to use. The Key Features of a Safe Free VPN Strong encryption via the AES-256 cipher, and secure VPN protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard. A VPN kill switch to keep your IP address hidden if the connection drops unexpectedly. No IP or DNS leaks in any of its applications. A privacy-focused logging policy. A safe free VPN shouldn’t track or store personally identifiable information, such as your real IP address or the websites you visit. Better still if that policy has been proven by an expert audit or a real-world event like a server seizure or court case. A company registered in a privacy-focused country with no data retention laws. A safe jurisdiction combined with a verified no-logs policy is the ideal pairing. Reasonably fast, consistent speeds across the free server network, on both nearby and long-distance connections. A reasonably sized server network with free servers spread across a diverse range of countries, so you get acceptable speeds wherever you’re connecting from. Device Compatibility Native apps for Windows, macOS, and iOS and Android phones and tablets. Chrome and Firefox extensions, a native Fire TV Stick app, and router support all improve a VPN’s rating, though I don’t consider them essential. Data Usage Limitations Most safe free VPNs limit how much data you can use each day or month. Anything above 1GB per month is acceptable, but the very best offer 10GB per month or no limit at all. Think about how much data you’re likely to need, and choose accordingly. Free vs Paid: Limitations of Free VPNs Not every free VPN is dangerous. A good one is well suited to small, specific jobs like securing a public WiFi connection, changing your IP address temporarily, or unblocking a geo-restricted video for an hour or two. What no free VPN can do is match a premium service outright. You’ll almost always run into monthly data caps, slower speeds, torrenting restrictions, and weaker streaming performance. Below are the most common limitations of free VPNs that you won’t find in a high-quality paid service: 1. Limited Streaming (Unblocking) Capabilities Free VPNs usually can’t bypass the geo-restrictions that streaming services deploy around the world. Of the seven free services I recommend, only Windscribe, PrivadoVPN, Hotspot Shield Basic, and TunnelBear unblock major platforms with any success, and each of them still fails against plenty of services. Beyond them the hit rate collapses almost entirely. On the other hand, top-rated streaming VPNs like ExpressVPN and NordVPN easily unblock most streaming services. 2. Limited Torrenting Support Free VPNs tend to either throttle file-sharing speeds heavily or block torrenting traffic outright. That’s because P2P traffic eats bandwidth, and bandwidth costs VPN companies money. On top of that, most safe free VPNs enforce daily or monthly data limits, which makes transferring large files impractical anyway. Not to mention the fact that free VPNs don’t offer extra torrenting features like port forwarding. Not every paid VPN is optimized for torrenting either, but the best torrenting VPNs give you advanced P2P settings, excellent security, and fast speeds across thousands of P2P-friendly servers. 3. Daily or Monthly Data Caps Most secure and trustworthy free VPNs restrict how much data you can transfer in a day or a month. These limits typically range from 1GB to 10GB per month. A small number of free services buck the trend, with Proton VPN, Hotspot Shield Basic and Hide.me all offering unlimited data, though each comes with its own trade-off elsewhere. Paid VPN services sidestep the issue entirely, since they place no restrictions on how much data you use . 4. Slower (or Capped) Speeds Free VPNs used to be far slower than they are today. Thanks to improvements in VPN technology, several of the free services on this list now deliver genuinely fast speeds across their networks. That’s not guaranteed, though. Some perfectly secure free VPNs remain much slower than their paid alternatives . Hide.me is the clearest example among my recommendations, since its free servers are hard-capped at 2Mbps while its paid servers have no such limit. More often, the culprit is server congestion, which is a chronic problem when thousands or even millions of free users are funneled onto too few servers at once. The fastest paid VPNs avoid this simply by having far more capacity to spread the load across. 5. Small Server Networks As you’ll have gathered from my recommendations, free server networks are small and thinly spread. Even the largest cover somewhere in the region of 40 to 50 countries at the very best, and most manage fewer than a dozen. TunnelBear is the outlier with servers in 47 countries, though it no longer lets free users choose between them. That’s a fraction of what paid services offer, with the largest providing access to as many as 18,651 servers worldwide. Among the free VPNs where you can still pick your location, PrivadoVPN leads with 11 countries, just ahead of Windscribe on 10. Paid providers like IPVanish and Surfshark , by comparison, run servers in more than 100 countries. 6. Lack of Advanced Security Features Even the very best free VPNs are thin on advanced settings. Beyond a kill switch, extras like VPN split tunneling , multi-hop (or double VPN) servers , and IPv6 leak protection are rarely included. These features are almost always reserved for paying customers, so if any of them matter to you, a paid VPN is the only realistic route. Why Many Free VPNs Are Dangerous A great many popular free VPN services are unsafe, and pose serious risks to your internet security and privacy . The business model is usually the root of the problem. Free VPNs are often riddled with aggressive advertising or outright malware, and many collect and monetize user data by selling it on. Hola VPN, for one, was caught selling its users’ bandwidth to botnets. Technical shortcuts are just as common, with plenty of free apps using weak encryption or leaking IP and DNS data. Since 2016, I’ve investigated 150 VPNs for security, privacy, and trustworthiness. My in-depth free VPN tests show that: 88% of free VPNs leak data, including IP and DNS leaks. 10% suffered encryption failures 53% had unstable VPN tunnels The chart below illustrates some of the key findings from my free VPN research and investigations: Sources: 1 Global Mobile VPN Report , 2 Free VPN Ownership Investigation , 3 Free VPN Risk Index: Android Apps Setting the risks aside for a moment, most 100% free VPNs are still simply less effective. They tend to be slow, and they rarely unblock popular streaming services. The Dangers of Using a Risky Free VPN There are three key dangers of using an unverified free VPN: 1. Data Logging & Intrusive Advertising Free VPN services still need to make money. Most do it through in-app ads, which rely on third-party code that sends your internet usage data back to the ad platform. SuperVPN admits to logging IP addresses in its privacy policy. Some go further still and sell your browsing data on to third parties. My advice is simple: if you’re using a VPN to browse privately, avoid any app that shows you ads. 2. Data Leaks & Weak Encryption Strong encryption and a secure server network cost money to maintain. Many free VPNs are poorly looked after, and the result is that they simply aren’t secure. Hola’s free VPN leaked my IP address. I regularly see popular free apps like Turbo VPN leaking DNS and IP address data. Services like these aren’t really VPNs at all. They’re proxies that don’t encrypt your traffic. 3. Ownership & Accountability Most of the popular free VPNs on the App Store and Google Play belong to companies that don’t prioritize user privacy. At worst, some actively harvest your data. That’s why I always investigate the companies and individuals behind a service. My past research revealed that 60% of popular free VPNs had suspicious links to China . How Do Free VPNs Make Money? Running a VPN for free isn’t really possible. Development, infrastructure, and staff all cost money. So how a free VPN makes its money matters enormously. As the saying goes, if you aren’t paying for the product, you are the product. These are the three most common approaches: Being subsidized by a paid service (another VPN or security software) Selling user data Of those, the first is by far the safest, which is why I favor free VPNs that are subsidized by a paid-for service . Freemium providers like Windscribe, Proton VPN, and PrivadoVPN are good examples, because they don’t need to monetize their free apps directly. Freemium VPNs usually offer a restricted version of the premium service. Freemium VPNs typically run on the same infrastructure as the full paid service, but with significant restrictions bolted on. In practice that means a limited number of servers and, in most cases, a monthly data cap of 10GB or less. As a result, these free VPNs tend to be slower and unblock fewer streaming services than their paid counterparts. The worst VPNs, by contrast, are usually completely free. They generate income through invasive advertising or, at their very worst, by logging and selling user data to third parties. Free VPNs to Avoid Despite their popularity, and tens of millions of installs between them, there are dozens of free VPNs that performed very badly in my testing. My findings have included IP and DNS leaks, invasive logging, data sharing with third parties, and in some cases malware hidden inside the software itself. Video exposing the five worst free VPNs. Here are some of the worst free VPNs I’ve tested, all of which I strongly advise you avoid : Hola Free VPN is very fast, but it isn’t safe to use. It logs your internet activity, doesn’t unblock websites, and blocks P2P traffic. Its Chrome extension was removed from the Chrome Store in 2021 after being labeled potentially dangerous. Betternet Free VPN is slow, lacks a number of critical security features, and leaked my DNS requests in testing. VPN Proxy Master VPN Proxy Master doesn’t have adequate security features, and I detected dangerous functions and malware in its apps. Thunder VPN suffers from slow speeds, enforces an invasive logging policy, and relies on a very weak encryption protocol. SuperVPN Free VPN Client SuperVPN Free is the worst free VPN I’ve tested, without exception. It has a dangerous logging policy, its ownership is deliberately opaque, and its apps are packed with ads. Turbo VPN leaks DNS requests, is riddled with third-party ads, requests unsafe permissions, and I detected malware during my security audits. Turbo VPN leaks DNS requests on all of its apps. Are VPNs Legal? Using a VPN, free ones included, is legal in most countries, among them the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Disappointingly, a number of countries restrict or prohibit VPN use . VPNs are restricted in China, Iran, Oman, Russia, Turkey, and the UAE, and officially banned outright in Belarus, Iraq, North Korea, and Turkmenistan. What Is the Fastest Free VPN? Hotspot Shield Basic is the fastest free VPN available, with a 2% speed loss on local connections and 3% loss connecting to distant global servers. Which Good Free VPNs Don't Require Registration? Two of my recommendations let you skip signup entirely: Hide.me and Hotspot Shield Basic. You can install and use either of them without creating a username and password or handing over payment details. Windscribe, ZoogVPN and TunnelBear all require an email address to register a free account. Can I Use a Paid VPN for Free? Yes, and it’s often the better option. Paid VPNs frequently offer free trials and money-back guarantees, and you can use both to test a premium service at no cost. Some, like CyberGhost, let you try the full service for a set number of days without even asking for payment details upfront. Others, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, offer money-back guarantees instead. Refund guarantees let you try a paid VPN for a set amount of time. You’ll be charged at signup, but as long as you request a refund before the guarantee period ends, you’ll be reimbursed promptly. The Best VPN Free Trials The Best VPN Free Trials The Best VPN Services of 2026 The Best VPN Services of 2026 The Best Cheap VPNs The Best Cheap VPNs