In our ultimate download list of the free VPN services, we do list only truly free VPNs apps. You don't need to enter your credit card or any other payment details in order to use them.
The last best PC VPN application that I recommend to you is PrivateTunnel. Just like other free VPN services, PrivateTunnel is available for various platforms such as Mac, Android, Windows, and iOS. PrivateTunnel has a limited and free package apart from paid services. Unlocator is another best VPN for Windows that you can use in 2021. Whenever you use this VPN service, your every online activity stays secure and your network becomes encrypted. And, it is also available for Android, Mac, and iOS. It provides the facility to secure and guard privacy in just a single click.
All VPN clients listed below are available for Windows 7 or 10 PC, some of them also for Mac or as a simple extension to your browser. If you are looking for browser VPN only, check out our list of the best VPNs for Chrome browser.
Some of the VPN apps may have a feature or time limitations or even a monthly data cap in the free version. However, they are all doing the main job of protecting your privacy on the public Wi-Fis. You can also use them to access any kind of geo-restricted content (e.g. YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, HBO GO, Amazon Prime or BBC iPlayer).
If you are looking for a premium VPN with more features and no limitations, check out our top 5 list of paid VPN solutions. Premium VPNs typically cost around $10 per month, but you can as low as to $3 per month if you buy a yearly subscription.
| Free VPN | Pros | Cons | Limitations | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Hotspot Shield VPN100% FREE |
|
| Our top pick. Free VPN with great speed, nice & simple user interface and strong encryption. Give it a try! |
| #2 TunnelBear VPN100% FREE |
|
| Great Free VPN which is safe and simple to use. Recommended for beginners. |
|---|---|---|---|
| #3 ProtonVPN100% FREE |
|
| One of the best Free VPN solution out there. No data limit and decent speed. |
| Windscribe VPN100% FREE |
|
| Nice app with generous data transfer limit. The slower speed will negatively affect the video-streaming. |
| HideMe VPN100% FREE |
|
| Free VPN with decent speed and advanced features offering also top-notch Free Proxy service. |
| ZoogVPN100% FREE |
|
| Might be useful in pair with another Free VPN once you are out of data. |
| Speedify VPN100% FREE |
|
| Easy to use and well-designed VPN app. Besides a lot of locations, Speedify allows P2P (torrenting). |
| Opera VPN100% FREE |
|
| Fastest Free VPN solution but with only 2 locations. Available only in Opera browser. |
| VPNhub100% FREE |
| Free VPN product from Pornhub with no data limit. Not related with adult services. Requires premium subscription for Windows or Mac. | |
| NordVPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| One of the best VPNs on the market, which definitely worth-a-try. |
| CyberGhost VPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| Since this service has no data transfer limit, it’s quite handy to have it in case you want to be protected e.g. on public WI-FIs. |
| Avast Secureline VPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| Solid VPN solution with basic functions and long enough trial period. |
| AVG Secure VPNFREE TRIAL |
| Solid VPN solution with a really long trial period and no limitations. Decent server infrastructure with minimal impact on connection speed. | |
| ZenMate VPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| User-friendly and nice interface but provides slow connection speeds. |
| CactusVPNFREE TRIAL |
| Relatively new VPN provider offering great speeds. Unfortunately only 1-day Free Trial. | |
| SaferVPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| Simple to use with strong encryption. Unfortunately only 1-day Free Trial. |
| Trust.Zone VPNFREE TRIAL |
|
| Great privacy-focused VPN which allows torrenting and unblocks Netflix. |
Is it Safe to Use a Free VPN?
Overall you need to be really careful which free VPN vendor you will choose. There are a few good ones and many bad ones. To learn more about the dangers and risks of using a free VPN service, check out our article Is it Safe to Use a Free VPN?
From our list, we can honestly recommend HotspotShield Free VPN. They are a solid company with a clear business model and no secrets.
Free VPN vs. Paid VPN – What Are the Key Differences?
There are major differences between the free and premium VPN solutions, and it's not just a price. They typically differ in these areas.
1. Security
Free VPNs are typically using less secured VPN protocols like PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) which has only 128-bit encryption. While the majority of the paid VPNs are using OpenVPN protocol (among many others) with 256-bit encryption.
However, if you are using VPN to mask your localization or access geo-restricted content, security may not be your main concern.
2. Features & Server Locations
Paid VPNs definitely provide more features like Kill Switch, DNS Leak Protection, multiple protocols or simultaneous connections.
Free VPNs have often limited feature set and/or limited usage. Many of them are putting a cap on the monthly data transfer. For example, TunnelBear VPN gives you only 500MB of data per month, to get more you need to upgrade to premium version.
TunnelBear VPN User Interface
Variety of server locations is also much larger in the paid VPN solutions. Plus the server infrastructure is usually pretty good. With the free VPN, you get only a few extremely busy locations (if any) with shared and sometimes banned IP address.
3. Connection Speeds
As mentioned above, the free VPN servers are usually pretty busy. It's because they have overall many more users and only a limited choice of servers. And this affects the connection speed dramatically. When using free VPN there is a high chance of big slow down of both download and upload speeds.
While with the paid VPN the servers are having less traffic and overall the infrastructure is much better because companies can invest in them.
4. Privacy & Ads
There is no such thing as free, especially when it comes to VPN because the infrastructure costs are really high. In the case of free VPNs, you are usually “paying” with your personal data. Many free VPN vendors are collecting and logging your browsing data to later sell them to big ad networks.
Some of the VPNs may even display you random ads during your browsing experience to monetize the usage.
5. Pricing
Last but not least, the price which may be the key differentiator for many users. Obviously, the free VPNs won't cost you a cent, but they come with all the disadvantages mentioned above. Some of them are somehow limited and you actually need to pay to get the full-featured service.
Best Vpn For Firestick
Paid VPNs are actually not that expensive as you may think. The most recommended VPN based on our reviews is NordVPN which starts at $11.95 per month. But if you get the 2-year license, you will pay only $3.29 for each month. Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN may be cheaper, but still, a very good alternative for only $6.95 per month or $2.91 if you get the 2-year plan.
When Should You Choose the Free VPN Over the Premium VPN?
Best Vpn For Crypto
Free VPN may be a good start if you are new to VPN industry, or if you are just looking for some quick solution. For example, if you are in a foreign country and need to visit a website in your home country. To go around the country restrictions, you can also use a free proxy service.
You can also use the free VPN as a regular VPN if you are just browsing the Internet and sending e-mails, so you don't need a huge bandwidth. Only make sure you will use some of the trusted ones listed here.
However, if you are doing sensitive transactions on your PC (e.g. online banking, shopping), we recommend investing a few dollars and getting the premium one – check out our top 5 list of paid VPN solutions.
Best Vpn For Mac
? Looking specifically for the most suitable VPN in your country?